I was in the process of doing some photo organization last weekend, and I decided that it might be fun to share some things with you guys from my pre-blogging days. I started q is for quandie in November 2013, but I took lots of photos before that. Lots. So, I bring you … throwback thursdays! Yeah, I totally stole that from Facebook, but hey, I can do it too, right?
Our first throwback Thursday features the photo cottage before it became the photo cottage. Oddly enough, I didn’t share much in the way of ‘before’ photos when I made it over, just one quick photo of the emptied out shell.
Yikes!
So let’s back up just a tad and take a look at the place before it was emptied out.
These photos were taken in 2010, way before I ever thought I’d have a blog. So yes, I had a ‘she-shed’ long before anyone even coined that term. Just for the record, I kind of get the heebie jeebies over that name. I don’t know why, there is just something about it that is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me, how about you?
I called it the ‘summer house’ (a much prettier name than ‘she-shed’), and it was very girly.
The walls were pink. I remember the color was called Paris Pink, can it get any more perfect than that? And I had scads of floral china everywhere.
Much of this china was later used for my ‘words on plates’ projects.
I had an awesome chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but it was just for looks. I don’t actually have any power out there. It’s a little hard to see in this photo, but I took photo copies of old black and white pictures and wrapped them around the ‘candle tubes’ which looked really cool.
I still have the chandelier in storage. I’m hoping that I’ll come up with the perfect spot for it again soon.
I had a green wicker chair in the corner next to a little metal garden table with a glass top.
See that wall sconce above the chair? Does anyone remember those mirrored sconces? I don’t know what the background story is on these, but they tend to be a dime a dozen at garage sales (were they from Home Interiors maybe?). They are usually black. I painted mine white and added the little green teacups to them. After taking them down, I sold them along with the green chair at my Carriage House sale.
I also recovered the cane back sofa and sold it.
This cupboard is the only piece that I kept in place out there.
I’ve spruced it up just a little when I made over the cottage by adding some vintage wallpaper inside the drawers …
and repainting the inside …
you can read more about that {here}.
As much as I enjoyed styling this little cottage back then, the sad reality was that I rarely used it. I don’t have too much time to spend just relaxing, so when I do have time to just chill out I prefer to do so in maximum comfort. None of the seating in my summer house was very comfortable. It looked pretty, but didn’t function all that well. So I really never just sat out there. I have gotten a ton more use out of the photo cottage. Two years after making that decision, I know it was the right one!
So photo cottage it remains!
I hope you enjoyed throwback Thursday. I’ve got lots of old photos to share, so next Thursday we’ll take another trip down memory lane, I hope you’ll check back.
q is for quandie 
I like the term summer house better than she shed too. I love the idea of wrapping the candles with photographs on the chandelier. It’s great you have a designated spot to do your photography now. I certainly enjoy seeing all your beautiful things.
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Thanks so much Becky!
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Throwback Thursdays sounds like a great idea. Glad you captured this other incarnation so you can share it with us. Love so many of the pieces that you pulled together to create that space. I have a thing for cane so I just adore that sofa and all the plates too. I know I must live in a box but I have never heard the term “she-shed”.
Getting the best use out of the space is a brilliant.
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I loved the look of that cane back sofa, but even with all of those throw pillows it was never actually comfortable. So, funny story about the ‘she-shed’ thing. The editor of the local Stillwater paper contacted me earlier this week. They are writing a story on ‘she-sheds’ and they heard I had one and wanted to include it in their story. They are all the rage now, you’ll probably start hearing this term all over the place now that you are familiar with it!
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Really I am totally out of the loop. Well maybe not totally since you keep me abreast of current trends. Lol! So you are officially an celebrity in Minnesota eh? Love to see a the article they publish.
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I’m pretty sure that being mentioned in the Stillwater Gazette does not make me a celebrity. But I’ll keep you posted if anyone asks for my autograph 😉
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Q, you really hit the nail on the head with your design leitmotif “It looked pretty, but didn’t function all that well.” When we had guests this week-end I felt like a broken record telling people, “I’m sorry, that chair’s not really for sitting.” I guess it’s just the way you roll, whether you’re choosing a chair or a husband. 😀
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Yes, exactly 😉 You do look pretty hon.
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I remember the cottage before and always loved to see inside, because it was different every time i saw it. Just like the inside of your house is always evolving! I think it’s a special thing to be so creative, especially because in my life, I’m perfectly ok with arranging something and having it stay the same way for years and years. I like that there are so many different ways to stage the same space using a minimum of pieces to do so….but I’m content to just be on the sidelines, cheering you on in all your beautiful creative flow.
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Thanks for this really special comment Terri!
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Seeing those pictures it also occurs to me that I want to rebuild that brick step in front of the shed.
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Well the cottage looked wonderful and relaxing, too bad it wasn’t!
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Exactly!
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Love the summer house! We have a little cabin Down by our pond. I have it decorated like a lodge, leather sofa, fishing items hickory furniture etc. I planned on having it be a little get away to read. I never go out there! I need it for storage more than anything!
Blessings
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So you are in the same boat I was in. It all looks darling, and was so fun to decorate, but do we actually use them? Not so much.
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I can remember sitting in there reading on a visit or two. But I was on vacation and had time to just relax and wanted to be outside. That was before the adirondack chairs on the deck.
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