Please forgive me !!!!!

I know........I've been bad....really bad....

I wouldn't be surprised if I were thrown out of bloggerville forever.

I confess, it's been nearly 6 weeks since my last post,

that's right, 6 WEEKS !!!

I hope you all can forgive me,

I hope the pictures below will make up for lost time......

Sweet paper fancies from Emily Morris for your special Valentine

And more Valentine goodies for your special someone..



Lots, and I mean lots of new jewelry..

Some made with vintage keys..

Spring is rolling in as well...

Isn't this just the cutest vanity and night stand..

all original paint too!!!

Well I hope I am forgiven for being a neglectful blogger..

I promise to do better..really

Thanks for stopping by,

Sandi

P.S. This is really wierd, when I did this post,

blogger refused to let me change the date.

it still reads Decmeber....okay it's Jan. 27, 2010 .

I guess that's payback for not posting for long.....mmmmm

Christmas Part II

Welllll...I know that I promised more pictures

of our Christmas displays, and I do thank you for being so very patient......

We always have to include a little silver and snow,

and of course a bird cage or two....

We still have a great selection of the best holiday goodies for your home,

but they are selling fast so hurry in...

We also have loads of wonderful gifts for

all those really "special" people on your list.

See you soon !

Holiday Open House

I know it doesn't seem possible that Christmas is just around the corner,

but we are ready ! We are really excited about this years holiday decor,

or as we are calling it..

Red , Black and White Christmas

The Urn below is actually an old silver plate coffee pot,

but I love the red bakelite handles and it

makes the best vase for red berries, don't you think?

The dust has settled, or I mean the glitter has settled, and the elves are exhausted, but a good time was had by all who attended. A big Thank You to all of you who came by on Saturday and made our Open House a huge success!!

I do have more pictures to share and will add another post in the next few days

when I have recovered from the 12 hour days that we have been putting in getting ready...stay tuned!!

My first award !! I am so very humbled ......

And a very gracious Thank You goes out to one very talented lady...Emilie http://emiliempaperfancies.blogspot.com/

So here's how it works...I need to share ten honest things about myself....and

Present the award to seven other people who's blogs I think are wonderful in content and or design..... and tell these people that they have received the Honest Scrap award.....

So here goes:

1. I am a night owl....drives my husband nuts. I'd rather stay up late than get up early, unless of course it's to go to a flea market!

2. I love anything covered with cheese..will eat most anything if it involves cheese.

3. I am most comfortable in my old ratty blue jeans, the ones covered with paint.

4. Secretly I've always wanted to be a race car driver, the faster the better. In a porshe, even better.

5. I can wiggle my nose just like bewitched, really..., not kidding. My family thinks I am a freak of nature.

6. I hate to wrap presents, I'm not good at it and it shows. Gift bags are the next best thing to sliced bread as far as I am concerned.

7. Am not computer, technical savvy at all..just ask my husband.

8. I love music of all kinds. I always have music playing, at home, in the store, in the car...you name it (except rap)...but have not a clue how to get it on my Ipod. (See # 7)

9. My idea of a great vacation involves a book, a chair, and a cold beverage...and maybe a flea market or two.

10. It does not qualify as desert unless it has chocolate in it, or on it, or all of the above.

Now for hard part, because their are so many wonderful blogs out there, in no particular order, the chosen ones are:

1. Patti @ http://artfuldesign.blogspot.com/

2.Lori @ http://katiesrosecottage.blogspot.com/

3. Janna @http://artsyfartsyfinds.blogspot.com/

4. Tamra @http://talexandercook.blogspot.com/

5. Sherri @ http://punkrosejournal.blogspot.com/

6. Marlene @ http://jujubescoastal.blogspot.com/

7. Jennifer and Kristin @ http://signssalvage.blogspot.com/

I hope I haven't bored ya all to death, I want to say thanks to all of my fellow bloggers out there that make blogland such a great place to visit. Be sure to check out the sites above, they are all full of great inspiration. Thanks!!

The Pittock Mansion

I was recently in the Portland, Oregon area and had the opportunity to visit a beautiful estate known as The Pittock Mansion. It 's an amazing place!! The interior of the house it's self is just as as if the family who lived here in the early 1900's had just stepped out for the day, beautifully preserved with all the original fixtures, marble staircases and all. No inside photography was allowed so I will just be able to share the outside with you. The house is stone and is surrounded by amazing gardens.

Even the window boxes are beautifully planted!

View of the front entrance

The back side of the property

In the early 1960's, this amazing property was to be torn down because it had fallen in such disrepair, but the citizens of Portland organized and saved and restored this wonderful place.

If you ever find yourself in this beautiful part of the country,

you will have to tour the estate, I could have moved right in!!

Yeah! It's working...finally!!

Well, we were finally able to

cure my computer of it's sudden case of Alzheimer's,

so here are the rest of the fall pictures

that I have been promising to share.

The weather is not cooperating with my fall look, it was a whopping 106 here today..not exactly pumpkin weather!! I really love this time of year,

but the last few days I have felt like the wicked witch of the west, "Help, I'm melting" and I probably look like her too!! But as I always say,

Eat, Drink, and be Scary!!

A Peek at Fall

I know, I know, I've been getting calls at the store.....

Where's the fall stuff?

We want Halloween. Where is it? We want pictures!!

And I would gladly post pictures for all of you.....

If I could just get them OUT of my camera.
You see, my computer no longer recognises my camera.
Strange, hugh? It seems just days ago

they were the best of friends.
I wonder if my computer is suffering from some type of techno Alzheimer's?

Sooo......for now, this is all I've got. I promise I have lots more to share...really.
Now I'm off to figure all of this mess out...sorta.
Wish me luck........

Where does It go?

I just don't know where it goes anymore,

it seems that I blinked and it was gone,

Time that is.

I realized that Summer was over, and that I hadn't done the Back to School

shopping that all the newspaper adds say I should be doing.

and then I realized that since my Children are adults now,
I don't need to Back to School shop....but somehow I feel I'm still missing out,
you know finding the perfect new shoes and the perfect First Day outfit,
all those new binders
and pens and pencils and papers........

It's funny the things that we associate with the change of seasons..........
the leaves turning, cooler temperatures, shorter days......

I may have to go and buy an eraser or two just so I Know that Fall is really coming!

What is it about White?

Decorating trends come and go,

but I have noticed that the color white

is one that doesn't seem fade. Sure there are different

takes on what is white

and how it's used. I love pairing it with black

or in this case silver.

This is probably one of my favorite window displays. Lots of texture and of course shine!

Maybe it's the purity and simplicity it can represent.

Add a little sparkle and it totally changes how we view it .


Add texture and an oragnic element

and it gives it a whole new feel.

At Home With White,

a great new book in the store filled with great ways

to update our take on the wonder of white.

I'd love to hear your opinions and ideas on how

you use white in your decorating projects. Do you think white is here to stay ?

The Outside

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since my last post!! It's been such a busy summer here,
I really don't know where the time goes. I really do need to see about getting that 8th day added to my week...... ha,ha!!

Well it occurred to me that I have shared much of the inside of The Cottage with you, but not the outside, so here it is. I am always curious about what the outsides of the shops I encounter in blogland look like, I guess I'm kind of a building junkie anyway. I've been known to drive around in a new town just checking out the old buildings really not caring if I go in...just love looking at the outsides......silly hugh??

Here's a little project that I finished up not to long ago. Nice little music cabinet in dire need of some.......well....let's just call it personality. It was a little boring..... and very brown.

And the After....

Lots more personality, don't ya think???

What's New ??

Great vintage bed with wonderful carving,

Charming little desk and Vintage Cottage window,

Great dresser to store all of your treasures,

Yup, it's pink, original paint and I might add, the Perfect shade of pink!!

Great papers and embellishments for all your paper projects.

Especially when it's it's too hot to be outside!!

Remember everything shown on this blog is for sale

and can be purchased by calling the store

805-237-8533 or emailing us !!
Thanks for looking!