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Home and Home-Studio

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Our home is very simple and small, by American standards. We live in a house all on one level, 900 square feet big. Our garden is larger than the house. All of the woodworking is the artistic touch of my husband, Tim, who is a furniture and cabinet maker by trade and by passion.
We don't spend much money - we live pretty simply by choice, so the way I have "decorated" our home is by chance and by artistry, mostly without advanced planning.

I am am artist and a nester -- I like to make our home environment beautiful and comfortable and it reflects our personalities more than the homes of most people I know. The artwork on the walls is mostly done by us: by our kids, my husband and me, or our friends.

There are places on the walls with wallpaper I started peeling off in 1989 when I bought this house (as a single mom with my two boys) that I have never finished peeling! The kitchen counter is the original 1950s linoleum with thousands of knife cuts in it. My husband builds kitchens, yet our humble kitchen remains un"remodeled" because we can't decide what we want to do with it! heheh. I have to confess the garden suffers from the same disease -- the garden of a landscape designer goes without_______ ? oh well ....

So you will not see any "House & Garden Magazine" spreads in this set. Nor any Vogue or Dwell or even "Fine Home Building" style photos. Instead, I have chosen to include more intimate portraits of our home and surrounding garden. Of the many personal -- and sometimes quirky -- details that truly make our home a Home.

We love where we live: our town, our house, our neighborhood and our beautiful state of Montana, USA. Because we are not encumbered with lots of materials "things" like a boat, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, a house in the country, expensive stereo equipment, leather furniture and king-sizes 360-count egyptian cotton bed linens .... we can relax and enjoy homemade music, homemade comfort, the simple beauty of natural objects and "found art" and the pursuit of our own artistic creativity for pleasure.

I hope you enjoy peeking into our home life. Let me know what you think and ... tell us how you find pleasure in your home and life.
And thanks for looking!
Maureen and Tim

184 photos | 3,792 views

Comments on this set

	Vaeltaja says: Splendid photos. Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )
	ketutar says: You have a very beautiful home, and a wonderful eye for pictures :-) Thank you! It was a pleasure to look through these photos :-) Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )
	curlsdiva says: Thanks for the invite into your home :) I love your home and your garden, so personal, so settled, it made me envious... A real family home. Marvellous warmth in the way you portray it too.. nothing taken for granted, everything having its simple beauty celebrated. Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )
	SushiQue says: I enjoyed taking a look inside your nest! It looks very, very cozy and warm... The term nester seems very appropriate for us women who love to create a peaceful sanctuary to rest our weary souls from the collective world "out there"... I think we take for granted the safety and security we have inside our homes. We're very lucky in the US for that. My home is filled w/ eclecticness... personal art... altered knick-knacks and art from other artists as well. My other half is a musician, so we typically have his music in the background, or that of others he is inspired by. I love the warmth and feel of having your own creations surrounding you from visual to sounds.... Its a great thing to be able to create your own reality w/in the confines of society/your own home. Your place seems very healing and wonderful. Well done! Thank you for sharing<3 Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )
	MontanaRaven says: thank you everyone for your kind comments on this set. It's always kindof a little strange to put photos of one's home "out there", since it is such a personal space. I'm glad you all enjoyed seeing where I live with my husband and our animal family ... it's where I raised my family pretty much. Very small place. But cozy. Sushi, you are right that Americans are lucky to feel that our homes are our sanctuaries. I wish it could be that way for everyone in the US -- even in the less safe places. AND, for everyone else living on our beautiful planet. We do take it for granted that our homes are our private domains where no one may come without being invited. You and I have alot in common, Sushi - it seems, for sure art, personal art, eclectic taste, homemade music, wanting to surorund ourselves with all of those aspects of life. Thanks for sharing that about you. Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )
	inez indigo says: a beautiful, heart-warming series! I very much agree with your philosophy....your images seem like these little vignettes of an enriching and authentic home life - having self autonomy, being real, appreciating things in the moment, using our creativity, depending less on consumerism, practicing self-sufficiency.....we really need to get back to this if we are to retain any sense of who we are! thank you for these! it's what I want to work toward! Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )
	MontanaRaven says: thank you inez, for your warm comment. I wish you lots of luck in your striving to live a soul-rich life and to become more self-sufficient - and happy -- living that way. It sounds like you are already mostly there. I shall look forward to seeing some photos your your home environment, whatever it is like! cheers. Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )
	starkisst says: now that's what i call a perfect life. serene, peaceful, unmaterialistic, artistic, serendipitous. just lovely. Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )
	metalmedium says: These photos are just stunning. I will be moving to Montana in one year. I am soooooo ready for a life-style change with the same passions as you. Just to look out a window and see all that beauty leaves a person breathless. Metalmedium Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )
	Ray_chel says: I also love nest building although often feel guilty about doing that rather than 'working'! You have inspired me to finish decorating my living room and making it look beautiful and homely! Thank you and thank you for your very encouraging comments about my work - where would we be without flickr? x Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )
	Susie says: I have loved looking at these wonderful photos, they are inspirational - like you we get by without lots of gadgets or chic decorating but have homey and quirky stuff that for us makes a home. I hope you will be adding to this set from time to time, I would love to see more of lovely your home and garden. Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )
	MontanaRaven says: thanks to everyone for your comments ... and for looking. Susie, every once in awhile I add more photos of our home environment. Been really busy lately, but check back in awhile - I'll add new ones. thank you! @metalmedium -- where in Montana are you going to be making your new home? Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )
	megweaves says: Still, such a lovely home. Today I 'found' the curtain holders for the first time. What a lovely idea. The colors are so rich and splendid. Our house is a perpetual mess because I can never decide what to do with it, either, and the garden, well, we don't to there... Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )
	pjsixft ("PJ") says: wow... wonderful and from my own heart's perspective..... like I love to live.... You are indeed a MONTANA woman... as am I. Will be in Missoula this week to interview for my new job at my old work place... sure I will be moving in another month... give or take a day or so... Coming HOME! Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )
	MontanaRaven says: PJ -- that's so cool you're moving back home to Montana... maybe we can meet up sometime this fall, after you get settled into your new/old job. good luck! Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

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Home and Home-Studio

Comments on this set

Vaeltaja says:

ketutar says:

curlsdiva says:

SushiQue says:

MontanaRaven says:

inez indigo says:

MontanaRaven says:

starkisst says:

metalmedium says:

Ray_chel says:

*Susie* says:

MontanaRaven says:

megweaves says:

pjsixft ("PJ") says:

MontanaRaven says:

Would you like to comment?

Susie says: