Country Sampler comes to Z’s home

I’ve wanted to share with you my friend Suzan being in the March issue

of Country Sampler for over a month now.

UPDATE: 3/26/12


I just received an email from the editor of Country Sampler
Magazine that since I had no rights to the photos I could not show them on my blog.
Just so you know that's why their is only the cover showing.
I completely understand their position on this and did not intend on causing any harm which I'm sure they understood. 
I thought it might promote the magazine though in my hast did not link to the magazine, though I doubt that was the issue.


The editor was very kind and just asked that I remove the photos but could keep the cover image.
So for those of you out there that are thinking of doing the same
kind of post please be aware that you maybe asked to take it down.


this was the email I received.


 This is *(Y#@!%, the editor of Country Sampler Magazine. It has come to my attention that the pages from a feature in our recent issue are posted on your blog/website. While we appreciate the positive publicity regarding Suzan’s home, the pages of the magazine are copyrighted material and may not be reproduced/copied in any way, including posting on a website. Therefore, I am kindly requesting that you immediately remove the pages from your site, as this is a copyright violation. If you would like to post the cover that is fine, but any internal pages from any of our articles may not appear on any blog, website or any other medium without our permission and the permission of the photographers, as they hold rights to the photos as well. I’m sure the posting was done with the best intentions, but we don’t give permission to other parties to post our material for personal use. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

You can of course still order the magazine 
and see their website 
HERE

You can also still enter

 Suzan’s incredible giveaway
which she has added even more goodies for you...

0

HERE

Good Luck


ps and yes I did just do a pop-up on this post 
just to make sure everyone is aware of the risk you take 
when you take a photo without permission.


my bad......
maybe I should just stick to plants and my own photography....

Back to the show

              

            

              

             

            

                            

                            

                                

New York City is always exciting to visit even before you get to the show.

Unfortunately I won’t have much time to visit the city

since I’m only going for one day.

This is my first time going to the gift show without

 hubby by my side so I hope I keep it together.

He’s good at keeping me from losing all my “stuff”

you know pocketbook, credit card, cell phone, invoices, catalogs, camera..etc.

I’m absent minded like that.

ask anyone that’s shopped with me : )

So much to carry around and no carts allowed.

I have to have a plan of attack so I can use my time wisely and keep the walking to a

minimum.

It will be good to see if I’m in better shape this time of year then when I went in the Winter.

I just want my feet to hold up.
Need to bring sensible shoes:)

Now don’t forget to enter

Suzan’s giveaway

with 8 different fabulous prizes to win…

including a Jeanne d’Arc Living magazine from me

Good luck and have a great week!

Giveaway at Z’s

Do you know my friend Z?

Actually Suzan ( with a Z) of Old Grey Mare

Well not only are you in for a treat when you see her humungo giveaway

but you will fall in love her and her blog.

We met around 2 yrs ago when we were doing White Wednesday.

Back in the day when there was no linky.

Remember that?…ok not all that long ago.

I knew from a few emails back and forth that this was someone special.

Ok I could write a whole post about how I feel about her but I’ll stop gushing because I

really want you to go to her blog and win some of these lovely gifts that these very talented and generous

gals have offered up for grabs.

My contribution is a Jeanne d’Arc Living Magazine.

Amongst all these other wonderful handmade goodies it may not seem to measure up

but for those of you that know this publication you know how beautiful and inspiring it is…… for the others,

you have no idea what you are missing.

This magazine has had a amazing effect on my decorating style and many others.

About half of my home has reflected this style for a long time yet the other half

has been a mish mash of different identities.

It’s been since I learned that my niece from France was coming for a visit this Fall ( hi Vanessa)  that I have

finally decided to tackle some of those projects that have been on my mind for 2 years now

( ok much longer then that)

The guest/sewing room has been a disaster for years now. Disaster is too strong a word.

Well, ok sometimes it was hard to walk around in there without injuring yourself…but

I knew where everything was….and I certainly knew where the pillows were.

EVERYWHERE!

and not all pretty ones either….just ones that I thought I’d recover …..someday.

You know in my spare time while working 7 days a week….ok I digress.

Today I finally finished another piece of furniture.

Whoo hoo!

and I have my friend Z to thank for it.

Yep between her and Martha I made my own chalk paint.

A book from Annie Sloan that hubby bought me yrs ago also convinced me I was on the right track.

At the time I had no idea who Annie Sloan was and that I had one of her books.

Imagine my surprise when the woman’s name that everyone has been talking about was staring right at me.

Well it was exciting for me : ) Doesn’t take much.

Also pays off to clean and organize.

I started with this:

 

No Photoshopping done just to give you the real deal.

If I did I would Photoshop a railing for our deck.

I won’t go there.

You can see it had some damage to the finish but that was a plus. I did no sanding just a slightly damp cloth to clean.

I had taken a photo of it after I painted and sanded but I had it on Manual setting from the day before.

It was overexposed and forgot to look to see if it came out.

I blame it on not having my morning coffee yet.

This is after it was waxed with Butchers wax.

Not sure what all the different waxes make.

I had Butchers so that’s what I used.

I’m  a big believer in using what you have.

It just gives it a finished look and along with antiquing it gives it a mellow effect.

You can see how the damaged grooves helped the look somewhat.

I’m rather happy with how it came out.

This post is getting a bit long…..

are you still there? lol

So I’ll be back with how I accomplished  it and the one I did with talc.

Now don’t forget to enter Suzan’s giveaway

HERE

GOOD LUCK

Oh yeah almost forgot,

joining Kathleen at Faded Charm for

White Wednesday

Thanks for visiting

Roses and birdies up in a tree….K.I.S.S.I.N.G.

                                          You probably know this about me by now …

                                     that I love anything to do with birds.

                                      Does that make me a bird brain?
                                            For those of you who know me......refrain from answering that!

                                    I knew when I saw this cute little necklace on my friend

                                Suzan’s new blog A Mare of a Different Color that I had to email her right away

                             that I wanted it.

                                   

 

     



          

     

                                                         

                                 and maybe another:)

                           The price was right!

                                        Sweet girl that she is threw in 6 of her

                             beautiful felted roses into the box. These have been a big hit since she’s

                              listing them to her blog. Good thing she works fast.

                                Who doesn’t like roses?……and these won’t die after a few days.

                                                  

                             or need watering…..or feeding.

                                                  

                               They are so soft and wooly and oh so enjoyable to touch.

                                               

                 

                                                 Receiving 2 dozen real roses wouldn’t have been as special as these and

                                    for some reason I can’t stop staring at them.

                                   Did you give them magical powers Z???

                                                     

                                                 

                                     A few weeks back Suzan teased that she was thinking of gluing her flowers to the bare trees outside.

                                                         

                                         That gave me the idea to try it on my wire tree that I keep out all year.

                             .

                                          After the holidays I decorate it with little metal pots, nests and lace.

                             It was needing a little pick me up too.

 

                                                         

                                                         

                

                                                  Now it’s my new OGM( old gray mare) tree.

                                                           

                                      Thank you Suzan you’ve touch my heart with your kindness and friendship.

                                 *****

                              Now rush over and check out her shop.

                              ……she has roses in an array of colors along with other wonderful

                      handmade goodies.

                      

                   Joining up with Kathleen for White Wednesday

              at Faded Charm

A Special Sweet Gift

                                               

                   

                                                           

                                      MAYNARD’s Pure Confectionery

                                                  sounds so much better then Maynard Greenhouse.

                                                 This tin was given to us by a friendly customer that who had bought it at an antique

                                               store.

                            

                                                            

                                      And it’s from England!!!!!!

                                        I had heard of the company but wasn’t sure if it

                                       was still in business or  much else about the company.

                             A little research found this:

                                           Maynards was founded in 1896 by Charles Riley Maynard.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      A family business, he and his brother Tom manufactured the sweets in their kitchen whilst Tom's wife,

                                        Sarah Ann worked in the shop. Although the company was founded in 1896, Charles had been making his sweets since 1880.

                                                Maynards Wine Gums were introduced in 1909 by son Charles Gordon Maynard.

                                           Maynards has since been bought by Cadbury and now sells over £50m of sweets annually in the UK.

                                                            ^{( source found at wikipedia)}

                             ^{See now you know too….}

                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                   

                                      Then I received this gorgeous white and glittered package all nicely bowed with lace and a

                                      medallion (that I forgot to photograph).

                                 from my friend Laura

                                                             

                                                And here’s what I received !!!!!!! I was so thrilled. I remembered Laura saying that she

                                              had found something special at the flea market back in the Summer

                                           when she went with Marcy from the blog Brocantess.

                                            I had seen Marcy this Fall at Brimfield and she mentioned that I would love it.

                                 Deanna had been there too when Laura bought the chocolate mold but was sworn  to secrecy

                                        If you want to see Laura post about her fleamarket adventure that day you

                                  can view it HERE

                                    

                                   I just absolutely LOVE it.

                                  My heart skipped a beat when I saw it.

                                   I kind of had a feeling that it was something related to our name or

                                greenhouses but I never suspected THIS!!!

                                     The gentleman that was selling them had been collecting old molds

                                   his whole life and was downsizing his collection.

                               Lucky me and lucky that Laura was there to scoop it up.

                              Anyone who knows Laura and follows her blog

                             is aware she has a knack for finding the best things.

                                                        

                                        I can’t wait to make my own Chocolate bars

                          with our name on it.

                                   I planned on getting some done last night but sleepy eyes took over and I

                        fell asleep on the couch again.

                                                                                                            

                                         The markings are so cool on the mold. I looked up Plattinol and all I could

                                           find was that it was a preferred finish for chocolate molds so it would have

                                 a smooth shiny finish.

                                                          

                          Thank you Laura……I will treasure it forever and

                            George being the chocoholic that he is going to enjoy the EATING!

me too!

                                                                                                     

                  Still so much to do before Christmas day……

             still have not finished decorating the tree….

                   This is the plastic bin that I just opened last night

                                                            

                                      I wasn’t sure what the color scheme was going to be this year?

                        After opening the box it was already decided.

                    It’s BLUE!!!

                             Not a good packing job. The better ornaments are on the bottom.

                           I should take a page from Suzans book….be better organized!

                        Maybe next year!

                      I want to wish you all a Joyous and Peaceful

                       Christmas Day!

                                              You all have made my life so much better…..I have made such wonderful friends,

                                  that if not for blogging I would never have had the chance to know.

                  Thank you soooooo much for that!!!

                                                                              “ Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred,
                                                                                    and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit,
                                                                                                  become a child again at Christmas-time.” 
                                                                                                                      ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

      LOVE and PEACE

     CAROLE