home for the holidays...

We had our first Christmas together on the seacoast this year.  Christmas Eve was warm...balmy even.  The kids and I went into town to pick up Christmas dinner.  Sanders Lobster was our first stop.  What a find...they were passing out complimentary servings of their fabulous lobster chowder.  It was such fun to hang out on the dock slurping hot, delicious chowder.  My son-in-law Mike, promised to take on all lobster wrangling duties as I am  a bit squeamish about such things. 

My wonderful builder, Peter Coyman worked overtime to get the lights installed and the last of the shelves in place.  Dear friend and kitchen designer Susan Durling of Amherst NH had carefully re-worked my designs to make sure I made the most of every tiny inch.  We weren't the least bit uncomfortable gathered around the kitchen island.
Don Mavrikas of Mavrikas Upholstery did a beautiful job on my grandmother's chair.   Remember the chair?  I switched from the bold orange to this lovely cobalt.  The fabric is from Schumacher.  Thanks to Sami, Michelle and Timothy of the Schumacher showroom at the BDC.


Breakfast featured the family favorite--sausage bread.  Not quite having gotten used to cooking in a gas oven, I have to say this was not my best effort, but we each managed to put away our fair share.


The tiny living room with the equally tiny tree (Bedford Fields) was warm and surprisingly comfortable.

Unhappily for the lobster, chowder was the theme of Christmas this year.  Fresh greens, goat cheese and Prosecco from Fresh Market, along with  wonderful bread from  Ceres Street Bakery rounded out the meal.

With most renovations complete until we begin again late winter this will be the last post on the house for a while.  It's time to take a break from this and post photos of some of the fabulous projects I have been priviledged to work on this year.

The bigger news is that it looks as though the Nashua Studio will be sold and I will be moving operations to  a wonderful space in Portsmouth which I hope to settle into soon.

Wishing you and yours a joyful new year.