Leeks and Greeks and Peeling Wallpaper Stinks!

I AM BACK!  Your mistress is back and alive and healthy after a long break.  My apologies!  So much to catch up on...

In my absence, the Cottage has had two birthdays.  Sir E turned 8 last week and Madam Lu is 2 today!

I cut off his long locks the night before his big day.  I really like this Sir with short spikey hair much better!

You may remember Sir M's Colonial Flag cake?  Well, Sir E got a more modern take on patriotism!  The cake was not that great, so I won't go into any more details on that.

We went to Takaoka of Japan to celebrate.  A darling friend watched Madam Lu for us because baby on a hibachi grill is not as tasty as fillet.

Today is Madam Lu's special day, but her party is not until Sunday, so to be continued on all of that...

That is the family update.  Now onto the remodeling....

Just to remind you of what we started with in the Sirs' room...

I would honestly say that just taking down those dark and dreary curtains made a huge difference, but tah-dah...the wall is all clean and ready to be filled and sanded....yippee!

Another before

And after the peel. 

A close-up of what I am dealing with.

Surprise!  After the layer of dark plaid is peeled, I am left with some seriously old lighter plaid. 

Which, even after scoring the heck out of, and dousing with paper remover stuff, still only comes off inch by inch.

I am left with the area where the Sirs' bunk beds are located to peel and then on to the wall repair.  I am thinking of painting their ceiling a light gray?


Their bathroom is looking splendid...the new floor is done, the new vanity and granite counter are installed.  I am working on my template for striping the room.

Right, I have no idea why this pic is turned, but actually the stripes are vertical.  They have also led to a bit of controversy here at the cottage.  Your Mistress wants to tape and stripe the whole bathroom in such a manner.  Sir L, however, has declared that he will not spend $900 on tape and I must make my stripes much, much bigger.  The B's will be blue and the G's will be green...the stripes not labeled are staying white.  I tried to compromise by limiting the spaces I will be striping, to no avail.  Yesterday I saw some free-handed striping in an AMAZING cottage and so now I am thinking of just free-handing them.  I do love the natural and organic look of free-handed stripes, but for some reason I was thinking more crisp and precise for this room.  Alas, I may need to give in on this one, friends.


So, I am wondering, have you tried Greek yogurt yet?  Well, it is lower in sodium than regular yogurt, so I gave it a try.  OH.MY.  It is gooooood.  Really.  Gooooooood.  I am not sure what makes it Greek, but I really enjoy imagining Brad Pitt playing Achilles in the movie Troy, eating it next to me!

Tonight I am making something with leeks.  I have not ever cooked with them before, but I love the way they look and they sound so earthy...I will let you know.....

With this I say goodbye, for now, but I will not be on break again for awhile, so expect to hear from me more regularly again!

Love, The Mistress of the Cottage

Cottage De Haven is on Break...I will be back as soon as possible!

Please excuse my lack of blogging.  I have much to share with you, but a dire health situation has come up and I am on break until I can catch up with laundry, cleaning, etc.  Thank you for understanding and don't forget about me...when I come back you will be inundated with stories and pictures from the cottage!

Love, Mistress of the Cottage

The Plague at the Cottage

Hello dear friends!  Have you been wondering..."Wonder what has been going on at Cottage De Haven?  Have not heard from the mistress there in ever-so-long."  It is a sad but true tale of woes that often accost cottages such as these...the plague...

Over two weeks ago, I noticed that Madam Lu was even more...oooh, lets say 'demanding' than usual.  She cried at the drop of a fruit loop, wept when I casually mentioned she smelled like a toxic waste facility, and wailed when I asked her, very nicely, to put the sharp sewing scissors down. 

As my previous experiences are all with raising male heirs, I was quite perplexed.  The child has all of her teeth, but perhaps she is getting her 12 yr old molars?  A quick swipe in that slimy mouth proved that we do not need to consider braces at this time.  A few days later, Sir came down with a mysterious illness.  He was bedridden but not fevered.  What could it be?  Malaria in February did not seem likely.  Typhus, the ague, consumption....all ruled out.  This does, in fact leave only one illness....the dreaded plague.

And so, your Mistress has been working tirelessly nursing the sick back to health.  Sir was a heap of pathetic, writhing and loathing.  Madam Lu would not be convinced to snuggle in her sick bed...her symptoms were only apparent in her mad desire to scream and cry at all times.

Now we come to the part of the tale where the Mistress of the Cottage realizes why her skills lean more towards the demolition, decorating, gardening, cooking-type services and not towards the nursing type.  My friends, I am not a nurse.  I am neither sympathetic, nor particularly thoughtful when it comes to a sick man without a fever.  My advisement of "take some damn Advil and get out of bed" were not appreciated.

Miraculously, Sir's plague was cured just in time for him to go back to work.  I am pretty sure it was one of those ethereal miracles.  Last week was spent trying to catch up on all of the menial tasks that got put aside whilst I was donning the red cross.

Then...I noticed a slight scratching of my own throat...a dull, pounding pain in my cranium...and realized that I was a victim of that thing we nurses fear most...I had transmitted the plague.  And so, I spent this week in bed, with strep throat, alternating between crying, sucking pop-sickles, and eating Advil like Juno's lover eats Tick-tacks. 

Today the Mistress is back from the plague and is ready to tackle some projects!  Next weekend we will embark on our yearly snow-ski trip, so there is much to accomplish before we go.  Lets hope I can hang up my stethoscope for the season! 

    

Kitchen Before and After: Phase 1

Were you worried?  Do not be... I have been quite busy!  To begin, I am still, yes, still, working on the art room.  I am getting very close to being done.  When you see the pics, you will understand why it took so long...I hope!

In the meantime, I finished painting the kitchen cabinets...finally.  This took EVEN LONGER than I anticipated because my original coat of white was a different color than my new white (really).

What can I say, the kitchen looked exactly like the rest of the entire house...

We DID replace the faucet right away...also a new dishwasher

Just to get the whole picture of, um, browness!

Sorry, no before of this side of the kitchen, but it was...brown.  Heinrich is helping to demonstrate the striking difference the white cabinets make!  I love the set of black cabinets...they add contrast to the rest of the kitchen and help the fridge to blend a bit better.  The fridge was ours (the original was, um, brown).

Ok, so you can see, the butter from the family room trickles right into the kitchen.  The double oven is not super attractive, but it works amazingly...at least it blends a bit better with the white cabinets.  Above the ovens in that super tall cabinet, we have tucked away the microwave.  It is a great place to hide it!

I am not going to apologize for the sun, because it is glorious today, but it does make it difficult to take pics.  I painted the window red (the same as the fireplace) for a bright pop of color.  It works for me.

Did you notice all of those cabinets on top?  Truthfully, I don't even use them because I have plenty of space in the rest of the room.  So, the kitchen is far from perfect, but at least it is functional.

  So, this is just phase 1...which means it is not my dream kitchen...but at least it is bright, cheery, and livable now.  I have many grand plans, much to Sir's chagrin, so stay posted!

With the kitchen complete, I have started peeling wallpaper from the chamber of Sir E and Sir M.  Let me tell you...underneath that navy and red nightmare is ANOTHER layer of wallpaper...OH.MY.STINK.

Sir has layed the slate in their privy and grouted.  It is gorgeous!  Next he will be carving out drywall and shaving the studs to put the vanity in (did I mention that the boy's vanity space is a "freakish" size).

Here is my completed bead project...to be sewn onto a pouch or something...

Sir spent about 5 hours blowing snow.

AAAND last, but not least, the Blizzard of 2011 was SPLENDID!  We have been playing outside alot!  The cottage is adorable in her winter coat!

Sir E and Sir M on the toboggan run.

Madam Lu and Esther hiking in the 12" snow layer.

The Cottage's Best Cookie Recipe

A short post today because Madam Lu is off to Grandmama's and I have to work on that horrendous list I promised....

And now for the BEST, really honestly, cookie recipe in the world...developed at Cottage De Haven.  Please try it and let me know what you think.  Also, feel free to share the recipe, as everyone who has a cookie will want it...just make sure to reference Cottage De Haven as the author!

Cottage De Haven Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 TBL of milk
2 pours vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Reece's peanut butter chips
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 flat dish with sugar to roll cookies in


In a large bowl beat butter and peanut butter.  Add sugars.  Beat.  Add eggs.  Beat.  Add milk and vanilla.  Beat.  Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.  Beat.  Add peanut butter chips and chocolate chunks.  Stir.  Roll cookies in sugar.  Do not smash with fork, keep them in little ball shapes.

Bake 350* for 10 - 12 Minutes.  Set the timer.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.  Cookies will appear underdone, but they are not.  Let the cookies cool on sheet for @ 1-2 minutes (or until they are set just enough to move).  Move to cooling rack.

Cookies are slightly crispy/chewy on the outside and soft and amazing on the inside.

NOTES on Baking at the Cottage:
1.  If you use butter with salt, you do not need to add salt to your baking.

2. It is a myth that everything must be measured to an exact amount in baking.  This is a fairy tale bakers have perpetuated because it makes them feel superior.  Actually measurements such as "a dump" or "a pour" or "a handful" are perfectly acceptable in baking.

3. Another baking myth is the "in separate bowl mix flour, baking powder/soda, and salt.  This is never important and simply makes more dirty dishes.  First pour all of your flour on top of your dough.  Then add your sodas and salt on top.  When you mix the flour in, the other stuff gets mixed as well.  Seriously, save yourself the extra step!

4. If a cookie recipe is good enough to make, double it.  You can freeze the dough or bake all of the cookies and freeze the extra cookies.  Or as the case is at the Cottage, share the extras with your elderly neighbors on a cold afternoon, and watch in horror as your dog climbs on the counter (surprisingly agile for a 90lb. Doberman) and snarfles half of them down!

Making Love to Wendle, Injected Cupcakes, and Dungeon Tales

Welcome Back!  To tell the truth, after Christmas Vacation, and then our Vacation from Christmas, this Madam de la Cottage has enjoyed some time off romancing my new Kindle!  Most romances do need a break, though, so after a good long week of making out with Wendle I have come up for air.  First to show you what I have been working on...to quote GIGI..."good heavens...no one makes love all the time...the only people who make love all the time are liars"

Injecting cupcakes is just wrong.  You never get enough "stuff".  I always use the "dump" method...not as cool sounding, but much better tasting...

Mix the batter.  Pour it into your cupcake pan.  To make the filling...mix one block of room temp cream cheese.  Then add a nice-sized dump, or glob if you prefer, of powdered sugar.

Flip a good sized glob into the batter.  Yes, right on top.  Does it look too full?  Good, that means you are ready to add the cherries!  As you can see from the first picture, your cupcakes should be spilling, souping, and running...Now bake.

Were you frightened of the mess?  NOOOO!  The batter simply bakes up and around the sloppy insides...leaving you with splendid and delightful treats!  Simple, yes!

I have also been working on my new bead loom.  This is a pretty standard pattern, and my first creation.

And attempt #2...I designed this pattern and this one turned out much better in overall form.

And this is a tiny section of what is to become a beaded bag...probably for Madam Lu.  After 2 practices, I felt ready to tackle a real project.  This will be about a 9"x6" panel when I am done.  I won't tell you any more details, but will show you the finished project.

Now, interspersed with all of this Wendle love, baking, and beading Sir and I are gutting the little Sirs' bathroom (hopefully to be followed by bedroom).  In order to gut the bathroom, we had to be able to walk through said room without destruction of self and limb.  In partnership with the bedroom is the dungeon....1,375 sqft of toy nightmare.  The dungeon was meant to be a quiet playland.  It was a "fail". So, we have been cleaning.  12 hours to be exact.  A brief pictorial...

BEWARE: Entering the Sirs' wasteland.

A weird little nook right off the entryway door...small door goes into an attic.

I warned you!

Bright and cheerful, yes?  A note: the tv was a recent addition and I never even hooked it up.  I am stringently opposed to tv's in kids rooms...this shows a total lack of control over sirs' and a desperation to try anything to bribe their cooperation.  Another "fail"

OH MY GOODNESS!  Don't you just LOVE the navy and red floor to ceiling wallpaper?  Not to mention the matching triple row cafe curtains....!!!

OOOH, this one gives a tiny view of the bathroom mostly gutted.  Lets just say this looks like a show room compared to the status of the dungeon!

Alas, after hours and hours, the room is clean.  Furniture has been moved and re-located.  The dungeon is basically off-limits to these people.   Piles of toys have been sorted, boxed, and put into the attic.

What?  Are you wanting some "after" pics.  Oh no!  You cannot have any until these rooms are shiny, new, and complete.  The wallpaper still adorns the walls, and the bathroom is not even close to being put back together.  You will just have to take my word on the fact that it is all MUCH cleaner!  Ha!

And now for my up and coming "to do" list.

1.  Organize art room shelves.  Begin taking everything off shelves and painting.

2. Sort all of the Sirs' clothes, starting with infant.  Give away much, put the rest in the attic.  Miss Melanie is our resident Textile Supervisor.

3. Finish beaded pouch.

I am sure there are many other things to be completed, but this is on my list for "today".  I will keep you posted, as always!

Boudoir de Madam Lu Before and After

It is good to be back at the cottage after an amazing break!  With much laundry and other such trifles to accomplish in a timely fashion, I thought I would show you another remodel at Cottage De Haven.  I thoroughly enjoyed Madam Lu's little boudoir update and hope you enjoy it as well.

 I must tell you that at the time of this remodel, I was months away from seeking Sir's dismissive reply to my bloggish ideas.  That said, I did not take pictures of her actual room before the updates.  This is the spare bedroom and it is an exact replica of Madam Lu's in colors, drapery, and over-all mood.

 The dingy brown-ish pink flat walls were an abomination to that glorious shade of cold cheeks, lovely roses, and frothy-sugared poufs of cotton candy.

 As a side note, this bed was my first "big girl" bed and my dad made it for me.  The rest of the furniture in this room belonged to Sir's dear grandmother who left us much too soon, and it is our honor and delight to have some of her things!

 Do not be fooled by the adorable quilty-mismatched looks...this room is disastrous...and remember...an exact replica of Madam Lu's...

 And now...entering...Madam Lu's Suite of Girlhood Realized!!!

With two lively and sugary-sweet shades of the greatest color on earth...

The vintage lamp came with the house...the only thing worth saving in this room!

Sir added the amazing crown molding and chair rail.  I chose to put the rail 1/3 of the way down the wall because the dark pink shows off all of her white furniture perfectly!  We replaced the shiny brass door knobs with these antiqued knobs (which we have been doing room by room as we remodel) and I simply painted the hinges (as I have done in the entire house) with a flat black paint.  You would never know and we did not have to replace any hinges.  The door on the left is the entry door and the one on the right is to Madam Lu's bathroom.

Her walk-in closet.  Don't judge...it is a good place to stash all of the baby stuff...for now...

 Such cute shoes...ahhh!

 Built-in dresser...I really DO love the bones of this place!

AND NOW FOR THE PIECE DE LA RESISTANCE.......

 

This is Madam Lu's Cornice.  It was hand made, piece by piece, by her Opa.  It is my every childhood dollhouse dream in the flesh...or wood...

Our Dah-ling Madam Lamb painted each cottage uniquely.

 What is hard to see in these pictures is that each little trim piece is its own tiny piece of wood.  Nothing on these homes is flat.  Opa glued each roof shingle on individually...it is more than amazing...

 Now you can see the closet door and the entry door.  Madam Lu's bedding was a joy to find...it combines classic plaids, swiss dot, toile, and other patterns in a white, light, and dark pink array of beauty!  Opa also made the cute little step stool so Sir E and Sir M could climb up and look over the rails to see their sweet baby sister!

 A cozy little changing table and dresser corner...The giraffe was mine as a little girl...the dresser was a find...we got it for next to nothing....I think it was an obnoxious color of blue...and Sir added some adorable-fancy trim around each drawer, painted it white, and put some new flowery little handles on it...

 Her "reading nook" as defined by these Martha Stewart Poufs.  In the future I hope to add a low bookshelf and a dainty snuggle-couch to read upon with her.  My grandmother made the beautiful fairy quilt.  The hippo was a gift for my first dear-one and as he looks over my little girl, I know my dear one is as well.  The rocker was a gift from my parents and I have rocked all of my children in it...it is valued very highly for that reason.

  My Dearest Madam Angela made this adorable banner for Madam Lu's First Birthday.  It is perfection!





I find myself sighing a little each time I enter this space.  It is the only one finished on the entire floor and it is my delight.  I know this room will continue to grow and mature along with the little sprite that inhabits it.  I will document the first along with you and the latter in my heart.