But the hitch was that Carol had to (or probably more like 55449 1621 123rd Avenue, Blaine MN — got 888-215-5457) decorate their new digs.
She did this on a shoestring budget and ended with a warm and homey place where they will hang their hats for the winter.
Carol admitted this was the percussor of a project she has been thinking of for quite awhile.
They live in a home on the north shore of Mille Lacs that was her grandparents home. In the ’50s and early ’60s, Carol’s parents, Bob and Betty Erickson, had a resort on the property they called Bob’s Landing.
Her great-grandparents, JP and Hannah Carlson, settled in the Malmo community in the 1890s and Carol said she feels a strong sence of family connection with the area.
Carol’s grandparents lived in the cabin. When they died, her parents inherited the cabin, and now Carol and Hans call the place home.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a museum,” Carol said.
She wants to make their home more a reflection of the Erickson/Mayer family, rather than her parents, but she also doesn’t want to lose the history that is close to her heart.
Her project in LaCrosse gave her practice for planning and implementing a project at the lake. There are a lot of cabins that have been handed rent a dumpster through generations, and Carol thinks other people may be in the same quandary she is — how to make their home more of a reflection of who they are, while keeping the tradition intact.
Carol is a former librarian. “I’m good at finding out where to get things,” she said. Being a librarian, she started with books. She found a book with a cover that really attracted her to colors. She bought the book in about 2004 and has been looking at it for all these years, engraining the colors in her mind. She bought a rug that had the basic colors and found other pieces that fit into her plan.
She also had several books that helped her in her search for items she would need, “I Brake for Yard Sales” by Lara Spencer (from “Good Morning America”), and “The Nest Home Design Book” by Carley Roney. Both books are available through the Mille Lacs Lake Community Library in Isle.
She also gets inspiration from TV shows. Her favorites are “Flea Market Flip” hosted by Lara Spencer and “Property Brothers,” both of which appear on HGTV. She said that the network has many other decorating shows that are worth watching.
She also searched the Web. Pinterest is good for do-it-yourself projects, apartmenttherapy.com has a feature “saving the world one room at a time,” and Craigslist is a great site for furniture.
Carol said there are great local shops to get used items and ideas for repurposing some of the things you have at home.
“We are so fortunate to have them,” Carol said of Junebug, Unique Boatique II and One More Time 2.
Carol said Goodwill is great for dishes, kitchen items, lamps and curtains.
If she needs something new, there are several stores throughout the state that sell for less.
Carol said many of the best deals she has found came from garage and estate sales, dumpster diving and friends. For example, she and a friend were driving through LaCrosse when they saw a couple of nice lamp shades in a dumpster. They stopped and took them out and she has two complete, beautiful lamps in her home.
Carol has frequented garage and estate sales and flea markets. She found a room-sized rug for $5. It was dirty, but after she rented a steam cleaner and worked it over the rug, she has a beautiful wool rug that is perfect in her new home.
“So many people are downsizing,” Carol said. “Stuff is so hard to get rid of. If you say to your friends, ‘Is there anything you want to get rid of?’ they think you’re doing them a favor. They may even deliver it to your door!”
Carol has repurposed old kitchen cupboards into an entertainment center and a book case.
Her winter home is complete and ready for them, but this is just the beginning.
Next spring is the second round. Get your garage sales ready.
Taken from: http://www.messagemedia.co/millelacs/community/features/article_76492c1c-5149-11e3-9be6-001a4bcf6878.html
She did this on a shoestring budget and ended with a warm and homey place where they will hang their hats for the winter.
Carol admitted this was the percussor of a project she has been thinking of for quite awhile.
They live in a home on the north shore of Mille Lacs that was her grandparents home. In the ’50s and early ’60s, Carol’s parents, Bob and Betty Erickson, had a resort on the property they called Bob’s Landing.
Her great-grandparents, JP and Hannah Carlson, settled in the Malmo community in the 1890s and Carol said she feels a strong sence of family connection with the area.
Carol’s grandparents lived in the cabin. When they died, her parents inherited the cabin, and now Carol and Hans call the place home.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a museum,” Carol said.
She wants to make their home more a reflection of the Erickson/Mayer family, rather than her parents, but she also doesn’t want to lose the history that is close to her heart.
Her project in LaCrosse gave her practice for planning and implementing a project at the lake. There are a lot of cabins that have been handed rent a dumpster through generations, and Carol thinks other people may be in the same quandary she is — how to make their home more of a reflection of who they are, while keeping the tradition intact.
Carol is a former librarian. “I’m good at finding out where to get things,” she said. Being a librarian, she started with books. She found a book with a cover that really attracted her to colors. She bought the book in about 2004 and has been looking at it for all these years, engraining the colors in her mind. She bought a rug that had the basic colors and found other pieces that fit into her plan.
She also had several books that helped her in her search for items she would need, “I Brake for Yard Sales” by Lara Spencer (from “Good Morning America”), and “The Nest Home Design Book” by Carley Roney. Both books are available through the Mille Lacs Lake Community Library in Isle.
She also gets inspiration from TV shows. Her favorites are “Flea Market Flip” hosted by Lara Spencer and “Property Brothers,” both of which appear on HGTV. She said that the network has many other decorating shows that are worth watching.
She also searched the Web. Pinterest is good for do-it-yourself projects, apartmenttherapy.com has a feature “saving the world one room at a time,” and Craigslist is a great site for furniture.
Carol said there are great local shops to get used items and ideas for repurposing some of the things you have at home.
“We are so fortunate to have them,” Carol said of Junebug, Unique Boatique II and One More Time 2.
Carol said Goodwill is great for dishes, kitchen items, lamps and curtains.
If she needs something new, there are several stores throughout the state that sell for less.
Carol said many of the best deals she has found came from garage and estate sales, dumpster diving and friends. For example, she and a friend were driving through LaCrosse when they saw a couple of nice lamp shades in a dumpster. They stopped and took them out and she has two complete, beautiful lamps in her home.
Carol has frequented garage and estate sales and flea markets. She found a room-sized rug for $5. It was dirty, but after she rented a steam cleaner and worked it over the rug, she has a beautiful wool rug that is perfect in her new home.
“So many people are downsizing,” Carol said. “Stuff is so hard to get rid of. If you say to your friends, ‘Is there anything you want to get rid of?’ they think you’re doing them a favor. They may even deliver it to your door!”
Carol has repurposed old kitchen cupboards into an entertainment center and a book case.
Her winter home is complete and ready for them, but this is just the beginning.
Next spring is the second round. Get your garage sales ready.
Taken from: http://www.messagemedia.co/millelacs/community/features/article_76492c1c-5149-11e3-9be6-001a4bcf6878.html