Answering the Front Door

The flowers in this mosaic are all from my gardens.

The winner of the giveaway is Olivia of Olivia's Romantic Home. She's been notified and is very excited! Olivia, I've told you before that you have one of my favorite names. I also want to thank you for joining in. The ribbon tree, Living Beautifully book and coffee filter roses have truly found a darling home in which to live, Sugar!
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We have a security system in our home. We had one in California and after several years here, I decided to have one installed in our new house. Just a precaution after a bit of a scary experience once when hubs wasn't home. The security system was installed by a professional. We installed cameras where I can see who is on our property around the house. Very simple and easy to do. The significant fact here is that hubs is gregarious and I'm not. He chats up anybody!

Anyway, sitting here in my office/computer room or sitting in our living room are 2 small (by today's standards) 19" televisions I purchased at a thrift store for $10 and $15 a piece. I don't have to answer my door if I don't want to. And I don't if I don't recognize the person at the door. There's also a sign out front that says: 'Absolutely Positively No Soliciting of any kind!!!' You'd be astounded at the people who cannot read! I've been thinking of adding 'And we've found Jesus', but if they can't read the first part then why would I presume that they could read the second part either. Sigh.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, the doorbell rang. Hubs was in his office and can't hear the doorbell in there. I looked at the TV and it wasn't anyone I knew. I went in to ask th' hubs if he recognized the man out front with a clipboard (Does this not scream solicitor?!). He said no, but he was edging toward the door. I stopped him immediately because 1) He's a sucker for any sales pitch, especially if it's a woman. 2) He'd invite anyone in just to chat. He kept edging and I kept holding his arm to keep him from opening the door. In the end, I won, but I could tell he was itching to open that door and see what the guy wanted. I'm not so curious. ;-) However, next time, I may just have break his arm to keep him from answering the door.
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A quaint and pretty restaurant entrance in France.

I just thought this photo was so colorful and cute with that darling lamp and shade, wallpaper and table I had to share it with you.

A pretty gravel-strewn patio for resting and eating. Looks like a restaurant. Certainly, one I'd want to visit.

Colorful door and enchanting entrance, even if the photo is not very good.

Pretty roses-strewn vintage, rustic gate.

Probably a store with luxurious white goods, towels, sheets, gowns, pillows, etc.

More luxurious embroidered linens.

A dreamy sitting/living/music room.

Today I'm wishing I were here as I've been stuck in this house now for a week without going anywhere. Sigh...

Colorful quilts and linens. I must be on a linen kick here! ;-)

The minute I saw this patio with the red umbrellas I was enthralled. An old stone building that the resident in this apartment jazzed up with vibrant color.

Lamps are a weakness of mine and I change them more often than most people do. I truly believe they add one of the essential finishing touches to a room. Hubs agrees with me on this. And, trust me, he doesn't agree with much of what I do in the way of decorating but he lets me fly on my own wings. He loves me beyond any reason I can comprehend.

I have no clue where this mall is but a mall that has this gorgeous lighting is a place I'd love to shop.

A luxury bath I thought you'd like to see and dream about.

Just a bit of eye candy to leave you with today.

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 By creating beauty and order where you live and work, you will be controlling the private hours of your life.
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Linking up with Mosaic Monday.

Pink Living Room #2 For Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Be sure and visit Cielo to view all the houses in Show Off Your Cottage Monday.

When I'm not decorating the house, shopping, on the computer blogging, cleaning house, running errands, getting my hair cut, getting a massage, reading or doing church things, I'm crafting or sewing. I made these little cupcakes out of fabric and the little faux desserts. Actually, these were my first attempt into faux desserts. I'll leave it to others now that I know how to do it. I'd prefer to buy from them instead of making a mess that I'll have to clean up! That gives you some idea of what I'd rather do. ;-)

I covered the one vintage suitcase with fabric and the other one I painted and added decals. I got them at a garage sale for 50¢ each. Squeeeeeeeal......

This is my plant shelf. I have 2 of those old fence gates and they reminded me of when I was a toddler and my father was in the Navy on a ship at the beginning of WWII so we stayed with my grandmother. Her fence was like that. So when we moved to Idaho and bought our first house here in the 90s there were 2 of them in the shed. I kept both of them and use them in my decorating. I doubt I'll ever get rid of them either. But this one has ephemera on it. The 2 shutters I bought about 2 years ago and painted them white. They were a horrid green when I got them at a yard sale. More faux plants and decaled suitcases.

A close up of my sofa table. The little trio of pedestals hold roses and faux desserts I've purchased or made. The bride and groom are from our 2 receptions for our wedding. The bouquet holder is my actual one from my wedding but I've put in some paper roses I buy from Katie at Katiesrosecottage. The vases are some given to us by friends or a lady in Ireland who we gifted with something from the USA. She was a store owner and we bought a sheep skin rug and left her a SF Giants shirt. She ran out of the store and gave us that Belleek vase as a token of friendship.

I tried very hard to get a close up of Susan Rios' limited edition print called "Fiona's Place" but it isn't easy shooting with glass on the print but if you enlarge the photo you can see it better. It is my 2nd most favorite print of hers. It is a place in Carmel, where we made frequent trips to visit when we lived in the SF Bay area. Just love that place. Very quaint and romantic

This is my hubby's chair. It was originally for me but the soft leather chair became mine by default because it is much nicer on my back. That print behind his chair is Michel Delacroix's print and I love that one because I'd love to visit that house in the print in the snow. It's just gorgeous and reminds me of England in the 19th century.

I also have anything to do with roses on my coffee table. I can never have enough roses in my home: real or faux, I love them!

Going into our dining room—it's actually more an area and not a formal dining room because we had a formal dining room in our other home and rarely ever used it so we opted for just an eating area in this house. I don't like rooms that don't get used and are a waste. That house had 15 rooms and 5 of those rooms we hardly ever used or even walked into. Every room in this house gets used to its fullest.

So there you have it in its latest redo, chicks. Hope you enjoyed the tour.
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