New Shabby Ruffled Quilt Debut

As I've mentioned in this post a few days ago, I've made a few of the photos bigger when you click to enlarge than others. I'll tell you which ones in the text at the top. Again, I love large photos to be able to see them well. I see some on blogs that are so tiny one can barely make out the photo. I think it's a case of when they add them, they're not clicking the "Original size" below the picture. Too bad, because they just don't show well when they are so small. I do a lot of editing with mine in my iPhoto and Photoshop to make them as good as I can for your viewing pleasure. You cannot get the flavor of the quilt, or other things for that matter, with tiny photos. Sometimes I just want to scream.

The quilt arrived all scrunched up. It took me all day to iron the 11 ruffles. I ironed, stopped, did some sewing, ironed, stopped, ate, ironed, stopped, went to WM, ironed...well, you get the idea. I hope to not have to wash it very often!

This is the top of the quilt.

This is the underside. I think for us romantic, shabby chic gals this would have been the best fabric to present on the top side. While the little daisies are cute, this side is more in line with the look we want.

Here it is on the bed.
Click to enlarge this one. Oh, and if you see my bra somewhere in these pictures, ignore it. ;-) It was early when I did these photos.

Click to enlarge this one.

 Click to enlarge this one.

Click to enlarge this one.

Close up of those darling ruffles.

Even closer up of ruffles. All the fabrics they've chosen for this are really, really cute.

The quilt is a full/queen size. When I put it on our queen size bed, 3 of the ruffles are on top. I think that's the way it was designed because their website has the ruffles on top of the bed. That leaves it not reaching the floor. I knew this before though so I was planning on buying another ruffled bed skirt. But a situation arose.

Hubs and I put a blanket on the bed a few days ago and we both just about died from the heat of the foam-y type blanket. We decided to give it away as we're both too hot to sleep with it. We both love our bedroom cool or even cold. We sleep cold even in the winter. So, being that we have no lighter blankets and since we couldn't find one this time of year, we are keeping the matelasse cover I bought from Soft Surroundings several years ago. The cover cost me a couple hundred dollars back then and I've had people tell me if I ever want to sell it, to let them know. Well, that's pretty much all we sleep under in the summer, and in winter we keep a blanket at the bottom of the bed in case it gets too chilly for us—a rare occasion. So, what I'm doing is just keeping the matelasse cover on the bed and putting the new quilt over it. Plus the long bed skirt on the matelasse cover is perfect for covering up under the bed. (See photos 4, 5, 6 and 7 above.) While it's dragging on the carpet, I don't mind. I'd rather have it too long than too short and if I want to hem it at some point, I can; though, I doubt I shall. Two pluses: cover for warmth and bed skirt for bed. I don't have to go buy another bed skirt if I don't want to. And trust me, I've spent a lot of money recently!

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This cottage looks like it could be on the back of someone's property.

Isn't this handbag lovely?

Gorgeous close up of a flower.

Beautiful french soaps.

Lovely duvet cover and pillows.

~*~
Linking with Create with Joy
and SSS WOW 
and At The Picket Fence.

A Night Out for Dinner

I'm joining in with Claudia's A Favorite Thing linky party tonight and will use this post but put in a favorite thing now to join her at 8 pm EST.

It's hard for me to have just one favorite thing as I could keep this party going well into the 22nd century with my favorite things. Actually, I'll probably depart this earth before I could possibly get through my "favorite things." But today my favorite thing will be this little bucket I painted to match the new decor that I'm striving to get: Romantic/French/Traditional/Connie. ;-) It was purchased at Joanns fabrics and kind of a verdigris color and not very good one at that. I painted it pink and yellow stripes. Turned out even better than I thought it would!

Closer to better see it is yellow. Anyway, while it looks lime-color in these photos, I can assure you it's yellow and I truly do love the colors.

This was taken inside with indoor lighting, but I assure you this is truly pink and yellow, not limey green.

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At a doctor's office recently I was reading an old Reader's Digest. There was an article in it by a podiatrist. She said unequivocally that the best lotion for feet was Amlactin. My own podiatrist recommended it also. It's a bit pricey at about $15.00 for an 8 oz. bottle but it is so true. Even Love Bunny noticed how soft my feet were. And if that man notices anything, it's worthy of note, trust me!

He and I don't see eye-to-eye on portions. Food portions. He'll ask for peas for dinner and would put a half a bag of frozen peas in the pot to cook. That's ridiculous. He says it's the right amount. I put about a third of the bag in the pot to cook. He just has no sense of portion. We argue about this all the time.

Recently, he took me to Sizzler. Now, I'm not that fond of Sizzler but that night the steak was really good. Hotter than blazes though. No child could have eaten it that hot. I mean the platter was smoking and did so for the entire time it took me to eat the steak and potato. If a parent let a child eat it that hot, it would burn their mouths for sure and then we all know what would happen—they'd sue Sizzler. It took me 6-7 minutes before I could even put a forkful of it in my mouth. Truly! He likes his food HOT—from the skillet to his mouth. Our son is the same way. Me? I have to let it cool before I can put it in my mouth. I don't want my mouth burned and it has been. Once scalded; twice cautious...or something like that.

Anyway, I had a small salad bar, the entree and dessert. He had a bigger steak, salad bar heaping on his plate, then went back for cottage cheese, then went back for a PLATE of fruit and then had an ice cream sundae. We're not talking small portions; we're talking big portions. I was sick just eating what I did, but he said he didn't feel full or think he ate too much and defended it. Sigh...as I said, we have totally different views of "portions." But we both agreed that's our last time at Sizzler.
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Is this a cute little cottage or what? No driveway, just a patch of grass with wheel paths leading to the back. But it looks like it's at the end of a road. Charming, no matter where or what it is.

This looks to be in Britain to me. Not many homes in the U.S. are that close together and so charmingly old.

The other day I gathered all my wrapping papers—such as they are—from the hallway coat closet and put them in my office here. They were getting in the way of the coats and vacuum I have in that closet and I didn't want them to get too frayed. So I brought them into this office and am now trying to find a cute bucket, preferably of the tin/metal variety, to put them in and store them "in plain sight" somewhere in the house. Just adding more eye candy for visitors to see. ;-)

Isn't this a gorgeous dreamy coat? I'd love to have it but I'd look like a polar bear in it.

A stunning balcony window with lace curtains. Oooooh, how gorgeous.

A beautiful bathroom, probably done over in rustic vintage decor. The colors are beautiful and serene.

You probably remember when we would have thrown out something that looks this bedraggled. Now we pay dear for such a vintage "ornament."

Just for the gorgeous deep colors have I posted this for you.

I love this little cuff done so fancifully. While I'm more fond of colors, I'd still make a cute little one like this to wear.

While this doesn't look like a particularly popular or sought-after street to live on, I thought the home was worthy of note. It looks huge even before you have the side protuberances. Cute, but too big for this gal.

This is such a place I'd love to have near me to enjoy. Absolutely adorable!

A rustic bench. Very desirable.

This looks like a bunch of fabric before it is ruffled just put together to make a curtain of sorts. Clever.

An Italian doorway looking like a jewel. Notice the mailbox is the same color as the door and the archway.

Darling picnic table cover. Now, this is my next project! LOL

~*~

Rambling 9/19/12

I am an open person with a lot of things but I absolutely want privacy in my home. I lived in a fish bowl of a house for several years when we first moved to Idaho. It was big and had huge windows. I think we had about 35 huge windows in that house. When we bought it, it had no shades but heavy beige draperies, and we all know how I hate beige. ;-) They were the first to go. The man we bought the house from came by one day and was aghast that we had taken down about $6,000 worth of draperies. Shrug! It was my house then so I didn't care what he said. But we had to put up blinds on the west side because it got so hot and bright in the living room. Everyone could see in so there was no privacy and eventually I put up lace to give us some privacy at least. Since it was a famous house in the town we'd have people just drive by looking at it. Truly, to us, it wasn't anything special, but it eventually wore on us with the gawkers.

Anyway, that set the tone for this house. I have wood blinds on every room in this house. There are only 9 windows in this house. I love that! I don't have much to clean and less to spend on blinds. I also have lace so no one can see in when the blinds are open. Call me nuts if you want but if you've never lived in a fish bowl you'd never understand.
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Did you know that Spain will not let you send any foods at all that to that country that contain saccharine? Interesting the postal regulations for other countries.

In Poland you cannot ship articles, printed matter, written documents or other articles contrary to interests of Poland. Where's their free speech then?
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Do you try and quiet your mind when it gets loud and bothersome? Go soak or read a book. It's what I do.
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And remember this post about the Secret Service in the White House? And there will be more little tidbits through the next several months as I deem them appropriate. But here's a tidbit for you. Once the SS heard about one vice-president who was ordering bottled water—and I believe it was a company he or a friend had an interest in. It was quite an expense so they took some of the water from the VP's residence—Blair House—and some of the bottled water to have it tested. It came back that the tap water in the VP's residence had less bacteria in it than the bottled water! They stopped the delivery of the bottled water immediately.
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I keep seeing these tiny cottages but this one has a patio. Cute beyond words.

It's that time of year again where we'll be making and eating these. Actually, those look like apple tree branches the cook has put them on. Cute idea.

If it's pink, I'd take it. This is no exception!

Simple, elegant and darling card.

Eye candy easily made also.

Vintage basket to hold linens.

Cute idea for an outdoors party.

Some french laundry tubs.

A regal bedroom in a gorgeous blue. Look at that spread!

I have never seen such a gorgeous bed ensemble. You have got to wonder how they made that.

Water drops on a beautiful pink flower.

Waterfall for a secluded rest with your sweetheart.

You have no idea how I would love those 2 pink velvet chairs.

Sweet vignette with lace and flowers.

Some goodie cake...and in pink too!

~*~
Linking with At The Picket Fence.

The Lazy Decorator

The dirty little secrets. Yep, I told you I'm lazy when it comes to some things. I can also be frugal. Sometimes! This post will explain most of it. But let me tell you a story.

In our previous house we had a library with wood folding doors right off the living room. I didn't like them, especially closed, so I disguised them with drapes. When opened, they were tight against the wall, so I took a long length of fabric and tied it off with pretty white rope I bought at the farm store. I didn't hem or sew one single bit of the fabric as I knew we weren't going to live in that house long. (Okay, at first I thought it was our last house but after 7 or 8 years in it, I realized it was just too big for us at 5,000 square feet.) After tying it at the top, I hung it on a cup hook at the top and fanned out the top and poofed out the bottom. I then pinned on some long twisted fringe. Yes, pinned, not sewed. No one, not one single person, who came to our home ever realized they weren't finished off properly. It stayed like that for several years. We lived in that house about 14 years before we finally sold it. Not one person could detect the cheap and easy ways I decorated that home.

Now on to this house. Here I'm hanging the floral curtain.

Here you'll notice the selvage edges. I simply tuck them under.

I didn't even both to stitch them up.

Again, I didn't bother hemming them, just puddled them under.

Closer view.

The other side. I have so many cords running under things. I may someday have an electrician put in more outlets. I'd have at least 3 on every long wall.

The selvage can be stitched down of course, but in not doing that I leave my options open to use this fabric another time in another way if I choose to do so. Also, what you can see here by this little red arrow is that I stuck a map pin in to hold it out. My space at the top is severely limited so I cannot make the rod come out to its full potential. But if I anchor them with a tiny invisible pin along the mid-section down then they appear fuller.

I've leaving the sofa out a bit more because the new sofa will come out about the same. Also, in leaving it out more it gives the curtains more room to billow.

These photos don't even do it justice. It really is gorgeous in that room. Can't wait to see the new sofa in there.

I can also bring the bottom of the pink stripe curtain out a bit to make them appear fuller in the middle. They are now evenly distributed on the window though this photo doesn't show it as well as in person.

I am very pleased with the results.

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A cute family room off a dining room, but what I found I like about this photo is the siding on the inner walls, the reds and that leather sofa barely visible on the lower side.

Sigh....What a cute little cupboard and dishes.

I'm getting ready to order a new ruffled quilt for my bed. This is beautiful but I have no idea where it came from. Mine is coming from a specialty site in California.

I do like blue and this is one vignette I thought was worthy of note.

~*~
Linking with Make It Pretty Monday and WOW.