Shabby French Cottage

Me at the Piano "In the Bleak Midwinter"

2012-02-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it was snowing earlier today--the first time this Winter. It didn't stick, but I thought I'd share this photo from last year when it really snowed! I've also embedded an mp3 of me playing In the Bleak Midwinter on the piano.

I love this tune and did this arrangement at the end of last year. Let me know how you like it in the comments section!

I'll be back tomorrow with Valentines goodies, and some sneak peaks of Spring Decor!

Just click play and enjoy!

Music by Gustav Holst, Lyrics by Christina Rossetti, this arrangement Copyrighted 2012 by Mikey Fuller. All Rights Reserved.

Romantic Homes March 2012--The French Glamour Issue

2012-02-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Well tickle me pink! Beth Livesay contacted me several months ago to include me in this publication! It was so hard not to say anything!!! Check me out on page 12, along with the other lovely blogs featured in the Site Seeing article by Beth! This issue will be on newsstands by February 14th!

A few friend from blogland let me know they got their copy, and when I got home my copy was waiting for me! Ironically, my living room looks almost completely different from what is pictured! Don't worry, the mirror arrangement is still the same--do you know that went viral on Pinterest? Ha!

I've been busy re-doing things since I had to re-arrange furniture to fit in my new sofa! I'll be back soon with a post on those changes, as well as a side table I made from a neat old hardware cabinet, plus my bedroom that has been forever in the works! Oh--I almost forgot--I'm getting things ready for Spring! Hopefully I'll get the first of these posts up sometime this weekend!

This is a photo of my living room now (minus the remnants of Christmas) from almost the same angle.

Thank you again, Beth, as well as Jacqueline deMontravel, Meryl Schoenbaum, and the other folks at Romantic Homes! Thank you, Sue Profit for being the first to spot it, as well as the kind words from Janet Coon over at Shabbyfufu, thank you to Nana Diana for the blog post, and to everyone for all the positive feedback!

Another chance at a Santos Crown & Ex Voto Hearts!

2012-02-05T05:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the fabulous turnout of the Santos Crown & Ex Voto Heart Give-A-Way! Congratulations, again, to the winners!

I was lucky enough to secure additional Santos Crowns & Ex Voto Hearts!!! I can't give them away, but I can sell them at a significant discount!

Crown measures 5.5" in Diameter at the bottom and about 7" at the top. It is 4.5" high.

The crowns are just like the one in the photo, excepting the rhinestones are a beautiful, subdued red wine color--almost like light shining through merlot--not tacky flashy bright red.

Most places sell them for $87 + S&H each! I've got them for $65 (each) that includes S&H in the 48 Contiguous States! Pop over to my shop here to purchase! Contact me directly for shipping information outside of the 48 Contiguous United States.

If it's Ex Voto Hearts your after, your in luck!

Most places sells them individually and charge upwards of $20 each! That is if you can find somewhere that sells them! Check out Santos Cage Doll . Com, if you don't believe me!

I'm selling a set of three Ex Voto Hearts for $44! That includes S&H in the 48 Contiguous States! Hurry as I only have three total sets to go around! You can see all three sizes in the photo below:

Ex Voto Hearts Measure as follows: Large: 5" wide by 6.5" high; medium: 4.75" wide by 5.5" high; small: 2.75" wide by 3.75" high.

Visit my online shop to purchase! Contact me for shipping information outside of the US 48 contiguous states. Please visit my FAQ Page for additional S&H questions!

Again, quantities are extremely limited, so hurry to be sure to secure your lovelies today!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Drum roll Please. . . .Santos Crown & Ex Voto Heart Winners!!! + 200th Post!

2012-02-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

. . . and the winner is:

Grand prize of one Santos Crown and three Ex Voto hearts:

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting

Second Prize of one Santos Crown:

Rosemary @ Villabarnes

Third Prize of 3 Ex Voto hearts:

Nancy @ Coeur d'Alene

Thanks again for all your sweet comments and support! Please stop by and congratulate the winners! I've got another great Give-A-Way coming up! Details will be announced soon!

Remember, if I cannot establish contact with the winner within 72 hours of announcing the winner, he/she will be disqualified and I will randomly select another winner.

I used the Random Number Generator from Random.org to select winners.

This is my 200th post! Wow! I will have to do a special post to celebrate!

It's Not Too Late, but the GIVE-A-WAY for TWO Santos Crowns and SIX Ex Voto Hearts ends in 2.5 hours!!! HURRY and Get your entry in!

2012-01-31T18:32:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

In case you missed the boat, I'm giving away TWO Santos Crowns and SIX Ex Voto Hearts! If you haven't entered the Give-A-Way I'm having for Santos Crowns and Ex Voto Hearts, it's not too late, but HURRY because the contest closes TOMORROW at 11:59:59 PM EST on 01/31/12!!!

Click here for details and to enter!

I will randomly select the winners and announce them via blog post sometime on February 1st, 2012!

Comments have been disabled on this post. Please click here to go to the original post to enter!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Santos Crown & Ex Voto Heart Give-A-Way Ends TONIGHT at 11:59:59 PM EST!

2012-01-31T09:59:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

Click here for details and to enter!

I will randomly select the winners and announce them via blog post sometime on February 1st, 2012!

Comments have been disabled on this post. Please click here to go to the original post to enter!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Ex Voto Heart & Santos Crown Give-A-Way Ends TOMORROW 1/31/12!

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

Click here for details and to enter!

I will randomly select the winners and announce them via blog post sometime on February 1st, 2012!

Comments have been disabled on this post. Please click here to go to the original post to enter!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Starry Starry Night + Santos Crown & Ex Voto Heart Give-A-Way!

2012-01-29T04:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo from Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. I plan to go back in Spring and take loads more pictures! I forgot my tripod, and this was the only shot that turned out! I sooo need a greenhouse like this! Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

If you haven't entered the Give-A-Way I'm having for Santos Crowns and Ex Voto Hearts, it's not too late, but HURRY because the contest closes at 11:59:59 PM EST on 01/31/12!!!

Click here for details and to enter!

Going. . .Going. . .Almost Gone!

2012-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

If you haven't entered the Give-A-Way I'm having for Santos Crowns and Ex Voto Hearts, it's not too late, but HURRY because the contest closes at 11:59:59 PM EST on 01/31/12!!!

Click here for details and to enter!

This is one of the Ex Voto hearts in the contest!

Directly above is the size and style of the Santos crown in the contest! I'm giving away two (2) of them!

Above are more of the hearts in the contest!

Good Luck!

Comments have been disabled on this post. Please click here to go to the original post to enter!

Ikea Saves the Day With Ektorp!

2012-01-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

Okay. . .so whether or not you know, I've lived without a comfy sofa for about three years! When I first bought my house, my old sofa was too big for my living room, so out it went. I replaced it with a lovely antique French settee because the price was super cheap and was only a temporary solution. Needless to say, not too long after, my finances took a nose dive, and I lived with the settee. Keep in mind it is the type of furniture you have company you don't want to stay long sit there.

Anyway, I've been under a lot of stress and really needed something to stretch out on--just to put my feet up and relax. Since my finances still haven't recovered, I've been looking at sofas for quite some time drooling over them. I even found one that was fabulous at a local furniture store, and was going to finance it, but the staff was so rude and unhelpful I left.

Still sad about not getting my perfect sofa, I hit blogland and read about the Ektorp sofa from Ikea. Sure--I've heard of Ikea for years--I even had a computer desk from there in high school. So I read every review of the Ektorp, borrowed a truck (and a friend to drive said truck--come on--me drive an extended cab F150? I don't think so).

I sold a few things online, and paid for my sofa with money from Christmas. Yes, I'm still young enough people still give me money for Christmas....(Thank you Grandma Fuller, Marie Cotten, and Wanda Bond!)

I say Ikea saved the day, because they had some great promotions (Offers, as they call it). If you ate in their restaurant, they would deduct that amount from your furniture purchase of $100 or more that day--free food--score! PLUS they had FREE MASSAGES for customers--Score again! Not to mention, I was able to pick up a few other things I needed at their insane low prices.

Since I got the new sofa, it was time to shop the house to change out accessories and further refresh the room. I pulled the candelabras from the dining room, cloches from around the house, and moved the nifty multi-drawer cabinet out from under the table next the the front door.

You can see I still have up the majority of my Christmas decor....shame on me...lol! I plan on moving the pink chase to my guest bedroom, as nearly everything in there is pink!

I've got some pretty resin wicker chairs in the garden, I will use in here as soon as I can get them hosed off.

I will add legs to this nifty cabinet to raise it a few inches higher. I think, too, that it will make it appear less heavy against the sofa up on some skinny legs.

One last look at my new sofa!! If you are curious about the sofa, or its construction/assembly, as it comes packed flat in a rather large cardboard box, you can watch the video below I found on YouTube!

Ektorp Sofa from Ikea

2012-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

I just got the Ektorp sofa from Ikea in Blekinge white. You know the now famous $399 sofa! I must say, I was skeptical that it really all fit in the box it came in--to the point I had a gnawing feeling I left a box at the store. But low and behold, the ENTIRE sofa fits in a surprisingly small box just over a foot deep and 3 feet wide by about 8 feet long! Amazing!

All you do is open the box, screw on the legs and arms, unwrap the vacuumed packed cushions, flip up the back, and pop on the slipcovers! Each cushion as well as the frame has a separate cover--so it really looks upholstered. Everywhere I have read says they wash very well in case of spills. The good thing, too, to remember is that a new slip cover starts at only $49! Yup, you read that right! A new white cover like this is $49! It is a very nice quality cotton denim--nice zippers and seaming and everything!

It took a bit of re-arranging to get everything situated. More photos here.

Also, look for photos from the AMAZING model train set I got to see a few weeks ago coming very soon!

Don't forget about the GIVE-A-WAY!!!

For the Santos Crown and

Ex Voto Hearts Give-A-Way, click here!

As seen on Shabby French Cottage

2012-01-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, I get lots of questions about lots of things in my home...I've tried to collect sources for similar decor and furnishings in my home! I have tried to keep them as budget friendly as possible, too! Some however, are not, but then again, I've really been lucky at Estate Sales, Yardsales, and general antiquing to pick up some very lovely finds for very little money.

If you didn't know, I'm giving away two (2) Santos Crowns and two (2) sets of three (3) Ex Voto Hearts!! More info here.

I picked the top three items I get asked about, my wine bottle drying rack, marble topped dining room table, and Nordic French candelabras.

Image courtesy of Arhaus Furniture

I purchased mine from Wisteria, but I haven't seen it online or in a print catalog in a while, but I did find another source!!! This one is from Arhaus Furniture and only costs $99! This store is like Pottery Barn got together with Anthropologie! It's amazing! Check out their website!

Photo courtesy of America Retold.

This French styled Marble Brasserie Table is nearly an exact match for my antique dining room table! You can find this table in my Amazon aStore!

Photo Courtesy of America Retold

This fabulous candelabra mimics the look of antique French Nordic candelabras. If you remember I recently acquired a pair. Mine is pictured below note the similarities! You can purchase it in my aStore here.

Photo courtesy of The Petite Market

If there is anything you see here that you want or can't find--maybe I can find it for you! Leave a comment letting me know what you are looking for--I will do a future post on the most requested items as long as I can find something that is both similar and readily available mass market! If it is a specific one-of-a-kind item in my home, it could also be for sale--just ask!

Disclaimer: I am not endorsed or associated with Arhaus Furniture, Pottery Barn, Wisteria or Anthropologie--I'm just a big fan!

Purchase of the America Retold items through my Amazon aStore will credit me a portion of the purchase price as outlined in the Amazon Associate policy available on Amazon.com.

More Chances to Win Ex Voto Hearts and Santos Crowns!

2012-01-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

Because of all of the fabulous participation in this in just the first 24 hours, I've decided to up the ante and give everyone additional chances to win!

See the original post here for all of the details!!!

Since this contest continues through the end of the month, I have sweetened the deal since I exceeded 1,000 followers on the blog and 1,000 likes on Facebook!

Please help spread the word for more chances to win!!!

First winner will receive one (1) Santos Crown AND one (1) set of three (3) Ex Voto Hearts PLUS a signed copy of Romantic Homes Magazine from September 2011 featuring my kitchen.

Second winner will receive one (1) Santos Crown.

Third Winner will receive one (1) set of three (3) Ex Voto hearts.

If I reach 1,500 followers on the blog, and on Facebook, there will be an additional
Three (3) runner-up winners who will receive one (1) single Ex Voto heart each.

Sorry, but you can only win once!

Good Luck!!!

Comments disabled for this post. To enter contest, please visit original Give-A-Way post and comment there!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Santos Crown and Ex Voto Hearts Give A Way!

2012-01-03T18:03:00.000-08:00

Contest Has Ended.

Thank you for all your support!

You read that right, I'm having a Give-A-Way of one (1) Santos crown and one (1) set of three (3) ex voto hearts! Keep reading for details!

[Edit]
I just shared additional prizes on Facebook, see below for details:

Above is the size of the crown included in the Give-A-Way! As each one is hand-made, it may vary slightly from the one shown. [Edit] Crown is made of antiqued iron and ruby colored cut-glass rhinestones.

The ex voto hearts will be very similar to the ones pictured here, but each is hand-made and unique!

The winner will receive one (1) of each style of ex voto heart for a total of three (3) ex voto hearts. Ex voto hears are made of brass with an antiqued silver finish and will gain a beautiful patina over time.

[Edit for ADDITIONAL PRIZES!!!]

Since this contest continues through the end of the month, I have sweetened the deal because more than 1,000 wonderful folks became followers on the blog and liked SFC on Facebook! I'm more than flattered! Thank you!!!

Please help spread the word for more chances to win!!!

First winner will receive one (1) Santos Crown AND one (1) set of three (3) Ex Voto Hearts PLUS a signed copy of Romantic Homes Magazine from September 2011 featuring my kitchen.

Second winner will receive one (1) Santos Crown.

Third Winner will receive one (1) set of three (3) Ex Voto hearts.

If I reach 1,500 followers on the blog, and on Facebook, there will be an additional

Three (3) runner-up winners who will receive one (1) single Ex Voto heart each.

Sorry, but you can only win one prize!

Okay, okay, details:

Because this is a HUGE prize, I will keep the contest open until the end of the month!

You have up to a total of five chances to win:

First Chance (Required):

Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know you are now following. If you already follow, please still leave a comment letting me know!

Second Chance:

Like my page on Facebook and leave a comment here letting me know.

Third Chance:

Share this on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment here letting me know. Be sure to link directly to the page of the contest to make it easy for others to find it!

Fourth Chance:

Pin (or re-pin) this contest to Pinterest and leave me a comment letting me know.

Fifth Chance:

Re-Blog this, linking directly to this post and leave a comment letting me know.

Important: You must leave a separate comment on this blog for each entry to count. If you do all five, but list them all in one comment, it will only count as one entry.

Rules, disclaimers, etc. . .

All entries must be received no later than 11:59:59 PM EST on January 31st, 2012. Entries received after 11:59:59 PM EST on January 31st, 2012 will be disqualified.

I will randomly select a winner from all entries.

Winner will be announced via a blog post and on my Facebook page sometime on February 1st, 2012. I will do my best to contact the winner; however, if I cannot establish contact with the winner within 72 hours of announcing the winner, he/she will be disqualified and I will randomly select another winner.

Anonymous entries must include your name and valid email address or will be disqualified.

I will cover shipping and handling within the United States and Canada. If the winner is outside the United States or Canada, I ask that they split shipping costs with me, invoiced through PayPal.

Winner solely responsible for any applicable duties, taxes, customs, fees, VAT, etc.

This is not a sponsored Give-A-Way. This is not endorsed by any company.

Prizes are not toys and could be a choking or safety hazard for children and pets.

No cash prize equivalent will be awarded.

Sponsors and their immediately family are not eligible to win.

Winner grants permission to use their name, website, and likeness in a future blog post.

Top 10 of 2011

2011-12-31T06:51:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's New Year's Eve! It is the last day of 2011. Where, oh where did it go? A lot certainly has happened. A kitchen remodel, parties, home staging, music, appearing in Romantic Home magazine. . .I couldn't have hoped for better! Here are my Top 10 favorite happenings of 2011:

10. Finding the Mecca of Garden Statuary

9. Creating faux clock faces was a favorite craft project.

8. Making it through Hurricane Irene and a week with no electricity just days after an earthquake struck unscathed--though the damage was immense.

7. Getting my garden looking like a garden.

6. Finding an altar for the house

5. Enjoying my new kitchen to cook lots of yummy things!

4. Getting to stage some beautiful homes...This one sold in 14 days!

3. Sharing some fun tutorials this year, including this one for a vent hood:

2. My kitchen remodel:

1. Being featured in Romantic Homes magazine!

Happy New Year! More exciting news to share soon, plus look for a fabulous Give-A-Way next week!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

Merry Christmas 2011!!

2011-12-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's Christmas Day! This year has flown by for me. Here are some photos from where I went to Christmas Town at Bush Gardens, in Williamsburg, VA!

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas in an 1879 Mansion Tour!

2011-12-24T06:08:00.000-08:00

I attended a fabulous Christmas party at a friend's house! If you remember, I used to live in the former Carriage House that was converted into a guest cottage....English gardens, pond, roses, hydrangeas, and no yard work for me....That was my first place on my own outside of college. Either way he threw a big bash for friends for Christmas!

I see a Christmas tree welcoming us in. . .

Poinsettias lining the stairs greet you as you enter.

Let's look left into the front parlor and see more of that Christmas tree!

And notice the male angel on top! Every angel mentioned by name in the bible (Michael, Gabriel) was male, so the homeowner thought he should have a male angel on the Christmas tree!

Under the tree are lots of packages--all vintage boxes from local department stores from a bygone era.

We are now facing the rear parlor, which is actually the dining room. When my friend first bought the house it had been sub-divided into apartments, and the Maid's Wing that connects (through the doorway seen below) was a separate apartment. The home's original Kitchen is now the living room of the Maid's Wing, with the Butler's Pantry serving as the kitchen! His Kitchen is a former Sun Room off of what would be the actual Rear Parlor, which serves as his Dining Room. His true Front Parlor is a Library.

By the way--all the crystal chandeliers--he MADE them!!! Wow!

Speaking of chandeliers, and the home's past of being apartments, there was a drop ceiling covering up those HUGE plaster medallions! The lovely archways were also walled off and replaced with hollow-core doors! The Horror! The homeowner that did all of that damage even took one of the slate mantels with him!

See the mantel? That is slate with the original Victorian faux finish to make it appear to be marble--much more of a luxury at the time.

His home is decorated with beautiful antiques--all sourced from thrift shops, yard sales, and auctions!

Here is a better view of the doorway to the Maid's Wing--it now serves as a shallow closet.

In the Library, walls not covered in bookshelves are covered in art from floor to ceiling!

Images of Petersburg, VA in its heyday before the Civil War, and Hunt Prints are the go-to choice of art here!

This room has a very Colonial Williamsburg feel, further emphasized by the brass chandelier.

I love this oval desk. I still can't believe it came from the Salvation Army store, or that someone would just give away such a beautiful piece of furniture!

And that lamp....just look closely:

A bird's claw base...neat!

A VERY old stuffed fox, along with some other artifacts pertaining to Petersburg line a bookshelf.

Mantle lustres line the fireplace in the Dining Room.

There is another amazing European chandelier in there as well. Earlier I said a drop ceiling had to be removed when he moved in. This stained glass window was covered by it:

Why would you cover this up???

I also have to pass along his a decorating tip he uses--did you notice the main rooms were either Red, Green, or Gold? Did you notice that all of the furniture was like-wise the same three hues? That way he can re-arrange nearly the entire house for a new look and not have to re-paint or re-upholster. I'm trying to do that in my own home, with my colors being White, Pink, and Pale Blue/Aqua, with a few hints of Chartreuse for good measure. It is a fun color scheme to work with, but at times can be challenging to keep it from looking like Easter threw up! Ha! (Those are the words of a dear friend...)

I almost forgot, the food was amazing, too!

I hope you enjoyed this brief Home Tour!

Merry Christmas--and don't forget about my Digital Christmas Album!!!

Christmas Music 2011

2011-12-22T04:13:00.000-08:00

Finally! My Christmas album is done! These are all my arrangements of Christmas and Seasonal favorites. I am playing each one live on either piano or organ. While each song is directly linked for download with or without payment, I do urge you to make a donation to help me further fund additional projects like this!

Suggested donations are $1.99 per track or $9.99 for the whole album! If you are able, a more generous donation will be much appreciated! Donations of $10 - $14.99 will include a link to your website or eShop under the Sponsor section of my side bar for 3 Months, Donations of $15.00 - $24.99 will include a link to your website or eShop under the Sponsor section of my side bar for 6 months, Donations of $25.00 or more will include a link to your website or eShop under the Sponsor section of my side bar for 6 months and a hard copy on CD of this album mailed to you! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Directions for donations--click the donate button and follow PayPal's instructions--for Sponsorship level donations, be sure to leave a comment letting me know the amount so I can credit you correctly! Don't forget to include contact information.

Directions for downloads--click the link(s) (below) through to Google Docs and click download in the upper right corner of the page!

Silent Night
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
We Three Kings
O Come O Come Emmanuel
In The Bleak Midwinter
Huron Carol with The First Noel
Good King Wenceslas Rocked Out
O Come All Ye Faithful
What Child Is This
O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Your donations are greatly appreciated and will help fund this blog and music projects, including helping cover the cost of the production of this album! If you are unable to make a donation, please, consider this a gift from me. If you are able to donate a little extra, trust that it will go to good use!

Merry Christmas!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

No White Christmas For Me. . . .

2011-12-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Highs in the 50's and 60's and rain are in the forecast for my Christmas, so I thought I'd share some photos of the beautiful White Christmas over at Through The Garden Gate!

One of these came home with me. . . Can you say LOVE?

From Meteorologist Mike Stone on the CBS6 Weather Blog:

This year, Christmas Day will be mild with the chance of a few rain drops. This type of weather has actually been fairly common over the past 10 years. However, there have been some other types of weather as well.

Here are the high temps and weather recorded at Richmond International Airport on December 25 during these years:

2010: 37° 2.7" snow (with another 1.6" on the 26th)

2009: 56° 0.76" rain (there was 2" of snow on the ground when it started raining)

2008: 64° Trace rain (most of the day was dry)

2007: 52° dry

2006: 56° 0.63" rain

2005: 60° 1.70" rain

2004: 34° dry

2003: 44° dry

2002: 45° 0.54" rain

2001: 44° dry

2000: 30° sunny & cold

Normal High & Low: 48° / 30°

Warmest Christmas: 74° in 1955

Coldest Christmas: 1983 -- Low 3°, High 14°

Snowiest Christmas: 5.4" in 1914

The last time it snowed on Christmas, prior to last year, was 0.1" in 1993. Less than 10% of Christmas Days have snowfall.

You can see I've had very few White Christmases! I can't complain, though, in the South people go crazy--grocery store run out of bread and milk--I haven't figured that one out--I rarely keep either at home!

Let these photos from Through The Garden Gate warm your spirit as you dream of a White Christmas!

Check back tonight for how to get my new Digital Christmas album! Check Facebook here for a preview!

Also coming soon--photos from a beautifully restored 1879 mansion decked out for Christmas, plus more photos from Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art!

Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art

2011-12-21T04:14:00.001-08:00

Okay. . .Finally here are the promised photos from Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art! I must admit, I'm a little partial to this shop, as it is right up my alley, plus I just revamped their website! Be sure to check it out, and also, stop by and visit them on Facebook--I want Santa to bring them lots of new Likes for Christmas, so maybe my friends in blogland can act as Santa's elves and like them on Facebook here!

I've got way more photos to share, so look for them soon! I've also got a super duper last minute post from Through The Garden Gate coming in the next day or so!

This place has fabulous European and American antiques, clocks, furniture, and lots of neat home accessories! 3 friends and long-time antiques dealers run this intriguing shop.

I think this is a spool cabinet--but it would be great for storing crafting supplies.

Keep out? Nah....what's in there?

Why new old stock Red Polish (whatever that is. . .) and Liniment--which I must say may be the worst smelling stuff EVER!

Lots of old skeleton keys are to be found here!

These antique tins would look great in my kitchen!

I'm not sure what this is, but I thought the box was pretty!

This great sign would look fantastic in a 1940's retro kitchen....I love those colors!

Speaking of kitchens, the cupboard came out of a home in Petersburg, VA. If only to find a place for it in my home!

More vintage tins.

Graniteware and enamelware. . .

Wonderful found art flowers for your garden! The artist, Joan, has such a following, that she has a box on her front porch where folks drop off supplies for her flowers! I've actually got a few things I need to drop by her house! Oh, my her house is one of the most fantastic places I've ever been! Think rustic farmhouse meets urban loft--with floor to ceiling views of the river! I will do a photo shoot there as soon as possible!

There are more pocket watches, clocks, and grandfather clocks than you can shake a stick at!

On my Christmas list is this pie safe and corner cabinet! I'd really have to shuffle stuff to bring that corner hutch home, but it'd be worth it!

I'll be back soon with more photos from Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art, Through The Garden Gate, and an 1879 mansion decked out for the holidays! Plus my Christmas CD is nearly ready and will be available for digital download in the next day or so--just in time for Christmas!

Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art Sneak Peek!

2011-12-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

I was hoping to have some photos to share with you, but I'm just going to send you to Sycamore Antiques & Architectural Art! web site today! (Click here. . .) Please check them out on Facebook here:

I just got their website spit polished and am going over there this weekend to do a photo shoot and update everything! Maybe I'll run into Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field, or even Steven Spielberg--all who are in town right now filming Lincoln! They have transformed the area around the antiques mall I used to run into a movie set--they have covered the roads and parking lots with mulch and moss, repainted buildings, and put up all sorts of sets--in the movie studio (New Millennium Studios) just down the highway from me they have build a big boat and port--it's all really neat!

Here are some photos I and co-workers took while they were filming in Richmond--hopefully I'll get some photos this week-end of the action in Petersburg!

Sorry for the poor quality today, many of these photos were taken with cell phones, and some were even taken through glass!

Daniel Day Lewis as Abraham Lincoln is somewhere in the middle of these photos. We had a great view of filming from one person's office.

You can really see where they covered the sidewalks with mulch and re-landscaped in a more traditional fashion, as well as the UNmanicured lawn! They did cut the grass for months in preparation to film these scenes!

Check back soon for photos from Sycamore Antiques &

Rustic French Christmas Mantel

2011-12-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

I hadn't yet shared the mantlescape in my office yet! I went with a very rustic French feel with the decor, as this room is slowly but surly blending Gothic with Shabby Chic and French Decor!

I love these little French crests. They are antique prints I picked up at an estate sale, they are framed pages from an old book--there were over 100 of them to start, by the time I got there there was just a few....but they were $1.00 each, so lots of folks got a really good deal!

I tied burlap ribbon into a bow and used it to hang a Bethany Lowe bottle brush wreath covered in German glass glitter. I love the look of wreaths hung over mirrors or in front of windows--the lighting from all angles magnifies their beauty. The large Noel sign is a clearance find from Wistera a few years ago. This is the first time I've used it, because I got it after Christmas for 90% off, and it got put away. I found it when I was sorting through things to put in my last yardsale!

Here is another one of my French crests. And look--there is more of that "creepy" fabric from Halloween! I love the stuff!

My "garland" is another estate sale find! The branches were part of a large arrangement that I took apart to use on the mantel. It was only $10.00!! I've had it for years, and seem to find a new way to reinvent it.

I love all the flocking and pine cones.

Cloche Encounters Christmas 2011

2011-12-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

Finally, I am posting these photos! I know I promised them weeks ago....anyway here is the cloche vignette in my dining room this year for Christmas!

You saw a tease of these a while back, and I just wasn't happy with everything since I took the antique window and curtains down....I wasn't happy with those, either...so I added my $10 Wisteria Knock-Off wreath and a really cool piece of cast-iron architectural salvage.

The skates were given to me a few years ago and have been in my trunk until I put them under the cloche!

A marble compote holds a bird's nest full of miniature Christmas ornaments. I scattered more ornaments on the plateau it all rests on.

There is the whole vignette, complete with my $10 wreath!

The architectural detail is probably from a widows' walk on an old Victorian home.

The plateau above is the first one I ever bought! I don't think you can have too many!

Merry Christmas! Check back soon for more goodies!!!

~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage

$10 Wisteria Knock-Off Wreath

2011-12-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I really wanted some new wreaths this year, but they are not in the budget, so I made some with what I have--see my Vintage Ornament Tinsel Wreath here. It was featured on Tea Rose Home!

I saw a fabulous French wreath in Wisteria for $179.00 and really wanted it. See it below:

I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I tried to figure how I could make one. While sitting at my desk, I have a straight shot view into the living room and had the above cherub staring at me (see it on my mantel here). Don't worry, I've replaced the cherub with something even more spectacular--can you say ANTIQUE FRENCH ALTAR CANDELABRAS!?! Shut up! Yes--thanks to some finagling on my part and help from Jody at The Petite Market on Etsy, I was able to add a pair of these to my collection:

Photo courtesy of The Petite Market

Needless to say, I will post on these very soon!

Above is my take on Wisteria's wreath, below is the original wreath from Wisteria's catalog:

Photo courtesy of Wisteria

Again, here is my take:

The angel is a little different....so. It still has that antique French look to it!

I took an old ugly plastic green wreath and got a realistic garland from Michael's on Thanksgiving evening--it was on sale for 50% off, and I had a coupon for an additional 30% off, so I was doing good!

I cut the garland into lengths about 10 inches long and wired them into the ugly green wreath, fluffing and arranging the branches as I went around.

So for about $10 (for the garland, I had the wreath form and Cherub already--he was a dollar at an estate sale) I was able to create a pretty close knock-off to the wreath I wanted! I've got more to share! Look for my cloche vignette post in a day or so! Plus I've been doing some baking, too! More on that soon!

Christmas Village

2011-12-03T05:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from my Christmas village last year! I have it all set up, but still need to take photos to share this year's! Look for that later this week-end or early next week! Also look for my Wisteria knock-off wreath!!!