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

Vintage Pretty is IN THE HOUSE and... a Giveaway

Happy Friday my sweet friends,

I have a list as long as your arm today, but it is Friday, I'm off from work, and I spent the whole morning puttering and foofing, taking photos, and basically enjoying the process.  My husband said "the list" is really not hard and fast, more like a guideline, so if I was enjoying myself, I should deviate from my to do's and not worry about it.  Gotta love that man...

I am still enjoying the beautiful flowers I bought Sunday.  They are fully opened and nothing short of gorgeous.  I set up a little vignette on my favorite dresser in my living room and, although I thought I was doing it just for the sake of a blog post, I am going to leave it as is because I love it.  I needed to redo that spot anyway and, had I been trying to consciously redo it, I know I probably would have come up with nothing near as nice as this little serendipitous grouping.  Don't you love happy accidents?

One of the little things peeking out of my sewing machine drawer box is my grandmother's prayer book.

She was German, so it was all written in German.  It is pristine, so I don't know if maybe she carried it on her wedding, or perhaps just took very good care of it.  I never got to meet her since she died of pneumonia in 1922 when my mom was just a year old and my aunt was 5.  So sad.  I've always been fond of the book since it has this beautiful crucifix inside the front cover and wonderful gilt edges on the pages.

Now that I've shared some vintage goodness with you, I'd like to tell you about a great giveaway that starts today here at French Laundry.  When the nice folks at Ram Sign asked me if I'd like to do a giveaway of one of their address signs for one of my readers, I jumped at the chance.  If you've seen these porcelain enamel signs, you know they are beautiful, sturdy, and oh so simply elegant.

For this generous giveaway, Ram Sign will give one of my lucky readers a house number sign with 1-5 digits of any size and style (sorry, no name plates or addresses, just a house number).  It is open to bloggers worldwide.  Yay!

So, here's the deal.  To enter, do the following:

1.  Leave a comment on THIS POST to be entered.
2.  For an additional chance, go on over to Ram Sign and look around and come back here and let me know what your favorite sign is.
3.  For another chance "Like" Ram Sign on Facebook.
4.  For yet another chance, become a follower of French Laundry (that's me) or let me know you are already a follower.
5.  Blog about it, Facebook about it, or Tweet it, linking back to this post and send me the link.

You MUST leave a separate comment for each one you do.  So that's 5, count em 5, chances to win an awesome house number sign for FREE.  You only have to do #1-if you'd like additional entries, pick 1-4 of the other choices and go for it.  Ram Sign will contact the winner after I let them know who it is and they will take your order for your sign.  Please make sure you leave an email address for me if you do not have a blog.  If I can't get in contact with you, I can't arrange for you to collect the booty and that would make me sad. :-(

Winner to be announced March 31st.  Good luck!

Until next time,




Linking with:
Vintage Inspiration Friday
French Inspiration Friday 
Home Sweet Home 
Potpourri Friday
Open House Party Thursday
Fridays Unfolded
Show and Tell Friday
Pink Saturday
Simple and Sweet Fridays

A Lovely Start to a Lovely Day...

Hello Bloggie Friends,

I began my day with a cup of cafe au lait, served in my newest acquisition-a beautiful vintage cafe au lait cup from France, purchased on Etsy.  Somehow, it just tasted better than my usual cuppa joe.  I suspect it had something to do with the fact that I actually did do the half coffee, half steamed milk and mostly because of the sweet vessel it was served in. 

I also had to revel in the beauty of one of my old white ironstone pitchers holding the prettiest roses that I picked up at the grocery store (Albertson's) for a well priced $6.99 a dozen!  I told myself I would remember the name of the roses because they were the coolest pinkish parchment color, but, of course, I have forgotten already.  When I brought them home, my little boy said they looked kind of like old paper-EXACTLY!  Anyway, they are delightful and I think they just get prettier each day as they curl and open a little more. 

SOOOOOO yummy!

I've restocked my Etsy shop, so pop on over to Elegant Farmhouse and check out the merch.  I hope you enjoy some of the pretty things I've found in my travels, like this pretty chippy white cutlery box...

and this beautiful art nouveau clothes brush.

A new selection of vintage wallpapers on my blog page is in the works for this week, too.  Finally, I'm going to be hosting a giveaway this week, so check back on Friday for the details.

Until next time,


Linking up with:
White Wednesday
Knick of Time Tuesday

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,

Hats off to you! Antique ribbon work-a love story, part 2

As promised, I am sharing my collection of 1920's hats with you.  All of them feature beautiful ribbon work.  I think you can appreciate the workmanship that went into each one just by looking at the photos, so, for once in my life, I'm going to pipe down and let the photos speak for themselves.



Hat is constructed of metallic lace




This original tag is attached to the blue hat pictured just above it.  I believe it says $8.50.  I may pass out!

Lace Boudoir Cap



Another metallic lace hat, presumably for a child due to small size

Ribbons have metallic thread on the edges



This one is actually more of a silk ribbon embroidery

This combines silk ribbon embroidery, ribbon work, and silk embroidery on the leaves

I also have pretty hatstands, some from the same period as the hats.


Oh, look, more ribbon work



Simple velvet with millinery flower embellishments



Exquisite German porcelain doll used as a base.



Newly constructed in the style of the 20's





Newer construction by the same friend who introduced me to ribbon work


It is so unlike me to be brief, but I'm pretty sure my words would be lost what with all of the beautiful yumminess anyway, so I'm off to link to some of my end of week parties.  Come on by and see all of the cool stuff the other bloggers have to show you.

Until next time,

Linking with:
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Pink Saturday