Another Flower.........

I just had to show you another of Vanessa's lovely flower pins. She handed me a pretty little package when we met on Tuesday........a belated birthday present for my granddaughter Jasmin who celebrated becoming a teen on October 25.

When Jasmin opened her present she was thrilled with her pin, modeled here on my Santo, purple being her favorite color. Hurry over to Vanessa's Etsy shop to see her pins. Start your holiday shopping, or treat yourself to one of her adorable flower pins.

The Perfect Day with a Friend

Yesterday was one of those lovely days where Fall, friendship, and fashion collide. Throw in good coffee, and a yummy toasted sesame bagel at Panera Bread, time to relax and chat................what more does one really need on a sunny Autumn morning here in the South.

Sign at SuzAnna's Antiques

Vanessa hails from Brazil and is one of my dearest friends. We met a year and half ago via our blogs and have spent a lot of time together in person as we live just 1/2 hour apart. Her smile alone makes the day sparkle. She always arrives looking SO cute and I'm kicking myself for not taking her picture yesterday. Her neat black French beret was adorned with one of her handmade felt flower pins in the brightest scarlet........which matched her lipstick. She makes skinny jeans look elegant topped with a velvet jacket - of course being in a single digit sizes does help - you looked gorgeous Vanessa! Why she wants to hang out with an old bumpy gal such as me is a mystery! I must say we always have such fun together, swapping stories of leaving home and family, emigrating to America, and treasure hunting local vintage shops where she always finds great things she knows are perfect for my home. She loves fabric as I do, and is always making lovely things for her home. Vanessa has beautiful manners, is polite, and shares values not always seen in the young these days. She is a caring wife and mom, she is thrifty and creative, she is generous in thought, word and deed, she is the perfect friend................and I think the world of her.

Vanessa's latest fabric creations are beautiful felt and fabric flower pins with vintage button centers. When I spied this pretty one in her Etsy shop I immediately wanted to buy it for this cashmere cardigan as I knew it would be perfect. Instead, Vanessa brought it to me yesterday, beautifully wrapped as a belated Birthday present. Thank you so much - as you can see it IS perfect on this sweater - I love it!

Edited: ........and look how cute it is on one of my Autumn hats!

Of course I'm sending you all to visit Vanessa's Etsy shop where there are lots of the cutest flower pins ever. Some of you already know Vanessa from her blog Vanilla Lavender and you can access her shop there.


This sign caught my eye at the ScreenDoor in Asheville - seems appropriate for this post. Do you have a special friend who always brings a smile to your face?

More ScreenDoor

return trip to the ScreenDoor in Asheville a couple of weekends ago was exciting, as always. The first day I stopped in for a quick look as soon as we arrived in town. DH patiently hunkered down on the sofa in the bookshop area while I did a fast run through to look at many treasures scattered high and low, such as the French chair I brought home with me ~ more pics when the upholsterer has had his way with her!


No housing shortage, there were elegant homes for our feathered friends.................

Maximum storage available ~ plenty of drawers in which to organize tiny found treasures...........



Lots more to show you another time............old and chipped, painted and distressed, real antiques, funky knock-offs, quirky, pricey, bargains.....maybe. Depends on what you like. What you collect. What might be perfect for a certain spot in your home......or your imagination.

Erin's Art at The Painted Garden

I feel pampered, spoiled, fortunate, and thrilled to bits!!!

I was a winner in Erin's The Painted Garden first anniversary giveaway. Last Friday was the fun day when the mail carrier left her truck and walked my package up to the front door. Inside was this beautiful WELCOME sign painted on canvas by Erin and........................

.............................a most generous $100 gift card for one of the most beautiful stores, Anthropologie! Luckily a branch opened recently in my area so I'll be heading that way soon to pick out something special.

Congratulations Erin on a whole year of vibrant art shared through your beautiful blog and website.

If you haven't visited Erin you must. This delightful artist paints the breathtaking flowers of Southern California, blending them in to garden scenes, afternoon tea table settings, shoreline vistas and pretty everyday things such as bicycles with flower baskets. Often helped by her 'studio assistant' Bentley............the cutest dog ever.............Erin's colorful art brings happiness to many. If you stop by my cottage you will be welcomed by this lovely sign. Erin, thank you so much.

Watch out for the Witchy Woman

Hello my pretties..............glad to see you weren't scared off by my cackle. I'll be waiting for you to stop by the front porch this evening in search of sweeties, such nutritious treats for Halloween!

Don't mind the crows, they're harmless.............................just watch out for me, known to many as the witchiest witchy woman east of the west!

If my red hair and pointy shoes don't scare you, come on up the brick steps, reach into my cauldron and pull out a bag of M&M's. The man of the house shopped for sweet treats and bought his favorites, as usual. Just as well, this witch doesn't need to be gobbling sweeties after tonight!

I'll be waiting for you girls and boys!

Halloween question: If witches don't have toes why do they wear long, pointed shoes? Don't look for the answer here.......perhaps you can tell me.

Pink Saturday

recent visit to the ScreenDoor in Asheville, North Carolina, displayed pale touches of pink. As one wanders through the store, at each turn some very interesting treasures are displayed. Eventually many will go home to delight a new owner. Others will stay there for a while allowing eyes to rest and wonder where would/could one use that?

Pink upholstered footstools to rest your weary legs.

Seashells in a vintage pink lidded jar.

Pink china flowers.

Have a great Pink Saturday and do pop over to visit our hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for a sea of pink - even though orange seems to be today's prevalent shade. Have a fun Halloween and be sure to stop back later today for some spooky images from the front porch.

The French Bergere Chair

............and what were you doing yesterday? If the sun was shining, the golden colors of Autumn glowing in your back garden, the air warm but not too hot, what better than starting a painting project!

Dark wood frame getting a paint job.

When in Asheville visiting the ScreenDoor, I found 'the chair'. She was old, but sturdy. Upholstered, but ugly green. Dark wood needed a touch of grayed white paint. Her lines were pure French bergere. Her seat was comfy with the perfect removable/reversible thick cushion.

I insisted that DH open the door of the Camry, we were taking that baby home with us - even if he had to sit on the roof!! He didn't - it slid in easily - those nice ScreenDoor gals I told you about allowed us to try fitting it in the back seat before we even bought it.

The chair at the ScreenDoor, Asheville, NC

The chair at home and the fabric decision.

I took the chair to the upholsterer, had them strip it of the mod green fabric (guess what, another even greener fabric underneath!), and brought it home to paint and distress the frame. I had planned using the antique French linen grain sack above on the chair - too narrow - so have decided on the natural color linen on the bolt above.

It's coming along. Some distressing tomorrow, return it to the upholsterer on Monday, then hopefully a 'new' chair - the one I've been searching for - in about a week.