Can't Wait to Show You My Recycled Can Lamp

I love little lamps.  I love to use them in bookcases and nooks to

give a soft glow in a room.   I found a thrift shop shade.  A tiny one with

a white pleated shade.  I pulled out a little lamp ~ one of the ones I use

in the windows at Christmas time.  Sorted through the recycle bin for an

old can and searched for scraps of fabric and ribbon and some vintage

buttons.  Painted the can and the base of the lamp, got out the glue gun ~

Voila ~ a new little lamp.

My hubby will tease me.  He says we should notify the power

company and warn them of a power surge every night before we

go to bed.  It will be just one more light to turn out before we 

turn in.

I don't care though.  I think it's cute and I am going to 

show it off on

Rednesday

What's It Wednesday

and

Wow Us Wednesday

Bentley ~ do you need a little lamp by your dog bed?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Decorating the Man Cave

For the men in your life ~ husband, father, son, son-in-law, boyfriend, etc.

Each one of them wants a man cave.  You know what I'm talking about,

a room focused on a flat screen, plasma or LCD HD TV.  That great big 

60 to 72" or more black rectangle sitting on the wall.  To them, it is

heaven.  To us, well not so much.

Every time my hubby goes shopping with me at Costco, he is mesmerized by the 

biggest flat screen available.  I won't even mention the remote because that's a whole

other topic.  I swear that men are born with a channel scanning gene that we are

somehow missing. 

But, I can't complain too much.  My hubby lives with shabby chic furniture and lots

of floral prints.  He never complains.  So here is my suggestion for bringing a bit of

vintage coziness into that masculine domain.  

Vintage books.  I found mine at a book sale at Catholic University in Washington, DC.

A vintage looking clock from a thrift shop and a vintage sketching of a couple of 

dogs from an antique shop in Leesburg, VA.

Oh and this cigar smoking bull dog.  You get my drift ...

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Mod Mix Monday

Table Top Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Bentley ~ I caught you watching golf with your Daddy.  Just don't start 

channel scanning too!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Pimping a Thrift Shop Shade

I found this cute pink and white gingham shade at a thrift shop.  I thought it might

look good on a lamp base I found at a different shop.  

I added some white ball fringe and some buttons too.  Now it's all

pimped up.

Now, I wonder what I should do with the pink pillows I found?

I guess you'll have to wait until next Friday to find out.

Off to join Beverly for Pink Saturday

Hey Bentley ~ who said you could take a nap on top of those

pink pillows?  

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Here Comes the Paint Again!

A while ago I found 4 maple Windsor Comb Back chairs and a table

for $50.00.   I sold the table for $50.00 and so the chairs were free.

I plan to use them with a old farmhouse style pine table that I painted

heirloom white and distressed, but I wanted the chairs to pop, so I

decided to paint them black.  The first chair I completed is still out gassing,

so I decided to leave it outside for a bit, but could not resist creating a 

little vignette with my thrift shop tea cart.

Y'all know me and my vignettes!

I just can't seem to help myself.  I call it playing with my finds.

Maybe there is a support group for those afflicted with 

vignette obsession.

But ... since I'm not hurting anyone else, or myself ...

I'm just going to call it fun!

Let's visit these fun parties ~

Amaze Me Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Bentley ~ hold still and let Mommy put you in a vignette.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Farmhouse Life

 

There is something so sweet, lovely and uncomplicated about 

farm house life.

Yes there are lots of chores, yet they seem like a pleasure when they

are done in a less hectic atmosphere.  A more gentle and pure way

of living.

So even if we live in the city or the suburbs, we can bring that quality of 

living into our own homes by striving to make our lives simple and 

less complicated.

I am linking up to these Friday Parties

and 
Potpourri FridayandShow and Tell Friday
Bentley ~ I see you peeking through the fence to see the neighbor's chickens.Are you absolutely sure you would not like some of your own???
Hugs,Susan and Bentley

Spilling the Beans

Although I have a Cuisinart coffee pot with a built in coffee grinder, I love

the look of vintage grinders.  So with a little help from heirloom white paint

and The Graphics Fairy, I am spilling the beans on a new look for a thrift

shop find and an repurposed can.

It's just a bit more country farm house looking now.

Don't you just love the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans?

I sure do.

The Graphics Fairy has such great labels.  

I am linking to ~

Amaze Me Monday

Brag Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Tuesday's Treasures
and
Fall in Love

Bentley and I wish you a happy and creative week!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Rosy Retreat

What a pleasure it is when I have a few moments to be

alone and browse through magazines and dream of 

gardens, decorating, cottages and collecting vintage lovelies from

antique and thrift shops.

This absolutely adorable Spode plate was a gift to me from my dear friend

Maria.  Isn't it just the sweetest plate?  I love the eyelet trim.  Maria found

it for me at a local thrift shop.  She knew it would be perfect for a post on my blog.

It is Spode's Billingsley Rose.  Thank you Maria!!

Looks like I will have to take this Rosy Retreat inside because the sky is 

getting dark and gray.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Joining ~

Tablescape Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Pinkalicious Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Inspiration Friday

Show and Tell Friday

and

Pink Saturday

Hurry up Bentley ~ looks like rain!!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Coffee Can Kid's Play

There is an adorable little cafe just 4 blocks from my cottage

it's called ...

Sunray Cafe

Look at some of the cute coffee cans painted by kids

and filled with plants decorating the fence surrounding the cafe.

What a great project for kids and how proud they must be that

their art work can be enjoyed by everyone in the neighborhood!

I personally love painting cans.  It's become one of my latest

crafting passions!

It's a hot one here today ~ so I'm going to take it easy and visit

Seasonal Sundays

Even Bentley is feeling lazy in this heat!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Candlesticks A La Palm Beach

I found these candlesticks the other day at one of my

favorite consignment shops.  Cute, but a bit drab.

I pulled out my craft paints and gave them the Palm Beach treatment.

They will look cute as part of a summer tablescape ~ especially

if I am wearing a cute little Lilly Pulitzer dress while I am

setting it up!

Joining ~

Amaze Me Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Show Off Your cottage Monday

Table Top Tuesday

and

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Bentley ~ let's give you some Palm Beach style too.

How about a pink and green collar?

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Simplify

Everyone I talk to has been hit by our economic downturn.

Will there be an end in sight?

As one who believes in the strength, spirit, talent and

creativity of our fellow countrymen I say

Yes We Will turn our economy around!

Until then we will stand tall, have faith, love our friends

and family and take joy in the simple pleasures of life.

We will reuse and repurpose.  We will plant Victory Gardens like our

country did in the past.  We will support our community.

We will blog on and share tips.

And we will laugh and have fun!

Right Bentley?

Let's get this party started ~

Show and Tell Friday

Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

and 

Home Sweet Home

By the way ~ I still have music on my site for those of you

who enjoy it.  Just go to the sidebar to turn it on.  Playlist

unfortunately no longer turns on upon opening the page.

For a music lover like me, this is regrettable.

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

A Little Garden Tea

Care to join me for a little afternoon tea in the garden?

I am serving it on my vintage child's size wicker rocker.

I have some sweet petits fours.

No Bentley ~ too much sugar for you!

Mama has some sugar free peanut butter cookies 

just for you!

Bentley and I (with his peanut butter treat)

are joining ~

Tablescape Thursday

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

French Grain Sack Inspired Snack Tray

One boring, run of the mill snack tray.

A bit of French vintage inspiration, some paint,

And ...

Voila!

My Vintage French Grain Sack Snack Tray!

For those of you who are wondering why the number

1913 ...

That's the year our cottage was built.

Thrifty and fun!

I am joining ~

Amaze Me Monday

Blue Monday

Market Yourself Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Twice Owned Party

Tuesdays Treasures

and

Table Top Tuesday

That was fun Bentley ~ what should we

transform next?

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Where Does She Keep It All???

First of all ~ Happy Second Blogversary to the Tablescaper!!

My cottage was built in 1913. While it is charming, it is

short on storage space. No walk in closets. No big pantry.

Back in 1913, Boise, Idaho was a small town.

So where do I keep all of our dishes, collections and

what I consider necessities?

Hanging over the stove.

Tucked inside vintage hutches.

On top of hutches.

And on top of cabinets.

Inside open shelves.

Stored in baskets in the back porch pantry.

On top of shelves on the back porch.

Tucked inside the shelves of the hutch in the dining room.

There are many more hanging shelves, library stacks, etc. that

hold all of our treasured, well loved and often used pieces that

make our cottage a home. I shared just a few this time.

I am joining

Seasonal Sundays

Bentley ~ did you know that Boise is the most remote city in the

lower 48? Salt Lake City is 6 hours driving time to the east

and Portland, Oregon is about 5 hours to the west. In between

are lots of mountains and high desert. It's a good thing that there

is blogland where we can visit our friends in just seconds!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Why We Love Pink!

As I was putting this week's Pink Saturday post together

I was thinking about why we love pink.

There are so many ways to use pink in our cottages.

For romantic summer evenings on the deck.

In the garden.

Bentley always helps of course!

For accessories around the cottage.

Perfect for holiday decorations.

For quilts hanging out in the sunshine.

For sewing and crafting projects.

And well ~ just because.

Happy 3rd Birthday to Pink Saturday! Thank you Beverly for

bringing us together each week to share our pinks!!

Okay lets party Bentley!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo