Happy Belated Fall!

It's been a while since I posted anything on this, my cottage blog. I do have a list of reasons (excuses) for not having done so....and, here they are:

1. Working full time
2. Attended a church-family conference for 9 days beginning the 1st week in October
3. Was sick with the flu for over a week after I returned from the conference
4. Was sick 2 more days with 2 migraine headaches that occurred 4 days apart
5. Working full time (Oops! Already used that excuse.)

Fall is probably my favorite season of the year. When I was living in NW Alabama I was able to experience the beautiful colors of fall. I had the added blessing of having a maple tree on my front lawn. My kitchen window gave me a full view of this magnificent tree, with it's absolutely brilliant yellow leaves. That tree seemed to light up the entire block! How I enjoyed it's autumn splendor those 3 years. I do miss seeing it.

The air was crisp, cool and clean there and the color of the sky was beautiful. The fall experience is different here, in Southern CA, but I still enjoy the season's beauty. I do all I can to bring the season indoors with colors and scents that come from baking, spicy-smelling candles, or a turkey roasting in the oven. I'm sure that you all have special things you do to bring the beauty of fall into your home each year. By the way, if you have a photo you'd like to share of a fall decorating project, or a cozy fall spot in your home, please foward it to me and I'll be happy to post it here.

Wishing you all a happy, cozy, spicy, belated Fall!!

Tea PartyTuesday

It's that time again! Join in the fun!

I invite you to share your tea party with other bloggers, whether it be tea for one, or 50. Well, you get the picture, I hope.

Just link to your tea party post using MckLinky, below. We love tea parties!

What's New in My Kitchen

I can't really take full credit for this recent change in my kitchen. It came from my neighbor who used a space in her kitchen, which was originally specified for the frig, in a totally different way. Her idea came more from necessity. She has a side-by-side and found that it would fit better against another wall. By placing her frig where she did she won't be able to access her the water heater closet, but if you don't need to on a regular basis what's the big deal, right?

I remember standing near her kitchen once and not immediately putting my finger on why her kitchen looked larger than mine (we're apartment dwellers so our space is very limited). Then I saw it, that her frig was not where it was "supposed" to be. It looked great! I told her that I would be trying her idea in my apartment first chance I got. My husband was concerned about the water heater closet being blocked, but then said it would be fine because the frig has wheels and can be easily pulled out.

I've yet to get a picture of her version (which is very nice), but below are some pictures of mine. I really like having this little spot next to my stove not filled up by my frig, especially now that I have a new place for it.

My frig now sits to the left of this area, neatly tucked back against that wall.

Happy cottage blogging!

My Favorite Cookie Recipe

Hello All!

With Fall inching it's way around the corner, I'm thinking about baking. Yay! I love to bake in the Fall, and especially yummy cookies. So, I thought I'd share one of my favorites with you. I call them my nutty, fruity and buttery cookies. Think I'll take these to the next cookie social at Church!

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cups light brown sugar

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs at room temperature

2-1/4 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets (insulated cookie sheets are best!) with parchment paper. In a large bowl blend the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla until nice and creamy. In another bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Blend into the butter mixture, a little at a time. Add the cranberries and nuts.

Drop heaping tablespoon of cookie dough unto the cookie sheets and bake at 325F for 15-20 minutes. I like my cookies on the light golden, soft side. If you wish yours to be more crispy, bake them at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Variations:

You can add 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips, or substitute macadamia nuts for walnuts.

ENJOY!

My Headboard

Hi again! OK, so I thought I'd give my project it's own title.

Here are some views of my new headboard. As you can see, it's actually a folding screen. My bedroom is a work in progress, and I'm aiming for a beach cottage look. Most-likely, I'll hang some vintage plates above or around the screen (because I love vintage plates), and I'll be looking for a different lamp. I plan to paint the nightstand white, then sand it around the corners to make it look a bit more cottage-y. It's a very cozy bedroom and pretty much what you see is all there's room for...well, except that there's a dresser on the opposite wall.

So, what do you think?

Fireplace Mantel As a Headboard

I bought this mantel a few years back, but sold it to my friend when I moved to Alabama. She kept it in her garage until she found a place for it. It's now found a new home as a headboard. Here are a few photos for you to enjoy.

Happy Cottage Blogging!

Folding Screen Used As a Headboard

I'd been toying with the idea of using my wrought iron folding screen as a headboard. being that I don't own a headboard. My screen is as heavy as it could be, but it's painted off-white and has decorative grape leaves all over it, with clusters of grapes made from glass. It fell in love with it 5 years ago when I purchased it, and it had been stored in my brother's garage until fairly recently. It's such a romantic-looking piece and I could really see it used as a headboard. After viewing the following photos on the web, I decided that I would indeed go with the idea.

I'll see about taking a photo of my screen (hopefully this weekend) as a headboard, and will post it here.

Happy cottage blogging!

A Favorite Photo for Today's Blog Hop!

My youngest daughter and me after her elementary school Sock Hop concert about 6 years ago.

Guess Who's Cottage!

OK, this would be very similar to the kind of cottage I dreamed of living in when I was a little girl. Isn't it just too cute?

Can you guess who this cottage belongs to?

An Ice Cream Sundae Sunday!

Here is a shameless photo of me enjoying an decadent ice cream Sundae at Disneyland yesterday. It was my birthday so I got in for free (good time to go if you want a REAL deal)! It was a hot day, so my girlfriend and I tried to prepare ourselves for long lines. Amazingly, the park was not crowded. The longest we stood to wait for a ride was 10 minutes. We rode my 5 favorites -- Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Thunder Mountain, It's A Small World, and Star Tours. We tried for Space Mountain, but it was closed. We ate at the Mexican restaurant in Frontierland -- yum! Later that afternoon we had a scoop of strawberry ice cream on a waffle cone -- double yum! All-in-all it was a good day. OK, back to watchin' the carbs! BTW, is it me, or does my hand look huge in this photo? Makes me think of that Seinfeld episode..."Man Hands." HAHA...

Cottage Chic Bar Stools

These cottage chic wrought iron bar stools are featured in the current issue of Romantic Country. I am just loving the color -- kind of reminiscent of a Robin's egg blue. Definitely keeping this color in mind.

What's For Dinner?

One of our co-workers brought in some huge, homegrown zucchinis. Last week I cut it up and stir-fried it with garlic, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms, then I topped it off with some Jack cheese. Very yummy served up with grilled chicken. This time around I'm thinking quiche -- a creamy zucchini quiche. It's fabulous served up with a crisp green salad and glass of white wine. Yum!

Vintage Cake Plate

This lovely vintage cake plate was one of 4 items I purchased for a total of $5.00 from the same lady that sold me the cute little vintage table, that I shared with you on a previous post. I wasn't sure where I'd put it. I have so little space on my kitchen counter as it is. I really wanted this piece to shine, so to speak. So, until I found a place for it, I put it up in my cupboard where it sat for almost 2 weeks.

Sunday I was inspired. I thought..."I know, it would make a great soap dish!" I placed it on the counter of my 1/2 bath. The darling little bird nest was gifted to me and shares the space with the lemon verbena soap.

Doesn't it look oh so lovely sitting there? Of course, I may borrow it sometime and use it for it's intended purpose...maybe.

Cottagey 4th of July Displays

While I realize that not all of my viewers recognize the "4th of July," I thought it would be fun to share some really fun, friendly and welcoming displays. Enjoy!

Fabulous Summer Desserts

With Summer in full swing, and a holiday weekend coming up, I'm thinking about yummy desserts! Which will I choose? Hmm....

Banana Cream Pie Lemon Blackberry Cake
Lemon Meringue Pie
Fresh Berry Shortcake with Spiced Syrup
And, of course, my FAVORITE...a hot fudge brownie a la mode!
Yep, hot fudge brownie a la mode it will be!!

Vacation At the Beach

I'd love to spend a week, no, a month at this beach cottage.

I would imagine that the interior to look somthing like this... Or, like this. I love all of the white washed wood surfaces and pale colors. Very soothing and relaxing....

I could sleep like a baby in this room...
For great beach cottage tips, check out A Beach Cottage.

Darling Cottage Dining

Recent decorating changes

Hi all! Just wanted to update you on some recent changes.

OK, so I brought the little table home. Here is photo of where it sits. I haven't had a chance to touch-up paint, or anything. Just brought it in, placed it there and quickly put some items on it. Would like to place a small, "shabby-chic" accent lamp on it.

Here is a closer shot...

Another recent change was to my kitchen. My nephew gifted me this mirror. It belonged to my dearly loved & departed brother (how I miss him), so it really is a special item for me. I decided to hang it on the small wall at the back of my kitchen. It has really helped to open up that space and has given my kitchen more light and depth. Don't you just love the magic of mirrors? I plan to paint the little wine cabinet underneath the mirror white, or possibly a duck egg blue.

Well, that's all for now! Until next time, happy cottage blogging!

Vintage Cottage Table

I'll be bringing this piece home on Friday. I've got just the spot for it. Actually, I've got a couple of places in mind...will decide after I try both. It'll either sit on the far side of my kitchen, underneath a mirror with a small accent lamp on it. Or, it'll sit on a small wall in my living room, just outside of my kitchen.

Can't wait to get it home! BTW, found it on Craigslist!

Happy cottage blogging!

Shabby Patio Chairs

Aren't these just the best?

I recently purchased these from the nicest lady who advertised them on Craigslist. I often go to Craigslist and type in "Shabby Chic." I always find a variety of items listed.

Well, this gal was in my neighborhood. She moved to a smaller apartment and didn't have room for these. I'd been looking for outdoor chairs for my upstairs balcony patio. These are so chippy and shabby...just couldn't pass them up! Now they're sitting up there looking ever so happy and at home. I've thrown some seat cushions on them, for now. My husband has enjoyed sitting in them. Later, I'll add some comfy throw pilows, or quilted throws. I'm waiting to find just the right ones. I'll take some pics soon.

I'm loving these chairs!

(this was the photo in her Craigslist ad)

Happy cottage-loving day!

Fresh Cottage Looks (make me feel content)

Cottage Accents

This was a recent purchase from Craigslist. It's sitting on our small dining table. Our dining room is a work in progress. It's currently doubling as an office. This lovely print was purchased at a Goodwill thrift store for $5. I loved the colors and theme of the print. The two of them together... Another recent purchase through Craigslist. This lovely pastel-colored braided rug was a real steal. I have a "thing" for braided rugs, so I just couldn't pass this one up...

A lovely floral arrangement purchased from a Goodwill thrift store... Oops...how do I turn this one around? Anyway, a lovely little Robin's nest with eggs...gifted to me by a coworker on Wednesday...The little floral pillow was purchased at a Goodwill thrift store; the quilted throw was purchased at the Marshalls outlet store in Ontario...

The green window pane mirror was purchased at a Goodwill thrift store for just a few dollars; the floral spray, also....

A view of all of my recent treasures...

So, that's it for now. A little here and a little there, but it's starting to come together.

I'm looking foward to getting some fabric up around my windows. I have 4 nice dining chairs that need some sanding and painting...their seats also need recovering. I'm keeping my eyes open for a small round dining table. I'd prefer a pedestal base so that I can get more chairs around it. I'd paint it white, of course, so the finish need not be perfect. I'm thinking I can paint my chairs a duck egg blue. Or, I can paint them a cream color and cover the seats in the blue fabric.

Below is a photo I found in the Summer 2009 (No. 119) issue of Country Almanac. It's on page 18 under the title of "Yearning for the Beach." The table and chairs and colors have inspired me. If you've got the magazine, look it up and you'll see what I mean!

Until next time, happy cottage decorating!!

A Perfect Shade of Blue

Let There Be Blue by LdyCollum on Polyvore.com

Cottage Charm

More of the look that I love...

Chic Bar Stools

Someone is selling these on Craigslist. There are 3 of them and they are counter height, which is what I need. I think they might just do! I do like the off-white color and curvy lines -- kind of "chic," don't you think? They're fairly new...still have the plastic on the seats. They would be easy to spray paint if I wanted to change the color up a bit. I could even sew up some cute little skirts for the seats. Oh, and the price is definitely right!

Can I get some feedback? Do you think they'd fit into a Cottage/Shabby Chic decor? Happy cottage blogging!

Cottage Bar Stools

Wow, I would really love some of these for my counter seating area. Being that I've got such a tiny dining area, and part of it is taken up with a computer armoire (for my husband's apartment managing files, etc.), these would look SO nice!

I'll see about taking some photos real soon, so that you can get a better idea of the space I'm working with. My husband thought that maybe we'd have room for a small round counter-height table with a couple more chairs like these. I think that sounds like a great idea. Now, where to get these chairs! Does anyone know where I might find them?

Happy day, and happy blogging!

Marcia

Favorite Tea Cups

When I originally posted this I was still in Florence, AL. Now, we're in CA, but my tea cups and other pretty things are still there. I hope to start shipping these here soon. While visiting my blog I got to looking at these. Now I miss them terribly!

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite teacups with you.

But first, a little tearoom ambiance...

Here is one of 4 Aynsley teacups and dessert plate sets that my children gave me for Mother's Day a few years ago. This one is yellow...
Here is the pink set....
A closer look at the details; I love the hint of green on the handle...
Here is the blue set. There are 2 blue sets...
This one is special, given to me by a very dear friend. It's from a set of China that was gifted to her by her great Aunt...

These 2 are similar, but different...

My dear friend gave this one to me when I was feeling down; it's one of my favorites because it says "Thinking of You"...

A closer look...

More later....

Our Small So California Living Room

OK, here are some photos I took tonight of the furniture that now sits in my teeny-tiny living room. The lamp tables are snug against the corners. This is my longest wall!

A closer view of the sofa and coffee table. If you can't tell from the photos, the color of the fabric is a pale sage green. The floral pattern is embossed. These pieces are on loan from a friend -- she downsized to a smaller home and didn't want to sell her living room pieces, so I'm storing and using them. How great is that?
This is the wall next to my front door. Just enough room for the loveseat...

You can see my front door and window in this one...talk about a snug fit!
Here is a corner view. ..
Here's a view of the other corner...the TV just barely fits on the wall opposite the loveseat....

So, what do you think? It's a pretty generic look right now. I'll have to personalize it by adding some shabby, chic and cottagey throw pillows. I'd like to add a couple of cozy quilted throws...maybe some silk roses in a shabby little pot, and some of my cottage books on the coffee table? Over the sofa I'd like to find a window paned mirror, and a nice shelf underneath that. I'll just make that wall say "cottage" if it the last thing I do! :-)

I'd like to add a nice, large area rug for a nice cozy, layered look. Also, some cottagey tab curtains. I'll hang some of my plates and platters, and some nice floral prints on the walls. I've got plenty of ideas but it'll take a little time. Please feel free to share some of your ideas with me!

Happy cottage blogging!

Our New Apartment in CA

It’s been a while since I’ve update you all. So, here goes!!

My husband and I moved into our “new” little apartment on January 28th. Actually, we’ll be the resident managers there. We will get a free apartment in exchange for services rendered. Prices being what they are in California – extremely high – we decided that this would be a great way for us to stay on budget and build up our savings once again. We also decided that whoever got the “outside job” with benefits would do that, and the other would be the full-time apartment manager. Well, I landed the “outside job” – with a local university, and it’s only 8 miles from where we are living! This is my 2nd week hand I love it! It pays pretty well and, of course, we now have our medical/dental benefits and more. Thank God!

It’s been quite an adjustment for us both. We moved in on the 28th and both of us started our jobs the following Monday. There was no time to even take a breath! In addition to this, my husband is trying to adjust to living in California. Having grown up and lived only in the southeast, it’s certainly an adjustment. Like he said to me the other day “If I were 22 years old I’d be thinking ‘Wow, this is really cool!’ But, I’m not. I’m 54 years old and, quite frankly, this is a bit scary!” Well, I can certainly understand.

As some of you may know, from reading my blog, we had to sell all of our furniture. We flew to California, and it would’ve been way too expensive to ship all of it here. We were 5 weeks with my parents while we looked for an apartment management and a 2nd job, and we didn’t want to have to pay shipping and storage for furniture when, really, we could just find something once we settled in. That having been said, its a good thing we didn’t ship our furniture because our place is so much smaller than we’d anticipated. Our furniture wouldn’t have fit! I find myself with a new decorating dilemma – trying to figure out what WILL fit in my tiny living room! Ours is a 2-story townhouse-style apartment. Living room, dining room, kitchen and ½ bath downstairs; 2 bedrooms and a full bath upstairs. I’m not kidding, this place is SMALL!

I'm going to be using these as inspiration for a possible set-up for my living room. I have a window similar in size, and on the smaller wall, to the ones these photos. Also, the longest wall in my apartment is similar to these, and where sofa would sit.:

Talk about time...a good friend and her husband are moving out of their home this weekend, into a smaller place, and didn’t want to sell their living room furniture. We talked and it now appears that we’ll be able to use (store) it. What a great arrangement! At first I wasn’t sure if I would be happy with their furniture (style), but I also don’t have a huge budget right now for furniture, so how could I afford to even be picky? Well, as it turns out I think their furniture is quite nice. They have very nice taste! While it’s not exactly “Shabby Chic,” it is a very attractive style and can certainly be transformed with the help of some cottage style and/or shabby chic-like accessories and touches. The color of the sofa is a pretty herb green . Clearly, it's very easy to work with in terms of color because it's a neutral. It’s got a nice shape to it and has nice back and throw pillows. It’s quite comfy-looking! In the meantime, I can save up some money and keep my eyes peeled for items I really like, and take my time doing that so that I don’t make any costly mistakes. I will see about taking some photos – before and after, maybe. I’ll be able to use her coffee and end tables, too.

My husband is insisting on a recliner. Did I say that I HATE recliners? They just don’t fit into my whole “cottage/Shabby chic” look! Ah well, but life and marriage does involve some compromise so, …I think I found one that we can both live with. The color is in the wine family. I think that color will go well with the green.

Currently, our dining room looks like a home office. Actually, it doesn’t even look THAT nice! I dare not touch or move anything for fear of my husband totally losing it! You see, it’s HIS orderly mess. I’m trying to be patient, and this long weekend I hope to set aside some time to focus on moving his “office” upstairs into the spare bedroom. At first he didn’t like that idea, of having to go up and down the stairs to get whatever he needed. I think I’ve convinced him that we can keep a nice couple of expandable folders and file box (Shabby Chic style), and other absolutely necessary items downstairs by the kitchen counter. He’s not quite convinced yet, but I must have the opportunity to show him rather than just explain it to him. It’ll all work. Of that I’m confident!

I'm thinking of this for inspiration for our dining room. It's a lot narrower than the one in this photo, but the set-up could be similar:

The only thing I’ll really need to purchase right off, besides his recliner, is a unit to house our 32” TV. Yep, it’s a big one! I’m hoping to find a used armoire-style one, via “Craigslist.” I really don’t have room for a wall unit. In the end, I hope to end up with a cozy little room—one that makes you feel welcomed, rather than one that appears to be to big for it’s space and overflowing into the “hallway.” Do I even have a hallway? Soon, I hope to have our little apartment looking more like our "cottage of content."

Well, there you have it. That’s my update as of today. Thanks for stopping by, and thank you ALL for your kind, encouraging and lovely comments regarding my blog. They truly bring a smile to my face! Happy cottage blogging!

Lemons

I love this image!

Made me think about how I do my best to live by this philosophy. I mean, about when life give you lemons to make lemonaide. Sometimes it's not so easy to make lemonaide, especially when the result of the lemons was due to a wrong or bad choice made by mua.

Lemons can be hard to swallow! But, once I've gotten the lemon (juice) down, it can have many wonderful benefits. I like to think of lemons as the moral at the end of the story, IF I choose to learn it!

Then, of course, one CAN always add a little Vodka! Happy cottage blogging!