Vintage Inspiration #96 Cabin and Cottage

Hello everyone, so glad you're here for
Vintage Inspiration.


Do you love a romantic cottage look?

How about ironstone and transferware?

Immaculate vintage linens and fabrics...

photos styled with flair and expertise?

vignettes that draw you in

to partake of each item as a delicacy...

Posts that take you on a journey,

 transporting you to another time and place?

then I know that you must know Jacqueline from

  Cabin and Cottage.

Jacqueline has an endless collection of dishes, books, ephemera, and linens. One of the things that I really enjoy is that so many of her posts have a color theme. Her use of soft and romantic pastels, love of nature, and passion for vintage caused me to become an immediate fan when she started blogging in April of 2010. If you haven't had the pleasure of getting lost in her world, please go by and visit, then enjoy your get-away.
Thank you, Jacqueline for all the beauty you share, for always coming to the party, and being such a sweet friend and supporter!

And here's a little more inspiration from last week!

Sherry from The Charm of Home,
created this wonderful cow print turned piece of art!

Daisy Mae Belle 

took a dated brass lamp and painted it for some aged perfection

I'm Sharon With You turned her "bowling alley" front porch

into a wonderfully refreshed, relaxing space.

And Solange from Shaggy Sheep Home 

shared a re-do of a wonderful old wardrobe.

Looks great from the outside...

and what a fun idea for the inside;

book pages and chalkboard paint on the doors!

(so many ways and places to use this!)

Thank you, each of you, who join in each week, who share all the great projects and decor that you've been working on.  You all bring so many great ideas to the party! Hope you'll join in today for Vintage Inspiration. Please have a link within your post to be featured.

"anything vintage or vintage inspired"

And please visit these other wonderful Friday party places 

love ya'll bunches,

Three Year Give Away Winners

Time to announce the three lucky winners 

of my 3 Year Blogging Anniversary Give Away.

Wish I had a hundred of these books to say thank you,

 for all my wonderful followers!

Carolyn Westbrook's soon to be published book

Through the French Door

But since I only have three,

 here are the sweet gals they will be going to!

Karen from A Shabby Moment in Time

Judy from French Laundry

and

Amy from Maison Decor

(send me an email with your addresses, gals.

these will be sent in October!)

And if you haven't linked up any of your Etsy or Online Boutique items

well then, come on by,

and then check out all the great items!

The link is up all week, so stop back by.

just scroll down to the last post

Also, wanted to share a link to one of my great sponsors;

107 Vintage

Drop by for a fun shopping visit,

They have some wonderful vintage and new French Style finds!

just check out their vintage grain sacks!

Hope you're having a great Tuesday!

xoxo,

Monday Marketplace #20

Welcome to Monday Marketplace everyone!

the place to shop for great vintage, handmade, and one-of-a-kind items

from all our friends with Etsy Shops and Online Boutiques.

Today, I just grabbed some of my favorite links:

Vintage Atomizer-Plant Mister from Time Washed

Wonderful painting of a pear and cloche

from Farmhouse Porch

Do you know Linsey?

She's sweet and super talented!

Antique Cottage Coat Rack from Knick of Time

Sweet Vintage Print, Spring Song, from Stella by Star

  

For my Sponsor Spotlight this week 

I want to share some wonderful vintage items from

Dee from French Bleu Vintage

Yes, she has a highly sought after and coveted Demi John!

French Wicker Covered Bottle

Vintage Metal Clam Basket

Great to store magazines, towels, linens...

a million ways to use this great vintage piece.

What a wonderful addition to your special table;

Romantic Rose China Salt and Pepper Shakers

Dee always has so many wonderful vintage items. If you haven't been by her shop you'll want to visit. If you find something you love, grab it fast, her inventory sells quickly!

Hope you'll come link (up to three) items from your shop or boutique, and if possible link to your individual item. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you have a blog, please grab the button to display, this lets everyone know where to come and shop. And if you're here to shop, then please drop back by during the week, items will be added all week.

Have a great week,

I'll be announcing the winner of the Book Give Away Tuesday afternoon.

xoxo,

Shells and more, decor...

More on my short season of shell decor here in the Living Room. I found this wonderful urn at Pottery Barn a couple of years ago, in St. Louis, and since then it's been sitting on my coffee table holding whatever is seasonal. It's one of my favorite decorating pieces. 

I've picked up these great conch shells at the fleas for just a few dollars,

so they are piled in here, at least for the next few weeks.

Here's the rest of the mantle. I found these wonderful starfish at The White Rabbit in St. Louis. What a great shop, wish I'd taken photos, but Anne and I were headed back to Springfield and it was a quick visit. Such a great store, if you're in the area be sure and stop by. It's packed with great vintage, shabby, chippy, white goodness!

If you didn't see yesterday's post on making some faux soldered bottles,

then scroll down to the next post.

Also, a fixture on the mantle are my super duper love'em so much

Wolff Pottery vases. A huge bargain from Restoration Hardware

a while back. 

About 10 dollars each.

...but I did have to paint them white.

(Did I tell you how much I love them?)

More Living Room; no shells, 

but how about some repro Staffordshire dogs instead?

nothing says "Summer" like repro dog figurines.

(just kidding)

and my white desk in the corner...

This however, does say summer...

my vintage botanical specimen window.

Hard to believe, but I found a large college notebook from the 1940's

 filled with them for $11.

I know...

don't hate me cause I'm lucky.

oh, and another tapestry stool to feed my addiction.

Not cheap, but still a bargain at 40 dollars from Robin's Vintage Suitcase.

(Her new tearoom opens next week...yay!)

OK, you know me...

I'm itching for Fall...

I LIVE for September 1!!

Until then, I'll just have to play with my shells.

While hunting for photos I just realized it's been a year this week

since I started my Living Room transformation by painting over 20 pieces

of furniture white...yikes.

I'll be joining these gal pals for parties this week:

Rhoda for Thrifty Treasures

Susan for Met Monday

Marty for Table Top Tuesday

Linda for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Angie for Knick of Time Tuesday
Nita for Mod Mix Monday
Anita for Cowgirl Up
Mary for Share the Love Wednesday
Kathleen for White Wednesday
Kim for Wow Us Wednesday

Michele from Primp
The Style Sisters
No Minimalist Here
StoneGable
Stuff and Nonsense
At the Picket Fence
Rooted in Thyme
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
2805
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Shabby Art Boutique
My Romantic Home

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

xoxo,

Quick and Easy Seashell Topped Bottles

Since the window of decorating with Seashells for me is a maximum of 4-6 weeks in the summer, I'm kinda low on the scale of said seashell decor. I love having some on display during this "after the 4th and before the late summer-pre fall excitement" season, but living in the middle of the US and the fact that the closest beach is a good 16 hours travel time away, seashells just aren't on my radar most of the time. 

But...I did get a little hankerin' for some seashell bottle fun for my mantle.

I had some old bottles and a few misfit shells, so I wanted to figure out a way to make some "faux soldered seashell topped bottles" on the cheap. Do you remember the song with the lyrics "from a distance"? Uh huh...these work "at a distance". not foolin' anyone up close, but hey...for a few weeks they will suffice.

So guess how excited I was when I saw this post with a 

Seashell Bottle tutorial from Nita at Mod Vintage Life.

Nita's cool version involves tinting antique bottles, and then using a low temp glue gun attaching the seashell and paint. Don't you love how they match her gorgeous tiled fireplace?

I decided to keep my bottles clear, and since I didn't have a low temp glue gun, I went with what I had on hand...which was white wood putty. It kept the shell in place without glue and gave a smooth surface.

 Then after some drytime, I used some bronze metallic paint and a pewter Rub n' Buff mix, brushed on.

I know I'm not fooling anyone.

These don't come close to the real thing...

gorgeous soldered seashell topped bottles.

But they do look OK "from a distance"...

 Hmmm...

this "From a Distance" theme seems to be a recurring one.

More Living Room Seashell Stuff tomorrow!

Joining in for Met Monday
AKA Design
It's Overflowing
Redoux
My Romantic Home

Hope you're having a great weekend,

xoxo,