More French Cottages

A friend and her hubby and kids vacationed in France for a week this spring. They are getting a villa in France for about $150 a night. You might want to look into that yourself at those rates. Me? I don't fly anymore and care nothing about going back to Europe. But seems there are great rates since the economy is doing so badly.

I think this is darling. You have a great yard for lounging.

You might like a little cottage on the water. And I mean ON the water.

And if you prefer to "upscale", this might be within your budget.

Or if you prefer to really "upscale", you could rent this little villa.

This one even comes with its own transportation. ;-)

Wisteria adds a touch of romance.

I wonder why most of the roofs look so terrible though.

I know most of you are swooning over this little beauty.

A typical living area in France.

If you want to vacation in the city instead of country, you might want to consider this one.

This seems a mite close to its neighbor.

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Nature is a good name for an effect whose cause is God.

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Photos courtesy of google images

Girl Time and Looking for the Perfect Toilet

Love Bunny, better known as Mr. LB—Living Beautifully—was out of town recently. I missed him terribly that week, but I got a lot done in my house and craft room. He went to a train convention over in Oregon and called me twice a day (when he remembered!), but I could tell he was having the time of his life. Can we say "kid in a candy store" here? Yep, that's him.


Anyway, I went out to lunch with a friend. My friends are all younger than me but this one was younger by 30 years. And we had a great time! We think alike on just about everything. I tell her what to expect in old age and she tells me how the kids are doing. LOL We really mesh quite well.


Anyway, we went to Sizzler for salad bar lunch as she and I are both trying to lose weight. She's doing well; I'm a Weight Watchers drop-out! We sat for 2 hours and then the waitress says she's going on a break. I'm guessing that was a hint for a tip right away. We didn't fall for that.


I had a full schedule planned for that day before and after lunch. Before lunch was a few things at WM. After lunch was a search for a toilet.


I went to Lowe's and wasn't too thrilled with their selection so went to Home Depot (one of my favorite stores) and asked for a one-piece toilet that could flush golf balls. I found one that could flush 24 golf balls and had an EverClean surface (My kinda toilet, I tell ya!) but it was a 2 piece. Okay, I can live with that if it doesn't leak. When hubs called that night, I told him about the new toilet he's buying and the price. He was fine with that. He'd better be because we're getting it. I'm tired of builder's standard grade toilets and ugly plungers behind the toilet in that bathroom. If I could afford one that washed off my backside, lifted and closed the lid, lighted up at night, took out the smell and did all the other stuff, I'd get one but they're several hundreds of dollars and that just won't fly with th' hubs! Sigh...
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Is this a pantry or is this a pantry?!

What a sweet chandelier-type hanging. You know, of course, I want one.

Oh. My. Gosh. This is stunning but I know absolutely I could never bathe outdoors. What if a boat was out there? Yikes.

Beautiful. Looks like a corrugated roof so must be in the warm climate, but it is stunning.

Grey is my favorite neutral color right after white. I do like this setting and that Chesterfield sofa.

Squeeeeeal!!!! Isn’t this adorable? It has my name on it—almost. My name isn’t Constance but Connie, but that’s close enough for me. I’d love this to camp in if I have to camp!

Sigh, sigh and sigh again. A perfect spot in my opinion.

I found this photo and just thought the little ottoman was unusual and you’d like to see it.

Glitz and Glam.

See what you can do to jazz up some ugly stairs. That’s a yellow I like.

I also love this little ottoman.

Can you believe that chandelier?! I’d never have thought of that. Lovely though.

Proving to you once again that your laundry room can be a place you’d like to be with just a coat of paint even.

Cute and sassy!!

This looks huge so it can’t be real but it’s gorgeous. I wonder how many petals it took to make it.

I’d love to know where you can buy something like this. How gorgeous is this?

Someone’s sweet retreat.

Find an old Mason jar, wrap it in lace, decorate the opening and attach a flower and some ribbon. Instant gorgeous!!!

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Did you know chocolate makes your throat feel better? Yes, it does. Especially the Milky Way Caramel bar. True! I eat one about 2 times a week and my throat never hurts. Truly.  ;-) I think I should inform the American Medical Association of this miracle cure, don't you?

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Thinking of Classical Style Once Again

I hate to even utter the words but I'm going to admit something here: After seeing all these gorgeous classic and contemporary rooms, I've come to the realization that I miss that style. I've been thinking seriously of going with that style again, well, at least somewhat because there is no way I could change the entire house back. I love my pink walls so they would definitely stay but I might just put another cover on our bed and redo a few things in the family room to make it more classic. Just some thoughts going through my head at this point. Trust me, I have enough stuff that I could do it without much expense at all. Stuck in a closet or our garage attic are things that lend that style to this house. I might need another sofa or something but most of my furnishings would be in that style anyway.

This is my all time favorite room.

 
I love the style of this room. The sofa and the chairs are styles very similar to my living room.

And here is that dashing color pink, very much in contemporary style here.

In all my searching on the internet for photos, I've come across the most exquisite shop in the Netherlands called PiPStudio. If you are smart you'll run, not walk, to this darling shop. The prices are in Euros so you'll have to equate the prices to dollars, but they have the most awesome towels, stationery, kitchen items, sheets, etc. you have ever seen. If you google PIP towels, Macys comes up first but they don't have them. I checked. I think they're just rated higher in google standards. Go directly to PIP studio to see all their delights.

See, even this classic French sofa is pink.

Designers are using lots of bold colors in a lot of homes including pink again.

Love Bunny always plants more radishes than he can eat, so I'm gonna show him he can make radish wreaths with the extras. Okay, so they'll only last a short time, but they are still cute for that short time. ;-)

I'm not fond of this color but the room is lovely.

This is an example of PIP's stationery. Darling.

More bold color in rooms.

This is another one of Pip's towels.

And, yes, I love that chair exactly as it is. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

I like this room very much also.

This has given me an idea of what to do with a little table I have that the top isn't so pretty anymore.

While I'm not big on big spaces such as this, I'm showing you how leather can make a room look so good. I just love leather, but not a total room of it, just a chair or two would do me.

I'm not big on these draperies but I love the furniture in this room. I like simple draperies, elegant but simpler than this.

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