Dinner on the Deck

To me, one of the best parts of summer and warm weather is being able to dine outside.  Nothing says romance like dining al fresco, so today I thought I'd share with  you a little romantic table for two!

 We usually eat at a larger umbrellaed table on our front deck, but today I thought it would be more private and fun to set this small table on the back deck.

For the occasion,  I brought out our green bistro chairs which we use in our sunroom.  Notice in the photo below who is peering out the window?

 A wire candelier, found at a garage sale a few years ago for just a buck, adds to the romance.  That's a glimpse of our sunroom that you see in the reflection (as well as a reflection of me snapping this shot, whoops!!).

 Since this table is small, I didn't want to clutter it up with a bunch of stuff, so I kept things simple.  I used this gorgeous white crocheted tablecloth (another garage sale find) on top of a pretty pink patchwork tablecloth.

Green leaf shaped plates, pretty green water goblets, as well as lovely white vintage napkins and a sweet bird napkin ring make for an easy place setting.

Freshly picked pink blossoms from my garden in a pretty hobnail milk glass vase.

 Yummy Washington State cherries (so sweet, they are better than candy, any day!!) fill a gorgeous vintage tea cup and saucer that was part of hubby's mom's collection.

 Candlelight flickers from mercury glass votives, atop a pretty little silver tray that has just the right amount of patina.  (two of my favorite things are vintage silver and mercury glass!!)

 Herbal ice tea in pretty goblets.  Plenty of ice and lots of lemon make it so refreshing on a hot day!

 Glass water bottle that we brought back from our latest trip to Paris.  I love using it, and think of our trip each time!

 Another nice thing about eating outdoors is admiring the plants and flowers!

 While I was snapping this photo shoot, I noticed this amazing dragonfly on the side of the house!

 Another look at my candelier.

Ok, full disclosure, dinner tonight is takeout pizza! 

Bon appetit!

Pink Princess Crown Prints

Bonjour Mes Amis!

It's still super hot and muggy here at the chateau, so when we aren't out on or in the lake trying to cool off, I'm staying inside playing in my craft room!

Today I wanted to share with you a project that I just finished, that is one of my favorites!

A set of three crown prints on pink sheet music, which I have put in my Etsy shop.

I had so much fun making them, and am so happy with the way they turned out!

 Ok, here is what they started out like.  Cute, but not the look I was going for.  Hubby discovered this set of three matching frames last week (I guess you could say that he is my own personal "picker"!), and called me from the thrift shop, to ask if I might be interested in them.  

Of course!  I always am looking for frames to transform, and the fact that they were a matching set made them all the better!

While the cherubs were cute, I had another plan for them!

 I began by painting the frames creamy white, followed by what I like to call 

"a generous dose of distressing".

 I then printed these amazingly gorgeous crowns (from the Graphics Fairy)

onto this cute pink sheet music.

 It took quite a bit of finagling (is "finagle" a word???!) for me to get the crowns lined up just right!

 I think they would be adorable hanging in a nursery or little girls room!

 Love them!

 Ok, I hope you don't get tired of seeing pictures of Katie, but I couldn't resist sharing this one that I snapped of her a few days ago!

Katie is now 6 months old, and we brought her home in this very basket when she was a little 8 week old puppy.

So I wanted to see how she would fit in the basket now!

Just look at that face!

"Mama, is there a reason you're trying to squeeze me into this tiny little basket?"

 And here she is in the car when we first brought her home!

Wow, what a difference 4 months can make!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, keep cool!

A Few Recent Projects

Bonjour!  Hope you all are having a great week!  Thank you for your kind comments about my craft room!  While getting it organized and "camera ready" was alot of work, it feels great to have a tidier and freshened up space!  If you missed the post, you can view it here.

And be sure to check out all of the other amazing spaces  at the "Where Bloggers Create" party, while you are at it!  I've been getting tons of ideas and inspiration from visiting everyone's studios and craft rooms!

Today I thought I would share with you a few of my latest projects, that I've created and added to my 

etsy shop.  You know how much I love creamy dreamy white, and I've painted these creations my very favorite creamy hue!

 I found this adorable little wire basket last week, just begging for a shabby French makeover!  It was black when I discovered it, and I can't believe the different several coats of paint make!  

 The basket has the cutest little wooden handle, which I painted as well.

 I just had to add an oversized Frenchy tag, that I created from vintage sheet music, and this gorgeous French soap label image from the Graphics Fairy.  A touch of glitter, a generous bow of taupe crinkly seam binding, and just the right amount of distressing, and

oooh, la, la!

 Next up is this gorgeous vintage desk organizer and pencil holder.  I found and repainted quite a few of these very organizers when we were living in Washington State, but now that we have been back here in the Midwest for a year, I have only found one!  So I was more than excited when hubby came home last week, with this set that he picked up for me!

  (wow, I guess I have taught him well, he knows just what to look for when he's out treasure hunting for me!!)

 In my excited haste to paint this puppy, I neglected to take a "before" shot!  I'll try and get better about that next time, I promise!  Anyway, if you have been lucky enough to find these organizers, they start out life a very boring dark brown, ugh!!

What a difference paint makes!

(Ok, the next organizer I find like this I am keeping for myself, for sure!) 

I'm always searching for pretty picture frames that I can transform, and I was thrilled to discover these beautiful frames earlier this summer, when we were camping in northern Michigan.

The are vintage metal filigree, and were just begging for a makeover!  Originally gold, I think they look oh so much better painted creamy white!  The details on the frames are just amazing, and were totally lost in all of that gold!

 I added some of my Parisian themed wrapping paper to the insides, but whoever purchases this set can easily remove it and add their own photos.

 I am so happy with the way they turned out!

 For now they are in my craft room where I can admire and enjoy them!

 That's it for now, hope you are inspired to search for your own treasures to paint!

Have a great day!

Joining Timewashed for Blissful Whites Wednesday. Be sure to visit for lots of inspiration!

Where I Create

Bonjour Mes Amis!

I've been a busy bee cleaning, organizing, and sprucing up my craft room!  I'm so excited, as I will be participating for the very first time in the annual "Where Bloggers Create" party, over at My Desert Cottage!

I could hardly wait to share with you my room, which I call "my happy place"!

I am even more excited to see everyone elses wonderful and inspiring studios!

Warning, I got a little carried away at my "photo shoot" today!  There are tons of pictures in this post!

 My space is one large room, and takes up most of the lower level of our home, which is a walk out.  Two patio doors, as well as several windows, let lots of natural light stream in, so it never feels like a "basement".  It's so nice to be able to take a little break from whatever I am creating, glance out the window, and admire my flower gardens.
Up first is my French Provincial desk and hutch, with actually is part of the bedroom set that I had as a young girl!  I repainted it last year, and think it is the perfect addition to my space!

 The glittered Parisian themed banner (images are from the Graphics Fairy, as are many that I've used)), is a nod to my love of all things French!

 I just finished creating these hat boxes, that I've covered in the most gorgeous Parisian themed wrapping paper!  I've added  various trims that I had on hand in tones of dreamy creamy white.  For the boxes above, I used vintage trim that my mom gave me years ago, that I'd packed away and all but forgotten.  It actually was curtain tie backs!  While the boxes were alot more work than I thought, and they are by no means perfect, I think they are the piece de la resistance to the top of my hutch!  Plus they are a pretty way to neatly stash supplies!

 This cute little organizer was a garage sale find that I repainted.

I like keeping a stash of my hand created cards on hand (below).  I never buy cards any more!

 Large apothecary jar with a pretty decoupaged French label.  A sweet little cherub that I painted light blue keeps me company.

 Hubby got into the act, and reupholstered my chair in my favorite blue and white toile (love!).

 Sweet little vignettes.

 I'm not Catholic, but I find this vintage print of the Virgin Mary (a thrift store find) so peaceful and serene.

 Of course my craft room wouldn't be complete without my cute and fluffy little assistant, our 6 month old puppy Katie!

 Ok, here is where the "magic" happens, tee, hee!

I found this awesome cubicle (I call it my "cubby") several years ago at a moving sale.  Hubby added the peg board to the side, as well as on the wall above, and I painted it my favorite shade of green.  The cubby really helps me feel more organized, each side has 12 little cubbies, which is perfect for storing my many crafting supplies.  And the peg board is great for keeping things organized and handy!

 I find it easier to work standing up, which is why you don't see a chair here!
The peg board on the side of the cubby holds a variety of items, including a few creations from my Etsy shop, as well as a wire caddy the helps corral papers tags, and more.

 This wooden tote, a garage sale find, is perfect for stashing my decorative punches.  I painted it creamy white and gave it a pretty Frenchy label.

 Plain ol' tin cans were given a Parisian makeover with more of my wrapping paper!  They come in so handy for storing pens, pencils and more.

 I like saving interesting jars and repurposing them for my craft room!  Buttons, teeny tiny clothespins, rhinestones and various bits and bobs fill the jars.

I also love using things in unexpected ways.  A few pieces of my milk glass collection pull duty by attractively storing bits and pieces, including my business cards (above).

 This wooden mail carrier was oh so boring when I discovered it a few years ago!  I added a lovely wooden applique to the top, painted it cream, and decoupage vintage sheet music, followed by some amazing bird images from the Graphics Fairy.  It makes the perfect spot to store stickers, thank you cards that I include with all of my Etsy orders, and more.

 This two tired wire basket, a thrift store find, makes a handy and pretty spot to store supplies.
Small peat pots that I've painted and glittered keep my glitter glue (my current addiction!!) within arms reach.

 A wooden aqua step stool, made by hubby, displays a vintage French book, as well as a picture of us.  The photo was taken several years ago at a friends Maui wedding, and it makes me smile each time I look at it!

 Since I don't have a chair to sit in while I work, I can always take a little break here on my wicker love seat if I need to!

 Katie loves it, too!

 I found this cute little cabinet back when we lived in Washington State.  It was a dark wood finish, so of course I just had to paint it my favorite creamy color!

 Cute little tin pails were decoupaged and glittered (you know how I love my glitter!).  They are perfect for holding my crinkly seam binding.

 Adorable little vintage jello molds come in handy for storing bits and bobs.

 I love the wire fronted drawers of the cabinet.  They hold everything from pretty ribbon, to this sweet tag made by a friend.

 Part of the biggest challenge of my craft room is finding places to store and display all of my creations from my  Etsy shop, without it looking like, well, a storage room!
 So, I have things tucked here and there, among treasures that are mine to keep!

This baker's rack, given to me by my mom, is great for displaying and holding lots of goodies.

 I love baskets!  I have many, both wicker and wire, thru out my craft room.

This wicker bicycle basket is perfect for storing my collection of vintage sheet music, which often shows up in my work!

Below are some of my painted picture frames in a favorite wire basket.

 Next we are moving to a part of my room that has a brick wall and alcove, which I use to store lots of creations from my shop.

 Natasha, my mannequin that I found last fall at Home Goods, decided to model for you a sash of glittered roses that I created from vintage sheet music!

 Oooh, la, la!

 Here are a pair of angels to watch over you!  I've decoupaged them with more of my vintage sheet music, and "framed" them in an antique frame painted the same creamy white as the brick wall.

A closer look at a few of my creations that are in my shop!

 I adore this vintage egg basket!  My mom used to use it to gather eggs on our family's farm many years ago.  I just had to paint it my favorite green color!

 Yet another vintage wire basket holding treasures waiting for new homes!

 I really love my wool area rug, which was given to me by my mom recently when she no longer wanted it.  

To the right of the love seat is my treadmill, but I won't show you that, as you all know how exciting treadmills are!

 A large vintage crock becomes a fun table with the addition of a round glass top!

A vintage curio cabinet (below), which I lined with the same toile that was used on my chair,
holds some special treasures and mementoes.

 Notice all of my mirrors and chalkboards from my shop, propped and hung here and there?

 Aren't these tiny vintage bronzed baby shoes just the cutest?

 I like writing inspiring quotes on my chalkboard, which hangs across from my cubby.

 Here is one last shot of my craft room, thanks so much for visiting!
I'm also sharing with Debra at Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
and Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Knick of Time for Knick of Time Tuesday