Thursday, July 14, 2011

At home in my office



My office is messy,
my office is junky,
my office is cluttered ---
but
my office is mine.



Chicken coop cubbies from my friend, Sena --- now a bookcase.





It's not a room of beauty.
Nothing matches.
But it is a room filled with things
that I collect,
that I love,
that were mine
when I was little.






Vintage "Continuous Calendar"..... odd but graphic.




Gumby and Mr. Bill. I'd like you to meet PeeWee Herman!


You'll find things that inspire me,
things I am working on
and things that may or not
be on their way to the antique shop.



Old canvas London bus destination blind with route numbers.


I really had to clean up this room
to even consider bringing
in my camera.
Oh my.... lots of piles (now hiding on the floor.)


Vintage egg drying rack hangs above the chicken nesting bin.



Old horse show ribbons on the egg drying rack.


There is a lot to look at,
I know, too much,
but I am comfortable here
and my goofy "stuff" makes me smile!



My dad carved this little airplane in the 1940's.




Framed the old watercolor sets in a shadow box.


Old galvanized milk delivery box with graphics on lid.






 Note to Self: 
- change the paint color soon
(it came with the house)

- find new window panels
(current panels were "temporary" -- now 8 years old!)
Funny how that works.





Vintage time card slot holder.

Vintage employee time in and time out chart for receptionist.




So here it is .... organized chaos .... my space.




This was my mom's carnival spin paint card from when she was a girl!


There's no theme here.

No rhyme or reason to the madness.


I collected butterflies and moths when I was little.

Love old London bus blinds like the small one shown here.

These old locker baskets keep me organized.

They sit on a cider press bench that my mom gave me.


My desk is a pine kitchen table....from the first year that there was a Pottery Barn c. 1986.



One of the only things I have of my dad's father is this toolbox that he made.




Vintage tin barns like the ones I played with as a child on our farm. :)






What kinds of things
are in your office or workspace?






My very first BFF.


39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Alison, what a charming office - just like you! I love that you've kept your childhood toys and can still enjoy them! :) I love all of your sweet olden things and the way you have them set up.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Richard Cottrell said...

I LOVE IT! IT IS PERFECT! Richard from My Old Historic House

Ann@A Sentimental Life said...

Oh I love how you reused the farm items! And OH MY those watercolor sets bring back memories. What a great creative office!

Designing Domesticity said...

Hi there, Couldn't help but notice your BBC magazines - wondering which you indulge in? I am still a sucker for BBC Good Food. So worth the price of subscription! Liz

laxsupermom said...

I love your office! While I love the more edited, collected feel of your home, your office just bursts with personality and feels like such a happy space. What fun! Thanks for sharing.

Becca Bertotti said...

I absolutely love your office, Alison !! What a fabulous retreat, full of wonderful childhood memorabilia !! The chicken house turned bookcase is too neat ... love the airplane your Dad crafted ... and, I truly love your canister filled with several 80's goodies !!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Your office is you, Alison, and I think that's more important then matching or new furniture. Love the jar filled with Mr. Bill and PeeWee! : )

Salmagundi said...

I love rooms decorated with meaning! They are the best kind. Sally

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

I don't have an office or work space. Just the sun room. I love your whimsical collections. Who would have thought you would collect Gumby, Mr. Bill and Pee Wee!

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Oh how I love this room, Alison. It is perfection!!

Amy Chalmers said...

aww that is so sweet! you have a memory lane office!! i love it!

Stitchfork said...

I love organized chaos and a room that truly reflects YOU! What a fun perpetual calendar, never saw one like that.
xo Cathy

lvroftiques said...

I LOVE your office! I'm pretty sure I could spend hours just looking at everything *winks* I only wish I had one like it, but I have to share with my hubby....and he did the decorating....Good thing I like his taste lol! Vanna

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

My "office" (that is pretty laughable) is a TV room, guest room and my "office" which considts of my computer sitting on a 36 inch wifde computer table and a printer at my feet! Ther is a pull out sofa, 2 end tables, a bookcase that my hubby made 30 years ago and my table. It is pretty neat cause it has to be! Love all your things!!!!!!!!! I don't have a thing from my childhood. Have no clue where it all went.....XO, Pinky

Ricki Treleaven said...

Your office is fantastic! You are giving me some fun ideas for our art studio. Thanks for sharing your fun space with us!

The Tuscan Home said...

Hi Alison,
You know what I love about your office? I'll tell you, its...FUN!! I adore all the whimsical items and childhood memories. You've done a great job and it feels cozy and warm, just the way a home office should feel. Thanks for sharing, I love it! XOXO ~Liz

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Alison, your office is so charming. Full of treasures. I love the way you think outside the box to use vintage items. hugs ~lynne~

Blondie's Journal said...

Your office is fantastic because it is YOU! I love it. The memories that came back when I saw Gumby!!!

XO,
Jane

Pamela Gordon said...

Do I ever love you office! You have so many sweet vintage things and I even saw Raggedy Ann peeking out of the chicken coop book shelf. (I have a very similar one) I think it's amazing and fun and as you said, all yours! (I have to share with my hubby) Thanks for showing us your special place. Blessings, Pamela

Linda said...

Alison, I see you have some lunch boxes. Maybe you can tell me a little about mine. It's on my current post. Laura Secord lunch box metal. Your office shows that you are a true collector.

Dee ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️ said...

Hi Alison,

OMG where do I begin. I adore your office. It's totally YOU! Every inch of it has very special and wonderful memories. You have so many neat things.
I also collected butterflies as a child and framed them for my family and friends. I still have one beautiful frame that my parents gave me from my childhood. It's those special memories that bring us back to those carefree days.

Dee

A Toile Tale said...

Oh, Alison --
You are wrong that there is no theme. There is a strong theme of love. Love of family heirlooms, love of history, and love of "stuff"! I share that all. you just may have given me the courage to post my office/studio. Don't bemoan one tiny little item....it is all so lovely.
Linda @ A Toile Tale

Andrea said...

That is the best type of office. One filled with treasures that inspire!

Cheri said...

All the best things for inspiration! There is one thing that motivates me the most...and that is COLOR. One time, I painted my office taupe and I thought I was gonna need life support......repainted it a deep brown based purple and came alive....photos on the blog somewhere.....lol

A Hint of Home said...

How special to have so many items from your childhood!
It's your space and it should have the things you love around you.
Great space!

Babs said...

Alison, Yours is the best office I've ever seen. How fabulous and how you! It's so darling that I don't see how you get any work done. I can't believe you kept so many special things from your childhood. Love seeing the airplane your dad made and the Prince Albert can. I haven't seen one of those in ages.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Babs

Town and Country Gals said...

Alison,
your office is special because it's you! It's fun, lively, sentimental, sweet and colorful! What a perfect place to work and play in.
Rebecca

Fresh Eggs Antiques said...

Alison:

I know that we could never shop together - we would be competing for the same items. Your office is wonderful - I love everything. I used the plaid lunchbox as a child and I have one in my collection too.
It must be a joy to work in just a great office!! Thanks for sharing.

Karen said...

Hi Alison~ I just love your office. I adore your grandfathers tool box that you are using to organize your things. So special and everything is an expression of you. Love it!
xo~
Karen

Sarah said...

Alison, I like your stuff! Truly this is my kind of space. My office is filled with the same sort of things ~ various things I collect, art, books, magazines, . . . For many it would just be clutter, but for me it is comfort among my things. Thanks for sharing our space. ~ Sarah

All That Glitters said...

I love your office! Seriously woman everything is perfect! My oldest son loved Pee Weed ! That what he calls him! I looked at a pee wee dol for him last week and the pull string was broke. I will keep on looking!

michele said...

ALISON! i think there is a theme. and it's called

the most beautiful office i have ever seen! it is. it's fabulous and the love radiates from all your photos and fills me right up.

i adore what you've done and the evolution and history here. BRAVO, girlfriend!

michele

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

OH I love your space, Alison...such great graphic elements! I especially love the calendar, time card rack, and framed watercolors! Lots of whimsy...just like I like it! Thanks for the get well wishes!

Burlap Luxe said...

Oh Alison,
I am so glad you came to visit me! I love your whimsey and the collection of toys my daughter does the same thing, everytime she goes to the dentist or a doctors office and they have that treasure chest of toys she to this day takes some...She has quite a large amount starting way back when she was about age 4 now 18 and she still collects them :)

I am taking a journey through your older postings getting to know your style even better...Love the English hutch, and the feel of the room...I use to have a heavaly decorated home that leaned very English cottage!!

See you soon, plaese visit often I will return as well.
xx
Dore

Ann from On Sutton Place said...

Thanks for sharing your office. I'd love to have one of those milk boxes. Years ago our town had it's own dairy. My good friend has a milk box from that dairy that she keeps by her back door...just like her mother used to. I don't remember but I'm told a horse and carriage used to deliver milk every day. I've looked online for a box from that dairy but have never found one. Yours is wonderful. Have a great weekend...I think it's going to be hot.

Honey at 2805 said...

Such lovely, sentimental treasures and collected items you have in your personal room, and that's as it sould be. It brims of personality! And I laughed at the drapery panels. It's funny how you think of something that must be changed but is so much a part of the things you see each day it really doesn't bother you.

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

You have a great looking workspace with so many interesting things! What fun collections!

Unknown said...

Great office, I would feel so at home there! Fun collection of things, I loved the tour. Thanks!

Bonnie Schulte said...

Your office is a thing of beauty, make no mistake about that. Every item...pillow on chair (to die for) Ann (raggedy) and animal cracker tin,everything! So Inspiring..I fell in love when I saw your husbands (man room) too awesome to be called cave..Then you showed us the rest of your home, and now this. It is all just breath taking.. You have a style that that none can compare to..maybe... Ralph Lauren.... Thanks so very much for sharing.