I'm "At The Picket Fence" Today!

Happy Monday!

My good friends Heather and Vanessa from

At The Picket Fence

have a wonderful series going on called

"Behind the Blog", where they introduce all of us to

some of their favorite faces behind their favorite blogs.

It's a lot of fun learning more about these talented gals,

and I was super honored to be asked recently 

to be one of their featured bloggers!

I'm featured today, so head on over
to read my interview HERE!

And while you're out blog hopping,

make sure you pay a visit to my friend Jackie at

Bliss Farm Antiques, she's having a lovely giveaway

 packed with vintage French goodies.

See you
At The Picket Fence!

Kitchen Pretties

In keeping with the theme of the latest issue

of Romantic Homes magazine

( page after page of AMAZING kitchens )

I thought I'd share some of my kitchen pretties...

some old, some new, all dear to my heart.

 My new hometown has some truly wonderful

thrift stores, I've scored some of the loveliest

china pieces these past few weeks.

 Is that those rose china cup not divine?
A whole set, thrifted for a song.

 And my darling tea towel, 

purchased from my sweet friend  

Jennifer Rizzo's  
Etsy Shop.

{ ahem...this white basin is NOT a urinal. If I had a dime for every person who has asked me if this is a urinal.  This is a lavabo. }

lavabo: a device used to provide water for the washing of hands.

In ecclesiastical usage it refers to both the basin in which the priest washes his hands and the ritual that surrounds this action in the Eucharist. In secular usage, it refers to a sink for washing hands.

Oddly enough, I was never a blue and white girl

until we moved here. The lovely existing kitchen tiles
sort of dictated the decor, and happily so.

One of these days,

I might actually get another room pulled together

and photo worthy, but for now....

get ready for more kitchen pics in the days ahead!

XO,

linking with

vintage inspiration friday 

&

feathered nest friday

Calendar Girl

I had a nifty moment this afternoon,

right here in my kitchen.

 I was walking towards the back door,

when I realized it was August.

I'm sharp like that,

not much gets past me.

So I realized it was time 

to flip the calendar from July to August.

And there it was...

one of my photos!

I was lucky enough to have Sue of Vintage Rescue Squad

select five of my images for her wonderful

2011 Dreaming of Junking Calendar,

and the August pic just so happened to be one of the five.

Because we've been immersed in moving stuff

for the past year, I haven't paid much attention 

to decorating or hanging calendars and such,
so I hadn't really enjoyed this honor
as much as I could have.

Until today.

And it was nice.  :-)

Hello there August,
it's gonna be a swell month!

XOXO,

Design Challenge at Common Ground

Have an ugly room that needs help?

How about a corner that you just can't pull together?

{ me! me! me! waving arms frantically! }

A bathroom stuck in the 70s?

or a craft room in need of a Hoarders intervention?

DO  YOU  NEED  HELP  WITH 

ANYTHING  DESIGN  RELATED

IN YOUR HOME???

Help is on the way,

courtesy of Debra at Common Ground!

...here is Debra's idea...

"Anyone who is in need of some advice, help,

or just a fresh new idea,

can submit a few photos to me for a feature post.

You can do it anonymously, or not,

 whatever you're comfortable with.

Then I'll post them,

 and you all get to leave constructive comments

to help the blogger in need.

It could be a whole room, a wall, a vignette, a mantle...

suggestions for paint colors,

furniture placement,

anything about decor..."

 Don't you think this is a fantastic idea?

I sure do.

Be sure to send Debra all your decor and design

conundrums ( as well as pics! ), 

and let all of US in blogland

come to your rescue.

This should be FUN!

Happy Monday!

Backyard Beauty

They are autographs of angels, penned
In Nature's green-leaved book, in blended tints,
Borrowed from rainbows and the sunset skies,
And written everywhere--on plain and hill,
In lonely dells, 'mid crowded haunts of men;
On the broad prairies, where no eye save God's
May read their silent, sacred mysteries.

Thank God for flowers! they gladden human hearts;
Seraphic breathings part their fragrant lips
With whisperings of Heaven.

~ Albert Laighton ( 1829-1887 )

A Common Vision

You know one of the
best feelings in the world?

When someone "gets" you...

When you meet someone who

shares a common outlook,

or who sees things through
the same lens, so to speak. 
{ pun intended }

I have just such a person

in the form of my best friend, Tom.

You remember Tom, don't you?

You first met him here

when I introduced him as my new photography / stylist

assistant on any big, upcoming photo shoots.

Tom has an incredible eye,

and I've been sort of indoctrinating him into

the wonderful world of vintage inspired photography.

It's been a lot of fun, introducing him to my world,

and teaching him what to look for.

My edumacating him on the differences between tulle, tole and toile 

was worth the price of admission all by itself!

All of these photos you're seeing 

were taken during our most recent walkabout 

at Fredericksburg Trade Days.

And you know what else?

Of the 11 images I'm showing you in the post,

Tom took 8 and I took 3.

True, all the editing and post-processing 

was done by yours truly, but I am happily

surprised to discover that our styles are merging so seamlessly...

that it's hard to tell our work apart at times.

{ I know but I'm not telling }

We have mighty big things planned
in the days and weeks ahead,
so I hope you'll follow our adventures!

And you?

Who is your  creative kindred spirit?
I'd love to know!

XO,

This Old House

Creaky wood floors, 

drafty windows, peely paint.

aka the sights and sounds
of old house love.

I've been tossing around the idea 

of starting a little club.

A farmhouse club, that is.

Not an exclusive, snooty clique...

nope, far from it.

{ tags part of my oc cottage giveaway win }

What I had in mind was a convergence

of those seasoned folks who have lived in and loved

old homes, cottages, farmhouses...

along with those of us brand new 

to the wonderful world of

old home ownership 

and all the joys which go along with it.

 I find myself, oh, at least a few times each week,

encountering some new and befuddling

"old home" situation which leaves me completely clueless.

And it's specifically those times which leave me

wishing I had someone "in the know"

who I could learn from, whose brains I could pick,

whose knowledge could benefit not only me,

but countless others out there.

And who also knows that old homes have a sort of character,
a soul if you will, that new homes simply will never have,
no matter how much old stuff you fill them with.
They have lived a life, and they invite you to enter into
and add to the richness of that ongoing, organic life.

{ pillow from my evelyn and rose giveaway win }

Do y'all know LaurieAnna?

That little stinker just moved into THE most darling old home!

You really should pop on over and check it out.

LaurieAnna has lived in these old beauties for years,

so she is precisely the sort of person I would LOVE

to welcome to our club!
Shoot, I'd make her El Presidente if she joined!

So.....

all you vintage home owners, old and new alike...

are you with me?
Good idea?
Shall we do it?

Happy Monday!