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Hello Blogger Friends,

I can't believe that a year has gone by since I first opened my Etsy shop, The French Laundry, but as of January 6, it will be a full year.  It was a great 2013 and I am looking forward to bringing you more beautiful treasures in 2014.  I'm still trying to find my way around balancing shopkeeping and working full time, but it is getting a bit easier.  I'm challenging myself to get more organized and stop hoarding (well, maybe just cut back on the hoarding :-) I am, after all, a collector myself ).  I also have a few small home projects/purchases to do this year, so the income from the shop becomes even more important.  With all of that in mind, I'd like to offer a little "Happy Birthday" gift to you in honor of my first year in business.  Just stop by The French Laundry from now until midnight tomorrow (1/6/14) and enter HAPPYBIRTHDAY20 at checkout to receive 20% off on all purchases over $20.  Now that Christmas is over, it is a good time for you to pick up that special something you've been wanting for yourself at a special price.

Until next time,

I was taking some pictures of a beautiful antique lace scarf on my antique dress form and after I redressed my dress form after her photo shoot, I couldn't help but fall in love with my pretty gal all over again.  She is all dressed in her finest frippery...






She's been dressed in this same beautiful outfit for some time but I just can't seem to find anything that looks as lovely as this, so she just keeps her same duds on.  Oh well...


On a non-related note, baby needs new shoes so I am running a sale in both of my Etsy shops like nothing ever seen before.  Visit The French Laundry or Elegant Farmhouse between now and the end of the month and use the code SUMMERSUN to receive 30% off of your purchase of $50 or more.  Sorry, does not apply to items "On Reserve" or on layaway.

Until next time,

Hi Bloggie Friends,

Do you have a "thing" for sewing implements, especially pretty ones?  Well, I do-don't judge.  My mom sewed like nobody's business and so I think I have a soft spot for anything sewing related.  Lucky for me, I've managed to pick up some awesome things over the years like the spools of silk ribbon above and the amazing little lady tape measure shown below.  She's porcelain and I like to imagine she's Marie Antoinette.  She's missing the first couple of inches of her tape, but I don't care, I think she is still awesome.


Wouldn't you love to have this beauty in your studio?  Found it out in cyberspace-a girl can dream, right?


This tape measure has my favorite, little ribbon work garlands.  Also just a dream from cyberspace, but yummy...


A pretty oversized pin cushion, sewing bag, and stuffed sewing basket from my Etsy shop...




Pretties from Pinterest...

 A silk ribbon chatelaine used to hold sewing supplies like scissors, thimbles, awls, and strawberry emories...

 Amazing sterling thimbles...notice the one on the right is engraved "Doris".  How sweet, don't you think?


This one is my favorite.  I love anything with cherubs on it.


Hope you enjoyed this brief little tour of pretty sewing items.  Do you collect vintage sewing stuff?  Some day I'll have to share some more of my collectibles with you, but for now, let me leave you with an image of a sweet little antique bisque dolly I dressed this weekend.  She will eventually be put in my Etsy shop, but for now, she is making me smile.


And one more pretty picture...my old roses were faded but still worthy of admiration.


Oh, and one more thing: I am so grateful to share a beautiful online magazine from my blog friend Kerryanne from Woodberry Designs.  It is called Simply Shabbilicious and sweet Kerryanne has featured my little closet of dreams.  Go check it out.  You will LOVE it and word on the streets is, it will become a published magazine in addition to an online one with the next issue.  Thank you Kerryanne for including me in your wonderful publication!



Until next time,

I discovered Julie at GoGoSnap purely by accident, but I was so enchanted with her beautiful designs for business cards that I had her make some up for me.  My design that I picked out was the wonderful lady in the center.  She does invitation packages for weddings, notecards, thank you notes, and save the date cards.  Her designs are all done on a real Heidelberg Offset press, so not digital or laser, and she has high quality thick paper.  I mean really high quality.  She is not cheap, but trust me, you will be thrilled with the result and Julie is great to work with. 
Another face that may be familiar to you is Rhonda from A Little Bit French.  She is a blogger as well and she makes the most wonderful things out of fabric, lace, jewelry, and paper.  I love everything she creates and whenever you buy something, she spoils you with little extras.  Go check out her shop if you haven't yet because you will love her French style.  
Susan at Evelyn and Rose is a blogger and DIY decorator who has been featured in the Somerset Life magazine a couple of times and she makes some awesome things for her shop, namely pillows.  One of these days, I'm going to get one of these beauties for some place special in my home.  She's super nice too and that's always a plus, don't you think?
If you love pretty paper tags, journals, and other paper whimseys, you will have a great time poking around Dorothy Jane.  She is a an old soul and loves anything Jane Austen.  Her work is beautiful and a real treat for the eyes.  I bought the Souvenir de Paris tags on the right and they are quite fun.  I can't wait to do something awesome with them.  Give her a look, you'll be glad you did.
And, while I was trying to behave and not engage in shameless self promotion, it is my blog after all, so I guess I will attempt to prod you to check out my new listings at both of my Etsy shops, The French Laundry...
And Elegant Farmhouse.

So, that's it for our pre-Valentine's Day shopping spree on Etsy.  I hope you enjoyed yourself.  I know I did.  For now, it is time for this little chickie to go to bed.

Until next time,

Hello Bloggie Friends,

First of all, it has been an astonishing first two weeks of business at my Etsy shop, The French Laundry.  YAY!  Sooooooo good for my psyche and good for my soul.  This being said, I must comment on the dangers of finding your passion, living your bliss, and selling only that which you would love to have in your own home (my words from my Etsy shop "mission statement" if you will).  I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT IN MY OWN HOME.  This means, each and every time, each and every purchase I make for the shop, I have to go through what I am embarrassed to admit is a somewhat GUT-WRENCHING-prying-this-stuff-out-of-my-chubby-little-hands-you-bought-it-to-sell-it little disco dance.  Really?  It's stuff.  Stuff I don't need cause I've already got plenty of my own stuff thank you very much.  Sigh...but it's SO pretty.  And when it is in piles, waiting to be photographed and described, it makes such a beautiful mess.  Yes, it does.  Mr. French Laundry, in this case, your opinion does not count.  You call it my piles, I call it a beautiful mess.  Half empty, half full...who is the happier one here, huh?  HUH?  Can you tell I'm having a bit of a dilemma?  I visited with a dear friend of mine one afternoon this past week (yes Sharon, I'm talking about you), and we commented on what kindred spirits we are.  We absolutely love the same things and her "work room" is a room I could enter, shut the door, and stay in for DAYS just looking and marveling at all of the beauty just piled up around me.  I kid you not, it is THAT good.  Maybe one of these days I'll do a photo shoot of her pretty piles.  But seriously, she can buy something amazing and turn right around and sell it, just like that, no fuss, no muss.  But not me.  No, I have to love on it for a while.  Put it somewhere and gaze upon it for a bit until I feel I've absorbed it's beauty and can let it go to a new home (some things have to marinate longer than others, I must admit).  That's just how I roll I guess.  But, once I let something go, I have to say, I've never actually had any regrets.  In fact, I can't say I've ever missed a thing.  Oh well, worse problems to have for sure.


I made this powder box out of old materials, even the box itself.


More from the beautiful mess pile.  Swoon...

I added a couple more vintage wallpapers to my wallpaper store on my blog sidebar.  Here's a peek at them:

1940's liles on soft green and white background

1940-50 Sears Harmony House floral clusters on neutral taupe background

I have also been adding new items to Elegant Farmhouse like this pretty Edwardian Motto Pillow:


Well, it is getting late and my laundry basket calls.  Hate that...

Until next time,