Making a list...

Well hello there!!! Did you wonder if I'd ever be back?! It feels like forever since my last post! Yet somehow the time has just flown by. I truly hope that all of you had a blessed Thanksgiving and were able to spend lots time in the company of your loved ones! I ate my way through the weekend and did in fact spend lots of time with my family. My sister was in town from Minnesota, so all 4 of us sisters "hung out together" quite a bit...playing the usual games and going to the movies (loved The Blind Side). My daughter and I were even able to spend a little one-on-one time together doing some mother/daughter Christmas shopping...

I'm pretty much exhausted, but all-in-all it was a really wonderful holiday week :)

{farmhousewares.com}

I haven't had even a minute's free time to take pictures for you, so for today's post, I have gathered up some pictures of the things on my Christmas list...now mind you, I am one of those that receives complete joy in giving gifts...but since my family is always asking what they should get for me, I figure I should at least point them in the right direction!

{potterybarn.com}

{ etsy: paperhill}

{anthropologie.com}

{etsy: a bushel and a peck}

I'd like to leave you with a thought on gifts at Christmas time and the true meaning of the season...

At the preschool my children attend, there is always a celebration just before everyone breaks for Christmas, and they call it Jesus' Birthday Party...every year the priest gives the same "speech" to the children...and it always puts a smile on my face...

He explains to the children that Jesus loves them sooooooo much, that He wants them to receive gifts on His birthday, and that is why they receive presents Christmas morning! For some reason, this always sends the kids into fits of giggles, but at the same time, you can just see the light bulb go off inside their sweet little heads...I've always thought it's such a wonderful way of teaching young children about Jesus' love...

{first image: wisteria.com}

Tracey

Wonder and joy...

Ahhh...the look of pure wonder on a child's face as they gaze at the Christmas tree...to me, it's pure joy! At our house, we call it the magic of Christmas...

And so it began on Saturday, with Christmas music playing and spiced cider warming on the stove top...the Christmas tree went up and little bits of Christmas cheer started to appear (hee, hee that rhymes...yes I know I'm no poet)...

...a little sparkle on the mantel...





the tree...

Yep...this picture I shot thru a mirror!

I'm not done by any means, but it's getting there...I like to keep things fairly simple...with touches that feel warm and festive! I'll keep working as the week goes on and hopefully be done by Thanksgiving...then I will be able to enjoy the long weekend with family and friends!

My kids are home from school all week, so we have a few craft projects planned...if any of them turn out, I'll be back later in the week with some pics :)

My most heartfelt thank you to all of you for coming to my little blog every week with all of your joy!!!

Blessings to you and enjoy your week!

Tracey

A Thankful Season...

Well we're back to our regularly scheduled program of Christmas inspiration! This is my last post before we put our tree up on Saturday (well at least start putting it up), so I need all the inspiration I can get. We love putting our tree up a little early because then we can sit back and just enjoy it the whole season...and move on to focusing on other things we enjoy at Christmas time like baking and crafts (yep, at this time of year, I even do a little crafting)...

I don't mind at all that many of our neighbors have put their lights up on their houses already, because I think it looks so pretty and it brings a lot of joy to my little ones. You see, for me, it's not about skipping over Thanksgiving...a holiday I thoroughly enjoy...but about embracing an entire season of thankfulness. Christmas is the "big" holiday in my mind, so it takes center stage...and I include Thanksgiving in with the entire season of celebrating Jesus and all we have to be thankful for. The abundance of gifts He has given us are something that I am grateful for year round, but I love that there is an entire season where we can place focus on Him and all that we have to thank Him for...

Enjoy some of my inspiration pictures. Clearly I like lots and lots of white {duh} with pretty touches of nature thrown in...oh and let's not forget the sparkle of silver and mercury glass...

{There's just something about this bathroom I had to include it...such simple touches, but how lovely they are.}

I'd like to leave you with two wonderful giveaways you must go and checkout...

First, for all of you Francophiles, head on over and visit The Brocantess and I promise you will not be disappointed. For all of us that love all things French, this is one amazing giveaway!!!

And my friend Koralee over at Bluebird Notes is having her very first giveaway! Her blog is always on my list of places to visit and her "friendship" giveaway includes so many things I would just love to have!

Please go and visit these fabulous girls and their blogs...they are both so incredible!

{images: 1,4,5 martha stewart/2,3,6 country living/7 country home/8,9 better homes and gardens}

Have a blessed weekend my friends!!!

Tracey

Finally...

Well I'm finally back from amongst a sea of boxes and product!! I have missed everyone terribly, but I'm finally just about caught up and it feels good! I'm going to spare you pictures of all of the chaos that went on in my house over the last week and just show you some pretties instead. Starting with these amazing vintage French siphons...as I was unpacking them, I just started setting them down on the table, and afterwards thought they looked so pretty just all sitting there together...

The rest of my pictures involve what I bought for my own use. It's much funner to show you those pictures than the mess that went on for a few days over here (and I do mean mess)!


Love this vintage inspired bottle drying rack... I traded out the candlesticks that were on my dining room table and put this beauty there instead. Then I hung a bunch of white cups and creamers, some old some new, from it...







(you know how much I like taking pictures within a mirror...I just think it's more interesting than a straight on shot)







...then I went back and added snippets of rosemary from my garden to a few spots...to add a bit of a festive touch to things...






If anyone is interested in owning one of these gorgeous bottle racks, email me, I have one extra!

**Update: sold - thank you Jill!**

And, of course, the biggest purchase I made for myself, was this daybed. It now resides in my living room...I don't have a cushion for it yet, so I fashioned a temporary one out of some pillows and an old white sheet that I had...





Yep, that's bits of Christmas you see...slowly but surely I'm adding little touches here and there. The adorable little burlap stocking is something I picked up at the flea market. It came with the cutest little vintage photo embellishment...

I'll keep showing you photos as I work some of my shop product into my own home...because, after all, that's half the reason I got into all of this shop business in the first place...to get my hands on the goods :)

And the winner of the giveaway is Queen Bee!!! Email me your address and I will get your goodies right out to you! Thank you to everyone for participating in my giveaway...I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to get all of your lovely comments throughout the week as I was working...it just picked me up and kept me going! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU...

If you want another chance to win something from my shop, along with a ton of other incredible shops, sign up for my friend's event...

An Inspired Evening...she has an amazing evening planned and I for one wouldn't dream of missing it!!!

I am really looking forward to popping in on all of your blogs and seeing what you've been up too while I've been "gone." I've missed you girls!!! Happy week to everyone :)

Tracey

Let's Celebrate...with a Giveaway!!!

Hello friends! I am in a flurry of trying to get things done this week, and am feeling a little crazed!! Unfortunately that means some of the "basics," like feeding my family, have fallen by the wayside...oops...does that happen to anyone else? You get so involved in a project or trying to get things done that before you know it, it's dinner time and you don't even have anything started let alone ready to serve...

Eeek I must be tired...I'm rambling...sorry, let's get down to it...

Because I am sooooooo happy that most of my merchandise for my SHOP is finally here, I wanted to celebrate with a giveaway!!!!!! You all have been so good to me with your words of encouragement as I've vented my frustrations...and everyone who pre-ordered has been unbelievably patient, so I thought I would chose a few items to give away!!!

Here is what one lucky winner will receive...

Any two iron letters that you would like...

As well as, a beautiful linen tablecloth with French text one it (text is on both ends)...

And thirdly, you will receive two lovely oven mits with French text (yep, I like the French text thing)...






All you have to do to be entered is leave me a comment. If you would like to mention my giveaway on your blog, I would happily throw your name into the hat a second time (just let me know in your comment that you are doing so).




I'm sending out a big hug and an enormous thank you to everyone for all of your support and kind words...they always give me energy and brighten my day!!!




Contest ends Sunday, November 15th at midnight.



Tracey

Come on in...

...I'm talking Christmas again...I just can't help it! We always put our tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I am already scanning my online decorating "file" for Christmas ideas and inspiration. When I went into it today, I realized that I have a lot of Christmas inspiration to share with you...so I figured I better narrow my topic down a bit for today...

So that leads me to vintage ornaments. A few years ago my in-laws gave me a large box of vintage Christmas ornaments that they didn't want anymore...and I have been hooked on them ever since. I think they blend beautifully with the newer ornaments we have, while lending a magical nostalgic touch to our tree. You can hang them from your tree, yes, but you can also simply pile them up and let their beauty speak for themselves...here's a few of my favorite pics...

I just love how they worked the ornaments into the window treatment here...

I heart this silver tray...





And really, is there anything that doesn't look better under a cloche??!










The next two pictures are of vintage inspired ornaments that are now in stock in my SHOP ...yeah...finally! Trust me, they are gorgeous! And don't worry, I have saved quite a few for myself...

Most of the rest of my order is scheduled to arrive at my house on Wednesday, so I will be very busy this week unloading merchandise and processing orders...wish me luck (and let's hope it doesn't rain because the crates that will be coming are far too large to go anywhere but on my driveway)! The "pre-order" status will finally be coming down off of most of the items in the next day...yipee...

My link back was not working on my last post (that darn Blogger), but I wanted to let everyone know that the little button ornaments that you loved so much were made by the talented Jude over at Tapestries of Nature!

Have a fabulous week... and I will keep you posted on my "adventures" this week :)

{images: 1 betterhomesandgardens, 2 countryhome, 3 & 9-10 jeannedarcliving.dk, 4 houseandhome, 5-8 countryliving}

Tracey

Gratitude...

First off today, I would like to share with you a few random pictures from around my home...shots that for some reason just make me smile. And then, in keeping with the thankful spirit of November, I would like to share with you a few of the things in my life that I am grateful for. This is not an all inclusive list...just what is on my mind and in my heart right now...

this little candle holder is a repurposed vintage light fixture part that I had no use for, until I thought to turn it upside down and stick a candle in it (yep this is about as "crafty" as I get)...it makes me smile because it has the most perfect patina...

these little beauties I picked up at the flea market last weekend...they now hang from branches I gathered in my yard and placed in a vase...

oh and this button garland is another flea market find...it doesn't have a spot in my home yet...but it will soon


why is it that little...white...vintage buttons can bring me so much happiness??!


my husband can't quite figure that out...

and that yummy grey linen you see on the chair is a new addition I made this weekend...I felt like she needed a little update...yep, I'm still on the grey kick...

I am thankful for...


...my mom...for giving me the gift of faith, and for teaching me that for a marriage to be successful, there needs to be three people in it: you, your husband, and God


...having a husband that I can truly say is a good man...who is completely unselfish...and who loves me unconditionally
<br>
...the blessing of being able to stay home with my children...and that it has not dampened my creative spirit or entrepreneurial drive, but instead, made me appreciate all the more that I have these traits


...a community of people that I am proud to call my friends...who lift me up with their words and support me with their kindness...who "get" that chippy and rusty are good qualities in an item...these friends are all of YOU...


and I am thankful every day that I've found you...




Tracey