Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper Scissors has a new little sister, Storybook Cottage!

Rock Paper Scissors has moved!  You are invited to Storybook Cottage anytime for a visit.

Our Storybook Home

 

Loving the end of summer on the central coast of CA.

Cambria Morning

Coffee to get going.
A surprise visit!
And a nice spot to watch all the morning action in the garden...

Let's Make A Deal!

Once open a time long, long ago I entered into a deal.  Now it wasn't with any scary storybook character however it was with the person who is the closest and dearest to me, my husband!  We live a long distance from his work and for the sake of our son he agreed to raise him in the town we live presently.  I promised on the day of high school graduation, it would be time to sell.  Destiny has a way of taking control of situations at times as it did this time.  Yes, our son did graduate and yes, our almost always home is for sale.  Yet while vacationing in our favorite summer spot with family, I found the house of my dreams with the help of two wonderful daughters. So many times before my BIG over sized Spanish modern with 13 rooms had been called a dream home and yes it is so beautiful!  However for me it has always felt like a dress that didn't quite fit me. At this time we travel to Miss Mary's Cottage once a month and as time nears for our next visit I can hardly wait to go back.  No one has made any offers on what I like to call the big brown dress of ours however I know by spring when all is in bloom someone who loves to garden will be inspired to watch my garden for me.
Jennie do you agree with me?
The Big Brown!
Miss Mary's Cottage back garden view

Cottage Chic

Where you ever asked, "What is your decorating style?"  I'm in love with the relaxed mood of cottage style decorating however I can't decide on the one color only approach or the let it all hang out approach.  I have these chairs at the moment in the one color approach yet these bold striped covers caught my eye today.
They are very comfy chairs and you get a lot of bang for the buck.  The above photo is the dining area in Miss Mary's cottage.  The neutrals are nice but the mood I'm going for here is more storybook style.  I wonder what the Three Bears and Goldilocks would pick.  Something to think about? 

Cottage Home Kitchen Nook

This is a photo of the kitchen nook in Miss Mary's cottage.  I really like this table for this spot.  It was advertised as a space safer in the Pottery Barn catalog.  It has sides that fold down.  Next I need to pick a fabric for the seat cushions.  Flowers, stripes, solid, and the color all have me confused at the moment.  As you can see the walls are a pale yellow and the floors pine with yellow overtones.
This kitchen photo was taken from the nook area.  Lots of cottage color going on in the rest of this space.  Kathleen thinks blue would do the trick.  I'm wondering what Miss Jennie Love would say.
The dinning chairs are an off white and the same goes for the couch in the living room.

Oops forgot about those pink and green floral slip covered overstuffed side chairs.

Once again Miss Jennie Love, you are watching over this mess of color.  I'll keep you all posted as for now I plan on looking through some old Country Home magazines for some cottage home inspiration!

A Walk for Jennie

Hi Jennie,

We will be leaving Cambria today and heading home to southern Ca.  You and I will be hanging out in the back of the van enjoying the ocean views until we pass Ventura on Highway 1.  We've been hanging out with John (husband), John Michael (son), and grandpa R in Miss Mary's Storybook Cottage.  Yes!  This house now has a name.  Since at times, I can be quite contrary just like the Mary in the children's rhyme. "Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow"....  I love the name Rose Cottage however we don't have any roses in our garden.  If we did, the deer would eat them.  Our garden looks dismal at the moment.  I'm anxious for spring to see what will pop up here that the deer will leave alone.  The white Pottery Barn table in our nook not only looks great but is functional as well.  Thanks Kathleen for the suggestion!  It is the table advertised as a space saver and is worth every penny.  John's back from his run this morning and wants to take us out for our morning walk better say goodbye for now.

Love,

Miss Mary
 John (husband) and you (Jennie)

Miss Mary's Cottage

 So this is me in Cambria, CA.  Cambria is located in the central coast region of California.  
 These are the new steps to our front door.  Last month Cambria received 10 inches of rain in one day.  When we arrived the following weekend after a five hour drive, we found a house without a sidewalk. I'm liking our new sidewalk and had it not been for the unexpected expense, I'm sure this beauty would make me smile.  The garden needs work due to unexpected drainage problems.  Next phase will be dealing with this.  
 
  This is a photo of the original sidewalk.  If you are a home owner you know this story, fall in love with a house, buy it honeymoon time, the marriage time is about working on the relationship.  So it goes for us here in this little town loved by all that stop by for a visit.  New Years resolutions, this time around visit my blog friends more often.

What about you?  

Vacation Home Yellow Kitchen Bliss

These are photos of our vacation home kitchen.  When we made the purchase of this home two months ago, I didn't notice the yellow color of this kitchen or the paint colors anywhere else in this house.  All I saw and felt was a wonderful space filled with natural light.  However I did notice the pot rack and a sweet place to show case special treasurers!

I'm looking forward to more time to hang out here with my family this coming Thanksgiving.

S

I haven't as yet found a color that I can claim as a signature color.  Yellow is a color that I've been to afraid to use in decorating however I love the way it makes me feel in this kitchen. I'm anxious to cook Thanksgiving dinner here this week.  Bliss!!!!

Moving Day to the Central Coast of CA

 Friday this is what was parked in front of our home.  I mentioned in a previous blog how we had purchased a vacation home located in the Central Coast area of California.  Last Friday we sent up furniture from this 13 room house. Things are looking a little empty around here in 6 rooms.  What we have left will go into a smaller house closer to my husbands work.  It was hard to decide what should go.  I held in my head that this new home was all about cottage style.  Off went everything with an almost white slip cover, floral pink and white cover, pink floral or white for beds and some black accents not to forget my red desk!  We have a long way to go before it feels like home.  We are looking forward to enjoying many days with family in our storybook home.      Front yard and entrance to home

John, son John, Jennie and Ike returning after a very long walk down to the beach and back.  Jennie did not move for the rest of the day.  I stayed at the house waiting for a plumber.  Another story to tell soon.
Aren't these oaks pretty?  I need to find another home for the trash. 
This is a picture of the dining room leading to the front door. 

Thought I should share another corner of this house with you. This is the master bedroom.
Pretty in cottage style yellow.