~ROMANTIC COTTAGE WHITE LACE PILLOWS FOR $5~

 Can there be anything more wonderful than a pair of fresh 18" x 18" romantic white pillows made for just a few dollars?  Say five little bucks or so?

I think not!

'Tis true!  'Tis true!

A couple of weeks ago while shopping at my favorite thrift shoppe I found an amazing drapery panel by Pottery Barn for $1.98.  I loved the color because it was soft white, not white-white and not too yellowy!  Unfortunately there was only ONE, but that's OK!  Don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth or anything

(what does THAT mean anyway???)

even though I was hoping I'd find TWO!

 Now...if you're a pillow maker like I am then you KNOW that feather and fiberfill forms are big bucks these days.  I remember when I use to buy a 10lb box of Polyfil at SAM'S for $9.99.  Gone are those days!  Anyway...I cut up the single 84" PB panel and was able to get two ruffled pillows out of the piece with enough left over to make a smaller accent pillow!

So...what's a girl to do when she wants to save money and still have super cute stuff?

Well...she searches through all the donated pillows at the second hand store to find the ones with feather inserts and then she hauls them home.  Not everything donated is trashy or yucky, you know?  People redecorate all the time and sometimes you can really find some fabulous deals!

 Feather inserts are easy to wash and if you look carefully you can find many that are almost new!  Even though I don't use them in my retail offerings I love using feather forms in my own home.

The inserts used for these pillows were also originally from Pottery Barn...you can always tell because the maker's tags are clearly attached!
Clearance bin price was $1 each!

If you're keeping track I'm at about $4.  The last dollar was spent on an oval shaped vintage crochet lace doily at an estate sale.  I snipped out the center (it had a small hole anyway) and then split it in half lengthwise.  Stretched out just a wee little bit there was enough lace to go from side to side before being stitched up
underneath the petite ruffle.

I pulled my PUMPKIN DAYS decor out last night and later this weekend I'll be working on dressing our home for Fall.  It's always so exciting!  While I was taking out the boxes from underneath our stairs I found my NOEL Christmas Pillow.  Just couldn't resist fluffing it up and placing it on the couch for a quick photo-op before tucking it back away! :)

(Maybe I'll just turn it backwards and leave it out!)

:) :) :)

 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I think I'm loving it!

~~*~~

Today I'm linking up with:

Faded Charm for White Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday
Sew Much ADo for We Did It Wednesday 

~~*~~

Hope your hump-day is wonderful!  I'm taking new things down to my booth space at Edmond Antiques...lots of cottage rose floral pillows I'll share with you tomorrow!

Love to you...

~VINTAGE ANTIQUE WHITE CHAIRS - A SHABBY COTTAGE MAKEOVER~

A few weeks ago my Mr. AGPMan found two of the neatest vintage fold-up chairs I've seen in a long time.  Snagged at a garage sale while on business in another state he loaded up the chairs and hauled them home.

 What a guy!

Just by looking at the chairs they were a little hard to date.  They definitely were handmade and when found were pretty dusty and dirty, too.  No doubt they'd been in a garage or storage shed for many, many years...probably decades.  They had never been painted or even sanded.  Only the metal folding hardware brackets gave a clue to their age.  From what we could find they were made sometime in the 1940's.  

How cool is that?

Originally they each had three holes in the center back that, in my opinion, were very distracting to the look of the chairs.  So, I had my guy attach four pieces of wood (one on each of the fronts and backs) and then painted them out in my favorite soft white paint.  Can't tell they aren't original!  Yeah!

I have several ideas for the chairs, but truthfully can't decide which way I want to go!

 I think the chairs would look awesome with hand painted florals across the front, center and maybe a wee little bit on the back...but then I'm not sure!

 

Equally they would look charming with something less limiting.  Maybe something French...like this chair from a couple months ago...

 

But then~some sweet roses like those painted on Miss Ginger's Fireplace Screen would look yummy, too!

What do you think???  I'd love to have some other opinions!  Both are destined for my booth space (although because they lay flat they CAN be shipped!) UNLESS I decide they are a must-have for my own front porch!  I hate selling stuff I love...

Today I'm linking up with Kathleen from

FADED CHARM

for

WHITE WEDNESDAY

Hope you'll check out all the other fresh whites when you find time!

Thanks for stopping by...  It's already hump-day.  Can't believe it!

Love to you...

~FRENCH LACE STOCKINGS WHITE WEDNESDAY~

 ~VINTAGE LACE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS~

This week's studio work had me focusing on making vintage French Lace Christmas Stockings!  I try and begin this kind of work in the summer (despite the horrific 105 heat here in Oklahoma!) because if I don't start EARLY I never catch up!  I wanted to show them for White Wednesday...not sure I can still link to it, but I'm going to try!

 ~LOVING THE VINTAGE RIBBON~

~LOTS OF OLD LACES and BUTTONS~

A few days ago after tending to my booth at Edmond Antiques (Edmond, OK) I stopped off at one of our local thrift stores and found another great dresser!

After cleaning it up and removing the old hardware I painted it up in a soft creamy pink!  Today I'm finishing the hand painted roses on the drawers and loving how it's coming out!

The one I found a couple of weeks ago has SOLD and so I was hoping to find another and was so excited to snag this one for a great price!  It's sturdy and strong and great for nursery or guest room!  Hope to have it in my booth early next week...  I'll share more photos soon!

While painting the dresser I also took the time to base paint some new things for my website.  This weekend I'll be painting them with roses as well.  This lot is PINK and I'm even hoping to finish that Train Case you see in the back...  I've so missed my work since the Carpel Tunnel/Tendonitis flare up!  I'm much better now and the resting of my hands and arms has done wonders! 

Still uploading my programs to my new Lap Top Computer!  So exciting to have a new toy and a computer that WORKS!

Hope your day is wonderful...

Love to you...

~SHABBY WHITE FINDS - WHITE WEDNESDAY~

~GORGEOUS DRESSER SET~

After meeting with my doctor on Tuesday regarding the pain in my wrists I was feeling a tad bit on the blue side so I decided to do some shopping...

~BEAUTIFUL MIRROR~

NOTE TO SELF:

DO NOT SHOP WHEN YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING!!!!  YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO SPEND TOO MUCH $$$$ :(!  Bahhhhhhhhh.................

~FACTORY WHITEWASHED~

I decided since I was already in OKCity I would drop by a couple of my favorite haunts.  While I was out I stopped off at a new place as well and boy was I glad I did...  Found some wonderful buys at Goodwill and also some sweet little finds at a charming antique mall...

 ~BEAUTIFUL POWDER BOX~

I fell in love with this vintage dresser set...  I've never seen one like it before and it came with the dresser mirror, hand mirror, brush, comb and powder box for one money.  I'm keeping this little beauty for myself.  It is a present from my Mr. AGPMan to ME (he just doesn't know it yet!)... :)

~SNIFF...MISSING THE PUFF!~

~BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE HANDKERCHIEFS~

Found a few hankies still with the original labels attached and also a dresser scarf with lovely old crochet work....couldn't resist bringing them home with me, too!

~LOVELY CROCHET DRESSER SCARF~

Not sure what I'm going to use the crochet for...maybe a pretty pillow or two....hmmmmmmmmmmm...

A couple of days ago I heard from Karen from My Desert Cottage regarding the Where Blogger's Create IV Party that launches this Saturday.  I wasn't planning on joining in this year because not much has changed about my creative space...but after chatting with her a bit I decided to participate again this year.  So...this Saturday I'll be showcasing my home-based studio.  That means I've got a lot of pictures to take...  More soon about this!

I'm linking up with Kathleen over at Faded Charm for White Wednesday!  Hope you'll pop over and see all the beautiful WHITES showcased each week!

Hope your Wednesday is awesome!

Love to you...

 

~ROMANTIC COTTAGE WHITE PILLOWS~

One would think with as much sewing as I do I wouldn't have trouble getting back to some of my half finished personal projects.  Not true. 

What is it that they say about plumbers?  Something about them always having leaky sinks???

Hmmm...

 To help me stay on top of things around my La Chaumière de Briarwood I've gotten into PRIORITY PROJECT LIST MAKING.  I'm wondering if I'm getting old here or maybe it's just I've FINALLY decided to become a bit more organized.  My guy is a list-maker;  I, on the other hand, never have been.

 It's probably why I seem to make a gajillion trips to the grocery store because once I get there I can't remember what all I was needing.

Anyway...all that to say this~ 

About a month ago I finished up two white cotton pillows for my family room.  Made from vintage sheeting they include petite all around ruffles with vintage buttons accenting the envelope style fronts.  I purchased two feather pillows at TJ Maxx for the insides.  They were heavily discounted because they were made with fabric that was SO UGLEEEE  (this was cheaper than just buying the feather inserts)! Generally I don't make this style of pillow so I'm lovin' how they came out.  I put a zipper at the base on the back so they can be easily cleaned, too!

Today I'm linking up with:

 Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday 
and
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

 You will LOVE everything see there...such fun parteees!

Hope your day is fab!

Love to you...

~WHITE WHITE MY COTTAGE IS WHITE~

~VINTAGE PLATE HOLDER~

Today I'm sharing with you a few pics of a wee little corner in my bedroom.  Someday when I get a new camera or lens I hope to take better photos of the entire room!

~NEWER CHEST~

With our recent remodel, which included taking down the wall between our family room and dining room, I ended up having more wall decor than I could use.  I was sad at first as I didn't have a place for the vintage plate shelf I purchased a couple of years ago.  But with a little scouting around upstairs I found a little nook where it will work...at least for now.

 ~WHAT IS IT?~

(A VINTAGE GLOVE BOX!)

Now...I don't like anything  sticking out even a teensy weensy bit into a doorway but until I have more time to decide just where to put this small chest it's going to stay right where you see it!

 ~WHAT IS THIS?~

Any guess as to what this sweet old piece was originally manufactured for?

~ANOTHER LOOK~

How about now?  Any guesses?  My guy thought it was a cooler for butter because of the little tray on the inside...??????

~INSIDE VIEW~

Do you know yet?

GIVE UP????

It's a vintage French Enamel Lunchbox!  Isn't it fabulous????  I found it recently at a local shoppe and just had to bring it home with me.  It's white and has this wonderful old patina to it!!!!

It's a present from me to me! :)

My home is always changing...but honestly~I'm loving it more now than ever before!

Today I'm linking up again with:

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

I'm off to paint and sew!  My brush and needle are calling my name!

Love to you...

~LAYERED LINENS in FRESH WHITE~

 Last Sunday my Mr. AGPMan and I hosted a wee Easter dinner for my daughter and her hubby.  Generally our table is crowded with family but not this year!  To celebrate the Holy Day on Saturday evening my girl and I loaded up my slow cooker with everything needed for a scrumptious pot roast meal and also took the time to pre-make things like soft biscuits (made with yeast), fruit salad and vanilla cupcakes.  By the time we returned home from church on Sunday our dinner was ready!  The fresh white roses and soft white tulips we had as a centerpiece (and made by our girl) wimped out and so they are currently hanging upside down to dry naturally....  My silk hydrangeas had to step in for this photo! :)

 Since our formal dining room will seat twelve in a pinch the room is just too large for such a small group.  So, I decided to layer my breakfast room table with a combination of new and vintage linens and dine there instead.  I'm sooo loving our new French Doors and all the sunlight that streams in!  I rummaged through some long forgotten display things from my days as a shop owner and found a simple tablecloth I made about twenty years ago.  Fashioned out of white cotton batiste the square cloth includes a deep ruffle and fit my round table perfectly!  On top of it I placed a round Battenburg cloth and then a smaller cloth trimmed with crochet lace!  I love the layered look so much I'm keeping it like this for a while...maybe throughout Spring!

The box I shipped back home from Cali came today!  Inside was this fabulous wreath I snagged at Home Goods in West Covina!  It is simple and uncomplicated and perfect for my home!  I'm telling you...it's a gooooood thing we don't have one of those stores here.  TJMaxx and Marshall's are good...but not that good!  I love how the wreath looks propped up on my mantle!

Isn't this a fabulous lace curtain?  I found this at the Community Thrift Store not far from my brother's Cali home.  It was $2.99 and is huge, huge, huge!!!  I'm going to remake the header and use it in our remodeled upstairs bath!  It's a soft white and is in perfect condition!  SCORE!

 While in Cali I snapped this photo of one of the homes in Orange.  This home and it's gorgeous gardens took my breath away!  Yesterday I shared with you I wanted a picket fence...I also want an arbor...

I'm continuing to dream....

(and my guy continues to ROLL HIS EYES!)

This is another home I saw during my trip and I think this one was also in Orange.  Next to the homes in Orange my favorite homes were in Pasadena.  I've never seen such beauty.  Old, stately homes that are absolutely lovely! 

Today I'm linking up with Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday!  Hope you'll hop on over to her fabulous place and check out all the fresh and beautiful whites showcased this week! 

Hope your Wednesday is lovely!

Love to you...