♥ White Ironstone Cottage

Fabulous Ferns

2012-02-23T19:19:00.011-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

We have 5 ferns in our Home

{Love}

their lacy look and the beautiful green color

Did you know that having plants

in your home is good for you

Plants produce oxygen

and they also help to rid a room of chemicals

and add humidity too

We have two ferns in the dining room

one in the entry to the house

and two in the living room

A happy fern is watered and trimmed once a week

I call it a fern haircut

♥

Go Fern green

This morning I took the ferns outside for their weekly watering

and when I grabbed the last fern from the top of the hutch

I looked down to see something funny on the tile in the living room

A baby frog had taken up residence in the fern
Imagine my surprise
{wish I had a video it was hilarious}
grateful the camera was nearby

He was not very happy to go back outside

but with some coaxing he finally made it out safely

I can only guess he jumped into the fern when we watered it outside last week?

A beautiful fern is

a great way to add beauty and health to your home

♥
linking with
Home Sweet Home
My Romantic Home
Vintage Inspiration Friday

romantic saying for today

"Love makes all things possible"
Anonymous

♥
Pam

Vintage Enamelware

2012-02-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

♥

Sometimes it is the simple things that can change the coarse of a day

~Simple~

like these beautiful organic strawberries

Melt in your mouth and smelling so fresh and yummy
it was difficult not to eat the entire bunch in the car while driving home

We have a certified organic farm down the street from our home called

Chinos

It is wonderful

My plan was to make a delicious dessert with the strawberries

but my husband came home and while we were standing in the kitchen talking

we each grabbed a few berries from the enamelware colander

Then our son and his friends came home from baseball practice

and they had a few strawberries from the colander

You can probably guess what happened

We ate all the strawberries

Just the way God made them fresh from the vine and perfect

We did not miss the sugar, flour, salt or vanilla one bit

they were the best treat as is

♥

linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today

"Love is a fruit in season at all times and available to all"

Mother Teresa

♥

Pam

TV in the kitchen

2012-02-20T20:43:00.002-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday

Do you have a television in your kitchen?
New kitchen designs today include a place for a television
some even treating the TV as another kitchen appliance
This kitchen from

Traditional Home magazine

is a perfect example of this new trend
This is a little over the top for me

Many people don't even think of putting a TV in their kitchens

I was one of those people

We do not watch much TV so

having a TV was not even part of our original design

But when I found this

small silver television I knew it would work great in the kitchen and now

I have to admit I have become a fan

{Love}

watching cooking shows while I cook pretending

that I can cook as good as Paula or Giada

and hoping that somehow magically

I will be able to put together some of the amazing food that they prepare

We do not have the TV on when we eat dinner together
but it is nice to have the TV in the kitchen for
Superbowl and World Series parties
Oscar parties too
If you do decide to add a TV in your kitchen here are a few tips
♥
I highly recommend not making the TV the main focus in your kitchen
Try to hang the TV at eye level for the person cooking
Shop for a Television that is not black
{wish someone would make a TV that can match the color of the walls in a room}
Do you have a TV in your Kitchen too?
linking to Tuesdays Treasures
One Project at a Time
Northern Cottage

romantic saying for today
"I long to call you mine"
unknown

♥
Pam

Purple Pansies

2012-02-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday
♥

Planting purple pansies in our front yard

is a tradition this time of year

The weather is still cool enough for the pansies to thrive
until the midsummer when the sun will be too hot for them

Pansies come in so many different color combinations

but the purple" johnny jump ups" are my favorites
Did you know that pansies are often called the flowers with a face

{Love}

♥

that little touch of yellow

and white

Pansies are edible and have a mild wintergreen flavor

it is always fun to add a few to a

simple garden salad

Here are the purple pansies

that we planted last year

they almost had a hint of blue to them

The blue and yellow pansies are the most fragrant

Last year I went to the nursery late in the season

and the selection was not very good
I learned my lesson
and asked the nursery to let me know when the pansies were delivered this year
How fun to have such amazing beauty to choose from
♥
Grateful for the beauty that surrounds us
linking for Show off Your Cottage Monday
Between Naps on the Porch

romantic saying for today
"Her Love was the light that shined in the darkness to light my way"
unknown

♥
Pam

Decorating with Shells

2012-02-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

{Love}

to decorate with shells

♥

Treasures from the sea

Such simple beauty

♥

Glass jars filled with found treasures

Some are from the shores of Beaches across the globe

California, Kauai, Martha' s Vineyard , Paradise Island,

Mexico

just to name a few

Shells are a great way to remember

walking hand and hand toes in the sand
on the beach

Feeling the warmth of the sun

swimming in the warm water, watching beautiful sunsets

Yesterday my handsome husband and I

walked hand and hand on the beach

and added to our collection of beach shells

and memories
Have nothing in your home that you do not believe to be beautiful, useful or worth a smile!!!!
♥
linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

“Once I had her hand, I never wanted to let go of her.”

Otillie Weber

♥
Pam

Vintage shopping trip

2012-02-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

This Sunday is the Long Beach antique market
aka swap meet

If you have never been it is worth the trip

not as large as the Rose Bowl in Pasadena

{it is huge}

but it is filled with amazing vintage treasures
♥

I am a frugal girl on a budget so I look for

great bargains as well as great treasures like this white polka dot vase
that I bought for 5 dollars and still adore

I always look for

Vintage

~White Ironstone~

Looking for vintage treasures for clients, my online shop and photo shoots

is so fun!!

Many of you don't know that it was my handsome husband who introduced me to flea markets and swap meets

He asked me to go to the swap meet on one of our first dates

I had NO idea what it was or what to wear

so of coarse I wore a pretty dress and high heel shoes
full on makeup
(he loves this story}

I was in

{Love}

with swap meets and flea markets

and

My handsome Husband
♥

he has a great eye for treasures

we look forward to shopping together
I am one lucky grateful girl
linking with
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Potpourri Friday
Freckled Laundry

romantic saying for today
"There are never enough I Love You's"
Lenny Bruce

♜
Pam

Giveaway Thank You

2012-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday

I hope you had a wonderful and
romantic

Valentines day

♥

I was thrilled to win a beautiful giveaway from

Debra at

~Common Ground~

If you do not know Debra or her blog you are in for a special treat
Debra is a Blessing, talented, kind, always supportive has a etsy shop and
she hosts a wonderful link party once a week called
Vintage Inspiration Friday
One of my favorite parties

How perfect to receive this beautiful necklace from Debra

on Valentines day

she even sent a few extra charms in the box I told you she is a sweet heart!!!
Thank You Debra !!
{Love}
♥
I am Very Grateful

Be sure and visit

Debra's Petite Boutique

to see more of Debra's wonderful vintage inspired
jewelry

romantic saying for today
"Let the world know if there was ever love
mine for you"
Peter Winstanley

♥
Pam

{Love}

2012-02-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday

♥

Lovely flowers

In a special basket

For a special day
From a special someone
Hope your Valentines day was filled with
{Love}
♥
and a few kisses too
♥♥♥♥♥
linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today
"The kiss you take is better than you give"
Shakespeare

♥
Pam

Real Life Love Story

2012-02-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

{Love}
♥
a real life Love Story don"t you

This is a Picture of my Parents on their Wedding day in 1955
Their Love story is so romantic
My Mom was 20, my Dad was 27
They met at Church
My father was in the Navy stationed in San Diego
My Mom was engaged to another man who was away at college
My Parents became friends

My Father said he fell in {Love} with my Mom at first site
undeterred by the fact she was already engaged
{with a ring and everything}
My Father offered to go on dates with my Mom and her fiancee when the fiancee was home from college
to take pictures of them??
This went on for over 6 months.
They would also see each other at Church on Sundays
all the while my Father was eating tomato soup and crackers
saving up for a diamond ring for my Mom
a few more months past
They had never held hands or even been alone on a date but
One night when the three of them were out together
my Dad had a car and
offered to drive my Mom home saying it was "on his way"
when my Father walked my Mom to the front door
He said he got up all his nerve and kissed her on the front porch
My Mom said
she was so surprised and she looked at my Father differently after that
{that was a great kiss}
My Mom said she fell in Love with my Father that night after that Kiss
She broke off her engagement and 6 months later married my Dad
They were married 56 years until my Dads passing
They were best friends, amazing Parents and Loved each other until the day he died.
{sigh}
I always think of their love story on Valentines day
~So Romantic~

This is my handsome husband and I on our
Wedding day

{Love}

♥
that man of mine

via
Did you see the new romantic movie
The Vow?
it is based on a real life love story too
It was the number one box office movie this weekend
I bet it will be the top box office movie for Valentines day too
love her dress!!!!
I am off to bake yummy cupcakes for tomorrow

romantic saying for today
"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”

William Shakespeare

♥

Pam

Valentine decorating ♥

2012-02-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

♥

{Love}

this adorable vintage pink

crochet heart pillow

♥
Being a romantic at heart it is easy for me to go over board
decorating for Valentines day

Love this pink heart pillow it looks right at home on our bed

not too fancy just a simple statement of

~Love and Romance~

perfect decor for

Valentines day

and every day

Love and Romance are in the air
do you feel it too
♥

A Mr and Mrs frame with a
black and white picture of
our Wedding day

Simple decor
but full of
{Love}
can't wait to fill the house with flowers too!!
linking for Pink Saturday
Spotlight Saturday
Valentine Link Party
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today
"I Love being Loved by you"
unknown

♥
Pam

Valentines day chalk board

2012-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

♥

Can you believe

~Valentines day~

is only a few days away
Here are a few fun ideas for that special someone

♥
this movie

~Somewhere in Time~

is one of my all time favorite movies

it is available at Amazon.com

for as low as 5.99

This movie is very romantic filled with beautiful costumes and scenery
great music too

Leave it to Martha Stewart to come up with such a cute idea
click here to see how to make these adorable carnation cones
with a free download for the paper cones too
♥

Now I have an important warning!!!!
If you start painting with chalkboard paint it can and will become addicting
They really need to put a warning on the box!!

{Love}
♥

the way this large caterers serving tray turned out

Perfect for a special
Valentines day message
linking at Freckled Laundry
Vintage Inspiration Friday
My Romantic Home

romantic saying for today
"You alone have captured my heart"
anonymous

♥
Pam

Vintage Windows

2012-02-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

This vintage window was one of the first things

we hung in our home

♥

~so grateful~

the window fit perfectly above the French doors in our dining room

It is one of my favorite treasures

I found it at a clock store

{yes you read that right}

I went to get a new battery for my watch

The owner of the store had bought this window for his shop and decided not to use it

just imagine my husbands surprise when I left to get a watch battery

and came home with a

vintage window too

~So here is a vintage shopping tip~

Try to keep your eyes open for beautiful treasures
even in the most unusual places

and don't be afraid to ask if something you like is for sale

they might just say yes!!!!

linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today

“The Very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrevocably gone.”

Jane Austen

Rustic and Elegant

2012-02-06T19:24:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday
When you are decorating your home with vintage treasures
♥
~Have Fun and Mix it up~

Don't let what something was originally used for

stop you

from using it in a new way

This vintage wire basket is the perfect example

♥

When I found it covered with dirt and oil it did not look pretty or useful

But ...

mixing rustic industrial with beautiful fine china

and gorgeous mother of pearl handled knives
even hearts

is fun

♥
re~purposed and pretty

♥

~rustic and elegant~

This wire basket is a keeper!!!

With a little cleaning it is a new favorite treasure
So many people say , I never thought of that !!!!
Its fun to think out of the box
you can do it too

linking for
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today
"You are my love and the desire of my heart"
anonymous

♥
Pam

Vintage Shopping test # 7

2012-02-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Are you ready for another vintage shopping test?

One of these pieces is

a rare Vintage White Ironstone bowl

worth $150 dollars

the other one is a

brand new bowl that I bought

for $1.95

They are very similar in size and both adorable

This one has a plate attached and a creamy luster

♥

you can see how small this is

sitting next to a single pink rose bud

This one has a lions head on each side

Do you think you know

which bowl is the

~vintage white ironstone~

treasure

If you guessed the one with the plate attached
you are right!!!!

It was made by
J&G Meakin

This one is new from Crate and Barrel and you can
see the price tag only
$1.95

How did you do?

Do you see the creamy luster of the

vintage white ironstone compared to the brand new very white bowl

When shopping for
~Vintage White Ironstone~
be sure to

look for the creamy luster

and the stamp on the bottom too

Happy Shopping and

linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"There is no instinct like that of the heart"
Lord Byron

♥
Pam

Key to my Heart

2012-02-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

♥
Hearts in the kitchen

Who holds the key to your heart?

I have been seeing hearts everywhere

do you see them too

here are few hidden in these vintage skeleton keys

♥

{Love}

is all around you

Hearts in the garden

Hearts among the flowers
just a romantic at heart
♥
Speaking of hearts and keys
Debra at Common Ground is having a giveaway
go take a peek at her fabulous designs
her giveaway ends Feb 6th

linking with
My Romantic Home
Vintage Inspiration Friday

romantic saying for today
"You have my whole heart for my whole life"
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

♥
Pam

White Hyacinth Bulbs

2012-02-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

These white hyacinth bulbs are

just about ready to bloom

♥

They look majestic

sitting together on the table

Even the roots have an amazing beauty

Paired with this white hydrangea

from Trader Joes

There is a serenity to the room

Do you like the smell of hyacinths?

They are very fragrant

even though the

flowers are small and delicate

They look like a pretty science project
can't wait for the first little petal to bloom!
It is going to smell amazing
linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today

"What will survive of us is Love"
Philip Larkin

♥
Pam

Kitchen Chalkboard

2012-01-31T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday

{Love}

kitchens with chalkboards

they always make my heart skip a beat
notice the color of the chalkboard

in this photo from

My Home Ideas

The sliding barn door is pretty amazing too

The chalkboard in this kitchen is the perfect size and shape

still a favorite did you notice the details
the vintage stove, kitchen aid mixer, enamelware bread box
the open shelf for the glassware, the farmhouse sink
{Love}

via

I found this chalkboard a few years ago

{Love}

the green !!!!

This is a great idea painting just the inside panel of the
pantry door , simple and not too overwhelming
this picture is from Country living magazine found here
did you know you can customize the color of chalkboard paint

I found this fabulous Rust-oleum paint
at Home Depot

You can mix the chalkboard paint to match any of these fun colors
The chalkboard can even be pink!!!!

{Love}
♥
the green tint to this chalkboard
A black chalkboard is just too dark for our kitchen
can't wait to show you what we are painting
linking at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Cozy Home Party

What color would you choose for
your kitchen chalkboard?

romantic saying for today

"I look inside my heart and I always find you there"
Lori Eberhardy

♥
Pam

Pain Francais

2012-01-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

{Love}

French bread

♥

I have been enjoying making

fresh homemade bread with our new

Kitchen-aid stand mixer

~Shes a cutie~

Built to last forever and so easy to use

I have to admit I was a little intimidated at first so I did what any inexperienced person would do

I watched the most hilarious You Tube videos on how to use your kitchen aid mixer

technology is wonderful

Now that I am almost a pro at this

{notice how I was able to lift the top}

baby steps..

I am scouring all of my vintage cook books

♥

I have an eclectic collection

♥

Do you have a great bread recipe you could share with me?

I would be grateful

{Love}

to try your family favorite

I am thinking of making a romantic "pain francais" for my handsome valentine this year

linking with Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today

"May your heart always find a way home to me"

anonymous

♥

Pam

Valentine Gift ideas

2012-01-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Many of you have asked me where to find the

{Love}

pillow cases that I ordered a few months ago for our Anniversary
you can find them at

Koyal Wholesale
♥

and Cox and Cox
carries them in cream

These initial cups from Cox and Cox are pretty cute too
perfect for a valentine gift filled with candy

{Love}
cups
you can fill them with flowers too

Sometimes it the simple gifts that mean the most
Can you believe it is almost February?
♥
linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"Love conquers all things"
Virgil

♥
Pam

Crown Centerpiece

2012-01-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

This crown was the perfect centerpiece for our table

with just a few pink roses

tucked inside it looked
sweet and elegant
♥
for a lovely luncheon yesterday

{Love}
♥
to dress up the table
and for 5.99 for a few pink roses
from Trader Joe's
it shows that you don't have to spend
a lot of money to make a
pretty centerpiece

So fun to have friends over and treat them all royally

All the Ladies received giant silver chocolate

~kisses~

to take home too

or eat in the car on the way

Isn't it fun to use things in unusual ways
the crown is actually a candle holder for the garden
but it looked perfect inside on the table
just the right size and shape

The vintage doorknob was a big hit too

I have learned you can't wait for the house to be perfect

to have a celebration

{the new guest bathroom is still a work in progress}

looks like a big mess

everyone had a great time anyway

What a wonderful day being surrounded by the laughter and love

of good friends

Don't wait to celebrate!
♥

linking with
Feathered Nest Friday
My Romantic Home

romantic saying for today

"Life is a paradise for those who Love"
Leo Buscaglia

♥
Pam

Porcelain door knobs

2012-01-24T17:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

These vintage white door knobs
are different sizes
The smaller set on the right is just a bit smaller
than the one on the left

{Love}

their rusty vintage charm
♥

Fun to use

in unusual ways

They look great with all the white in the kitchen
tomorrow I am hosting a luncheon

I grabbed the Evian bottles with the white lace
they add such a pretty feminine look to the table
The menu is Brie and french bread with curry chicken salad

Can't wait to serve the Brie on our new cheese plates

the small door knob is going to be used

as a knife rest

♥

Still need to pick some flowers

and make a dessert

This little milk bottle will hold cream for the coffee and tea

the larger vintage white porcelain door knob will

work perfect as a stopper

So fun to have friends over for lunch

can't wait to see everyone and to use all the
white vintage treasures

linking for
White Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesday

Friends are like flowers in the garden of life!!!

romantic saying for today
"True Love has a beginning and no end"
unknown

♥
Pam

Not so Lazy Susan

2012-01-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday

{Love}

our carrera marble

~Lazy Susans~
♥

♥

This large one sitting on our kitchen counter
usually holds a large bowl of fruit
The kids like to spin it
to see all of the choices in the bowl
{great for holding the lemons for our water}

Over the weekend a

sweet wonderful friend found us this unusual sized

small marble lazy susan

It looks right at home

Marble lazy susans have an old world look and feel
Don't you wonder how they got their name
Lazy Susan
the name just does not seem elegant enough for such a beautiful treasure
♥
So grateful for such a thoughtful friend
Do you look for vintage treasures for your friends too?
Usually we shop together so we know what each other collects
That's what fabulous friends are for!!!!!

romantic saying for today
"Live here in my heart forever"
anonymous

♥
Pam

Valentine Hearts ♥

2012-01-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

Its always so fun to see the

Valentines candy appear

♥

Do You like candy

conversation hearts

♥
I like them but I don't eat them

I remember when my friends and I were little

we would get so excited to get a box of these hearts

for Valentines day

We would save our boxes and when we were all together

we would all ask one question

the most popular question of coarse was

Does he like me?

and then each one of us would shake out one candy heart
♥

A "Yes" candy heart

would make us all giggle

I always have to buy a box of these candy

hearts every year....

I still smile when I shake out the first piece

to see what it will say

and I still giggle when I read

"Crazy for You"
or
"True Love"

{Love}
~Some things never change~

♥

linking for
Show off Your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today

" When you are in Love it shows"
Andy Rooney

♥
Pam

Color of Love

2012-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

If you had to describe

{Love}

as a color what color would it be

♥

Red for a fiery passion
Blue for a calm affection
Yellow for a caring friendship
Orange which is rich and fruitful
Lavender is gentle and kind
Purple for a royal and giving relationship

White for a pure and ever growing connection
or
Pink for a sweet and happy romantic
{Love}

♥

Yesterday a few friends and I went to the Del Mar Antique show
I found this adorable

vintage pink basket

♥

I was looking for a side table for our

big comfy kitchen chair

This basket was a perfect fit and now I

even have space for storage
{too hide magazines and stuff in a hurry}

{Love}

the fabulous wooden top

the shape and

the color

Pink is the universal color of
{Love}
linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"This bud of love by summers ripening breath
may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet"
Shakespeare

♥
Pam

Healthy Flowers

2012-01-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

Look at what is growing by the

side of our greenhouse

Do you know what flower this is?

♥

It is pink night blooming
~jasmine~

I picked a few flowers to bring inside the house today
The smell is so amazing

There was a study by Rutgers about the wonderful health benefits of flowers
you can read it here

The study said that flowers actually
can help reduce stress and depression

{Love}

flowers

♥

{Love}

to give them

{Love}

to get them

{Love}

to grow them

{Love}

to smell them

{Love}

to hang them

{Love}

to display them

{Love}

everything about flowers

Can't imagine life without them

everywhere in our home

Even at the front door

♥

Today I am going to the Del Mar Antique Show

so excited!!!

linking with
Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday
Show and Tell Friday

romantic saying for today

"Love conquers all things let us too surrender to Love"

Virgil

♥

Pam

Decorating with vintage

2012-01-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

A timeless way to decorate your home

is to use what you may already have in the kitchen
or in your garden

♥

A easy inexpensive way to add color

and fragrance to any room is to add
a simple bowl of bright yellow lemons

This recently found vintage wicker tray

from the Long Beach flea market

got a little makeover today
Latte our cat
liked the tray too

Look at the funky vintage shelf paper
on the bottom of the wicker tray

A little white paint gave the tray

a new crisp clean look

Adding the vintage

~white ironstone~

bowl full of lemons

gives the room a

timeless elegance
♥
linking for
White Wednesday

romantic saying for today
" I humbly do beseech thee of your pardon for too much loving you"
Shakespeare

♥
Pam

♥Candlelight

2012-01-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

Last night our lights went out

♥

We decided to turn them off and enjoy candlelight

We do this often it is so peaceful and inviting to eat dinner by candlelight

No power means no TV,no Computers

we even turn off all of our cell phones

Our Family

{Loves}

this so much that it has almost

become a Sunday tradition

♥

This is the last night the family will be all together for awhile

our daughter goes back to college in Texas tonight

{sigh}
we will all miss her

With candlelight comes the dance of shadows and intimacy

we talk more and without all of the distractions we

giggle more, we all slow down even

tasting food in a more meaningful way
Everything looks more beautiful by candlelight too

Candlelight is so romantic

you don't have to wait for a special occasion to eat dinner by candlelight

although candlelight can make even

a simple Sunday dinner a fun celebration

linking for
Show Off Your Cottage Monday

A Stroll Through Life

romantic saying for today

"You are my happily ever after"

unknown

♥

Pam

Quiet Spot

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

{Love}

this spot in our home

♥

When designing your home it is important to

carve out a quiet spot

a place where family can sit and read a book or look at magazines or just sit and relax

It is simple to do all it really takes is a comfy chair

Maybe a few pillows

and a warm blanket

I encourage you to find a sunny spot

where the sun can be felt on your shoulders or by a warm fire

Our spot is in the kitchen

When the family leaves the house in the morning I

{Love}

to sit in this chair with our sweet pug Finley at my feet

This is the view

from our comfy chair

♥

The room is filled

with morning light

and birds playing in the birdbath

A blissful way to start any day
Do you have a quiet spot in your home too?

linking for

Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"If I could choose again I"d choose You"

unknown

♥

Pam

Gray and White

2012-01-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

Its official I am in

{Love}

♥

This vintage wooden shelf was in our donate

box in the garage

It was originally very beautiful dark mahogany wood

My husband had it in his office for years

sitting in a cabinet just collecting dust

We found it together at a flea market

but he never found the right place to hang it

I always had my eye on the shelf

it has a beautiful timeless

design and shape

Yesterday I grabbed it from the donation box
bite the bullet and painted that beautiful dark mahogany wood shelf
~white~

Now it matches the corner hutch in our dining room

The shelf turned out better than anticipated

{Love}

how it looks positioned just below the vintage mirror and

it really pops against our gray painted walls

♥

Adding vintage treasures to a room

adds so much character

When I told my Husband that

I was going to paint the mahogany shelf he just chuckled

He said he knew when we bought the shelf

it would probably end up painted white!!!

Grateful

he likes how it turned out too

linking for
Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home
Inspiration Friday
Show and Tell Friday

romantic saying for today

"Loving you is as easy as breathing and just as important"

unknown

♥

Pam

White Vintage Kitchen

2012-01-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

♥

Having a white kitchen enables

almost all vintage treasures to look right at home

This very heavy

cast iron

~vintage soap holder~

is no exception

When I bought the soap holder
at the Urban Barn in Escondido

I was going to use it in our new bathroom addition

{still in progress and a big mess}
♥

Now we are all so happy

it fit in the kitchen

White vintage cast iron
was made to last forever

Its funny we did not have a bar a soap to put in the soap holder
we were all searching for one but

we only have liquid soap

This vintage velvet violet hat pin

looks cute until I can get to the store for some pretty soap

linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today

"Our Love is pure our love is sweet our love grows more with every heartbeat"

unknown

♥

Pam

Drinking Water

2012-01-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday
Do You Drink 8 glasses of water a day?

Last year our family decided

to try to drink more water

8 glasses a day
Seemed simple enough

But It was not easy at first we were all so used to

drinking diet sodas

and fruit juices

The first thing we did was put the water pitcher

on the table in the morning

with a few slices of lemon

♥

The Water was insight

it was easy to just pour a glass

Guess what

it became a habit
Success!!!!

We now have the water pitcher on the table

first thing in the morning so we can each grab a glass

of water
{I still have a cup of coffee in the morning too}
and it stays there getting refilled throughout the day

We rarely drink sodas or fruit juices anymore

and the benefits have been

wonderful

Clear and vibrant skin

more energy and

great breath

easier food digestion and weight loss too

We even stopped ordering sodas or juices

at restaurants

So grateful for this simple change that turned

into a big family lifestyle change

Now we all

{Love}

drinking water

♥

linking with
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today
"Life is a Love song, sing it"
Sai Baba

♥
Pam

Bulbs

2012-01-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Amaryllis bulbs have never been one of my favorites

Maybe it is because of their name
it sounds too much like a armadillo to me

but....

a friend gave us one

♥
I have to admit I ignored this bulb at first

Each day it opened a little more

surprising us with its beauty
my Husband even commented on it

Elegant and graceful in this

vintage enamelware bucket

With a beautiful hint of color
that got pinker and prettier each day

It has been a joy to watch

the beauty unfold

and has us all completely smitten

♥

Regardless of its name

its a beauty

grateful for the thoughtful gift and a renewed interest in these pretty bulbs

linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"Together is better in Love"

unknown

♥

Pam

Vintage Porte Couteau

2012-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

Do you know what this is?

When I first found them I had no idea what they were
I just thought they were fun
After doing some research
{googling}
I found out they are
Porte Couteau also known as

a knife rest
sounds prettier in French

It is used at the table to rest your knife so the tablecloth does not get dirty

{Love}

this idea

I have a feeling a women thought of this

I found a dozen of them all matching

along with these two sterling silver napkin rings
and a pretty crystal bottle stopper

In the Victorian era most crystal knife rests matched the families glassware

♥

{Love}
that idea too

Knife rests were made out of porcelain, silver and even wood
What a fun and romantic vintage treasure to collect
Linking for
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home
Show and Tell Friday

romantic saying for today
"If you would be loved ,love and be lovable"
Benjamin Franklin

♥
Pam

White Cheese Plates

2012-01-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday
Yesterday while returning a few gifts
{our excuse to go shopping}
My daughter and I had to go to Pottery Barn
and there at the store was the one thing missing from
my Christmas list

sigh

♥

~white cheese plates~

They were worth the wait

{Love}

the 3 different sizes and designs

{Love}

using them even behind the stove

Best of all they are white

they look amazing just sitting

all together on the island in the kitchen

So Grateful to have found them and thrilled the hunt is over

The best part is I was shopping with my daughter and she found them

for me and with the return they did not cost me anything!!!!

I am such a Blessed and Happy Mom
Could not wait to get them home and put them up in the kitchen

I have a feeling we will be eating and serving a lot more cheese
linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today
"Love is you and me and that is all I see"
anonymous

♥
Pam

January in the garden

2012-01-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

and

Happy New Year

~2012~

January is a busy time

at
~White Ironstone Cottage~

♥

Starting off the New Year in the garden

A wonderful time to be outside and prune the roses and the hydrangeas

smell the crisp fresh air and get a little exercise too

Pruning now helps the plants bloom in the spring

The last of the white iceberg roses

Spotted a few new flowers by the front gate

Grateful the Camellias

are starting to bloom

{Love}

their bold and beautiful colors
The camellias always seem to find their way into our birdbath

♥

Pansies to put around the boxwood

to add a little more color

Put more pansies in the white pot by the front door too

Grateful there are
a few colorful flowers to bring inside the house
they always add a little beauty and romance !!

{Love}
to bring the outdoors inside

linking with
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today
"Love conquers all things"
Virgil

♥
Pam

Romance

2011-12-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Being a born romantic

New Years eve is a special time

an evening filled with
champagne, chocolate and celebration
and most of all the people that we
{Love}
♥

One of our favorite traditions is to watch the movie

When Harry Met Sally

it always makes us laugh and cry

♥
That is what a great movie should do don't you think

Another tradition is to have a glass of champagne with a splash of Chambord

Chambord is a raspberry liqueur that makes the champagne pink!!

{Love}

the crown on the bottle

one glass is perfect to ring in the New Year
What ever your plans are tonight I hope

it is a safe evening filled with Love, Joy, Laughter and a little romance
and a good luck New Years kiss or two

linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love and be loved in return"
Irving Gordon

♥
Pam

Decorating with Vintage

2011-12-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

♥

Decorating with Vintage
can be so much fun

These vintage garden nozzles were
transformed over the holidays into...

~Candle holders~

Don't you just

{Love}

the brass and the wonderful oxidation

that comes from time and use

♥

that fabulous turquoise color

A Little rusty chippy vintage charm

that looks right at home

next to all of the elegant glass

and silver on the table

Vintage treasures used in fun

and different ways add charm to any home

It is the last Friday before the

New Year

2012

Do you have exciting plans for New Years Eve?

{Love}

that New Years day is on Sunday this year

the perfect way to start the New Year

with the entire family at Church on Sunday Morning

What a Blessing!!

linking at
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home

romantic saying for today

"Nobody has ever measured not even poets how much the heart can hold"

Zelda Fitzgerald

♥

Pam

Rusty Charm

2011-12-27T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

It has been so wonderful to have

our family and friends all together here at

*White Ironstone Cottage*

It was a Blessed Christmas so full of

{Love}

we even had a romantic surprise...

♥

our Godson got
engaged

yippee weddings are so much fun!!!!!!!!

♥
Congratulations Remy and Beth

After a busy holiday week the greenhouse
was a peaceful spot
this morning

it was fun to be outside in the garden

surrounded by rusty chippy charm

{Love}
vintage windows
♥

and garden tools

pink ladders

funky storage

I pray your Christmas was joy filled
and you were all surrounded by family and friends
can you believe it is almost
*2012*
linking for
White Wednesday

romantic saying for today
"Unite our hearts in fervent love and let it be true
may it ever bloom and grow from what we say and do"
Thomas Reid

♥
Pam

A Christmas Present

2011-12-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

A true test of patience

waiting for the paper white bulbs to bloom

These bulbs were planted just

after Thanksgiving

♥

They are starting to bloom just in time for

Christmas

~A Christmas present~

{Love}

how the bulbs seek out the sun

growing towards the light

♥

Planting paper white bulbs is planting a promise

of beauty

so grateful to watch the beauty of nature

unfold just a little more everyday

So excited there are only 2 days
until *Christmas*
linking at
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home

romantic saying for today
"One day one look one lifetime one Love"
unknown

♥
Pam

Christmas Tree Candle

2011-12-21T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

Many of you have asked me where

to find these clip on candle holders
that we have everywhere in our home
♥

Last year I bought a bunch that were gold
I really like the silver ones but I wasn't as happy with the gold ones
so this year I painted them white now they look like white lace to me
♥

Here are some of the silver ones
I found a few on Etsy they are available from
Pretty Paula Products
for $28 dollars
there are quite a few for sale on Etsy this year

Christmas tree candle holders are a passion
I have been collecting them for a long time
I look for them all throughout the year at every sale I go to
There are many different styles

The candle holders in these bottles are from Germany
♥
They have a weight on the bottom so
they work well on the
Christmas tree

Here you can see the candles on our tree

This tin Santa is one of my favorites

♥

The candles lite on the tree

♥

This week is such a blessed time for our family
Our daughter is home from college and we have had so much fun baking and singing and just being together
For our family
Christmas is not about presents it is about
the presence of our Lord

so exciting that there are only 4 days until
*Christmas*
linking for White Wednesday
Open House Party

romantic saying for today
"Joy is a net of Love by which you catch souls"
Mother Teresa

♥
Pam

Simple Vintage Christmas

2011-12-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

The house is filled to overflowing with the beautiful smells of Christmas

With the combination of Christmas tree, wreaths, paper white bulbs and

fresh baked sugar cookies add the smell of a warm fire and you have

the most intoxicating fragrance that can only be described as pure

Christmas Joy

♥

I found a few vintage crystal salt and pepper shakers that were missing their tops

and were only 99 cents a set

by adding just a small amount of wire and ribbon

it turned into the perfect tiny vase for paper white flowers

on our Christmas tree

{Love}

having flowers all around the house

~our simple vintage decor~

It is fun to use vintage treasures in a new and unexpected way
and inexpensive too

so excited there are only 6 days until
*Christmas*
linking for
Show off your Cottage Monday
Make it yourself Monday
Making the world cuter Monday

romantic saying for today
"Love is the joy of the good"
unknown

♥
Pam

Vintage Christmas

2011-12-17T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Here is a last minute gift idea

{Love}

this vintage candy tin

it even has handles

I found candy cane cookies from Trader Joes to put inside the tin

♥

They are so cute and yummy too

Vintage tins are great containers for cookies

wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon

~Simple~

{Love}

to have a few gifts wrapped and ready to go

Are you all done shopping or are you like me

still running around for a few last minute gifts
linking for Pink Saturday

there are only 8 days

until *Christmas*

romantic saying for today

"Divine love is a sacred flower which in its early bud is happiness
and in its full bloom is heaven"
Eleanora Hervey

♥
Pam

Oatmeal Bear

2011-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

Its that time of year when we
{Love}

to continue family traditions old and new

one of our traditions

is including in our decor a special present from Santa
~ Oatmeal Bear~

Every year Oatmeal bear gets a special spot in a stocking

Santa gave oatmeal bear to our daughter when she was a baby

with instructions on how to share her toys with others

The letter was saved and every year when we put the stockings

up by the fireplace we

also got the chance to read the letter Santa left about sharing
now that our kid's are older oatmeal bear is cherished and so is the letter

You can buy Oatmeal bear at Tricia Foleys
general store online
for only $12.50

Here is a copy of the letter just in case you would like to start this tradition too

Dear _______________

This is a special bear

His name is oatmeal and he needs you to take care of him

Give him lots of hugs and love

and when you are feeling sad he will be there to hug and love you too

Be sure to share oatmeal bear with others he likes making new friends and the more you share him the more love will be shared with you

Love

Santa

Family Christmas traditions

♥

tonight we will pick up our daughter at the airport

and all go to the Living Nativity at our Church it is another special family tradition

a few years ago before our daughter was in college
we all got the chance to be a part of the Living Nativity

We all felt so Blessed

Don't you just
{Love}
Christmas

linking with
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday

so excited there are only 9 days until

*Christmas*
♥

romantic saying for today

"In you I have found my souls heart beat"

unknown

♥

Pam

Dutch Door

2011-12-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

via

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday

{Love}

this kitchen and check out the jelly jar on the counter too cute
but it is the dutch door that really caught my eye
it is so simple and pretty
♥

We have talked about putting a dutch door in our kitchen for awhile now
and we finally found the perfect door
at Home Depot

We found it when we were looking for our Christmas tree
someone had ordered it and returned it
so the door was drastically discounted

via

♥

We will replace the door to the garden off the kitchen
{the one with the wreath}
it is perfect for our dear puppy Finley
we can keep the bottom of the door closed to keep him inside
and open the top to bring the air into the kitchen
at the same time

It has been raining here in California
very cold and dark outside so to warm up the kitchen
I decorated the oranges with some cloves ....
while I kept looking at the door and dreaming of
how the kitchen will look with our new dutch door
so hard to be patient
I feel like a kid

Smells so good
here is a heart

♥

for you
linking to This or that Thursday

only 10 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today
"I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections,
and the truth of imagination"
John Keats

♥
Pam

White front door

2011-12-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

Our front door is surrounded by

white birch tree branches this year

for

Christmas

Thanks to the heavy winds we had last month we lost a few large branches
off of our birch trees in the yard

instead of chopping the branches for fire wood we used them to decorate the door

♥

We added a real wreath from Costco

~smells fabulous~

a beautiful red poinsettia
{a gift from a dear friend}

in a vintage galvanized bucket

a few homemade

snowflakes in the window

a birch tree birdhouse

so excited there are
only 11 days until

*Christmas*
and our daughter comes home on Friday!!
linking for White Wednesday

romantic saying for today
"You are what I never knew I always wanted"
unknown

♥
Pam

Christmas Red

2011-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday

{Love}

Red and White in the kitchen

♥

I found a fabulous vintage soda bottle with red writing

and knew immediately it would look perfect

in the kitchen this
Christmas

especially with all of the red and white
jelly jars we have

WE don't save food in anything plastic

if we have leftovers we

save it all in these glass jars

{Love}

their red and white checked tops

We have so many I even use them for vases

and even to drink out of when we have a party

they are so useful

Traditional red and white checks

such a pretty and inexpensive way to add a little cheer
and recycle too

linking for
Tuesdays Treasures

only 12 more days until

Christmas

romantic saying for today

"In your eyes I rest my heart"

unknown

♥

Pam

Vintage Monogram

2011-12-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday

This precious vintage teapot has a

new home here at

~White Ironstone Cottage~

I was the lucky winner of the giveaway hosted by the blog
At The Picket Fence
{Thank You Vanessa and Heather}

this beautiful teapot came from
Christa at

Rhett Didn't Give A Dam

{Love}

the monogram "B"

♥

as you can tell from the name of her blog

Rhett Didn't Give A Dam

Christa is fun and has a great eye for vintage treasures

{My Kind of Friend}

Did I mention she just had a baby girl !!

♥

Look at the wonderful details
♥
the wooden handle and tiny wooden top

I am one lucky and grateful girl

♥

Be sure and visit

Christa's etsy shop

she has more wonderful vintage

treasures and she is having a 15% off sale too

I have my eye on this beauty

Christmas is only

13 days away

linking with
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today

"Love begins with a smile and grows with a kiss"

unknown

♥
Pam

Christmas Joy

2011-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

Lost is such a sad word

We lost a few vintage Christmas treasures last year when a water pipe broke in our garage

I was heart broken

But of coarse I was on the hunt for new vintage ornaments all year long

a great excuse to shop!!!!

yesterday something wonderful happened

♥

My handsome husband has been cleaning out the garage

donating unused things to the goodwill.

In a box marked hats he found

one of the missing treasures

my *Merry Christmas* cup

I was so thrilled to find the cup it was given to me by my Grandmother

Such a mystery

I am not sure we will ever be able to figure out how

or why it was in a box marked baseball caps

I am just grateful it was there

~Found is such a joyful word~

can you believe there are

only 15 days until Christmas
linking for Pink Saturday

romantic saying for today

"You can't blame gravity for falling in Love"

Albert Einstein

♥
Pam

Christmas Card

2011-12-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday

Christmas around our house

♥

This morning I took our

7 year old pug Finley for his walk and

found a few beautiful white December roses to cut
It is almost time to prune the rose bushes so these last few are a treat
♥
Are you sending Christmas Cards this year?

♥

Our Family had our picture taken for our

Christmas card at the beach

unexpectedly

Usually taking our Christmas card picture is a big production

we coordinate clothing

figure out when everyone will be available

hope for good weather and hire a photographer but this year

we just happened to be on the beach

before our daughter went back to college and we asked a friend to take our picture

We had one shot and that is the picture we used

{grateful no one is blinking and we all have a smile on our faces}

Captured a wonderful day all together

{Love}

♥

Our Family Christmas card
Wishing You all a very
*Merry Christmas*
♥
linking with
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday

16 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today
"The Loving are the daring"
Bayard Taylor

♥
Pam

{Love}

2011-12-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday

{Love}

Don't you ♥ these pillow cases they are from

Cox and Cox

so is this little heart bird feeder

and this lace tape

more fun decorative tape

♥

heart shaped sugar cubes

heart shaped lighted wreath

red felt table runner

all from
Cox and Cox
Happy Shopping

only 17 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today
"What is life without the radiance of Love"
Sir Walter Scott

♥
Pam

Grateful Christmas

2011-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

*The true spirit of Christmas*

When my Husband and I were blessed with our first child

we quickly realized how grateful we were that she was a healthy happy baby

We started a family tradition of bringing presents to the children who happened to be in the hospital at Christmas time

So every year our family collects toys

for the children from friends at Church, School and my Husbands company

We get to

deliver them on Christmas eve

after Church. This will be our 20th year

and we look forward to this tradition almost as

much as we do Christmas day

We wanted our children to grow up grateful for all that they have

and to understand how important it is to think of others

Last night we hosted a small party for friends who brought toys to donate

We were overwhelmed and humbled by everyone's generosity

~What a Blessing~

♥

Today our hearts are full and we are grateful for

such wonderful friends and generous hearts

♥

snow inspired white mantle with real garland that smells glorious

{Love}
family traditions
and having the house all aglow for friends and family this time of year
So excited there are only 18 days until Christmas
linking for
White Wednesday
Mantle Party
Southern Hospitality
Primp Your Stuff

romantic saying for today
"Tell her life is brief but Love is long"
Alfred Lord Tennyson

♥
Pam

Blessed Christmas

2011-12-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone
Happy Monday

Christmas

♥

I have a great DIY project for you

I made this beautiful transfer, it is so simple to make

All you need is a picture copied from the web

print it at Staples

{better printer ink}

put some paint thinner on a rag

{do this outside}

dab the paint thinner on the image

take a stone and rub the image to transfer onto the fabric

{Love}

how this turned out
looks very vintage and fabulous

♥

It is so fun to decorate

for Christmas
I found this little star mirror at Micheals it was only 99 cents
I added a few vintage keys to the bottom

♥
added a simple vintage touch

♥

Just a peek at our simple

Christmas

decor

are you singing Christmas carols yet
♥

linking with

Show off your Cottage Monday
Raising Homemakers
Primp your Stuff
only 20 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today

"Love is a fruit in season at all times"

Mother Theresa

♥

Pam

Christmas List

2011-12-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

I wanted to share with you this picture

Sheryl Crow

I found in Elle magazine

{Love}

♥ her kitchen look at the vintage white stove, the rolling metal storage cart
♥
but that is not the thing that really caught my eye in this picture
I fell hard for her

~moccasins~
Don't they look comfortable
so I went on a hunt and found the perfect pair
♥
~Ugg moccasins~

They are so comfy
don't you just love the pink bow!!!!!
A new favorite thing
you can find them here
If you are not sure what to put on your Christmas list
and you like comfy warm and fabulous
I highly recommend them
I wear jeans and a white shirt as a wardrobe staple and yes these moccasins too
a pre Christmas gift

Sheryl and I are practically twins now
{giggle}
linking for Pink Saturday
so far that's one present for me and zero presents for anyone else
oops

The countdown continues only 22 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today
"I want you for always ,days, years, eternities"
Frank Sherbert

♥
Pam

Christmas gift ideas

2011-12-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy December 1

When it comes to gift giving for
Teachers, neighbors and friends
at Christmas time

{Love}

to give

~vintage~

This is one of my favorite gift ideas

A vintage pudding mold

filled with chocolate

star cookies and topped with a white star
tree ornament
♥

This is another favorite

Can't measure how grateful I am for you

small red and white measuring cups filled with chocolate kisses

What are your favorite gifts to give at Christmas ?
Alison at the Polohouse
is having a linky party come join in the fun and share your gift ideas too

romantic saying for today
"Love is the gift that lives in the heart for eternity"

unknown

♥
Pam

Easy DIY Advent Calender

2011-11-30T17:24:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday

It's December 1

and time to start the countdown to

Christmas

♥

This morning after my weekly run to Trader Joe's
I was inspired to make

a quick and easy DIY advent calender
(instead of the chocolate one I almost bought}

I used brown bags from Trader Joe's for the tags

glitter sprayed clothes pins

a black sharpie

small candies
{I used chocolate kisses and lifesavers}
our sons favorite candies
a stapler

ribbon and glitter sprayed bells

This was so easy I decided to try making little

♥
heart shaped ornaments made with

old paper back books

All you need is a old paperback book
wire or a paperclip,double sided tape and scissors

Tear off the cover of the book

separate the book into 3 sections

cut the heart shape out on the binded center section

tape the sides together

insert the paper clip in the middle

♥

Simple and fun to make
Excited that there are
only 24 days until
Christmas

romantic saying for today
"Love brings bewitching grace into the heart"
Euripides

♥
Pam

White Christmas

2011-11-29T10:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday

Christmas Decorating

White Ironstone Cottage

♥

has officially begun
its looking very clean, simple and
white

See the detail on this little step stool

I found it at the thrift store

it was painted brown

{wish I would have taken a before pick}

almost wasn't going to buy it because it looked dirty

With a coat of white paint it now is crisp, clean and fabulous

♥

{Love}

the design and the little handle

Today is the last day of November
I have a feeling December is going to fly by even faster than November did
tomorrow we start the Christmas countdown
Have you started decorating too?
I have to admit decorating is going rather slowly
I keep looking at everything and remembering all the
Joy and Blessings
from our past Christmases
This could take awhile!!!
linking for
White Wednesday
Holiday Vignette party
Power of paint party

romantic saying for today
"Where we Love is home, home where our feet may leave but not our hearts"
Oliver Wendell Holmes

♥
Pam

Decorating tips for Christmas

2011-11-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday
here are the rest of the

*Top 10 Decorating tips for Christmas*
{6-10}

Tip # 6

*Decorate in Unexpected places*

The main focal points to decorate in your home are
your Tree, the Mantle and your Front door

the fun begins when you start decorating in the
unexpected places

We always have a small tree in each of the children's bedrooms

They have their own ornaments and get to decorate their tree

Love to have a real wreath on the inside of the kitchen door
a wreath over mirrors in the dining room and wreaths on the french doors too
It smells amazing and looks pretty too

♥

Tip # 7
*Look to the kitchen*

Gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses,
sugar cookies ,candy canes things found in the kitchen all can help to decorate your home
last year we used white granulated sugar
for our homemade snow men
the sugar looked just like real snow

Cookies are great as decorations on the tree too
Don't think just because it comes from the kitchen
it can't be used as a decoration other places in your home
I love to put apples on wreathes and cranberries in jars with candles
I have even been known to use a pineapple as a centerpiece for Christmas
♥

Tip #8
*Make it Homemade*

Each year we try to make at least one Christmas ornament together
one year it was snow men, another gingerbread houses to hang on the tree,
Christmas would not be complete without a new family made ornament
The ornaments we make together
are the treasures that I cherish most
♥

Tip #9

*Show off your Collections*

If you collect vintage treasures now is the time to show them off

This beautiful white ironstone serving bowl was used for our

advent calender last year

What ever you collect try using it when you decorate

♥
Tip #10
*Have Fun*

The top ten decorating tips would not be complete with out this last tip
remember the most important thing is
to have fun decorating your home
remember its not about the things you have or how perfect it all can look
its about making memories and sharing the
{Love}
in your home
♥
linking with
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today
"Is not a kiss the very autograph of Love"
Henry Finck

♥

Pam

Top 10 Decorating Tips for Christmas

2011-11-25T17:02:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday

I am so excited to share with you my

*Top 10 Christmas decorating tips*

♥

Tip #1

*Look before you buy*

Look at what you have before you go shopping for anything new

Its been a year do you remember what you already have to work with?
If you are like me you probably have more than you remember so
before you buy anything new look at what you have
get your Christmas treasures down from the rafters
throw away or repair anything that is broken
check your lights to see if they work

Tip # 2

*Choose your colors*

Look at Magazines, catalogs and blogs and decide on a color theme
this will save you time and money
If you decide for instance to decorate with pink and silver then you can concentrate on those colors
and eliminate buying the turquoise ornaments that are so adorable
but will probably not work with your decor
♥

Tip #3

*Bring the outside in*

Bring the outside inside by looking to your garden for inspiration

greenery from the garden , flowers, fruit such as green apples and pomegranates,

cut branches and red berries are all fabulous decorating tools

Tip # 4

*Adding Charm*

Welcome everyone to your home with a beautiful wreath on the front door
and don't forget the front gate too

Drive up and see what friends see before they even walk to the door
adding a bow or ice skates or even a wreath to a gate or fence will add instant charm

Tip # 5

*Add sparkle and fragrance with candles*

Candles are a beautiful way to add that special romantic sparkle and warmth to a room
I collect candle holders all year long
Everything looks more beautiful and romantic by candlelight

scented candles will add a beautiful fragrance too

♥

linking for
Feathered Nest Friday

Pink Saturday
I will share five more design tips tomorrow

romantic saying for today
"One moment with the one you Love can be a lifetime"

unknown

♥

Pam

♥ White Ironstone Cottage

Fabulous Ferns

Vintage Enamelware

TV in the kitchen

Purple Pansies

Decorating with Shells

Vintage shopping trip

Giveaway Thank You

{Love}

Real Life Love Story

Valentine decorating ♥

Valentines day chalk board

Vintage Windows

Rustic and Elegant

Vintage Shopping test # 7

Key to my Heart

White Hyacinth Bulbs

Kitchen Chalkboard

Pain Francais

Valentine Gift ideas

Crown Centerpiece

Porcelain door knobs

Not so Lazy Susan

Valentine Hearts ♥

Color of Love

Healthy Flowers

Decorating with vintage

♥Candlelight

Quiet Spot

Gray and White

White Vintage Kitchen

Drinking Water

Bulbs

Vintage Porte Couteau

White Cheese Plates

January in the garden

Romance

Decorating with Vintage

Rusty Charm

A *Christmas* Present

Christmas Tree Candle

Simple Vintage Christmas

Vintage Christmas

Oatmeal Bear

Dutch Door

White front door

Christmas Red

Vintage Monogram

Christmas Joy

Christmas Card

{Love}

Grateful Christmas

Blessed Christmas

Christmas List

Christmas gift ideas

Easy DIY Advent Calender

White Christmas

Decorating tips for Christmas

Top 10 Decorating Tips for Christmas

A Christmas Present