FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

Feathered Nest Friday

2013-05-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

It's Feathered Nest Friday time again!

How has your week been going?

Hope it's been great!! It's almost Friday so even better!

Do you have any big plans for the weekend?

It's been a busy week over here~ I have been babysitting my new little grand kittens

during the day while my son and his girlfriend are at work.

You will be seeing them a few photos of them soon ~ they are so darling!!

Here's what I shared this week~

A Happy Mothers Day post

More about High Point Market and the inspiration I found there

A little Olive Basket love

and a post about what the dishwasher going out started

Let's get on to the highlights and get the party started!

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It all started with the dishwasher

2013-05-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

It happened one evening while I was cleaning up in the kitchen.

I loaded the dishwasher, pressed start and walked away.

But a few minutes later, when I walked by I wondered why it wasn't running.

Didn't I press start?
I started it again and I waited until I heard the motor kick on
and it started to fill with water and then walked away again.

(photo credit: Mark Lohman)

But a few minutes later... it was quiet again.
I sighed and shook my head
aggravated thinking about how my plans for the next day included
taking that dishwasher out again to try to fix it.

This dishwasher was a problem since we purchased it.

The motor was replaced within the first 6 months, and the pump has been taken apart several times

to check a seal or clean it.

The repair guy said to keep an eye on it- because there seemed to have been a lot of these with issues.

So, when it has a problem- I know it means I will be taking the dishwasher out and taking it apart
It's been done often enough that Cullan and I don't even have to watch the You Tube video
on how to take everything apart any more.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Olive Basket Love

2013-05-14T02:30:00.000-07:00

Have you been bitten by the olive basket bug yet?

You know those buckets with their weathered finish and rusty crusty handles

and lots of charming details with all the little slots that cover them

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

High Point Market- Part Two

2013-05-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

I took so many pictures in High Point~ there are way too many to put into just one or two posts

There was just so much inspiration to be found.

If you missed my first post about High Point and the fun us girls had

you can find it here

I spent most of Monday with the bloggers I met up with and then on Tuesday

I perused the inspirations on my own before heading to the airport in the early evening.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Happy Mothers Day

2013-05-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mothers come in many forms moms, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, friends

or a special someone who nurtures you and has an influence on you.

My mother and my grandmother have been such a huge inspirations in my life

So much of who I am today ~ I owed to them.

They showed me what it means to be a mother.

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Feathered Nest Friday

2013-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Feathered Nest Friday!

How has your week been going?

It's been raining here but the sun is supposed to be out this weekend

just in time for a few outdoor projects!

Here's what I shared this week~

Creating vintage patina with Pantone's Emerald Green

A gorgeous chunky basket and French Striped pillows

& Giveaway with Soft Surroundings

A thrift store find vintage dress in lovely peacock blue

and information about a fun new contest going on with HomeGoods

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Something Vintage, Something Blue

2013-05-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you love that feeling that you get when you walk into

a thrift store and find a little gem waiting for you?

You know the feeling.
When you pick something up and start saying
'oh my goshhhh'
under your breath as you admire it's perfection

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Chunky Baskets & French Stripe Pillows

2013-05-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

You know I have a bit of a 'thing' for chunky baskets.

Love them stacked in the corner of a room or set next to a chair with extra pillows or a blanket.

Even better when they are wearing the perfect patina

and when they have the sweetest little wheels.

Something about baskets or bins on wheels just makes my knees a little weak.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Vintage Patina with Pantone Emerald Green

2013-05-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

How do you feel about Pantone's color of the year~ Emerald Green?

Have you embraced it and added it to your color palette in your home?
Was it what you were expecting Emerald Green to look like?

As a Lowes Creative Ideas blogger ~ one of our Lowes projects that

we were given recently was a challenge to use

the Pantone Emerald Green Color of the year somehow in our homes or projects.

I thought maybe a dark green emerald front door would be pretty and that was my plan

but when I picked up the specific paint color formula that we were given

it was just a wee bit brighter than I was expecting.

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Feathered Nest Friday

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Feathered Nest Friday and Happy May!!

I am so glad that the warmer weather is here and Spring is well under way!!

Hope it is warming up where you are too!

Here's what I shared this week~

A gorgeous white flower bucket from Soft Surroundings filled with wildflowers.

A look at the bargain priced drapes I found that were repurposed into shabby floral napkins

and a big project that has been taking up quite a bit of time over here in the past month~

a front porch pergola to give our plain patio a bit of character and charm

I have a fun vintage patina post coming up as well as a great giveaway coming up~ so stay tuned!

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Adding Character~ Front Porch Pergola

2013-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes something on a house things stick out like a sore thumb?

That random wall that juts out just a wee bit too far into the hallway,

or the bathroom that is covered in yellow and brown dotted tiles lovingly referred to as 'Giraffe Tile'

(I know nothing about that one)

or maybe it is the entry that leaves much to be desired

or should I say lack of entry.

I have shared before that our house was originally just a vacation cottage that sat and sat and sat.

The layout and lack of formal areas are big ol' thorns in my sides from a design standpoint-

as a girl who craves formal spaces - they frustrate me constantly

One of those thorns has always been the entry/patio/porch.

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Lavender Floral Panels

2013-04-29T08:15:00.002-07:00

I am one of those types of girls who goes into a store and the first place

I head is the clearance aisles.

You never know what you might find...

and if you might need something that is marked down to just the right price.

;)

On one of those end aisles at Target where they stack up all the clearance finds

I found a rack of shabby lavender floral sheers

I am not a purple girl... but I happen to have a purple girl.

I thought these just might be a perfect change for my daughters room for Spring and Summer.

So I picked one up and found a beautiful 75% off price tag.

Oh yeah.. into my cart they went.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

White Flower Bucket

2013-04-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love something simple that speaks volumes while being somewhat quiet?

You know what I mean- something unassuming that makes an impression.

This pretty white vase speaks to me.

It speaks little French flower shop.

It speaks beautiful bouquets

It speaks old and aged and full of character-

even though it's brand new.

Made from a heavy chunky glazed clay, when this cutie arrived from Soft Surroundings the other day

I was in instant love. Some things are just exactly what I was looking for and this is one of them.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Feathered Nest Friday

2013-04-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Feathered Nest Friday!

It's been a busy week over here ~ I have been over in North Carolina at the High Point Market oohing and ahhing and drooling over all the gorgeous inspiration!

Here's what I shared~

A little bit more about that vintage green goodness in my office

the how to on building a rustic box/crate

and a peek at some of what inspired me in High Point- more to come!

Last weeks party was fantastic as usual~ here are a few highlights~

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High Point Market -peeks

2013-04-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

If you follow my instagram or twitter ~

then you know that I have been over in High Point North Carolina for a few days to visit the

High Point Furniture Market.

Accentrics Home

Talk about a design bloggers dream market!! It was absolutely amazing and inspiring!

I wanted to just move entire collections of furniture into my rooms.

I was so thrilled to be previewing a new line to share with you that I think you will absolutely love like I did- and I was also so excited to meet up with a most amazing group of bloggers to shop the market with!

Our group was organized by the gracious Amy of Atta Girl Says.

Seriously might have been lost without all her help~ the market is HUGE.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Easy DIY Rustic Crate

2013-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I shared that little rustic crate I made and promised a how-to.

Such a simple project and since it was made with leftover wood- it was free as well.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Something Old

2013-04-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you find something that you love in an unexpected place.

Something that yells vintage to you with it's perfect 1940's green color and it's construction

Something that you know you love the minute you see it even if at that moment you find it
it is covered in old dust, oil and crusty rusty bits

A couple weeks ago I shared the mini refresh that I gave the office

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Feathered Nest Friday

2013-04-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Feathered Nest Friday!

Lot's to do so let's get the party going!! Here's what I shared this week~

First up was the rustic wooden box I made out of cedar and filled with mason jars

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Mason Jar Place Setting Bouquets

2013-04-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

I was asked recently on FB if I would be able to offer up some ideas

for wedding table inspirations.

Ideas that had a bit of shabby, romantic touches.

I thought it sounded like a fun idea for a series and so

am working on that over the next couple weeks.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Vintage Planters

2013-04-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I shared the vintage fishing creel I found at the thrift store
that I thought would be perfect with flowers

Repurposing a vintage find into something that fits my style is a favorite thing to do for me
and today I am over at Hometalk sharing a clipboard of charming vintage planters.

Dressers, bicycles, old wheelbarrows and even tea kettles all turned into planters for your home and garden.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Vintage Fishing Creel

2013-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

It wasn't long ago that I was clearing out and de-cluttering

a lot of my 'stash' of props and decor stuff.

Tastes change, rooms change, colors change etc. ~ you know how it is.

I even passed up purchasing a few pieces that I am kicking myself for not getting now

because I was only thinking of things that I knew I would use often.

But then I started working here and there as a photo stylist on occasion

and found myself searching for pieces to add in for a photo.

Pieces I knew I had somewhere...

at least
that I had somewhere at one point.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Rustic Box Centerpiece

2013-04-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get a wild hair and just start doing something random you weren't planning on?

Like moving all your furniture maybe or painting your rooms a different color?

Yeah... me too...

sometimes those wild hairs come out of nowhere.

I was sorting through the leftover wood the other day looking for some inspiration

and I found a few pieces of old fence boards
random sized and oh so weathered.

Cedar boards? Oh yeah.
It's disclaimer time:
I LOVE weathered cedar

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Feathered Nest Friday

2013-04-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Feathered Nest Friday!!

I feel like the party sneaks up on me almost every week!

Here's what I shared this week~

A refresh and a couple changes in my office~
a new paint color and furniture swapping.

A random post about a getaway, down comforters and linen duvet dreaming

I've also been over at Anita's place relaxing on her back porch this week.

Have you seen her back porch?

Well it's gorgeous and comfortable and I am loving it-

so I think I might stay awhile.

Click on over to say hello and see what we have been talking about!

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Bedding & Inspirations

2013-04-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

My husband recently took me to the most incredible little inn by the beach for a romantic getaway.

Each room is different- with a different design, style and ambiance
and they are all decorated beautifully.

Not to mention that the Inn is located just a block or so from the beach

*sigh*
perfection!

In each of their rooms

the beds are dressed with bed crowns, canopies, drapes and delicious yummy linens.

We have been there a couple times now and in the room we recently stayed in most recently

I absolutely loved the down comforter and featherbed.
Which got me thinking...

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Spring Office Refresh

2013-04-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's true...
just about the time I get everything just like I like it

I get inspired to do something different.

Introduce a new color, swap pieces of furniture or just move things around.

Sometimes it's a flea find that inspires a change and sometimes it's just a whim.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...