Warming Up a Cabin Bedroom at 11,000 Feet

A bedroom should be a restful place with calm colors and soft textures -- 

a sanctuary where you can relax and gaze out the window at nature's beauty. 

But was it possible to warm up our cabin bedroom at a cool 11,000 feet?

Our small bedroom had a good start 

with rough plank walls, a dark wood floor and two windows 

with views of massive pine trees and steep mountains,

But it definitely needed some help in the furnishing department.

Here's a "Before" picture.

First, we cleaned out the stuff left behind.

We jettisoned a metal clothes rack, piles of junk, ratty rugs, and a gigantic plastic cooler.

Ron claimed this old dynamite box that had been nailed to the wall to store odds and ends.

I wanted to keep the look simple but cozy using warm colors and vintage accessories.

I was trying to decide what kind of headboard would look good

in this rustic cabin when I remembered I had a rusty metal headboard in my garden.

We lugged it up to the cabin. It was the perfect size and definitely looked rustic.

We'd decided to keep the bed that was already in the cabin.

The mattress was clean, comfortable and looked new.

Besides, we had no idea how to get a mattress in our compact car. 

The mattress lies on a home-made frame with six drawers

so we pitched the flimsy chest of drawers that didn't complement our style.

But guess what?

During a weekend yard sale hunt, we came across a rustic-looking chest of drawers.

It was marked $50 but the owner came down to $15 when we showed interest

and told her it was destined for our mountain cabin. Sold!

The oil lamp belonged to Ron's Aunt Viola.

A vintage hall tree found at an estate sale long ago and

 some old hooks along one wall hold hats, cameras and binoculars. 

I fell in love with this gorgeous comforter and pillow covers from Cabela's. 

Plaid cotton flannel reversing to fuzzy soft "primalush." 

Although I usually shop at thrift stores and estate sales, 

I plunked down some money for this new set. 

It was worth it. 

The little shelf and photo on the wall came with the cabin

although they were in a different place. 

On the other hand, the nightstands were a creative mix of our own things.

Ron's table is actually his grandfather's old milking stool.

And on my side is a garden table covered with a pretty crocheted piece

that my sweet neighbor Erin gave me and, of course, a pair of cowboy boots.

This vintage etched mirror came from my mirror collection at home. 

We have plans to cover the drywall separating the two rooms

with surplus planks stored in the loft

but for now I hung a Native American weaving flanked by two 

Harrison Begay prints. Both prints feature a young Indian girl tending her sheep. 

The antique rocking chair in the corner was my Dad's.

A Beacon Indian print blanket hangs over the back. 

The bedroom has been warmed up with soft textures and warm colors,
making it a cozy place to relax and snuggle.

At 11,000 feet, the nights are clear and cold, even in the summer.

We might have to add another blanket!

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's free) in the upper right corner of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home,
Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
Designthusiasm, A Delightsome Life, Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage

Our Mountain Cabin Gets a New Name

Finally thought of the perfect name for our new cabin in the mountains.

Since it's right at timberline at 11,000 feet, it seemed Timberline Cabin was a great choice.
(Timberline is the altitude above which no trees grow.)

So, welcome to Timberline Cabin!

Come on in and see what we've been up to.

Here's a view out our front window during a beautiful thunderstorm that turned into hail.

You can just make out timberline in the fog.

This was a very welcome wetting rain, as the firefighters call it. 

I think that means it's a heavy enough rain to significantly reduce fire danger.

The sound of the rain and hail tapping on our skylight took me back to fond memories 

of family tent camping as a young girl.

I stepped outside briefly to inhale the fresh moist air
and admire the glistening trees wrapped in foggy blankets. 

With the forest fires under control and the altitude sickness at bay, we had a great time this week. 

However our little dog, Roxy, did not fare well at altitude last visit, 

so we left her in the care of our fantastic neighbor, "Auntie" Tonda. 

We had a surprise visitor at the cabin when a curious hummingbird flew into the cabin.

Since we don't have screen doors, the doors are usually flung open, 

making it just too irresistible to the teeny-tiny birds.

Unfortunately, it couldn't figure out how to get back out and was flying into the windows.

Ron came to the rescue as he gently covered the hummer with a tea towel and released it outside.

We have got to get some screen doors. 

After all that excitement, I decided to warm up the living area by adding a few accessories.

Those little touches mean a lot and can change the whole feel of a room
(or two rooms in our case).

I had the idea of turning two wine crates on their side and stacking them to make a bookcase.

Who doesn't need more storage?

Ron made a base for the bookcase to give it a finished look,
added a shelf and screwed the two boxes together. 

Then I filled it with CDs, books and some vintage containers.

I love that it fits perfectly under the window and you can see the writing on the side of the boxes.

Note the cute carved owls that hold a tea towel. 

Ron also made the table top that rests on a vintage sewing machine base,

creating a multi-purpose surface. 

Isn't he handy?  

I added a few things such as an old alarm clock, an antler,
a battery candle and a colorful woven cloth. 

I think it's quite serendipitous that we already had almost everything we wanted for this cabin -- 

things that we've collected over the years and knew someday would find a perfect home.

Now they have . . . in Timberline Cabin.

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.

Just subscribe (it's free) in the upper right column of this page.

You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.

Thanks so much!!

***

Linking with:

Shabby Art Boutique, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home, Dwellings, The Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
Designthusiasm, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Follow the Yellow Brick Home,
French Country Cottage

Introducing Colorado Rustic Style

Hello My Friends!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and interesting stories about altitude sickness.
I really appreciated hearing from you all but have not had time to answer each comment.

You may have noticed my blog hasn't been about French Country decorating lately. 

That's because my creative energy has been directed toward the mountain cabin 

I purchased about a month ago.

I wanted to let you know I'll probably be writing about the cabin this summer, 

returning to French Country decorating in my home in the fall. 

I hope you're enjoying hearing about the progress at the cabin as much as 

I'm loving every minute of this exciting new adventure.

So instead of French Country, I'm calling this summer's style Colorado Rustic. 

Although it is a rustic style, I think the area rugs, floor-to-ceiling drapes and 

Native American weavings add a softness to this more masculine look.
Wait til you see what I do with these green chairs! 

This beautiful weaving is an authentic Navajo shoulder robe or shawl

purchased in Taos, New Mexico many years ago. 

It may have been used as a young dancer's shawl.

So, on to the latest news . . . we had quite a scare this past week.
The day after we returned from the cabin due to altitude sickness,
a lightning strike caused a forest fire close to our cabin. 

This is just one of many fires scorching the western U.S. 

and my heart breaks for those who have lost their homes. 

WE LOVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS!!

The road to our cabin has been blocked by the state police unless you had proof of residency. 

So scary, watching the progress our amazing firefighters have made on the evening news and Facebook updates. As I write this, the Weston Pass fire is 63% contained. 

We felt somewhat safe because our cabin is in a marshy area 

surrounded by steep rocky mountains. Still, such a worry. 

Ironically, we met with an insurance underwriter at the cabin this week 

to see if our wood-burning cook stove is approved for a policy. 

Fingers crossed. I'll feel better if we have fire coverage. 

Oh, and speaking of marshy areas, guess who else likes our marsh. 

We were thrilled to see this 7-foot bull moose quite near the cabin --
probably a football field's length away!

Ron also saw a cow with a calf but they were too far away for a picture.

We are making good progress on cleaning up the problem areas

and I'm excited to cross things off our to-do list. 

This week, we are loading up our car with hopefully the last of the trash

to be removed and are working on a few small projects.

Most importantly, we are learning to relax and slow down

so we don't get altitude sickness again! 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's free) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home,
Dwellings, The Dedicated House, Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Designthusiasm, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage

Is it Curtains for the Cabin?

No, I'm not giving up on my new mountain cabin already.

I really am talking about actual curtains.

Here's an overview of the main room in the 336 square-foot cabin. 

I'm loving the skylight and all the windows and how cozy it's feeling. 

Note the deer head? I've had it in storage for years and knew someday 

I would find the perfect place for my Dad's first deer. 

But first, I have to tell you about our unfortunate adventure with altitude sickness.

 Have you ever experienced it? Yuk, it's no fun, believe me.

The first day we were at the cabin we felt fine as did our little dog, Roxy.

This was her first visit to 11,000 feet. 

We celebrated my birthday with several glasses of wine, music on the CD player and watching the full moon rise eerily over the huge rocky mountain in front of our cabin. A lovely time.

The second day I decided to tackle an unsightly pile of logs, old roof shingles and weathered wood planks right in front of the cabin. It really made the place look untidy. 

I noticed I was breathing quickly but figured it was because I was working strenuously. 

Then, I started feeling nauseated and dizzy. But I kept going until the pile was cleaned up.

Type A I know. 

After I finished that project, I sat down for a drink of water and a brief rest. 

I thought I'd get right back at moving some white rocks with which the previous owner had outlined several paths. I wanted the area to look natural and neat paths just didn't work for me.

However, my symptoms got worse with a pounding headache and trips to the outhouse. Ugh. 

I gulped down some more water, took two aspirin and laid down for a rest. 

And spent most of the afternoon curled up on the bed as the room swirled around me.

How do mountain climbers do it? Guess their supplemental oxygen does the trick. 

At least I had the new comforter I'd bought for the cabin.

Ron was a little short of breath but felt better than me and Roxy. 

She was very lethargic, threw up a few times and took to her bed. 

We thought we'd feel better in the morning but no such luck. 

We decided we'd better pack up, leave right away and move down to a lower elevation. 

As we drove downhill, we began to feel better almost immediately. 

The next day back in Denver at 5,250 feet, we felt so much better 

and Roxy slowly regained her energy. 

I've since learned that we were supposed to take it easy and get acclimated to the altitude slowly,

not jumping right in to work on cabin projects as well as taking Roxy for a walk. 

I also learned alcohol at altitude is a no-no.

However, we did do the right thing by getting back down to a reasonable 9,000 feet.

So, lesson learned. Probably the first of many. 

This is a different world up here and we'll have to figure it all out. 

Slowly, this time. 

Meanwhile, back to curtains for the cabin.

At home, I sewed some curtains out of two T-towels to cover the open space 

under the kitchen sink that worked perfectly and looked cute.

I also made two cafe curtains out of some old flour bags 

to cover the back door window and the kitchen window.

You can see these in the first photo.

I used a fabric shower curtain, hanging it in the doorway into the bedroom. 

I clipped it onto a tension rod so it would slide easily and provide privacy.

Lastly I brought four tabbed panels from home 

to cover the three windows on the front of the cabin. 

They look so much prettier than the 1980's wooden blind that had been there (Before below) . . .

. . . softening up the room and providing good security coverage when we're not there. 

So, that's my latest tale. I think it had a happy ending. 

More to come as we navigate this new environment so stay tuned. 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.

Just subscribe (it's free) in the upper right column of this page.

You can also view my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.

Thank you!!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Our Southern Home, Dwellings, The Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
Designthusiasm, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,Follow the Yellow Brick Home,
French Country Cottage

Vintage Wood Cook Stove for Dummies

As you may know, I bought an old mining cabin 

in the Colorado Rocky Mountains a couple of weeks ago.
(You can read about it HERE.)

We've been busy cleaning it out and doing a few repairs like putting good locks on the doors, removing a toilet tank from the kitchen wall (what were they thinking?) 

and trimming some of the uneven boards on the decks.  

We're making slow progress but it's been fun to see the shape of things to come. 

One of the things that drew me to this cabin was the old wood cook stove. 

The black and silver finishes are so beautiful. I can't wait to use it.
If only I knew how.

It's an oldie but goodie -- an Acorn made by Rathbone, Sard and Co. in Albany, New York. 

The company made wood stoves from 1833 to 1925.

OK. So my first draft of this post was to ask all you smart readers out there how to use this stove.
BUT, my sister and nephew have been visiting me and we spent a couple of days at the cabin.
Turns out, they knew all about these wood-burners and were a huge help.
Here are my sister and I in our "front yard."

After a couple of trial runs, I think I now know how to start the fire.
I even took detailed notes to remind me after they leave.

My main concern was how to regulate the heat. 

It's not like you can just turn a dial to lower the flame.
I have to admit I was a little afraid I might burn the cabin down!

So, I learned all about dampers and vents and the firebox and "ash tray."
Apparently, it's all about oxygen (providing it for more heat
and closing it off when it gets too hot).

We had so much fun lighting this stove, pulling our chairs up close for warmth,
and even heating water in my tea kettle and making chamomile tea.
The stove stayed warm for hours and
I can already imagine using it when the weather turns cold.
(We spent the night and the temp dropped to 34 degrees!)

Even though I'm not a complete wood-stove newbie anymore,
I'd still love to hear from you with any tips you might have.

Thanks so much!

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home,
Dweillings, The Dedicated House, Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Designthusiasm, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage

Sneak Peek of Mountain Cabin

Are you ready to see the inside of my new mountain cabin?

OK, here's a little sneak peek.

Closing went off without a hitch and the cabin is now all mine. 

The previous owner left everything behind in the cabin but the generator
so we've had a lot to sort through and either donate, recycle, throw away or keep. 

It's been quite a job but fun and exciting. 

We met the owner and her friend who were real mountain women.

They seemed very happy that someone bought their cabin 

who genuinely loved it and would take good care of it. 

The first thing that happened when we arrived was a scary hoot.

I had the keys to the cabin in hand when I stepped on the deck 

which has over an inch of space between the old boards. 

That's when I dropped the keys and they fell right though the deck onto the ground underneath. 

Not having anything to retrieve them, I got down on hands and knees 

and slithered under the deck to grab the keys Won't do that again!

So here is the living space inside the 366 square-foot cabin. 

It was jammed full of stuff including a table and chairs, cardboard boxes overflowing with newspapers and cereal boxes, and, of course, the ginormous generator. 

Here's a  before picture.

And here's the same space cleaned out.

Seems so much bigger. 

Did you notice the lovely toilet water tank on the wall above the sink?

That was the first thing to come down. So much better. 

The little kitchen area was jampacked with everything 

from dishware to cleaning products to lots of old canned goods. 

Gone!
Notice the toilet tank is gone. 

There must have been a zillion old pots and pans on the beautiful old wood stove

and boxes of food, newspapers and firewood on the floor. 

Check out that formica table backsplash!

It's getting there. I removed the backsplash but didn't take a picture of it. 

Trust me. So much prettier now.

By the way, several of our friendly neighbors stopped by to introduce themselves. 

There are only a few on our road.

And speaking of road, here was another neighbor that stopped by 

on the way to the cabin on our very bumpy road. 

Besides the antelope, chipmunks also showed up to welcome us.

It's been such fun planning what we'll do with the little cabin.
I have a million ideas!

We're looking forward to making it our own but first we have to get rid of a lot of stuff. 

I hope you'll follow along as we tackle a long to-do list and start decorating western style.

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Our Southern Home, Dwellings, The Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
Designthusiasm, A Delightsome Life, Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage

Snapshot Garden Tour

Hello my Friends!

Just a little snapshot tour of my early summer garden. 

This rosebush has never had this many blooms . . . must be all the rain we had in the spring. 

 This is a quickie tour because I'm so focused on our new old mountain cabin. 

If you missed last week's post, you can read about my dream coming true HERE.

The garden is really greening up.

It won't be long til the hollyhocks are blooming around this old wheelbarrow.

Our closing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 so wish me luck. 

I have a thousand ideas of what I want to do with the little cabin, 

besides just enjoying the peace, quiet and beauty of the Rocky Mountains. 

I hope you enjoyed this quickie look at the garden.

I would love for you to come back next week to hear more about the cabin. 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.

Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.

You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.

Thank you!!!

***