Friends, fun, and a farmhouse

Gorgeous old paper, isn't it? 

Suzanne gave us a tour of the 1875 farm house she is redoing and I was wildly enamoured with this wallpaper in the front parlor.

We are a bunch who appreciates old paper, and there was a chorus of oohing and ahhing during the sneak peek into the home.

Each room had layer upon layer, and Suzanne is patiently peeling it away in her labor of love to redo this stately, old charmer.

She was able to pull some of it away in big sheets. And she shared them with us!  I was surprised to see how nicely this gold paper came away from the birds and vines below it. 

This is probably a more typical outcome.  Harder for her, of course, but lovely to see in all of it's crackly, peely, wonderfulness.

As much as I hate to see the aged papers being taken off and disposed of, once she showed us a finished room, I was able to let go of my feelings of loss. 

Suzanne had the workers indulge her and finish this room while still doing demo on the rest of the home, so that she would have a place to go and have faith in the project's completion. 

Smart plan, huh? It is an elegant and beautiful spot, an oasis in all the demo mess.  Although, I hope that chandy doesn't give her too much trouble in keeping the crystals clean.

pictured: Lori Oles, Hope Wallace Kearny, Suzanne Duda, Jennifer Hayslip, Andrea Singerella, and me

The home sits on 22 acres, and Suzanne has a golf cart for buzzing around in.

We took a ride down to the lake, and out into the woods on a curving trail cut through the trees.

There were lots of photo ops.  I don't think we missed a single one.

Lots of out buildings are on the property too. 

So much work has been done already, and Suzanne has big plans for the home and grounds.  She has a lot of people who love her and believe in what she is doing, while backing her up and helping her with the project too.

Including her adorable son who took a break from tearing out walls to snap photos of the group of us. With all of our phones and cameras.  He's a cutie, isn't he?

We happened to be in town for her birthday and Jenn picked up a cake, topped with pink roses, Suzanne's favorite.  And when you make the roses out of icing, they are my fave too.  YUM

Even though it was her birthday, Suzanne fixed us a feast, at a lavishly set table.  We stayed at her home the first night, and it was the coziest, lushest B&B you could ever visit.  Big, ole. soft sofas, a warm and happy kitchen, everything was infused with Suzanne's over the top, generous soul.  She is a dream hostess.

And I plan on stealing her idea for a shutter centerpiece.

Our night was relaxing and full of laughter.  Maybe a little wine too… There could have been a couple glasses sipped while she opened her gifts.

Which explains why I didn't get more photos of her beautiful, shabby chic home. 

That first night, we were so busy catching up and giggling, that I didn't get my camera out much.

I made up for it the rest of the trip, and was glad to get some "before" pics of the fab farm. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that I'll be invited back someday to see the "afters" too. 

Not just because I can't wait to see her vision of her farmhouse fulfilled, (I know it is going to be beyond beautious), but because she is a person that I wished I could spend more time with.   What fun weekend, I can only hope to repeat it again someday when all the refurbishments are done on the home.

(you can click on the first image to open in a larger window, save to your computer and print it for use in your art)  I'll have photos of the rest of the trip coming soon.