butter for the soul

Well butter my biscuit.

Butter it good,

Stradella House.

Care to enjoy a few images from bella Stradella?

K. But first.

The truth.

It's not biscuits we're buttering today.

It's sour cream coffee cake made from scratch.

Smell it?

And not actually buttering it...dude,

not that there's anything wrong with that

(my Swedish GRAM did it all the time).  

Ina's recipe is similar

I'll share the recipe soon.

all images -First Option

On planet Michele we are always in the mood

for butter, coffee cake, love...

and a cozy white room.

Care to join me near the hearth for a chat?

Cool. BYOButter.

battle of the brits: FOSTER vs. HAWKE'S

lookie lookie what Atlanta Bartlett did with foster house!

*insert English accent here*

I fear a bloodbath is imminent

so I'll ask all of you to please please

put down the sword...

Don't do it for me...

a lowly hormonally imbalanced blogster.

Do it for the sake of

impractical white floors and cushions!

Welcome to today's

BATTLE OF THE BRITS:

************

f o s t e r house vs. h a w k e ' s house

Let's be civil in battle this time 'round.

need i remind you of the violent grotesque melee 

which erupted when last i pitted sweet southern

cali cottage against swede southern cali cottage?

****Both are stunning properties.****

Both are available for photo shoots via First Option.

****Both are deliciously neutral.****

And YET only ONE may WIN.

could you dream sweet dreams at foster house?

IT'S UP TO YOU.

Focus now.

wouldn't it be cool if you leased this First Option property called foster house for vacation

but there was a mixup as Robert Pattinson and Hugh Laurie also booked

it that week and so naturally you all made do and became best friends,

mainly told vampire jokes, ate white stilton, and sang karaoke that week? 

Try not to be distracted by my twisted imagination

and Jedi mind tricks.

Let the force guide you as you choose.

ahhhhh. notice the simplicity and symmetry at hawke's.

Charmed by Hawke's

exquisite kitchen???

Truly it's my idea of

FAB-TASTIC CALM.

uh-oh. floor crush at hawke's.

Let's not become overly emotional.

Simply re-focus and continue this contest with grace.

With maturity.

i refuse to say i'm cuckoo for hawke's entry. refuse.

i'm cuckoo! cuckoo! cuckoo!

Maturity is overrated.

Maybe next time.

*insert southern drawl*
hot damn, hawke's.

Which Brit wins it for you?

p.s.

like you, i have zero clue as to how

Star Wars references relate to 

gorgeous Brit interiors.
p.p.s.
linking up today with a beach cottage
for the Good Life Wednesdays party.

p.p.p.s.

just a reminder to follow

this blog responsibly...

with deep tenderness,

a modicum of caution,

and a voluminous glass of red.

schoolhouse rocks

Can we talk curb appeal?

And door straps?

And gables?

This is another one of those First Option

unique properties in England known as "schoolhouse"

offered for photo shoots, and it charmed me.

I love how when you step inside

it turns out not to be one of those dusty,

granny, cluttery places plastered with chintz...

it's lofty.

Loving the windows?

Okay, the counters ARE a little granny

clutterish, but now I'm believing

people live here, and it's not just

another photo shoot location.

Speaking of school, it's spring break

for ours...and this year we're traveling to...

THE GNARLY BASEMENT.

And by "we" I mean my husband!

But you already knew that.

It's not all beer and skittles here, ya know!

He's swingin the hammer, and I...

I've almost reached the ends of the internet...

I'll have some pics soon of the reno.

(we have electricity!).

Hugs.