Ross Alert

Small, upholstered cube.

Natural linen.

$8.99.

I kid you not.

Blue and White Inspiration: Theirs and Mine

 

(My favorite book on blue and white.)

My love of blue and white began

years ago and has never lessened.


I thought I would share some of my favorite inspiration photos

from my Pinterist Board,

Blue and White Favorites,

and photos from Carolyne Roehm’s book

A Passion for Blue and White.

(Carolyne Roehm)

(Carolyne Roehm)

(Carolyne Roehm)

(Carolyne Roehm)

(Michael S. Smith Houses)

I have had so much fun through the years with my own blue and white.

I loved creating this arrangement of my summer zinnias in this blue and white bowl,

the many rearrangements I have created in the Nap Room,

in gathering tablescape items for a dear friend’s

daughter’s engagement party,

and in the daily inspiration I get from using my

Spode Blue Italian every day.

***


What inspires you?

***

Linking to:

Blue and White : Part I

(Master Bedroom, Stage I,  Again.)

Last fall, when I thought our master bedroom would become this haven

of soft gray and white,

I was surprised I didn’t love it.


(Master Bedroom, Stage I, Then)

And so I talked it to death

and tried to come up with a solution ,

until one day I returned to what I really like.

I grabbed these small throw pillows I had,

in a Ralph Lauren fabric I love,

and I gave in to it.


This is who I am and what I love.
Sigh.

I love blue and white, and chinoiserie,
and white.


Because this Ralph Lauren pattern is dated,

I ordered the shams and the bed skirt on Ebay.


When I look at it, in its early stage again,

my shoulders start to relax.

I love it.


Stage II?

something brass

something sparkly
***

Linking to:

Stylish Once Again~Restyled Sundays
Kristen's Creations~Share Your Creations Party
Shine Your Light~Before and After Party

 

 

‘Swelled Up’ at the Flea market

If you are

‘of an age’,

and you were raised with the same basic guidelines as I was,

and sometimes…

as a child/middle-aged woman you wanted something

you could not have…

you may have been warned not

to get ‘swelled up’, as my mother would say.

That warning usually began,

as my frown was forming,

with-

“Laura Ellen?”



Now I know the picture I have painted  here

(of swelling up)

isn’t pretty,

but the word is perfect.


Lately, in all of my

‘of an age’ glory,

I have been swelled up at the flea market.


If you are a junker/thrifter, you know what I mean.


My favorite vendor keeps saving boxes of amazing things

for other people,

or

I see something in someone else’s cart that makes me hyperventilate,


or

I am a day late.


Last week was no different.

(swellingswellingswellingswelling)



Until I turned the corner and saw this.



Big Daddy (above) was sitting on the ground under a table full of shoes.


My Academy Award self immediately changed my swelled up expression

to one of disinterest.


I nonchalantly moseyed over.



The first thing I checked?


1.  Does it have all of its feet?


Check.


2.  What does its hallmark say?


No hallmark.  Hmmm.


3.  Is it heavy?


Yes.


4.  Is the price right?


Yes, $20, but she said she would take $18.


 

And most importantly???

5.  Would it sooth my swelled up heart?


Absolutely.

***

Linking to:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday at Primp

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Good Life Wednesdays at A Beach Cottage

Thriftin’ on a Thursday at Savvy City Farmer

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday

Home Sweet Home

Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence

2805

Stuff and Nonsense

French Inspiration at the French Cupboard

Waiting in the Truck

It just dawned on me that I have found

some of my greatest treasures

while my husband sat in the truck reading the paper.



This set of 8 linen napkins,

pinned together with a safety pin,

is just such an example.



Location?

Navasota, Texas.


He sat patiently in the truck while

my daughter and I went in store after store,

all along streets

IN

Navasota,

Brenham,

Giddings,

Cuero,



and then he was

DONE.



And when he’s done-

he’s

DONE.

Glad I found these early in the trip.

My Garden Shed Re-Visited

In 2011, despite days of heat my garden thermometer had a hard time registering,

I continued to enjoy a favorite space that is all mine.



Just as I created a hideout for my grandsons to

have when they visited last summer-


 

I created my own hideout as well.

My garden shed is really that-

a shed,

a hideout

attached to the back of our garage.

It is where I sit, with a small fan blowing on me,

when it is so hot here in South Texas, I can’t seem to make it to the back door of the house.

Truth be told-

this space -

no matter how hot it is,

is also where the stress leaves,

and gratitude reigns supreme.

 

And so my planning for gardening in 2012 is underway.


We have a very short winter.

It was 87 degrees today.


I am the eternal optimist when it comes to gardening

where I live.

Drought? 

Extreme heat?

That’s ‘no step for a stepper’,

as my father would say.

***

I am linking to Donna’s

Funk Junk Interior’s

Saturday Night Special-

Best of 2011

and

these wonderful parties.

Masterpiece Monday

weekend-wrap-up-party

Check Me Out Sat.

Met Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Bloomin Tuesday

Dear Daughters: Find the oldest woman in the room

Dear Daughters,

In a room-

any room,

find the oldest woman there.


Take it all in,

soak it all up,

and listen to  her every word.


The oldest woman in the room

has certainly lived longer than the youngest,

but it is not just about that.



If we limit ourselves to just listening to our chronological peers,

we limit ourselves to an exchange of like-minded,

same-aged ideas.


There are so many wonderful,

age worn ideas.


Find the oldest woman in the room

and take a seat.


Be her listener; be a learner; be her .

I love you,

Mom.

Tortilla Soup

If you ever want tortilla soup quickly,

use this as the base.



I have mentioned this before. but it bears

repeating.

My friend Mary Jo told me about this. 

It is easy and delicious.

Once the soup base is heated,

add your favorite ingredients.

I added a can of ranch style beans,

shredded chicken breast,

and corn on the cob- only because I didn’t have frozen whole kernel corn.

Because I used rotisserie chicken,

it was ready in minutes.

I then served it in my talavera bowls

from Dolores Hidalgo,

and I used the vintage silver soup spoons I have.

I only have two, but there is something

so satisfying in using something beautiful when you just have two.

Once served in the bowl, I topped it with grated cheese,

avocado slices, and cilantro.

I just had one more thing to do:

iced tea in my lime green goblet from

San Miguel de Allende.

Enjoy!

***

 

When Things Aren’t Changing Right Away

You know what it’s like.

Sometimes the major pieces in a room aren’t going anywhere

anytime soon.


Why?  The usual suspect: budget.

Or maybe you just aren’t ready yet.

Let’s also say that your den is the room in question,

but…


let’s also say you like red and zebraprint,

and the wingback chair sitting next

to the red glossy/chipped finished

chest that belonged to your mother.

And then there’s the old, worn dining table

and its chairs whose seats are covered in dull red too.

And the couches- which will be

the first thing to go when the time comes-

are looking a little tired,

but they are so comfortable

and great for naps and football watching.

So when that happens,

may I recommend doing what I did?


Go to Ross and spend a very small

amount of money

to show you are in it to win,

at least for now.


You are saying, ‘I like this room just as it is’.


You embrace it rather than ignoring it.



Rather than subtracting,

it works for me to add

just slightly, using a very small amount of money.


And so I did.

Purchased: 2 kilim like pillows in dull red   $7.99 each

zebra runner with black fringe  $8.00

dull red crackled tray  $6.99


Try it- it works.