Cottage Affairs

♣ Happy St. Patrick's Day ♣

2011-03-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

When you're in a 'pinch' (pun not intended) on a school morning to find a bit o' green for the kiddos, look to your stash of scrap bits 'n' bobs!

We had leftover wired tinsel, vintage white buttons in a jar, and scraps of ribbon. All we had to add was the hot glue and a safety pin to the back! ☺ Don't they make cute four-leaf clovers?

We made extras for the kids to give their teachers one. One was a shamrock with stem. So fun! Unfortunately, I didn't snap any pics before they were whisked off. I'm thinking we'll whip up a whole batch of 'em next year! Super-fun to give away or to doll up a little package.

I wanted to take this simple white lampshade from ordinary to adorable! I finally used that bit of vintage pom-pom trim, lace, and a super-cute felted wool brooch I had. What do you think of the shade now?

Aqua & White

2010-12-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

~ one of my favorite color combos!

I had some vintage silk seam binding that I laced through these vintage skates. Just need to add a small bell to each one and they'll be perfect!

Gotta love vintage blue Ball jars!

I filled mine with faux snow and nestled little bottle brush trees inside.

Vintage, tarnished tinsel and old aqua balls with silver leaves from Japan.

Found this rectangular vintage mirror at the thrift store Wednesday. I almost left without getting it. So glad I didn't!

Glittered wire and bead snowflake and a milk glass dish filled with vintage Shiny Brite ornaments.

Love the detail on the mirror. The cashier in the thrift store asked if I knew if the back could be re-silvered. I told her I liked it just the way it is!

A pretty "stand alone" ornament nestled in a bed of snow inside another milk glass dish.

♪ Home Tweet Home ♪

2009-08-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

The sweetest birdhouses can be made out of the simplest scraps. I'm gonna have to keep that in mind. The back is just as cute as the front. I should have taken a picture of it, too.

Unfortunately a bunch of bees have taken up residence in one of our birdhouses (not this one) and are gonna have to be evicted soon. Any tips?

A Tisket, A Tasket

2009-08-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

A darling shopping (aka laundry) basket! Don't you see why it just had to come home with us?
Another Barn House find! See why it's hard not to spend money there? This will make dealing with laundry so much easier, don't you think!?! Made by this fabulous lady. Wait till I show you a sweet little vintage folding table from their Tickled Pink booth!

More Barn House

2009-07-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

Sweet Sylvi of Little Cottage
She has the most adorable accent, and you couldn't meet a kinder, helpful, more adorable person than her! I will definitely look forward to seeing her at more shows!!! This adorable striped chair came home with me. I only wish I'd grabbed up a few of her beautiful lace and linen pillows, too. Next time. . . My husband even raves about how comfortable it is. Always a plus!More loot. The two cottage pictures were from Sylvi as well. I'll have to post better pictures once I get them hung. There's a cellophane bag full of vintage millinery, a pretty crepe paper flower garland, some vintage silk ribbon and a fun party hat. The piano bench was from Aleta's booth. Her husband was so sweet and helped me load it into the car. What a gentleman! I loved their stuff and would've happily bought more had the pockets been deeper. If you take a peek at this post, you'll see why!

Loved Natalie's booth! Simply beautiful! I bought a set of pale aqua rimmed vintage plates from her. I'll have to take a picture of them. Her husband was a great help, too! I think it's awesome the husband and wife teams that were there working together. What a dream!

I can't tell you how awestruck I was seeing the people whose blogs I've been reading and admiring for quite some time. I felt like I was meeting some very famous people! The real "superstars" in my book. They were all very friendly and so down to earth.

The Queen of Tarte's space. I bought a beautiful pale pink linen apron (that she's known for making) from her. Too sweet!
What a treat to finally see Deb and Bob and the magic they perform.

The Scrabble boards used as place mats. Ingenious is what they are! To see more of their space, click here.

Click here to read the story about their absolutely gorgeous camp they set up for their time at the Barn Sale. Beautiful pictures as well as a hilarious story. I would have been miffed about people helping themselves to my camp, but they handled it with such grace! Love it. . . .

Anyway, I had a fabulous time and cannot wait to go back. I only wish I had a money tree growing in my front yard. Just experiencing a Barn House Show though is well worth it even if you don't have any $$$ to spend.

Candelier

2009-07-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

It was love at first sight when I saw this hanging at the Barn House Flea Market yesterday. I always feel so conspicuous taking pictures when there are lots of people around. I feel like they'll think I'm taking pictures of them. I think the guy in the red shirt wondered. Besides, they mess up a pretty picture. I wish I was a vendor so I could take all the pre-show pics my little heart desired. Wonder if the Barn House Boys would let me be their official photographer. Think I should ask?

It's funny how I still missed seeing so many cool things until just now looking at the pictures I took. Love the rounded windows behind my candelier.

Anyhoo, what do you think of my find? I love, love, love it! Now to find the perfect spot for it! We do have a tiny cottage, ya know. High ceilings help, though. This spot on our porch works for now (neighbor's house in background).

(A better pic of the booth where I got the candelier)

I can't wait for fall to twine it with some bittersweet and maybe even put mini pumpkins where the candles go. Wouldn't that be cute?

More finds and show pics coming up. . . . .

Spread the Love!

2009-07-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Even though I'd like to keep it all to myself, I can't help but spread the good news here in the Pacific Northwest! Barn House is having a Flea Market this Saturday, July 18th. Come one, come all if you can! It promises to be great fun with finds for everyone! I know I plan on being there. It always seems like something comes up and I can't go. Oh how I've felt sorry for myself when I knew so many others got to go. Silly me! But this time, I made sure to put it on my calendar early as a commitment! Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to the flea market I go! See you there. . . .

Click on pictures to get more details including driving directions!

While I'm at it, here's another one on Saturday, August 8th at Clayson Farm. Oh what fun! Don't you just love summertime?

Click on picture for a link to their site as well.

Happy Thursday, ya'll!

Growth

2009-07-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Look closely. . . .this first picture is when we first moved into our 'new' cottage back in February. See how small the plants around the porch are?

Now look at this picture taken here in July. See the growth?
It just amazes me how fast everything grew up! I love the cottage flowers. Don't ask me what they're called - my husband is the landscaper, not me! Although he didn't put these in. 'Cause he tells me all the time how much he dislikes the lava rock! If we buy this little house, that's the first thing coming out! Oh, and we'd add a cute little picket fence and a few other things to cutesy it up even more! He just pruned the really tall bush so it doesn't hide the porch. Looks much better!

Are you still enjoying your gardens? We're missing our vegetable garden this year! However, this little yard is easy-peasy to keep maintained. And for a super busy landscaper, that's just wonderful!

Run, Don't Walk

2009-07-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

I have discovered a new (to me) blog that I'm absolutely in love with! There is more than enough inspiration to go around! I just know you'll enjoy it, too!

A New Giveaway

2009-07-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

Visit here for another beautiful giveaway this summer!
Alice takes absolutely gorgeous pictures as well, doesn't she? You must take a jaunt over to her blog and check it out!

Wall Art

2009-07-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

At one time, I had these two pieces in different places. I love both of them! The picture is made to look really old and was given to me by my mom. The old window was from one of our past homes we lived in. I knew I wanted it on a wall somewhere. But individually, each of these things was lacking something. I was moving the picture around to different parts of the house to see if lighting made a difference. When I was in our bedroom, I decided to hold it up against the window on the wall. I liked it! It gives it a 3-D effect or something. It adds to it. What do you think? I didn't realize I didn't have it centered up and down. Oops! Do you think it needs to be?

A picture doesn't do the painting justice. It's a beautiful piece! Thanks, Mom! The stars on each side are just a temporary addition. I was just seeing what they'd look like there.

A Summer Giveaway!

2009-07-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Don't miss your chance to win this beautiful bag! Enter now by clicking on the link on my sidebar or clicking on the picture below.

(My Shabby Roses)
Isn't this the prettiest bag? If I won it, I don't know if I'd use it for a purse, or for gathering goodies at the Farmer's Market, or to hold books from the library. Or all of the above! It would look so pretty hanging on a hook in my cottage.

Dishes

2009-07-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

Isn't it fun to use items for purposes other than what they were intended for? I enjoy the pretty bowls, cake plates and other dishes I've found for just a few cents at thrift stores.
Doesn't this little glass dish look pretty holding shells and a couple of pale blue glass floats I recently picked up at an antique store? When we were at the 28 mile long garage sale a guy wanted $50 each for little floats. It made the $6 I paid for these a HUGE bargain!

Summer Linens

2009-07-01T18:19:00.001-07:00

Aren't these a fun summer combo?

I'm going coastal - you can follow me here. . . .

Giant Cupcakes

2009-06-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

(www.SeaRoseDesigns.com)

For a long time I've been a huge fan of Tracey Rapisardi's decorating. I adore her use of a soft, soothing color palette. So very cottagey. . . . When I recently was thumbing through a decorating magazine (sorry, can't remember which one now - I have too many) and saw this gigantic cupcake in a picture of a kitchen she'd done, I was smitten. I was even more excited when I discovered Tracey has an online shop and is selling this very cupcake! I think I better start saving my pennies. Now, if I could just figure out a way to make it fit into my modern, granite, stainless steel, dark cabinet, un-cottagey kitchen we've recently moved into. . . . Any ideas, anyone???

Lazy Days of Summer

2009-06-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

. . . . are here! I love so many aspects of summertime: eating the first cherries of the season, shelling peas, visiting farmer's markets, flea markets, garage sales, produce stands, beaches, going camping, fireworks on the 4th of July, and on and on.

Oh yes, and barbecuing outside. I don't like heating up the house any more than necessary or standing over a hot stove. Yuck! I love, love, love barbecuing, and everything tastes better on the BBQ. Don't you think?

What are some of your favorite things to do in the summertime?

Luggage

2009-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

When my mom was up visiting us a couple of years ago, she and I visited the local thrift shop. I fell in love with this cute train case (or at least that's what I've called them) and she bought it for me. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of all my aunts. When growing up, I remember each one of them having one of these and I'm sure my mom did as well. Any time they'd come to visit, I remember these as being part of their luggage. I wonder if they still have theirs. . . .

I can think of a hundred different uses for this and yet haven't settled on one. I'm thinking I'll turn it into a "sewing basket". Or maybe I will use it as it was intended - luggage when I travel. Love the blue color! And it even has its original tray.

Does anyone know if that's considered lucite?

Only 1 1/2 days of school left - wow! What are your summer plans?

Light It Up

2009-06-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

I just adore this old lamp that's now in my daughter's bedroom over her bed. My mom got it for me to use in my bedroom when I was 3 (I think) and so I've had it for 32 years now. It was old before that so I'd say it's definitely vintage! All the metal was originally black and Mom painted it white. Love the pink globe.

It's survived countless moves without being broken and was stored away for many years to be used when my daughter was old enough to take care of it. I'm so glad it made it! I love the idea of passing something like this down from generation to generation.
I also love the sweet little print on the wall above her bed. I found it on eBay a few years ago. It came without glass over it so I went to Michaels and bought some to protect the print. I definitely have a girly girl who loves her pink!

Dirt Dessert

2009-05-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

I hosted a Girls' Nite dinner earlier this month for May birthdays. The gorgeous purple/lavender petunia hanging basket that my husband brought home for Mother's Day was the start to a theme. I brought it indoors and set it on the bookshelf. I asked him to bring home a few more small potted purple flowers (he's a landscaper - how handy!) which I put in milk glass vases on the table. I love using live flowers for decorating. They add instant color and breathe life into a room!

I knew I already had green table linens and so I added a few inexpensive scrapbook flowers to give some more color to the table. The sweet little glasses, vases, and glass candle holders were all thrifted items. The little glass bow napkin rings were on clearance at Target after Christmas.

I was in Michael's looking around for ideas and saw they had rock candy on sticks. I just had to pick up some purple (grape) and green (watermelon) ones.

We did it buffet style since it was a potluck. It was the first time to use the beautiful Haviland Limoges china my mother bought us as a gift a couple of Christmas' ago. I love the green because it will go with anything!

After having this "dirt dessert" as a kid, I've always wanted to make one but never have - until now! It was so easy to make. It's a HUGE hit with kids! I made individual ones for my children to eat upstairs while we were having fun downstairs. Love how it turned out! The dirt looks so realistic and when you add gummy worms, it's even better!

The only things I purchased (besides food) was the scrapbook flowers. It's so easy to create a theme by just taking a look around your house and pulling things together.

Daydreamin'

2009-05-07T12:40:00.001-07:00

(Above pictures: Country Living)

Our rainy, rainy weather this week has me daydreaming of the lazy days of summer. And when I think of summer, my patriotic heart pitter-patters and my mind conjures up all kinds of decorating that involves those summery, Americana colors of red, white and blue. You can never go wrong with that combination! It's so classic, country and cottage-y.

I got this fabric last year to make my daughter a 4th of July top or sundress, but never did. It's not too late to do something for this year. I just love the vintage feed sack look of it.

Flowers in our yard from last year. They were absolutely beautiful on the 4th!

Daisies the kids and their dad picked by the side of the road for our BBQ.

Is this red-shuttered bird house not the cutest?

Memorial Day will be here faster than we know and then it'll be Flag Day and then the 4th of July. I'm ready this year. Ideas have been bombarding my mind for a 4th BBQ again this year. I better get busy if they're going to come to fruition!

Bella Apron Giveaway

2009-05-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

Go visit this sweet gal for a Bella Apron Giveaway!

(photo: Bella Shabby)

Love the Amy Butler fabric!

I should get motivated to go through one last closet of tubs that need sorting from our move. Our weather however, is a great demotivator. I wish the sun would peek through the clouds. Hope you're accomplishing more than me today!

Just Beachy

2009-05-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

I really wish we could find more unique, fancier shells that those on the East Coast seem to have more of. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we mostly find sand dollars and clam shells. They're still beautiful, but I'd like a variety without having to pay an arm and a leg on eBay or one of those places. I'd rather have the fun of finding them ourselves. Just another reason to visit the East Coast. . .
This painting has always been a favorite of mine. My Aunt Peggy painted it back in the 80's. To me, that's not that long ago, but it's already considered vintage! She gifted it to me when I moved into my first apartment. It's definitely a sentimental item, but I also think it's beautiful! I painted the dark frame and mat a few years back and just love it now after it's been chipped a bit through all of our moves. I'll always treasure it.

I think these are great beachy frames I recently found. Just need to find pictures to put in them. Gotta dig through all our beach pictures to find the perfect ones.

Love the little metal label holder on this one! Now I need the perfect beachy word to print out. Of course, it'd help if I knew what picture I was putting in it.

I cannot wait for some trips to the beach soon! I've been daydreaming about it. . . We used to live right on the water and I do miss it at times.

A Sign

2009-04-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

I found an adorable little metal sign when out and about the other day.

In case you can't read it, it says: A garden is a friend you can visit anytime. Isn't that lovely? Are you enjoying time in your gardens? I hope so!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Are you noticing a trend in my posts lately? Eggs, nests, birds . . . . . what can I say? They've been on my mind in creating our own little "nest" after moving into our new place.

Here's a comment my mom left on a previous post: Was thinking about our "Nests". Isn't that the way we build ours, twig by twig, each so different & yet all the same.....Home. So true, isn't it.

I encountered my first real robin's egg last Sunday. It was the prettiest shade of blue and so perfect!

Unhatched

2009-04-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Didn't these turn out so pretty this year? It was a Spring Break project for the kids.

Love these napkins! So pretty. Found at HomeGoods in Portland. Oh how I wish there was one closer to us. After purchasing these, I saw them in a local boutique for 3x the price I paid. Gotta love the discount stores!

Quail eggs that are being watched closely by my parents and some of their friends in AZ. Fifteen of them! One busy mama quail...

A Walk to the Park

2009-04-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't this planter beautiful? I can't wait to see what it's owners plant in it. We saw it in our neighborhood on a walk to the park the other day.

Our "new" 1920 cottage. Can't wait to cutesy it up a bit more for curb appeal. Gotta hang the birdhouses the kids made, plant a few more flowers, etc.

Another neighborhood cottage. I love the look of brick. The rhododendrons will be gorgeous this summer!

Aren't walks great for seeing things we normally don't pay attention to when we drive by every day?

Leave Me a Message

2009-04-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

I had to use the flash because this room only has one little window in it. This is a favorite message board I bought for my daughter when she was just a baby! We still need to put a few pictures on it for her. It's been fun putting the kids' rooms together in our new home and using the things I've been saving for years.

I love the quilted center, glass knobs, and salvaged wood frame. All things cottage! I think it'd be fun to have hubby make a large one sometime for over my desk. When we get a desk of our own, we'll put her cute, pink, shabby, French desk under this message board. It'll be perfect!

Nesting

2009-03-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

So true, isn't it?

I hope you're enjoying the fluffing and nesting that seems to come at this time of year. It always feels good to get the Spring Cleaning done!

Welcome Spring!

2009-03-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sunny daffodil faces in a thrifted milk glass vase

Metal bird candle holder

Speckled eggs in a moss lined basket

I hope you're enjoying every bit of spring like we are!

Dreamin'

2009-03-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

I can just imagine this beauty sitting in my dining room.

Unfortunately, it's a bit out of my price range.

This desk is the next best thing, however. I do need a new desk.

Deal of the century: new window panels for $1 each in the perfect shade of blue. Yahoo! A case of being in the right place at the right time.

With the money saved on those, maybe it'll get me a little closer to buying a new desk. We're settling in to our new home quite nicely. It's so much lighter, cheerier, and updated than our last one, and yet retains the charm and character of an old house. We love it already!

On another note, the lampshades in the picture above are just a bit too big. I'm looking for something taller and narrower. If you have a great source for lampshades, let me know.

It's good to be back! Thanks for your patience.

Scrub, Scrub, Scrub

2009-02-24T13:35:00.000-08:00

Love the look of this retro laundry sign!

I've been doing laundry all day and packing away clean quilts, sheets, pillows, etc. We're moving to a new place and I want everything to be fresh. I can't wait to start settling in and posting more than I have lately (or more like in a long time). A clean slate. What fun! I'll be back soon.

National Pie Day

2009-01-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

was Friday, January 23rd. When I heard that, I couldn't resist doing an old-fashioned pie social. I sent homemade invitations out immediately and began pulling out the vintage aprons and tablecloths I had.

The following pictures aren't that great - we had a grey day and the only way to get a decent picture was by using the flash. Of course I didn't get as many pics as I'd hoped either.

My hubby, a landscaper, brought home little potted primroses that I used for centerpieces. I was originally going to use fresh cut flowers, but with a tiny budget, I thought these were pretty cute! I added vintage black and white photos found at thrift stores, vintage (and not so vintage) pie recipes, and some pie trivia to each centerpiece.

I asked ladies to bring their recipes and some showed up with their vintage cookbooks - how fun!

We had 27 people and 15 pies (2 showed up after these pics were taken). I told them they could double up if they wanted to. I imagined we'd have 10 apple pies or something like that, but I'm delighted to say that not one was the same! We had something for every taste bud - cream pies, fruit pies, chocolate pies, etc. I shouldn't have been worried because even if we'd had 10 apple pies, I realize now that each one would have still been different. I doubt anyone makes the same thing the exact same way.It's the first time I've ever done something that big without help from somebody so I was a nervous wreck. Thanks to the pie bakers and a couple of helpers (a whipped cream maker and Coralie who let me use some vintage recipes and a picture of her sweet mother) it was a wonderful success! It was the perfect pick-me-up to a grey January day!

Thrifting Once Again

2009-01-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

These don't exactly go on the blue wall (ignore the bad trim job), but that's where they are for now. I think these are the sweetest vintage prints! They say "Printed in England". Close up, you can tell they're old - even the frames. They are backed with crackly, peeling old paper. I suppose they must be redone to preserve them, but I even love that feature! They're both approximately 11" x 14". I thought about repainting the yellow and pale green frames, but can't bring myself to do that - at least not yet.

The Tryst

Good Night

Aren't they romantic?

Feeling Blue

2009-01-09T16:18:00.001-08:00

. . . in a good way! I never considered myself much of a blue person. With the start of a new year, I was looking for change in my kitchen. Something new. I've noticed lately that I've been drawn to calming blues and greens. There's something about them. So I decided to go around the house and gather whatever I could find that is blue, especially the aqua blues. Do you ever do that? It's amazing what can be pulled together to change a look completely. I think that's why I love a white, neutral backdrop so much (besides the happy, cheerfulness of it). Accessories can be changed out in a heartbeat!

Here's what I came up with, and I love how it looks all put together!

A thrift store painting taken out of it's brown frame. I'll paint and use the frame for something else.
A cupcake book page that I often turn to because I adore the perfect blue/green shade of frosting!

Sugar!

A pretty sachet with vintage lace and a rhinestone button.

A vintage ironstone glass lid with blue tint. I didn't realize ironstone came in clear like this until someone told me. I thought all ironstone was white.

Ribbon

An egg

Tissue paper

A feathered friend (sorry it's blurry)

Glitter, of course!

$2 garage sale find - still works!

Jones soda - yum!

Ball jars - two from my mom and two thrifted - love 'em!

Vintage tin

I had added these white lights over the kitchen window. I enjoy how it makes the dishes sparkle and shine. It adds some much-needed winter cheer to our space.

Now I'm considering myself more of a blue person. It's such a calming and peaceful color, and you can put lots of different shades together, and it still looks good. I absolutely love how it looks against the white, especially in winter. So frosty! I'm sure it's going to be in my kitchen for a very long time. It'll look great in the summer with some apothecary jars filled with seashells and pillar candles in hurricanes filled with sand. I cannot wait!

Pretty Little Things

2008-12-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I decided to get out of the house for an hour or two. We've been pretty much home bound for the last week due to a lot of snow. When wandering through a fun shop, I found these sweet little puffy hearts and couldn't resist them. Who can resist vintage quilt fabric, ticking, hearts, and tinsel stars? They were made as ornaments, but I think these sweeties will stick around through Valentine's Day and maybe even year-round.

Beautiful winter-white roses my brother and sister-in-law brought on Christmas Day. They were in a huge vase combined with the red ones below and were absolutely gorgeous. They were needing a good trim to last longer so I separated them. Red ones for the red/white kitchen and white ones for the snow themed living/dining area.

My husband is home for the day entertaining the children out in the shop. I'm enjoying the quiet I have all to myself after a week and a half of boisterous kids home on break, prepping for Christmas Day at our house, etc. So nice to have the house to myself. **sigh**

I hope you're enjoying your holidays wherever you are today!

A Tapestry

2008-12-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Isn't it beautiful? It's almost 5 feet long.

I'd love to know the origin of it. It was really inexpensive at one of my favorite shops. In fact, I don't think they could have framed it for the price I paid. I would have expected it to at least be double the $$$.

It's much more beautiful in person. It has the faintest pinks and blues and greens in it. I think if I were to paint the wall the Prussian Blue I showed here, it would add so much more to it. Some winterizing around the house. Love the Wendy Addison glass glitter snowflakes. They've tarnished a bit now and add that "just right, vintage patina". All that dark wood - if only I could paint it a beautiful shade of white! Then my browns and gilded pieces would be so much prettier. Someday....(can't come soon enough!)

The last time I went to visit my Mom, she gave me these adorable (perfect shade of blue) ducks. I added a little glitter pick around their necks for some holiday bling. They are in front of a mirror so it looks like more than just the two of them. They currently reside on the top of our built-in hutch (another piece of dark wood I'd love to paint white).

Here's a view of our massive fireplace mantle. It's at least two feet deep by six feet wide and stands shoulder height (yup, I'd love to paint it white, too!). I'm wanting to paint the green walls a creamy shade of white or the Prussian Blue now.

The huge Tiffany glitter wreath I picked up at Lowe's on 50% clearance. Pictures don't do it justice! It's beautiful and fits in with the Wendy Addison snowflakes and "Winter Dreams" garland. I picked up the clear glass candle holders piece by piece from thrift stores and a few I had on hand already. With the clear twinkle lights in back and lit up at night, they glow so prettily.

I kept things in the house very simple for the most part this year.

I'm headed outside with the kids now to enjoy our Winter Wonderland! School has been cancelled so we're going to enjoy every minute of it. Then I have to get down to business and straighten up the house a bit for company tomorrow night.

Ginger Update

2008-12-17T10:49:00.001-08:00

I know you must be sick of me talking about gingerbread, but please indulge me one last time!

I filled in the shelves a little more this year with extra finds found last year, gifts, lights, etc. Oh, and I also faced the front of each shelf with coordinating ribbons and trim. Not too happy with the top shelf, though. The ribbon was a little blah. Needs some green buttons or something. Maybe a solid red ribbon instead. I think I'll trim the vintage flashcards with some ric-rac and buttons.
I usually put all of the collected ornaments into jars, but this year I decided to display them. I looked for white garland because I think I'd like that look better, but none was to be found. I also thought of doing the white faux wreaths, but when I went back to Wal-Mart to pick a couple up, they were already gone. Maybe next year. I think the ornaments would stand out much better against white, too. Love the red and white peppermint look!

Love the cute utensil ornaments I found this year at Kmart by Martha Stewart.

I'm bummed that our Country Clutter went out of business because I could always count on a couple of gingerbread items there. But really, does it look like I need any more???

The oh so sweet ginger couple from my sis-in-law. The colors are perfect! I adore them! They sing as well when you push their hands.

No gingerbread collection is complete without a Disney castle gingerbread ornament from Disneyland! A reminder of our Thanksgiving trip.

The man who started the whole collection. He was tied onto a Christmas package from my best friend from high school. I think of her every time I see it.

Velvet ribbon and pompom trim on shelf front.

A favorite nightlight.

A fun and simple project. I had my daughter cut out a few snowflakes, I added a couple of vintage reproduction cards, gingerbread man felt garland (Martha Stewart @ Michaels) and a piece of scrapbook paper. The MERRY is a scrapbook piece as well.

Sweet little vintage pair that makes me smile every time I see it.

Gingerbread Galore

2008-12-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping you can enlarge this photo. This was taken last year just before the holidays, when I pulled out my gingerbread collection. I add to it every year with a few items. I found several new (to me) things at Goodwill last year that aren't in this picture. Then my sister-in-law sent me two adorable stuffed gingerbread people that play tunes. My favorite piece is probably the cute girl teapot in the center compliments of my mom.
I wish my shelves looked this neat and orderly right now. It's already the 2nd week into December and I have yet to put out all my gingerbread. I did have my husband drag the tub upstairs from the basement, though.

We're to have our family over this year for Christmas dinner. So I think I better get a move on, especially with all the baking I want to do. The rest of the house is clean and organized, just not the kitchen. Doesn't help that we had to deal with mice twice in the past few months. It meant removing everything from the lower cupboards and washing - twice... Ugh! And in the kitchen of all places.

Can you see why this would be a wonderful addition? It's even on sale now.

Our Built-In

2008-11-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

Bear with me with these photos. The poor lighting in our house hasn't changed a bit. Especially in this room where the built-in is. It's in the middle of the house with a little side porch off it. All the dark wood inside doesn't help and without a flash, I had to at least turn on the overhead lighting. My wish list now includes a tripod. My dad asked if I'd like his old one, so the next time I'm in AZ, I'm going to take him up on it.

My decor has taken a swing towards a European, shabby, vintage look. I'm enjoying the more sophisticated look of it with the calming muted colors of silvery blue, faded mossy green, and lots of neutral whites and browns. I like bits of silver and gilded pieces thrown in. This goes with our brown leather furniture so much better.

My fall decor was pared down this year. I love the simplicity of it. This acorn piece is one of my favorites found at a local shop. I like the glitter and velvet ribbon. It gives it a vintage flair. It's hanging from a knob on the front of our built-in.

I've enjoyed picking up vintage and reproduction milk glass and white vases, compotes, cake plates, and serving dishes this past year at our local Goodwill. They can be found for pennies. I'm thinking a light contrasting color painted on the back walls of the built-in would make the pieces pop. Hmmm...I foresee some projects this winter.

This Ralph Lauren Prussian Blue is the color I'd like to paint our walls. What do you think?I'm also having fun finding sweet little clear glass dishes.

Aren't these vintage reproduction postcards sweet? Especially with the little velvet millinery flowers and ribbons. They were also found at my local favorite shop. I missed these guys being there this last weekend. I was a bit bummed at having missed them when they were so close, but it couldn't be helped. Hopefully, I'll see them next time!

Happy Friday!!! I cannot believe November is almost over, let alone 2008!

Gingerbread House

2008-10-20T13:34:00.001-07:00

Be still, my heart. . . . .

If I could truly indulge myself right now, this would be what I'd buy. Isn't it grand? I collect gingerbread items over the holidays (it's the only time I can seem to find them). I fell head over heels in love with this. I just know it would look beautiful perched on our ginormous fireplace mantel. It's the perfect piece and properly proportioned for it! In fact, I think I'd be tempted to leave it up year round.

Sorry for the HUGE delay in posting here on my little ol' blog. It's been sorely, sadly neglected. I want to thank the sweet ladies who have commented and emailed me to encourage me to keep it going. THANK YOU in a huge way! You have no idea how uplifting those comments/emails were.

I made a little comment on someones blog that it's hard to keep going sometimes and I was tempted to just delete this little blog. But I hate to say goodbye and can't imagine just zapping all of my hard work away in just an instant. I know I'd come to regret it. So here I am, almost two months without a single peep from me. I felt fresh out of blogging ideas. Half the time here in WA, the lighting is too yuck to take a decent picture. I also feel like my decorating style has taken a turn. A good turn, but a turn nonetheless. And at the same time, my inner decorating self feels frustrated that it's being caged up in a dark, dreary old craftsman home (don't get me wrong, I like old and craftsman - just not dark) when it wants to lighten up and cheer up so terribly much. We would, but it's not ours to do that with - we're only renting till we find our dream place.

I hope I didn't lose every single one of my dear readers. . . . .

On a much happier note -

Welcome Autumn!

Cheesy Plastic Flowers

2008-08-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

That is how the EBay seller described the sweet bunch of flowers on top of this little wicker tote. Okay, they may be cheesy, but I adore them! They are something my grandma would have had in her house somewhere so I'm drawn to their "cheesiness". I think this is the cutest little purse/tote. Wouldn't it be fun to pack your lunch in to take to work? I don't have a job outside of being a stay-at-home mom, but if I did....don't you think I'd be the envy of every woman there? If I was brave enough, I'd use it as my purse.

I tried a Martha Stewart recipe for Raspberry-Almond Blondies. Turned out a bit dry and a tad too tart for me. I should have taken it out sooner and sprinkled more sugar on top, or something.
I've started collecting a few pieces of this green apple blossom depression glass. Love it! My mom bought me a gorgeous set of vintage French Haviland Limoges china at Christmas time and these will coordinate perfectly! I'll show them to you sometime. They're still wrapped in tissue paper until I find a proper place to display them or clean out the built-in hutch that's full of other dishes.

We took the little ones to meet their teacher's today. School starts next week! We also have a sophomore in the house. You know what that means - driving! YIKES!

Enjoy the last holiday weekend of the summer!

Ode to the Climbing Roses

2008-08-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

...or not!

The title just sounded sophisticated and beautiful. Alas, I am not one to compose beautiful lyrics.

I'm ready for fall, but I will sure miss these beauties that grow along the picket fence out front.

Bring on the sweaters and boots!

Inexpensive Art

2008-08-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

A calendar page + metal scrapbook frame from Michaels at 50% off = $5 total.

I love it!

This particular calendar had so many cute pages that go with my decor, I've thought about making a collage of them on one wall. Maybe that's too busy, too much.

Cottages

2008-08-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of local cottages that I think are so adorable. I just want to walk up to their doors and ask if I can have a tour inside. I just know the insides are as cute as the outsides!

Have you ever done that - ask if you can look inside?

Blog Buddies

2008-08-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Is it May??? Surely it is, for it feels like my birthday! When I received this package in the mail, I could hardly believe my eyes! I had received an email from this fun, darling gal asking if she could send me a little something she'd found while thrifting that reminded her of me and all because I'd left her a comment on her new blog. Wow, what a sweetie pie!

I was overwhelmed at all the generosity and pretty things she sent my way!! Four of these oh so darling strawberry mugs (love their curvy shape), two of these beautiful strawberry plates, four of the yummiest smelling strawberry candles (I keep picking them up - sniff, sniff), and the softest, prettiest, vintage strawberry tablecloth ever. You'd have to see it in person to know how beautiful it is.

Love the theme, Kelli! You do know me rather well, already.

But why should I have been amazed by her? 'Cause you can totally tell how awesome she is just by her blog...her personality just bubbles over! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! By the way Kelli, I hope your family is doing much better! XOXO

Thrifting Catch-Up

2008-07-11T23:35:00.000-07:00

The following finds were found at thrift stores, antique stores, and garage sales recently. I don't usually do so well in finding these types of things, so I feel so lucky to have found all these goodies.

I've recently discovered oilcloth and found the perfect pieces yesterday in a cute strawberry print, red gingham, and green gingham. Now I'm itching to cover something with it! I'm thinking of covering some of our dining chairs here and possibly the piano bench here. I feel these oilcloth prints will go so much better with what's going on in the house right now and tie things in better. Any other ideas? I've thought of just putting it right over the existing fabric (which won't show through) and that way, if I ever want it back the way it was, it'll be easy to remove. Do you think they'll be too shiny? I know the chairs will be easy to wipe clean. The oilcloth on the piano bench would also make it easier for sliding across.

(edited to add: after writing about the oilcloth last night, I was quite pleased to find this link in my inbox this morning)

I also found the vintage Pyrex plate bordered with sweet red flowers and the perfect red napkin rings.

In this picture, you can see a pretty scalloped cake plate (?) that reminds me of vintage milk glass. Then a vintage vase which I didn't get in the picture very well, a sweet old tea towel in red and blue strawberries that will be perfect for the 4th of July, a small vintage Fire King bowl, some vintage enamel pins and a meat fork with the cutest little mushrooms on the handle. I like the old Jello molds because they're perfect for making individual tea cakes. I love the ones that look like mini bundt cakes!

My husband has an aunt in Sweden and so when I spotted this little trivet, it reminded me of her with it's pretty tulips and flowers - very Scandinavian.
This little luncheon set was found at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately the set of four was missing one of the cups, but it was too pretty to pass up. Every time I set it down thinking I didn't want it because of the missing cup, I'd turn around and go back to it. I did that several times and figured that if it was that hard to turn down, I'd better get it or I'd wish I had. The white reminds me of vintage milk glass, too. Maybe someday I'll find an orphan cup that will fit right in.
These two letters in the perfect shade of red were found at Marshall's. I love monograms and initials and always see them in black or white. When I found some in red, I couldn't say no! As I was making a quick trip down the aisles, these jumped out at me right away. I wish they'd had the first letter of our last name but alas, they didn't. So our first names will do!Vintage seed packets in the PERFECT shades of red and green. Love them!!! Now I'm on the lookout for some more. I'm thinking green peas, watermelon, strawberries, and tomatoes would be cute, too.
Of course when I saw at a garage sale a huge bag of cookie cutters for pennies, I snatched it up when I spied a few vintage ones with red and green handles. I took out the three or four I wanted and left the rest in the bag to put in the donation pile. So worth it for those few I wanted!

I've wanted a vintage milk bottle with red lettering on it for quite a while now. I just love thinking about the days when milk was delivered to your doorstep in crates. I wish they'd still do that in our area. I even checked it out, but it's not available here (yet). So the bottle was a must-have when found at the same garage sale.
I love these old hobnail lamps. I'm pretty sure my grandma had a few around her house when I was growing up. Now I wish I knew where they went. Anyway, I'm hoping my hubby can rewire this one for me. There were three of them at the yard sale we stopped by this morning. They were all different, but I liked this one best.
It's usually hit and miss for me when looking for finds like these and usually more miss than anything. Recently, however, it's been more hit and I'm loving it!

Fab Fourth

2008-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping all of you out in blog land had a wonderful 4th of July like we did! We had a large gathering of family and friends for a BBQ and it turned out great.

Here are some of the many flowers we planted in red, white, and "blue". I'm so glad we decided to go with these colors because they just added to the fun! They are doing so well this year, too.

This is a closer picture of the sweet red, white, and blue vintage tablecloth I recently won on eBay. I'm thinking it would be fun to collect a few more of these in time for the next 4th of July.Below are some impromptu centerpieces I put together using stuff I already had on hand. Trying to keep it inexpensive and unique. Only problem was, I set them on top of the refrigerator to free up some precious space in the kitchen to prep food for our party. That's where they still were during and after the party. Oops! I had to post pictures to make putting them together worthwhile.

A vintage child's shovel and seashells in a vintage star colander.

Vintage and not so vintage star cookie cutters and mold with a few vintage red and blue buttons and some star garland on a small glass cake stand.

The cutest vintage stir sticks with mini whistles propped up in the middle of some vintage red dominoes in a glass compote.

Happy July!!!

A Flower Pot

2008-06-30T16:13:00.001-07:00

I was looking around for a place to put this cute gingham pot when I spied my utensils sitting in a boring canister. What a fun idea to use the pot for them - at least until I can plant some herbs in it for the kitchen. I might have to use another one. I love using things for a different purpose than it was intended for! It also helps things look more cottage-y.

The Happiest Pillows On Earth

2008-06-26T08:57:00.001-07:00

Vintage buttons, vintage chenille, vintage feed sack fabric, sweet cherries and strawberries, red checks, roses, polka dots - what more could a girl ask for?!?

These beautiful, down-filled pillows were found on eBay here. If you ever buy something from her, it's guaranteed to be of the best quality! Darling Barbara puts the prettiest details into these huge, fluffy pillows! I'm loving them to pieces and can't wait to switch them around to different combinations wherever they are in the house. They can be flipped to the backs and mixed and matched with fronts and backs combined. I love how she thought of me when making these so that I could do that! What a sweetie....and she always throws in a little surprise. This time it was one of her signature sachets (yum!) and some Cath Kidston tissues. I'm the #1 CK fan so of course that was right up my alley!

Fronts

Close-ups

Backs

Goodies

Toodles. . . . I'm off to find happy homes for my new pillows!

A New Blog for You

2008-06-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

(Design by Shabbee Chick Designs)

You must visit this sweet gal and her beautiful blog! She has the most fun and upbeat personality. She's also a girl after my own heart - thrifting and antiquing! What a doll... Can't wait to visit her again! Oh, and she lives in my dream place - the East Coast.

Have a fabulous Friday!!

I'm planning a 4th of July BBQ Country Living style and I'm wanting to fill paper sacks with homemade Cracker Jacks. Any great recipes out there?

Putting a Room Together

2008-06-16T19:08:00.001-07:00

Little by little...

A new (to me) chippy white telephone stand. Love the versatility of it - it could even stand in as a plant stand.

A sweet Goodwill find last week. I'm thinking of painting the frame.

A big red gingham bow to cutesy up the plain white shade.

A vintage tablecloth/runner that I'm thinking of making into a cute window curtain with some pompom trim. The only thing is that this most adorable grandma/grandpa couple look "faceless". Until you see it up close - then you can see their features. Maybe I should embroider their faces in - or do I leave it as it is? Don't want it to look garish if the embroidery stands out too much. I actually like it in the 'as is' vintage shape it's in. What do you think?

I want the curtain to be for this window - possibly on just the bottom half. Like my newly painted upper wall? It adds way more pizazz than the solid white did. I think a cute curtain will tie this little nook together so well.

And this - it's a coaster. But it has my dream sink on it. Someday....

Have a most wonderful summer!

The Little Things

2008-05-31T16:05:00.001-07:00

They make all the difference, don't they?

I found a couple of these sundae dishes marked down less than $2 each and decided to get them. They fit in so well with the kiwi color I'm loving lately. Walking around the store with these in hand, I realized what cute little vases these would make. With a family of five - just two of these aren't much use as sundae dishes, but they DO make sweet vases.

I love my dresser drawers now! It is amazing how just lining them can make SUCH a difference. This particular liner was found at Target.

It's the little things that count...

Cuteness

2008-05-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

This is the cutest little apron! It's even sweeter in person because it's actually more of a toddler size. It's made from a vintage tablecloth and was found on etsy.

Painted Furniture

2008-05-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

Few things say "cottage" like painted furniture. This sweet little dresser (the green isn't showing up right) was found in an antique mall this last Christmas. When my mom was visiting us, I took her to see it. I was saving my pennies for it and just wanted her opinion. She decided to gift me with it! I was a tad embarrassed that I'd shown it to her because my intentions weren't for her to buy it. Thank you, Mom!

I love it and it is my favorite piece of furniture. She bought some glass knobs for it and I need to get a few more glass pulls before changing them out. I first put it in my office space, but now I'm enjoying it's new place in the living room. It's just the right size to be very versatile. It also has the old keyholes. I think I'd like to find a couple of little skeleton keys to tie on the front with a pretty ribbon or tassel.

I found the giant jack at HomeGoods this week. I've seen them elsewhere before and always passed them up, with regrets later. So when I saw this lonely one, I had to have it! Reminds me of when we'd play jacks in junior high on the girls' locker room floor. Great memory!

I had fun perking up this simple white lampshade with a little gingham ribbon and vintage/new buttons. So easy peasy and cute!

May Day, May Day

2008-05-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

I wish each and every one of my blog readers lived close enough that I could leave a pretty little May Day basket filled with flowers on your front doorknob or doorstep today. Thank you for all of your sweet comments. They are what keep me coming back to blog - although I'm falling rather short of being a good blog poster these days *sigh*. But on a much happier note -
Happy May Day! Visit here for some cute ideas for making May Day baskets.

It seems that so many jam jars nowadays are plastic. How I wish I lived a generation earlier when the details were so much prettier. However, when buying jam the last time, this sweet Smuckers jar jumped out at me. Not literally, silly. I recall these being plastic jars for a while with a plastic rimmed lid and metal inside - maybe because they were the giant Costco jars. Yuck. Anyway, I think I'm going to start collecting a few more of these while they're out there.

LOVE the red gingham metal lids. And those labels - they go so well with my kitchen colors. I thought I'd wash it up and use it to put doodads (or something) in. Then the thought occurred to me, "why not use these as vases?". Now, I know glass jars as a vase is nothing new, but with the label left on - it's even cuter! Can't you see a row of these on a summer picnic table filled with pretty white daisies? What a lovely picture! I didn't have any daisies handy otherwise I would've put some in for this photo. Only problem that I see is I wish the paper label were a little more durable. Gotta be careful when washing it to not get it too wet. Do you have any ideas of preserving the label better?

HoHum

2008-04-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

I was getting tired of looking at Peeps every time I brought up this blog page. How about you?

So do our kitchen shelves qualify as 'cottage'? I had other colors mixed in like pink and blue, but for some reason my head likes only two-color combos. More than that and my brain goes on color overload. Why is that? I love in magazines and other people's homes when they can combine all sorts of colors and it all ties in so well and looks beautiful. But not me! I have a block of some sort, it seems.

Anyway, this kiwi or lime green works for me right now. Love it with my ever faithful red and white. Then come the holidays when I throw in my gingerbread collection (it's growing - thanks to my sis-in-law who sent some cute musical stuffed gingers for an early b-day present!) and it all goes.
I found the little green igloo cooler at Goodwill last week for under $3. Love it! Gave it a good washing and it's as good as new.

I need to find a bigger picture other than the little strawberry painting (another thrift find) to properly fill in the space above the stove. Or else another little one or two pieces to fill in.

Other than that, I'm loving the cheerfulness of it all! And it reminds me of summertime with watermelon, cherries, strawberries, raspberries - yummmmm. I am so looking forward to summer again. Oh, right! Gotta get through spring first.

Peeps

2008-03-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Personally, I don't like these - wayyyy too sweet! Yuck. But I do love the colors and so I buy a little package for each kid every year. Don't think they're too keen on them, but maybe we'll try dunking them in hot cocoa or some such thing this year.

Isn't the packaging so pretty? And polka dots.

I'm thinking one of these perched on the top of a cupcake would look cute.

Peepcakes!

I like the sound of that even though the dictionary doesn't approve.

(edited to add: Okay. I thought I was being semi-original with peepcakes, but upon Googling it, I see I'm not. Bummer!)

Signs of Spring

2008-03-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

...around the house.

**pastel cupcake liners**

**Easter sprinkles**

**nests**

** daffodils**

**birds**

**pastel m&m's**

**bunnies**

What a wonderful time of year!

So glad for these signs of spring.

I'm more than ready for it this year.

The Perfect Fit

2008-02-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Don't you love it when something works out better than you could have planned it to? I haven't hung my 2008 Gooseberry Patch calendar because I wanted it hung in the kitchen but couldn't find a good place. Then a couple of weeks ago - TaDa! The Perfect Fit - and the place had been there all along. Who knew?? Sometimes we just need to walk away and when we come back, we see things with "new eyes". This little spot under some of my open shelves was sooo perfect. Just the right size needed and all! Now I'm thinking of painting the wood frame - just not sure of the color...or maybe the contrast of the natural wood is fine.

An English Tin

2008-02-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's the prettiest aqua. I store cards in it.

How fun to own something from England!

Now if only I could visit there...

Tissue Paper & Egg Cups

2008-02-27T12:22:00.000-08:00

This pretty gingham tissue paper is perfect for a special SPRING occasion! It was found today at the thrift shop. Kinda makes me want to have a "Spring Soiree" or some such thing!

I am pondering doing a "Spring Fling" or "Welcome Spring" Cookie Swap in March. How does that sound? Normally cookie swaps are done at Christmas time, but I thought what better way to get rid of the winter doldrums (because in the Pacific Northwest - spring doesn't always mean sunny skies) and issue in spring than to have a spring-themed cookie swap!

These sweet birdie egg cups always make me smile. I usually pull them out in the spring, but I'm thinking I need to display them year-round. They're just too cute not to!!

A Birthday Tart

2008-02-23T12:49:00.001-08:00

A raspberry linzer tart was the Birthday Boy's choice of "cake" last night. Found at the local bakery. Simply dee-lish. Happy #8!

His favorite gift of all - inheriting some of his 15 year old brother's Lego collection. The things that will make a boy happy...

Thank You

2008-02-16T08:41:00.001-08:00

A humongous THANK YOU goes out to Amber of The Shabbee Chick who created my darling blog header and background! She is the most kind, patient person for putting up with me. Thank you Amber!! And go visit her if you're looking for a blog pick-me-up!

Next, I am in LOVE with the things I ordered from Andrea at One Hundred Wishes. Such eye candy!! They arrived the day before Valentine's Day. What a great gift (to myself)! I can't wait to create things with these pretties. The flashcards are even better in person - I didn't realize they're miniature versions. So cute!! The jars were wrapped in the prettiest pink tissue paper. The colors of everything are just the yummiest.

I mentioned to my husband last night that I WISH garage sale season would hurry up and be here, and he said that he saw some sales listed in the paper already. Wow! I think I'm going to see if I can go find some this morning. Yippee! I can't wait for spring to get here...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

My daughter's 7th birthday is today as well.

I took her to the local bakery and let her pick out a special treat. She decided on this yummy strawberry chocolate mousse cup. Mmmmm...

Gotta go bake the birthday cake and wrap presents.

Enjoy your day!

Cottage

2008-02-13T19:19:00.001-08:00

If this fabulous piece of real estate came up for sale, I'd be packed and moved into it in a jiffy! This vintage picture has the prettiest colors. The cottage is in the perfect setting. It even comes with darling ducks, a bridge to watch them from (or fish from) and contemplate the sweetness of life. I'm still hoping we find that perfect place, someday... Just like Tracey has found hers!

Oh, and the darling apron was found at a local antique store. It's just as sweet - so soft and worn.

love it, love it, love it

First Attempt

2008-02-12T08:40:00.001-08:00

This bench was my first attempt at covering something with fabric. It was easier than I thought it would be and a tad harder in a way, too! Make sense?

My husband got this bench for me on our 3rd anniversary - it used to have a sleigh bench on top. But the top was cheaply made and didn't last long. It was hollow inside, too! However, this iron bottom has been lugged around with us everwhere for the past six years to four different houses and two moves, from WA to AZ and back to WA. I love it's scrolly design, and it's so sturdy.

I used to just set a piece of plywood (sized to fit) over the top and use it as an outside bench, end table, etc. I figured it was about time to do something with it! I couldn't make up my mind if I just wanted to have a piece of glass cut to fit for a coffee table or keep using it as a bench. I think that's what took me so long to do anything - my indecisiveness.

I found a pretty cottage-looking piece of fabric at Joann's, two thick cushions, some batting, and a new upholstery stapler. It went together really well except I couldn't get the ends to look quite right. I'll have to practice some more by redoing my dining room chairs. It really is an inexpensive way to change something!

I love how it turned out and we use it now as our piano bench (for the FREE piano we found on Craigslist). Gotta love that!!

A question for you: Is it just me or does blogger's spell check not work??

Only two more days till Valentine's Day and my six year old turns seven! Then I'll have two seven year old's for a week till the other one turns eight! Their father's birthday is in between there. So we have lots of February birthdays to celebrate!

Happy Tuesday!!

Biscuits

2008-02-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

Don't you love making ordinary things into not-so-ordinary things?

Like these biscuits that go with sausage gravy.

It's just as easy to use a heart-shaped cutter as it is a plain round one.

This biscuit has homemade blackberry jam - yummmm.

These would be perfect for Valentine's Day!

Child's Play

2008-02-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

Does this not make you nervous?? I had such a hard time relaxing yesterday, knowing that one of the kids could fall out of the tree and break an arm, leg, neck or some such thing! My husband told me I need to relax more... Ugh! They were having the time of their life, though. I just had to go do something else so I wouldn't see them.

Treasure Hunting

2008-02-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love it when you feel like you've come upon a treasure trove?!?

These are what I found at our local thrift shop this week.

Love the detail on the top of this butter dish cover - at least I think that's what it is. The bottom is missing, but I'm sure I'll find something it'll fit.

The one with the missing lid will make a cute vase for a tiny bouquet.

A while back, I inherited some saucers from my maternal grandmother. Only problem was, the teacups were missing. So when I saw these four lonely teacups sitting on the shelf, I just had to get them! Especially since they match the orphan saucers. Yippee! How perfect is that!?

The Flirtation

2008-01-15T08:13:00.001-08:00

I love this recent find of mine! Went shopping with my mom, while she was visiting from AZ over Christmas, and couldn't pass this one up. I'd already passed it up a couple of times before, but it was still there. So I had to have it!!

Very Marie Antoinette, don't ya think?!? I love it and it goes perfectly in our bedroom!

Brackets

2008-01-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

We were in desperate need of shelves in the kitchen so a couple of months ago my husband, father-in-law and son decided to make the brackets for some new shelves. I love how they turned out! And they didn't cost us anything since we already had the maple, and the metal was all scrap that my father-in-law had on hand. My 14 year old is taking welding this year and he welded these all on his own. It makes these brackets extra special!

Baking

2008-01-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist filling my kitchen jars with Valentine cookie cutters and cupcake decorating supplies. Besides, they match my red and white kitchen. Gotta love that!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-10T10:09:00.001-08:00

As soon as Christmas is over, I cannot wait to pull out Valentine decorations! These are probably my most favorite ornaments. Just love them!

I seem to get giddy over Valentine's Day each year. Of course, it helps that we have a Valentine of our very own living here who'll be turning 7 this year!

I knew I was scheduled for a cesarean section on the 16th of February, 2001. Loving Valentine's Day as I did and knowing a day or two difference in my new baby's birth probably wouldn't be a huge thing, I asked (okay - begged) my doctor to schedule it for the 14th. He didn't answer me, just smiled. I was squealing with joy when I received a notice in the mail of my c-section schedule. Yippee!! A Valentine's Baby! I had so much fun picking out papers to make her announcements.

I'll admit, there have been a few times that I've had second thoughts about picking that particular day because I've missed out on having it to myself. But I'd have to say, it's all worth it!

Dream Cottage

2007-12-18T12:12:00.001-08:00

I'd love to have this cottage for my very own -

complete with peppermint flowers and a candy cane lantern holder!

Doesn't it look cozy?

Snowy Day

2007-12-17T09:03:00.000-08:00

I have no excuses for not posting in almost two months! For some reason, I just felt overwhelmed with blogging and preparing for Thanksgiving at our house, etc. That doesn't mean that I haven't been enjoying your blogs, though! So many wonderful decorations and pretty homemade goodies - it has gotten me in the mood for the holidays and inspired me to create!!

Our little family decided to head up towards Mt Rainier and we ALL had so much fun playing in the wonderful white stuff! We were the first ones there on Saturday morning and enjoyed making and packing down our own trails.

It was the first time for the two younger ones to play in so much snow . . . tubing, creating snow angels, etc.

Of course, it was necessary to top it all off with a cup of hot cocoa!

Mmmmmmmm...

I'm no longer DREAMING of a White Christmas!

*Sigh* It was so beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. I will treasure these memories forever!

Jack-o-lanterns

2007-10-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Didn't they turn out great? Everyone had fun making these at our party Friday night.

Caramel Toffee Apples

2007-10-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

This recipe was so YUMMY! I've never made caramel apples before and these were so rewarding! Very easy, too. I found this book of apple recipes and couldn't wait to try one or two of the recipes for a party we had last night. I got many compliments on these. I set them on pretty individual orange doilies and then on a black tray. Very Halloweenish...

I hope you're enjoying your weekend. I cannot believe it's the end of October already! Less than two months till Christmas.

A Collection Started

2007-10-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Remember when I mentioned yesterday the special meaning of the number 5? It doesn't end with the pumpkins. This gathering under the cloche all started with the Wendy Addison glittery 5, and I added a couple of dominoes I found today here. So it looks like a collection has started!

May you all have a wonderful weekend! I'm thinking we might head over to a local pumpkin patch since our pumpkins were planted a tad late (and have yet to be much of anything).

My Choice

2007-10-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

If I had to choose a favorite decoration out of all my fall things, I'd have to say this is the one!

I love that a sweet, little ol' German lady made this for a local shop. She happened to be there dropping more stitcheries off the day I had this in my hand and was headed up to the counter. She even signed the back with her name, Lydia. I love that she told me she bought old frames at Goodwill, painted them, and used them for her little stitcheries. So sweet! The 'five' little pumpkins also has special meaning to me because there are five members in our little family.

So every time I pull this out in the fall, I can't help but smile when I remember Lydia and the little bit of history behind this!

Fall has been ushered in with a vengeance here in the Pacific Northwest! Almost feels like winter... I hope you're enjoying the change in weather as much as I am!

*the spellchecker just told me stitcheries isn't a word. well, if it isn't, it's still in "my" dictionary!

Mug Shots

2007-09-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

These are my absolute favorite mugs! I found them at Christmas time here a couple of years ago. They're by Tracy Porter. I love their curvy silhouette. So pretty! My red and white kitchen is coming together slowly, but surely - and oh, so nicely!

Littles Unveiled

2007-09-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

I know I've kept you in suspense long enough. It was overcast and too dark inside the house to take pictures, so these are taken on the front porch. I don't have any "box rooms" or a dollhouse put together, yet. It would be even more fun to show you these displayed and set up in their appropriate places. Oh well....they're still the most adorable littles ever!! I wonder what people thought as they drove by, seeing me kneeling on the front porch taking pictures. Hmmm....let them wonder, I say!

This first one is a sweet and tiny quilt by Amy W. I want one for my bed now!

Don't you just love this cupboard by Amy P! The paper that was used in the back is so pretty. And a beautiful potted tree.

Wouldn't you love to curl up with a newspaper and this cozy hand crocheted blanket? I would. Brrrr....it's cold outside this morning! I needed this Jennifer.

Next, we have a fun bulletin/idea board, a diary to write down those most inner thoughts and dreams, and a cute little broom to sweep away the cobwebs! And the itty, bitty, teeny, tiny pencils - too adorable, Karen G!

Who doesn't love picnics, especially in the fall? A pretty little tote, a bottle of the most delicious strawberry soda, a checkered tablecloth, matching napkins, place mats, and dishes. An umbrella so our faces won't freckle (too late!) or to keep the rain off us (here in WA), and the cutest little book -

One Hundred Hungry Ants. So cute, Karen C.!

Nursery accessories by Lisa. Isn't this the cutest rocking horse? Complete with fuzzy tail and mane. Building blocks with the letters CLH (Club Little House) and a reversible bib. Just noticed I forgot to take a picture of the cute little banner that matches.

I have everything a little kitty could ever need including kitty litter! All I'm missing is the kitty. Guess what I'm on the lookout for, Keri?

The most precious rug ever!! How clever to use the Club Little House logo. And now I have a matching button proclaiming me to be a member. I feel so official, June!

I know everything is adorable, but how precious is this tiny cake from the Club Little House Bakery??? I love it Chelle! It even has the most amazing little red cake stand. It's something I'd love to have in my kitchen right now. And the box - just perfect!

Miss Amy, the Queen of Littles, sent everyone in this go-round the most amazing, tiny stack of mail and a tiny 1x1 box. Notice the Inspire Co. tape around it? It's an exact replica of the tape she uses on boxes she sends from her shop. I know, because I've ordered from her before. Now that's attention to detail! I just realized that I don't have a picture of the cutest little surprise inside. I didn't realize it had something inside it until I started reading some other blogs. Uh-oh! What a delight to know I wasn't done! How could I have missed something like that?? That Amy! I feel like it's Christmas and who am I to be the recipient of such special things?!?

Don't you just adore the tiny crates of peaches and this bottle of cream to go with it?! I do for sure! Thanks Bonni!

And this last, but not least, amazing little! I can't believe how 'outside' the box these ladies thought. A canoe and fishing pole with a fish already caught.

And a name for the canoe - The Pearl. I bet Crystal named each and every one of them something different!
Each little I received had it's own special details and I know there was so much thought and love put into the making of them! Thank you, thank you to each one of you Club Little House members for all your hard work! I love it all and can't wait for the next time!! A special thank you to Amy and her elves who put so much time, effort, and love into organizing and putting it together.

Cross Country Trek

2007-09-20T13:42:00.001-07:00

Yes, it has finally arrived all the way from the other side of the United States. My Club Little House package from Amy. Wow! I was absolutely giddy with excitement when I heard the knock from the FedEx man!

Look at the wonderful layers of surprises! And the polka dot paper - just yummy.
More pictures to come...

'Tis the Season...

2007-09-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

for rain boots, that is!

Aren't these full of cheer for a rainy day? Love how some cherries are sleeping. These are my daughter's - if I had some, I know they'd put an extra spring in my step!

Dollhouse

2007-09-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

In great anticipation of the Club Little House box arriving on my doorstep this coming Thursday, I am dreaming about this little pink cottage dollhouse! Isn't it darling? I cannot wait for my "littles" to arrive... *sigh* I think a new dollhouse is in order as well!

Mums

2007-09-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

I'm loving the pots of mums my dear husband brought home for me last week. They make me think about pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and hay rides.

Fall...

2007-09-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Where are you?? Although our nights are cooling off and mornings have a nip in the air, our days are still rather warm here in the Northwest.

I've been sooooo in the mood for fall with so many great posts! We had some friends over this last weekend for dinner, and I wanted to have a few fall vignettes. I didn't have time to go shopping (I had to get rid of my seasonal decorations before our move), so I grabbed what things I had. I took a couple of small trees off the front porch, tucked them inside old ceramic cookie jars, gathered books off the shelf in oranges, brown, and greens, and found an old "warm" flashcard. I love the garland I picked up at TJ Maxx. However, it didn't reach across our humongous fireplace. So I extended it on either end with ribbon. I love how it turned out! The little azalea trees flank a large mirror. I also filled glass jars with candy corn and other fall colored candies.

Anyway, things are looking a little more homey around here. Still not sure I like the green color in this room but it'll have to stay for a while. I find that green is a good neutral as a whole and it seems to go with all different seasonal decorations. The one thing I'd love to do is paint all the beautiful old woodwork and fireplace a happy, cheerful white. But we're only renting this place till we find our own cottage once again. We've been here since March and I find it harder to want to leave, the more I do to this place. But I do hate all the dark trim. That is one reason I've hesitated showing you more of the inside of our cottage. It's so neat, but so dark with all the woodwork.

My husband took my camera to work last week and forgot to bring it home so I didn't post over the weekend. The kids all had a great first week at school. I hope everyone had a great weekend as well!

Sadly Neglected

2007-09-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

This poor blog has been sorely neglected. Now that the kids are back in school (yay!) I hope to do some catching up.

We spent Labor Day driving down to Oregon to see Multnomah Falls. It was my third time, my husband's first (he grew up here in the Pacific NW). If you're ever in the area, it's a beautiful place to visit, just not on a holiday! It was rather crowded and parking was horrid.

We walked/hiked the short distance (0.2 mi) up to the bridge above the lower falls. The bottom picture is looking down from there. Did I ever mention that I'm afraid of heights? So standing so close to the side to take this picture was a feat in itself! **shiver** And then noticing a chunk on one of the posts of the bridge was missing...ugh. I wanted to faint.

For dinner, we decided to take the kids to the Old Spaghetti Factory in Portland. Yummy! For some reason, pasta is one thing that the whole family can agree on liking.

Happy Thursday!

Pacific Beach

2007-08-07T09:08:00.001-07:00

We went camping at the beach for a night. It was a last-second decision, but fun!

Planning the sandcastle.

On the hunt for castle accessories.

Our cottage... Okay, it's not, but one can dream, right?

County Fair

2007-08-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to a county fair Friday night. They had a great time!

Little piggies that haven't gone to market, yet. They're adorable - but smelly!

This little guy was precious! He was sleeping with his head perched up on the fence while standing. Very talented! Wish I could do that when I need a quick nap and still feel refreshed!

And of course, what's a FAIR without a few rides?!?

Order of the Day

2007-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Cupcakes

So yummy for our tummies...

Made a batch to take tonight to an

'All Girls Monthly Birthday Bash' about 10 of us started a few months ago!

The Doors

2007-08-01T17:07:00.001-07:00

I picked up these vintage cupboard doors for a song at the place that went out of business before they had the big blow-out sale. I think these doors are absolutely sweet with the vintage decals of Dutch children on them. I thought maybe I'd hang them on the wall as is. Any other ideas? I still need to clean them up a bit. They're painted a pretty blue on the back. I wish I could view the backs as well as the fronts.

It's a Zoo Out There

2007-07-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

My two youngest and I made a trip to the Oregon Zoo in Portland. First time we've been there and worth it! When we first arrived, we couldn't find parking anywhere even after driving around for 15-20 minutes. So we decided to leave for about an hour and come back (especially since we drove an hour and a half just to get there). We made a stop at HomeGoods, because we don't have one close to where we live, then made our way back. The timing was much better and we found a parking space. All three of us enjoyed this zoo. The kids were so good, I thought they deserved a snow cone when we finished! It was refreshing with the heat, too.

Club Little House Update

2007-07-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yay! My Club Little House package is happily on it's way to Amy's house! I'm so excited and can't wait for my package to arrive!! I entered a Cupcake Swap back in May and had so much fun putting my package together to send to my partner. However, I never ever received a package from the person who had my name. When I read her comments from previous swaps she'd been in, I can now see why. I told myself I'd never do another one (it was my first), but when I saw Amy was in charge of this one, I knew it was a no fail situation! Therefore, I cannot wait to have my efforts reciprocated. So, so fun!

Sweet Glasses

2007-07-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the sweetest little glasses I found on eBay? I think they're even cuter in person! I broke one of the four while taking a picture of them. How dumb could a person be?? I can't believe it! Now I have three... I left the mess on my counter top and will go back to clean it up in a little bit. I'm cranky at the moment and sad! Have you ever done something so silly??

Have a Seat

2007-07-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

I found a set of 5 chairs that I've put in our dining room. I think they go so well with the rose pictures in the previous post. I had admired these chairs in an antique store, but decided to walk away since they were more than I wanted to spend. Well, a few weeks ago I was driving by the store again and saw Going Out of Business signs posted in their windows. The even bigger draw was that everything in the store was 50% off!! Yippee! I snatched them up rather quickly once I saw them still sitting there. Only downside was that the store was one of my favorites. Oh well.... What's that saying? You gain some and you lose some or You win some and you lose some or something like that. Anyway, I'm just happy to have these chairs!

Smell the Roses

2007-07-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

I just love these vintage rose prints I bought from here! They go so well with the new paint color in our living room. I didn't like the green when we did one wall, but when I decided to go ahead and see what it looked like with the whole room painted, the color has now grown on me. It's so hard to show the true color in pictures. On a cloudy day (which it has been lately), it's a much deeper green. On a sunny day like today, it looks a lot paler.

Deep Breath

2007-07-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

It's time for me to take a deep breath and relax for a minute. My computer is unplugged and so I'm borrowing my husband's laptop.

The house is in horrible disarray! We've been painting the dining room so all the dining room furniture is crammed into my oldest son's room (he's in AZ visiting grandparents). We've been trying to finish up our kitchen and get it painted so the kitchen stuff is in the living room. When my husband came home last night, he got the bug to finish up! We were taping, filling holes, and prepping till 12:30 this morning. I was so tired, I finally crawled into bed with my clothes still on. Sometime during the night I woke up long enough to slip into my pajamas. Then he was up early this morning covering the floor and spraying.

And did I tell you that we have friends coming over this afternoon and more people coming tomorrow to spend the night? Ugh! You know they're true friends if they're willing to return after seeing such messes!

We've had a lot of rain this last week here in the Northwest. It has been so refreshing after our heat spell last week, but I'm ready for another bout of sunshine!

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend enjoying what you're doing!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from the Washington State Capitol in Olympia. When we drive on I-5 through the city, it peeks it's dome over the trees much like this. So the kids are always asking when we can go see it up close and personal. No better time than on a rainy day! I was in it once before with my oldest and was excited about a second visit. If you're ever in town, it's great to visit. It's amazing inside - so ornate and beautiful! It had been renovated after the big earthquake we had here in 2001 (the first earthquake I'd ever been in and worthy of it's own blog).

The man whom our great state is named after!

Looking up inside the dome - pink marble columns and all!

One of many chandeliers/lanterns created by Tiffany's when they still made them for state capitols.

I Feel Lucky

2007-07-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

My husband's boss and wife were having a garage sale this last weekend. They know how much I love the red and white vintage kitchen items. Being the wonderful people that they are, they called us and said I could come the day before and have first dibs on these things. Wow! I know they gave me a great deal for all these items as well! Thank you, Daniel & Maggie! I love everything and can't wait till our kitchen is finished to actually utilize them!! I've been collecting vintage red and white crocheted potholders as well. I get giddy just thinking about it all!

Maggie said that the ice crusher/maker thing was her mother's. Makes it even more special that she'd share it with me!

It's a Circus!

2007-07-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa took the kids to the circus on their last day with them. It happened to be Grandma's first time ever to a circus! I was rather disappointed. Maybe it's me, or is a circus just not what it used to be? My youngest son's favorite part was the dirt bikes in a cage. Grandpa found it all rather amazing!

Raspberries

2007-07-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

These were melt-in-your-mouth yumminess....Mmmmmm

I'm Back and a Question

2007-07-13T09:10:00.001-07:00

I am back without an excuse for my absence...other than to say that when the kids got out of school June 14th, we've concentrated on enjoying our summer. Swim lessons, bike rides, long walks, projects around the house, etc.

My husband and I had a week of no kids (the first time in eight years), so we decided to get out of the house for a couple of days.

Here are some pictures of beautiful Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula the morning of the 4th of July. I loved how still and quiet the lake was.

Then we decided to visit some of the ports in the area including Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, Port Hadlock, and Port Gamble. I love the little waterfront towns and enjoy looking at the beautiful boats. These pictures are from Port Townsend.

This lovely old Victorian hotel is where my husband and I stayed for our first anniversary in 2000. It was beautiful inside with period furnishings. We also had a 6 week old baby in tow back then. Not so, this time!!

I experienced a first (for me) on the 4th of July. Kayaking!! My husband used to own his own kayak. This time, we rented the double yellow one on the right. This is a picture after we got back. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of us inside it or while we were out on the Sound. We left the camera inside the store so it wouldn't be ruined.

I teased my husband, Keith, about the kayaking being great couples therapy. I had to completely trust him because I was in front and couldn't turn around and watch him, and he had to tell me which way to paddle in order for us to be in sync. It was all about communication and trust! As well as a beautiful way to enjoy the water up close and personal! It was fun seeing the jellyfish, crabs and even a curious sea otter who poked his head up to watch us. We had one moment of terror as a sailboat came straight at us and veered off at the last second. Whew! When the wind came up, it was like we were paddling in place - we just didn't go anywhere fast. So we turned around and headed back. We can't wait to go again and take the kids!

The detail of these old buildings is absolutely gorgeous! Sigh.....

It sounds as if most of you had a fabulous 4th as well! So glad you did...

My question now is this - Is my banner absolutely gigantic?? On my computer it looks fine, but the other day when I looked on my husband's, I was mortified to see it was huge! I've got to figure out how to make a prettier blog - I'm working on it.

(edited to add: I'm working on my header and the look a bit. Have gotten both answers as to my header being huge - a yes and a no. So must work out the kinks...ugh! It is no longer HUGE, just blah!)

Have a lovely Friday the 13th. We're going to a potluck tonight and I'm going to make a raspberry cobbler. Have never made a raspberry one before, but thought I'd try it. I'll let you know how it turns out!