A New kind of Wedding Show...Lovesick

As I've mentioned in the past,

I'm not really a

Bridal/Wedding Fair gal.

So the Lovesick Wedding Expo

the previous weekend at Rock Wall Wine Co.

in Alameda was as refreshing as I expected it would be!

Here is a little bit of the fun I had styling the booth

with the gals from Locally Grown Weddings...

We filled the booth with

a little vintage chic,

a little boho vibe,

& topped it off with some pink sparkle!!!

Tin Roof Farmhouse {VINTAGE RENTALS}

Sadie from One Big Fish Events 

Jenna from Jenna Beth Photography

Angella from Angella Floral Arts

I'm looking forward to working together on

lots of weddings & events in the future.

Follow along

Tin Roof Farmhouse on our

Pinterest boards, Instagram & Facebook page.

Cheers ~ Erica

Five Faves for Friday...Barn Doors

We've been lusting over

BARN-STYLE DOORS for The Farmhouse

ever since we bought this place. We plan to use one for the door

between our kitchen & the breezeway, as well as from the

breezeway to the garage. We're not certain if we'll build one

or use a reclaimed door. Here are some images that are

inspiring us right now...

A cool galvanized metal door

Mechant Design

A rustic door with white barn wood & a window

Elle Decor

A perfect pair of chippy shabby chic painted french doors

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

A massive industrial metal door on concrete beams

Ideas for Beautiful Interior Design

I love everything

about this door, tracks, lights & siding

Pinterest

Check out more inspiring images on all our Pinterest Boards!

I'll definitely post any progress on these doors here,

until then...

Cheers ~ Erica

New for 2014

It's been almost 3 months since we moved up to

The Farmhouse permanently...

Sometimes it feels like we just got here & then other moments
it feels like we have never been anywhere else. We have
settled into the chaos & are loving our new life.

As I reflect on the last couple months (& years) & look to
the future I have so many ideas I want to share with all of you.
Although we have a ton of work on The Farmhouse itself
(which I'll share as the progress moves along), I'm still
hoping to have some time to spend on some fun DIY projects ~
the plan is to complete & share at least one a month.
This is about all that I can focus on right now while we're
still trying to get all of the mechanicals of this ol' place
up to 21st century standards. Since we've moved, we've gotten
our propane tank installed...

We also installed a 2500 gallon water holding tank

& updated our well pump & system...

Thankfully, we upgraded from my iPhone hotspot

to legit internet service...

And we're almost ready to switch the sketchy electrical system

that is linked to a telephone pole literally a few feet away

from our kitchen window to a proper 200 Volt system

attached to our garage wall...

And although these aren't sexy projects or pretty images that

I normally post about, as is with life, these are the

important projects that need to be completed so we can move on

comfortably to the good stuff. And, this gives my sweetie

peace of mind allowing him to sleep through the night without

stressing about the house burning down, the well pump breaking

or the propane running out.

Luckily, I have also fit in some time to do some exploring & picking in our new community ~ here's a bit of what I've found...

Follow on Instagram to see what's inspiring me daily.

So here's a little look-see into some of the projects I'm hoping to tackle & share here on the blog in 2014:

1. lots of furniture re-hab projects ranging from painting tables, to making headboards & trying to upholster/slipcover a few chairs
2. a few garden/outdoor projects including composting-made-easy, outdoor shower/tub project & if we're lucky garden beds, a chicken coop &/or a greenhouse
3. room-by-room updates...first on the list to unveil will be my crap craft room, which will hopefully be followed by our guest bedroom (which is sooo close to complete) & the laundry room
4. I'm hoping to get a little crafty once I have a functioning craft room / office, so who knows what projects I'll be inspired to tackle, but plans right now are DIY tutorials of celebration flags, roman shades & wreath-making

I feel blessed that I'm able to create & enjoy

this little slice of heaven up here

in the foothills of California

with my husband & all of our little critters.

~ Happy Friday all & enjoy the weekend to it's fullest ~

Cheers ~ Erica

Check out my first blog post 2 years ago &

see what started this journey...

Five Faves for Friday...Dumpster Diving Picks

We are working on a lot of not-so-sexy projects

at The Farmhouse right now (like getting our new propane tank,

fixing our water pressure with a 2600 gallon water holding tank &

clearing & chopping oak trees for firewood)

since we moved in full time.

That being said, I haven't had time to work on fun projects like taking photos of new rental items, fixing up my office / craft room or painting & fixing up some of the items I've collected.

Here is a little selection of things I've found in dumpsters, on the side of streets & from construction sites.

~ tons of shutters in all sizes in both white & pink ~

great for showcasing table numbers, family photos or messages

~ a fabulous ornate wicker chair with green chippy paint ~

needs to be repainted, maybe a bright green or turquoise, but probably just clean white

~ awesome wine boxes of all shapes & sizes ~

perfect for displaying flowers, appetizers or a cake

~ amazing wooden french doors with double paned windows ~

What more can I say!?! We're excited to find a spot for these...maybe the barn

~ another galvanized watering can ~

needs a little repair - or not - could be perfect as is with a gorgeous bouquet

What have you scored lately?

Cheers ~ Erica

It's time to LAUNCH!!!

I know it's been a while since I've sat down to write a post, but things have been a bit crazy over here at Tin Roof Farmhouse!  We've been busy packing up the "beach cottage" ~ pictures to come, making arrangements for the big move, wrapping up things at my "day" job & basically freaking out a bit that we're actually picking up & moving to the country. Scared & excited all at the same time...

But I was able to squeeze in a Wedding Fair this past weekend... 

I have to admit I was a little leery of a Wedding Fair, but it had a few things going for it...

~ It was at an art store
~ There was a panel of cool vendors speaking
~ And...its focus was on handcrafted & DIY elements

If there was any Wedding Fair that whispers Tin Roof Farmhouse, this seemed to be it...

So, I ventured into to the city in the rain to see how I could be inspired and maybe even make some connections to grow my business. If all else failed at least I could look at pretty paper goods.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised...

First off, FLAX Art & Design is an AMAZING art supply store. So many goodies to lose your money on or maybe just to get lost in the aisles staring at pretty paper, stamps, paint brushes or whatever it is that inspires you.

But more importantly I was able to meet some amazing women doing such inspiring work...

{Locally Grown Weddings}

An amazing collective of green-focused vendors working together to create "beautiful, delicious and unforgettable memories." I'm hoping to collaborate with this awesome team to provide some unique rental pieces for future events they create.
Who knows what 2014 will bring...

  

Jenna {jennabeth photography},

Madeline {By Madeline Trait - floral & event designer},

Stephanie (not pictured) {chef stephanie - caterer}

Sadie {One Big Fish Green Events - event planner}

{BB Style}

Providing styling assistance for your daily wardrobe or specifically your wedding day. How fun is Brianne's job?
I'm hoping to be able to work with her on
some fun engagement photo shoots. 
We'll see what's to come...

Brianne of BB Style & her cute booth

Other amazing vendors that were included in this fun Wedding Fair 

{11stories} ~ {Yellow Owl Workshop} ~ {Hello!Lucky}

A pretty package of an embossed card & stamped tag

And a fun little photo booth self portrait

Cheers ~ Erica

Five Faves for Friday...kitchen accessories Made in the USA

Some fun summer accessories for your farmhouse kitchen...

All made in the USA! 

Check out the websites for more cool

eco & locally made products.

#1 ~ Rimmed Glasses

hand-blown glass

Terrain

#2 ~ Tea Towels

100% linen & naturally sustainable

Studiopatro linens

#3 ~ Large Serving Bowl

ceramic tableware & tiles

Heath Ceramics

#4 ~ Cutting Board

ecoplastic made from milk jugs

Epicurean

#5 ~ Jadite Cake Stand

handmade retro styling

Terrain

Five Faves for Friday...Fabulous Headboards

I've been looking for two cool beds for

~ The Farmhouse ~

A Cal King for our master bedroom &

a Queen for our guest bedroom. 

I have pretty high standards for these beds. They need to be
solid, functional, yet super cool & on a crazy tight budget.

So...needless to say, I haven't found much. I've searched

Craigslist, friends hand-me-downs & outlet stores.
too expensive

too dark

poorly made

too bulky

& just plain boring...

So we've decided we're going to make our own headboards.

Here's a little inspiration.

Find more gorgeous images on Pinterest!

Five Faves for Friday...Guest Bedroom

To continue with the Guest Bedroom theme...

A couple necessities that every guest bedroom should have.

a pop of color with a handmade pillow

an old school-style alarm clock

soy candles in recycled wine bottles

recycled water decanter & glass

a functional lamp for reading

Sources: etsy, IKEA, Biome Lifestyle, West Elm, IKEA

My Top 13 Health & Green Tips for 2013

This topic has been on my mind a lot lately; how do we make ourselves, our homes and the environment healthier. While working on our house we are trying to make the best choices for our family, wallets and the environment. It's definitely a fine line trying to balance all three.

A couple things we've done:

used primer and paint that was being thrown out

(instead of buying new)

purchased a Viking stove on Craigslist

(instead of buying a new stove)

used what was left by the previous owners; including the

basic floor plan, the shed out back that will

be turned into my studio (yay!!) and ripping up carpet

to reveal hardwood fir floors that we'll definitely be keeping

(instead of changing the floor plan or tearing the house down, tearing down the dilapidated shed and rebuilding a studio or ripping out the flooring and installing my dream wide-plank hardwood floors)

used "eco" insulation to install below the floor

(contains more than 99% natural ingredients, is certified to include a minimum of 58% total recycled content and is formaldehyde free)

Gladly taken hand-me-down materials and furniture - a little elbow grease goes a long way and makes a unique space

(instead of purchasing all new materials and furniture)

chipped all of the branches that we limbed - about 20 piles 10' high...that was a ton of work!

(instead of hauling to the dump)

So you might be not be remodeling an old Farmhouse, but there are definitely easy everyday things we can do to make our world a little better. Here are a few to get you thinking...

1. Focus on organic or locally-grown foods.
2. Reduce the amount of meat and dairy in the diet ~  a vegetarian requires 1/4 acre of land/year, while a carnivore requires over an acre.
3. Buy bulk food instead of packaged products.
4. Use re-usable bags for produce and groceries. 
5. Drink more water. Use re-usable water bottles, instead of buying bottled water.
6. Use green household products instead of chemicals. Or make your own (check out this home-made laundry detergent).
7. Wash clothes in cold water (when possible); always rinse with cold. Learn more green laundry tips.
   
8. Save energy. Unplug appliances when not in use, turn off lights when not in the room and if purchasing new appliances buy Energy Star efficient products.
9. Save Water. Take shorter showers. Turn water off while brushing your teeth and fill a dishpan when hand-washing dishes.
10. Reduce paper usage. Pay bills electronically; use washable towels instead of paper towels, order magazines and newspapers digitally and stop junk mail.
11. Compost all waste. Some cool products to make this easier...a compost tumbler and a counter top compost bin.
12. Drive less. Use public transit if it's available, make each trip count, walk or ride a bike when possible and carpool if the option is available.
13. Plant a garden. Not only does this nurture the soul, but it can cut back on your grocery bills and protect the environment by decreasing the amount of pesticides used and transportation pollution created for purchased produce.  Find some inspiration on Tin Roof Farmhouse Pinterst Board: Farm Inspiration.

What do you do in your home and life?

My Guest Blog Profile ~ VanessaLarson.com

My friend Vanessa recently asked to profile me

and my design style on her fabulous new blog, all about

food . fashion . design . paris

She is highlighting friends that inspire her every Sunday

and her focus was on me last Sunday. How very cool is that!

Check out the post.