Cottage Doors

I just realized I need to show you MY front door. It's not as elegant as these but I thought I should be brave and post it! I have a little "viewer" to check on who is approaching our home and a little cup hook to hang a pretty wreath or something I've yet to create! But it will be there in the not too distant future. Anyway, here's mine!
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Today I thought I'd show you "Doors" - yes, DOORS - of some adorable shabby little cottages.
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Oh my, doesn't this look like something out of a story book? A little cottage on the way to a fantastic adventure maybe? Stone steps, lush foliage and gnarly trees. And look at that fence - something a little gnome would put up. Vines growing over the door! Aaaah....
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This one has the earmarks of an English tudor cottage but it is here in the U.S. Again, lots of flowering vines, hedges, a little vintage wagon in the yard, the stone pathway leading to the sweet entry and the windows - straight out of an old English mystery novel! Just imagine those tree branches brushing the bedroom window on a dark and stormy night while reading. Ooooo, sends chills up my spine!
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This little stone entryway is quite quaint also. It looks like the door has a "peephole" to view guests before they even arrive at the door. The weathered fence. The eyebrow arch over the window and the little architectural piece adds character to it also. But notice the chimney - I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it. There is also the stone pathway and the stone "window box" under the window. Very mysterious cottage!
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This is more of an "arts and crafts" entry indicative of the northwest. The front door is open and the screen door seems to beckon to visitors to enter. I like the trellis over the entry and the little seats to rest or sit. Stone pathway again, window box and vines growing over to keep the sun at bay on a summer day.
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Can you believe it??? A house called Green Gables in the U.S.?? I guess they loved the novel also. :-) But it has both the look of tudor and arts and crafts. Unusual, but it works! Brick entry and pathway and the door with a lovely floral wreath beckoning to all who enter.

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YES!!!! It is "PINK"!! Oh, be still my heart!!! I love pink - in any form. But this was almost too much to even hope for. A pink cottage!!! It looks like it should be on a cake. Even has the stained glass windows in pink. A little stone pot to put flowers in and what more could you ask for??? But notice the small window atop the entry roof. Isn't that unique? I love this little romantic cottage.
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"Stone Cottage" ought to be the name of this little one. A bit of statuary adorns the yard along with pots of rhododendrons - perfect for the NE or NW. Cedar shingles and pine trees put this one in the NW I believe. Stone pathways and mullioned windows with half curtains to let in the light while preserving the owner's privacy again foretell the cottage appeal to this beauty. Private and a bit mysterious I think.
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Here the door has a "speakeasy" in it. How quaint is that?! But notice also that this one also has a stone path leading to the door and the requisite lush garden surrounding it.
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On this one, the roof was put on unevenly to resemble thatched roofs of the European cottages. The stone walkway and lush little pathway adds to the ambiance of this little cottage. Notice the little "eyebrow" arch above the door along with the sculptured little plaque above that. Quite cute!
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Cottages and Chandeliers

My group of decorating buddies are all pretty much into chandeliers, shabby chic and roses and beautiful rooms for our homes. I put a beautiful chandelier in my dining area in our scaled down home and, personally, I think it faaaabbbulous, dahling. I love elegance even though my home is far from elegant. It's a "last home I'll ever live in" house!

But this little jewel of a cottage is just that - a tiny cottage with a loft for a bedroom. And although you cannot see it, the bedroom is behind those posts in the loft and the bathtub is actually in the bedroom.

Notice the elegant chandelier hanging over the table. The home itself is one big room and really quite small but it shows the true "shabby chic" elements. Elegance mixed with old stuff. The sofa the lady owns is actually painted. She didn't like the colors of the print on the sofa so she painted them! It looks beautiful and you can just glimpse a tiny bit of the sofa behind the buffet on the left. And the top picture is the actual living room. See the sofa she painted!

I love this tiny cottage.

Hubby Modeling My Newest Apron!

Okay, so he ain't the hunk that Rhea's hubby is but he's MY hunk! LOL. I asked Jack to model this apron I made on thursday and he was more than happy to do it. NOT!! But being the sweetie he is (and asking me to not get his face in it - I'm guessing that's because his former Marine buddies might recognize him.) - I complied with his wishes.

This one is made of Ralph Lauren strawberries and is a break from my usual shabby chic and roses kind but it's a cute fabric and I like it.

But I have to give hubby a hand........he handles it quite well and isn't suffering any trauma today from the photo shoot. Hah!!!

Filbert St. on Telegraph Hill

How would you like to traverse these steps every time you went grocery stopping or had something to be delivered to your house?! Yes, these are actually steps to little cottages in SF. It's a lush area of overgrown of honeysuckle, fuchsia, overgrown ivy, ferns, trees and wild flowers. Just quiet and lush. BUT each resident has to walk up and down these steps every single time they leave their house. It looks so serene living there.

Pink SF House

I love this house, don't you?! It almost looks like it should be in the south but it is in San Francisco. And those gardens?!?! Wonderful. Wisteria on the right and all that lush foliage. Just serene. Looks like a flowering cherry tree in the middle. Just a totally relaxing spot to relax and meditate. It's a "pink painted lady" for sure.