GIVEAWAY TIME! Subway Sign Style With A French Twist!

I've been away from my blog (and your blogs) for 

FAR TOO LONG!!

Your response to my hubby filling in for me on the last blog post was

SOOOO sweet!!  Thank you!

He read each of your comments and he smiled with each one.

You guys rock  - he was definitely feelin' the love of the blogging world! 

:)

There is so much to catch up on, but let's start this first blog post

back with something FUN -- 

A GIVEAWAY!!!

Just LOOK at this fabulous 6" x 9" marble tile!!!

I totally love the edgy subway-style wording but with French places...

Just love it.

The tile is the creation of  Molly, 

owner of 

Molly Coddle Marble Wall Decor Tiles

Isn't it wonderful?!?!

Molly has SO generously offered to give one of my lucky readers this tile

($44.00 value!) for this giveaway.   

Molly has SO many designs.....

you simply won't believe your eyes and the few below

are, trust me,

a DROP IN THE BUCKET...

If the beauty of these tiles looks familiar, it may be because you've seen
them in our shop -- we have several of her tiles and they have been
loved by our customers for years!

The giveaway starts NOW

and runs through Saturday.

Here is all you have to do to enter:

1.)  Leave a comment here, under this post, indicating you'd

like to be entered.

2.)  Pop over to her retail website, 

Molly Coddle

and take time to browse her site 

(you will get

simply LOST in the many, many, many tile designs she's created)

and if you are a Facebook user, be sure to "Like" her Facebook page

via the box near the bottom of her site's Home page.

3.) Stop by Molly's  blog!

You'll love staying connected with Molly and the new designs 

she's creating!   

While on her blog, be sure and join her blog following

(upper right corner of her blog).  

It's good to be back here on the blog and please enjoy entering

the giveaway and getting to know Molly Coddle designs!!

Much to tell about, but let's enjoy this giveaway and

THANK YOU, MOLLY!!!     

:)

P.S. -- We are now taking pre-orders for Jeanne d'Arc Living's
LAST issue of 2010 ... of course it is Christmas-themed, and GORGEOUS.
Click HERE to pre-order!

The re-print of last year's "Jul" (Christmas) book in softcover is on it's way to us
and if you already placed your pre-order for it, be expecting it in your mailbox soon!

  

Substitute Blogger!

Hello everyone! 

 Yes, it's been a while since Ruth

has put up a new blog post.  

Never fear!

She is doing fine!

My wife has been incredibly busy lately!

That's not a bad thing, though!

Of course, having me home for a well deserved vacation

has kind of kept her occupied along with plenty of other

stuff going on around here!

( I haven't been a lot of help, so I offered to do a post for her,

and she actually caved in and let me!)

We did get in a new shipment of the Autumn issue of the Jeanne d'Arc magazine.

All the pre-orders we have will be shipped within the next 

couple days, so you should have them soon!

Also, we got in some new vintage canvas bags and pillows.

Those will be up on the store site as soon as 

we can get pictures taken.

I am reminded of how much effort really goes in to running a store,

even if it's totally online...that might even be more work 

than an actual bricks and mortar store!

Despite my usually busy schedule, I want to help Ruthie whenever I can,

so I was thrilled that she actually let me do this post!

FEEL FREE TO LET HER KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM

"HUBS"...  :)

Ruth really appreciates everyone who has been following this blog,

and all the friends who have been asking about her!

I'm sure it won't be long until she has another post,

and...you might even here from me again!

-Doug

Belle Inspiration e-Magazine - Premier Issue Debuting Wednesday!

**You may want to hit the pause button on the

music player to your right before hitting the 

play button on the video above**

One more day!

I'm so excited about the unveiling of 

Belle Inspiration,

the new e-zine set to be unveiled Wednesday the 15th!

In their own words, this is what makes Belle Inspiration so special:

Belle Inspiration is your  rendez-vous with good taste and style.   Published bi-monthly and delivered to you in a digital flip-page format. 

Our international team of contributors are all about a romantic style of living, and enjoying the simple things that can make your day more beautiful.

Each issue will profile practical and versatile ideas coupled with beautiful images,  unique boutiques, wallet-friendly solutions for interiors, food and fashion. 

Meet business-minded women and discover how they launched their dreams.  We endeavor to be your online escape, a small respite during your busy day.  For you, your family, your home, your life!

Interested??

Visit their subscription page here.

Publish PostHope you're having a lovely start to the week!

Orderable Now: Jeanne d'Arc Magazine AND Christmas Book PLUS The New Vakre Hjem!

All kinds of great news here with regard to 

GORGEOUS

magazine publications!

The other day boxes of the Fall issue of

Vakre Hjem & Interior arrived on our doorstop

and let me tell you...

IT

IS

BEAUTIFUL.

Boy I love that magazine!

It is IN STOCK and ready to ship! 

Order your copy HERE!

Here's a short preview:

The next issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine will also be hitting

our doorstop shortly and it, too, promises to be packed with

page after page of Autumn eye candy and ideas!

Pre-orders for this issue are now being taken online 

HERE

and we expect to ship in just a couple of weeks at most!

I love the cover!!

Here's a little preview of it:

AND!!!  Guess what??

Jeanne d'Arc Living is going to reprint their 

oh-so-popular "JUL" Christmas book again this year!!

IN ENGLISH!!!

And, they are doing the reprint in paperback (like the magazines)

so the cost is going to be the same as the magazines!  

Isn't that incredible??  

We expect to ship them out in October and we're taking 

pre-orders online 

HERE!

Here's a little peek inside:

So, even though we are still living with our typical

extreme-heat here in Florida (highs still in the 90's with very

high humidity), 

I am loving focusing on the "promise" of Fall ....

even if vicariously through these beautiful publications!!

If you would like any of the three, or all, head over to the site

and grab yours -- they are already selling fast!!

Have a great weekend and I'll be back shortly with still more

new additions to the inventory!

If you didn't catch the last round that we added to the site,

skip over and take a peek by clicking 

HERE!

There are just some events that fall into that "NOT - TO - BE - MISSED" category... This one, for instance.

Deb Kennedy...

aka WONDER WOMAN of retail decor, display and

general craftiness (in the very best way) is bringing us another 

of her fabulous events held on her expansive,

gorgeous Camano Island, Washington farm...

(just north of Seattle).

What a woman -- making all she touches turn to 

FABULOUS

VINTAGE

AUTUMN

GOLD.

So here's what you can expect:

A heavenly setting:

Fall in the air, Crisp, cool Washington state air,  island breezes, 

And a BARN-FULL of vintage and handmade wares!

Plus lots and lots of vendors all coming together to bring you!

a day to 

shop, 

relax, 

 & take in the coming season of 

cozy, 

happy,

 comfort, 

and celebrations.

And if you're lucky,

if you're 

REALLY

REALLY 

lucky,

you can still get a space in a fun class,

"Deb's Sweet Sweater Pumpkin" class

where you'll learn how to make THESE:

All you need to know about attending this event can be found on any

of these pages:

PETITE RETREAT BLOG

EVENT INVITATION ON FACEBOOK

PETITE RETREAT'S PAGE ON FACEBOOK

You really need to try to find any way possible to get to this --

Deb even provides lodging suggestions on her pages (hint, hint)

so GO FOR IT!

Here's to the coming of the best time of the year!!

  

Some Fresh New Beauty In Just In Time For Fall... And More On The Way!

Just a super quickie post to let you know the some of what was

received here a few days ago has finally been photographed 

and put up on the store website!

You'll find it all on our new items page --

"THE VERY LATEST"

Happy Labor Day weekend to you all!!

Follow my blog with bloglovin

We All Know Our Birth Stone, Right? What About Your "Birth Color"?

"Honey, you were BORN to wear that color!"

Ever heard that?

Ever caught yourself saying "I was born to live with this color!"

or

"This color was just made for me..."

Well, turns out, maybe you were right!

Thanks to sweet Leigha from ELLE OH

and THIS POST she did recently on finding "your" color,

I tried it out on the website, and I am now informed as to what MY special "birth color" is...

Based on my birthdate of August 1st, 19-wouldn't-you-like-to-know...

"Autumn Sunset" is "my" color... Pantone #16-1343.

The little description they give of those born on this date goes something like this:
Devoted.  Persistent.  Intense.
Having a "royal" nature, I need to be treated with respect (Well, okay, I'll take that one).
I function best when I'm in leadership (NOT).
I'm not one to follow someone else's drum beat (agree).
I'm loyal & committed and my influence is felt when I believe in something....
and so on.

I'll take all the descriptives with a grain of salt -- but it IS very fun to play on this site with
the birthdays of your friends and family to see if their color matches what they
have always gravitated toward.

Okay, friends... confession time...

Me no likey.  

I've NEVER been an orange kinda gal.  

Ever.

(Well, wait... there IS that orange rain slicker I have in my closet... the one that got me

into ALL KINDA trouble once when I tagged along to a Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee Vols 

homecoming game one year.  We were on the Vandy side... and I wore my orange rain coat...

Hey, how was I to know??  I don't follow football and I just knew I had this nice bright orange

rain coat from Gap that I was dying to wear, and... well... can you imagine??

There we were -- sitting as a family on the VANDERBILT side of the stands, AT

Vanderbilt where my husband graduated from, and there your's truly is...

sportin' her cute new rain slicker in just the perfect shade of Tennessee Vols orange..

Oh what a day... what a day...)

But I digress...

I was just sure I'd be a nice warm, golden, tawny yellow -- the kind you see in

Provence or Tuscany.

I adore yellows like this:

Oh my word... LOVE this bed...

{BOTH photos from Leigha's FANTABULOUS blog}

Or maybe a great shade of green.. I don't know... something like emerald.

Even something in the greys/charcoals...

Nope.

I got orange.  PUMPKIN orange.

Well... I do love Fall.  Maybe I should embrace my inner-orange and 

try branching out a little and add a little "Autumn Sunset" to my life.

Leigha and I chatted a bit about how I wasn't super thrilled with what turned out to be

"my" color and being the awesome designer that she is, in no time, she

sent me some "inspiration photos" that contained "my" color.

Here are two that she sent me:

This...

and this

I love these beds, by the way!!!  The color... the paintings on them...

And just look how good just the little pop of orange is in this room..

Okay... maybe I could warm up a bit to this....

Hmmm.... Added in just the right amount, to just the right spot, maybe

I would be willing to welcome orange into the fold.

So, stay tuned... maybe there will be some shades of Autumn Sunset

sneaking into my decor -- added in with charcoal, some of my already-present

Tuscan yellows... just might be a match made in heaven!!

Or, on my birthday?

Have a great Labor Day weekend and I will be back here within

a day or so with links to 

ALL the fun new inventory that just arrived!!

Go have fun over at Leigha's blog and picking out 

YOUR color.

  

Shameless Re-Post For A Thursday Laugh. Husbands, consider yourselves warned... :)

I thought I'd share the following blog post that I read yesterday when visited

1 Funky Woman's 

and just couldn't help laughing.

I thought I'd share the laugh with you today.  

:)

Poor hubbys, they just can't win sometimes.  

"HUSBAND DOWN!"

Over the PA system: "Cleanup on aisle 25, we have a husband down!"

A husband and wife are shopping in their local Wal-Mart.

The husband picks up a case of Budweiser and puts it in their cart.

"What do you think you're doing?" asks the wife.

"They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans, he replies!"

"Put them back, we can't afford them demands the wife, and so they carry on shopping.

A few aisles further along, the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream and puts it in the cart.

"What do you think you're doing?" asks the husband.

"It’s my face cream and it makes me look beautiful", replies the wife.

Her husband retorts: "So does 24 cans of Budweiser and it's half the price"

Well, I think we all know why that husband is down now don't we? 

You might want to let your hubbies see this one, so if ever they are in a similar situation, 

they will think before they speak!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks again, to sweet Megan who writes 1 Funky Woman...

give her a visit (or a "Follow"!) --- you'll love her!!

Have a great Thursday -- I'll be feverishly working on a huge load

of fresh "funkiness" that just arrived on the doorstep yesterday 

that now needs to be photographed and put online.

Back soon to show you!!

XOXO,

  

Grab Bag of Info, Thoughts, And News

I am so excited about the coming launch of 

BELLE INSPIRATION...

A gorgeous e-zine brought to us by one of our own!

A sister blogger who lives in France (by marriage).

It is the creation of our dear friend and blogger, Mimi Bleu,
from Bonjour Romance blog.


Oh... don't hate her because she's living where 99% of us dream
of living....She is so charming and REAL -- you will love her!

Though the first, charter issue has not yet appeared,
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at who you will see featured there!

Mimi has invited your's truly to write occasionally for the magazine
and I very well may take her up on that.  :)

You know how I can gab...  ;)

The official launch date for the magazine is September 15th and sign-up
response has already been VERY POSITIVE!

OH!  And if that were not enough, there is also a SHOPPING area of the
on the site!

LOVE it!

I've ordered my subscription, have you?

Click here to order!

E-zines, or e-magazines (online magazines) are growing in their popularity
partly due to the fact that so many of us spend a great deal of time online and are
growing used to the web being a comfortable place to take in our information
as well as a place to go back for reference on something -- much like when a
fresh magazine or catalog arrives... we look at it and then those items
we know we will want to revisit are dog-eared for future reference.

With an e-zine it is the same, with the exception of having an
overflowing pile of magazines growing next to the nightstand or coffee table.

And unlike paper-versions of magazines, with an e-zine,
you can not only literally "flip" through the pages, but you can also
zoom in on a certain item in the content.  You can't do THAT with a
paper mag!   :)

Are we ready to dispense with all paper versions of our beautiful magazines?
Probably not, but I know that anymore, with my schedule, I am probably far more
likely to actually see an entire magazine from cover to cover if I can
flip through its pages while I'm online... since it's likely online is where
I am at any give time.

I do hope you will take a peek at the coming issue
of Belle Inspiration -- I think you will love it!


In other news,
I went on a bit of a buying spree last week and much of what
I ordered is due to come in this week!

I think you will love it all!

There are heavy canvas French-style bags made form
real, vintage canvas.  What til you see them!

There are canvas rugs made from the same vintage canvas
this time, with a subtle, tone-on-tone Union Jack design.
I have already redecorated my bedroom in my head, using
that canvas floor covering as a beadspread.

Large, black metal NYC subway signs... I LOVE THEM!!

Some zinc items that we've never had before and a BEAUTIFUL
French ceramic bird-topped confiture (lidded serving bowl)
with a little ceramic spoon.   Oh-so-beautiful!'

I could go on and on but for now, I will hope to
be back with live links to all this new inventory so you can
see it ALL for yourself.

  

We're Doing A BIG Sponsor Giveaway Over At Lola B's Blog (Woo Hoo, Kasey!!)

I'm SO excited about this!!

I mean, I definitely LOVE doing giveaways anyway,

but

I am REALLY excited to be able to do it over

at 

LOLA B's ....

only one of the cutest, funniest blogs EVER!  :)

I know you know Kasey and her LEGENDARY blog

(did ya hear that, Kasey-girl??  

I said your blog is

LEGENDARY!)

She blogs about anything and everything and keeps you in 

stitches most of the time while doing it.

The Beautiful Life is a happy sponsor of Kasey's blog

and as such, she's giving us a chance to do a giveaway over

at her place, so ....

WHATCHA WAITIN' FOR??

Head over and enter!

The winner gets everything pictured in the photo above,
PLUS
(insert: "But Wait!  That's Not All!")
you get the latest copy of the
Vakre Hjem & Interior magazine!

I mean, that IS the fitting thing to include in a giveaway
containing a mug and towel singing the praises of
"A cup of tea, a new magazine and a bar of chocolate...."

And if it weren't so blasted HOT here, I'd even throw in
that BAR OF CHOCOLATE...

But it would be more like Hershey's chocolate syrup in a wrapper
by the time it arrived on your doorstep, so...

OH!  WAIT!!

BEFORE YOU GO!

1.)  DON'T ENTER HERE!

(I mean, please, leave me a comment so I can feel the love, too...)

You need to GO to Lola B's and register your entry! 

Your comment here won't officially enter you,
so leave me a comment by all means

(I mean, I do like to hear from you...) but in order to be entered in the giveaway,

ya gotta

  GO TO KASEY'S PLACE

The giveaway closes at midnight on Tuesday, so hurry over!  :)

2.)  I have SO much to mention to you, including a new

e-zine coming out that I'm SO excited about and 

3.)  I miss ya!  I wanna do a post to just chat you up and see what's been

going on in your life, etc... so... blog posting will resume!

Just wanted to GET THE WORD OUT about 

THE GIVEAWAY!

Faux The Love Of Zinc! {A tutorial for the zinc-crazed. Like me.}

Remember last month when I did a post about 

going "dream shopping" across the internet 

(mainly Restoration Hardware) for bedroom furniture?

Remember this beauty I had on my 

wish list?

I do love this piece, but it carries with it quite a hefty price tag

(umm... $1,895.00 to be exact) and while I am SURE it

is well worth every penny....

Ahem...

I don't think it will be being unloaded off a delivery truck at my house anytime soon.

So imagine my glee when

(ugh - that reminds me of the TV show, Glee...

do any of you watch that??  I just don't get it...

but I digress...)

I saw this tutorial on a blog that shows you how to 

VERY CLOSELY reproduce the zinc finish!!

Just LOOK at the "faux zinc" version:

The details are perfect!

Below is the "real deal" -- the one from Restoration Hardware:

And right below here is the "faux zinc" treatment...

What do YOU think???

I was initially directed to the tutorial via one of 

my favorite blogs, Brooklyn Limestone.

I clicked over to Freckled Laundry's blog and saw her step
by step directions -- not too, too daunting -- actually seems like something I
could pull off!

Want to try your hand at "Faux Zinc"?  View Jami's tutorial HERE

I fell in love with her blog and I think you will, too!

Have a great weekend everyone!

That's exzinctly what I plan to do!
{I couldn't resist...}

A Few New Pretties For The Shop, An Amazing Giveaway, And A Blog Award...

The vintage-style reproduction FRENCH GRAVE HEART WALL HOOKS,

as show above, is something I'm so excited to have now in the shop.

The real deal is almost impossible to come by here in the states,a

and I suspect would cost a pretty penny.

Imagine my glee when I discovered these faithful reproductions that 

serve as useful wall hooks!

We've finally restocked this GIANT SACRED HEART

after being out of stock for many, many months:

And THESE BEAUTIES....

Hand-sculpted and painted ROSE NECKLACES.

No two are alike -- just as in nature.

The rose necklaces were made up in three special colors for us --

Pewter (French Grey), Aubergine (a lovely plum-y, eggplant color),

and Blush (a parchment color with blush-pink tints).

I hope you'll stop by the NEW ITEMS page and see all that's new in-store!

ON TO THE GIVEAWAY 

that I know you'll want to know about!!

Carol, from Raised In Cotton, is having what just may be 

one of the BEST giveaways I've ever seen in blog-land.

Let's just say...

If you are a Jeanne d'Arc Living devotee, um...

this is GONNA KNOCK YOUR SOCKS DANISH CLOGS OFF!

Go HERE to see and enter!!!!

Another sweet blogging "sister" gave me a blog award and I am just

tickled pink.

Adrienne, from A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE blog

passed along the Sunshine Blog Award to several bloggers including moi.

Thank you so much, Adrienne!!!

I kind of feel unworthy getting any blog award anymore since I find that

WAY TOO MUCH time goes between blog posts. 

I hereby pledge to do better!!

In the last few weeks, my daughter has gone to and returned from 

another trip to China.  Many amazing things happened (all good)

and she even got to meet up with some of the same students she saw last year.

I had a birthday (I'll do a separate blog post on the super fun

steampunk jewelry I got!!).

And one of my sisters was diagnosed with and had surgery for uterine cancer.

She is now in the healing stage (both physically and emotionally) so if 

you think of her, please remember Libby in your prayers.  

There are six of us girls (and two boys) in our family and we love each

other dearly --- a blessing we do not take for granted.  It hurts us all

when one is hurting.     I know you know what I mean.

Well, sweet friends, its about time for me to think about cooking supper.

Oh.

I need to actually do more than THINK about it, right?  ;)

Have a great evening and I thank each of you for every little 

stop you make here.

I intend to try and hunker down (boy I really dislike that phrase) 

and find time to go through all YOUR blogs.  Things have been 

so crazy here and I have gotten REALLY far behind on that!

And it's something I really love to do, too!

Good evening to you all and

if you have any supper ideas, I'm all ears!  

:)