Winter brings long, dark days, and historically humans have found ways to chase away the darkness. The tradition of festooning homes with evergreen boughs, berries and cones dates back to pagan times. In Europe, pre-Germanic people gathered evergreens because they are sturdy, last long and stay green until spring. Using natural winter berries for color […]
design
Posted inHome
Minimalism: Tiresome or Trendy?
Frankly, it’s neither. While even entertaining the notion of an attempt at minimalism is panic-inducing for some, for others, the opportunity for the peace and simplicity it brings to the home and daily operations is just simply too tempting to ignore. The trend toward more simple living is a product of our environment. City living […]
Posted inHome
Farmhouse Restoration
After months of deliberation and dozens of drive-by trips, a young couple decided to follow their hearts. They stopped the car and fastened a note to the mailbox of the old farmhouse. “We’re looking for a place to raise a family,” the note said. “Would you be interested in selling?” The owners, a retired couple […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Three-Dimensional Beaded Treasures
Paulette Hoflin is a sculptor known for the uncommon material she chooses. This material can be less than an eighth of an inch in size, but when gathered en masse by multiple stitches of fine thread, the beads can take on the three-dimensional quality of any shape she chooses. Roughly 45 years ago, Hoflin delighted […]
Posted inGarden
The Little Big Garden
Downsizing a garden to a manageable area does not mean you give up on charm. In fact, small plots are often more creative in utilizing space. The garden of Suzanne O’Clair and David Shelley is one of those places. Though the property may be small, the garden is big on design and inspired elements. Over […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Rockin’ Art
Linda McWhirter’s art rocks. Literally. McWhirter paints lovely images — some whimsical, some very detailed and realistic — on small, smooth stones she finds here and there. She’s been doing her little rock paintings since she retired from 20-plus years of teaching — mostly social studies — at Key Peninsula Middle School. Her husband, Larry, […]
Posted inGarden
Waterfalls in the Garden
Water is life, and in the garden, especially when the water moves in a rhythmic sound, it quenches the soul. More than half of the human body is made out of the liquid. No wonder we gravitate to it. We are water; water is us. Humans have long been attracted to the sound, the flow […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Three Unique Stores, One Eco-Minded Entrepreneur
Buy American-built furniture and upholstery slipcovers to reduce your impact on global warming. Not the typical sales pitch if you’re in the market for a new sofa. However, a conversation with Bainbridge Island entrepreneur and designer Mary Terry can be very convincing. You’ll find yourself seriously considering an eco-friendly, Instagram-worthy, marine-blue sofa posing with a […]
Posted inHome
Cooking with Class
Tom and Tessa Aydelotte of Bainbridge Island know their way around a kitchen. The couple own two restaurants, Doc’s Marina Grill on Bainbridge Island and in Port Townsend, and their livelihood is all about food. So, when their thoughts turned to updating their circa 1925 home, they naturally put food preparation first. And, since part […]