Green and White

I must say, I am in awe of my blogger friends

who change out their seasonal decor

more than once.

After I put together a display for each mantel,

 a centerpiece for each table,

and a vignette on each coffee table, 

 I consider it done until the next season comes along!

Except this year we had Superstorm Sandy, 

prompting me to clear the porch of all accessories...

including my French bottle drying rack.

Finding a spot for it inside,

 I wrapped it with some leftover burlap ribbon

and hung moss rose ironstone cups

on the arms.

How's that for a quick change up?

After taking all the precautions we could outside...

 (thankfully our broken sump pump had just been replaced last week)

It was time to wait and watch...lots of unknowns ahead.

So while sitting inside watching the rains and winds,

keeping an eye on the news from Manhattan where two of our

children live, and hoping not to lose power...

 It seemed an opportune time to make little changes inside...

perhaps as a preoccupation or distraction.

Remember my tiny "entry" wall?

Perfect spot to play using some of my recent finds.

I was contemplating repainting the architectural piece,

but decided to keep the charm of chippy goodness with  

sections of wood showing.

This little column makes the best pedestal.

Continuing the serenity of the green and white combination,

 dried hydrangeas add a softening touch to the wire baskets.

Even though it was storming outside,

this new vignette provided a

calming, peaceful touch on the inside.

We have much to be thankful for this day after the storm...

Our children are safe and all is well where we live.

Mary Alice

Linking to:

Timewashed Blissful Whites

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesdays

No Minimalist Here Open House Party

Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday

The Charm of Home Home Sweet Home

Shabby Art Boutique Shabbilicious Friday

Calm Before the Storm

The calm before the storm...

The threat of Sandy hitting the D.C. area
was the motivation I needed to clean up the deck and porch.

It also provided a good excuse...not that I needed one...
to bring a couple of wrought iron pieces

into the house.

In my little tv/sitting room upstairs, I usually keep

a stool with a pile of books or magazines next to the tv stand.

I guess I want to distract from all the cords

 connected to the technology...

by adding something a bit more lighthearted to the mix...

like this iron French cafe chair.

No matter how small the change, 

the whole room gets a little lift.

Time to hunker down in expectation of storm Sandy.

Thank you so much for stopping by,

Mary Alice

Linking to:

Between Naps on the Porch

Farmhouse Porch
Elizabeth & Co.

Lavender Glass

Nearing the end of the day at the flea market...

when I was tired

and almost out of money...

a dealer with lavender bottles was very motivated to sell.

Aside from fresh lavender, I don't use the color in my decor.

But they were so pretty...

they wouldn't be heavy to carry...

and the price was so right...

Now they're the perfect accent to the bottle of dried lavender

on the little white shelf in the guest bathroom.

Was it a mere coincidence... 

I chose the antique lavender glass

 from among the items my mother was passing on

to my siblings and me?

When I brought it home, cleaned it up,

the delicate etching was even more visible.

How perfect sitting on the white shelf in the guest bathroom 

next to my lavender bottles.

Coincidence?

You decide!

Blessings, 

Mary Alice

Linking to:

The Dedicated House

A Stroll Thru Life

Rooted in Thyme

French Linen Nightgown

I enjoy browsing, sometimes drooling, and even dreaming 

as I check out some of my favorite online shops

while I'm drinking my coffee in the morning.

Usually it doesn't go beyond looking...

but once in awhile I press that "order" button and then

excitedly await its appearance on my doorstep. 

One of those shops I tend to...well...stalk...is

French Larkspur.

When Tracey returns from a shopping trip to France, I admit...

I check out her shop almost daily to see her new listings.

One such morning, I saw listed this sweet linen French nightgown.

It was love at first sight...

just look at the delicate detail around the neck and sleeves.

I knew this would be a perfect addition to my daughter's room

that was recently redecorated.

But where to hang this sweet linen gown?

That's the fun part...

It could hang from the top of the paned door.

Or what about in the corner with the French washstand?

How about hanging it on the door of the vintage cabinet?

Maybe on the inside of the open door?

 Of course, there's always the predictable spot...

the back of the closet door.

So many options...So much fun!

Blessings, 

Mary Alice

Linking to:

Timewashed Blissful Whites

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday

French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday

Shabby Art Boutique Shabbilicious Friday

Another Mirror?

I don't know how I missed it the first time down the aisle...

perhaps the light in the old barn was dimmer upstairs.

But, sure enough, on my way back towards the stairs, 

propped on a table with a few other accessories in front of it...

 a beautiful etched mirror caught my eye.

Of course, the questions start swirling around in my head...

Do I re-e-eally need another one?

Do I have a place to put it?

On the other hand...

there is such pretty etching on the top and bottom, 

and the mirror itself is aged to perfection.

I'm learning to use the technique of propping pictures, mirrors, etc.

because it makes it so much easier to switch things

around...

 which I am known to do from time to time!

I moved a white frame and propped this perfect size mirror

on the bedside table in the new guest room.

I guess I did have a spot for this mirror after all!

Thank you so much for stopping by,

Mary Alice

Linking to:

Farmhouse Porch Cowgirl Up!

A Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Elizabeth & Co. Be Inspired

Benefits of the Job

One of the best things about having an etsy shop, 

or even a brick and mortar one,
is that I get to shop for a living!

enamelware pitcher with green handle

Okay...maybe the idea of making a living selling on etsy

is a little bit of a stretch...but it does prompt me

to always be on the lookout for unique vintage items...

and I love it!

two red and white transferware cups and saucers

The other perk of buying to resell is that I always 

have a stash of vintage items to use 

around my home.

european bread tray

This sure comes in handy when I'm trying to pull together a vignette.

vintage six bottle carrier

I'm able to group items together for greater impact...

like two or three vintage globes,

vintage globe on a metal stand

or a tray of vintage clock faces...I think I'm

finding way too many!

two German porcelain clock faces

Where am I going with this?

I just thought it would be fun to show you how I use some of

the items from my shop around our home.

vintage Big Ben alarm clock

You may have even recognized some of these items from previous posts.

Dundee marmalade jar

Just to let you know...

I welcome inquiries about other items seen on my blog

that you may be interested in purchasing.

Several friends have done so, 

and I'm always happy to work with you.

Mary Alice

Fun With Fall Cloches

Aren't cloches just the  most fun accessory to use in decorating?

Whoever started this craze was brilliant.

At Christmastime I use every one I have,

but this Fall I just pulled out a couple

to use on my living room mantel.

My Fall decor this year is simple, subtle,

and perhaps a bit nontraditional.

The goal in my living room was to keep the mantel

light and airy...even though that's not what

you usually think of for Fall.

Isn't it normally about warmer tones mixed with vibrant seasonal hues?

What I love about my decorating style... there are no rules!

I did have a little fun thinking outside the box when it came to this "cloche."

Believe it or not, I actually hesitated buying

this vintage brass bird cage...

My friend had to talk me into it.

What was I thinking?

It's all brass, in mint condition, and it was quite a deal!

Since the bottom is missing, it makes the perfect cloche.

Blessings,

Mary Alice

Linking to:

A Stroll Thru Life Tabletop Tuesday

The Inspired Room Fall Nesting

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday