Oh what to do, what to do......

At any given time in my house you may see something

sitting around with the price tag still on.

Sometimes it will be there for weeks 

depending on what the return policy is on that item.

My husband has learned over the years not to ask.

He knows the answer will always be the same.

"I just need to look at it for a while!"

I am sure you all do this from time to time.

I've had this crazy little number balancing on my bench

in the hallway for about 3 weeks now!

Hmmm....what to do?!!

I have had nothing above this bench for.... oh maybe a year now.

Just waiting for the perfect thing to catch my eye.

Then I was in World Market getting a few things 

and I saw this funky circle painting.

I love the colors. I love the size. I love the circles.

I like an element of surprise in a room, you know,

something to catch ones eye!

~But~

as I have said before my home is kinda 

English Cottage meets French Country.

 Mostly it's just eclectic.

 I know that eclectic is a catchall for someone 

who throws together all kinds of styles.

But....eclectic is really my personality!

I dress my self and decorate my home 

depending on my mood at any given time.

I buy what I love at the time, knowing that eventually

my mood will change and I may or may not love it anymore!

Although when it comes to big ticket items 

I try to buy more traditional (safe) pieces.

But when it comes to accessories 

I tend to go with what trips my trigger at the time.

 

So.....

do I keep the funky inexpensive circle painting?

Do I frame it?

(Remembering that a frame will cost way more the the painting!)

Do I hang things on either side of it?

Or put something large on the floor on one side 

or the other of the bench? 

I think I'll decide next week.....

I just need to look at it for a while longer.

I mean, I have at least 10 more days till I have to return it!

Until next week,

Short and Sweet!

That's right~I am going to keep this short and sweet!
I've got a busy week but I wanted to show you a couple little things.

Not to long ago while on the hunt I came a cross 
this really sweet shopping cart.

You see these carts all over the place these days.
I loved the burlap ribbon that they wove thought it.


So I brought it home and filled it with none other than Bittersweet!

I can't wait to change it out for all the seasons!
Kinda cute~don't ya think?!!

Next... my daughter and I had a baby shower 
to go to over the weekend. 
Now a days knowing the sex of the unborn baby 
really makes shopping and wrapping a gift so wonderful.
And....I love~ love~ love~ to wrap gifts!

I'm so bored with gift bags!
I like to find something fun that can be used 
again and again to put my gifts in.

Besides with the price of those gift bags 
I can usually find something for about the same price!


Lastly....
if you get some time today check out 
                                          Joy @ Savvy City Farmer.

 
She actually named me as one of the blogs that she likes!
Thanks Joy... your so sweet!




Well that's it for now!

Have a sweet day!

A Flea Market Find!

On the Second Sunday of each month & the Saturday before,

you can find a very lovely Flea Market in Grayslake Illlinois.

And...... my daughter-in-law and I were

lucky enough to make it there this month!

What a fun time we had!

We came across quite a few interesting treasures.

 I found theses little numbers!

Now I am a lover of books!

I love to smell them, hold them, read them and
store them on a bookcase where I can

admire all the books I have read!

But I have never seen anything like this before!

Some might be offended that someone

would do this to a perfectly good book.

But that's the thing, these are books that were in bad shape.

 Many with missing covers and pages!

I think they would be great on your desk 

to stuff notes in or to display postcards.

I think vintage french postcards would make a wonderful display.

{I might need to go postcard shopping!}

  Or how about special cards that you have received.

Or even old family photos! 

So Cool!

I love these little book holders....I hope you do too!

Have a fabulous weekend!

~Big Stuff~

Along with my addiction for benches of all kinds,
I also have a thing for over-sized stuff.
It was an addiction I didn't even realize that I had.
I guess I was in the denial stage....
Then, one day as I was looking through a few catalogs
I realized that almost every thing I liked was really big!

Hmmm....

So I found my self looking around the house and
sure enough I had more large things than I realized!

~Here are just a few~

Doesn't everyone need a 3 ft. tall garden gnome
named Ned?


Or how about two 2ft. tall fleur de lis?


Don't ya just love these really big clothes pins?
I still love them after all these years!


Really big scissors!
I guess I am getting ready for a ribbon cutting ceremony!!!

I've had this over-sized "R" for years and years!


I know what your thinking...
I thought she liked French country decor.
But we had a place in Tucson for awhile and
I bought some over sized stuff for that place.
Now this beautiful, really big and really heavy
cowboy boot
has found a new home in the man cave of our new house!

And finally~I couldn't resist this
really Big Headed dog
named Lulu!

She kinda looks like a gorilla in this photo!
LOL

I have a busy week coming up
but I will try and get a few posts in!

Have a fabulous week ya all!!!

Everyone needs a Birdcage!!

I am not very fond of birds.
And....yet, I know there are many people who
buy all kinds of wonderful birdhouses.
Who purchase interesting bird feeders.
And who enjoy bird watching.

But not me. They kind of creep me out.
Sorry!

Now this bird is ok.
He's not so creepy.

Lately I have noticed birdcages all over the place.
And I have always been intrigued by them.
You don't have to put birds in them and they make for a
great design element!

The one below belongs to the ever famous Aunt Kathy.
I wish I had found this little treasure first!

This cute little number I found at TJMaxx.
And I am slowly filling it with outdoorsy stuff!

This beauty has found a home in my dining room.
It is about 5 1/2 ft. tall and I am thinking of spray painting it a
lighter color.
I love the shape of it.


For a whole different twist.
How about these Wall Stickers.
That's right these birdcages are all wall stickers.
There from Giggle Smile Designs.
Kind of funny don't you think?:-)

You don't have to love birds to love a
great looking birdcage!

Warmly,

Jackpot!

Ever heard of April Cornell?
Over the years I had come across her things.
They are very colorful! Very French!
She designs fabrics for home furnishings and clothing.
She is from Montreal Canada. That's why the French influence.

Click HERE to check her out.

About a years ago I came across these great kitchen towels.
A set included one striped and one floral towel. I bought 2 sets.
They became my inspiration
for my kitchen/gathering room area of the home we just moved in to.
Loved Them!
(Did I mention that I found them at TJMaxx for a great price!)

And the search began.
I wanted more of this floral pattern.
So I looked every where I went.
I looked on line, only to find a short apron.
It looked like this pattern was discontinued:-(

But... after a year of keeping my eyes peeled.
I hit the jackpot!!

I found a whole slue of April Cornell in my pattern, at TJMaxx, ten minutes from my house. I did a happy dance, right there in the store.

Napkins, place mats, a round tablecloth,
pot holders, oven mitts and even a totebag!
I probably over did it, but I find other uses for napkins and pot holders!
(A napkin to line my onion basket or to put on the bottom of a tray,
a potholder looks great under a Yankee Candle and so on.)
And after all the price was right!

Oh Happy Day!

What's a Vanity Tray?

Have you ever heard of a Vanity Tray?
I hadn't.
But I thought I needed something to put perfumes and colognes on.
They just sat there on my dresser and I didn't like the look.
So....I started looking. And I found a perfect one online.
It was very French looking but.... it was out of stock!

Here's a very small photo of it. Sorry!

This is what our dresser looks like.

Do you recognize the picture above our dresser?
I took a picture of my picture and used it as my blog header!
Ha!

So off to look. I found this tray at Hobby Lobby on clearance for about $4.00.
It's upside down, so I could show you how dark it was.
It was a very dark bronze color.
Not what I was looking for.

So...I bought this stuff. It's leafing. (about $5.00 & I had the brush)
Which I had only seen in thin sheets, that you brush on.
But this was like a paint.
I was a little nervous but I didn't have much invested so I gave it a try.

I followed the directions on the jar and brushed it on.
It was easy to do but it dries fast so I had to hurry.
It's also water base so I cleaned my brush with water. Cool!!

I also bought a glass disc in the candle section of hobby lobby.
(1/2 price, about $3.50)
You could use a mirror disc also.
But for me the glass was the look I wanted.

The bottles reflect off the glass and I love the look!

Sometimes when I get these great ideas they don't always turn out.
But this one I loved!
(I'm not sure I am ready to show you things I do that I don't love!)

Now...... for those sconces that I hate the color of!
I like the fixture just not crazy about the color of the metal with the rest of my decor.
I am thinking I might use the bronze or antique gold liquid leafing on them.

If I get up the nerve, I'll take a photo for you to see.

Happy Tuesday to You!

Ta Da!!

I filled my new urn.
Micheal's had 50% 0ff most of their floral. So I took advantage of the savings. I also found these great dried artichokes at Pottery Barn.
Gotta say, I Love It!!

I have this problem- When ever I have a floral arrangement done by a florist I don't like it.
The thing is, I picture how it should look in my head.
But...I have a difficult time explaining it to the florist. I usually end up going home and pulling some things out and adding other things.

So.....

I search the internet and get ideas.
I go to google images and type in urns.
Then I search through and get inspired.
After that I go shopping!
I put a 5 in. green styrofoam ball(from Michael's) in the urn so I have something to stick the stems into. I also get some moss to use as filler.
Then, I make a giant mess.

And wallah!....a new arrangement is born!

Have a great Weekend.

Love Them!!

My "Shopping Motto" is:
Only buy it if you absolutely love it!

After many years of buying things to only find out later that I didn't really have a place for them or that I just didn't really like them. I have learned to ONLY buy it if
I love, love, Love It!
There is nothing worse than trying to find a place for stuff that you just don't love. Or worse yet taking it to the thrift shop because you have found something you like better.

Anyway here are my new/old "gotta love them" buys!

This urn is made of cement. I plan to use it on my island in my kitchen.
I 'm going to fill it with dried stuff.
I'll try to show you a picture when I 'm finished.

I have a bedroom in my house that I call my Shabby Chic Room.
Here is a great stool that I found. I plan to use it as a plant stand. It looks perfect next to the two old window frames that I had mirrors put in.

Now to find something fun to go on the stool?!

Ok!
Here is the best find of all.
As I have said before I have a French country kitchen so when I find a rooster I go crazy. Sure there are tons of rooster things out there. But not an old punched tin rooster in a even older green paint- worn frame!
Yeah!
I love, love, LOVE IT!!

It looks great on both sides. Now which way do I hang it!

Happy Treasure Hunting!