Happy July 4th!!

Here is hoping everyone has a happy and safe 4th!!

Lot's of color in the garden

This is the top of a garden table I recently painted. It looks very nice in the garden!

This is a close up of the painted tabletop.

Lots of color in the garden this time of year. Getting ready for the big July 4th party.

Very tall Hollyhocks! And the Lavender...ooh I wish you could smell the fragrance!

I especially love the Hydrangea!

Can you smell the Gardenia?

Something new from something old

Have you ever made a lucky find where you see something that is not very attractive, but you see the possibilty of something quite lovely? Well, one of our neighbors was having a garage sale and she had this old table (I had actually seen it at her last two garage sales) and I found it so unattractive that I just passed it by. Well, low and behold, later that evening, DH mentioned that our neighbor just wanted to get rid of the old table and that she just gave it to him. Oh no! Just what I needed....another piece of furniture in our overcrowded garage. Well, DH sanded it and painted it in a lovely, creamy, off white and asked if I would do something to make it pretty....he has such faith in me!! And he certainly saw the possibilities!!






Well, it is not quite finished...I painted a few quick roses, and it needs a quick varnish and a new glass for the top, but I think it is coming along just fine. I'll post the finished table when it is done. In the meantime, here is another view. Isn't it amazing what a little paint and a few little flowers will do for an ugly duckling?






Hope you enjoyed your visit.....hope I gave you a little inspiration. Please have a wonderful week and come back and visit soon!

Fun at the Antique Show

May is a great month for antique shows in California. One of my favorites is the Pleasanton Antique Show with hundreds of vendors and almost perfect weather to enjoy. Pleasanton Old Town is a wonderful area with lots of charming stores and great gourmet-type restaurants. A very pleasant way, indeed, to spend a Spring weekend.

These are some of the fabulous booths at the Pleasanton Antique Show. This booth had a great collection of old perfume bottles (some with the original perfumes) from the 40's and 50's. I was told that a 90 year old had left this estate and it was filled to the brim with fabulous vintage collections. I picked up a couple of original unopened L'Air du Temps from the 50's. What a find.

This is a pair of beautiful vintage German cut-glass goblets in a rare burgundy color. A great collectors item. You can find these beauties here.

Here is hoping that this beautiful Spring finds you enjoying the great outdoors and I hope you visit again soon!

June's a coming!!

Well, it looks like May 2009 is going to be a thing of the past....so sad.....May is always a beautiful month! But, not to fear, the best month of all is June, when all the flowers are blooming and the garden is in its glory! I think I will pick some lemons and make a big pitcher of lemonade and invite the neighbors to sit a spell.


























Pink roses, yellow roses, peach roses...they are all abloom. Even the Alstroemeria is glorious in June and makes great cut flowers. The Alstoremeria lasts a long time in the house, even in the warmth of June.....just change the water and snip the bottoms daily and they will last a week. They bring a bit of color to your room and they make you smile as you walk by.




We like to go to our local farmers market on Saturdays. It is always fun to see all the wonderful local produce (we actually live in farm country), the flowers and artesan cheeses, vinegars, wine and the many fresh baked goodies. Ummmm.









Well, now that we've picked the lemons and visited the farmers market and loaded our arms with many goodies, its time to sit a spell and enjoy the glorious day! Hurry up June!

White on White

It seems that white and white and more white is the new vintage look in today's decor. The loveliness of white on white evokes a feeling of years gone by, and provides the ambience and warmth of timeworn treasures that bring memories of days long lost to time. Many shades of white gives a wonderful warmth, depth and richness to a room and sets the background for added textures and shapes and even small amounts of other soft or faded colors. Add the lovely scent of lavender to your rooms to give them a calming sense of peace and quiet.

Visit the Enchanted Valley Boutique and find many lovely white treasures for your white rooms.

Springtime Garden Pics

We've had some of the largest roses in our garden this year. It is so much fun to see Spring return after such a long Winter. I never get tired of walking in the garden at this time of year. Everything is so vibrant and colorful. Our baby doves have learned to fly and they are now spreading their wings. I guess that our little bird nest will be empty until next year.