An Outdoor Painter!

I really didn't think that my outdoor painting talents would be put to the test on an entire house, but one nevers knows what the future holds in store, now do they? This morning I decided to chance the rain and add a bit more paint to Tillandsia's exterior. The fun part was having neighbors driving by, honking, and giving me a thumbs up on the new color....lol! Too bad no one felt the urge to stop by and join in with the project. I suppose I'm not much of a Tom Sawyer or was it Huck Finn who painted the fence?!!

Here's a view of the newly painted west side of the house (at least as far up as I could reach without a ladder)!

and here' a close up of my rock garden below the bird feeders.

Now all of you are probably thinking...where would she find rocks like that in the low country??!!! Actually they are not from this area but were brought by ships from foreign countries as ballast rocks. The ships would come loaded with rocks and unload them along the coastal area before sailing upriver to load the timber from the mills. There are actually small islands along the coast created by the ballast rocks and its illegal to take them away from the islands today. These particular rocks were unloaded near Ft. King George which is a mile east of my home. I met the lady whose mother owned this cottage years ago and she told me how, as a little girl, she remembered going out to the Fort and collecting rocks for their gardens around the house.  Some are quite large and heavy!

I feel fortunate to have a part of the history of our country as well as Darien,  in my yard!

In the Bible, you will find that individuals or groups would place stones at a specfic place for a lesson of their history to the generations to come. This has always had great meaning for me and many times I've collected stones to place at certain places for a remembrance. The ballast stones were an indication to me that this place was set aside for that purpose.

I've also learned more history of the house itself! The actual building dates back to the 1790's after reconstruction and at one time, there was an outside kitchen! If only the walls could talk!!

Til next update,

carly

Tillandsia

Tillandsia

It means "air breathing" and I was told that it sounds feminine. Spanish moss, which hangs in abundance from the live oak trees surrounding my new cottage, is tillandsia usneoides. The cottage already has a breath of fresh air with all the new paint, inside and out! So dubbed "Tillandsia" unless she decides another name is more fitting, the cottage has quickly become a welcoming home!

Many have asked for pics of the interior, so here's a few of the first snapshots I took and a fresh look, one month after closing! When I'm outside painting, neighbors will drive by, stop and tell me how much they love the new color. I heard the house was actually white before it was painted the turquoise, but I just couldn't it as a white house. The taupe gray (actually mountain smoke) was an easy choice. It lightens to the color of the Spanish moss in the sunlight....and deepens to the darker bark of the live oaks in the shade.

Here's a before of the exterior front...

and here's the front of the cottage with its new paint!

The interior has undergone quite a transformation this past month and is still a work in progress! Here's some before and after pics.
Living Room or Front Room (was called this by past owners so I'm told)and the way I first viewed it.

My bedroom is at the front of the house. Here's before and after. You can't see the fireplace in this image...it's on the wall opposite the bed.

...and what's a cottage without a guest room...actually twin beds for two guests! The long skinny shape of the guest room was perfect for facing the twin beds toward one another.

From the first time I saw this room, it was called the "hidden bedroom". You really have to look to find the door into the room!

And I'm sure, since all of you know how much I love to cook (LOL), you'll want a peek at the kitchen (wall color is custom "clay pot")

! and the gathering room that opens into the kitchen.

Enough images for one blog post!! You'll have to drop in to see all the other changes. Tillandsia is only three blocks from the Art Cottage! Drop by for lunch sometime...or an afternoon "libation"...till next time....carly