Estate Sale Finds & A Sneaky Culprit

Just had to share with you one of my latest acquisitions ~ a beautiful silverplated water pitcher that I found recently at an Estate Sale. It had a ding on one side & was slightly tarnished, but it is heavy & wow, does it have the most gorgeous roses border around the footed base! My camera is acting up today, (couldn't be me!) so please excuse the fuzzy pictures. The mirror above is listed for sale here in my eBay auctions, but the silverplated pitcher has already found a good home with ME!!

Below is one of my favorite ways to use mirrors, as plateaus for tablescape scenes or to highlight some of my favorite objects, like these petit fours that my daughter & granddaughter made for me. I love displaying them on my cherub footed plate.
Also recently found these two pretty platters. They will go into my eBay store, as I'm running out of room with all my collections, but I just couldn't pass them up. This one has the most beautiful yellow rose center, daisies & other florals & gilt sponged edging! Oops, the pic is upside down & I can't seem to figure out how to rotate it!
Now to the culprit story. The picture below shows my pretty kitty Muffin. He looks innocent enough, right? He is usually very laid back & although he lives with "dogs", he tries to rise above it & stays out of their way. I say usually........ My little Shih Tzu, Rosie, went in for her yearly checkup & shots yesterday, so she was feeling a bit under the weather today, just lolling around. Next thing I hear is her yapping frantically. Of course I'm blogging on the 'puter & can't imagine what is happening, so I rush to the top of the stairs just in time to see her darting around with this black fur boa / thing draped around her neck! Yep, it was good ol' Muff, so after a good stern talking to, he sulked off & Miss Rosie decided she would be much safer in the office with me!
I have another fun little goodie to show you next time if I can get my camera to cooperate! Until then....

Hugs,
Stephanie

My TWO MARYS
& Birthday Fun

Sounds like a new tv show, doesn't it?!?

I just have to do a little bragging about my granddaughter on her birthday & my two favorite MARYS, tho.

Yesterday was our granddaughter's 11th birthday, & we spent the day with her, helping her celebrate. Took her out to lunch, then back home to open gifts & have yummy birthday cake. She is growing into such a lovely young lady & we love her dearly & cherish all the time we have with her. We are so lucky to have her, our daughter, & my mother living in such close proximity to us.

Then upon returning home, I had a wonderful surprise! My sweet friend Mary from Isabella's Closet hosted a giveaway in honor of her 100th post & I was the lucky winner! She made me my fantastic new logo/banner!! Isn't it adorable? I just LOVE IT!! I have watched Mary's auctions on eBay & enjoyed her "Me" page there for well over a year. Imagine my surprise when I found out she had a blog! Girls, go to her auctions & her "Me" page & blog site to see some fantastic pictures of her home. You will fall in love with her unique style of decorating! Everything is simply exquisite! And she offers the best vintage items for sale, too. AND she is quite a designer of logos, too. It is great eye candy to just look at her auction templates to see all the pretty designs she uses. I'm thrilled with my new logo!! She is a true sweetheart & simply the kindest person you could ever hope to meet! Hugs & Kisses to you, Mary!!

My other sweet new friend Mary from Oh Merci had a package waiting for me on the porch when I got home yesterday. I had fallen in love with her little miniature chandeliers on her blog & asked her to make one for me & boy, did she deliver! If you know me or have read my blog at all, you well know that I have something of an addiction to pretty vintage lighting, so what could be more fitting than a mini-remembrance of said addiction?!?

I was not expecting the wonderful surprise awaiting me, tho, as she had handmade a wonderful surprise for me ~ the chandy came in its own little handmade treasure box!! An adorable little rose papered cylinder box with dainty doily lid & base, & sweet yellow dotted fabric bow tie! And so prettily packaged, too, along with the sweetest note. I must admit that I tore into it the minute I saw Mary's return address on the package, so I tried to re-create the presentation for pics later! Her packing job was much prettier, but in my excitement I ripped the tissue just a tad!! Actually, I'm sure the tissue was flying as I unwrapped!! Run over to her blog or Etsy store if you, too, can't live without one of these beauties or some of her other goodies!

My precious friend & PRH sister, Connie of Living Beautifully, sent me the most gorgeous sheet of her practice roses & leaves, too.I will get an appropriate frame & it will hang proudly in my home. I love it! Connie is kinda a "Jack" of all trades (she will like that I called her that ~ it's one of her favorite names ~ the name of her other half, her dear hubby Jack)! She has a wonderful website, Rose Porch Designs, full of beautiful pillows, sachets, totes, sugared ornaments, all sorts of goodies & pretty pictures. Check it out as she is always adding something new. She sews beautifully, decorates, creates wonderful logos & templates, sells on eBay, and has recently started painting divine roses! She shared some pics with us in one of the groups I'm in & I told her I wanted one of her practice sheets!! She zipped it right off to me, & now I will be able to say I knew her when she first started. This gal is going places. She is top-notch in all she strives for. Thanks, "Ethel" ~ Love, "Lucy"

These above mentioned things make me absolutely giddy, oh, what a wonderful day!

Did I mention that I do indeed have a blessed life!?!

Hugs,

Stephanie

Lampe Bergers & a Little Fun

I have been selling quite a few Lampe Bergers on eBay & have quickly fallen in love with them. They are wonderful aromatic diffuser oil lampes from Paris, France that are equisitely made, many by famous designers. They help purify the air of bacteria & odors. They seem to be becoming fast collectibles, too. Especially the harder to find ones & the retired ones.

I have the platinum trimmed CORSET Lamp Berger listed in my eBay store here. I told DH how nice I thought it looked in my bedroom, so he took the hint & suggested I keep one for myself. Here is what I chose.....

The DEGAS Ballerina Porcelain by Goebel. Even the back of it is so very pretty with its dainty floral wreath halo tossed recklessly on the ground! Now for a little fun . . . . .
I found this on another blog and thought it would be fun to do. Enjoy

Pick your favorite of each one and print it in bold. Share on your blog!

Lace or Ribbon(both)

Mountain or Beach

Reading or Writing

Cookie or Cake

Baked or Mashed Potato

Side or Back

Shrimp or Steak

Scrambled or Fried

Orange or Apple

Spring or Fall

Roller Skating or Bowling

DVD or Theater Movies

Wood or Glass

Blue or Green

Chocolate or Vanilla

Quilt or Knit

Early Morning or Late Night

Coffee or Tea

Watermelon or Strawberry

Lunch or Dinner

Cold Cereal or Oatmeal (neither)

Song or Dance

Carpet or Hardwood Floor

Red or Pink

Cat or Dog (both)

Pretzels or Chips

Iced Tea or Lemonade

Non-fiction or Fiction (biographies)

Rose or Daisy

Sunrise or Sunset

Comb or Brush

Pottery or Basket

Bracelet or Necklace (both)

Pen or Pencil

Couch or Chair

Country or Victorian

Farm or Ranch

Braid or Ponytail

$Cash$ or Check

Chocolate bar or Jelly Beans

Coke or Pepsi

Hot dog or Cheeseburger

Blinds or Curtains

Dress or Pants (both)

Sun or Moon

Adventure or Comedy

Cloud or Star

Lake or River

Half full or Half empty

Truck or Car

Bath or Shower

Clothesline or Dryer

New or Second Hand (both)

Gum or Lifesaver

Email or Handwritten

July or October

Barefoot or Shoes

There now, wasn't that fun??

Hugs,

Stephanie

Reflections of Things I Love

Our bedroom is my favorite place to be in all of our house. It is full of things that I love & that have special meaning to me or that just make me smile. From the European floorlamp with barkcloth shade that DH surprised me with, to the tri-fold vanity mirror that I sweet-talked him into letting me keep (I sell antique mirrors on eBay here), to the long table that he & I fought about because he just couldn't see my vision while it was still black with years of grime & peeling veneer. I love the antique convex frame that my in-laws gifted me with that I added some of my favorite ROSES fabric behind, & my triple sewing machine drawers that hide all kinds of goodies that DH doesn't know about, like hankies, vintage postcards, & other stuff he would think is "silly". I especially love & smile at my sweet mannequin dressed in my now vintage wedding gown. And I can't forget my vintage 5 light tabletop chandelier that was one of my first purchases on eBay! And the glass globe that my sweet daughter made for me filled with wonderful potpourri & twinkle lights & topped with a vintage doilie made by my grandmother & tied with pink ribbon & a cherub paper-bag heart tag.
Another corner has the teensiest of demilune tables (I just love these small 1/2 tables because you can ALWAYS find a place for ONE MORE!) with a pink floral hurricane lamp, one of my favorite hand vases, & a Southern Belle plate by Garneau named "Scarlett" on a beautiful gold easel that my mother gave me. Funny but I can't remember where the little lace hanky came from.
Love this Art Deco mirror, too. It just screams "Hollywood Glam" to me. I pictured it with some of my pink roses.
I have a few vegetable casseroles that I like to decorate with. They are all vintage, many with small chips or crazing, so I don't serve food in them, but they make great display pieces & are wonderful for storage, too. This one is full of extra prisms that I use when making lighting. I love using mirrors as plateaus for tablescape scenes. Candles & cut glass really gleam when placed on top of them. This one is an oval diamond beveled antique mirror from England.
This mirror is one my granddaughter calls the Snow White Mirror. You know, "Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Fairest of them All?" I love tri-fold vanity mirrors & this one has ROSES on it, but luckily I already have one in my bedroom, so DH is sooo very glad I'm actually selling this one. It is listed here on eBay this week!

I've not posted very many pictures lately, & pictures are to me what make a blog ~ I just love eye candy, don't you? So I tried to post some of what I love the most.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to their week!
Hugs,

Stephanie

SEVEN WONDERS

~ My Special Angels ~

I am deeply honored & humbled to have both my precious blogging friends, Lori at Pink Faded Roses & Amy, my PRH Sister from Bunny Rose Cottage to name me as "One of the 7 Wonders" to them. Hmmm, I'm trying to figure out the "wonder" part! :0)

From what I understand this award is to go to people that inspire you, & then ask them to spread the love around to others.. I have no problem naming the following ladies with an angel award, as that is what they are to me:

Lori at Pink Faded Roses ~ I'm giving this right back to you, my sweet twinkie-friend. You inspire me in countless ways.Your home & children come first & I so admire you for that. You are simply my kindred spirit, my better half, & I get such amusement out of seeing what you post next that is EXACTLY like mine, displayed the same as mine, or something that I was just thinking about, or that is on my wish list, or that happened in my childhood, too!

Amy at Bunny Rose Cottage ~ I'm also giving this right back to you, sweetie. I love you & can't imagine a sweeter, kinder, more awesome girl than you! You are my PRH baby sister & I feel like I've known you so long. The very fact that you have 5 (no, let's count DH Chad, too) 6 boys in your home & still manage to decorate & blog is amazing in itself! I so enjoy your blog, your sweet cottage home pics, & your bubbly personality.

Shannon at Paint Mine Pink ~ My dear sweet int'l. friend Shann can always make me giggle. You have the most beautiful home, chair collection, faux food, & THE most adorable child I've EVER seen! You are a multi-talented artiste!! I enjoy the funny blurbs you post on mine & others blogs more than you will ever know. You are deliciously wicked, in the best of ways! Special thanks to your mum, Coll at Coll's Garden for birthing such a treat!!

Heather at Pretty Petals Boutique ~ My sweet PRH Sister Heather, (uh-oh ~ I made you sound like a nun!), who has the most awesome home & sense of style. Your talent at display & helpful nature so inspire me. Your knowledge of linens is incredible, as is your collection! Special thanks to your sweet mother, Kitty at Reflections from the Stone Nest, for bringing such a sweet bundle into the world!

Mary at Isabella's Closet ~ A precious blogging friend with the biggest heart of anyone I know! She works & prays unselfishly for others & I would really want her in my corner in any difficult circumstance. Her cottage home is beyond awesome! I've looked & drooled over her "ME" page on eBay & was so happy to find her in the blogging world. Her crafting & style of decorating are just tops in my book! Oh, I would love to just be Sam or Isa for one day, so I could "play" in that adorable bedroom!!

Amy at Four Sisters in a Cottage ~ A true inspiration! Such a sweet loving spirit she has. She is constantly happy, upbeat & so strong even in the most difficult of situations.She shares her life & bears her soul & it is beautiful. Not to mention how talented she is! It is always a blessing to visit her sweet blog!

Ele at A Bit of Pink Heaven ~ Her blog name says it all. She is my PRH sister & not only is she a beautiful lady, but she has an awesome home AND a church studio, to boot! Can't beat that combination for a heavenly gal! She, too, is multi-talented & my dear friend, the yo-yo queen!

Karla at Karla's Cottage ~ This gal does it ALL! Paints, draws, decorates, entertains, cooks, shares it all on her blog. I usually wait til I have about 1/2 hr. to devote strictly to Karla, settle in with a big glass of iced tea & read & drool & dream to my heart's content on her blog. She also has the sweetest fairy grandbaby this side of Heaven named Sugarwings. And I love her Dorkies, too!!

I love visiting all my friend's blogs & feel like everyone of you that are listed on my right side bar, all my PRH sisters, & everyone that ever leaves a comment are very special to me! Gotta love this bloggin' community!

Hugs,
Stephanie

Nice Matters Award

I've been away from the computer for a few days (in self-exiled mode, due to my latest addiction to "chatting" & blogging), & when I got back on tonight, looky what I found from sweet Dionne over at Cherub Kisses!! **AND from my precious friend Sweet Shannon over at Paint Mine Pink!! They BOTH gave me the "Nice Matters" award, what a neat surprise!!! Hmmm, wonder if I can give it right back to you, too, Dionne & Shann!?! Your blogs so inspire me! Now it is my turn to pass it on to some other terribly sweet deserving ladies!!

Lori at Pink Faded Roses
Vickie at Visuals by Vickie
Bertie at Aunt May's Cottage
Dolly at From My Cherry Heart
Amy at Bunny Rose Cottage
Beth at Gathering Dust
Laurie at Charming Designs

Rhea at Sweet N Shabby Roses

Becca at Of Blue Birds & Roses
Connie at Living Beautifully

Here is hoping that everyone is having a wonderful start to their week! I know I am, thanks to sweet Dionne & Shann!!

Hugs,
Stephanie