common ground

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Butterflies and a French Message Board

I love doing things "themed" with nature, especially in the Spring.

Little green shoots and buds have me all excited.

So when I was thinking about Debbie's Copy Cat Challenge,

I of course wanted it to be something that echoed the essence of Spring.

I keep this French Ribboned Message Board

on my computer desk with notes and photos and cards.

I had to edit it a little to make it photo-worthy,

then I added the little paper butterflies.

Just the right amount of Springy-ness.

My younger daughter loves to "embellish" and personalize her notes.

makes them more special...

Here is my inspiration,

Victoria Magazine, May 2001 cover.

Debbie's kicking off a week of Spring time fun.

Be sure and check out the other copy cats at the party.

And if you haven't entered the Give Away from

French Bleu Vintage

then click here to join in!

ends Saturday March 17 at midnight.

...and if you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique

I hope you'll join in for

each Monday at Common Ground.

I'll be joining these parties:

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff at Primp

Hope you're having a great day,

xoxo,

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Give Away with French Bleu Vintage

Dee and French Bleu Vintage need no introduction for many of us. But if you haven't had the pleasure of shopping her Online Store, I want to share a place where you can go to find "vintage" at it's finest. Dee stocks one-of-a-kind "found" antiques and collectibles that you won't see anywhere else, and she is also now carrying a line of wonderful home decor items with a Country French flair.

This French Country Footed Plate is my personal favorite.
Use it for special occasions where dessert needs to take center stage or
as a base for a cloche to show off treasures.

This Rustic Conservatory,

perfect for tabletop display, is one of the items in her

New Spring 2012 Collection.

The design and script fabric on this gorgeous Crown motif pillow

would go perfectly on a linen sofa or chair.

Just imagine adding this American Beauty Collection Vintage China

to your existing floral dishes for a wonderful Spring tablescape.

And can you ever have too much ironstone?

This Maddok Ironstone Pitcher would be perfect for holding

a fresh Spring bouquet.

Dee is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate

for her Online store

French Bleu Vintage.

Dee has a 10% discount at checkout,

just use the code "SPRING"

Here's how to enter:

1. Visit Dee's wonderful Shop, French Bleu Vintage,

browse a bit and come back here to tell me what you love.

2. Follow Dee's Blog French Bleu Vintage

3. Like French Bleu Vintage on Facebook

you can also join the FBV mailing list

to keep up on what's new in store.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry,

here on this post at Common Ground.

Thanks so much for welcoming Dee and French Bleu Vintage
as one of my new sponsors,

Happy Shopping!
xoxo,

Friday, March 9, 2012

Vintage Inspiration #79 Spring's Flowering Bulbs

We seem to be a few weeks ahead here in the Midwest, when it comes to Spring weather. I already have daffodils blooming, which usually doesn't happen till later. And today I saw my hyacinths in full bloom, too. We can have some fluke-y Spring snow storms in March, (as I'm writing this it's been sleeting rain, and I had to bring in my frozen little daffys) but usually they are gone in a day or two. This year it's just warmer, earlier, which has me really looking forward to Spring. It really does seem to be right around the corner. (Back in the 70's by Tuesday yay!)

Here are some wonderful Pinterest photos of flowering bulbs for Spring,

Don't you just love all the wonderful color?

Source: livethemma.ikea.se via Debra on Pinterest

Speaking of inspiration, hard to get better than Pinterest .
Hope you'll come visit my boards on Flowers and Spring.

Source: peekingthruthesunflowers.blogspot.com via Debra on Pinterest

Source: fiffigasystrar.blogspot.com via Debra on Pinterest

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Debra on Pinterest

Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com via Debra on Pinterest

Love these sweet crocus in the teacups!

ource: Uploaded by user via Debra on Pinterest

If any of these Pinterest Images belong to you without credit, please let me know,

I'm more than happy to link to your blog or website.

I just came home from the Spring Open House at Leola's in Ozark,

if you're local, you'll want to head down there this weekend,

this is just a teaser of the Spring Fun and Color at the store!

And now some vintage inspiration from last week.

You all are so talented, I love seeing what you're up to each week!

Amanda, from One Girl in Pink transformed a "questionable" piece

into a wonderful chair-side table with a little Annie Sloan Antoinette Pink.

Be sure and visit Joy over at Savvy City Farmer to check

her show date this week. She has some wonderful things.

Wish I lived closer, I want it all!

Kathleen from Charm Bracelet Diva found an amazing glass bottle lamp,

You won't believe what she paid for it!

Tammy from a Walk in the Countryside

shows us one more way to use cast off doors,

Go take a look at how they accent her garden.

and Anita from Cedar Hill Ranch

is using a vintage ironing board for a server out on her porch.

How fun is this?

I'll be linking up with:

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Friday Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Home Sweet Home at the Charm of Home

and be sure and go by to say Hi to Jody from

Rooted In Thyme with her new Friday party Simple and Sweet

Thank you everyone, for coming over and linking up for the party!

If you've never joined in I'd love to have you.

Please be sure and have a visible link within your post.

Let's let everyone know they're invited;

"anything vintage or vintage inspired"

Remember to come back this weekend for a Give Away

with French Bleu Vintage

xoxo,

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Amalie, The Milkmaid

My husband knows not to bring home chocolates for Valentines Day; (love them way too much), flowers are wonderful but my cats tend to want to eat them, so when we went to the Antique Show a few weeks ago, I knew I had a little credit for shopping.

I've actually had this vintage print before, and sold it, so when I saw it again at a good price, I jumped on it. True to form, I didn't know where I'd put it, but I fell in love with this sweet little milk maid, so home she came. Amalie was the only name that fit her, so now she lives in my kitchen, and I enjoy not only her, but her bucolic friends each day. And seeing those little painted daisies, just makes it feel like Spring.

The print is in it's original wooden back frame. It's a little wavy from humidity, but old prints have such a personality, I generally don't let that bother me.

I love how she contrasts with the off white walls,

and plays off the dark floral curtains.

I've had this little birdie plaque for years,

but it received a little white paint and a "mossy" treatment.

I found a few other things that day, but one that I have in the kitchen is this wonderful little hand painted black tole tray.

It's setting on top of my double ovens right now and I can see

that it needs to be raised up a little from the photo.

(oh, the hazards of being short...)

Remember that Monday Marketplace is up all week, so you still have time to link up your Etsy and online shop items, and then do some shopping. Just scroll down to the next post.

If you're local Leola's Vintage Home and Garden in Ozark is having their Spring Open House starting Thursday at 9:30 AM running thru Sat. at 5:00 PM. Me and my camera will be there with the early birds.