Summer Roses-What's Not to Love?

I know this isn't the first time I've bragged on inexpensive grocery store roses, but these little beauties are worthy of a mention.  First of all, they lasted well over a week and looked great the whole time.  In fact, they went to full on full bloom after a couple of days and were even more beautiful than when they were brought home and the Alstroemeria stayed gorgeous for almost 10 days.  The way the petals curled down reminded me of the Victorian roses painted by Catherine Klein and Paul Delongpre (and contemporary artist Christie Repasy). 

The way the light was shining on the roses, it almost made them glow like the sunshine itself.

I put them on a sweet little vintage folding chair that I painted with Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Luckett's Green.  I love the way it turned out.  The pictures didn't even begin to do justice to the depth and dimension this paint has to it when it goes on.

You may see this one in my Elegant Farmhouse Etsy shop one of these days, but for now, "she's with me".  (SMILE)  I hope my U.S. friends had a nice holiday weekend.  I had a wonderful 4 day weekend, but tomorrow it's back to the salt mines, so that's all for now. 

Until next time,

July 4th Decor for the First Time in a Long Time

Happy July 4th Almost!  I have not managed to muster the energy to decorate for July 4th in several years.  I suspect it has to do with the fact that I used to do it up big because my parents and their long time friends would come up to our house every year for a cookout... after my mom and the lady of the family friend couple had passed away 13 years ago, I continued to have my dad and his buddy over, but then 7 years ago, my sweet daddy passed away and I guess I stopped decorating for the holiday at some point after that.  Didn't seem important I suppose.  But I always regret it when I don't because I love the whole patriotic theme.  SOOOOOO...this year, I finally pulled out the goods and had a little fun spreading some Independence Day love around my house.  I hope you enjoy taking a peek.    

The bunting is antique, purchased many years ago from eBay.  The eagle is also old, picked up at a flea market a few years back.

A little vignette of odds and ends that have been collected here and there.  I have a thing for postcards and when I went to the box of "stuff", I found quite the stash of patriotic postcards-I used about half of them for this vignette.

 This little basket as well as the cone were purchased some years ago from an Etsy seller called Moth to a Flame I think although I can't find a shop by that name, so if you recognize the artist, let me know so I can put a link in.  Her work is beautiful and she uses vintage materials at least in part to make her treasures.

This was an old cylinder from Columbia Phonograph Company.  I found it at a Goodwill shop in West Palm Beach last fall and thought it would be cute for the Fourth decorating.  Did you know that Columbia was an old name for the United States?  According to Wikipedia, "Columbia is a historical and poetic name used for the United States of America and is also the name of its female personification."  District of COLUMBIA...Columbia, the gem of the ocean...well, you get it.  I think it is charming although I can't tell you why.  Probably cause I'm just a sap...

 The postcard on the left no doubt has another iteration of Columbia. The one on the right is so stinkin' cute with her little turban and "safety first" on her diaper!

Classic patriotic beauty...

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my red, white, and blue theme. Happy Independence Day! I'll see you after the long weekend.

Sharing with Make It Pretty Monday

Until next time,

Poor Me...A Tale of Gratitude

Hello Bloggie Friends,

I have been feeling every so slightly put upon lately.  Not horribly, but just a little whiney.  Not enough time to devote to my Etsy shop.  Poor me...Not enough time to make art.  Poor me...House always needs cleaning.  Poor me...Summer is going by lickety split and I feel like I haven't soaked up enough of it.  Poor me...Not enough time to do my blogging (reading or posting)...yep, you got it...POOR ME!

So today, I was walking to work on a particularly lovely summer day here in Colorado.  I'm lucky that I get to be close enough to walk to work, especially on a perfect sunny day, not too hot, not too cold, but like Goldilocks said, "just right".  As I walked, I passed all of these gorgeous flowers on my way and had to catch a shot with my cell phone.  That's pretty awesome.  I also ran into 2 neighbor friends and got to exchange a few words with these lovely ladies on my way.  That made me smile.

When I got to work, I passed by a couple of our beautiful statues at the hospital.  Pardon the glass glare as they had to be encased to protect them from vandals (UGH!).  Glass and all, I find them so beautiful and serene.  Hard to be in a bad mood when looking at these precious, almost life sized figures.

Playing with my phone editing.  Not too bad for a quick effect...

The color of the Madonna's cloak is just the same as the robin eggs we have in a nest out in our hanging geranium plant on my back porch.  LOVE it!

When I got to work, I opened up my office and was greeted by the roses I'd brought in the day before.  They smelled SOOOO good.

How can you not smile with these pretty faces looking up at you?

By the time I put my purse down and got ready to get busy, I was feeling pretty darn happy and blessed.  All of this attitude enhancing goodness AND did I mention that I got to work right on time?  No more "poor me's" for this girl.  I'll get to the stuff I need to do when I get to it.  It will get done, even if not as soon as I would like.

All in all, I'd say I had a great start to my day and the rest of the day was not too shabby either.  I hope you take the time to notice the goodness all around you.  It'll change your life...or at least your day!

Until next time,

Lovin me some roses

Just thought I'd  share some roses from my garden that I brought to work today.  Pardon the cell phone pix but it was the best I could do at my office! And yes, I still got my work done! :-)

Until next time,

Sew...How are You?

Hi Bloggie Friends,

Do you have a "thing" for sewing implements, especially pretty ones?  Well, I do-don't judge.  My mom sewed like nobody's business and so I think I have a soft spot for anything sewing related.  Lucky for me, I've managed to pick up some awesome things over the years like the spools of silk ribbon above and the amazing little lady tape measure shown below.  She's porcelain and I like to imagine she's Marie Antoinette.  She's missing the first couple of inches of her tape, but I don't care, I think she is still awesome.

Wouldn't you love to have this beauty in your studio?  Found it out in cyberspace-a girl can dream, right?

This tape measure has my favorite, little ribbon work garlands.  Also just a dream from cyberspace, but yummy...

A pretty oversized pin cushion, sewing bag, and stuffed sewing basket from my Etsy shop...

Pretties from Pinterest...

 A silk ribbon chatelaine used to hold sewing supplies like scissors, thimbles, awls, and strawberry emories...

 Amazing sterling thimbles...notice the one on the right is engraved "Doris".  How sweet, don't you think?

This one is my favorite.  I love anything with cherubs on it.

Hope you enjoyed this brief little tour of pretty sewing items.  Do you collect vintage sewing stuff?  Some day I'll have to share some more of my collectibles with you, but for now, let me leave you with an image of a sweet little antique bisque dolly I dressed this weekend.  She will eventually be put in my Etsy shop, but for now, she is making me smile.

And one more pretty picture...my old roses were faded but still worthy of admiration.

Oh, and one more thing: I am so grateful to share a beautiful online magazine from my blog friend Kerryanne from Woodberry Designs.  It is called Simply Shabbilicious and sweet Kerryanne has featured my little closet of dreams.  Go check it out.  You will LOVE it and word on the streets is, it will become a published magazine in addition to an online one with the next issue.  Thank you Kerryanne for including me in your wonderful publication!



Until next time,

A Beautiful Spring Sunday...

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Sunday. 

Until next time,

Hope Your Mother's Day was Happy...

Just checking in to say hello.  It's been SOOOOOO long and I've missed you all. I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day celebrating either your own mother or mother figure's love and/or the love of your children.  I had a great low-key day with my guys.  They make my heart sing...my youngest wrote me a poem in school.  I think he has the heart of a poet even though he's only 10.  It made me cry to read such a beautiful thing written by my little wumpkin.

I am blessed beyond measure that these 2 silly young men call me "Mom".

And this is why we can't have any nice family photos!  LOL!  They just about tackled me!

I just listed a few new items in my Etsy shop, The French Laundry.  Such pretty things if I do say so...and clearly I do. 

Enjoy your week and I hope to catch up with you again sooner rather than later...make sure you see the beauty in something every day-it's all around you.

Until next time,