unexpected gifts

Bloggers have giveaways which is a very cool thing.

Giveaways are gifts from bloggers thanking us from tuning in.

I won these freshwater pink and white pearls

from Pamela at French Buttons.

They are beautiful and it was amazing to get these in the mail

from someone I have only met recently in blogland.

An unexpected gift came from a new blogger friend.

 Cindy, from Cindy's Fractured Fairy Tale asked 

if she could send me"a little something" and this amazing oil painting

came right to my door and now is in my kitchen reminding me

of how real blogger friendships are.

This painting has inspired my 9 yr old SS (step-son) and me to 

start painting our own works of art. We take Cindy's painting into the dining room

and set up our paints and look at her brush strokes, the light and the shadows.

Truly a thoughtful and inspiring gift.

Imagine my surprise 

when Jami from Freckled Laundry reached out to me.

She wanted to send me something too!! 

The pretty package arrived yesterday wrapped in toile tissue paper with her 

signature gift tag wrapped in twine.

Inside were two of her clay tags with French lettering! 

One spelled out lavender with aromatic sprigs 

attached by lace ribbon and the other simply said, My Friend.

Small reminders of how real this blogging world is....

big reminders of how large people's hearts can be.

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Vintage Linen Tablecloth Drapes

 Another grey day in Boston had me taking down my pink drapes.

I added a mismatched pair of linen embroidered tablecloths to 

each of  the existing fleur~de~lis sheer linen panels.

 Each panel is a little bit different in pattern. 

They hang beautifully and have a shabby look.

Why hide them in a drawer?

 These tablecloths were purchased by mom when we lived overseas in the '60s.

I think they are from Hong Kong and the detailed handwork is incredible.

This right hand cloth has an ivy pattern with tiny cutwork.

 The left panel has large roses with tiny cutwork.

We ate many dinners on these fancy tablecloths and I still use them for our special occasions.

I attach the ring clip to the edge of the panel and let it hang.
It is as simple as that. No hemming, no ironing, no sewing.

 Switching things around to lighten the grey days....

 Still snow on the ground but it is raining now and will be for the next day.

Clip the tablecloth onto the drapery rings and voila!

Embroidered linen drapery panels with an interesting past.

linking to:

Air Your Laundry Textile Party

and 

Cindy's Romantic Home
and
Feathered Nest Friday
and
Show off Your Cottage Monday

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French Wallpaper for My Cabinet

 My china cabinet has a pretty blue exterior 

and the original yellow french provincial finish.

It has been crying out for a wallpapered interior....

at least it has been crying out to me.

The worst part of this job will be to empty the cabinet.

 I have it packed to the gills after 30 years of collecting.

Meet my new cabinet interior~

a lovely Marie Antoinette kind of paper.

Excuse poor image quality, I took it with an iPhone of my computer monitor.

Today this wallpaper is on its way to Maison Decor!

I might like to display the cabinet with the doors

 wide open after it has its makeover.

Martha Stewart shows off her pink strie wallpaper by leaving the doors open.

I have shown this pic before, but I just love it, so here it is again!

This wallpaper would be fun in a cabinet filled with white china!

source: style-files.com

Country Living shows a purple toile wallpaper inside this frenchy cabinet.

Don't you love the chicken wire on the doors?

If my china cabinet held only my purple transferware I would do that toile.

Instead, most of my purple transferware hangs on the wall around the mirror.

I bought several of these from Nancy's Daily Dish 

who has an incredible collection for sale in all colors.

Her shop is located on my sidebar if you are in the market.

My cabinet holds a bunch of patterns and colors.

There are different sets of china in pastels and whites and creams.

I have glasses in purple, salmon pink and crystal.

The outside of the cabinet is a powdery blue so the wallpaper 

I chose has a blue background with pinks and other colors.

It has a big pattern repeat so it will stand up behind my tiny china patterns.

Very feminine with a historical flair.

I found it on Ebay and am excited to start this project.

(I am not of the mind that birds are bad luck either!)

File this under my latest obsession.

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Authentic Shabby Chic Pillows

 I made some Shabby Chic pillows out of real Shabby Chic fabric.

I used a one inch mini knife pleat along the edges for a tailored ruffle

since these pillows will be in my living room not in my bedroom.

 I found this Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic fabric on Ebay.

I originally selected it for my bedroom makeover project.

It has a light aqua background with scattered pink roses and beige leaves.

I could barely see Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic 2006

 printed on the selvage edge, but it is there in palest aqua writing.

That is where you can usually find the maker of your drapery fabric.

The selvage is also where they also put all the dye colors used in that print.

Here my ruffle strip is ready to be added to the pillow.

I pleat it by hand as I add it to the pillow cut out.

This is a cute pin cushion that I made out of a vintage china ramekin.

Wrap a fabric scrap around a ball of stuffing and glue it  into your teacup or whatever.

I covered a chip with a raggy linen bow and rosette.

It is a fun little project to make with old china pieces...

anyway back to the pillows!

Miniature knife pleated ruffle on my pretty pillow

Rachel Ashwell has such a way with soft pastels in vintage styles.

It may be snowing outside again, but spring time has arrived!
linking to
Wow Us Wednesday at Kim's SSS
and
Jami's Air Your Laundry Textile Party

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Inspiring Things To Do List

Making a Things To Do list is something

 I learned early on from my dad.

 It is also one of the 7 habits of "Highly Effective People". 

I am in a waning mode right now and

 find making a list helps jump start my engine. 

Using inspirational images makes me want to accomplish these things.

1. Paint my secretary like this one from Martha Stewart. 

I also love the pink strie wallpapered background.

2. Wallpaper the back of my china cabinet using a vintage floral pattern.

3. Repaint the back walls of my bookcases.

4. Redecorate my powder room on the first floor.

I love lavender!

5. Order new smocked draperies for my dining room.

6. Make some floral pillows for my living room

7. Finish painting the kitchen and the hallway

These things are on my to do list~

I have completed #5...need to get a few more checked off the list.

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Birthday Girl

I'm the Birthday Girl today

I've received birthday wishes and gifts in my favorite colors.
My card from Mr. Maison Decor was perfection.

 This sweet miniature Eiffel Tower porcelain box was a gift from my sister-in-law.

Cards from my family make my day!
This morning I opened some cards and the mailman is coming later on...

Anyone celebrating a birthday gets to have their cards on the mantle.

By the time the afternoon mail arrived I had quite a collection.

Mr. Maison Decor is taking me ice skating on

 my new skates for the second time this week.

 I am a beginner and my first time went really well~
so much more fun than going to the gym.

I'm no Peggy Fleming, but wasn't she so elegant on ice?

I just imagine myself being Peggy.

My Inspiration 

My Reality

 Yes, I am actually skating and not on my #ss

Mr. and Mrs. Maison Decor hit the ice!
My son calls us "America's Couple"
I think that is so sweet.

The other fun thing that happened:
Yesterday I found out I won the pearls from French Buttons~
 Pink pearls!

She picked me by chance out of 211 other bloggers! 

Feeling pretty lucky I have to say.

 Thank you Pamela.

 My heart cake

I will be having a heart shaped birthday cake made

 from pans my mom used to use on my special day.

I'll be the baker, since Mr. Maison Decor does not bake.

However he did make me a yummy tomato and cheese omelet this morning.

I'll be spending the day with him and so I am signing off for now~

Another year older and enjoying (almost) every minute.

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