Show Me Your Romantic Prairie Style Final 5 and a Winner...

Hey Blogger Friends,

My apologies for being slow at getting the 5 finalists of the "Show Me Your Romantic Prairie Style" Photo Challenge.  I have been getting ready for the MUTHA of all garage sales.  We are really choking at our place with our own slightly pathological accumulation of stuff.  So, we are being as ruthless as we can.  It's hard.  Sometimes there are tears.  But I know that eventually, this weight will be cut from around our necks and we can start to enjoy our lives more.  Or that's the plan anyway.  SO, if I am a bit MIA the next month or so, rest assured all is well and I am just taking care of business.  NOW, with that bit of dirty laundry out of the way, on to our finalists.  Thank you to all who entered.  I've had a ball going through your beautiful pictures and seeing how you interpret the romantic prairie style, but after much deliberating, I've narrowed it down to 5 pictures that really struck me.  I hope you'll pop over to these gals' blogs and see more of  their unique styles.

First up is Lynn of The Vintage Nest.  She shared 3 beautiful photos with me, but this one is the one you absolutely have to see.  This cute little house is her chicken coop.  Now I don't know about you, but I think if your chickens have a romantic little abode (they call it the Romantic Roost), you've got a good start on the romantic prairie style.  She said it was a child's playhouse that was no longer needed and they bought it via Craig's List after about a year of looking for just the right place for their backyard chickens.  I think it is darling, don't you?

Next, we have a very talented gal, Lara from Air Kisses.  Her use of zinc and natural materials is very much in keeping with the romantic prairie style in my humble opinion.  Her photo collage showed several lovely elements and captures the simplicity of materials that come together to make a simply beautiful vignette.  Lara was just featured in Artful Blogging and you'll want to pop over to see her gorgeous blog where it will become quite evident why she was selected to be in this quality magazine.

Our next gal is Patti of The Shabby Chick.  Patti has been a follower of mine for a while now and she is one of the nicest ladies you'll ever meet.  She's always tweaking and fluffing her beautiful home and infuses so much personality into it.  I hope you'll agree with me when I say I am enchanted by the top of her bookcase featured below.  I love the way she used the vintage silverware as decorative elements and, of course, you know I love the ironstone....yummy!  Stop by and see her amazing kitchen redo that she is working on.  I think it is looking smashing!!!

Next is Karen's home from A Delightsome Life.  It just says "farmhouse" to me and, while perhaps a literal interpretation of romantic prairie style, I just want to move in (get my room ready, girl!).  Everything looks like a turn of the century home and yet, it is very fresh and inviting.  This is where I hope to go with my kitchen one day.  I can't complain too much, its been a very nice and amazingly attractive space (albeit a bit small) for over a decade, but I would like to infuse some farmhouse charm.  Anyway, back to Karen.  She's been doing some gardening lately and her plants are beautiful.  Go check them out when you have a chance.

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to show you  Rene's beautiful living room.  Her blog, Miss Gracie's House is a beautiful study in white and all it's many shades.  The warmth of this lovely spirit's home is amazing.  Every detail is well thought out and tells a story.  Her many vignettes give interest to this 100 year old farmhouse and her generally traditional Victorian style is stunning. The color palette keeps it light and airy and fresh.  Another source of inspiration for yours truly to be sure.  Drop by and take a look at her post titled "Why Do We Love White" and make sure you check out her divine bedroom.  I get inspired each and every time I go by her place and I know you will too.

Well, these are my picks.  Later this week, I will be doing a photo collage of my "Honorable Mentions", so check back again.  As for part 2 of this post, one of these lucky ladies featured above will be getting their own copy of Fifi O'Neill's "Romantic Prairie Style" although I think they may just have to give it away as a gift since they obviously have it going on already!  I assigned each one a number, based on the order in which they submitted their pictures, so the numbers are as follows:

1.  Patti
2.  Lynn
3.  Lara
4.  Kathy

5.  Rene'

And Mr. Random Number Generator says the winner is...

#2

Congratulations to Lynn of The Vintage Nest!!!

Sorry I couldn't figure out how to do a screen shot of the generator, but I guess you're just going to have to take my word for it that it came up 2.  Lynn, give me a hollar with your physical address and I will ship your beautiful book out to you.

That's all for now.  Back to the sifting and sorting...

Just for grins, I'm linking up with Kathleen's White Wednesday over at Faded Charm.  Maybe just a few stops before I hit the basement again... :-)

Until next time,