Debra Hall Lifestyle

Fall Season Comforts

2014-10-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Filling pots with fall flowers
Collecting fire wood
A welcoming pumpkin at the front door
Switching to warm fuzzy blankets

Along with the changing of the season there's the changing of your home decor. It's easy to change up for the season by adding a few key items to your space. Heavier pillows such as wool, flannel, velvet or mongolian lamb give a warm seasonal appeal to any sofa. Cozy up with thick faux-fur throws or just use stacks of vintage wool plaid blankets as an accent or color. Pots of fall flowers, a harvest pumpkin, fallen leaves or pampas grass can welcome you at the front door. The final product will leave you wanting to cozy up by the fire with a cup of your favorite tea.

Debra

Let's Talk About Baggage

2014-06-11T11:51:00.001-07:00

Vintage And Function

There's nothing like vintage baggage thats boosts personal style, and at the same time is totally

functional.

Lately, I'm all about function and purpose. If it doesn't have one of these qualities...it goes out the door!

I'm a fond lover of vintage bags.

I own everything from vintage tool bags to tote my daily necessities to and from my remodel project,

to a postal bag re-cycled into a flea-market bag for toting my goodies.

so I guess that means...

I come with baggage....good baggage!!

Enjoy your day!

Debra

Feel free to contact or visit me at https://www.onekingslane.com/shop/debra-hall-lifestyle and http://www.debrahalllifestyle.com/

Welcome Gift Of Peonies...

2014-05-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hope all of you had a lovely weekend. We did!

These lovely peonies arrived in the hands of our family guests invited for a lunchtime BBQ this past weekend.

A thoughtful gift, a special gift,

since they are one of my all time favorite flowers. They remind me of my Midwestern roots, where they

lined porches, foundations and entries of our family homes. Picking a huge bouquet of these plentiful beauties was routine in springtime.

Now, living here in Southern California, I'm thrilled with a few stems in a very short lived season!

The smell is sweet, the memories are sweeter. I'm taking time to "smell the roses (peonies)" today.

Have a lovely week....

Feel free to contact or visit me at https://www.onekingslane.com/shop/debra-hall-lifestyle and http://www.debrahalllifestyle.com/

Warm regards, Debra

Hello Sunshine!!

2013-03-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Hello sunshine...you brighten and warm my day! Enjoying the sun pouring through the windows as I work from home. I'm photographing items to list online....

Finding it hard to stay inside and work as I'm itching for spring and planting! How about you?
Have a wonderful day!

Debra

The Smell of Warm Pumpkin Bread...

2012-10-29T16:57:00.004-07:00

Hello....
Hope you are having a beautiful fall! I thought I would share a few pictures of what I have been up to today... baking pumpkin bread!

The house smells heavenly of pumpkin and spice.

It tastes even better set up Vintage style....

I set it on top my very old footed cutting/butcher block along with an Old English bread knife for slicing.

Of course, we like to add a little butter (looking delicious in a antique English wooden "Butter" dish)...

Or...for dessert a big dollop of freshly whipped hevy cream!

Here's the recipe if you don't have a favorite of your own. So simple....

1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, room temp.

3 T. Molasses

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2/3 cup orange juice or water

2 cups pumpkin pur'ee

3 1/3 cups flour

1/2 t. baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup raisins optional

Preheat oven to 350. Butter bundt or 2 large loaf pans.

With mixer cream butter, molasses and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in

the eggs, one at a time. Beat til light and lemon colored. Add orange juice and pumpkin

pur'ee mix well. Sift dry ingrediants together and add to the pumpkin mixture stirring well with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine. Spoon into pan. Bake one hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 min, then turn out onto rack to cool.

Enjoy....Debra

Smitten with Sonoma....

2012-08-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hello again....

Recently my husband and I went on a little getaway weekend......

We visited our good friends vineyard, up in California wine country near the Napa, Sonoma, and Glen Ellen area. It was so beautiful and relaxing.

I am always taken back with the rural beauty, it's part of the rooted farm girl in me. We had a wonderful time and brought back some lovely wine to enjoy and remember our trip by.....until we can go again!!

Thanks for stopping by.....xoxo
Debra

Back from Remnants of the Past...A little of this and that to post

2012-06-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends! It's been awhile, but life has been very busy! Busy in a good way...I am blessed.
I have a lot of new things to share both news and my latest travels but I'll start with this post and the rest will follow!

Last weekend I attended The Remnants of the Past Show in San Louis Obispo. Judy Watkins puts on such a gorgeous and well organized show for all. As a VENDOR it was my FIRST SHOW EVER!! I was so pleased to be invited as a vendor, I was nervous and intimidated but I survived. It was a great success, but more than that, I met such wonderful vendors and shoppers!! I thought I would just post a plethora of pictures with very little words....just for your visual pleasure!

This is a picture of me in front of my booth at the show.... my space was outside!

This first set of photos below are of my space.....

In my booth on top of a table you can see a custom Wingback chair. I had upholstered in all Authentic 100 year old French grain sack fabric with hand hammered nail heads! It was a hit...lots of oooohs and aaaahs! Not only beautifully upholstered but comfortable too!

Above on the left is another set line chair I have available which is a Union Jack Wingback chair custom made with all Authentic vintage repurposed and reclaimed canvas fabric. It's quality and "Made in America" which I LOVE!!

A driftwood crucifix was the center of my entrance vignette....

We sold a ton of things and you know what that means....MORE TREASURE HUNTING!!

Now...for a few of my welcoming neighbors!

The Vintage Bricoleur was across from me and had such a beautiful space!

Another vignette of The Vintage Bricoleur, besides having a awesome view of their space, they were so warm and welcoming for our first show as vendors!

Another vignette ......loved the birdbath!!

This is a snapshot of Terry of The Vintage Bricoleur and myself after the show was over and during the tear down. I look dead tired but I still love the photo of my much enjoyed weekend with my neighbor, Terry!

ABOVE starts the pictures of Atelier de Campagne's space...they were our other neighbor! Beauty everywhere....I would have taken one of everything!! My husband bought me a treasure from their booth as a token of my first vendor show....so sweet. It is a old cement boy statuary.....I love it.

More Atelier De Campagne.....

and more of Trinidad, Johan and Martin.

My third neighbor was Karen Chambers of L.A. Junk Antiques! Karen is on the left and her helper is on the right....her booth was inviting and wonderful.

One of L.A. Junks displays had these clever and darling old egg crate separators and they sold quickly! Love all the ironstone....my favorite!

More .....

So glad we here neighbors.... be sure to check out Karen on Facebook and hit the "like" button!

I wish I had taken the time to take more pictures but being a new vendor, I was a little overwhelmed with everything else. I couldn't leave my husband stranded in the booth! Now that I have one show under my belt, next time there will be more pictures, more wine, more shopping and definitely more socializing. I had a wonderful time!!

I've promised myself to be better at blogging more often, so hang in there with me....there's more to come!

Thanks for stopping by.....

Debra

Our Home in Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine and Thank You's

2012-02-28T15:52:00.010-08:00

Hello Friends!

I hope you this finds you having a good day!

I thought I would share today something I never dreamed I'd be sharing ...

our home in latest Jeanne d' Arc Living Magazine 2nd edition 2012!

I had little encouragement...ok, well a lot of encouragement,

by my friends Fifi O'Neill and Lu Tapp.

They convinced me to have our home photographed, even though I kept saying...

but I need to change this....

and I want to change that!

I change things in the house like I change the sheets on the beds....often!!

My husband claims you don't dare blunder around in the dark...

you may kill yourself falling over something that was't there yesterday!

Anyway, a big thank you to Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine!

I'm honored to be in such a beautiful publication.

Another big thank you to Dusty Lu, the photographer and also friend.

She does amazing work!!

A lastly to the darling and Lovely stylist and one who makes everything happen, Fifi O'Neill or also known as Chez Fifi, she is such an amazing pleasure!!

Here are a few beautiful places where you can purchase the magazine...

Jeanne d'Arc Living - Atelier de Campagne

savvycityfarmer: JEANNE D'ARC LIVING MAGAZINE

JEANNE D'ARC LIVING MAGAZINES - The Beautiful Life

I do appreciate each and every one of you and love to hear your comments!
Thank you all for stopping by to say hello :)

Debra

New French and Fun Finds...

2012-02-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Thank you for visiting! I thought I would share some recent finds today.

I find myself really looking for hard to find, more rare and unusual items.

But, let's be serious, I can't pass up a good/great deal either!

This is a very tall and multi-colored French wicker basket.

French AND unusual!

Another find is this French Champagne basket....LOvE this!
It's in wonderful condition and HARD to FIND!

I added to my stack of French baskets to make a little side table by my sofa in the living room.
Great storage....they hold my paperwork/bills when they come in,
before they get paid and filed into file boxes.

How about this giant French harvest basket?

Very Unusual...my first one!

This was a fun find...

A pull down set of maps from an old school house!

Great condition....

A pair of Cool blue 1930's deco chairs!

Rare design on the back of these garden chairs...fun find!

And last...this adjustable, two tone dress form!

I have a hard time passing these up, even if I have several in stock!

But she is TINY WAISTED...darling and desirable!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ciao for now....

Debra

French at Home ....Part Two

2011-12-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while.... a month since my last blog! Wow, time is flying with the holidays! I wanted to follow through on the part two of French at Home.....

so here are a few more pictures of "French" throughout our home.

Above is one of my favorite dress forms...French of course! I have all sorts of them in my home from Victorian wire, papier mache, Wolf, etc. and I LOVE them all....their my girls!! That could be a whole other blog post....

a mirror in our living room....

Here is the same mirror with two very heavy antique french cement pots filled with fresh ornamental oregano.....

The sofa in the same room, antique french style, down filled and covered in white linen.

This medical cabinet is NOT French but holds our quilts, french linen sheets, and Marsielles.

A French word, matelassé means “quilted,” “padded,” or “cushioned,” and in regards to fabric, refers to hand-quilted textiles. It is meant to mimic the style of hand-stitched Marseilles type quilts made in Provence, France. Matelassé fabric can be either hand-stitched to create the decorative features of the fabric, or woven on a jacquard loom for the appearance of quilting. Matelassé fabric is a heavy, thick textile that appears to be padded, but actually has no padding within the fabric.

An old pair of French shutters hanging in our living room....the hardware is crusty and wonderful.

A french bathtub filled with a french white linen, slipcoved and down filled doggie bed topped with a cozy blanket for our Yorkie, Tyson! He is oblivious, spoiled and loves loves loves his bed.

An x-large demijohn filled with just a few curly twigs.

This is a lovely french wooden rosary hanging on another French form.

....more shutters.

A bottle carrier from France handy on the kitchen counter with my boys favorite of French Market sparkling lemonade from Trader Joe's...it's delicious!

A one of a kind egg basket from France because of it's incredible patina.

It's chippy, crackled paint is so amazing I just have to keep it even if it's only for a while.....

I added this old white farm ladder with rusted metal hardware to our dining room.

It's holding more matlesse's for the dining table.

A pair of old moss riddled cement birds slavaged from France sits on a farm table. They probably at one time graced a cement wall or pylaster.

A 19th century French server set up as our bar.

This is the cognac bottle dated 1872 repurposed into a lamp pictured above.

Another beautiful cognac bottle on the bar.....

This handsome guy is sitting atop a french cupboard that didn't make the picture!

A must have......The Jeanne d' Arc Living magazine set in a old weathered feed trough.

A antique dough trough discovered in France holding simple jars with candles soon to be filled with x-mas greenery. I love it's gray weathered patina! I have another at the store and it's lined with zinc.

I hope you found some inspiration or something you enjoyed,

I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy, happy holiday season....now off to do more decorating!

xoDebra

French at Home

2011-11-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was reading someone's blog about "what's your decorating style", which prompted me to think hmmmm....what's mine? I don't really know what it's called but I like a lot of white, Ralph Lauren Polo style, Earnest Hemingway, Beach Cottage, British Colonial and French farmhouse all mooshed together in one!! What's that called..... home!!

I walked around and snapped some photos that I thought I would share. Today I'm sharing mainly french and farmhouse..... with a few bits and pieces of the others mixed in (that's a whole other post).

One of my favorite pieces in our home is an old iron clock face salvaged from a bell tower in France.

It's about 5 1/2 feet in diameter and seriously heavy,

but we managed to hang it on the wall that's open to our dining room.

This is our dining room French chandelier, with Ralph Lauren wallcovering in the background.

Our kitchen cabinets have mainly french baskets of sorts and 19th century demijohns sitting on top....

A few more cabinet top items are a x-large french wire basket and a wine demijohn in an iron basket.

Here are more farm gathering and laundry baskets with a wire one (not french) slipped in!

They warm up the all white kitchen, but staying with all baskets and wicker keeps it simple.

An old french bottle drying rack holds our coffee cups.

This is a unique french wire bottle carrier holding our everyday staples of hotel flatware, napkins and wine.

This is an old french glass mold planted with succulents for our sunny kitchen window sill. Succulents are great because nothing else can survive..... it gets cooked!

An antique market scale holds this old french vinegar bottle that's untapped!

A small french wine bottle also sits on the scale.

Here is another old but single french bamboo peg to hold my linen kitchen towel.

This white homespun linen towel is a favorite with a monogram in chocolate brown! I bought this years ago from Danielle and Eric at Euro-Linens, they have incredible linens and pillows check them out here!

A french ironstone piece holds my coarse salt on the range top.

A french mustard jar is full of honey handy for use.

Here is a french bread board used as a plateau, but handy for bread when necessary! I kind of hoarded these boards for a while but then sold them off keeping only a few favorites. I just LOve them..... they are getting harder to find!

The powder bath has a french crystal chandelier that I found at the Santa Monica flea market 15 years ago and still LOve!

A french bamboo towel rack is ready for bath towels.

A small bamboo rack for hand towels is hung by the sink in the same powder room.

A french iron bistro table sits on the courtyard patio.

Here is a wine barrel stamped France with the vintage and Winery, now planted with my Pink Lady apple tree.

A tower of french baskets sits in my master bedroom, a great place to store extra bed linens and pillows.

Another french basket full of cozy blankets is in the family room with the doggie bed on top.

A vintage french canvas down filled pillow rests the family room chair that everyone fights for!

Another picture of the simple grain sack doggie bed.

A large french wine bottle sits on the family room stone fireplace hearth next to the leather chair.

An old iron wall sink found in Belgium holds some dried hydrangeas.

A 19th century marble top cabinet sits in my entry way, it feels both farmy and french!

Also French, a pair of cement urns grace my fireplace mantle in the living room.

and last .....

A Louis Philippe mirror in the entry way hangs above the cabinet. I bought it from my friends at

Atelier De Campagne, a very talented and creative trio.

I thank them for finding it, I treasure it in my home!

Ok, I think this post needs a part two......this isn't the end of pictures but it's the end of a too long post!

Part Two of French at Home coming soon....

I hope you found some inspiration or something you enjoyed,

I look forward to hearing from you!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo Debra

A Recent Find Medical Cabinet, Hotel Silver and Natures Gifts!

2011-10-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

I found this original white painted medical cabinet at The Remnants of the Past show in San Louis Obispo. It was an amazing show filled with talented kind vendors selling treasures!!

I love medical cabinets and this one is no exception!

It's paint was yellow and dingy dirty but I knew there was a chippy beauty underneath! I did a test spot, with one of my favorite cleaners ZEP Industrial Purple Cleaner, on the old oil based paint. After spaying the cleaner on, the dirt and yellow just dripped down the cabinet exposing the crackly white underneath....perfect! All clean and smells great.....

I decided to start filling it with hotel silver which was kind of dispersed all over the house. This is a heavy food dome from the Greenbrier Hotel founded in 1778.

These are individual salt and pepper sets used for hotel room or table service. LOve these!! I leave them a little unpolished,

I like the older patina on some pieces.....

I love natural whether it be fabrics, paints colors or elements I find. It must be the outdoor farm girl upbringing. I can't go for a walk without coming home with something in my pocket... a pod, berries, an acorn or a dead carcass!!

A small hotel teapot.....I love when pieces are embellished with crests or the Hotel name.

Holiday time we break out the sterling and antler/horn cutlery set.....

more stuff in the cabinet.....

Hotel flatware and antler serving forks.....great for hordourves!

More nature....salvaged wasp nests served up on a dome covered hotel cake stand!

This is a tiny little hummingbird nest saved from the creeping fig on my front entryway. It's filled with dryer lint and is the size of a fifty cent piece...teeny!

Yes...this is a sweet little baby hummingbird who perished in his nest outside my front door!I found him as is while trimming and gave him a safe resting place in my cabinet :(

A bleached turtle shell...perfect for me the white lover.

A gorgeous piece of razor sharp coral....

....more nests, antler sheds and crusty ocean floats.

....beautiful preserved moths and butterflies

I bought these white berries from sweet creative Theresa of Garden Vintage Antiques. It was years ago at Zapp Hall in Warrenton, Texas and I still love them! She had bunches of them and they reminded me of bittersweet but WHITE! Visit her here, I have purchased some of my all time favorite finds from her that are in my home.

I little skull my son and I found hiking on the trails behind our house....maybe a baby coyote?

a Canadian Rock Ptarmigan taxidermy bird...keeping watch!

And last but not least....guess who else likes hotel silver?

Only when its filled with fresh scrambled eggs or kibble!

or fresh water.....yes, spoiled rotten and loving it!

When I bought the piece I didn't know where in the world I had space to put it, but I knew I wanted to find a spot somewhere. With a little juggling, it fit right into this niche ...... :)

The only thing I regret about the ROTP show was that I didn't have more time to talk with new FB friends, bloggers and vendors but they were so busy selling! That's a beautiful thing.....

I did see my friend and photographer Dusty Lu, and I met Maria of the beautiful Dreamy Whites blog which I so admire! These two are such great photographers I shutter when I post my pictures.....still learning :)

Thanks for stopping by~Debra

My Chicken Clara Belle and Remnants of the Past Show

2011-10-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!!

Hope you all had a great weekend.

I thought I would share some of my purchases from the "Remnants of the Past Show" on my blog this week. I attended the show this last weekend in San Louis Obispo, CA. and made it a two day shopping weekend! It is voted #1 show in the country and was it ever fantastic! We saw lots of friends, met new friends and met fellow bloggers. We shopped all the way up to Cambria and all the way back home....it was so fun!

This is picture of my first purchase, Clara Belle, the taxidermy hen. When I entered the show, she was in the very first booth I visited The Vintage Bricoleur!

I knew if I passed her up she wouldn't be there long, things were being snatched up quickly.

After arriving home, I walked her in hand into my house and gently set her a top my french metal medical cabinet in the kitchen to keep her safe.

I think she just may have found her new resting/nesting place!!

Although, someone on Facebook suggested that I cover her eyes when I make fried chicken!

If you haven't already....visit this wonderful blog http://thevintagebricoleur.blogspot.com/, Terry and her husband are such a sweet couple with amazing style and finds! I'm a new follower of hers and so glad I found her...

Stay tuned and I will post more weekend purchases.....

Blessings~Debra

Recent Finds~A Primitive White Chippy Cupboard and More Wire!

2011-09-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hello All! Hope you had a wonderful weekend.....

We had a fun day selling at the Ventura Flea Market yesterday which is right on the coast!

My sweet hubster joined me, and we shared three spaces and a seventeen foot truck (that we jam packed) with our dear friends Stan and Sandy.

We saw lots of friends and familiar faces, sold like crazy and came home dog tired!!

I thought I would share with you some recent fun finds.....

I bought this primitive white cupboard which was discovered in Oregon.

This would be great sitting on top of another old piece or hanging on a wall.

It has a wonderful white chippy original patina, all it needs is a good cleaning.

I found this three tier rack in the early morning darkness.

I thought it looked pretty great but when I came back to pick it up hours later in the daylight,

it was even more delicious than I thought!

I'm thinking this might work great on the kitchen counter for fresh fruits and vegetables.

If it doesn't have a practical purpose or isn't useful....out it goes.

I found the wire bottle rack at Wertz Brothers Antique Mart, in my dealer friend Alfonso's booth.

I couldn't stop thinking about it....

Alfonso has wonderful taste, his items sell quickly and I just knew it wasn't going to be there long.....

I had the perfect use for it on my island....

I bought it!

A treat for myself, but something I will look at and use numerous times a day!

When you pull up a barstool it sits filled with all the staples of flatware, napkins, wine and antique English pepper grinder.

It's practical, and it fits into my aspiring organized lifestyle!

Justified.....

Thanks for stopping by....

~Debra

A Storewide Sale, New Additions and Packing for a Flea Market!!

2011-09-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Happy Friday!

This week flew by for me.....again!

This week I spent time prepping for the Wertz Brothers Antique Marts Storewide Sale.

We have a big sale three times a year and I look forward to it!

The Mart starts buzzing with dealers (approx. 150) packing their booths to the brim with new finds.

I have been waxing, polishing, dusting, and fluffing hoping to lure people into by booths!

I thought I would share a few photos of some things I took in this week.

These are a few assorted sizes Antique French wine bottles and Demi Johns I have for sale in the booth.

I love to use these in my home, I have an assortment of them on top my kitchen cabinets.

One thing you will almost always find in my booths are lots of horns sheds,

both dark and naturally sun bleached ones.

I adore the bleached ones with white decor!

Another love for my home, as well as for the store, is leather books.

These lovelies are Paris France c.1893.

A white marble top printing cabinet c.1910 with Antique French bottle rack.

above is a huge ships rope and vintage industrial metal basket.

One of my booths has more manly things....vintage black leather jacket, vintage motorcycle boots, riding boots, tin signs and tool boxes etc.

I think one of the things that inspires me most is nature.

I have always had things for display and sale such wasp nests, birds nests, birch branches, turtle shells, coral, moss etc.

Above are vintage chippy gray wall sconces with ram's.

A staple is antique white ironstone...... and hotel silver bowl filled with white coral.

Oh and I forgot to mention, it's sitting on a vintage buffalo hide that is sooooo soft!

This is a gorgeous giant clam shell.

Here is a pair of huge terra cotta capitols with original chippy paint from a turn of the century building.

Well thats all for now, thanks for taking a look!

Now I'm off to prep for selling at the Ventura Flea Market that's happening this Sunday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

I only do flea markets a couple times a year and it's that time!

My shed and garage are overflowing......

The forecast is possible scattered showers....... please No!

It's going to be a great fun day no matter what.....rain or shine!

take care~Debra

A Beautiful Walk this Weekend....

2011-09-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I hope you have had a wonderful weekend.

Our family certainly did, I always hate to see weekends come to an end.

I went on a walk with one of my girlfriends this weekend

and wanted to share some photos I took while walking.

I grew up on a farm and was raised riding horses, so I love them.

Even though I don't ride anymore or live in an area zoned for horses,

I always think about having one again.

This beauty wanted our attention, so we stopped to give him a pet and snap some photos.

The little barn was charming and I love the chippy white fence!!

Just down the fence line were these gorgeous gray-green eucalyptus trees.

They smelled wonderful, so we snapped a few branches from this huge gorgeous tree.

I brought them home and put them in a zinc bucket in the family room.

It was a fun and these look lovely!

Good night all....

Debra

September...And Thinking About Fall

2011-09-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

While driving my son to school at 7:30 this morning and it was already close to 90 degrees, I found my self thinking about fall!

When I got home, I started picking up around the house and thinking about all the things I love that the season brings!

I grabbed my coffee cup and went out to the shed to find the fur collars I've been collecting and saving up! Inspired, I wrapped it around one my french dress forms and threw on some vintage strands of pearls! Yup, it's time to take these to the store.....

and a fall-ish vintage alligator handbag to coordinate....

Fall means boot time....
check out these vintage mens leather Frye boots and...

vintage women's cowboy boots

I found both pair this last week out junkin', score!!

I love vintage taxidermy in my home all year long

....but especially come fall and winter and in my store displays too! This is a Canadian Willow Ptarmigan who's feathers are white after molting in the summer. If it's white taxidermy and beautiful, there's a good chance it never makes it into the store! That's one thing my hubby never minds me keeping :)

I found these dried little pom pom flowers along the side of the road while driving with my girlfriend on Pacific coast highway! I think they are darling and the price was right....FREE!

Another freebee..... dried Crepe Myrtle twigs with berries in baskets.

I have fall thoughts of burning candles on our coffee table.....
these candles found their home in an old weathered feed trough.

......I'm all stock up on firewood, just waiting for cool evenings to curl up on the sofa with a fire!

Fall makes me think of bare trees and bare branches. I was on a buying trip in Texas and brought these beautiful moss and lichen covered branches home, they ended up in my dining room in an old wooden farm bucket!

Every spring and fall show that I attend, it's a "must" that we save room in the truck for a few of these beauties!! The colors are amazing and great for low maintenance displays.

..... fall reminds me of warm bowls of oatmeal with dried cranberries and brown sugar!

it just doesn't sound as good as a cold fruit smoothie when it is now a 100 degrees outside!

Cooler weather will be here soon....I can't wait!
Have a wonderful week!
~Debra

A Long LOvely Labor Day Weekend......

2011-09-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

.....a great way to end the restful weekend!

We have had a great weekend spent mainly around home with our boys, their friends and lots of good eats! We were able to sleep in one morning, take in a movie one night, hit some antique stores, get up early for a flea market on Sunday and .... I even managed to clean and organize my little stone shed that houses my good junk while the guys watched football. Love it.......

Hope you had a great weekend too....

Cheers~Debra

Vintage Salvage Jewelry, Religious Relics and Military Medals

2011-08-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

I love jewelry of all kinds but I am drawn to the charm of vintage pieces.

These are made by a local California artisan and will soon be listed on my online shop! This first necklace is made from a vintage chain, salvage pearls and a re-purposed WW2 military medal.

Often these medals were awarded for special services or actions.

This second one is made from a vintage embellished chain with sterling silver religious medals and a crucifix.

This one is cleverly made with two clasps, so it can be doubled and worn as a bracelet also.

I think there is something special about wearing pieces that have a history.

If only the medals could speak of the collars or uniforms they adorned or the rosary pieces could talk of the hands that held them.....

Each necklace is one of a kind.... soon there will be more to come!

Have a wonderful week!

Debra~

An Antique Urn, Sea Fans,Sea Sponges and a Thank You to Avalon Rose Design!!

2011-08-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hi! Hope everyone had a great weekend!
My weekend was blessed with family fun, friends and great finds!
I thought I would share what I have been up to this morning.
I have this treasured old early 1900s cast iron urn sitting in the house "empty" waiting to be filled. It has had everything from a variety of live plants to dried hydrangeas and I wanted something new....

I needed something easy and low maintenance because it's in front of a window that gets a lot of sun. I took the deliciously crusty urn, stuffed the bottom with newspaper and filled it with brown natural sea sponges and natural "white" sea fans.

The natural snow white fans are new and I'm so excited to carry them along with the usual black, brown and natural tan ones.

I have a variety of sea fans and coral in my booths at Wertz Brothers Antique Mart, they sell well and are fun to decorate with.

Talk about low maintenance....this is NO maintenance! If you would like to see them for sale on my website, drop me a comment and I would be happy to list some.

Last I would love to shout out a huge thank you to my website designer Cathy from Avalon Rose Design! What a delight to work with! By the time we finished, I felt like I have developed a new friendship! You make something so difficult to the non computer savvy person like me, so easy with your talent! Your tutorial on Photoshop Elements was such a huge help to me...if you would like to see it go here. Thanks again Cathy....You're amazing!

A New Blog and Website

2011-08-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Welcome old and new friends! Thank you for coming to visit!

For those who are new to my blog, my name is

Debra Hall and I'm very excited about my new

adventure.

I've been working with my fabulous friend Dusty Lu on the launch

of my new blog, website and Facebook page!!

It t started with LuLu taking some photos in my house for my website and

developed into the idea of a whole new look loaded with ideas, recent trips,

treasures and thoughts to share.

Lu's photography also inspired me to purchase a new camera, which I took

these blog photos with in my house and garden.

I'm having so much fun! It has been such a great learning process and

in the making for over a month, come visit my web locations

and I hope to share some Lifestyle ideas you may enjoy!

Until next time....Debra