Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day to all of my ever-supportive and faithful family, friends, acquaintances, followers, and loyal customers!  Have a wonderful holiday.  :)

Sage & Balm sale - June 27th!

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This Saturday, June 27th, Sage & Balm is having a sale 

on the terrace at 

7272 6th Line, Tottenham, Ontario from 9am - 5pm!

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Items for sale: beautifully hand-finished furniture (vintage, modern, and antique), mirrors, small household decor items, and gorgeous photography prints!

Weather permitting, we will have a fun day of shopping, sipping lemonade, and enjoying the lovely scenery at the Ronan Farm.  Spread the word and come join us for a day outdoors and maybe find something special for your home!

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The Sound of Music

I am from a quite musical family and music is a big part of our lives, as well as our family history.  I thought I'd post some photos of musical instruments from around my family's home to showcase some different perspectives.  Not only do instruments make beautiful music: they make lovely visual art as well!

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A long glimpse down the keys of our family piano.

The silver tuning pegs on this electric guitar hold each string taught and suspended in the moment.

From bridge pims to finger board, this guitar has a memory of thousands of songs.

The curves of this somewhat derelict violin remain as beautiful now as when it was new.

Light pools on rich wood tones and glints off the stings of this acoustic guitar.

The headstock of this Fender makes a surprisingly interesting display of angles.

The scroll and tuning pegs of this violin rest side-by-side with it's bow amidst a flurry of frayed strings.

To place a custom furniture order or to purchase photography prints, please contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you.  You can also follow Sage & Balm on Facebook!

Custom armoire and dining table

A lovely friend of mine decided she wanted to refinish a sentimental armoire and dining table that her grandfather had built.  The two pieces were made very well and had stood the test of time with only moderate wear and tear.  While the solid pine armoire and the solid oak table were special to my friend as is, she still wanted them updated so they could transition more easily into a family condo space with more modern furnishings.  

My friend requested a pale grey paint colour for both pieces with a rustic looking finish; and a darker stained table-top to take the outdated honey-oak finish into this century.  Brushed silver fixtures were on the list as well, and I custom ordered the fixtures so they could better fit the scale and function of pieces that would see a lot of traffic and hard use.  She also specified her interest in having the pieces distressed and dark waxed so they would still look like antique pieces to a point, but with more modern colour tones.  Done and done!   I made a few minor decisions to complete the piece which included finishing on the insides of both pieces with intricate stencil work, chalkboard to-do lists, and lined drawers.  Everything was sealed and made ready to move back into a busy family home - hopefully to be loved again for many more years to come.

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Here are some before shots:

And here are the fully refinished armoire and table.

Voila!  Chalkboard to-do lists for each family member and a pretty pattern within.

Gorgeous pulls....

The very uniquely built drop-leaf dining table:

Inside the drawers and cupboards:

To request a custom order of your own, or to purchase photography prints, please contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you.  You can also follow Sage & Balm on Facebook!

Magnificent trees

Here are some photos of nature's great beauties

 and some of my favourite muses: magnificent trees! 

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A lone tree stands like a sentinel over a field.

Crows take pause in the bare branches of a mighty Ash - one day we will no longer see these grand trees in our province.

 

While not a tree in and of itself, this intricate piece of driftwood lies on a stony shore north of Sooke, British Columbia....where it originally took root, nobody knows.

Rays from the setting sun peak through the ice-laden branches of a whimsically shaped Scrub Maple.

A solitary Maple is highlighted by a burst of light amidst the stars.

One of the mightiest of trees, the branches of this giant Oak tree let the starlight filter through.

The long winter shadows of this lovely Silver Maple bathe the snow in a soft pattern and happily intersect with some bunny prints.

Light pours through a strand of cedars to light a rustic pathway through the forest.

To order custom, hand-refinished furniture, or to order photography prints, please contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you.  You can also follow Sage & Balm on Facebook!

Restored antique steamer trunk

I happened across this steamer trunk and was pretty excited about it: it was very old, but in decent enough shape that it could be revived.  I thought it looked rather dismal in it's former state, so I gave it a brighter outside appearance by painting the old fabric in a cream colour and rubbing the wood to a sheen with tung oil.  This immediately made the trunk look cleaner and brighter.  

The inside of the trunk had the original brown paper lining that most trunks of this vintage boast of;  but someone in the past had lined it with a cheap cupboard liner and both papers were peeling beyond repair (not to mention, very unattractive!).  After extensive peeling, hammering out snaggly nails, scraping and disinfecting (although there was no water or bug damage - bonus!), the inside was ready for a coat of rich-coloured stain that really showed off the beauty and character of the old wood.  Then the entire trunk was sealed to prevent further damage and to allow for clothing or linens to be stored on the inside without damage either.  It was a labour of love, but worth the effort!  

Here are two pictures before restoration: 

Not bad, but not great, either: dark, dirty, and damaged.

The inside: in need of a refresher!  You can't tell from the photo, but all the beautiful old wood is covered with a brown kraft paper that smelled quite vinegary.

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Here is the final result!

Background: our chicken coop!

On the inside: a rich stain that accentuates the gorgeous old wood.

Bonus chicken picture! :)

The top...

What an improvement!

To place a custom order, purchase an item from the blog, or order photography prints, please contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you.  You can also follow Sage & Balm on Facebook!

Nostalgia...

I've been perusing some photos that were taken in May of this year, and though that's only the near past, I got a strange sense of nostalgia from a few in particular.  I decided to run with that feeling and after some time spent tweaking and editing these photos, I finally got them to seemingly fit that mood  just right. :)

My photos are always available through purchase in any size.  Contact me at sageandbalm@gmail.com and I'll be happy to assist you!  Or you can follow Sage & Balm on Facebook!

A romantic rose...

A "Pawnee" tow-plane.

A barn door left slightly ajar...

A gorgeous rainbow over the old Lynch farm.

A different musical perspective.

The hardware atop a Model A Ford truck.