G’day! How are you?
Welcome to Prairie Chic in BC Land ;-)…and BC Coastal Prairie
When I was a child I loved Little House on the Prairie…it seemed so far away from the reality that I was living…all rustic and muted, farmhouses, cows and hens…and I would sit in my bedroom and dream about living that sort of life…I schemed how I could turn a tiny box room in the middle of a terraced house in the depths of old Blighty into a homestead… I dreamed that I would one day have wooden floors and thought about ways I could paste cardboard to the walls for a cabin effect…and I certainly had my own Nellie at school…
Years later I still love those Ingalls and all that goes with that, I just can’t quite pull off a smocked prairie dress with my shoulders, so instead I decided to, now in the depths of the beaches of Sydney, all these years later, go for a bit of Prairie Chic in the form of a crochet blanket draped around my Sitting Room.
Do not even ask about what the males said.
OK I will tell you what they said.
After Mr BC blabbered on about how I don’t have a clue about the practicalities of long screws, hmm I beg to differ on that I can do long screws when I want to ;-) he just raised his eyebrows and went to the deck with a beer.
The resident BC Teenager?
Hmm.
Well he was a little bit more vocal.
walking past the new Little Beach House on the Prairie curtain “Mum?! WHAT on earth is that on the door? I can’t even walk through it”
me : “crochet”
Teenager “Oh God” (envisaging his friends coming ’round & playing Playstation in there)
“You’ve hung a lacey blanket that goes on the bed on the doorway?”
me : “well that’s what they did in the old days on the prairies” all smug & happy & gleeful
Teenager “really?”
me : “yeah, they didn’t have much money and so used their talents to create beautiful pieces of work and hang them around their houses or put them on their beds”
Teenager : ”But we don’t live on a prairie”
me : ”I know, that’s why I put that crochet up”
Teenager “OK so what about the boots?”
me : “boots, what boots?”
Teenager “yeah those new tan boots that are by the door…where’d you get those”
me : “I have no idea what you are talking about, I’ve had those boots years”
eyebrows
me : “and Prairie girls wear leather boots with smocked dresses”
eyebrows
Teenager ”Mum, you have lost it…there is an old blanket hanging in our doorway and you have bought cowboy boots and lined them up in the Sitting Room & are staring at them all weird”
Teenager “I’m going to bed”
and that my friends is what I have to put up with in this cottage for all my creative efforts…can you believe it :-)
I am thinking here that perhaps you could give me your input?
Wanna play Little Beach House on the Prairie with me?
oh and just wait ’til we play Sullivans
blogged for Show & Tell thanks Cindy
p.s. Giveaway ending soon…comment to win a Kindle
oh & the Beach Cottage Saturday Club details coming up soon…I am having the most fun I have had in ages with this
and last but not least get your BC Good Life Wednesday posts ready to rock this cottage…
That is so funny that my mascara must surely be smudged from the tears of laughter I have!
Only another mother with a teenager could howl as loud with mirth and merriment and sympathy!
Oh, and by the way, it looks fantastic. Laura Ingalls would be tickled pink.
Ditto on the dreaming of Little House as a younster as I was in the middle of “Smogville”, aka Los Angeles County. So, here I am in Oklahoma (though not the prairie quite as I’m in the eastern part called green country, the foothills of the Ozark Mts, but close enough to the prairie) dreaming of beach cottage living, ha! I think little touches of Little House are nice.. Yes, I have all boys and one pre-teen who is the nicest of them on comments, so can relate to the conversations. We love ‘um anyway :) My big boy, husband, says it is good to have a woman do these things because they (most males) really like the nicey stuff in the house but without a woman in it, they could not get away with it. And that was my license to express my girl-self in the house decorating (not too girly, though). So, enjoy yourself, Sarah, and keep sharing your pics with us :)
I had to clasp my hand over my mouth when I saw your photos of the crochet curtain! This is the most beautiful set up I have seen in a long time!!! I just can’t express how smitten I am with this whole look!!! To help curb my jealously I’m trying to entertain ideas of how I can replicate my own version in my newly purchased cottage home! Thanks so much for sharing! Your blog is such a joy!
~JC
You go girl, I got the same reaction when I painted the door purple.
You’re so talented.
Crochet is wonderful.
But I only know the basics…
Your curtain is gorgeus!
Your house is gourgeus and so welcoming.
I think it looks wonderful! I started a blog on blogspot so that I can get the positive feedback I crave and don’t get at home for my (I think great ideas ) hehe Great Job!
Hi Sarah, I think it looks wonderful! Did you crochet the curtain? Or find it somewhere? I have the same reaction from my 2 teens when they try to get out the slider that has vintage white chenille spreads hanging over them. I’m always reminding them not to catch the “curtains” in the door and they very snarkily remind me that bedspreads do not count as curtains :)
Cindy
Sarah..I cant even describe how much I adore this crocheted curtain and what you’ve done with it!!
I saw it somewhere on the internet so someone must have shared your photo..but anyway when I saw it, my eyes almost popped out of my head!! It is b e a u t i f u l!! and the boots look perfect!
You are too funny with your little scenerio..it made me laugh..my stepson who is in his early twenties sees my shabby chic style (and prairie) (and coastal) lol and he says it called shabby s _ _ _. I wont say the real thing, but you can imagine. :)
They cant fathom why anyone would want to paint things all white or put an oar up on the wall, or buy old used items. Its too funny but hey, we all have our own style..and I love yours! If I can find a crocheted piece like that Ill grab it let me tell ya!
Love, love, love it and your sweet style my dear!
Go Sarah go!!
Deborah xoxo
I love the crochet. But more importantly, I love the conversation with your child. I only have one. And he’s 5 now, and the conversations are so sweet, and because I only have one I have been dreading him growing up too fast. How sweet are the conversations even going to be when he grows up and is no longer interested in hanging out with mommy? But this conversation…it gave me a smile and some joy to look at the future with happy eyes and not just tears of losing the sweet baby years. Beautiful style, really. Even more beautiful conversation. :)
Love the crochet blanket! I’m in the middle of adding on an office to our home and am so excited to decorate it with a beachy, vintage, shbby mood. I live in Missouri, the middle of the US on a farm…and while you were dreaming of Laura Ingalls and the praire (I LOVE the books too!),—I was dreaming of living near a beach somewhere. We traveled to the east coast last summer, and plan to leave next week for another beach adventure. I’m hoping to pick up some gems in antique stores while we’re goine. Don’t you love teenagers?? I have two daughtersa nd they have eye rolling down to a science! Love your blog!
-Nancy
i love the crochet work on the door, thank you for sharing these inspirational pictures!
Love, love, LOVE your little cottage by the sea! And your vintage prairie… To die for! I live in Iowa – in the central United States – on a farm surrounded by cornfields. What I am facing in my new home is exactly what you did with your beautiful little beach cottage! And I’m just getting started. Uggggghhhhhh! Question? How do you have all that lovely white with children??? And how do you not feel overwhelmed by all your ideas when you’re just beginning to turn a home into what you imagine? So glad I ran across your blog. How inspirational!
Super love your blog! The serenity of well-worn white decor will never go out of style!♥
Linsey
thefarmhouseporch.com
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/
Mothers live to be mocked by their children! I think this is just gorgeous… love the curtain and the boots. You have a wonderful blog which I shall be paying many more visits too :)
My home also has this crochet blanket that I bought at the thrift store this year. I have used it as a curtain but I love the door idea more..well because you can still see through it. When I brought it home my husband just looked at me. Yes Hon, I brought home a really big doily this time! =D
This curtain is wonderful!
hi! Is a blanket for bed?
I just found your site on Pinterest and love it! I too loved Little House and I especially love your style. I long to live on the beach and live simply. I will be a regular follower!
I just found this post and I am laughing so hard at what your teenage son said about you looking at the crochet and boots all weird. Hilarious. Hands down that is so funny. I can see you admiring your work, loving it, feeling all wonderful and him thinking you are an embarrassing freak! Thanks for the laugh I really needed a laugh.
It is really lovely, everything….teenagers are all the same, at a certian stage parents are goofey…gotta love em.
Wonderful site! I’m a beach person, landlocked at this time however.
Happy Easter!
Marcie