The First day of Spring

Hi Friends,

Not much going on here, just wanted to share a couple of things.  Above is a hatbox that you would think is an old one but it is new or at least the box is.  The wallpaper is from the 1940's.  I made the box with a kit I purchased literally YEARS ago.  I have many beautiful vintage wallpapers in my stash, and this one was so pretty, I decided I needed to make another hatbox to go with the ones I am using for storage in my closet of dreams.  Speaking of that, I found out that the organization process is taking far longer than I anticipated.  Guess I should have figured as much!  Maybe next month I'll be sharing the finished project.  Sigh...

The arrival of the official first day of spring makes me see spring everywhere.  Even my little silk flowers are all apple blossomy looking.

Now, I do live in Colorado, so it is going to be a while before we have any remarkable flowers to share, but I did find these photos from a previous spring, showing what I look forward to every year.  Lily of the Valley for one.

And the beautiful Bleeding Heart is always a favorite that I look forward to each year.

I'm still enjoying my flowers from 10 days ago.  Can you believe they still look this pretty?   Even though they are drooping a bit, they are still luscious.  Sometimes you get lucky...

Have you seen the magazine Cottage?  Their spring edition has just come out.  It is published by Hoffman Media, same folks who crank out Victoria, Paula Deen, and Southern Lady.

I just got my copy today at WalMart. I can't wait to peruse each page as it looks like a good one.  It is particularly good to me as one of my dear friends is featured in it.  Sharon is one of the most talented ladies around and this shows her beautiful little garden getaway (next time, I hope they show the inside-it is French and FAB-U-LOUS) in her backyard.  It started out as a Tough Shed.  Can you believe it?  The gal's definitely got vision.  I'm so happy for her.

Don't forget you still have time to enter my Ram Sign giveaway.

Just leave a comment on the previous post for a chance to win one of these awesome European house number signs.  Sorry about the total random photos and my rambling.  I am a little out of sorts due to a job that has now fallen into my lap because of another person's incompetence.  Oh well, this too, shall pass.  Keep a good thought (or two) for me this next week or two as I embark on a task that I'm not sure I am really up to, but I have to do it, so damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. 

Until next time,

Linking up with:
White Wednesday
What's It Wednesday

White Wednesday Teapot

Just a quick post for White Wednesday (which I'm posting on Thursday-SOOO organized, right?).  I am doing a little show and tell of a favorite little teapot of mine.  I collect white ironstone, but have much of my pieces packed away :-(  I have been digging through all of my boxed treasures and sorting and eliminating, etc.  Call it pre-spring cleaning.  Anyway, imagine my happy dance when I found this pretty piece which, quite honestly, I'd forgotten about.  It has an embossed English registry mark on the bottom, but look at the interesting Asian inspired details.  I'm not sure it is ironstone although it was sold to me as such and it certainly goes well with the other pieces.  What do you think?  Does anyone have any thoughts on this cutie patootie piece?  I love the details, including its hinged top.

 Any info. would be appreciated, but also feel free just to say hello!  Hope you are all having a great week-shriek!  It is almost the weekend again and the hubs and I are judges for our regional science fair on Saturday.  Then daylight savings time SPRING FORWARD on Sunday.  Before you know it, it will be Easter.  Wow!  Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it.

Until next time,

Romance is in the Air...and so is a Sweet Discount!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Since this is a day of love, I thought I'd share one of my little romantic collections with you.  Back in the day, a lady had a collection of handkerchiefs and once they were all ironed and ready to go, she wouldn't want them to get rumpled.  She no doubt had on hand a handkerchief keep that she could keep in the drawer to store her pretty hankies in.  As was the case, then and now, we ladies liked to make our functional items pretty, so you will find all manner of hanky keepers or holders if you keep your peepers open.  Many (most that I've seen) are constructed of silk in and out and fold over like a piece of paper with some type of either button closure or ribbon tie.  I have a few of these being the collector that I am, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you.

This romantic little couple is basically a transfer on silk.  I know how we do this nowadays, but I am not sure of the process they used back then to put the image on the silk.

This gorgeous one is embroidered with silk thread.  LOVE the basket of flowers, don't you?

This one is a combination of the transfer for the face and hand painting all around, including the beautiful pink flowers.

This fabulous pansy design is hand painted.  Pansies were a favorite of the Victorian era I believe since you see them pop up on all sorts of decorative items from china to silk to canvasas.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of my favorite things and I hope you all have a wonderful day with those you love, especially if there is a special someone in your life.  As a thank you to my blog readers and my great Etsy customers, I am offering a very SWEET discount of 30% off ANY ITEM in my Etsy shop, Elegant Farmhouse.  Now is the time to buy yourself a treat or a gift for someone else...just enter the discount code IHEARTYOU at checkout.  This deal is sweet, but just like that Valentine's candy, it will be gone fast as it expires in 24 hours.  Jump on it before noon Pacific time tomorrow , February 15th.  I will be sharing this post for White Wednesday; join me, won't you?

Until next time,

White Valentine's Wishes for You...

What did we do for inspiration before Pinterest???  Well, I for one am thankful for the bounty of beauty that lies on this wonderful site.  Yes, I am addicted.  I'm sharing some of my favorite white hearts which I will try to properly credit, but if I miss something, please let me know.  I'm sharing my white valentines with White Wednesday over at Faded Charm.  Stop on by and drool over all of the lovely shades of white.

Until next time,

Photo credits left to right:
1.evasabbado.blogspot.com
2. nellyvintagehome.blogspot.com
3.http://www.flickr.com/photos/catas_craft/4872003682/
4.http://www.petitemichellelouise.blogspot.com/
5. http://wonderfullyflo.com
6.frenchlaundryblog.blogspot.com
7.frenchlaundryblog.blogspot.com
8.http://toocutethings.blogspot.com
9.countrymela.blogspot.com
10. justagirl.typepad.com
11.thewhitebench.com
12.ebay.com
13.etsy.com
Not a perfect system for crediting back to the original source, but it is the best I can do. If you see one of your photos and the credit is incorrect, please send me the correct link and I will happily update. Thanks!

Helping Celebrate 100 White Wednesdays!

I don't know about you, but I am amazed at Kathleen over at Faded Charm...for the last 100 Wednesdays, she has hosted the most fun blog party around, White Wednesday.  That's quite a feat, or as someone who has a blog called French Laundry should say, a "tour de force".  I thought in honor of this, I would do a little retrospective of a photo from each White Wednesday I had participated in (22 in all-seems kinda puny in light of 100 posts, but that's why she's AMAZING and we're all helping her celebrate.  I've shown pictures of my mantel (lots of times...but hey, I like it!).


Statues have been a favorite, along with pretty lacy things, and Jeanne d'Arc Living inspiration...

I've shared some craftiness...

And some shopping tresors from my antiquing jaunts...

We've shown our whites on holidays...

And it wouldn't be White Wednesday without the occasional piece of ironstone...

And, this still remains, my favorite WW post when I did a couple of mosaics of pretty white things I found around my house.

Kathleen, hats off to you gal, you've been faithful and oh so consistent.  Thanks for making WW THE event of the week.  We should be giving you gifts, but instead, sweet Kathleen is giving US a chance to win her most amazing 100th post giveaway.  All sorts of beautiful gifts for a lucky blogger.  I am getting all excited just thinking about it.  Click here to be taken there.

This week is going to be one heck of a party!

Until next time,

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,

Mostly White Wednesday and...Charlie Sheen???

What, you ask, could White Wednesday have to do with Charlie Sheen?  Well, if you have even peripherally caught some of the rants of this latest train wreck ("winning"), you know that Dear Charlie has two live in girlfriends which he calls...now here it is....the reason for my catchy title...are you ready?

THE GODDESSES

Now I certainly can't condone Charlie boy's actions as of late (although I do think we are witnessing a very sad, very real meltdown of a person's life), I do have to agree with him in his admiration of goddesses.  I have long been fascinated by the figural representations of goddesses and, as I am wont to do, went on a mission to see how many I could find around my home.  I know there are more, but my light was fading fast and dinnertime loomed.  

This beauty resides in my bathroom...

This lovely Mucha lady lives in our upstairs hall...

A gift from a dear friend that occupies a little spot in the dining room...

The following all reside in my studio...perhaps they are the goddesses of creative inspiration???

This stunning old door which is propped up in a corner was painted by the very talented Lori Gutierrez.

How could I not feel happy just looking at this beauty?

I hope you enjoyed this little mini tour of my goddesses.  This week, I wish for you to find your creative muse, whatever your method of expression is, and embrace the goddess within yourself.  For more great inspiration, go over to visit Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday.  You'll be glad you did.

Until next time,