Some Pretty Just Because and a Special Sale You Won't Want to Miss

I was taking some pictures of a beautiful antique lace scarf on my antique dress form and after I redressed my dress form after her photo shoot, I couldn't help but fall in love with my pretty gal all over again.  She is all dressed in her finest frippery...

She's been dressed in this same beautiful outfit for some time but I just can't seem to find anything that looks as lovely as this, so she just keeps her same duds on.  Oh well...

On a non-related note, baby needs new shoes so I am running a sale in both of my Etsy shops like nothing ever seen before.  Visit The French Laundry or Elegant Farmhouse between now and the end of the month and use the code SUMMERSUN to receive 30% off of your purchase of $50 or more.  Sorry, does not apply to items "On Reserve" or on layaway.

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,

Antique Grainsack Heart Ornaments and....a winner!

As promised, I just added some of my little antique grainsack hearts to my Etsy store, Elegant Farmhouse.  I hope to add a few more as well as some small stockings made from grainsacks as well this weekend or early next week. 

And, also as promised, the random number generator and I have determined a winner to my Carolyn Westbrook book giveaway.  Thank you to everyone who entered and who became a follower, and to those of you who posted about the giveaway on your blog.  I loved reading your comments and getting to know you better.  Now that the giveaway is over, I am going to try to make the rounds to each follower and say hello.

I have to say, the winner of the giveaway must be under a lucky star this month.  This is the second giveaway she has won in the last couple of weeks.  As someone who never wins anything, I am immensely jealous.  She is a very nice gal and I have really enjoyed becoming a follower of her beautiful blog.  Maybe you should buy a lottery ticket girl....just sayin....


And the winner of the Carolyn Westbrook book, The French Inspired Home...

and one of my antique grainsack hearts...

and the handmade card...

and the vintage damask napkins...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

RACHEL of *FRENCH FARMHOUSE 425*

Give me a ringaling Rachel and I will pass on your information to the book publisher and get your pretty package from me all together and on its journey to you.  

Until next time,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day with family and/or friends. I am getting ready to watch my favorite movie of all time, "It's a Wonderful Life". And maybe make a second pie run...YUM! Anyway, I will leave you with a few random Christmas pictures I wanted to share.  Click on the photos if you want to enlarge them.

One of my little antique bisque dolls that I dressed up for Christmas...

A glimpse into my talented friend Melanie's shop, called appropriately "Handcrafted Santas and More".  She makes the most divine large Santa vignettes, using beautifully put together antique and vintage items that she gathers up from estate sales, flea markets, garage sales, and antique shows.  I'd have one in every room if I had the space.  This little guy was so wonderful.  Look at the colors on his coat and accessories. 

This fellow is a "sewing" Santa done up in shades of pink.  How could you not love it?  All of Melanie's Santas have some sort of theme whether it is sewing, music, cooking, reading, etc.

This creamy white seashell Santa is glorious...

More randomness...

I didn't do much decorating this year, but this was one of the "use what you have" things I did up and just fell in love with.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  Just wrapped up some empty boxes with old papers, added some pretty ribbons and laces, and topped them off with old jewelry.  And added a little glittered dove for an extra punch.  Voila!

Still loving the dove theme, I used another one perched on some old maple sugar molds and antique tinsel I've had forever and added the wonderful 1920's rhinestone and feather millinery piece I just got at an estate sale.  All were nestled on an old Italian pottery compote.

Finally, a present I wrapped up for my friend Denise. I made her a darling doll which was inside, but she loved the wrapped box so much, I'm not sure she has opened it yet! I admit it, I was proud of myself at how cute it turned out.  I think glitter and tulle make everything better, don't you?

Well, that's about it for now.  My last Christmas movie calleth.  Go make the rounds through the leftovers once more before bed.  Diet is just DIE with a T at the end, ya know!

Until next time,

Does anyone REALLY know what time it is? A collection...

When I first started blogging, I stated a desire to share some of my own favorite collections with you. As promised, here is the first of those collections, my vintage rhinestone clocks. I have other clocks as well, but for now, we'll stick with the sparkly ones. This collection is one that is not only beautiful to look at, but is rather humorous to me, as well. It has nothing to do with the uniqueness of the collection, because, as you are probably well aware, collecting vintage rhinestone clocks has becomes so popular, its almost a cliche'. What is funny about little moi collecting clocks is...I'm always running late! My time challenge, as my husband calls it, is something that I've been wrangling with for years. Now I know its rude, inconsiderate, annoying, and sometimes all of the above to be late. I KNOW! I just can't seem to shake trying to cram too many things in too little time. On a good day, I'm not late...I'm never, and I mean NEVER early. My parents were always early, my children seem to have the propensity for being early or, at least, on time. It must skip a generation because I think my siblings also suffer from this affliction. So, you can see why having clocks as one of my collections is sort of funny. But, as would be fitting, I can tell you that most of them DON'T WORK! Of course, they don't...they're mine!

Above is one of my favorites from France. Love the detail on it.

Another favorite...so pretty and pink.

Most of the ones on the shelf are either Cyma or Semca and are from the 1940's through the 1960's.


I have to say that the simple round Cyma in the center with just large clear rhinestones is one of my first acquisitions and it is still amongst my favs. Perhaps some other post, I'll share a few more closeups. When I'm not pressed for time, that is!



Until next time,

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

My friend Melanie makes these phenomenal Santas out of all sort of antique and vintage goods. Everywhere you look, there is something fun to look at and each one is a different theme. She hand crafts each face and the hands so every jolly fellow has a unique expression.