Hello...

Just wanted to say...

I am going to take a little blog break...

See you real soon!

cottage whimsy...

Waaay back in September, I shared with you some of my dried hydrangeas.

In that post I mentioned that I was looking for a different lamp for this space...

I wanted a more cottagey looking lamp instead of this french looking one...

Well, guess what I bought at the shop with the money I saved from not buying the knives at the shop?

(That story was my last post.)

You guessed it...

I have been admiring it in Patricia's booth for weeks...

Love the cottage style with a touch of whimsy...

I think it looks so much better...

Don't you?

Joining Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Thank you for hosting Debra!!

Thank you all for stopping by ~ have a wonderful weekend!

in my kitchen on white wednesday...

When I showed you earlier this year the book (Pale and Interesting) that my son gave me for Christmas, I shared this inspiring photo from it...

I wanted to add a little collection like this to my kitchen.

I knew there was a set of mother of pearl handled knives at the shop and went back and forth with myself if I should buy them or not.

But then I remembered I had some pretty vintage knives already...

They have the most beautifully detailed handles...

I feel like I achieved a similar look to the inspiration I took from the book, so I am happy!

And I saved money...but then I spent it at the shop on something else.

Tune in Friday to see what it is!.

I also forgot to show you the tulips I bought for myself...

I bought one big bunch and put them on my kitchen table...

I am sharing today with Kathleen for

White Wednesday.

The winner of my giveaway is...
Cheryl from the beautiful blog
French Vanilla for C!
Congratulations to Cheryl and Thank You to everyone who entered!


Please stop by Cheryl's wonderful blog today and treat yourself to all the beauty she shares, you will be happy you did!


Happy White Wednesday ~ have a wonderful day!

suite departures...

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend!

I want to say thank you for all the wonderful comments that were left on my last post ~ you are all so sweet!
I am still celebrating!

It has been no secret that I have wanted to do a mini makeover in the princess suite.

Of course I wanted the room to stay clean for a while so I could actually tackle the project.

That never seemed to happen (hey, I'm keeping it real!).

Then, I finally realized that the furniture that was in the princess suite was actually making it hard for her to keep it clean!
She needed more drawer space so we went to Ikea and purchased a few bureaus for her room.

The princess and I love Ikea and we had a fun day shopping together!

The room is still a work in progress and I hope to share it with you soon.

For now I will show you what has departed the suite.

This lingerie chest is now patiently waiting for the white show at the shop...

The old cupboard is waiting for my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint makeover (yes, I finally bought some) and the vintage vanity has been safely stored in the attic for her very own first nest...

This old beauty is in my booth at the shop right now...

Just waiting for the next princess...

A few other small pieces have left her room as well, all headed for the white show.

To take a peek at the original princess suite post click here.

Oh, and speaking again of my last post ~ have you entered my giveaway?

It ends today at midnight!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

celebrating...

Hello ~ I am so glad you stopped by!

I am in a great mood today and want to share my happiness with you all!

You see it was a year ago today that I had my successful open heart surgery to remove the benign tumor from my heart.

I am feeling just wonderful and want to celebrate...

Source: vitaverandan-anna.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

Also, February 10th marked my second year of blogging!

Another reason to celebrate!


I am ever so grateful for the friendships I have made these last two years and wish I could share a little something with each and every one of you...

Source: athingforroses.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

Just know that you all hold a special place in my (improved) heart!


I treated myself this week to two new books and curled up in my big comfy white chair last night with them...

Rachel's book is absolutely beautiful and inspiring!!


To celebrate how lucky I am, I decided I would give away a copy of one of these books ~ winner's choice!
And, just in case some of you may already have these books, another choice for you is the book that my son gave me for Christmas...

Maybe you still do not have a copy of Fifi's first book so I will offer it as a choice too...

Finally, I wanted to include this other good choice that should be arriving at the shop soon...

The new issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine!


Now I like to keep things simple.
To win your choice of one of the following...


Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces
Thrifty Chic
Pale and Interesting
Romantic Prairie Style
Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine 2nd edition 2012


...you must already be a follower and all you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me which one you would choose!
It is that simple.
You can be a current follower on Google Friend Connect or the new Linky Follower, both of which are on my sidebar.


The giveaway will end Tuesday, February 21st.
I will announce the winner next Wednesday.


Good luck to you all!
Have a wonderful weekend!

back to vintage whites...

I am so happy you all enjoyed sharing my pretty in pink dream post yesterday!

Today for White Wednesday, I am back to dreaming in vintage whites with the help of Joanna from Design Shuffle.

She has put together a dreamy post full of vintage whites for me to share with you beginning with inspiration from my friend Sandy from My Shabby Streamside Studio.

Don't forget ~ another one of Sandy's beautiful mirrors is for sale in my booth! 

Take it away Joanna...

Hello. I’m Joanna, a writer for Design Shuffle, a premier online portal centered around interior designers and their work and design enthusiasts' interests. I stumbled across A Cottage Muse recently and fell in love with the theme of “vintage white.” Thanks for letting me share some of my favorite chippy white pieces with you today! Chipped white paint on wood and wrought iron makes for a romantic element indoors and out. Think weathered and rustic dining suites, iron daybeds and ornate mirrors. Distressed white paint is often related to the shabby chic style. Following are a few of my favorite pieces along with decorating ideas for using them.



A tiny gingerbread house is the perfect space for shabby chic furnishings such as this tall mirror and rustic Victorian shelf.



Interior doors add a nostalgic touch when left with white chipping paint and patinaed door hardware.



A distressed, rustic kitchen table is accompanied by rustic seating and a built in china hutch.



Another rustic kitchen table and lovely chippy white side chairs make for a romantic eat-in kitchen.



What’s not to love about this incredible bedroom design? The columns and ceiling, in a rustic finish, inspire many decorating ideas.



A weathered white fireplace mantel is a lovely element in a shabby chic room. The mantel would look beautiful as a headboard as well.



Chipped white paint can give a romantic element to wrought iron pieces outdoors. Love this daybed!



Weathered cabinets accompany an apron sink for storage and a place to keep toiletries. We don't often see such a wonderfully large sink in bathroom designs. The tiny windows with molding are adorable.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

What are your thoughts on shabby chic styling? Don't forget to check out Design Shuffle and get great inspiration from the top Boston interior designers, San Francisco interior designers and others!

Thank you so much Joanna! 

I am in love with that outdoor space and am kicking myself for passing on an old iron daybed that recently sold at the shop!

Thank you to Kathleen for hosting White Wednesday!

Most of all, thank you all for visiting today.

I have a little surprise on Friday...see you then!!

pretty in pink...

I had a dream last night.

My Valentine told me to pack my bags...

Source: acottagemuse.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

We flew across the ocean to a tiny pink apartment in Paris...

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Sandra on Pinterest

We had a breathtaking view from our balcony...

Source: weheartit.com via Sandra on Pinterest

And our room was so pretty in pink, from the bedside table...

Source: eraseunacasa.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

To the bed...

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via Sandra on Pinterest

To the pretty slipper chair where I tossed some of the pretty pink things I brought...

Source: zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

I had a special dress for a night on the town...

Source: inspireddecorating.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

A beautiful night that included pink champagne and cupcakes...

Source: lilacandgrey.com via Sandra on Pinterest

Source: bettycrocker.com via Sandra on Pinterest

And did I mention that the room was full of flowers...

Source: vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com via Sandra on Pinterest

He even brought me to a brocante where we found one of these for my collection...

Source: tatteredrebel.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

I usually dream in vintage whites but I love it when I dream in pink too!

I love you Jim!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

vintage valentines...

No I am not talking about Jim and I, although we have been each other's Valentine since we were 15!

Debra is having a Vintage Valentine Party over at Common Ground and I thought I would share a few of the vintage Valentine cards that Mary Ellen has for sale at the shop...

Pretty sweet don't you agree?!

I am going to treat myself to a few bunches of fresh flowers tomorrow when I go to the market and will mix them in with the few treasures I use for Valentine's Day decorating...

Maybe I will get a bunch or two of white tulips...

Last year I was lucky enough to win this pretty banner in a giveaway from Jeanine...

Thanks Jeanine, I love it!

I am really embracing a simpler look around my home this year.

Less is more!

Thank you Debra for hosting and thank you all for visiting!

Enjoy your weekend!!