Hawaiian Quilt

A citrus splash of color on my wall today right where you enter our house. Don't you love the patterns of Hawaiian quilts? The two stripe vases I've had for years. They look stunning with one large stem sunflower in each of them.

The metal basket I recently picked up and I'm thinking of dipping it in enamel paint. But first before I do that I should paint it a burnt orange so that when I wipe the white off the edges it will have that ages-old-rusty-and-chippy-white appeal.

The basket could be used in the garden on new plants in the spring so that the deer and rabbits can't reach their sweet new shoots. I guess I could still do it when it's chippy and white.

Another option is to turn it upside down and make it a lamp shade!

Connecting up with Show off your Cottage Monday.

Beautiful blogs - photography

Here is 3 beautiful blogs I found today. Above is Seelenstuebchen Outstanding photography. All are in Europe, but we all understand the language of beautiful photographs.







Roses and flowers always impress me! Check out Gledeligbryllup




This blog Town & Country Home has the cutest shabby ideas.

We also have it easy because of google translate.

Have a great weekend!

French Garden Leaf Combinations

Floral arranging doesn't always mean using flowers for me. I use what nature provides at this time of year in our yard. I love texture and different leaf sizes and shapes. If you are a gardener you are your own florist and designer. How fun is that? I aim for it to be fun! And pretty.




When I have to throw hay to the sheep I like to pick a few things on my way out to the barn and a few more on the way back. I used the hydrangea leaf as the plate or vase and added the arrangement on top. The gray is hidcote lavender, the orange is dragon head, a chestnut and a pinch of the tip of a fir tree branch. A sweet little garden vignette on a leaf.




Nature offers so many beautiful colors to work with. I am amazed at how beautiful everything is when we stop and really take a look. Just because some plants have died down there are still lots of pretties out there in the garden.






The chestnut is smiling for us here on a chestnut leaf and an added hydrangea flower. Browns and golds and creams. I think it's romantic, but I do like vintage botanicals. Even faded ones.




You know those little brown glass bottles you get your flavorings in, here they are as vases. They even look vintage! They look like ink bottles here with quills in them.




A beech leaf with a ornamental grass head and a liriope leaves tied in a bow around the base. I wanted it to resemble an anthirium! Well, it looks like a rather radical anthirium...like one I've never seen before.

Connecting up with friends at:
Feathered Nest Friday
Potpourri Friday
Inspiration Friday
Fridays Unfolded
Farm Friend Friday
My Romantic Home
The Rose Garden
Designer Garden
Simply Creations Friday

White Picket Fences and Paper Dolls

I love these little miniature white wooden picket fences. So sweet and they say cottage charm. (Haven't you heard them?) I like to rearrange this little fence with different vignettes of paper dolls and animals. So much fun can be possible with a pen, paper and scissors. This would look so sweet in a nursery, but I actually have this in my dining room at present. I collected moss from out in the shady garden. We love to bring greens inside when it turns chilly. This is the tiniest clay pot they make I think, but so cute. My little giraffe says, "Hi. How are you? Let's party."




We have to include our westie dog most of the time with my paper dolls. A boy and his dog!





Sometimes our kitty gets to babysit them, but usually ends up bathing them.





These roses were white with pink edges. I dried them and I think they still look pretty.





Miniature fence, miniature clothespins. This looks like a fairy fence with their flower petal aprons out to dry.

There are so many more little decorating ideas for these little picket fences. I've seen them stitched onto collages and on canvas.

I hope you had a little fun here with me. Be sure to stop by Faded Charm to
see all of the other White Wednesday posts as there are many white cottage decorating ideas and gorgeous photographs. All photographs here I've taken myself, no small feat. Have a great week!