Vintage Inspiration Friday #51: One Year Give Away!

Hello, hello, ready for a Give Away?

I missed my 2 year blog anniversary back in June,

so I thought I'd better get busy to not miss my one year

Vintage Inspiration Friday

 Birthday!

(Hope you like what I have planned. I'm Excited!)

I love lots of different styles of decor

and I can't pigeonhole myself in one particular area,

but just having come on a journey with my Living Room

I've realized that Romantic French Styling has been my biggest inspiration.

So for a Give Away to celebrate Vintage Inspiration Friday,

 I thought I'd share two of my "go-to" books with you all.

Carolyn Westbrook's

The French Inspired Home

And Selina Lake's

Romantic Style

and just to let you know how much I love and appreciate you

supporters of Vintage Inspiration Friday and my blog

I'm going to add in one of my Key Pendant Necklaces .

A little vintage watch face on an old key

with a little bling for some fun!

Here's the deal for entries:

Separate comments please, for each one.

1. Please follow my blog and let me know.
2. Grab my Give Away button for your sidebar.
3. Spread the word with a Blog post.

And then, when you participate in

Vintage Inspiration Friday

I'll count it as an extra entry.

(one link up for each week, please)

that means three more chances to win!

Ends September 3, 2011

And now from last week's wonderful entries:

My sweet friend Sharon from Sharon's Wannabe Cottage

demolished a boat sized island and "found" this

great workbench to open up her wonderful kitchen.

Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict

continuously has me lusting after her linen creations.

White Whimsy uses Coffee Bean Sacks

to make a great table runner for her buffet

and framed art.

And A Few Pennies More shows us with a great tutorial,

how to create a Feed Sack Dress Form that looks so vintage.

joining in on

Hope you'll join in this week,

please include a link within your post

or button on sidebar.

Remember we're starting the Give Away today,

so please leave your comments here on this post!

You all are the best.

Thanks for making my life so much fun!

xoxo,

Summer Mantel Makeover

Do you ever get stuck in a rut? ...and you don't even realize it until you want to change something, but you don't make the change because...you're stuck in a rut. OK, that describes my mantel. I just tend to do the same old things. Well, at least I did until I started on my paint transformation a few weeks ago.

This room really causes me to be symmetrical,

you know something alike, or at least similar on either side.

my sofas, chairs, end tables, lamps...

works for me,

but can be predictable and boring.

...OK, so it's easy,

but not a good excuse.

And, I still needed out of the mantel rut.

Spray painting my small accent lamps, buying new shades,

 and then changing out the book stacks

were a good place to start.

But my light and bright obsession

and a need for something summery caused me to try some new things.

I removed the small clock that had been there,

then went on a hunt for a couple of prints that were similar,

but different.

Two vintage bird prints fit with my summer theme,

and then an old white iron doorstop for the centerpiece.

My large conch shell and two smaller ones were added in the mix.

Anchoring both ends are vintage demijohns that my husband contributed.

Actually I borrowed them from his collections,

but he agreed they fit the French feel I was going for.

One of the best bits of advice I was given during my makeover was

to remove everything from the place in question,

then try new things.

It's still "symmetrical" in here,

but at least I've changed out a few things.

Now, to just stay out of that rut!

linking up with these great parties,

links on the sidebar:

More news coming on the new weekly feature

click here for info

xoxo, 

The Comfort of White

I was hoping to share some outside photos of the flowers on my back deck,

but the storms of the last few days have them beaten down and sad.

My heart is still heavy over the loss that has occurred in our area.

We have a beautiful sunny day today,

but they are saying that it could cause more storms to "fire up" this evening.

Late Spring is a beautiful time of the year,

but the threat of tornadoes and storms

are always in the back of our mind.

I collect old frames of every shape and size;

you never know when an opportunity will come along

to frame some sweet prints or book pages.

This is a page of a wedding album

The white roses and sweet verse about May

sent me searching thru my stash.

And the little antique gift book

expresses my thoughts today,

for all those who are facing tragedy and loss.

(Photo Feature Friday)

A little antique drawstring purse

that is aged, but still so sweet.

Lacey, leafy ironwork on the back of the baker's rack...

And some angel vine in a cottage teapot.

I buy anything that resembles a birdhouse.

A whitewash for Spring and it's heading outside. 

an image from a Catholic church in Joplin, Missouri.

Thank you each and every one of you,

who left such sweet comments and prayers

on my last post.

Bless You!

love,