I mentioned something in my previous post about a childhood dream of mine that just may come true.... well maybe it will and maybe it won't....I have hope though.
(The title of this post is a quote by Stoddard King Jr.)
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You see when I was a child we had neighbors that moved in down the street. It was a girl about 2-3 yrs younger than myself, her Mom and her Grandmother...I think the Dad had flown the coop. Being the only child she had everything lavished upon her all her life. The first time I was at her house to play we went in to her backyard and there IT was.
I swear to you I can remember swooning to this very day. (THIS is NOT the one......but you get the idea of the look)
There in the middle of the yard sitting in all it's radiant glory was a pink and white victorian playhouse. A lavish structure that nearly took my envious breath away. Window boxes, a dutch door, fancy trim, real windows and more.......I don't recall but I am sure I probably was quite dramatic in my reaction. I had always wanted my very own playhouse...begged for one in fact....but the closest I ever got were the occasional blankets slung over a folding card table in the living room. You can be sure when I got home I told my parents about it talking a mile a minute about every single detail. I felt so dejected and sorry for myself when my parents didn't run immediately out with hammer and nails to make ME one too.
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It has never left me............I vowed when I had kids they'd have a playhouse. Well I wasn't to be blessed with children ......yet the idea of a little "cottage" in the yard stayed with me.
Fast forward through the years and I began dreaming of a more adult sized "playhouse". Especially a place to create art.
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Back in 1990 we had our kitchen interior remodeled and it was at that time we went to a shed place to investigate having one made in our yard...for me. I knew what I wanted and it would also be an art studio. Unfortunately even after putting money down for it we found we just couldn't afford that luxury and had to cancel the order. Thankfully G didn't suggest a blanket and card table! But ever since then I've looked at photos in magazines and read about how a women had her studio in one or a sewing room or photography studio or even just a place to read. With the advent of the internet there were more to read about, to covet, to swoon over. To yearn for.
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My desire has just strengthened over the years!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Recently I was on the phone with my good friend Vanessa and she had just received the current Country Living magazine in the mail.......she was really loving something about a green house so while we talked I went on line to see it and OMG!(above)
A man had redone an old shed/greenhouse for his wife and she had decorated it as if she'd asked ME "so what do YOU like?". All shabby chic and comfortable with my big floppy pillows and a place to lounge and all that light and flowers and personal touches......(except mine would also have art supplies)
I had envisioned mine all bright inside with the light coming through skylights ....as I sat and read a book or did my art. I wouldn't want the top ALL windows like the one in the magazine because of the heat in summer........I've always visualized a skylight.
It was just the general feeling of my years long dream that took my breath away.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I have visualized the landscaping we could create around a cottage....a vegetable garden and a flower garden.....water feature......a wee patio for a table and chairs for sitting with tea or a nosh......a few trees to grow as shade.
A lovely pathway made from stepping stones imbedded with colored glass or sea shells. The possibilities are endless and can be done easily with imagination and DIY! A picket fence maybe? Of course the ultimate would be the ocean was right there...but that I can't control.
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::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We were going to make part of the garage my studio this year then we got to thinking if we did the cottage in the yard it would serve as the studio too........a studio/retreat combined. Hmm, now wouldn't that be wonderful? My commute would be mere moments away but it would be like I was away from home!
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The remarkable thing is that more and more people are creating these retreats in their yards for ADULTS..many are art studios or home offices....some refurbish existing structures, some buy a kit, some order from shed shops and some build them from scratch. They are not a cheap dream either way you look at it. We don't have an existing structure and the kits or the shed from those shops are often quite $$$$. BUT it's doable with some ingenuity, eco friendly materials, hard work, proper planning and some extra cash....a true DIY!
During all my dreaming my mind invariably goes to the LIST:
In these economic times how can I justify the cost of all that (even if we can locate lots of recycled materials) so I can fulfill a childhood dream?
Especially since I don't bring home a paycheck?
I've not giving up entirely though and neither has G but even though I am a HUGE dreamer I am also a realist and know we won't be running outside with hammer and nails to build it tomorrow.
One thing though...........IF this does come to fruition I have everything I need to furnish it right there in good old garapalooza! (I even have a chandelier)
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:::::::::::::::::::::
Speaking of Garagapalooza, perhaps we will end up sticking to making part of it my studio, part a workshop for G and part the laundry area (already in there)......it can be done and I know it would be lovely...Stephanie just did it beautifully with her new Mango Studio in part of her garage........but if truth be told........I want the "cottage" more. I am not an ingrate though and for all this dreaming I still do have an entire room in the house that is my own and do not take that for granted. It's just that when you've wanted something for most of your life it's hard to shake it.....it's hard to shake that someday....before you're too old to care.....the dream just may come true.
There are several books on building these retreats that I've been finding online. I read this excerpt from one such book:
Imagine an intimate space, beautifully furnished and outfitted with all your favorite things, where you can go to read, work, putter, sketch, drink tea with a friend, or even take a long uninterrupted snooze.
That's the dream, my friends......my very own "Secret Garden Cottage"
I have my fingers crossed while I imagine looking up through a skylight at this
I am NOT giving up on this dream! Would you?
Do YOU have a dream that has stuck with you since you were a child? If so, did it come true?
It's imperative we never let go of them............even if you think they only come true when you close your eyes at night.
And we'll all live happily ever after.............
Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you. ~Marsha Norman
Love,
Lisa (who never stops dreaming)
XOXOXO
*All the cottage images scattered through this post( except for the child's playhouse) are adult sized"cottage rooms". All of them came from the internet.
(The title of this post is a quote by Stoddard King Jr.)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
You see when I was a child we had neighbors that moved in down the street. It was a girl about 2-3 yrs younger than myself, her Mom and her Grandmother...I think the Dad had flown the coop. Being the only child she had everything lavished upon her all her life. The first time I was at her house to play we went in to her backyard and there IT was.
I swear to you I can remember swooning to this very day. (THIS is NOT the one......but you get the idea of the look)
There in the middle of the yard sitting in all it's radiant glory was a pink and white victorian playhouse. A lavish structure that nearly took my envious breath away. Window boxes, a dutch door, fancy trim, real windows and more.......I don't recall but I am sure I probably was quite dramatic in my reaction. I had always wanted my very own playhouse...begged for one in fact....but the closest I ever got were the occasional blankets slung over a folding card table in the living room. You can be sure when I got home I told my parents about it talking a mile a minute about every single detail. I felt so dejected and sorry for myself when my parents didn't run immediately out with hammer and nails to make ME one too.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
It has never left me............I vowed when I had kids they'd have a playhouse. Well I wasn't to be blessed with children ......yet the idea of a little "cottage" in the yard stayed with me.
Fast forward through the years and I began dreaming of a more adult sized "playhouse". Especially a place to create art.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Back in 1990 we had our kitchen interior remodeled and it was at that time we went to a shed place to investigate having one made in our yard...for me. I knew what I wanted and it would also be an art studio. Unfortunately even after putting money down for it we found we just couldn't afford that luxury and had to cancel the order. Thankfully G didn't suggest a blanket and card table! But ever since then I've looked at photos in magazines and read about how a women had her studio in one or a sewing room or photography studio or even just a place to read. With the advent of the internet there were more to read about, to covet, to swoon over. To yearn for.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
My desire has just strengthened over the years!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Recently I was on the phone with my good friend Vanessa and she had just received the current Country Living magazine in the mail.......she was really loving something about a green house so while we talked I went on line to see it and OMG!(above)
A man had redone an old shed/greenhouse for his wife and she had decorated it as if she'd asked ME "so what do YOU like?". All shabby chic and comfortable with my big floppy pillows and a place to lounge and all that light and flowers and personal touches......(except mine would also have art supplies)
I had envisioned mine all bright inside with the light coming through skylights ....as I sat and read a book or did my art. I wouldn't want the top ALL windows like the one in the magazine because of the heat in summer........I've always visualized a skylight.
It was just the general feeling of my years long dream that took my breath away.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I have visualized the landscaping we could create around a cottage....a vegetable garden and a flower garden.....water feature......a wee patio for a table and chairs for sitting with tea or a nosh......a few trees to grow as shade.
A lovely pathway made from stepping stones imbedded with colored glass or sea shells. The possibilities are endless and can be done easily with imagination and DIY! A picket fence maybe? Of course the ultimate would be the ocean was right there...but that I can't control.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We were going to make part of the garage my studio this year then we got to thinking if we did the cottage in the yard it would serve as the studio too........a studio/retreat combined. Hmm, now wouldn't that be wonderful? My commute would be mere moments away but it would be like I was away from home!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The remarkable thing is that more and more people are creating these retreats in their yards for ADULTS..many are art studios or home offices....some refurbish existing structures, some buy a kit, some order from shed shops and some build them from scratch. They are not a cheap dream either way you look at it. We don't have an existing structure and the kits or the shed from those shops are often quite $$$$. BUT it's doable with some ingenuity, eco friendly materials, hard work, proper planning and some extra cash....a true DIY!
During all my dreaming my mind invariably goes to the LIST:
- determine optimal size and layout
- lumber
- electrical (for lights and outlets)
- possible plumbing for a sink
- cement and forms for foundation
- siding
- sheet rock and insullation for the inside
- windows
- skylight
- door
- general supplies
In these economic times how can I justify the cost of all that (even if we can locate lots of recycled materials) so I can fulfill a childhood dream?
Especially since I don't bring home a paycheck?
I've not giving up entirely though and neither has G but even though I am a HUGE dreamer I am also a realist and know we won't be running outside with hammer and nails to build it tomorrow.
One thing though...........IF this does come to fruition I have everything I need to furnish it right there in good old garapalooza! (I even have a chandelier)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::
Speaking of Garagapalooza, perhaps we will end up sticking to making part of it my studio, part a workshop for G and part the laundry area (already in there)......it can be done and I know it would be lovely...Stephanie just did it beautifully with her new Mango Studio in part of her garage........but if truth be told........I want the "cottage" more. I am not an ingrate though and for all this dreaming I still do have an entire room in the house that is my own and do not take that for granted. It's just that when you've wanted something for most of your life it's hard to shake it.....it's hard to shake that someday....before you're too old to care.....the dream just may come true.
There are several books on building these retreats that I've been finding online. I read this excerpt from one such book:
Imagine an intimate space, beautifully furnished and outfitted with all your favorite things, where you can go to read, work, putter, sketch, drink tea with a friend, or even take a long uninterrupted snooze.
That's the dream, my friends......my very own "Secret Garden Cottage"
I have my fingers crossed while I imagine looking up through a skylight at this
I am NOT giving up on this dream! Would you?
Do YOU have a dream that has stuck with you since you were a child? If so, did it come true?
It's imperative we never let go of them............even if you think they only come true when you close your eyes at night.
And we'll all live happily ever after.............
Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you. ~Marsha Norman
Love,
Lisa (who never stops dreaming)
XOXOXO
*All the cottage images scattered through this post( except for the child's playhouse) are adult sized"cottage rooms". All of them came from the internet.
