today i drove north with my family to have "christmas" with my grandparents (my dad's parents). they live in a small amish town in northern indiana called nappanee where i used to live until i was ten years old. we don't get to see them very much, but every time i see them, i appreciate new and special things about them.
my grandparents have lived in the same house as long as i have been alive. my grandma has always had the house decorated with antiques, handmade goods, unique wallpaper, and vintage trinkets. i think i get my appreciation for vintage and handmade items from my grandma cate. she is the one who taught me how to sew and has always encouraged me to be crafty.
today while the rest of my family was chatting, i was walking around my grandparents' house with my phone, taking pictures of a few of my favorite areas of home decor. i know phone pictures aren't the best quality, but it's all i had at the time.
dishes and a handmade doily on a hutch in the dining room. my grandma calls these little circles "yoyos," and she told me today that they are made from her old school dresses.
a hanging birdcage, paintings, framed antique dishes, wall stencil border, and a shelf that goes around the entire dining room. the stencil border is a perfect example of my grandma's appreciation for detail.
plaid wallpaper, old tools, a wooden clock, and an antique cabinet in the laundry room.
more of the wall stencil and more old dishes and trays on the wall and shelf in the dining room.
a wooden shingle wall, family photos, organ, handmade doily, and antique plates in the living room. (more stencil border, too!)
today my grandpa referred to this as "the stove." it's an old wood burning fireplace on a beautiful brick wall.
a handmade tablecloth and doily on an end table in the living room. i wish you could see the wooden shutter in the background. the wooden shutters are my favorite!
more of the wooden shingle wall, an antique telephone, family photos, an antique tea set, and a doily on a wooden hutch in the living room.
amazing navy blue calico wallpaper (on the wall and ceiling!), a shelf of antique dishes, a mirror, and old-fashioned radio in the breakfast room.
i love this so much! my grandma made this faux curtain for their bed. the oval frames are pictures of my dad and two uncles. i love this collage that she made inside the curtains. the pillows are handmade, too.
this is my grandma's bathroom. she has some really beautiful antique paper dolls framed on the walls and some more calico wallpaper. i used to use this bathroom as much as possible just to stare at the paper dolls, perfume atomizer, and little glass bottles and dishes.
an old hutch with handmade curtains where glass used to be. the curtains are handmade, as well. (more stencil border, too, and another doily.)
there is an entire upstairs in my grandparents' house, which is arguably the cutest room i have ever seen. their garage also has so many vintage signs and decorations, just like the rest of the house. i could spend days and days going through all of the things they have in their house and just as long listening to the stories behind each item.
i spent some time showing my hair treasures portfolio to my grandma. she looked carefully at every page, commenting on each piece. i love that we have that connection.
oh, one more thing. just to prove that my grandma is the cutest lady in the world:
every time we come to visit, she cooks a meal and gives us each a place setting. she used pine cones this time. we all had sweet calico place mats and gingham fabric napkins, too. she is so organized and thoughtful -- i noticed a handwritten menu when we arrived! i hope that i acquire more of her organizational qualities as i grow older. ha.
