A Joyful Cottage

Today's featured cottage White O'Morn is located in rural Ireland.

Welcome to the seventy-fourth post in the series

"Living Large in Small Spaces".

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and my Irish friends, I thought it would be fun to share a cottage I first blogged about four years ago, long before the Living Large In Small Spaces series was conceived. There may be many of you who have never seen this delightful cottage, and so my friends I bring you White O'Morn Cottage.

Pam and her husband Paul are Irish, and owners of White O'Morn, which is their holiday home and a place where Pam likes to hone her crafting skills.

If you happen to be a fan of the vintage film "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, as I am, then you may recall that Sean and Mary Kate's cottage was called White O'Morn. Pam is a big fan of the movie and has "copied and recreated the cottage in the film as far as is practicable."

Pam is the proprietess of Unapam, an Etsy shop where she sells her handmade crafts and vintage goods. These little green shamrock shoes are her handiwork.

Okay, so that gives you a little background on herself. I know you're dying to see more of Pam's cottage, so let's move on with Pam as our tour guide. (My comments are in italics.)

The emerald green half door (what we Americans typically call a dutch door) is so welcoming, isn't it? In the first image you saw the flower boxes on the window sills. Here you get a better view of those wonderful sunflowers.

Looking from the interior through the half door you'll feast your eyes on this lush scenery. Pam says she never gets tired of the view and likes to lean on the door and contemplate. I would like to join her.

Isn't this a glorious view?

"Mary Kate so loved her crockery and such. She used the beautiful Willow pattern dishes and so do we. This dresser is in the living room of my cottage opposite the door just as she had it in the film. I noticed she had some white cups hanging so I must get myself some of them too." ~ Pam

The Living Room

Smart kitty to curl up here for a nap.

Living Room Mantel Decorated for Christmas

"The Quiet Man Corner"

The Kitchen

"We never got to see that end of the cottage but it must have been the kitchen end as is mine. My cottage has exactly the same layout as the original (but then most of the three roomed cottages were laid out like that. I wonder if it looked anything like this. This is an original 1920's handmade dresser and it came from an old cottage in Ballinamore, Leitrim. It was taken out about 8 years ago and placed in a damp shed. It was to be used in another cottage in Aughvas but the owners got a new kitchen and it was never used. When I got my cottage and needed furniture they very kindly offered it to me. The feet/legs had rotted away on the wet floor but I managed to prop it up and give it a painting and it is my pride and joy." ~Pam

"OK, I know this is not a pretty picture - but to me it is fantastic! It shows the vintage Belfast sink (butler's sink) with its copper taps/faucets. We got it up -FINALLY - after two years of storing it. The kitchen seems to be an endless project."~Pam

"When the Light Is Right"

"Another set of pictures I took I call... 'When the Light is Right' These are mostly of items in the deep window sills with the sun streaming over them."~Pam

(The deep window sills in Pam's cottage were the inspiration for the kitchen garden window in our own cottage.)

"Pink, porcelain, paper or painted . . .you just gotta love roses. . ." ~ Pam

More Lovely Treasures

Pam made these charming chenille and flannelette cot sheet pillows

"Hmmm...these are just begging to be crafted into something SWEET! Let me work on it

and I'll get back to you." ~ Pam

Pam copied this customized chandelier

"I may add some more to it and even fix some of the matching saucers around the stem. Like many of my projects it's a work in progress!" ~Pam

The Garden

"This little fairy has been sitting in the corner of the garden for about two years. In that time she has lost her wings and if you look closely you will see tendrils of some kind of moss entwining her legs and arms and waist.

She is being claimed by nature." ~ Pam

The original White O'Morn cottage used in "The Quiet Man" looked like this. . .

Sadly, it now looks like this. . .

The owners let it deteriorate.

But Pam and her husband have lovingly cared for their own White O'Morn, and if we close our eyes and listen carefully I think we'll hear Maureen O'Hara singing
"The Isle of Innisfree."

I first discovered Pam's cottage and her wonderful crafts at her blog White O'Morn Cottage, Ireland. Sadly, she no longer blogs, and we're all the poorer for it. However, her blog is still up and it's a joy to read.

Visit Pam's Etsy shop where she has some wonderful articles for sale here.

Join me next Saturday for another post in the special series

Living Large in Small Spaces

See more home tours and small living ideas in the

Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.

Just when I thought winter was over the temperatures dropped and the snow returned. Not a lot of snow mind you, but still. . .it's not spring yet, Toto.

I want to thank all of you for the lovely comments you left on my Angie's List Weekly Feature post. I appreciate being able to share a special event like that with all my friends, whether they leave a comment or not. It surely gives me a big boost, though, to hear from you. You really are The Best.

I also want to thank Connie of Crafty Home Cottage for the gift she recently sent to me.

Aren't these kitchen towels sweet? Connie made these for me as a "housewarming" present.

Look at the cute gift tag, which I suspect is one of her own designs.

I have no idea what she means because the towels are perfect!

I think most everyone knows Connie. She's a very popular blogger and extremely creative. I'm honored to call her my friend. (We've met in person, you know.) Just in case you've somehow missed her wonderful blog here's the link to Crafty Home Cottage.

(Connie, my friend, thank you so much. I love the towels.)

Before this latest cold snap I managed to get some work done in my flower beds. My 91 year-old friend Barbara dug up some of her blooming crocuses and gave them to me. I planted them in my perennial bed.

Unfortunately, a critter (probably a deer) made a meal out of half of them and this is all that's left.

I've been covering these at night in an effort to save them, and now I'm thinking I'd like to make some garden cloches like this one for keeping munchers at bay.

Blomsterverkstad

Wouldn't this be a charming addition to a cottage garden, just for those plants that need protection? I love this.

I admire all the spring and Easter decorating I've seen on other blogs the past few weeks, especially all the bunnies and eggs. I think I may have mentioned that I don't do a lot of holiday decorating, aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas. I did, however, find a sweet bunny at the thrift store last week for $1, so I brought him home.

He's getting a makeover now.

I'm not sure how I'll finish him off, but once he's ready I'll plant a little flower in him and he can hang out with me all spring and summer.

Do you ever look at something in your home and suddenly get a hairbrained idea to change it up a bit? That's what happened to me while I was up to my elbows in dishwater, staring at the Christmas Cactus in the garden window. The wintry green plaid fabric around its pot needed to go.

Christmas 2015

So I dried my hands and looked through the fabric scraps stash until I found an old round tablecloth with a ruffle. I snipped off some of the ruffle and wrapped it around the pot with a twine bow. Just a little cottagey fun that brought some cheer to my kitchen.

To tell you the truth, I think it looks like the plant is wearing a strapless sundress. Hah! I'll probably trade it for something with a little more class. Did I hear the word "decoupage"? Why yes, I believe I did.

And finally, I bid you a joyful St. Patrick's Day.