My Ballard Inspired Pinecone Wreath!

Just like so many other bloggers I really get inspired by the Ballard catalogs that I get in my mailbox.  My dream house would have lots of Ballard furniture with vintage pieces as well, but of course that's only in my dreams since Ballards prices are a bit out of my budget!  I had been admiring their pinecone wreath since I first saw it in the holiday catalog

So pretty!  so I decided to try and make a similar one but with smaller pinecones. 

I decided to add a little color to mine but still not sure if I like it or not... what do you think? (I still have to pick all the hot glue gun strings off)?  The little red balls were in the mix of mini pinecones and cinnamon sticks I purchased at Michaels and they smell great and have a little sparkle which you can't tell of course since I have the worst camera ever!  Should I add a ribbon too it as well? 

I would also love to try and make these little pinecone topiaries from Ballard, we'll see....

Woo Hoo! New Kitchen Valances Almost Done!

I haven't posted lately because seriously I've been a little overwhelmed with the upcoming holidays, but I'm vowing to not let myself get too crazy and force myself to have a glass of wine and just enjoy them this year (seriously when did I ever force myself to have a glass of wine).   So I just had to post a quick pic of my new valances that Christina at The Seam is making for my kitchen windows with my favorite fabric, I just can't get enough of it! Christina finished one of them this week and sent me these photo's (it was raining so she couldn't get a great shot).

(close up of the aqua trim)

I can't wait to hang them! Our kitchen reno is almost complete and I can't wait to share it with you.... Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Country French Furniture At World Market! Who Knew...

When I go into World Market or check out their website I always like what I see, even if it isn't my own personal style, I just enjoy looking at all they have to offer.  Well yesterday something big happened, I found french country furniture that I love at World Market!!!! I haven't actually seen it in person but plan on making a trip there tomorrow to check out the bench which I love and would be so pretty in my dining room! Have you seen it in person? if so what did you think?

Dreaming of...China Patterns

I have always loved fine China, my mother's Blue Danube was proudly displayed in her china cabinet when I was growing up and of course all holiday meals were served on it. I guess it's just natural that one of the first things I thought of when we moved into our first home 3 months ago was finding a china cabinet and a china pattern.   My wonderful mother had previously told me to find a china cabinet under $500 (probably a used one) and she would purchase it for us as a house warming gift.  I've previously posted about how much I love my white shabby chic china cabinet that we found at On a Whim Antiques in Lucketts, VA!  Now I really need some china to go in it. I had been searching high and low for something I loved and then I found it! It was white and turquoise, simple and elegant and it had a scalloped edge (something I love) and made by Lenox, a company my mother assured me made quality china.  Then I found out that it was discontinued:( total disappointment.  I still plan on calling the Lenox/Kate Spade China company to see why.   Last Friday while in Macy's trying to find another china pattern that wasn't discontinued I spotted these pieces on a clearance rack.

I was super excited and thought I might get lucky and find more pieces at other stores but no luck, after doing a computer check the sales associate was only able to find 1 or 2 more dinner plates and they were all out of state... Well at least I got a great deal on the pieces I was able to find.  I paid $13 for $120 worth of Lenox/Kate Spade china

So I was back to the drawing board. I really wanted something that was elegant but not to stodgy, something that would fit in with shabby chic decor and coordinate with the Gwinnett lane pattern I love so much and hope to find little by little.   I really like Chirp by Lenox (pictured below) but one of my close friends thinks it's too casual. I think it would work with the Gwinnett Lane pieces though and I love the little bird...

 I also sort of like Gilded Tapestry, again made by Lenox but not so crazy about all the brown.  Do you collect China? if so is your pattern current or discontinued?

New Etsy Pillows & An Update

If some of you may remember I recently took the plunge and purchased two of these beautiful chairs from Pier 1 a little over a month ago.

I loved these chairs so much that I would just gaze lovingly at them whenever I passed them, yep I've got problems, I think I spend way too much time in my house!  So after owning the chairs for two weeks I noticed one of them started creaking everytime I sat in it.  This wasn't a little creaking noise either, my husband and I both noticed it and I got a bit scared, if these chairs started creaking after two weeks then I just didn't think they were strong enough to stand up to the every day abuse that my family of 3 sons and a messy husband could put them through.  I contemplated for a long time and even though about keeping them and just putting one of them in our bedroom since surely it wouldn't get sat on much in there...  Well after plunking down $400 for both chairs my frugal self caved and decided it wasn't worth the worry to have the beauty and returned the chairs.   I started searching anywhere and everywhere for the fabric so I could possibly have some curtains or pillows made out of my beloved pattern but it seemed like the pattern had either been discontinued or was sold out everywhere.  Joanne's had it on their website but were no longer carrying it.  One day I happened to be searching etsy for pillow covers and came across this!

Seriously I couldn't contain my excitement, I promptly contacted the seller and asked if she possibly had enough fabric to make me 3 more and she said she could order more! The seller was Christina and her shop is called The Seam, you can check her out here http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSeam.  Christina was super easy to work with, really communicated during the process and did quick and great work, I highly recommend her! 

So maybe a few days afer receiving my pillow covers from Christina I stumbled upon these dining room slipcovers on the Pier 1 website!

You know I was super excited right?  I guess I'd never connected this slipcover to the chairs I loved because they have a different name....So I decided I wouldn't get my hopes up until I saw them in person.  So last night I had a couple hours of time to myself and I'd been wanting to go to Pier 1 anyway to look at dishes for Thanksgiving dinner (I'm hosting it this year) so I killed two birds with one stone:)  The slipcover in person was beautiful but I'm not sure they will fit my existing dining chairs which is okay since I really do need to purchase two more dining chairs anyway and Pier 1 has a chair that they make specifically for this slipcover.  Okay enough of my rambling, I just had to share my excitement with someone and well... my husband just doesn't get it!