On Sutton Place

Playing Catch Up

2012-02-23T19:59:00.000-05:00

I'm taking a few days off to play catch up.

Have a terrific weekend!

Re-Discoveries

2012-02-21T21:17:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was a young girl I have loved fabric.

It all started when I was about 10 or 11. My mom signed me up

for a summer sewing class at our local Singer store.

That was the beginning.

I loved it.

All the tools, notions, fabrics and tricks of the trade.

I spent many happy days over several summers

in the back of that store sitting at a sewing machine.

The first summer I didn't sign up for the lessons the ladies

in the store actually called my mom and asked where I was.

I had found a summer job.

Life interrupted.

During my teens and early twenties I sewed very little.

After that I "re-discovered" my love of sewing several times.

The first time was the year my daughter was 2.

She told me she wanted to be a white cat for Halloween.

I made her the coolest cat outfit.

Many costumes followed.

My all-time favorites were these bunny costumes.

My kids have accused me of forcing them to be bunnies for several years in a row.

If I remember correctly, it was only 2.

I made the giant carrots from felt. Don't you love the face paint?

When my son was 3 I began to get restless

as a stay-at-home-mom but I wasn't ready to go back to work.

Re-enter my sewing machine.

I hooked up with a friend and we began travelling around

to craft shows.

I made appliqued girls jumpers, wall hangings and Christmas stockings.

I didn't make this but it's very similar to what I did.

I never made any real money but it was sure fun.

Most importantly it gave me something to do.

For the past 15 years I have sewed mostly home furnishings for myself

and an occasional relative or friend.

I was always sewing something.

New pillows, curtains, cushions, whatever.

Now, at another crossroads in my life, sewing has once again

come to my rescue and given me something to do.

My most recent discovery is the world of vintage linens. I am hooked.

Antique textiles tell such a story.

I'll be sharing a few of those stories in upcoming posts.

The first one will be on...

and

I hope your week is off to a good start.

At the moment I am in danger of slipping into a food coma.

We celebrated Fat Tuesday today.

Let's just say I celebrated a bit too much.

Blessings to all as we enter this season of Lent.

Sharing Sunday ~ Filling the Nest

2012-02-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

Last fall I was fortunate enough to begin

a working relationship with Miss Mustard Seed herself.

I shamelessly sent her 2 huge boxes of

items from my Etsy shop.

She had shared on her blog that her business was

growing so fast that she couldn't keep up.

She had decided to start out-sourcing.

I couldn't get those boxes in the mail fast enough!

She liked my stuff and placed 2 large (for me) orders.

Some things flew out the door of Lucketts and some things didn't.

(Mama Mustard Seed got a few of the left-overs.)

Fast forward to today.

Marian has down-sized her space at Lucketts and is writing a book.

No more orders.

So much for my big break...

In reality, it was probably the best thing that could have happened.

It forced me to focus on my Etsy shop.

I had to count on myself, instead of someone else, to make my dreams come true.

As a result, I have discovered things inside my soul that I didn't know were there.

I have dreams now where there once was an empty nest.

source

I have filled that empty nest and all those empty hours

with things I love.

Sewing.

Blogging.

Learning new things.

Dreaming.

Thank you to any and all of you who have stuck by me

as I have figured this all out.

I'm not saying I have all the answers.

But I feel as though I'm one step closer to

making my dreams come true.

All on my own.

Feature Friday ~ Pinterest Rock Stars #2

2012-02-16T19:16:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the 2nd addition of

Pinterest Rock Stars.

The more I roam around Pinterest,

the more addicted I become.

I decided to try a different approach this time.

Instead of embedding the photos and links,

I'm just linking the regular way.

It took SO LONG to embed all those photos the last time.

Let me know if you think this method is just as user friendly.

I can't wait to share the great pinners I found this time.

First off is Amanda.

Amanda has tons of boards all with snappy titles.

Heaven on Earth is the one that caught my attention.

It's just beautiful.

Next up is my dear friend Katie from Wildwood Creek.

I was way impressed with her boards...waaaaay impressed.

Today I spent quite a bit of time wondering around her

I heart red board.

My pinner was smokin'.

Now I'd like to share Pat's boards.

She's pinned movies which I think is a great idea.

My favorite board is Yummy!

Who doesn't love dippy eggs?

Moving on to Sharon.

I adore her board called The Queen is in.

I'm going to close with Jm.

(and no that isn't a typo.)

Her board titled Package Love is incredible.

Doesn't twine just make you happy?

Hope you enjoyed these rock star pinners.

Stop by their boards if you get a chance.

Leave a comment and tell them they rock!

My 3-day weekend is almost here.

I hope to be back with another post in the next day or two.

Enjoy!

Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

P.S.

I just linked up to the party At The Picket Fence.

They advised taking the extra step

to embed the photos so that the original source is credited.

I took a short cut this time but will make sure and do it correctly from now on.

My apologies.

My Front Porch on Valentine's Day

2012-02-13T20:28:00.003-05:00

I shared my heart wreath the other day.

So I thought I would show you the other end of my front porch.

I brought out my red cushions and ticking pillows.

Added my new "welcome and bienvenue" pillow covers.

I wasn't too sure what to do with the table.

I dug around my craft closet and came up with

this lavender bunch and tied it with the

same burlap ribbon that's on my wreath.

Not a big change.

Sort of a late winter look.

Of course I had my assistant helping me.

She was nice enough to pose complete

with the snow on her beard.

I just added this pillow cover set to my Etsy shop.

I'm trying to get more items listed. I have high hopes for my 3 day weekend coming up!

And last but most importantly,

wishing everyone a...

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Link It Up Thursday at These Peas Taste Funny

My Living Room, a Rooster, the petite market and Advice Needed

2012-02-10T21:12:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone...
I'm pretty much finished with my little Living Room re-do.
It has taken for-ev-er.
I'm going to start by showing you this wall that's seen from the entry.

I'm not going to lie...this wall has been a challenge.
It looked stark and sort of cold.
I kept trying to give it a warmer look.

I covered the stools under the table.
I hung more artwork.
Added more to the table top.

The rooster painting was a gift from my friend Laurie.
I ordered a print for a friend
and Laurie sent this original for me.
I have no words to express how much I love it.

My bargain IKEA stools.
The new fabric has dressed them up and added color.
I used this same fabric to cover the seats in my dining room.
I like to repeat an element or two
in connecting rooms. I think it just makes sense.

I got the vintage wooden drawer
from my friend (and sponsor) Jody at
the petite market.

I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it...

but I channeled my inner Miss Mustard Seed
and came up with this.

I love it.

Now...I need some advice.
I get the daily deal emails from
WUSLU and Antique Farm House.

These tiered wire baskets were an impulse buy.
A good impulse for sure...I think it's wonderful.
My problem is I don't know what to put in it.
If I were using it in the kitchen I would have no problem.
But I want to use it here.
Any ideas?

I've got a couple of pillow covers to make
and then I'll be back with the other side of the room.

I'll be moving to Wordpress
in the next few months.
My GFC gadget won't be moving with me.
I think Linky Followers is a good replacement.
I'd love it if you would check out the gadget on my sidebar.
I promise it only takes a minute.

I'm so glad it's the weekend.
Have a good one...

25 Things at Perfectly Imperfect

2012-02-08T13:12:00.001-05:00

I hate leaving my dog in the morning to go to work.

She sits on a ledge in front of a window and watches me leave.

It breaks my heart. :o(

I'm struggling with what to have for dinner.

Every day.

I miss my kids.

I want to take the carpet off my steps

but am afraid I won't be able to do it myself.

So I'm hesitating...

Today's my dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I've never done this "25 things" thing before.

It's kinda hard.

I'm obsessed with Downton Abbey.

I can't figure out Google+.

I'm totally lost and feel like an idiot.

I doubt my ability (on a daily basis) to keep

up with my blog.

10.

I have not lost the 5 lbs. I gained in December.

11.

I finally cleaned and organized my little sewing corner.

I feel so much better.

12.

I really want to be snowed in for a few days.

13.

But I do not want to lose power.

14.

I would not have made a good pioneer.

Can you see me on the wagon train?

15.

I have a Special K Chocolatey Pretzel bar

every day for breakfast.

90 calories.

16.

Have I mentioned that I miss my kids?

17.

I avoid going to funerals unless

there is absolutely no way I can get out of it.

18.

I need a pedicure.

Bad.

19.

I'm in a lottery pool with several co-workers.

20.

So far we are still waiting on our big win.

21.

This past June I wore a dress for

the first time in 12 years.

22.

I have a crush on George Stephanopoulos.

23.

My crush used to be Anderson Cooper.

I've moved on.

24.

I wish I knew more about graphic design.

25.

I really didn't think I could do this.

It was challenging but fun.

Thanks Shaunna for hosting!

25 Things Linky Party at Perfectly Imperfect

Heart on my Door

2012-02-07T20:23:00.005-05:00

About a year ago, when I first discovered

this wonderful world of blogland,

I was so intrigued by the "tutorials."

I just LOVED them.

I couldn't wait to write my first one.

After much thought I finally came up with

How to make a Heart Wreath.

Here is that Heart.

For 2012

I added some red berries and a burlap bow.

Last year when I photographed this wreath

I had a red door.

I'm sort of liking the blue better.

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Winter Blues Party at DIY by Design

Be Inspired at Elizabeth & Co.

Link it Up Thursday at These Peas Taste Funny

WIW at Ivy and Elephants

All About Pillows ~ The Great Debate

2012-02-04T19:38:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Part 2 of my series

All About Pillows.

I'm almost sure that at one time or another

we all have wanted to take every pillow

on our furniture and throw them out the window.

Life would be simpler.

No pillow fluffing and no pillows on the floor.

No complaints from our family members about

too many pillows on the couch.

But that simple life would be so boring...wouldn't it?

coolboom

Personally, I think like everything else in life

what you need to do is strike some sort of balance.

Design-Vox

The furniture piece needs to function.

In other words, if you can't sit on it

there are too many pillows.

This next picture is a perfect example of going just a bit over-board.

source

There are always exceptions.

Like in the case of a bench that isn't really meant to be used.

Just for show (as my Mom used to say...)

source

Smaller pieces need fewer pillows.

Bigger pieces can handle more.

The picture below shows a smaller sofa with

too many big pillows.

Editing here would have been a good thing.

decor pad

The next few pictures are of sofas

that have the correct amount of pillows...

but more importantly the pillows are the right scale.

The best of both worlds.

decor pad

Pottery Barn

This next sofa may have one too many pillows
but I loved the blue and white so I wanted to share it.

CocoCozy.com

After the first installment of this series,
Scale, Texture & Pattern,
there were a few comments asking what to do with
pillows when you are entertaining.
One commenter said she actually removed all of her
pillows the last time she had people over...
but her room looked bare and plain.

A good solution would be to have baskets in the
room to hold the pillows when they are in the way.
You won't lose your color and texture,
and there's a place for everyone to sit.

Here is my family room.
This room is all about the TV and we sit on the sofa.
All the time.
I put baskets on the hearth to hold the pillows
so they don't end up on the floor.

Here is the room in photo shoot mode.
This isn't really what it looks like in real life.

All of these guidelines are just my own opinions.
Take them or leave them.

At the end of the day
whatever you do in your own home
needs to make you happy.
If you love a sofa full of pillows...
and you smile every time you walk in that room,
by all means go for it.

If you are a less is more sort of person,
let your furniture reflect that as well.

Next up in the series:

Oh...
I have jumped on the Linky Follower bandwagon.
If you are so inclined, please take a second
and follow me.
The gadget is on my sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by...

Feature Friday ~ No Minimalist Here ~ Sherry's Etsy Shop

2012-02-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

My newest sponsor really needs no introduction.
She's an antiques dealer.
She's a blogger.
She's a decorator.
She's the host of an amazing weekly linky party.
She's traveled the world.
She's our friend Sherry from No Minimalist Here.

Sherry owns an Etsy shop with the same name as her blog.

It's filled with the most wonderful vintage items.

Her shop sections have great titles.

Antique Treasures is an eclectic mix of

items for the lover of anything old.

Not So Shabby Chic has silver, transferware

and paintings to name a few.

Vintage Flea is downright fun.

Her French Oh La La page made me smile.
It's just lovely and so very French.

If you have time to pay Sherry a visit I promise you won't be disappointed.
Tell her Ann sent you!

Sentiments from The Help

2012-01-28T18:35:00.000-05:00

These words were spoken by Aibileen Clark

in the hit movie The Help.

Right before Christmas,

my friend Lisa asked me to make

a couple little tea towels embroidered

with these words.

They turned out pretty good so

I just listed a few in my Etsy Shop.

Just in time for Valentine's Day I also have this...

And finally a few additions to The Linen Collection.

If you are in the mood to shop,

please stop by!

Pinterest Rock Stars

2012-01-27T08:09:00.001-05:00

Every once in a while when I'm

roaming around Pinterest,

I run into someone who has pinned something amazing.

More often than not,

these amazing pinners have board after board of

wonderful, inspiring stuff.

Here's just a few...get your pinner ready!

First is Jamie's board Dreams for the Home.

Source: peacelovenflipflops.tumblr.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Have you ever seen a more perfect chair?

Source: la-belle-vie.tumblr.com via Jamie on Pinterest

I think this is may be one of the prettiest benches I have ever seen.

Next is Barbara.
59 boards and over 4000 pins.
My favorite board has a golf theme.

Source: snargblog.blogspot.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Barbara on Pinterest

She's pinned Augusta National. Very cool.

Anita from Cedar Hill Ranch
has a board named Swing Beds.
Who hasn't daydreamed about a porch or room
with a swinging bed?

Source: bloomstudio.wordpress.com via Anita on Pinterest

Cindy has so many boards that when you
get to her page it takes a while to load.
Just be patient...it's worth the wait.
202 boards and almost 12,000 pins.
It was hard to pick a favorite...
so here's my top 2.

Food from the Fair

Source: urbanfarmgirlandco.blogspot.com via Cindy on Pinterest

and Hydrangeas.

Source: redbenchvintage.tumblr.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Last is our friend Alison from The Polohouse.
Her Pinterest boards are just downright fun.
Favorites:

Mad for Plaid

Source: commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com via Alison @ on Pinterest

Winding Staircases

Source: google.com via Alison @ on Pinterest

That's it for now.
I'll be back after I've gathered some more
Pinterest Rock Stars.

Have a perfect weekend!

Sharing Sunday ~ I Need a Camera Cheat Sheet

2012-01-22T09:33:00.002-05:00

A few of you asked me to

share the camera settings I used

to re-shoot my dining room.

Once again, I don't know where my head was.

I should have done that in yesterday's post.

So here goes...

This is the picture I shot the first time on the Auto setting.

(I must be nuts to keep publishing this awful picture...)

I was facing into the window on a bright day.

When I took the picture I knew it was way too dark.

Since I had no idea how to fix that I just went with it

and tried to edit out the darkness.

By doing that it became very grainy and blurry.

(I edited in Picasa using the Fill Light tool.)

So yesterday I emailed my buddy Terry for advice.

She got her DSLR camera a few weeks before me.

She has learned how to do EVERYTHING

and has totally left me in the dust.

Here is the email I sent:

Hi,

Sorry to bother you...
I want to reshoot a few of the pictures of my dining room.
The first time around they came out too dark...then when I lightened them they turned out grainy.
Terrible.

Its sunny right now and there's snow on the ground so it's bright.
I have to face into a window.

Can you tell me the best camera settings to use?

From your camera-challenged friend,
Ann

She replied:

Hey Ann,

Try ISO 200, aperture around 5, and then let the camera pick the shutter speed. So start in "s" mode or "m". I'll be here so let me know. We can tweak it.

We did tweak it by bumping up the ISO to 400.

(I still have no idea what that really means.)

As you can see by these 2 photos her advice was spot on.

Terry has a Photo Advice page on her blog that's very helpful.

I told her that what I really needed was a cheat sheet.

A simple list of different conditions

and the correct camera settings to get the right shot.

I may have planted the seed...

at least I hope so!

If you want camera settings for a specific condition tell me in the comments.

I'll pass them on to Terry.

Dining Room 2012 ~ Part 2

2012-01-21T19:52:00.003-05:00

I guess I'm a little out of practice
when it comes to putting together a room update post.
I forgot to show you before pictures of the dining room.
I also didn't shoot any close-ups.
Not sure where my head was...

Anyway, here's a few before and afters.

Before...lots going on.
Yellow paint beneath the chair rail.

After...a bit more restrained.

Lightened the inside of the corner cabinets

and painted below the chair rail.

Before.

After.

The other side of the room.
Yellow paint again.

After. Not much difference except for the paint.

Before.

After.

Here's a close up of the yellow striped grain sack.
They are pretty rare but every once
in a while you can find one.
Lavender is also rare...I saw a couple before Christmas
and didn't buy them.
Big mistake!

I found this little yellow bird last spring at a gift shop.
Reminds me of the little bird on my blog logo.

I want to send a huge thank you out to
Terry at These Peas Taste Funny.
She helped me today with my camera settings.
I published this picture of my dining room in the first post.

It was pretty dark to start out...and the editing
just made it look grainy.
Here are the ones I took today...
with the correct camera settings.

I still have so much to learn.

Restyled Sundays at Stylish Once Again

Below Post Links

2012-01-20T17:49:00.001-05:00

I have referred in the past to
sometimes living under a rock.

source

Well...
here I am again with a discovery that you
may or may not know about.
Either way here's the scoop.

Google recently announced that they were
eliminating the Followers widget from all non-Blogger blogs.
As a result, bloggers are presenting their readers
with other various ways to follow.
(This post isn't about that though...keep reading.)

I have joined Google+1 but honestly
I really don't get it.

StumbleUpon. I have not totally figured this out either
but in my opinion it's easier than Google+1.

There's the obvious

and

Which brings us to the next method.

RSS feed.
I admit that for a long time I didn't know what this was.

When I figured it out,
it still didn't interest me much because
if I wanted to follow a blog I simply added it to my blog roll.
I didn't want emails announcing blog posts clogging up my inbox.

Here's where I needed to think like a reader
and not a blogger.
Take for example my RSS reader number.
At the present time it says 733.
Out of those 733 readers how many do you think are bloggers?
Maybe a quarter of them at the most.

So that means that three quarters of my readers
are looking at my blog in an email.
Just the post...not the blog home page
which means NOT THE SIDEBAR.
All my carefully placed links aren't even being seen.

It was a discovery that knocked my socks off.

So...here's the solution.
Install below post links.
They don't have to be fancy buttons...
although I have to admit that I am in love with
my below post buttons.
A text link will do the trick.

Link to:
Your Pinterest page.
Your Facebook page.
Your Etsy shop.
Your Twitter account.
Your home tour.
The e-book that you wrote.
A sponsor you want to promote.

source

When my below post buttons were installed
there was an immediate jump in hits on my
Pinterest page.
Every time someone follows your Pinterest boards
you get a friendly email asking if you want to follow that person back.
I always do and as a result
have discovered some rock star boards.
(I'll be sharing some of them in a future post.)

It's a win-win situation for both you and your readers.
Try it and see.

The Dining Room ~ 2012

2012-01-19T18:44:00.011-05:00

Just last weekend I picked up

my two botanical pictures from Hobby Lobby...I had the mats changed.

They were the last pieces I needed to finish off

my dining room update.

Not a huge change but things are lighter now.

I made new linen window panels and recovered the chair seats.

I edited the items on either side of the mirror.

My blue ball jars in the

metal carrier I purchased from the petite market on Etsy.

Before Christmas I found this grain sack with yellow stripes on eBay.

I couldn't resist...they are pretty rare so I scooped it up.

When I took down the L-brackets that held

the old window valance the holes were pretty big.

I tried to fill them in but it didn't work too well on the wallpaper.

The plates were an easy fix

and thankfully cover the holes.

The chairs look a bit lighter with the new fabric.

I would still love to make slipcovers for the backs...

not sure when that will happen though.

This Thomas Paul print is also on

2 chairs in the living room.

Hopefully I will be showing you that room soon.

I like the way it all turned out.

Not a big change...just refreshed.

I'm closing with pics of our little dog.

My kids have voiced their disappointment

that she hasn't been on the blog lately.

Liddy and Steven...this is for you.

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Share Your Creations at Kristen's Creations
Marty's 100th Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Your Cozy Home Party at Cozy Home Scenes

New Series ~ All About Pillows

2012-01-16T09:09:00.003-05:00

Welcome to my new series, All About Pillows.

I have not been shy about proclaiming

my love for the most versatile decorating tool EVER.

I hope to show you new (or re-worked) tips and tricks on how

to use pillows in your home.

Let's get started.

In Part One we will talk about

scale, texture and pattern or color.

I am a believer in using pillows as an accent piece.

That means they need to be different in

texture and color than their base piece of furniture.

Mix it up so to speak.

Below are two examples of what not to do.

Both of these sofas are perfectly fine.

They just need jazzed up a bit and the pillows currently

residing are not getting the job done.

There isn't enough contrast. The pillows are the same texture and color as the sofa.

Plus two pillows are just not enough...

but we'll talk about that later.

Here are a few good examples of how to use pillows as an accent.

Although these pillows are all the same size,

they vary in color and texture so it works.

Also notice there is an odd number.

I am a symmetrical person (shocker) so I

usually use them in pairs.

I just might have to try this and see if it drives me nuts.

Perch

Here is perfect symmetry.

Ahhh.

I love everything about this.

Interesting sizes and colors that pop right off of the sofa.

Small Shop Studio

This is an example of symmetry with a twist.

My friend Kim, at Savvy Southern Style,

has a knack with pillows that amazes me.

At first glance this looks like pairs of pillows with an accent in the middle.

But no...she switched it up.

The end pillows are not a pair.

Works beautifully.

Savvy Southern Style

This incredible room by Tobi Fairley

shows how to make a monochromatic room sing by using accents.

The patterned pillows work with the white lamps and black coffee table.

And besides, who doesn't love Tobi Fairley?

Tobi Fairley

Accent Pillows are equally important on chairs

as they are on sofas.

Same rules apply.

This is a Sarah Richardson room.

I can spot a SR room a mile away just by the pillows she uses.

She is a master at combining different sizes, patterns and textures.

Sarah Richardson Design

Here is contrast done brilliantly.

Thick, slubby fabric on the chairs.

Smooth, shiny fabric on the pillows.

Pichomez

Don't forget side chairs.

I enjoy using pillows on chairs that aren't used on a regular basis.

No one moves them or sits on them.

(Does that bother anyone else?)

They stay fluffed and beautiful.

Gas Lamp Antiques

Simply stated, pillows can transform a room.

I'm sure you have heard that before but it is important enough to repeat.

Experiment with different sizes, shapes, colors and textures.

Soon you will have a look that is totally you.

Your signature style.

Part Two: The Great Debate. How many is too many?

Thanks for stopping by...I'm so glad you did.

Linking to:

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Valentine's Day Inspiration

2012-01-10T17:54:00.000-05:00

Just for fun.
Some Valentine's Day gift ideas.
In no particular order.
All price ranges.

Thanks for stopping by.

I'll be back soon with some new items in my Etsy Shop

and hopefully pics of my living room update.

Sharing Sunday ~ Sharing

2012-01-08T09:33:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone. I'm here today to tell you about a couple of new series ideas I hope to start soon. They directly deal with my newest obsession (vintage fabrics) and my favorite decorating tool (the pillow.) I have been soaking up any and all information I can find on either subject. I hope to share what I have learned and how I put that knowledge to good use.

For the Love of France

I have to admit that at first I wasn't sure about sharing my hard-earned knowledge. What if I shared myself right out of business? Almost the very next second I realized how silly that was. Here is my thought process. (Stay with me...I know my thoughts are somewhat jumbled at times.)

First of all, if you are a sewer, you won't be buying my items anyway. You will simply sew what you need yourself. The whole idea of blogging is to provide inspiration and information. I would love to be able to do that for someone, who like me, enjoys sitting at a sewing machine. Kindred spirits so to speak...

For those of you who

don't sew

or don't like to sew

or don't have time to sew

I'm sharing what I've learned because I think it's interesting.

Call me crazy but I think you will agree.

My friends Jane and Leo are hosting a killer giveaway.
Click here to join the fun.

Oh...and don't forget.
Downton Abbey.
Tonight.
9 p.m. EST.
PBS.

Hoping you all have a terrific week.

Keep the Faith.

Dining Room Chairs ~ Take 3

2012-01-04T22:41:00.010-05:00

A few months ago I told you the story of how we
came to own our dining room furniture.
Since it arrived on my door step
the chairs have gone through 3 transformations.

Here is the first look.
I covered the seats with this fabric
soon after we got the set.

That was during my jewel tone phase.

Next is the look below.

I made these little slipcovers one summer several years ago.

It took me a while but the project was very fun.

Here is Take 3.

I have almost completed my living and dining room update.

I did away with the slipcovers

and went back to an upholstered seat.

I did 8 chairs one afternoon in a couple of hours.

I think the modern geometric pattern looks
good with the traditional chair.
Sort of jazzes it up a bit.

I like to mix it up and use different fabrics.

I kept the patterns on the small pieces of furniture

and pillows.

My window panels and main furniture pieces are neutral.

More to come on the rest of the update.

Linking to:

Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
It's a Party at DIY by Design
Link It Up Thursday at These Peas Taste Funny
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
air your laundry friday at freckled laundry
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Downton Abbey Season 2 Spoilers

2012-01-02T09:53:00.000-05:00

Consider this your warning...this post contains teasers!

I'm not sure when it happened.
The "it" I'm referring to is my obsession
with all things Jane Austen-ish.
I think it may have been when I saw
Sense and Sensibility for the first time. The Emma Thompson version.

After that I bought every DVD of every version of anything Jane Austen.
My all time favorite is still this version of S & S.

Last year PBS ran a mini-series called Downton Abbey.
Not exactly Jane Austen and it takes place a little later in history.
But boy oh boy was it good.
It took America by storm and as a result
Season 2 will begin this Sunday, January 8th.
The wait is over.
(If you missed Season 1 you can download it on iTunes or pbs.org.)

On to the spoilers!

Here is the dashing Matthew (heir to the Downton estate) in uniform.
He obviously answered the call to fight.
Time is WWI.

Looks as though things might not have gone his way.
He appears to be wounded.

Here he is with a strange woman (not a part of Season 1)
and in a wheel chair?

Here is Lady Mary (daughter of the present Earl of Grantham) with a strange man.

Here she is with Matthew...obviously before the war injury.
I really, really want them to get together.
We need to get rid of the strange man and the strange woman first.

This is Lady Sybil.
The Earl's youngest daughter
and a rebelish sort of girl.
Not sure who this guy is...maybe the chauffeur from last season?

Another obvious piece of the story.
Sybil joins the Red Cross...as a nurse I'm supposing?

Edith is the middle daughter.
Sort of a prig. I couldn't find any real scoop
on her but she's at the dinner table so I guess she's in Season 2.

Lord Grantham with his daughters.
Quite a handsome but incredibly dysfunctional family.
Makes for a great story though.

This is Cora, American wife of Lord Grantham.
I couldn't find anything on her either
but she's at the same dinner table as Edith.
Not looking very happy.

Could this be why?
Is this a maid kissing Lord Grantham?

And where did this baby come from?

Speaking of maids, here is the lovely Anna with Mr. Bates.
Looks like a wedding bouquet to me.

Do Daisy and William get together?

Here are the girls.
I just had to include this because
I am in love with everything.
The hats.
The dresses.
The gloves.
The estate in the background.

There are a lot of other characters
both upstairs and downstairs, so to speak.
Season 2 is in seven parts so I imagine we will
find out what has happened to all of them.

You know where I'll be on Sunday night.
I can hardly wait.

Keep the Faith

2012-01-01T09:38:00.001-05:00

2012 is here.

A new year.

A new beginning.

I told you about my resolutions here.

Now I want to share my dreams.

I have 2.

They may or may not come true.

They may, at the moment, seem unattainable.

(Gigantic deep breath.)

They are running my own business and

working from home.

(There. I've said it out loud for the first time ever.)

At my age the thought of

going out of my comfort zone

and trying something new may seem crazy.
Life throws a lot of curve balls.
Anything could happen...right?

One thing I do know is this...

I'll never know unless I try.

So...my theme for 2012 is

I talked about faith here.

We all need it.

It's like the air we breathe.

I can't imagine life without it.

I have a feeling my staircase is long and winding....with a few

sharp turns thrown in for good measure.

I've already made it past the first step.

I've just got to keep climbing.

Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous new year.

My Top Two of 2011

2011-12-31T10:13:00.001-05:00

When I clicked on that button that said

"Publish Blog" about a year ago,

I had no idea what I was getting into.

Through all the ups and downs of my first year,

the one thing that kept me going

was the encouragement and support of my readers.

(That is after I got over the shock that I actually had readers.)

Taking the time to write a nice comment may

not seem like a big deal.

But believe me it is.

Huge.

So here are the posts you liked best.

Post with the most comments:

Before and After of my Back Porch.

This post got exactly 100 comments.

I was honestly stunned.

Who would have thought?

The post with the most page views:

My New Blue Front Door.

I threw in some pics of the rest of the porch so
you could see it all together.
Now I had some help with this one because
I linked up to the Blogger Block Party.
I'm sure most of the hits were from there.
Thanks girls!
This post got 3,612 page views.
Unbelievable.

I hope every one has a tremendous New Year's Eve.
Stay safe.

My Plate Collection...if you can call it that!

2011-12-30T19:49:00.001-05:00

For more years than I would like to admit,

I have collected plates.

I love dishes...especially plates and pitchers.

Plates are everywhere in my home...even the bathrooms.

(I'm sorry but I can't show you my loos. Maybe someday...)

Here's the entry plate rack.

This is how it looked until yesterday.

For my January look I went with simple blue and white.

(I guess I need something on that bottom shelf...)

I plan to remove this red wallpaper asap.

I'm thinking vertical blue and cream stripes might make the ceilings seem higher.

Not sure I'm up to all that taping though.

I have several pieces of I.Godinger creamware.

This plate is one of my favorites.

It's inexpensive and readily available at TJMaxx and on eBay.

These ironstone platters were actually

my first ironstone purchase EVER.

I got them at a church tag sales years ago.

There are 6. I love them as much today as the day I brought them home.

I think the set of 6 was $3.00.

More blue and white in the dining room.

The top 2 and bottom 2 were purchased at my antique mall.

The middle ones are imports but I love the design.

I had 3 of these cabbage plates.

I broke one a few years ago and believe me I just about cried.

I still haven't gotten over it.

This set of 6 dessert plates came from my in-laws.

The marking on the bottom says Made in France

but that's all I know about them.

These 8 dinner plates were also at my in-laws.

They are burgundy with a raised gold design.

Love them.

Here are my Quimper knock-offs.

A good knock-off but a knock-off none the less.

Love them too.

More I.Godinger by the lamp.

Finally here is my plate rack in the kitchen.

I had it custom made after I bought my Liberty Blue dishes.

Several summers ago I sold my set of dishes from Pier 1

and bought this set a few pieces at a time.

It took the whole summer but it was so worth it.

I can't imagine ever parting with it...

but never say never.

So there you have it.
My mis-matched and beloved plate collection.
Hope you enjoyed it.

Linking to:
Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk
Favorites on the First at The Polohouse

Sutton Place Designs SALE

2011-12-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed the past few months

with actual sales in my Etsy shop.
I still get excited when I see the
"Your item has sold" email from Etsy.
Those emails totally make my day.

So...

With a grateful heart

I would like to offer a 20% discount

through this weekend.

Flat $5.00 shipping on everything.

There are a few holiday items left as well as pieces from my

Linen Collection

and

Grain Sack Collection.

For my customers who have already purchased items,

I would love to give you a 20% discount

the next time you purchase from my shop.

Just comment on this post or convo me at Etsy.com.

I will keep a list and happily issue you a one-time credit.

Just use coupon code THANKYOU20

at check out.

Coupon code will expire Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 6 p.m.

While you're there please visit my sponsors:
The Cozy Corner
Window Treatments by Melissa
and
the petite market

I have fresh ideas for next year swimming around in my head. I hope to add a Ticking Collection and Matelasse Collection to my shop. I have plans to expand the Linen Collection with more options. I'm totally falling in love with vintage linens. The more I learn the more obsessed I become! I am slowly finding trustworthy merchants who specialize in vintage fabric. More of that will come too. Etsy has opened up a whole new world for me and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with all of you. I never imagined my passion for fabric would lead to something like this. I'm ready to work hard and provide a quality, handmade product.

Thank you to anyone who has

written words of encouragement.

They mean more than you will ever know.