Summer Dreams

I was fortunate to win a wonderful Give Away recently from my sweet friend Julie from Idyllhours. I had been eyeing this book, each time I went to Barnes and Noble and had leafed through it several times...just never purchased it. What a perfect surprise when she told me her hubby had picked my name to receive it.

Kathryn Ireland is one of my favorite designers because she has such a relaxed and layered comfortable style. A little English Country, a little bohemian, a little European...but all so very "personal".

Part decorating book, part travel guide, part cook book, part journal..Kathryn takes you through "Summer" at her lovely rural retreat in Southwest France.

with horses, children, shopping the markets,

 lazy afternoons, and candlelit evenings...

relaxing spaces for family and friends,

Her fabric designs and fresh style are found in every aspect of her home.

an al fresco dining room filled with casual elegance

I'm thoroughly enjoying reading this book.

 It's not just a decorating "Look book", but a glimpse into her world.

I guess we all have dreams of how we'd love to spend our "Summer".

No, it's not the French Countryside, but I'm happy to be where I am.

Just enjoying a few of Summer's lovely reminders.

Thank you Julie.

joining in on these great parties:

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

And speaking of Give Aways,

 I have one coming up mid month to celebrate 4 years of knowing all of you.

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

Be Inspired #151: Kitchen Remodel with Vintage in Mind.

Hi Everyone, wow, can you believe it's August?

This Summer is flying by, I hope you've been enjoying it and finding some time to get some projects done. I finished one last week that I've been putting off for ages. Thanks to all you who featured my kitchen tabletop makeover this last week. If you haven't seen that post, then just click here. It's now my "most visited post"!

Sometimes I see an amazing photo on a blog and I just assume that it must be a magazine image; but not this time. This wonderful kitchen below belongs to Silvina from Tasas & Cuentos.  She has finished a complete kitchen renovation, and the result is a vintage lovers' dream come true. She wanted old cabinetry for this amazing open space, so when she found this huge Grocery Store Counter and it's cupboard companion, it became the showstopping centerpiece for her new and efficient work space.

She left the paint finishes as is, and just added in extra shelving for dish storage. Not many of us would have the space for this kind of fabulous counter, but her quest for a vintage look paid off. If you haven't seen this post in person, then please visit her blog and also check out the previous posts on this kitchen renovation.

Kathleen from Faded Charm 

takes us on a morning walk in her lovely garden. 

Her Hydrangeas are heavenly.

Learn How to Chalk Paint Kitchen Cabinets

with Katie at Decorate My Life

Erin from Just Grand shared her friend's wonderful Gardens,
complete with potting shed and fishpond.

Carlene from Organized Clutter

 gave a recap of her Garden Junk Vignettes.

 And Mary from Home is Where the Boat Is
 has been loving lavender and shares her Lavender Margaritas
...Need I say more?

yes, please...

Today's Sponsor Spotlight is on Lucy from 

Bel Monili

hope you'll run by her shop and check out all the fun Summer Jewelry

in her upcycled, recycled, repurposed vintage shop.

thanks Lucy!

Hope you'll join in today for the party. Be Inspired is open to all "inspiring" posts, not just vintage. I'd love for you to be a follower of Common Ground, and remember to please have a link to this blog within your blog post to be featured.

and check out these other great Friday Parties

Alrighty then,

Time to get this party started!

Top Visited Links from Be Inspired

Yikes is Wednesday and I've had my face in my computer all day photoshoping pics for a little project that's in the works. You know how those things go. hush. hush. until the big day. Can you imagine 3 years and hundreds of photos to go through. OK... yes, you can imagine...

So here are the top visited links from last week's 

Be Inspired

Jann from A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

shared a new find that is the cabinet of her dreams.

Nita from Mod Vintage Life

shared the Yard of the Month in her lovely neighborhood.

And Penny from Penny's Vintage Home

gave us a wonderful look at Christmas in July

thanks gals, for sharing the inspiration!

See you all tomorrow morning for

xoxo,

Everything's coming up...Sunflowers!

Now that August is upon us, I can safely call it "Late Summer", and late Summer always means Sunflowers to me. So here in the Dining Room I changed out the white Geraniums and the lighter tablerunner for my Frenchy Stripe tablerunner and the windowbox centerpiece full of happy little Sunflowers.

(does that sound too much like Bob Ross the 1970's painter with the big hair 
from PBS, and his "happy little clouds...trees...mountains"?)

I found this wonderful Sunflower Botanical pillow and I fell in love. My other Sunflower pillow in needlepoint was lonely so this one works great to balance out the church pew.

It needed a darker pillow behind it to set it off, so the black and white teensy check came in from the Sunporch.

Even though I hate the heat of late Summer, I'm always excited when we get to August because that means Fall will be here soon. Yep, watch out Fall here I come!

I have this wonderful old metal flower stand in the Dining Room that I don't show often, but today it has a reproduction seed box on it with a Sunflower wreath ready to be hung up somewhere.

Love my giclee print in muted tones on canvas of the sheep.

See what I was doing last year with Sunflowers, Here and Here. 

The Marketplace is going strong this week.

  Click Here to see what new items have been listed.

I'm joining in on these great parties this week:

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedarhill Ranch

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Gallery at Yellow Bliss Road

DIY by Design

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Stone Gable

From My Front Porch to Yours

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

Shabby Art Boutique

Jennifer Rizzo

xoxo,

The Marketplace: Etsy and Online Boutique Showcase

Happy Monday Everyone, time for
The Marketplace

A link party to share your Etsy and Online Boutique Shops and merchandise. Come and link up to 3 of your individual items or a blog post about your items. Just make sure they are FOR SALE. Here are some great items from last week:

Vintage  Wire Market Cart

from Vintage Goodness 1

Turquoise Picture Frame Set

from The Shabby Chateau

Little Cream Christmas Stocking

from Kathy Creative Home

Vintage Father Christmas Figurine

from Cereus Art

Candy Corn Crochet Garland

from The Prairie Cottage

Blue and White Ikat Pillow Cover

from Urban Farmhouse Chic

Today's Sponsor Spotlight is on Rose from Rosekraft., who specializes in Bohemian Cottage and Victorian Decor and Victorian Die Cuts and framed pictures. Hope you'll run by the shop and check out all the wonderful items.

Seashell Centerpiece Beachcottage Decor

Vintage Bird Figurine

Succulent Garden Seashell

thanks so much, Rose!

Hope you'll join in with your own Etsy and Boutique Items. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you'd like,  you can grab the image below for somewhere on your blog to share with your readers. This link party is live all week, so be sure and stop back several times throughout the week to see new items being listed.

Thank you, to each of you who come by each week 

and list your shop items, then stay to shop!

Happy Shopping