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31 March, 2011

Arriving Soon...My New Grandson...and A Peek into His Nursery!

003 Something special is in the works at my daughter and son-in-law’s house…in more ways than one! The finishing touches are being put on the nursery for my new little grandson who is due very soon! She is working hard to get it ready before he decides it’s time to arrive!

002 Don’t you love the treatment she did on the main wall? She designed and painted the grid herself. The blue on the other three walls provides the perfect contrast! The drapes are still to come.

011 There are some cute modern touches, such as this unusual lamp from IKEA...only $19.99! But...you have to assemble it! Yikes!

012 And...there are some bright colors…

010 …some fun fabrics

011 …that I used to make a matching pillow for my little guy…

001 …and a pretty dresser with an unusual finish...also from IKEA. His big brother is happy to demonstrate how easily the drawers open and close! Yes, they will be only 14 months apart!  My ten year old grandson is beside himself with happiness to have two baby brothers!

008 So if I disappear from Blogland for a little while, I hope you will understand! I will be right here in this comfy chair spending some special time with my little grandson. The big day is fast approaching, so I will keep you posted!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my grandson’s nursery!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

26 March, 2011

My Pottery Barn Inspired Under the Table Tablescape!

014 I have  a confession…and this blog is called Confessions…right?  There’s something...well, not pretty...hiding in this picture of my living room! Can you find it? (Please don’t say my dragon wing lamp because I love it…only $12 at Goodwill! lol)

013 Here…let’s try it from another angle. Do you see where it might be hiding? Anyone? Anyone? If you said in the basket, you might just be right! Let’s have a peek!

013 Oh, dear…yes, there it is! My ten-year-old old fashioned phone! lol Sorry, but I just can’t get rid of it! Why? Well…er…it seems that I am forever misplacing my cordless phone! Do you do that? I have to page it and wait for the beep…under the covers, between the sofa cushions, in the garage! But I can’t lose this one! I just pull out the basket and answer it! Hey…works for me!
  018 And here’s another little secret…the other basket holds my fall pumpkins…which are still in perfect shape so I can’t throw them away! lol And just where did I get the inspiration for my “under the table tablescape”?

pbtableWhy, Pottery Barn, of course! I love this look…baskets under tables, such as this wonderful console table complemented by a pair of baskets filled with old books and magazines!

pbtable2 Or this console table with a terrific hinged basket underneath!

pbtable4Or how about this one with an old suitcase and books stacked below! Love it!

pbtable3 Or my favorite…this wonderful table with a vignette under it…but I think you really need a shelf to have this look.

004 So I was excited when I found this basket  at Goodwill this week for only $5.00yaaaay! It’s a nice Pottery Barn-esque one, too…just the right size! Of course, Baby Kitty had to inspect it! It seems to have passed!
 010 And there it is! I am not showing you the before with my ugly phone just sitting under the painted chest! You will have to imagine it! But doesn't it look stylish now? Something else is different, too. Do you see? I am trying it with a stack of books instead of another basket. Which do you like better?

005 And on top..my grandmother’s old dough bowl filled with vintage book bundles, vintage French postcards and a starfish! My little frenchy boy that I found at Goodwill for $3.93 is looking on.

003 But ultimately, it was our own Miss Isabella who decided what looks best under the table…and I think she is right!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my under the table tablescape!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

19 March, 2011

Need Some Inspiration? It's Spring Open House!

020 Need some inspiration for Spring?  It’s time for the open house at my favorite flea/antique market…the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia!  My thrifting buddy Linda at Nina’s Nest and I are headed that way today. Want to come along? You’ll be greeted by this lovely garden room as you come in the door! Gotta love that fountain!

017 And look at this display composed of old architectural pieces! Do you see the lamps…made out of corbels! And I want that wonderful old rusty urn!

049 Of course, there will be bunnies…like this one made of faux hydrangeas…isn’t he cute?…

045 …and this pretty bunny pillow! Love the brown and green together!

046 And we can’t forget bird’s nests filled with eggs…like these wonderful salt and pepper shakers…

022 …or starring in this oh-so-springy wreath! Hmmm..my wheels are turning on a way to copy this one!

039And here are some more eggs!  Isn’t this black and white display so simple and yet so pretty? The ribbon and the little pops of greenery really add interest, don’t they?

029 And there are lots of springy colors…as in these wonderful rag balls! I may need to copy these, too!

048 I love this very frenchy garden chair with its springy yellow toile fabric!

036 But it’s not just springiness that inspires me! Let me show you around a little. For the demijohn addicts, here’s a display of several of them centered around a great old basket!

031 For the cherub lovers, here’s an unusual cherub hook and a sweet cherub face!

030 Now if you know me, you know I love mice wearing clothes..weird, but true! lol So I was tempted by this little book…until  I realized they were squirrels! Sooo…I left it for someone who loves squirrels wearing clothes! Is that you?

041 I have a few favorites I visit each time I come here…like this lug bowl from Ronce les Bains, France… but it is never on sale…sigh!

050 I also peek in on this bouillotte lamp…the twin to mine…only it’s $70 and mine was $18! Woo hoo!

038 And I also always pay this a visit…but what is it? A candle holder? An ink well? What do you think?

044 I have to run by this display of transferware…visual overload! Too much input! Too much temptation! lol

051But I think this is my favorite display in the whole store…do you see why?  It has all of the elements needed for ultimate frenchiness...lavender in a rusty old zinc bucket, mercury glass lamps, piles of old monogrammed linens and a plate of grapes and cheese. Add a pastoral scene complete with a flock of sheep and I feel like I am in Provence…ahhh! 

024 And then finally I saw this…for only $9.99! Are you thinking what I am thinking? It would look great in…

IMG_3135 …my frenchy pink and green toile bedroom! Sooo...before I knew it, it hopped in my cart!

urn And followed me home and...voilà…here it is! It looks like it was just made for me, doesn’t it? 

IMG_3153In fact, our co-hostess, the lovely Miss Isabella, thinks it is just purrfect!
To see the open house through my friend Linda’s eyes, just visit her blog Nina’s Nest to see what she has posted!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Spring inspiration!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

16 March, 2011

Prepare to Drool...French Décor Magazines Online!

maison du sud I don’t know about you, but I never tire of looking at anything related to décor or France! Make that décor in France and I am hooked! So today I want to share with you a few of my favorite French décor magazines that I have found online…and they are all free! It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak French, the pictures say it all! Take for example this wonderful salon from Campagne Décoration! (Click on any of the magazine titles to be taken to the full article and more beautiful photos!) I love that fireplace…and that mirror…and that chair…sigh!

campagne decoration1 Here’s another salon from Campagne Décoration. I love the elegant simplicity…and just look at that fabulous floor…je l’adore!

campagne chicLook closely…do you notice anything about this one from Le Journal des Femmes ? While we are working so hard to find or create authentic looking grain sack pillows complete with lots of French writing…their version is simple…and in English! lol Love the wall of cabinets…and such a pretty color!

tablescape This tablescape for Réveillon or Christmas Eve dinner made my heart stop! I have studied every inch of it! I love those topiaries in pots on the mantel and I want those chairs! lol You’ll find it in Arts & Décoration.

emag This is a great example of what the French call campagne (country) chic…their version of shabby chic! Look at those fabulous chairs and that cherub medallion on the wall! I found this in e mag Déco. Just click on this link to find a treasure trove of photos of this mas (farmhouse) near Aix in Provence!
jardinetmaison The plate lover in me is fascinated by this kitchen! I want to get into that hutch and check out their plates!! lol And look…there on the top shelf…some of those lionhead soup bowls I have been wanting! You can see more in  Mon Jardin & Ma Maison.

campagne decoration This kitchen reminds me of the one in the apartment where we stayed during my retirement trip to Provence! Ahhhh! See more of this lovely Provençal home in Campagne Décoration.

emag2 And look at those wonderful floors and those fabulous chairs! Hmmm…is my chair addiction showing? This one is also from e mag Déco.

emag1 I love the paint treatment on the walls…and check out that fabulous console table! You can see more of this home…er…château in e mag Déco.

emag3 Here’s a simple yet elegant chambre! And check out that mirror! Once again, see more at e mag Déco.

campagne decoration2Could you curl up in this reading nook on a rainy day…with a cup of thé and a madeleine? Check out this château at Campagne Décoration.

arts et decoration In fact, you can often find a virtual tour of a château in these magazines, such as this one that belonged to Madame de Staël…who is often called the first modern woman! It can be found at Art & Décoration.

Paris shop And what trip to France would be complete without doing a little shopping in Paris? This shop and more out of the way places in Paris can be found in Campagne Décoration. Hmmm…I am noting the address of this one! What excuse can I use to get my 10 year old grandson to agree to a stop at this one during our Paris trip this summer? Maybe they sell gargoyles!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek into my favorite French magazines!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Jill at French Cupboard for French Inspiratin on Thursdays
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
See you next time! A la prochaine!