White Glads, French Cows, and Carolyn Westbrook's New Book

Hello friends! I've been out to pasture for a couple of weeks, so if my pictures are blurry it's because I'm a bit fuzzy myself too! Thanks for checking in on me while I was away.

Nothing like a few Gladiolas to cheer you up whether they are in focus or not, or in season or not too for that matter! One of my summer favorites in any color, but especially in white.

A cheery surprise came in the mail while I was convalescing; my beautiful copy of Carolyn Westbook's new book that I had pre-ordered this summer! Full of all the gorgeous things that you would expect from her wonderful French style.

The beautiful photo on the cover is of her own dining room found in chapter five.

Now just guess why that chapter is my favorite!

I couldn't forget this image of her dining room buffet after going to bed and closing my eyes. I love the stacked ironstone platters to display something special on top. But wouldn't it be wonderful if it was a beautiful porcelain figure of a French cow like this one?

It made me have to get out the closest thing I have to it. My little transferware butter dish in the Charlotte pattern. (A good cow name too don't you think?) But I'll be on the lookout for a figure similar to Carolyn's.

I was also fortunate enough to win a giveaway of the premiere issue of Bella Grace Magazine from Sylvia's giveaway over at the beautiful Sylvia's Simple Life blog! Thanks so much Sylvia! Can't wait! You can read more about this gorgeous magazine here.

It is still an absolutely gorgeous late summer here in Albuquerque.

 I hope it's beautiful where you are too!

Happy White Wednesday!

Jacqueline

Join me at

Ivy & Elephants~What's It Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style~Wow Us Wednesdays

French Country Cottage~Feathered Nest Friday

The Charm of Home~Home Sweet Home

Shabby Art Boutique~Shabbilicious Friday

My Romantic Home~Show & Tell Friday

Vintage on My Tabletop

I found this weathered grey wood mesh rack thingy on my trip to Arizona this summer. I thought it would make a nice stage for a changing tabletop display. This time it corrals a still life in the sitting room.

I use this chippy table a lot for serving, so a tray that is easy to whisk away works well. (I'm a little crazy over that rusty metal label holder too.)

The more rustic collections like these rusty top jars tend to hang out in my dining room for some reason. I guess that's because I have more storage there. But they don't often get appreciated close up. (I love old jars don't you?)

I've also gathered up some recent finds for an interesting look.

The wrapping paper is from Jeanne d'Arc Living. I picked it up locally from Vintage Market & Design.  (Too pretty to put away.)

This length of crochet shelf edging was exciting to find. Love anything with a bird motif!

The indispensable magnifying glass nearby.

And the merest hint of fall.

Still space left for some "necessary" things. . . .

I hope it's turning into a nice week for you!

And hope you have something cheery going on too. . . .

Jacqueline

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My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia~Inspire Me Monday

Savvy Southern Style~Wow Us Wednesday

Knick of Time~Vintage Inspiration Party

A Few Flea Market Things & Where Cottage Happens

If I had more presence of mind I might have posted this space for the Where Bloggers Create party.  It is certainly the place where a heck of a lot of Cabin & Cottage stuff happens! And it is the very first room I ever posted about, here, in a post called THE NURSERY, in the spring of 2010 when I became a blogger. . . .  Even though it's not a nursery anymore, not a lot has changed.

You may already know that I love linens and that I do a lot of ironing. I prefer leaving up the ironing board even when I need a guest room. It's usually just my grandgirls, so I toss something pretty over to make it more functional.

 In this case it's a white tablecloth with an embroidered tea cloth layered over. It makes a nice night table, and the girls use it for books, whatnot's, and as a station to power up their "gizmo's" as one of their Dads calls them. (It's where two worlds collide, so to speak.) 

The room is our happy place! Bright and sunny and full of fun things. Even when the girls depart I leave the ironing board covers on for as long as I can, just pulling them back a bit when I need to iron.

An ironing board makes a good work surface at a standing height. Handy for this vintage lamp shade I'm working on. And with great light in front of the window there's no need for the lamp!

The vacant bed almost always has a few projects happening on it. Piles to iron (or already ironed). The surface is my flat "idea board" and cushy work table. It would be a luxury to leave it all there forever, but that's life in a cottage! Sometimes you have to clean up your act. (Thankfully, not every day.)

Today I ironed this sweet vintage apron. I love that pink rose print on yellow fabric. Don't you love the rick-rack?

Somebody was muscling in on my territory when I nabbed this at a fleamarket. Who knows what else I might have found, because I ceded the field. It doesn't make sense to me to scrabble over piles of cheap stuff in a few square feet of space, even if were the first one there! ! !

 ( . . . But, back to my happy place. . . )

Apron back view. . . .

As I was pressing out the ties I was musing over how I have possibly lived long enough to outlive the expression "cutting the apron strings!" (But I'm still going to hang onto the aprons!)

I'm sure that people have good lives even without the vintage textiles. Just don't ask me how.

This little lady will probably just hang here for awhile because it cheers me up so. It also gives me the chance to show you the cool set of vintage wood hangers that I found at Lonesome Dove Antiques at the Grand Canyon a while ago!

Nice and round, and with fabulous patina. . . .

(The girls loved trying out the new dressing screen we added, by the way.)

This room is also the roundup corral for most of my fleamarket booty and the seat of the high stakes pressure of whether to keep it or not! It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. . . . (only kinda kidding here. . . .)

The most recent doily intake. . . .

An enormous vintage net lace tablecloth in unused condition. . . .

Pretty china. . . . 

I am loving these wheat colors with the touch of pale blue. (Oh help!)

It all needs a soft place to land while I figure things out.

So back to business. . .

Gotta get back to those junk piles!

Still lots of weekend left.

 Hope it's good for you!

Jacqueline

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Between Naps on the Porch~Metamorphosis Monday