WHEW

What a Show!

The first Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

was a great success, we survived, 

and this girl needs some REST for a few days ;0)

I'll be posting more photos on our 

Retreat Vintage Market facebook Page in a few days...

and thank you to EVERYONE who contributed!

'Morning!

The sun arose this morning on one of those rare, clear October days here in Washington.

I stood at the window with my cup of coffee 

and watched its golden rays spill up over the cliff and across the pastures

It's a foggy morning, but when the sunshine appears,

it just seems to change the entire landscape from moody to optimistic.

Or maybe that's just the way it affects me...

I do know that I am so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty and peacefulness.

It reflects the way I want my heart, my mind, to feel.

...and I wasn't the only one enjoying it!

[Rodney, our neighbors' horse]

Pinned

O yeah, I'm a convert.

I kept saying, I don't have time for this. 

I'm too busy already.

I spend too much time online already.

[even though most of it is marketing our business

and writing for the magazine]

Well, my Google stats told me a LOT of readers 

of this here lil' blog

were coming by way of Pinterest.

So, of course, I had to check out WHY.

And so, I went there.

Oh!

NOW I get it.

I was really blown away by how many of my images

from this here lil' blog

showed up on there!

THANK YOU!!!

But to like or comment on all of my pictures

pinned on other people's boards,

and THEIR nice comments,

I had to join.

But you can't just JOIN.

No, it's like a sorority:

You need an invitation to be part of the group.

A sweet friend

and very persuasive girl

extended one to me,

and now there's no turning back.

I've been pinned.

And I have pinned.

I've been on one day and I have four boards

[with enough ideas for about a hundred more]

We've got trouble, my friends.

Right here in River City.

sigh.

Gotta' go.

There are so many more pictures to be found! ;0P

Glass Slipper? Nah.... Glass Pumpkins!

I was playing around with some pieces I've had on hand for awhile, 

and came up with a new pumpkin creation!

They look perfect sitting on Miss Phoebe Buffet, 

surrounded with bleached oak leaves. 

They'd be perfect outdoors, too. 

And I do think I need to find a glass slipper 

to display with them, don't you?!

Still trying to figure them out?

Yup. Glass light globes!

The stems are vintage wood thread spools

and foil, wrapped with twine. 

(Thanks to FunkyJunk Donna for inspiring the latter!)

I haven't seen anything like these...

 

It's All About M.E.!

YES, you read that right!!!

I just heard this news on facebook:

Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine

just might come BACK!

I got so excited, I jumped up and knocked over

my chair of bowlies.

;0)

After we've all waited three LONG years to hear this news, 
Mary Engelbreit has announced that she is ready,

and she's asking us to cast our votes on her blog...

she needs a gajillion people to sign it

so she can prove to a publisher that 

WE ALL WANT HOME COMPANION Magazine BACK!!!

I read a LOT of magazines.

I WRITE for magazines.

I can say that MEHC is one of the BEST ever published.

Hands down.

So, dear girls who love unique artisans and small businesses,

happy and personal decor, wonderfully inspiring homes and stories,

absolutely divine party & entertaining ideas,

and Miss Mary's always-charming artwork & creations,

please head right over to her blog post

HERE

and add your name to the petition!

We really need this to go viral to amass a GAJILLION names, 

so please share the link on your facebook status and blogs!

[images by Mary Engelbreit Company]

Inspired

While out on the road yesterday, I came across this perfect fall scene,

and just had to shoot it to share with you.

It's so perfectly simple, charming, inexpensive and EASY to do!

And it just bubbles with happy fall greetings - I LOVE this kind of decor.

(PS: the man who owned the house was unloading mulch from his truck in his driveway,

so I asked him if it was ok If I took a photo of his fence. 

He looked at me like I had three heads, and then said 'sure'.... 

which, I suspect, he may also have done to his wife, 

when she placed the petite pumpkins on the fenceposts. ;0) )

This storybook cottage was down the road from the fence....

so cute, I expected Snow White to come dancing out the door.
Speaking of the door:

Of course, me being me, I just have to wonder

if those little pumpkins on the steps were quickly put down

and one rolled down to the next step.

Or if they were precisely placed.

?

Either way, it's a perfect composition!

Goodness, the people in this neighborhood have style! 

It was a treat to spend a few minutes driving through

and being utterly inspired.

MEANWHILE, I'm workin' on another fall decor idea,

using old materials in ways OTHER than they were intended. 

(My favorite thing)

Stay tuned!

[images mine . 2011]