Vintage * White * Beauty

Good Morning Darlin's

Scouting for Vintage pieces for my renovation is serious....So where do I go for serious pieces around SoCal? Los Angeles has some of my favorite spots. Wish we had as many as the East coast.

A while back I was in LA getting my Vintage doors re-sized and designing my interior doors.  I always make each trip worthwhile and do a little scouting for some pieces I am searching for.

OMG...It was LOVE at first sight when I spotted this Beauty sitting on the floor in the middle of lots of other pretties, but she was the most Beautiful!!! I think I might of yelled... YIKES, I FOUND MY SINK!!!
Oh well... the shop owners are used to that right?

 I wasn't sure how I would ever get it home or even off the floor, it took 3 men to pick her up! We used a lift too. Getting her out of the truck when we got home was another story.....

She's finally in my Butler's pantry on the floor again...A slight obstacle, need to remove the existing drain hole on one side so that I can put a garbage disposal in. I was worried about drilling this Vintage Beauty, what if it cracks? I had my sub look at it and he said he can do it! Great news... I will still be holding my breath and crossing my fingers until  he stops the drill!

My Design tip: Incorporating Vintage is Green. I have done it in all my design projects and renovations. It is the best way to achieve character and nostalgia.
Happy White Wednesday*
xo,
me

From Tree to Table...

I remember one thing that we loved about our property when we bought it was the Little Grove..
A small area that the previous owners planted up near the house.
 Consisting of Apple * Apricot * Grapefruit * Oranges * Peaches * Plums & Tangerine trees. One of each variety, which are lovely matured and produce fruit at different times of Spring and Summer. I love the whole process...particularly the flowering branches before the fruit. It is so beautiful and the fragrance is just intoxicating when you arrive at our gates!

When we first bought our property we fenced it in and we planted a Big Grove mostly Eureka lemons and a few special trees for our family... Clementines, Meyer lemons & Navel oranges.
Right now our peaches are ready! It's like a race... to pick them before the birds!

Enjoy the photos of some peaches I just picked. My family likes my peach, apple & pear crumble!

 I love it on Plain yogurt & my favorite is ... just picking one right off the tree!


My design tip: When landscaping, plant some trees that provide your family with fruit bearing gifts all year. They are beautiful ... while adding value to your property!
xo,
me
P.S. I'm linking up with Debra and the girls


http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Pretty Vintage Cupboards

Hi Darlins... I hope your week is fantastic so far!

During my renovation I keep loosing cupboards and I still need temporary spaces to keep some dishes and glassware accessible yet fairly protected from construction dust.
I have been using these two tall cupboards.  I bought them a few years ago for extra storage before the renovation. I thought that they were so pretty with the chippy white & pale-grey paint I am so happy to have them for my temporary make-shift kitchen!
They are made from vintage windows and have these pretty litlle handmade roses on them! A score!
I love being Green!!

My design tip: Always consider GREEN alternatives. Vintage is GREEN and the way to go for many building projects... Remember what I always caution you about... Beware of.... "it is a good buy"... If it doesnt' work and have a utility you will have to get rid of it or it will be stored in your garage!

Here are a couple pics of the vintage cupboards so you can see how I am using them now....I aleready have the next use for them planned Out!!!
xo,
me

Welcome May*

Welcoming  May  Day  2012 .... 
When I lived at the beach I was closer to  my neighbors than I am now.
Each May Day early in the morning I quietly walked over to the neighbors houses close to me and put a little glass containers {like the one below on my tin shed} filled with beautiful Heirloom roses from my garden and hung them on their door handles!

I LOVED doing it for them.....I felt like the easter bunny!!!

I hope your May will be filled with Beautiful Flowers in your garden and the warm sentiments from a neighbor or friend!
Happy May Day***
xo,
me

Beautiful Encinitas, Ca Garden Tour

Hi Darlin's Happy Monday... I hope your weekend was fun!

SoCal has beautiful weather and it allows us the privilege to spend so much of our lives outdoors! Some of us {Me too} love to Garden, some of us really get into our outdoor spaces... I LOVE to see beautiful gardens! Saturday I went to the Encinitas Garden Festival & Tour. The tour was in Leucadia east of 5.

The tour began at a central parking area where we boarded the cutest RED european double decker bus..then it dropped us off at Capri Elementary School where the fun began at the "marketplace" that was set up with talented vendors with Vintage items and Garden accoutrements adorned with plantings, herbs and everything garden related and a very nice silent auction. We received a wrist band & a neighborhood map marked where each home on the tour was.

The homes were each unique with descriptions in our guide book so we could read about each garden on our walk. I had the best time and it was fun to bump into so many people I knew and see the talent of our local area in our own backyards!

What I saw... Beautiful living arches, stone walls, ponds, espaliers, vintage cars in {Man Cave} garages, bird enclosures, chicken coups, raised garden beds, succulent gardens, rain water reservoirs, vegetable gardens, roses gardens, sweet pea trellis's', fountains, garden rooms, vintage benches, garden art and the community walking & enjoying the labor of love that these gardeners have treated us to on a beautiful day in their neighborhood gardens.

I might add this event is organized by a volunteer committee who spends hundreds of hours each year to make it a success..they did a fabulous job and it was beautiful extremely organized. Special Kudos and congrats go out to friends Jennifer Axelrod & Nan Sterman.

The contributions go to community projects such as the Healing Garden at Scripps Memorial Hospital,Encinitas School gardens, Community resource center - Carol's House Gardening project and others..

Look forward to next year....A big Thank You for a beautiful event*

Enjoy the photos I took on my tour..

xo,

Gail

Silvery French Mirror*

Happy Friday...

I am excited for the weekend aren't you? Looking forward to having some fun!

Speaking of excited..

In my design I will be incorporating french mirrors. I LOVE to use them as my Artwork.

I have been collecting Vintage mirrors for this project. Couldn't wait so took this one from my storage and had to see hanging somewhere...

The perfect scale and piece to marry this Vintage Silver French mirror with is our Vintage French marble wall console....

Somehow it is better than I remember. I forgot how pretty she was.

Here she is and I think she will hang here for a while until this wall comes down!

My design tip: When you see something that is perfect for your home just buy it. Vintage items will not be there when you want it later.

Enjoy a beautiful weekend*

xo,

me

One nightstand

Hey Gotcha...Yikes it is not that!

Thought I would share what is on my one nightstand!

You know the one... on my side of the bed....It has a few of my favorite sparkly, pretty, flowery & fragrant accouterments.

I love little old pine cupboard box with the red cross on the glass door, I left it as found, perfectly faded pink paint. {I don't usually repaint things}. I have lots of vintage rhinestones and I keep some in this large glass jar, so sparkly in the morning & afternoon when the sun hits it! A vintage brush and of course a tiny photo of our wedding Kiss! Always fresh flowers & some kind of candle.

Y'all know I'm in love with Vintage.. I have always arranged my pretty things around my home and incorporated them in my decor. Seeing them reminds me of the stories, places & the people who I adored that gifted them to me.

What is on your nightstand? If you want to tell... send me a pic and I'll share it!

my design tip: Surround yourself with personal objects that tell your story. Vintage already has such fabulous patina and is unique.

So there you have it, I just spilled the beans about my one nightstand!

Have a beautiful day*

xo,

me

Wall flower***

Darlin's I'm a teeny step closer to entertaining! You see I am a little excited even for drywall..I am loving this Range wall. I can see it done!

There is so much to go, but a girl can celebrate the little things can't she!

Hope you have something little to celebrate today... even if it's YOU*

xo,

me

*3* Friends delivering Beauty*

Morning Darlin's,

We had some thundering-lighting-hail & windy weather her is So.Cal the last couple of days.. Back to pretty blue skies this morning!

1* A couple weeks ago I was visiting one of my favorite blogs "Splenderosa". Marsha was hosting a giveaway for one of her stunning pieces.. I decided to go for it... {I never win anything..}Probably because I don't enter!!

Oh My goodness... I received a lovely email from Marsha telling me I WON her beautiful Giveaway! I was so excited. Here it is.... I received it in the mail!

Thank you so very much Marsha for hosting the beautiful giveaway.. I am so grateful to be the winner!

Please stop by the beautiful blog "Splenderosa" http://www.splenderosa.blogspot.com/ has so much fun with her blog you can tell! Click here http://www.splenderosa.com/

Her jewelry is stunning... Go ahead & pick out something pretty for yourself to wear this Spring ... You deserve it!

2* In the mail we received the most Beautiful wedding invitation.. {See the star fish}. It was delivered in a white box with silver banding! It was from our friends. The invitation was for their daughter Heidi who is getting married next month at L'Auberge Del Mar. She and her family are so excited... It is going to be a beautiful wedding.. Looking forward seeing her sachet down the isle! {I was a guest at her bridal shower a couple of weeks ago, they pulled out out all the stops for a beautiful afternoon}.

3* Yesterday a friend came by to bring flowers... She brought this beautiful bouquet she arranged! What a lovely week of delightful beauty from friends near and far! Beautiful things come in threes!!!

Here is my pics to share*

Have a pretty Sunday*

xoxo,

me

P.S Darlins, I am planning my 1st giveaway for you too!

French Tin Man's Shed*

Hey Darlins,

Has this been a busy time for ya'll too.

To be honest I just realized that Easter was this Sunday!

I have been so busy I haven't had time to decorate or focus on the Holidays.

This whole month is just a blur...I need to catch a breath here soon!

I thought I would share a glimpse of our french Tin Man's shed that my husband built ...

It is a fab space that he stores all his tools in and he has everything all handsomely organized!

I had to have a tin copula and roof... The vintage barn door is from my retail store I was waiting for the perfect place for it. I LOVe LOVe LOVe how it turned out. I will share more pics later.

Happy Easter Blessings to you and your family's*

xo,

me

Vintage Eyelet*

Saturday morning Darlins,

Everywhere I look I see a favorite fabric of mine... EYELET!

Eyelet is Sooo timeless and ageless.

I have always had eyelet pieces in my wardrobe. I have a lot of vintage eyelet and I might have to will it!!

When I was designing my children's line I used vintage eyelet for couple collections. I had to find a lot of it to cut. Only using a little bit added that special little touch!

Eyelet is feminine without being cutsie.

I love that eyelet always current..

My design tip: Don't buy the cheapie version of eyelet that is polyester..

100% Cotton is the fabric I'm talking about!

Have a beautiful weekend, I'm off to the beach to hold a open house at a luxury condo!

xo,

me

Editorial pics.. I loved when they handed me the eyelet to put on!! From my modeling archives...

Do you have one?

I saw this on FB this morning and I LOVE *LOVE *LOVE it ...

I wanted to share it with ya'll

Isn't this the unspoken wish for us all?

If it isn't there.... then we must search to find it with in....

Have a beautiful Tuesday....

xo,

me

A day for relaxing...

Evening Darlins...

I know I haven't posted this week very much, sorry have been soooo busy..

Today I held two open houses at the beach at the same time... I was back and forth with two homes side by side on the beach.. It was a bit chilly with the wind but the ocean was so beautiful!

When I came home the wind was getting fierce and you could feel the rain was coming...

Here is a picture of our dog Miss Chloe, nothing seems to bother her, wind and rain .... She is a sweet dog and she relaxes well!! I hope your relaxing by a cozy fire... that's where I'm heading with a cup of tea!

Nite all,

xo,

me

Welcome First Day of *Spring*

Welcome...First day of SPRING*

Something about the first of anything is inspiring to me... Always starting off right & enjoy the beginning. Thoughts of new, renew, begin, fresh, adventure etc. always are present.

What about you? I would love your comments on how you think about Spring!

Yikes... I have some fun things I am excited to be working on.. I'll keep you in the loop***

I feel as if I'm in school of Life class now.... I can't sleep, I am sooo busy. Love being focused with a purpose... It is what I value most with my time.

Here is a picture looking out of the window of my white vintage garden house..

Welcoming Spring 2012

Enjoy a beautiful day Darlins...

xo,

me

Luck*Leprechauns*Clovers*

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all you Irish Darlins*

Reminiscing from when I was young with my friends.. we associated St. Pats with tiny magical leprechauns, trying to find four leaf clovers in the lawn and if you did you considered it *Lucky*.

Oh yes..wearing green to school so we didn't get pinched!

When I was growing up at my house we were celebrating a special birthday... It was one of my brother's. He was born on St. Pats and my parents named him Dennis Patrick.. He was always so excited for his birthday. My mom usually baked his birthday cakes and frosted them with green icing. We had decorations with clovers and lots of green! One day I put the two together as to why we always had green frosting on his cake! When I was young I used to think everyone was celebrating him!

Denny was my most favorite person in the world...He molded my heart... I adored him! Today I am remembering him and sending a Happy St. Pats Birthday wish to the Heavens***

I hope you have fun today... it's raining here in Socal!

xo,

me

Playing in the Dirt*

Hey Darlins,

A friend invited me come to a Seed Starting workshop on Saturday. It sounded soo cute so of course catching up with a friend and learning about gardening is perfect...

I had no idea what to expect! It was at Southwest Boulder and Stone in SD.

Our lovely teacher was Nan Sterman. She is almost a neighbor turns out! Our kids went to the same schools etc. Any hoo, she also heads up the annual Encinitas Garden Festival & Tour.{ A local event that you want to get tickets now for and attend}. Nan really knows her dirt and how to make beautiful gardens!

Nan talked about everything form buying quality seeds, how to understand the directions on the packet, soil, how to start the seeds in the right containers and why all the details are important to have success starting your plants. It was so interesting! She provided us with all the things we needed to plant some vegetables seeds. Now I have to just watch them grow and then put them in my big garden beds outside.

It was a lovely workshop and I'm so happy my friend Kathleen invited me to join her. I would really recommend Nan Sterman's workshop, you'll get an understanding about organic growing and caring for your garden.

Nan Sterman's website link here: http://www.plantsoup.com/

*** April 21st 2012 10-4:30 ENCINITAS GARDEN FESTIVAL & TOUR

Tickets are on sale now here or at the local nursery's

http://encinitasgardenfestival.org/

Please save the date. Put on your pretty garden hat...It is a beautiful afternoon and you'll be so inspired to play in the dirt!

Happy Spring*

xo,

me

Springing Forward*

Hope you lovelies had a beautiful day... I was soo busy... Fill you in later... I was just reminded about the time change... I love to Spring forward! Something about the change of time feels like it changes our whole routine.

I know we spend so much more time outdoors and it gives us that extra daylight to get all our outdoor chores done... Hmmm..don't think done is the word! We are never done with anything.. Always can be a little more fab or a few more details.

Have a beautiful Sunday*

xo,

me