christmas greeting card: 2011

22 Ocak 2011 Cumartesi

Happy Friday

Just a little bit of sunshine...

to brighten your day. Happy Friday, dear bloggers! :)

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Happy Valentine's Day, dear bloggers !

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Please join me for Mosaic Monday this week. Mr. Linky will be up by 9:30pm Sunday. :)

Mosaic Monday: Missing the Deck

Despite my recorded joy in snow days, I have to say that I'm really starting to miss dining on the deck. :)

These photos are from last summer -- a little luncheon table to celebrate the warm weather. I keep telling myself that the days are getting just a little longer and a little warmer as each week passes. Before I know it, I'll be filling the pots on my deck.

Right?

RIGHT?

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:

1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky:

Where Did All This Blue Come From?

I just made a discovery -- I have a lot of blue transferware! Because my dining room is red, I tend to collect and display red transferware.

But as I was scrounging through my cupboards yesterday for something different to display on my dining room dresser, I realized that a lot of blue had found it's way into the Little Red House.

A few pieces are from my mother, including the blue spongeware pitcher, and several blue willow plates.

This little blue and white pottery cup (above) was my mother's, too.

I bought this antique platter (above) on Ebay last year.

There are some reproduction Spode dinner plates here as well. I just can't seem to resist buying a few when I see them in HomeGoods. :)

And I guess they are starting to add up, because apparently I have enough to make quite a large display.

This pitcher belonged to my mother, too. Imagine my delight when I found a miniature version (in one of the photos above) in the thrift store.

As some of you know, I collect silverplate pitchers and gravy boats as well. And I think they go nicely here with the blue and white.

This antique plate which belonged to my mother, is my favorite. I found it a few years ago when cleaning out one of our closets.

Which gives you an idea of the kind of housekeeper I am.

A very bad one. ;)

Edited to add: I am linking this post to Paula Grace's Timeless Tuesday. She always has wonderful design advice, so go and visit -- you'll be glad you did. :)

Everything Old Is New Again

By now, most of you will have appreciated the fact that I have, ahem, a slight problem with collecting dishes.

I may have a few more dishes than I know what to do with.

But that's where repurposing comes in, right? Bone dishes make wonderful ring holders. I have also used saucers as soap dishes, and platters as back splashes behind my kitchen faucet.

Everything old is new again. :)

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Please join me for Mosaic Monday -- Mr. Linky will be up by 9:30pm Sunday. I look forward to seeing all your wonderful and creative mosaics.

I'm a Little Flower Bud

I've been suffering from a surfeit of writer's block lately -- not knowing what to write about, or where to turn my camera. All the snow, and some major cabin fever, were both getting me down.

I've also been thinking about my upcoming empty nest, and trying to see a way forward for the years ahead. It sounds silly to ask: "What will I do with the rest of my life?"

But I guess that has been on my mind lately, too.

I used to be a fitness instructor, but had to give that up for health reasons. I have also worked as a copy editor but that was so long ago it seems like another life.

What will I do now?

(I almost feel like I'm a flower in bud, waiting to feel the sun. Gosh that sounds stupid, doesn't it?)

I'd like to do something with photography, but I'm not sure that there is much money in stock photography sales, and I don't see myself starting a portrait business. I'm just not comfortable with my level of expertise in that area yet. Maybe with a little more practice...

So I've been thinking about creating an internet photography course for decorating and gardening bloggers. I have learned so much about that sort of photography in my years of blogging, and I think I might have some experience to share.

I'm actually a little nervous writing about it -- does it sound totally ridiculous? Maybe I should just go down to the local supermarket and fill out an application...

So, anyway, that's where my conflicted brain is right now. Anybody have any good advice?

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Sorry about missing Mosaic Monday last week, but you can see what a mental wreck I've been... :) Please join me for Mosaic Monday next week. (March 8th) Mr. Linky will be up by 8:30pm Sunday. Looking forward to seeing your work! :)

Mosaic Monday: Mother's Day Wishes

One mosaic, two ways today. I made the mosaic above using Photoshop. I matted and framed it below using Big Huge Labs. I wish all of you a very happy Mother's Day!

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky:

An Architect's Garden

Welcome to An Architect's Garden, in Pottersville, NJ. This is the second of two gardens we visited over the weekend, as part of The Garden Conservancy's Open Days program.

This stunning house and garden are part of an ongoing project begun in 1992. The owners bought an eighteenth-century dairy farm on 35 acres and turned it's four barns into a uniquely beautiful home filled with architectural salvage and antiques, and surrounded by several wonderful courtyard gardens in the European style.

Don't you love the glimpse of the interior given here (above)? I was surprised to learn that the tour included the interior of the home. I'll be showing you that later in the week. Suffice it to say that it is stunning. :)

The west side of the house overlooks this fountain and water feature. The owners belong to the American Boxwood Society, and the garden features many different types of boxwood which give it a beautiful architectural quality.

Through the two open french doors of the house (above) is a great room that runs almost the entire length of the ground floor, with two gorgeous fireplaces at either end.

Yes, that is just a tease to get you to visit later in the week. lol

The steps up to the thyme garden (above) are beautiful with big clumps of hellebore on either side.

Salvaged architectural pieces are scattered throughout the house and garden, punctuating the ends of allees and leaning casually against the walls.

This is a view of the thyme garden looking toward the gravel courtyard outside the kitchen. Don't you love this beautiful olive jar (above)?

I love the mixture of formal French boxwood garden and exuberant English plantings. Just look at those huge decorative leaves in the thyme garden (above).

I'll share more of the garden and the house later in the week. In the meantime here is a link to the owner's website, Tendenze Design.

An Architect's Garden: Interiors

As promised, here are some interior shots from "An Architect's Garden," which we visited last weekend. We were surprised to learn that the house was open, and a little hesitant to walk into someone else's home. At first I felt strange about taking pictures, but I soon got over that. :)

I wish I could describe for you the feeling of walking into this home... the soaring ceilings, the faded leather chairs, the pieces of architectural salvage, the mirrors and prints leaning casually against a wall, the huge dried flowers arrangements... it was almost like stumbling upon a barn filled with a cache of antiques and faded flowers. Strange and wonderful and totally unique.

There were two fireplaces at either end of this great room, which had a dining table at one end (shown in the first photo) and a living area at the other end (shown above). As you can see the entire room was a treasure trove of architectural salvage and faded antiques. We later learned that the owners have a design business, and many of the pieces in the house are for sale.

Another view of the living room (above) shows the owner's wonderful collection of architectural salvage, including columns, statues, and light fixtures (bottom left of the photo above).

The garden is ever present and easily viewed from within the home because of the many windows and french doors.

The room above is a hallway that runs the width of the house, separating the great room from the kitchen. Sadly, I did not get any photos of the kitchen, but I think you can see some on the owner's design website. I'll give you a link at the end of this post.

Here is another view of the great room. I think it gives you a better idea of all the diverse treasures so casually displayed.

OK, I know some of you are going to say "hay in a garden urn as a side table?!" Perhaps not the most practical of design ideas, but somehow it just seemed perfect here... Now do you see what I meant when I said "strange and wonderful?"

I've still got some more of the garden and conservatory to show you next week. In the meantime, here is the owner's design website, Tendenze Design.

I'm linking this post to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday. Thanks so much, Cindy, for being such a gracious hostess. :)

I'm a Blah Blogger

Sorry I've been an absent blogger this week, but I had a few things on my mind, including the fact that my daughter was driving to Massachusetts this weekend. Do you remember a few weeks ago when she drove down the shore?

Anyway, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things next week. In the meantime, I bought a few annuals for the deck containers and would you believe I cannot find my gardening bag, with the trowels and fertilizer in it? Aaaarrrgh.

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Yes, it's that time again... are you ready for Mosaic Monday? I hope you will join me. Mr. Linky will be up by 8:30 pm Eastern time, USA, Sunday. Hope to see you all then! :)

christmas greeting card

22 Ocak 2011 Cumartesi

Happy Friday

Happy Valentine's Day

Mosaic Monday: Missing the Deck

Where Did All This Blue Come From?

Everything Old Is New Again

I'm a Little Flower Bud

Mosaic Monday: Mother's Day Wishes

An Architect's Garden

An Architect's Garden: Interiors

I'm a Blah Blogger

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22 Ocak 2011 Cumartesi

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