Cottage Journal Collector's Shed

Many of you subscribe to or purchase The Cottage Journal, 

but did you know they have a website/blog that is frequently updated 

with wonderful feature layouts and stories? 

 You can go to their site and sign up in email for the blog.

 I thought you might enjoy seeing these photos from a recent entry

 on a garden shed that's filled with all the vintage essentials. 

French Cottage

Hi Friends, I wanted to share a new publication by Hoffman Media that I think many of you will really enjoy, but may not have heard about. It's from the company that puts out two of my favorites, Victoria Magazine and The Cottage Journal. Last Spring they released a Special Issue called French Cottage. It was in magazine form, but could have been a hardcover "coffee table" edition. This year Hoffman came out with a second edition, this time in the hard cover.

Around the house and a photo bomb...

This is turning out to be a busy weekend. The big kids are here for their 20th high school reunion ... yikes...just saying that makes me feel old. And Sunday is my last day at Relics Antique Mall, so I'll be clearing out whatever is left of the booth and call it done. I've loved the experience of having a space, but for the last several years I've had to do things on my own, and that part isn't fun. Time to move on to new things, and I'm looking forward to having that day each week to catch up on some other projects that need taking care of.

And speaking of flea market shopping, I found this great little "God Bless Our Home" cross stitch recently.

I have a little soft spot for "homestyle" cross stitch pieces; I created my share back in the 80's and 90's. I always admire the amount of time the stitcher put into the piece and when I see them for just a few dollars I always want to rescue them and give them a new home. I found this one a few months ago, but the dark frame didn't work for me, so when I painted my kitchen table it got the ASCP treatment.

The browns and golds and orange on the shutters made me think to put it out here on the sunporch with the other late summer colors. I tried several places but it ended up on the baker's rack.

And while I was digging through some cabinets yesterday, I found a good bunch of tan striped ticking that I bought last year for a table runner....totally had forgotten about it. So now maybe I can get that made since I'll have a little more time.

LOVE this wonderful wreath!

So, while I was out in the sunporch takings pics, 

who shows up for a little nibbling of the greens?

hmmm...which one looks tastier?

I guess we all need our fiber...

joining in on these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
Knick of Time
Savvy Southern Style

Hope you're having a good weekend!!

xoxo,

More birdies and presents to myself...

You all know how much I love me some birdies, and you've heard me sing the praises of the UK Edition of Country Living. Put them both together in this month's February Issue, and you have me looking forward to Spring more than ever.

Once you've experienced one of these gorgeous monthly magazine publications you'll be hooked. The UK Edition is true to it's name. It's all about life in rural Britain; farms, businesses, crafts, entrepreneurs, cooking, traditions, and lifestyle.

This month they featured bird and nest illustrations

 from the Natural History Museum, London.

The illustrations in the layout look like watercolor exhibits on faded papers,

with dimensional identification tags. a very vintage look.

This month's issue is still available at bookstores. 

And I have to share this wonderful breadboard that arrived in the mail this week. Being sick and delirious ;) I'd forgotten that I'd ordered it, and when my husband brought the monster box to me I was clueless. (That happens to me every once in awhile and it has nothing to do with a fever)

 It's a big boy breadboard, that I ordered from "Decor Steals" as my Valentine present to myself. When I ordered it I didn't have any idea where I'd put it, but I wasn't going to let it pass by. It's not as heavy or well made as the real thing, but it has the look of an old one, and the price was right.

And this interesting reproduction metal sign came from "Antique Farmhouse" before Christmas. The distressed creams and browns are really pretty....and it says "Paris"... what's not to love?

I think I like them together...

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I've been working on more Springification around here. The sunporch was Saturday's project...I'm just getting started. And please don't remind me that another snowstorm is scheduled for Tuesday!

I'm joining in at these parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,