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Saturday, April 25, 2009

A Star Is Born. We Think.


Back in December, when I was still quite new to blogging and had I think 2 followers, I wrote about our house having been in a national television commercial.
You never know what you are going to find out when you talk to the neighbors!


I'm posting this old story today, as part of a new meme. (I had to look up what "meme" means. I am so 20th century.)



Welcome to Sunday Favorites, a new blog party hosted by Chari at "Happy to Design." Click here to find more blasts from the pasts, from other bloggers! This is a nice way to post something from your blogging past, for new friends to read.

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From December 2008. . . .

Down the road from us is another old house, older than ours -- built in the 1790s. Recently the owners held an antiques sale on their front lawn, so we stopped in and introduced ourselves as the new people in the "old yellow house down the street."

"Oh, that old house -- the Tuttle house!"

Yes, the Tuttle house. It seems that old houses come to be known by the names of people who owned them a century ago.

"I've been in that house," which is what everybody in this town says, leading me to wonder just what the elderly lady who lived here a decade ago did in her spare time.


As people who own old houses do, we chatted about -- old houses. We learned a little more about ours. . . .
"Did you know that Sherwin Williams filmed a TV commercial in that house?" our neighbors asked.

Really? Who knew?

Seems that Sherwin Williams was scouting for an old house, a "classic old American house," and it came down to a choice between ours, and the 1790s house down the street. Ours ended up in the commercial. This was about 15 years ago, by the neighbors' reckoning.



Sherwin Williams spent weeks here, painting and filming, and now I wish I could remember having seen a paint commercial involving a "classic old American house." But I can't.

I had young children 15 years ago, and fell asleep on the sofa before prime time every night. I was more likely to see a Crayola commercial than a Sherwin Williams one.


So our house has had its 15 minutes of fame. Or maybe a whole 20 minutes, as it's also mentioned in a book about Tours of Historic Morris County.


I think we are lucky this house allows us to live here, as we are not famous at all.


Do you think Sherwin Williams keeps copies of its old TV spots?

PS... Memo to self: Take some NEW pictures of That Old House. These were in the real estate listing!

27 comments:

  1. Cass I was sitting on the edge of my seat reading the story of your lovely old house. You are a wonderful writer.
    "What the lady did here" LOL! You're too funny!

    How neat that it was in a commercial! It's famous!
    Have you tried doing an online search for old SW commercials?
    Or checking youtube?
    If you find it I want to see it for sure.

    Have a blessed Sunday.
    ~Melissa :)

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  2. Hi - I just found your blog tonight and I am so in love with your home. Your home is about as close as I can describe as my dream home. I have house envy! LOL

    I enjoyed this post a lot, and if you ever run across those commercials please, please share.

    Blessings, Barb

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  3. I think your old house - - - and the half starved ghost in the basement - - - are BOTH glad you are in that old house now too!!!!

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  4. I love your old house. I want to live there. I love hearing the history of old houses and who lived their previously. You are lucky.

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  5. Hi Cass,
    I love your home as you well know! This is just too cool, your home is such an American Classic. I love the yellow, it's so sunny and cheerful. My mom loves yellow houses too, I am going to show her these pics, it's her dream home. Cindy

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  6. How fun that your home was used in a commerical! I love the style!

    blessings
    mary

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  7. Your home is just beautiful. I love the history of old homes and as you say, who lived there and what did they do. I hope you find a copy of the commercial. I would love to see it. Hugs,Marty

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  8. It is a lovely house! A house with a big front porch. A place to sit on a porch swing or rock in a rocking chair and drink iced tea. I adore your old house. Glad to have found you. I will come for another visit now!
    Brenda

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  9. Hello Cass...

    My friend, I'm just so happy that you decided to participate in "Sunday favorites"...it's so nice to be able to share a favorite past post...

    Which leads me to the subject of your beautiful home!!! I really enjoyed your post! I've always been so interested in old homes and their history! How awesome...to find out that your home was the spotlight for a Sherwin Williams commercial! Hmmm...I was trying to think back...to see if I could remember anything...so sorry I don't! However, I bet Sherwin Williams at least have some photos of your home in their archives...it's worth a shot to find out!

    Well my friend, I am adding you and your old home to my list of blog follows...I'm anxious to get into your previous posts and can't wait to see your upcoming posts! I'm so happy to meet you...

    Thanks again for joining in with Sunday Favorites...I sure enjoyed this repost!
    Warmest wishes,
    Chari

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  10. Now all the paparazzi will be around taking photos. You won't be able to work in the garden. Sunglasses for everyone. Limos. Upgrades.
    Have fun.

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  11. OH how lovely - I bet somewhere that commercial is hanging around.

    We lived in a Victorian house in N CA a few years back - there was a photo of the house and a little blurb about it and the small town - in a Sunset publication about the redwoods. Someone had cut that out of the publication and brought it to us when we lived in that house. It was called "the old Harvey Place" by everyone in town. Kind of fun to live in a famous house.

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  12. What a beautiful home you have! xoxo

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  13. Oh, Maybe you should contact SW and see if they want to do a follow-up commercial and get your house painted free! (Of course, I suspect you've already painted everything from the looks of it, but if I'd seen this post right after you first did it, I would have made the suggestion then). Anyway, I think it is so neat to have a commercial worthy home! laurie

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  14. It would be wonderful if you can see that commercial again. I'm sure someone from SW can help you (fingers are crossed). ;-)

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  15. Hi Cass, I had to look up meme too..
    Great story..love your house..
    Hey it's like summer here..the North Fork should be calling your name!
    Kathleen

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  16. OMG Girl, I have my autograph book here...PLEASE..I din't know your house was famous how cool is that...I hope you find a SW site and find the commerical I would love to see it...Thanks for doing a RE-DO of your house...I am so glad I got to see this...May you have a great week my friend...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  17. Your house is GORGEOUS!!! I live in SoCal where there is not one iota of classic charm anywhere anymore. (At least that's how it seems sometimes.)

    Go to YouTube and check out Sherwin Williams commercials there. If your commercial is anywhere... it'll be there.
    Good Luck!

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  18. I hope you find that commercial and did you ever find out what the "Tuttle's" did in your home? ~ Robyn

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  19. Cass, stop by Linderhof, I have something for you.

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  20. You home is just so beautiful. I love older homes, they have such good bones and charactor.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog and I assure you, you snowman wine glass would look great and they do make fantastic gifts..filled with candy or other treats. My son got me to do one for him to put his wife a necklace for Christmas in, the little jewelery box fit perfectly inside the glass..
    Have a Blessed day
    Molly

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  21. Hi! Thanks for your nice comments on my red post! I love your house, it's so pretty. I used to live in a house built in 1923. I really liked it and miss it sometimes. Old houses have so much character! How cool that yours has been in a commercial. It would be neat if you could find it. Have a great week, looking forward to more of your posts! Kristen

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  22. Good morning Cass :)

    Since I've drooled over your entire blog, I had already read this story, but I'm glad you shared it again. Of course they picked That Old House, it's the perfect American farmhouse and beautiful :)

    Those dishes from your last post.... gorgeous!! You can't beat that price either, so I don't think you had too much splainin' to do ;)

    rue

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  23. I think I'd be contacting Sherwin Williams the next time you need your house painted. Surely they would want to show the amazing durability of their paint over the years!!

    My dad lives in a house that is about 100 years old. Everybody calls it Dr. Morgan's house. He's been refurbishing it for three years. Strangers come by all the time and he takes them all through it. Fun way to meet new people.

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  24. What an amazing house and what a wonderul blog. I look orward to visiting often.

    Laura

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  25. Cass, I found a SW commercial on YouTube. It features a house, the exterior of which does not appear to be yours, but there are interior shots which could have been taken elsewhere. Do you think it might be yours?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX8n9Cit1jo

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Thank you for visiting That Old House; it's always exciting to find new comments -- they are treasured! Because of increasing spam, I have reluctantly eliminated "Anonymous" commenting. Legitimate anonymous commenters, please forgive me! You might try using "Open ID" instead. Blogger's spam software worked for a good long time, but, sadly, no longer.