My Romantic Country Magazine Feature

The magazine is out, and to say I'm thrilled
would be a bit of an understatement!

I am fortunate enough to have 11 of my photos featured
in the Summer 2011 issue of
Romantic Country Magazine,
on newsstands now!

Back in January, I headed to Burton, Texas to do a top-secret photo shoot
for none other than RC Editor, the Fabulous Fifi O'Neill.

I was lucky enough to be invited to photograph
the beautiful properties belonging to
Linda and Ludmil Marcov of Willow Nest,
and I spent two days snapping away at
both their glorious B&B and their main house.

And now I am SO pleased
to be sharing it with all of you!

The story is titled "The Feminine Mystique"
and it's a six-page spread!

Seeing your name in a byline like this and in the editorial credits
is a bit surreal, to put it mildly.
And to have my name immediately after Fifi's Number One photog Mark Lohman is
REALLY surreal!!!

And from my own files,
here are a few of the original images...

In the days ahead, I'll be slipping in and sharing some pics from this shoot with you

which didn't make the magazine....after all, I shot around 700!!!

This is a bit of a bittersweet occasion, as this issue marks Fifi's
last issue as Editor of Romantic Country.

But I am so incredibly proud and humbled to share this issue with her,
and I know that new Editor Mary Forsell will do a wonderful job.
I've mailed back and forth with her a bit lately, and she is just a lovely gal.

Thank you to Fifi O'Neill, the Marcov's, and my buddy Carol Spinski 

for helping make a dream come true!

Taking a few days off now,

have a beautiful weekend!

Remarkable Rose

You see this tiny little doll of a woman
standing next to me?

If you don't recognize her, then shame on you.

She is only one of the most influential style and decor icons of the past century,

and whether you realize it or not, her influence has been felt far and wide in blogland.

Her name is Rose Hicks, and I was blessed beyond belief to meet this

sweet little dynamo yesterday afternoon!

Rose is the matriarch of the ridiculously talented Hicks girls, Carol, Janet and Cathy.

I've had the pleasure of meeting designer Carol Hicks-Bolton on a few occasions,

as she and her husband Tim Bolton are the masterminds
behind the iconic Fredericksburg, Texas store Homestead,
my favorite place to seek treasure in all the world.

But I had never met sweet Miss Rose...until yesterday.

If you haven't met her before, 

allow me to introduce you to her now...

{all pics courtesy of Lisa McIlvain and Mary Engelbreit Home}

Enter my idea of Heaven,
aka Rose's magical home circa 1998...

Nobody has ever done white-on-white better than Rose.

The layering of the mirror and frames...just sublime.

These photos were taken in 1998, people!!!

Everything looks every bit as fresh and inspired now as it did then.

 All those cutting-edge looks you see and admire all over blogland these days?

Rose did it best, and more importantly, she did it FIRST.

Plates over sofa = weak in the knees

This magazine feature in Mary Engelbreit Home was 13 years ago,

and sweet Rose hasn't seemed to miss a beat in the years since...

most days, the remarkable 90 years young Rose
can be found adding her magic touch to the
operations and goings-on at the Homestead store
on Main St. in Fredericksburg, Texas!

Isn't she something?

I made a total geeky fangirl out of myself whilst meeting her, but I don't care...

she's an idol and an inspiration!

My buddies Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered and Dawn of The Feathered Nest 

are the only other two people on Earth I've met
that share to the same degree
my love and passion for the beauty

created through Rose and her kin.

The Hicks and Bolton crew have no idea how deeply their design aesthetic
has permeated every bit of my own creative vision,
and it is my pleasure and honor to spread the word

about them far and wide.

And Rose...sweet, lovely Rose...

How thrilled I am to share a hometown with you now, dear lady!

Keeping my fingers crossed that Mama Rose might one day soon allow me

to photograph her charming casa!

I'm workin' on it, people! Fingers AND toes crossed!!!

If any of you are ever in the area, please pay a visit to only the 

most incredible store around...

Homestead and Friends

230 East Main Street

Fredericksburg, Texas

And I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention

also getting to meet the lovely, sweet and super talented

Binky Morgan of Binky La Faye.

This uber talented gal is a super designer in her own right,

and not only has a shop of her own,
but also does styling work at Homestead once a week.

I think (hope) that Binky and I will be getting into much  mischief in the days ahead.  ;-)

So, uh, yeah....getting to meet these gals MORE than made up for not going
to Round Top and Warrenton this time!!!

Off for now, but just a quick update before I go...

The Summer issue of Romantic Country magazine

featuring my Willow Nest photos

is on newsstands now!

I'll be doing a post on it soon,

along with news of THIS exciting giveaway I'm having...

You won't want to miss this one, as Fabulous Fifi

is somehow involved...
can't say just how, just yet...but will spill it next post!

Have a wonderful day!

Magazine Sneak Peek!!!!

I'm so excited!!!

I haven't even received my copy of the issue yet,

but my bestie Debra sure has...

be sure to pop on over to 

Common Ground

to see what has me all twitterpated!

Thank you, sweet Debra!
And thank you, Fifi!

XO,

P.S.

Exciting "Romantic Giveaway" News Coming Soon!

Beautiful Buttons!

{  Linda's beautiful buttons }

Happy Monday!

I know that a lot of you out there LOVE buttons...

beautiful, one-of-a-kind buttons,

of all shapes, sizes and colors.

I do, too.

But this is a post about a different  kind of button....

blog buttons, to be exact!

You know, those cute little pictures that, when you click them,

take you to a link or a site or a blog.

Let's talk about grab buttons first.

What is a grab button, you say?

Grab buttons are images that are generally used

in a blog's sidebar that link to another site or blog. 

Basically, it's an ad. It can link to your blog or someone elses blog, or can promote

an event or giveaway.

 

 This weekend, I decided to make a new grab button 

for this blog using the image above....

and you can now find the finished result on my sidebar...

I do hope that you'll show me some blog love 

and "grab my button" !

Do you have a  grab or blog button (s)?

I'll just warn you, once you start making them, they're addictive!

There are folks out there who can explain this process far  better than I can,

so I can link you to a some most excellent tutorials

HERE and HERE 

But did you also know that there's another sort of button you can make,

and that it's a WHOLE LOT easier?

If you are using blogger, click on "design" at the top right.

Click on "add a gadget"

Click on "picture"

You should now be looking at a box which reads "configure image"

Browse your computer for an image you wish to display on your sidebar, 

keeping in mind that it needs to be sized down to a sidebar friendly size...

Most of mine run in the 225 x 225 size.

You can click the box "shrink to fit" and blogger will do it for you, but I prefer to do it myself.

Still with me?

Now, go back to your configure image box.

You see where the "link" box is?

You can punch in any link you like, and when someone clicks that picture,

it will take you to that link.

Don't believe me?

Just go to my sidebar and click these photos...

 This one will take you to a post I did on my upcoming
featured work in Romantic Country magazine.

 This one will take you to a post on my Romantic Homes feature.

 This one takes you on a tour of our home.

 This one takes you to a post on my cute hubby!

 Wanna see an impromptu photo shoot I did last Summer? Click on the chair!

And this one?

Clicking the camera takes you to  product info
about my most excellent Nikon D700
(although that's my old Nikon in the pic!)

You get the idea, right?
Pretty much all my sidebar photos link to posts,
so don't hesitate to click away...you never know where it might take ya!  ;-)

I hope I've inspired you to play, it's great fun!

And as the Pioneer Woman would say,

I love y'all more than my luggage, but I'm swamped with work this week 

and won't be able to troubleshoot for you if

you encounter any problems with the process...I'm sorry!

But that's why I provided you with those great tutorial links...you can do it, trust me!
And when ya do, come back here and brag to me. I want to see them!

Have a great week, my friends!

choose happiness

  

a busy saturday....

packing

moving 

*sweating*....

wishing i were about 

180 miles away

at the antique shows

in warrenton

feeling sorry for myself.

*sigh*

when i decided to pick up my camera

and do a little photo shoot with the hydrangeas

my husband got me last week.

opened up photoshop

and began to create

{ a sure balm for the artistic soul }

i may not be at the big show this weekend,

but i am nonetheless

surrounded by beauty.

i choose happiness!

hope your weekend is filled with

unparalleled beauty.

Sittin' it Out

This week and next, the greatest show on Earth is taking place

on some farm pastures right here in Texas...

Yep, the bi-annual event known as

Antique Week in Warrenton and Round Top

draws tens of thousands of visitors each Spring and Fall.

And rightfully so. It's incredible!

And it all starts this week.

I had planned to go, as I haven't missed a one since 2009,

but this year...this Spring...it's looking as though I'll be absent from all the fun.

It's certainly not a lack of interest which will keep me away.

No, rather, it's this sticky little thing called life.

In the midst of all the craziness, the chaos,

and the disorganization on this end,

AND in light of the fact that we are STILL trying to get moved ( ! )

there is just no way to justify a trip right now.

But....don't that let that stop YOU from heading on out

and having the time of your life

with some of the best people I know!

{ Me (second from left) and my girls last September }

I'll be back in the junkin' saddle again come Fall,

so look for me then. I'll be there with bells and cowboy boots on, no question!
And don't miss Theresa's Blog Party this Sunday night. It's amazeballs!

Before I sign off, I just want to say thank you to my darlin' buddy
Mary from Urban Farmgirl...

She gave me a super sweet shout out
on her blog, so be sure to pop on over and have a look HERE.

Have a great night!