#91 - Country Trade Days

In Livingston, there are a few trade days per month and this a nice set up under some tents just outside of town where vendors sell their wares. Mostly, you get a chance to buy hand-crafted things that you cannot find at Walmart or Target. Surprisingly, the prices are competitive with the more well known superstores, yet the craftsman style is much more aesthetically pleasing, usually better constructed and more unique.

A few years ago, we stopped by the Livingston Trade Days to have a look around. I found the most comfortable and sturdy solid wood rocking chairs that I'd ever sat in! I decided then and there that my front porch rocking chairs would come from that vendor.

Walking around a little longer, we came across a custom door designer who mixes his hand-carved wood designs with his hand-crafted wrought-iron work with glass as an accent and these doors were heirloom works of art to pass down for generations. They were less than the doors at Lowe's, so I will be checking them out again as we get closer to building our cabin.

Purty Interesting

I do believe that by using local artisans and craftsman for different elements of our house; we'll be supporting our local commerce and bettering our community. Actually, in the next town, there is a fellow who builds all furnishings from trees and he leaves the "natural" look of the trees in his construction, and I just adore this style to go with our country cabin.

Believe me, I'll be keeping my eye out for the unusual and the little guy with his hand-crafted side tables are more apt to get my attention than any big furniture store with their sale of machine, mass-produced pieces reflecting rushed industrialized boredom to get the dollar.

It's been so long since I've even cared about such details, but this cabin in the woods will be getting my ultimate attention, especially because I intend for it to be the last home I ever own. It will be the house in which I hope to live a long life and in which to one day peacefully die...as an old, fulfilled, satisfied woman. So, the details are very important and this house should reflect our love of the country.

Simple and Sweet

Deputy Dave and I have discussed bathroom cabinetry this week. We've decided to look for antique dresser style pieces that have the tops ruined...we can put on a slab of granite or marble with a cut-out for a sink and hardware to give us a beautiful piece for our bathroom instead of having to use dull, ordinary cabinetry as I now use in our current house. 

I am in LOVE.


If it can be different...this cabin will embrace it. I don't want to go the regular route with construction for such details as cabinetry, etc., and this house will give us the opportunity to try different solutions instead of settling for industry standards with residential construction. It will be refreshing to allow ourselves the chance to express our love for interesting, creative and hand-crafted additions to the house during construction.

I have the identical piece of furniture here, but I have the original
metal knobs that are beautiful. We got it from Germany.
This was fascinating to find.

My bathroom mirrors will probably be antique varieties that already have the edges looking worn and corroded. No sense in buying a brand new mirror and watching it deteriorate over the years...give me the mirror that has already seen thousands of reflections and looks a bit tired. I'll give it a new home with appreciation for all it has endured through the years.