window shopping...

Good Morning!

I have been enjoying a lot of rest and relaxation on my comfy white couch and am feeling better every day!  I even went out for a little ride on Saturday to check on my booth!  Thanks to my fellow shop girls for keeping my little corner looking great!

I have also been doing a bit of window shopping on Etsy for an event we are having in April at The Wrentham Country Store.  Take a peek at some of my favorites in this treasury I made and come back on Wednesday for all the details...

Thank you for stopping by and have a great week!

there's no place like home...

There really is no place like home...

...and I am so happy to be home!!

Thank you so much for sending all your love, support and prayers...

I have been home since Monday and I am feeling good ~ better every day!

Happily joining Kathleen for White Wednesday!!

I can't wait to see what you all have been up to...I'll be by soon to catch up!

happy valentine's day...

Happy Valentine's Day!

I want to say a big Thank You for all the kind words of support and thoughtful wishes and prayers you have all been sending me!  I am feeling very blessed!  I will bring all this blog love with me this week to help keep me thinking positively and put my mind in a happier place!

Remember when I shared my little kitchen makeover and the few spots I still needed to fill in...

Well, a few Saturdays ago after I went into the shop I came home and found this up...

The day before I had Jim hold them up for me so I could see if I liked it or not...

I had just finished painting the frame white and I picked up the "F" at Anthropologie around the holidays.  I think I like it! 

My kitchen makeover has been coupled with a little den makeover too.  I started it off with this chippy old chair...

As well as my Mom's old table...

I shared the beginning of the makeover here and how the table may get a coat of white...

Well of course it did...

I love the way the table came out but was not sure at first how to dress her up...

But everything fell into place...

I kept it simple...

Jim brought me home a bunch of big burlap bags.  I washed them, trimmed the cut ends (great scraps for projects) and am having fun using them around my  nest.  I even tucked one in the basket...

While the room is well on it's way it still needs a few things.  I want to get a new slipcover for the love seat (I am eyeing a piped cotton twill one, in natural, in the LL Bean catalog)...

And I would like a chandelier...

And while I love my cork board over the computer...

The wall needs something to detract from all the not so pretty yet necessary stuff (keeping it real photo alert)...

My vision is to mix old mirrors, architectural salvage and a little je ne sais quoi.  I am hoping to be inspired and find something wonderful while doing a lot of blog surfing and internet shopping while I recuperate!

I am so glad I decided to keep the old fan...

I am hoping to link this up before I go with Kathleen for White Wednesday over at Faded Charm.  I can't believe I am going to miss out on a few!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope your Valentine's Day is a sweet one!

...you'll be in my heart ~ be back soon!

messages of love...

Debra is having a Vintage Valentine Party today!  I have a few vignettes to share with you.  First in my den where the sun was happily shining in, I put one of the heart boxes I decoupaged...

Then there is my sweet vintage book I love to use hoping to give Jim a hint...

I have it in my den where he can see it when he sits at the computer!

My displays are very subtle this year...

 Just the way I like it...

I love the sweet faded roses on this old book!

Old sheet music is always a perfect, romantic touch... 

I added a bit of pink to soften it all...

I love the Valentine tussie...I have two and got them off Etsy years ago...

Last Valentine's Day Jim and I went antiquing and he found this book for me...

I will always treasure it!!

There is another dove on my mantle too...

It is the perfect size to hold a little something special...

Hmmm...do you think he will get that hint?

Actually Jim has already given me the best gift ~ his strong hand to hold, his broad shoulder to lean on and his heart full of love.  My little nest has been shaken up a bit lately.  I have to have surgery next week.  Open heart surgery.  A small mass called a left atrial myxoma (or benign tumor) has been found and needs to be removed.  So, next week I am heading into Boston to have it taken care of.  I am lucky I live near a place that has some of the best hospitals and doctors in the world.  I am also lucky the word benign was used.  And I am very lucky to have the love and support of my family and friends.  You have all been so wonderful and I thank you so much!  I also know I could count on all of my blog friends for good thoughts and prayers!

Needless to say I will be taking a little blog break.  However, before I go I will be back on Monday to share what I have so far in my den makeover which will be on hold for a bit.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thank you for listening!!

still dreaming in vintage whites...

It was one year ago today that I sat down and started this wonderful adventure of blogging.  I posted my first photo...

And shared my first thoughts...

Well...I finally did it! I've been wanting to start my own blog for quite a while. I sit at my computer every morning with my coffee (and, yes, many other times during the day too), "meeting" so many creative people, reading their thoughtful posts and looking at their beautiful photos, all while learning, laughing and becoming totally inspired. I've waited long enough to join in on all the fun!

I have met so many wonderful people through their thoughtful posts that I now call friends.  Thank you for your friendship!  I am amazed everyday at the beautiful photos you all share ~ and they just get better every day.  I am challenging myself to take better pictures and thank you for all the tips that you share!  Thank you for all the great tutorials for so many craft projects and painting techniques as well as wonderful recipes and favorite treasure hunting spots.  Thank you for all the laughs that sometimes had me in tears.  There were sad tears too, reminding me that you are all real people, just like me, living life one day at a time.  Hey, that is what friends are for ~ being there for the good times as well as the bad.  Thank you for sharing your homes, your family ~ your heart and soul.  You have inspired me to chase my dreams and to never give up!

Thank you all so much!!

 

Now for the winner of my giveaway (drum roll please)...

 

 Donna said...

Great blog, Sandi! And I love your booth at the store, too. I am in love with your dough bowl and table runner. I'm always on the lookout for stuff like that. Love the changes. Keep on bloggin'... :)

Congratulations Donna! 

Please email me your address so I can send you a little something from me and I am looking forward to seeing what you create with Paula over at Castle and Cottage for your new sign!!

I want to say thank you very much to all my friends and followers who stop by and leave me kind comments and words of encouragement.  My heart is truly touched by your friendship!  A little love goes a long way...

And while my life and nest have seen many changes this past year, I am still dreaming in vintage whites!

been there, done that...

Have you seen the latest Pottery Barn Bed and Bath Catalog for early Spring yet?  I spied these in there...

photo ~ Pottery Barn

I remember seeing similar images over at The Graphics Fairy so I put these together using some old frames I already had...

Not exactly the same but I like them...

I thought these would look cute in the princess suite but I think I want to find frames with a little bit more detail (and she suggested black).  So I brought them into the shop...

I think this catalog is the best one they have had in a while.  I must admit I was excited when I saw a few things in there that I already have in my nest that I found treasure hunting ~ and I got them for a lot less money too.  Like these old frames...

photo ~ Pottery Barn

You might remember I have a few similar frames in my Paris Hotel Suite...

As well as many other places around my nest.  Then of course there are the book bundles...

photo ~ Pottery Barn

Been there, done that too...

Now I want something like this for my den makeover...

photo ~ Pottery Barn

I know I will find something just as wonderful for a lot less money while treasure hunting. 

Thanks for stopping by!  I am joining Kathleen for White Wednesday, a bit early.  I am off early tomorrow morning and did not want to miss out on joining in on one of my favorite parties of the week!

Oh...and don't you miss out on my giveaway (a personalized sign from Castle and Cottage) ~ it ends Wednesday at midnight!