OBSESSIVE OBJECT DU JOUR...

I know. Its my second post about aprons in a little over a month. Well, OK. I admit I may be a little obsessive about them at the moment. But can you blame me? We've been getting in and selling these incredible aprons -- all with such a great look -- and the more I see the more I love! I think I've finally "got" what ladies for decades have known about these little numbers -- and I'm hooked.

So "hooked" that I've just dedicated a section to my store just for our collection of what I've called our "Vintage Modern" Aprons.

While their basic design could definitely be considered "retro", the way the classic "bones" are then translated into the finished product is anything but!

The fabulous mix and match of fabrics and colors on each apron is so fresh, so modern -- yet comfortingly "familiar". Its that juxtaposition (LOVE that word!) of everything vintage with everything totally "NOW".

I'll tell you, since we've gotten these aprons into stock and have been working so closely with them during the photography, I'm SO wanting to just wear one every day!

Aprons really are so practical. I know -- I'm a little late to the game figuring this out...Maybe it's why aprons have been around for, oh I don't know, CENTURIES!

For one thing, with many of the aprons, you always have at least one pocket on you at all times, so pens, scissors, YOUR CELL PHONE/BLACKBERRY, etc. are always "right there" when you need them.

But you know what else? Can't explain it, but for some strange reason, the moment you slip one on, there is an immediate "attitude transformation".

I feel suddenly even more feminine. Suddenly more pretty. Even if I'm in my ragged jeans working in the office or the house, the addition of any one of the aprons is a fabulous "vintage modern" makeover!

I can't guarantee you'll get more done around the house wearing one, but you'll sure feel great doing whatever you do and LOOK fabulous in the process!

Magazine Recognition, New Items...Life's Good!

We're excited around here -- lots happening and that's always fun and exhilerating.

We're on a sort of on a "run" right now with magazine recognition and that is always especially thrilling, isn't it?

Romantic Homes magazine special issue "Bedrooms & Baths" features our French canvas "buckets" as a great idea for storage/organization/decor in the bath and here's the photo they chose to use:

This special Bedrooms & Baths issue is available on newsstands only, so even if you are a regular subscriber to the magazine, you'll want to be sure to pick one up when you're out!

You know what's terrible? I haven't even gotten my hands on a copy yet, so I can't even tell you what page we're on! :)

Romantic Homes has also shown our beautiful French draft stoppers in the current, regular issue out right now (the October issue).

As many of you will aready know, these beauties are hand made by Sylvie, sister to the one and only 'Fabulous Fifi'.

Sylvie lives in Provence and was kind enough to work her pretty fingers to the bone making us a large assortment of these functional and beautiful draft stoppers. As you can see, there are several variations on the general theme: "Ma Maison" ('My House' in French) but basically there is khaki stripe and a wonderful red stripe.

The painstakingly done hand cross-stitching (each letter takes her ONE HOUR!) takes on a few different font/color styles among the draft stoppers -- some script, some block, some very fanciful lettering!

**She also made us a selection of fabric French "shoe" decorations and some gorgeous linen cande/vase "bags" (shown further down below).

If you already have your October issue of Romantic Homes, you'll find them on page 26.

Last, coming soon to the Fall issue of a very beautiful magazine, you'll see us mentioned with regard to our beautiful handpainted toleware cachepots (below):

Now, one of the neatest, most unusual items we've carried in a long time are these other beauties made for us by Sylvie....she & We call them 'Candle bags' but they can be for whatever you choose.

The key is to use whatever form of vase or glass container you choose, and tuck it inside the linen "sleeve" or "bag" for added drama.

Shown here with a tall vase inside, holding beautiful roses. It really & truly elevates the use of a simple glass jar or vase to a WHOLE NEW French-style level!

When there aren't beautiful flowers in the glass container, place a candle inside! The fabric seems to glow beautifully against the light from the candle inside!

As you can see, we have several sizes/designs to offer. The exact measurements of each one will be listed on the site and you can choose the exact one that you want!

These are "coming soon" to the site -- pics need to be finished, etc. We have a VERY small amount of these and when they're gone, they're gone!

They're a beautiful, made-with-love-by-Sylvie treasure!

Below are our new sets of handpainted wooden bird plaques. They've "flown in" just in time -- especially with Fall around the corner -- they just look like Fall to me, for some reason...Their colors are warm and folksy and they're just perfect for that little spot on the wall that needs a "little someting"!

Below are sets of whimsical, candy-colored napkin sets from France. They match kitchen towel sets already in the Kitchen Department.

Pretty soft pink (above) or pale turquoise. You can't go wrong either way!

*CONFESSION TIME*

We've had these napkin sets for a few months, and although the towel sets have been on the site that long, we only just discovered that somehow, inadvertantly, we neglected to put the matching napkins on the site as well!

So...better late than never. :)

Drumroll, please...

Here are some FABULOUS, FUNKY, HIP, CHIC, CRAZY-GOOD new items that we're now in the process of adding to the site:

Sets of colorful Union Jack note cards!

Use them as intended, OR frame them for the world's least expensive way to add punch to a blank wall space!

SPEAKING OF ADD VISUAL, COLORFUL, PUNCH....

Feast your eyes on these to-die-for 8" x 10" prints...

Is it just me, or are these not just the most incredible prints ever??

Actually, there's more -- but I can't show you EVERYTHING here!!

Our photographing will be done soon (fingers crossed!) and we'll work fast to get it all up and for sale!

Suffice to say, if you like these....yeah, you'll love the rest...

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Last, but not least, just wanted to put a reminder out there about our fabby and oh-so-fun VOTE soaps...They won't be around for long and this couldn't be a better time to buy a few to give as 'friendly reminders'.

Hmm..."Vote" soap...who says politics is dirty?

Our Girl Fay Left Us In The Pink!

Well look at this!

Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay swept through leaving everything in her wake a lovely shade of PINK!

Even the brick walkway seems tinged with PINK!

The picture above was taken just after the first picture and as you can see we started to just then get some sprinkles -- I thought it almost looked like fireflies (though I've never actually seen fireflies in person...).

Just a quick note to thank you for your well-wishes for us here in Florida while we wondered what Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay would do.

I'm happy to report that her affects here in our neck of the woods resulted in nothing more than a super dark-grey day, windy at times, and just a bit of a sprinkling of rain off and on. All in all, it was actually kind of nice, since it cooled us down about 10 degrees!

And since there was not much we could do while waiting see what we were in for, we kicked back in our office/tv area (shown below) and even took it easy for a bit today!

So, all in all it was really a very nice day! Thanks, Fay! You painted our sky a girlie-girl shade of PINK and gave us some much needed "put your feet up and rest" time!

She's still swirling around out there and we may not have heard the last from her, but for now, we're back to business as usual!

Thank you, Lord!

WAITING. HOUR BY HOUR. WILL SHE OR WON'T SHE...?

So, we Floridians are sitting here on our hands waiting and watching to see what Tropical Storm Fay will do -- or not do.

Obviously, I'd love for "her" to do what any fickle female does -- change her mind -- and decide she'd much rather turn and head out to sea.

I'd much rather not have to deal with any type of damage to the other "old gal" in my life: my very fragile circa 1891 beauty that I call home. She's withstood being cut in half and moved at least 10 miles on two trucks to be saved from demolition. She's lookin' pretty good after all that and I, for one, would really like to keep her that way! :)

So the word spelled out in vintage metal letters on my living room transom says it all: we're "wishin' and hopin' and prayin'" that Tropical Storm Fay will at the very least take it easy on us and just rustle the trees, give us a soaking and move along.

AS IF THE AIR ITSELF WERE DRIPPING WITH CHOCOLATE...

As this past weekend was winding down and I was working and puttering about in my office/media room in our "barn" building where I work, I decided to "walk the talk" and live as beautifully as I try to teach others to do.

So, I did what any faithful devotee' of The Beautiful Life would do -- I decided to light a candle and add a luscious ambiance to the air as I went about my to-do list.

I surveyed the array of candles at my disposal (oh, the benefits of store ownership!!) and my eyes landed on a candle I have been dying to try out on my own time.

There it stood....

All purple and gold and exotic-looking. That was the one. . . It was time to fill the air with Mayan Hot Chocolate. The description reads "Cocoa beans and vanilla, with a hint of cayenne pepper...

Hmm...Sounds pretty great! OK, here goes.

Not being one typically for "sweet" food-smelling candles (I go more for the darker, green, woody scents on my own time), I decided to indulge in some calorie-free chocolate.

And since anyone who knows me knows that I'm never more than a few paces away from some form of chocolate, the fact that I had never actually burned this particular candle before, just seemed wrong! :)

Fast foward a few minutes after lighting the candle...

WOWZERS! Holy Mackerel! Get out!

As I sat there with the candle burning on the coffee table near me, I kept getting a whiff of it. And another whiff. And another chocolatey whiff.

I am officially hooked.

Skeem (the manufacturer) has really come up with a winner -- especially since they won over a die-hard 'I-can't-stand-those-icky-sweet-dessert-scented-candles' person!

AND HERE IS THE REALLY BIG REVELATION (well, big for me, anyway): I would even burn this in my entryway. I would have never said that prior to trying this candle. I would typically only burn a way more elegant scent such as a figiuer, or a red cedar, or cypress bark, etc., for the front hall/entry of my home.

Well, move over scents of trees, bark and twigs -- I'm a Mayan Hot Chocolate girl for now!

So there you have it. I just had to share this -- especially for those 'scent snobs' like me who would have previously never been caught dead burning a "foodie candle" at all, much less right up front and center in the front hall of your home.

Give it a shot, if you care to -- what do you have to lose? Luscious, yummy chocolate scent for your home, no calories, and we ship to you FREE!

I'm thinking this is some delicioso deal!

EVENING WITH TIFFANY'S...

Be still my heart....

What gal doesn't dream of 'THE BLUE BOX' ?

The box that needs no logo, no name -- the color says it all -- says 'no matter what's inside, you're gonna love it.'

Well, for the first time in my life, I got 'a blue box'! And trust me, the minute I saw that signature "Tiffany's blue" color I started screaming just that: "I GOT A BLUE BOX! I GOT A BLUE BOX!"

The card read "Now you don't have to be jealous..." (Who? ME?)

See, when my daughter graduated from high school a few months ago, some friends sent her a sterling key ring from Tiffany's. Out of the blue (no pun intended) a box arrived on the porch, she opened it and inside was "the blue box" and inside that was a beautiful, gorgeous, oh-so-silver key ring.

Naturally, her next question was "So when do I get a car so I can put some keys on it?"

Stinker. It was then that the envy set in...

Yeah, sure, she's 17 and gets a 'blue box' -- I'm "@%" (aka I'm not telling how old) and no blue box!

So imagine my sheer delight when I began to see the first signs of that blue as I opened my gift -- MY very own BLUE BOX...and inside... my very own key ring!! SWEET!!!

I'm so happy.

Not just because another thing on my 'bucket list' is checked off, but because my family knows me and is the kind that keeps mental notes -- the kind of mental notes that say "I'm listening, I'm noticing - even when you don't think I am." That's how special moments like this are created. I'm so happy. I'm so blessed.

I am SO going to put my keys on that key ring!!

Thanks for letting me share...

It's My Birthday, Its My Birthday...

NOTHING ELSE TO SAY BUT THAT!

THE BEST PRESENT OF ALL FOR ME???

MY SWEET OLIVIA JUST HAPPENS TO COME BACK INTO TOWN THIS EVENING AFTER BEING GONE ALL WEEK!

HEY! OLIVIA! LETS RIGHT NOW AGREE WE DON'T DO THIS AGAIN, OK?

HAVING HER GONE FOR A WEEK PRETTY MUCH ROTS... :)

IF ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY AS WELL,

HAVE A GREAT ONE AND HAVE SOME CAKE FOR ME!

AND!! REMEMBER TO STAY YOUNG AT HEART -- THAT IS THE ONLY FORM OF AGING YOU CAN CONTROL!

MY DAUGHTER AFFECTIONATELY REFERS TO ME AS FOREVER BEING AGE 17 (I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING....) EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT MY TRUE AGE.

BUT, I MUST CONFESS, I DON'T FEEL ANY OLDER THAN 17. OK, TRUTH...MAYBE I DO SOMETIMES...LIKE WHEN I FIRST GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING... :)

I KNOW WHERE I'LL BE TONIGHT... OUR LOCAL STARBUCKS GETTING CAUGHT UP

WITH MY DAUGHTER...AH, BLISS....