Getting Ready for Pilgrimage

 It's been called, " The prettiest little town in the South," and at Pilgrimage time each year in Eufaula, AL one could never argue that fact.   The Shabby Old House got a fresh coat of paint and some new flowers for the pots.

 Each evening hubby had to scrub off layers of paint from his hands and feet.  Yes, I did say feet.  lol

 And because of scheduling conflicts for so many years in a row we had to once again pass on a chance to paint our door the color of the rockers.   All homes in the historical district must have an approval before any changes get made.  Perhaps next year we will make it before the approval committee.

 But until then these are the only changes we can make and I must say I loved how the color livened up our front porch,

 to welcome our out of town guests for the 47th Annual Pilgrimage.

 I love this time of year.   I get to dress up!

This is the Petry-Honan house on Cherry St where I have volunteered for the last two years.

I hope that if you ever get the chance that you will come for a visit.

We just may open our home for the Christmas tour of homes.  That is,  if I can get the Shabby Old House ready in time.  

A Little Before and After

 I guess everything will be painted turquoise until the paint is gone.  

 I love the transformation of this armoire.   

 I thought about painting it white.   For a few seconds that is.

But the carved detail and original hardware made me choose the bold color.

I love it.

Off to the shop it goes.

1/2 can left...what will be next?

Texas Inspiration

 Don't you just love it when amazing opportunities present themselves to you and you find yourself waking up in a town you have always dreamed of visiting.  Last year my husband's job took us to Austin and I just now found my camera card from that trip and I realized from the pictures that I pulled up just how much that visit had influenced me.    

 I fell in love with the color turquoise.  From just this visit alone my paint brush has made the happy transition from white and creams.  Although whites and creams are still a very popular color choice for many of the furniture finds that I have put in the shop, turquoise seems to fly out of the door these days. 

 This bed was amazing.  I don't think any colors speak of the West like turquoise and silver and rich earthy tans and browns.

 This shop, located in Fredricksburg TX,  was one of the finest examples of Texas style I have seen.

And this was one of my favorite Texas inspired pieces.  It was hard to say goodbye.  
How has Texas inspired you?

Redcarpet 2012 It's All About The Dress

 Facebook was buzzing Sunday night with posts from friends in anticipation to see the gowns that Hollywood's favorites would wear.    It appeared that white was the favorite choice of the Red Carpet that evening, moving Gwyneth Paltrow to the top of the Best Dressed List,  in her stunning Tom Ford gown with cape.   I think her dress looked like something you might see royalty wear with its classic simple elegance while critics likened it to something you might see on a Super Hero

but that is their job and gratefully not mine.   

 I found the dress on Kristen Wiig to be one of my favorites.  For me personally this has been the year of the ruffle and layers of soft ruffles have found their way into my closet,  my curtains, my bedding, and all the way down to the leggings and socks on my feet.   So this gown got my pick as well as Camron Diaz's beautiful Gucci Premier gown. 

 From the simplicity of the top to the cascading flow of the soft ruffled skirt I found this dress to possess the feminine beauty that I would love to own. 

 I think that when choosing a dress, that dress should definitely allow it's wearer to look as beautiful coming in as she does leaving.   This gown too, made the Best Dressed list with it's ability to do both of these qualities.  Of course having a beautiful frame for such a gown works to that advantage.

And although you can hardly liken  the coming of the Pilgrimage to the Academy awards you can liken the feeling I have with those of any girl choosing a gown for any special event.     I find myself wishing I had friends with Louis Vuitton, or Gucci  with their availability to beautiful fabrics and patterns and talented seamstresses and the finances of any of the stars above for I believe that this would be the dress I would choose for the day.  

I don't believe that the entrance of the Petry-Honan House has a red carpet but if it did and all of the above were mine, this would be my dress.

Would it make a Best Dressed List?   In my mind it certainly would.   Would it in the mind of critics?  Who cares?   For this is my little dream and they are not invited to it.

Victorian Elegance

 Oh, to have lived in the years of Queen Victoria's reign.  What girl wouldn't love to dress from head to toe in such elegance?

I have been dreaming of this time over the last couple of month, studying fashion and hair and everything Victorian.  

 Like just about everybody I know, I have  also become addicted to Pinterest. Each visit does not disappoint, but rather leaves me with one glorious idea after another and boards full of beautiful photos from the time I spend there. 

 These are just a few of the dresses that I have tried on over and over again...in my mind that is.

I can almost hear the swish of the fabric on the floor.  Why all the Victorian era dreaming?  It's soon to be that time again in Eufaula, Alabama when the town dresses up to greet all the guests that will arrive to tour the homes and learn of it's amazing history.  Pilgrimage 2012 is just around the corner and  this will be my second year of volunteering at the Petry- Honan House.  I love that they ask their volunteers to dress in period fashions and for a few short days I get to step back in this beautiful time in history. 

Stop back to visit as I will share pictures of the day or better yet come to Eufaula and take a little trip back in time for yourself.

We've Only Just Begun

 It all started with a little white Christmas Tree in a Thrift Store window.   I really don't need another Christmas Tree but after changing my bedroom to Ruffles and soft blues and whites,  I couldn't resist.   I thought I was being rather frugal.   Ha....I needed ribbon, bulbs and more mercury bulbs and hearts of course. It is after all a bedroom tree.   Grand total....well, I must keep that a secret lest my hubby band the thrift store shopping.

 But the beauty of the little tree is the first thing I see when I get up and the last thing before I fall to sleep.  

 I love the mercury glass bulbs.  

 I love the ruffles too.   I got these curtains from my friend Debbie who owns a beautiful shop in St. Cloud, FL called Vintage Soul.   The curtains were meant to have the ruffles on the bottom but they seemed to get lost behind my furniture so I turned them upside down for now.  I am actually thinking of making them like roman shades.   

Everything is becoming merry and bright as we begin the joys of decorating and so I am off to finish the bedroom as I have only just begun.

Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Couture and The Prairie Bed &Breakfast.

 Some people talk about their dreams and their one day plans and some people go into action and actually bring their dreams to life.  This would be well said of Rachel Ashwell's  newest adventure as well as her life.    She sets a plan and a goal in place and then goes after it with passion.   Her latest dreams completion is, The Prairie Bed and Breakfast and the opening of yet another beautiful Shabby Chic Couture shoppe on the property of her ranch in Round Top Texas of which I had the pleasure and I do mean pleasure of visiting.

 Sometimes all you have to do is take pictures and  let them speak for themselves which is what I think will work just fine for this post.   Filled full of beautiful things, the shop is perfectly ready for the guests that will be coming to Round Top/ Warrington/ famous Flea Market and Antique week.  

 On September the 27th at 6 p.m. there will be a book signing of Rachel's latest book and store opening. Having been to her store opening in London  I can tell you it will be a very special evening.   I wish that I could be there but I was blessed to have been able to visit The Prairie this week.  

 You will find the shelves are filled and waiting for visitors to make that bed of their own as beautiful as any one of the beds the sleepy guests of the Prairie slips in to at night.   

 Isn't the lavender big cushy chair wonderful?   I know my daughter has placed this on her wish list.

 Like me and so many that will grace the doors of this beautiful place you will walk away with many Shabby Chic Inspirations!

 From the linens to the lamps.....

 Did I mention the linens.......ahhhhh....the linens!

 Who ever dreamed that Rustic could ever be so beautifully inviting and the Chippy so sweet?

 You simply will not want to miss this visual treat and if you are lucky enough to stay in the B&B...You are lucky enough!

 The Prairie Bed and Breakfast would be a wonderful place to escape to for a honeymoon or for some re-kindling.

 My husband found this place to be equally as wonderful as I did.    But then again,  he is pretty wonderful for taking me here to visit and one day I do hope to come back as a guest.  However, with the visiting of The Prairie and the leaving I came away with renewed passion to get on with completing our plans of a Bed and Breakfast for The Shabby Old House.  

Once again Rachel....YOU INSPIRE ME!   

Queen Mary's Garden

 I  was certainly in the pink today.

I have never been among so many glorious roses.

Queen Mary's Garden is such a beautiful place.

If I had a care today they vaporized walking among the roses.

with my best friend.