Thrift store find for all the little critters...

I love to go treasure hunting at the local thrift shops... I also love All God's Creatures... put the two together, and I couldn't be happier!... I found this adorable 50's cookie jar with a precious little squirrel on the front... Pricetag? $1.50! We put food out for the little squirrels (and any other little critters who stop by to visit)... I will use my cute little thrift store find to hold cracked corn and nuts for them inside... (I do believe my squirrels love the shabby, vintage look as much as I do)...

"Where Guys Create"...

Okay ladies... most of us are aware of the publication "Where Women Create", and many of you participated in the fun day of "Where Bloggers Create"... so, being the "Equal Opportunity Blogger" that I am, I thought it might be fun if I did a post about where "Guys" create...Hey!... maybe Somerset will want me to do a magazine... then a book... then a movie... then... okay, my mama always said she loved my vivid imagination!... My guy, (Jack) is a pilot (retired) among other things, and loves planes, trains, cars, Harleys.....you name it!... That is Jack in the photo above with his pride and joy...(besides "Moi", I hope!)

I thought I would take you on a little tour of his "atelier" (although he does not call it that, I am sure he does not even have a clue what that means...) so for his sake, I will refer to it as his "workshop" (not nearly as romantic sounding)... First a workbench is a MUST...

Of course no workshop is complete without a saw (just one of many in there)...

I bought him this cute "vintage look" am/fm cd player so he can listen to his favorite "oldies" while creating... (I slip some Alan Jackson in there from time to time just to get his attention)... Jack knows I adore Alan Jackson... (P.S. Alan, if you are reading this, I AM available for lunch, most ANY day...)...

A guy just can not have too many shelves, right???...

Nor can a guy have too many RC helicopters... Jack builds and flys both RC helicopters and planes... these are not toys... I would like to try to fly one some day, but I am sure he would look at that like I would if he wanted to dust my 100 year old cafe au lait bowl from France...(ain't gonna happen!)...

Besides the helicopters and planes, he recently started a model train layout... set in the 40's and 50's... it is in the early stages in the photo below... he is sooo persnickety!...

Most of his train layout is newer stock, however, I bought him the vintage Lionel coal elevator (yellow one in the center with the red roof) off of Ebay... it is from the 40's... it was from an estate and had been packed away (in the original box) for the last 50 years... he was overwhelmed when I found it for him, as he had one as a child... this one works perfect and had all the little accessories with it (cute little bags of coal even!)

I get to help with the scenery when he gets to that point... (think I can sneak an antiques store with a cottage garden and an arbor with climbing roses in there???)...

The little town he is assembling is sooo cute! Retro looking gas stations (that I remember sooo well!), a little general store, a saloon, a post office... so much fun!...

I especially love the little filling station... and that old "Woodie"... I would love that nowadays to haul my vintage finds in!... (P.S. the dog is only in the back of the little truck while it is being repaired at the service station... we would never let a dog ride in the back of a truck!)... kind of looks like Goober's filling station, don't you think?...

I am happy Jack has so many hobbies and likes to create so many things too... He has alot of priceless treasures in his little "atelier"... but we don't worry, we have a great security system...

I found this tin poster of "Fearless Fife" at the local thrift shop that day for 50 cents! Jack really liked it too... we always say we live in a little "Mayberry" kind of town... and I knew the perfect spot for it would be watching over his treasures... What and where does your "guy" create???... Bisous!...

Tresors pour Moi...

This has been a very exciting week for me... first on Monday my beautiful treasure box arrived from sweet Amy at Bunny Rose Cottage... (my previous post)... then yesterday, another package was waiting for me at the post office when I went to pick up my mail... the ladies who work there get as excited as I do when I receive a package... they know something wonderful will be inside... they are right! It was my gorgeous book "Waterside Cottages" by Barbara Jacksier... Barbara visited my blog recently and I immediately recognized her as the previous editor of one of my favorite magazines "Romantic Country"... Her book "Waterside Cottages" just came out and I ordered mine from my sweet blogger friend Roberta at Tresor Trouve... her shop is called "Enchanted Treasures" and you can visit there through her blog... Roberta's breathtaking seaside cottage is featured in this book... her chapter is called "Harbor View Haven"... and that so describes her little piece of Heaven by the sea... I LOVE the ocean and seashells, actually, I love everything that has to do with the ocean... I have not been there for a while and I miss it... I am now dreaming of visiting Roberta in her sweet cottage by the sea, and sipping tea with her on her back deck that offers a view of the ocean beyond...




When I ordered the book, I asked Roberta if she would mind signing my copy for me... when it arrived there was a lovely inscription inside...



Roberta also enclosed this beautiful shell, a "tresor" from her personal collection, just for "Moi"! I will cherish this always... I love holding seashells up to my ear and listening to the ocean... Roberta is such a lovely lady and new friend I have met through blogging... you must get a copy of "Waterside Cottages"... and visit Roberta not only at her blog, but inside her "Harbor View Haven" as well... Merci Roberta! Bisous!





The treasures just keep coming... today, the girls at the post office told me I had "another" surprise waiting (they are sooo sweet to get excited for me!)... Inside the parcel pick up locker was a beautiful little package... the return address told me it was from another one of my new blogger friends, sweet Paula of Rose Cottage by the Lake... Paula and Pearl, her adorable French Poodle sent me the most beautiful sachet Paula made for me and filled with organic lavender that she grows in her garden in Louisiana... She also enclosed a sweet card with a lovely message to me... I would love to visit Paula one day too, and see where all of my French ancestors lived...and give Pearl doggie kisses and sip herbal tea in their garden... the front of the sachet is soft pastels with lace and satin ribbons and vintage buttons...

On the back are the prettiest pink roses with more satin ribbon...

Merci Paula and Pearl! I will cherish this always... you are so very kind to think of me...

A year ago, I did not even know what a blog was... today I am part of a wonderful group of ladies (and some guys too I believe!) who love so many of the same things I do, and enjoy sharing their new finds, ideas, thoughts, support and love..... To all of my sweet blogger friends who visit me, Merci! Bisous...

White Wednesday... bending the rules a little...

I had a post all ready for White Wednesday this week, then a very special package arrived today... the minute I saw the label that said "Bunny Rose Cottage" I knew I was in for a special treat... Beautiful, sweet Amy makes these gorgeous treasure boxes and sells them at her Etsy shop... all proceeds from her sales go to help a precious little boy with Down Syndrome named "Parker" that she met through her blog and fell in love with... I knew I wanted to help as well, and asked Amy if she would make a special box just for me... she said she was happy to do so... I want to leave this post up all week so everyone can see what beautiful treasure boxes she creates, and what a kind, sweet, caring and giving person she is to donate her proceeds to such a special child...





She enclosed the prettiest little card with a bunny on the front and a sweet message for me inside...

I love this tiny little bunny on the lid...

Lace, silk ribbons and roses are all around the box on the sides...

When I opened the lid, it was already full of beautiful treasures!...

At the bottom of the box inside is a pretty butterfly... I love butterflies!...

Knowing what a Nature lover I am and that I begin each day with a Nature walk, Amy created this beautiful little Nature Walk Journal just for me... how precious is that!...

Another special treasure, a "J" dangles from a pink silk ribbon and is made from vintage pearls and rhinestone jewels...

Then tucked in a pretty white silk pouch with a pink silk rose was the most beautiful gold bracelet I have ever seen...beautiful butterflies on the sides and a pretty flower on the front of it, I do believe that is a Lily of the Valley (Muguet in French), my birth flower...

Knowing that I am of French heritage and adore ALL things French, she enclosed these pretty note cards that read "Merci Beacoup"...

Here are all my lovely treasures nestled back in the box...

This beautiful vintage white millinery flower sits atop the lid, with a wonderful vintage rhinestone jewelry piece as the center of the flower...

There is also a beautiful arbor, covered in roses (possibly from a vintage greeting card?) with a little pink butterfly who has landed on a rose...a little white dove and the teeny bunny at the bottom, and a horseshoe above it (for good luck, of course!)...

I have never seen anything sooo exquisite! Sweet Amy, I will treasure this always! I am saving one of my special "wishes" and the other one I will make a wish for sweet little Parker..."I wish you a long, healthy and happy life little Parker"...

I hope you will "hop" on over to Bunny Rose Cottage and visit with Amy too... I first met Amy at Jo~Anne Coletti's blog, thank you also Jo~Anne for "introducing" me to Amy as well... So now you can see why I needed to "bend the rules" a little this week for my White Wednesday post... a little early, but still full of many "white" treasures inside my gorgeous box... I hope you will visit Faded Charm this Wednesday too, as I will, and visit all of the other beautiful blogs that day featuring their lovely "White Wednesday"posts...

Sweet Amy, I adore you, thank you so very much!

Bisous...Je t'aime Amy!...

"Irma La Douce"...

I recently saw the prettiest little dress form, all dolled up, on Rebecca's blog" A Gathering of Thoughts"... She found it at her local TJ Maxx and showed how she painted it (hers was black to start, she painted it shabby white) and added a beautiful ascot and vintage rhinestone jewelry to pretty it up... I fell in love with it and made an "emergency" trip to my local TJ Maxx (my home away from home)... I was in luck! They had a darling one, smaller than Rebecca's, and already shabby white for $9.99... I immediately snatched her up and brought her home with me... The first thing I did was email Rebecca... since I am very new to the blogging world, and wanting to follow "blog etiquette", I wanted to make sure she did not mind if I posted about mine... Rebecca was so kind and said no problem, and was most gracious in allowing me to put a link to her blog in this post...

Next, I dug into my little stash of vintage ribbons and lace... looking for just the "perfect" silk ribbons and lace for her sash... then oohing and ahhing over my vintage rhinestone jewelry to find just the "perfect" touch of sparkle for her bustier... yes... some pretty pink rhinestone earrings will be just right... then... Voila! ... "Mademoiselle Irma La Douce"... I named her after the 1963 movie starring Shirley MacLaine with the same name, "Irma La Douce"...(which means "Irma the Sweet" in French)... this was sort of an early version of the popular "Pretty Woman" most of you know about today... you must see the old movie!...So cute and sooo French! (set in Paris)...

Here is a close up look at her...

I love these vintage rhinestone earrings I used on her... one of them was broken on the back when I bought them years ago and needed a pretty place to be displayed since I could not wear them... I think "Irma" will enjoy showing them off...

Thank you Rebecca for letting us know about your special find... I love it when ladies are happy to share good things... TJ Maxx really is my "home away from home" and Irma cost a mere $9.99 since I already had the other embellishments... I do not have the room (nor could I probably afford) a full sized dress form, but I am so happy with my little "Mademoiselle"...Tres Chic!... Bisous...

Inspired by Nature...

If you have followed my blog at all, by now you now what a major part in my life that Nature and all God's precious little creatures play... As much as I love shabby whites and soft pastel pinks in our home, I also love the beautiful colors of Nature... especially in Autumn... forest greens, deep rich browns, striking rusts and burnt oranges... Jack and I start out each morning with our Nature walk... I gather little treasures all along the way... pine cones, feathers, acorns, leaves, bark, whatever catches my eye... I was sooo excited the other day when I went into Robert's Crafts and found this beautiful jar... I DO believe it was made just for me! ...

I knew it would not stay empty long... I gather so many little finds along the way...

It is full already...

Here's a closer look at what's inside...

Our living room is my favorite place in the house... it is so soothing and serene, I love sitting in here with a cup of coffee and just relaxing among some of my Nature inspired finds...

I wanted a beautiful doily to sit on my coffee table underneath my new jar and some other favorite things... I found the perfect vintage doily at Just a Bed of Roses...

It is quite large, just what I was looking for... I scrunched it up around my jar to make a pretty little vignette...

I love hand carved shorebirds... my Snowy Egret and favorite shorebird sitting on a piece of old piling out of the Great Salt Lake that a friend of mine carved for me...

I love these handmade bark candle holders with beeswax candles inside...

My daddy brought this old Bacardi rum bottle home from overseas after serving there in WWII... now filled with lovingly gathered found Pheasant feathers... a small bird nest sits beside it (wooden eggs inside)...

A pretty Autumn silk arrangement...

More of my favorite Autumn colors atop my hall tree... sparkly feathered friends nestled in...

I hope this has inspired you to take in all of the beauty Nature has to offer... inside your home and out...Bisous...