Hippie Umbrella

I couldn't resist this beautiful umbrella for my deck! I saw it last year at the home and garden show in our area and lo and behold the little shop that carries it is going out of business so it was on sale!
Now if the weather would just cooperate so I could set it up and leave it, but spring is having her last hurrah with us in northern calif the last few days. Rain, hail, wind.....
But sunshine will arrive eventually and when it does I'll be sipping tea under the hippy umbrella enjoying the view,

deborah

Shabby chic is still alive and well !!!

Come on in

I don't know about you but I still love the decorating style of shabby chic, and will for the rest of my days! There's just something so cool about peeling white paint that I really can't explain and come to think about it, if I have to explain then you wouldn't understand anyway, lol.

I recently heard about a wonderful shabby chic shop called "The Tattered House" which is about an hours drive from where I live, actually I'm kinda glad it takes a bit of a drive to get  there because if this store was just down the block from me, I'd be in big trouble with my checkbook.
I actually have a vintage armoire cupboard on layaway right now and I can't wait to go back and get it soon.

I want one of each please!

So, if you are ever in the city of Roseville Calif. make sure you stop by and meet the wonderful ladies of the  "The Tattered House". They will make you feel so welcome and are really fun to talk to and of course you won't be able to leave without purchasing some shabby chic style of your own  for your home or a friend.  Oh! I can't forget to tell you that they also hold a shabby chic street fair in April that I've heard is a vintage lovers heavenly event. I'm planning on going this year, so make sure you look for me, I'll be the one with my car piled to the roof with shabby chic treasures :)
Talk to you soon,
deborah

this room is a dream to walk into

Now this is what I call a great packaging presentation!

Hi all,
I recently ordered a bottle of laundry soap from a wonderful company called la bouquetiere. I've used their powdered soap in the past but I had ordered it from a different vendor at that time so I thought I would directly order from them this time around and I have to say, I am so thrilled I did!

French toile and lime green tissue paper had me at the opening lol and then it got even better as I dug deeper into the box.

The only item I ordered was the bottle of liquid laundry soap in the upper right hand corner of the box and everything else were samples! The four different cards are darling and each have a free sample of one of their products in them. Tea, laundry soap, body powder, and the petite pots have a generous portion of wonderfully aromatic lotions in them.

I was so blown away from the packaging that I called the company up and just ohhhed and ahhhed and blabbered away about how pretty it all was etc. The woman who I was talking too, was giggling over my response and said " we try very hard to make everything beautiful". Well, in my opinion they outdid themselves and I'm glad they did.

I always try to make my customers packages special and pretty too, but this company has inspired me to kick it up even more with my own shop orders.

 Thank you la bouquetiere for bringing such a joyful french surprise to my day!

Talk to you soon, 

                                                                                                                                                                            

PS. Check out their website when you get a chance, you'll be happy you did

Finally! And the winner is.......

Congrats,
to Janet of  Janetsartplay on etsy!

Thank you Janet for entering my giveaway. 
I hope you enjoy the Van gogh goodies and that the mini collage brings you joy and sunshine every time you glance at it.
Janet is also a mixed media artist, and when you get a chance make sure you check out her wonderful collages on her etsy shop. You'll love them.

I'll be having another blog giveaway when I reach my 200th blog follower and this one will be super duper, so I hope you all check back here now and then to see how it's going.

talk to you soon,
deborah

  

Van gogh giveaway sneak peek!

Hi all,
Here's a little sneak peek of what you will win if I draw your name in the giveaway.

I'm working on the mini collage and as soon as it's done, I'll have the drawing!
Leave a comment if you haven't already on the previous post, and I'll add you to the list,
deborah

Giveaway van gogh sneak peek!

Van gogh, van gogh! Giveaway!

Hi all,
Wednesday I am going on a journey to the De Young Museum in San Fransisco to see the exhibit "Van gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee de Orsay" in Paris.

For my birthday last year my son and daughter in law bought me tickets to go see the Impressionist exhibit and the Post Impressionist exhibit. The first exhibit "Birth of Impressionism" was amazing and I loved every beautiful masterpiece on display. The vibes in each exhibit room were filled with wonder and awe as the crowd took in each brushstroke of every painting. But this showing of paintings is making me extra anxious with anticipation because Van goghs masterpieces will be the prominent works of art on display.
No matter how many times I get to experience his paintings I never get enough, I have even started calling them "my Van goghs", lol.
My daughter in law is taking the tour with me also and I can't wait for her to experience the Van gogh wonder too!

(me at the Orsay in Paris)

There's just something magical about standing in front of the actual paintings that these wonderful artists created. To know that they stood right in front of each canvas and pondered each brushstroke, each color, just makes me swoon with joy.

I also thought it would be fun if I had a little giveaway so you too can participate in the fun. Just leave a comment and I'll be sure to include you in the drawing.  Van gogh will be involved that's for sure :)
Talk with you when I get back,

Real books, I still love you!

Hi all,
I love reading.

 And I want all my "real books" to know that you will always be my first love, but I think I am going to really enjoy your competition.....

Fall is here

Hi all,
Just a few pics of a bit of fall color in my yard, it's funny how such small joys can fill my heart with such comfort, hope you love the color too.

talk to you soon,

Ocean blues

Hi all, now you understand why we didn't want to leave!

View from our deck, felt like we were on a ship!

 View from our bedroom corner window.

Words can't express the beauty and awe,
talk to you soon

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to the ocean I go!

Hi all,
By the time you all read this I will be sitting on the mendocino coast watching the waves roll in and out and
hoping the fog will  also be rolling out but not in, lol.
For the next week my days will be filled with sea air, sunsets, grandchildren and family, the best things of life.
I'll be back soon with lots of tide pool and sea foam photos,

Paris frame of mind

Hi all, of course those who know me well, know that I am always in a Paris frame of mind, lol.
But today even more melancholy for my wonderful city of lights.
So I will sit with my cup of hot chocolate today and dream.....

talk to you soon,