A Pinteresting Love Affair with a Living Room

I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but it's taken me a couple of months to figure out how to install the Pin It button to my toolbar, and if I'm really honest then I should tell you that I didn't figure it out at all.  Shawn figured it out and then taught me in slow mode so I'd catch on.  And I have, boy have I.   For someone who earns her living online and writes a blog, you'd think I'd be a wee bit more tech savvy.  I am SO dependent on Shawn for computer stuff.  Thank you Shawn for the Pin It button.  

Pinterest.  Talk about something you can go wild doing and that is pinning.  I've pinned quite a bit since learning how to utilize my new obsession and last night when I came across this room I was so, So, SO happy to find it online.  I have the Traditional Home issue this was featured in some years back and  I have saved it ever since because it is one of my favorite rooms.  I will pull it out at night, in bed, and just stare....stare...stare.  

I love every detail of this room.   It's so English Country Cottagey! There's only one thing I'd add and you all know what that is.  Aren't the deer cute?  I have found myself looking for some of those online.  We have two great big wall shelves in our tv/family room and they'd be perfect up there.   I love antique Bamboo and definitely want to find some tortoise Bamboo chairs like the ones shown in the room.    I've looked on Craigs List for a year now.  

Enough rambling about stuff I want.  I don't need any of it.  

I was planning to show some pictures of my living room today but the area I tried to photograph is against a window and I just can't get the lighting right.  Some of it is my camera but I think a lot of it is my lack of photography skills.  I mean really, it can't get much worse than this now, can it?

I have a row of red transferware pieces above the drapes and that's what I'd intended to share.  I got one photo but the rest is a blurry blob so I cropped it out.  These pieces are all unique shapes, crescent salad plates, bone dishes, gravy under-plates, relish tray and Lazy Susan inserts.  The space above my drapes is about 12" so I had room for a narrow row of items but wanted to keep them small enough to allow the wall to breathe, if you will...just a little.  I do like to suffocate them to some degree =)

On either end, standing on the pole brackets are lamps with no wiring.  I have a fondness for these and have about 8 or 9 in my collection.  They are great to display on shelves because they look like urns or vases.  

Hopefully I'll have good pics for you all someday!

Thought I'd show you all where the big dog is that I bought a couple of weeks ago at a garage sale with Shawn.

His new home is here next to a Spaniel planter filled with roses.  Aren't they cute together?  

By the way, we did go to some sales last Friday and guess what?   Shawn is two for two! Shawn came home with another cast iron skillet.  Now, there is a little catch.  We met his parents for lunch and his Mom showed up with one that had been her Mom's!  She read my blog post and brought it to him.  Isn't that sweet?  It came complete with a domed lid to so of course Shawn was thrilled.  He's already cooked in it several times.

I hope everyone is enjoying beautiful weather and that you all have a wonderful weekend.

Joining Pink Saturday   Funky Junk Interiors

Under My Umbrella Tablescape

Do you remember loving to play with umbrellas when you were little?  I do.  I also remember how my kids would play with them to.  They'd gather up every umbrella in the house and take them  outside, twirling around in the yard, making forts with them (yes, my boys made umbrella forts) and usually ruining them at the same time.  But it's not ruined umbrellas I remember the most.  It's what fun they had playing with them.  When I came across this statue I thought it would be the cutest centerpiece for a Spring table.

~Under My Umbrella~

The table is set with vintage plates and linens, and vintage inspired items.

The tablecloth is an antique heirloom that belonged to Shawn's Great-Great Grandma.  Shawn's Mom, my Mother in law gave this to us last September when she and my sister-n-law threw us a surprise party for our 25th anniversary.   It is in pristine condition and is so beautiful.

Around the base of the centerpiece I wrapped this garland which has a nice blend of greens, some dark and some bright.  

I added a small floral wreath that has sheer organza roses in the same muted pink color of the statue.

I wound up pulling the large flowers out of the wreath (they easily pop right back in as most silk flowers do) and placed them further out and into the garland along with some chippy iron napkin rings with birds. I stood them up so that the rings were concealed in the greenery and only the birds themselves showed.

I have no idea what these things are but in this case they are chargers.  They look a little like hanging baskets (without hanging hardware) that you'd line with moss but they are shallow.  I found four of them and the color was absolutely a perfect match to the little girl statue I'd selected, plus I love the chippy paint job!

I stacked creamware plates: first a set by Masons called Oak Vista.  This is the Vista pattern but rather than a transfer printed border they have an embossed/relief style border of oak leaves.  The next plates are by Crown Ducal with a similar border of fruit and roses.  I love plates like this.  They are so versatile.  I have one similar set available that I'd purchased for another client but she went a whole other direction at the last minute so if anyone is interested in having some of these let me know.

For the top plates I used these small side plates by Copeland Spode.  I love this pattern of roses on a creamy bodied plate (Royal Jasmine).  You can see more of this pattern HERE

These brown transferware plates are available HERE

Pretty etched glasses effortlessly blend into the muted colors of the setting.

Hampton's San Remo Ivory colored flatware is perfect with the old fashioned and elegant silver detail.  I've placed it on silverware pockets trimmed in lace and hand stamped with a muted brown colored bird.

Isn't she too cute?  

Under my umbrella

I like to feel the drops

Of rain – its happy tapping

Of pitter-patter plops

Under my umbrella

I like to feel a dash

Of water as it hits the ground

And rises with a splash

Under my umbrella

I like to stay all dry

And enjoy the rainy weather

As it falls down from the sky

I'm joining some of the following:




Between Naps On The Porch
Let's Dish
French Country Cottage
romantic home
Charm of Home
Faith and Grace

Common Ground 

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Freckled Laundry 

Time Travel Thursday
The Tablescaper
 At The Picket Fence 
Stuff and Nonsense
 My Romantic Home

Amaze Me Monday at Dittle Dattle 
French Inspiration Thursday 
Farmhouse Friday
Le Chateau Des Fleurs
Faded Charm

Red Transferware Topiaries

This is a quick post to show you all this custom set of transferware topiaries for one of my customers that I finished up a few days ago.  She wanted a trio of them set in red transferware to display collectively as a vignette.  I think they came out nice...what do you think?

I've really enjoyed making the topiaries for my online shop and making some custom ones as well.  I think I'm going to make a few for myself.  Of course I say that and then I wind up selling them!  

 Gotta run to eat some yummy stuffed bell peppers that Shawn has in the oven!  See you all with a tablescape tomorrow.

joining Wow Us Wednesday, Cowgirl Up, What's Up Wednesday