Time For Tea And A Mystery

It has been really hot here.  So hot it's not any fun to be 

outside.  Every morning I get up early and finish all of my

must do's.  Then in the mid afternoon I carve out a bit of

time just for me.  On some days all I want to do is sit

down, put my feet up and have a cup of tea and pick up

a cozy mystery.

This past Saturday when we were shopping in Houston, we

stopped by one of my favorite shops ~ 

British Isles.  I am so glad this shop is still on Rice Blvd.

I used to shop there years ago while I lived in Houston and 

I used to save my money to pick up something there

whenever I could.  On Saturday I picked up these cute

cups and saucers by Roy Kirkham Tableware.  These 

cups honor the Mini Cooper.  We used to have one but we

sold it when we moved down to Texas.  

I love cups with saucers because it gives me a place to rest a

spoon and maybe a cookie too.  These cups are really big so

I don't have to refill with tea or coffee so often.  A big plus

when I am involved in a cozy mystery.

Over the years I think I have read all of the Agatha Christie 

mysteries and many of the Dorothy L Sayers too.  I will 

pretty much read anything that takes place in a darling little

English village.  I am a big fan of Aunt Dimity.   

I just picked up this Jennie Bentley cozy.  I have not read this

author before but was intrigued by her character of Avery Baker

who was a textile designer and is now renovating her aunt's 

vintage Maine cottage.

Wish you were here to join me.  

I have a comfy chair for you too.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries and need some ideas of what to

read next try this site Cozy Mystery.  It's a great resource.

Home and Garden Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Share Your Cup Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Show and Tell Friday

A Bentley update.  My little peanut has been a very

good boy and has stayed out of cat poo in the backyard.

Some of you may be wondering if we have a cat.  No

we don't, but there are stray cats in our neighborhood

who wander in and out of our yards.  They are feral and

we all kind of look out for them.  My husband does not

like cats and neither does Bentley, but I like them.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Bentley Gets Into Something Stinky

Bentley ~ what did you get into???  You are all stinky!

Bentley ~ did you roll around in cat poo in the yard???  

You are covered in it and you are stinky too!

Don't deny it Bentley.  Now off to the tub we go!

Yes Bentley ~ momma forgives you.  Try very hard not to do this again.

It took about a half and hour of soaking, shampooing and conditioning

to get him cleaned up.  I hope the bath deters him from doing that again ;-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and the now clean Bentley

Touring Through Blogland

Touring through Blogland continues and Brenda tagged me and I am

supposed to answer a few questions.  So here goes:

1. What am I working on right now?  In terms of decorating well that

question is not so easy to answer.  As many of you know, I moved from

Idaho to Texas last August.  It was a huge move both geographically and

a life style change as well.  My husband and I moved down here with my

mother and we consolidated our two households.  Then five months ago

my Mom had a major stroke and died.  I am still picking up the pieces after

her death.  It's been a tough year for me and I am just taking things day by

day.  I  do a little decorating, have a good cry and do a bit more.  I know

that it will eventually get a bit easier, but for now I just do what I can each

day and try not to push myself too hard.

2.  How does my work differ from others in this genre?  Firstly, my little

dog Bentley has been an important part of this blog from the very start.

As Dorothy had Toto, I have Bentley.  He is my beloved little companion

and I often involve him in my posts.  I have been writing this blog for a

few years now and I can see it evolving.  In the beginning I was feeling

my way through the process and now I feel more relaxed and easy about

my writing style.  I would like to get away from the self imposed

structure of my blog and start to incorporate more free thought.

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?  I want my blog to be a happy

respite from our stress filled world.  I like to show a few pics and tell a

little story and  have my readers leave feeling uplifted.  I am not a 

slave to decorating so that is not my main focus.  I want my readers

to feel like they stopped by to visit a friend rather than be reading

a glossy magazine.

4.  How does your writing process actually work?  I never know for

sure what I am going to write about.  It may sound corny, but my

spirit just moves me.  I can sit down at the keyboard and have an idea

in mind and suddenly the muse takes over and I am off in another 

direction.  

Now I am supposed to pass the torch along to three other bloggers.

My first blogger is Robin the Decorating Tennis Girl.  Robin and I 

started blogging right around the same time.  We quickly became good

friends.   We have a lot in common.  We are both only children, have

a passion for old TV shows like the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Bewitched

and That Girl.  We also are old movie fans too and watch our favorites

over and over again.  We consider each other to be sisters and always

know what the other one is thinking.  We love old houses and a

traditional decorating style and somehow always end up buying the

same thing without the other knowing in advance.  It is almost 

freaky!

Secondly is Karen of Brayton Homestead Interiors.  Karen has a

little Yorkie just like my Bentley and her's is named Krumpet.  We

have known each other for several years now.  She is also an interior

designer by trade and loves France as much as I do.  

And finally my dear friend Sarah of Hyacinths For the Soul.  Sarah

is a fellow Texan and has been such a good friend to me 

throughout my move from Idaho back to the Lone Star State.

As with Robin and Karen, we always seem to be on the same

page and ours is an easy and comfortable friendship.  Also like

me, her dog is her constant companion as well.

What I love about all three of these women is that home and

family come first.  They all like to live simple lives with the

emphasis on quality and not quantity.  And most importantly

they make the truest of friends.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My Hand Painted Tiny Table

Years ago I found a little round table at a thrift shop.  It was stained a dark

brown and was not very appealing in that color, but it had such pretty 

lines that I could not pass it up.  I decided to paint it a soft blue and added

some hand painted flowers and flourishes to compliment the lines.

I painted tiny little rose buds around the edges and added the flourishes with

gold craft paint.

I kept it for a while in my cottage and then gave it to my Mom for her

guest room back in Idaho after we decided to go with a blue theme there.

Now it is back again with me once more.

I love these pretty little turned legs.  It's such a feminine piece and

I think it's shape has such a cottage feel to it.  I am not exactly sure 

how I will use it yet, but use it I will because I think it's cute and it

holds lots of fond memories for me.

Metamorphosis Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Blue Monday

Tweak It Tuesday

Inspire Me

We had a heat advisory yesterday and I expect we will  have

one today too.  Bentley will be going out only very briefly today.

Too hot for the pup!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Houston Shopping Trip

Yesterday David and I drove to Houston for a shopping adventure ~ aka

browsing.  We went to Highland Village which is a lovely mecca for

shopping enthusiasts and big time browsers like me ;-)  We stopped in

Williams Sonoma.  I can never pass one up ~ and look what I saw …

a gorgeous LaCornue range in yellow!

Ooh La La!  

I own a Viking which I love.  In fact, my Viking and my kitchen back in

Idaho were featured in Viking Life Magazine.  I will never trade that 

baby in, but oh isn't this so pretty to look at!

And the hood.  I love the subway tile too.

What could possibly be better?  This range in red!!!

On a smaller scale and at a lower price point is this adorable range.

Don't let it's small stature fool you.   You will still have to come up with over

$8,000 for this diminutive darling! Sigh ...

But what I did order is this …

via

the Churchill leather chair from Restoration Hardware in Vintage Oxblood.  

Unfortunately I could not find a photo of this chair in oxblood.  It is a 

special order.  The leather here is called Vintage Cigar I believe.  The oxblood 

is more of a burgundy.  We won't have it until mid September.  It will be 

David's chair for the family room.  It is so comfy.  It's a perfect fit for him

and it swallows me up which I love.

And …

via

we ordered this ottoman to go with it.  Although I don't want to

wish summer away, I am excited about having this new chair

and ottoman in our home.  I think I will have to stay away from

Highland Village for a while until I refill my piggy bank!

Have a happy Sunday everyone!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Y'All Stop By

I'm hanging around the cottage today fluffing, doing laundry, making

out my grocery list.  Friday tasks.  

I like to have everything done so that when David comes home

we can just have a nice, relaxing weekend.

We'll just walk past the living room and head through the hall into

the family room.  

Sit down and make yourself comfy.  I'll go get us some sweet tea.

You can watch the end of Mrs Miniver with me.  I love old movies.

Sometimes I will watch a movie just to see the houses and they way

the rooms are decorated.  I think I will go make some popcorn.  What

movie do you want to watch next?  Rebecca?  Mr Blandings Build His

Dream House?  Leave Her to Heaven?  Pillow Talk?  We have about

four hours before David gets home and teases us about watching 

movies all afternoon:-)

Have a happy Friday!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Christmas in July Tea Party

After days and days of 90 plus degree temps with high humidity our 

typical Texas Gulf Coast July weather makes it easy to think about

the cool days of December.  So I created a Christmas in July Tea table

out on the back porch.

Of course at the rate summer is flying by, it will be Christmas before

I know it.  I am already seeing back to school ads.  Do you remember

when you were little and summer seemed to last forever?  

I found this Christmas bird house at Hobby Lobby last fall.  It is so

adorable I am glad I had an excuse to bring it out again.  I do love that

store.  I am always finding something there.  David teases me about it.

I filled an old tool box with little boxes of red and green.  I think that tool

boxes are one of my all time favorite decorating accessories.  So versatile.

This teapot has been in the family forever.  It's one of my favorites too.

What fun it has been to think of the joyous Christmas season!  

Would you prefer hot tea or iced sweet tea?

Tablescape Thursday

Show and Tell Friday

Christmas in July Party

Home Sweet Home

Bentley ~ I think that lizards must take naps in the winter

because I don't remember seeing any last December.

Do you remember seeing any?  

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Favorite Collectibles

I love to hunt for vintage photo frames.  I think they add a touch

of charm to a space and a chance to really showcase a loved one.

These two pics are of Bitterman ~ my very first Yorkie.  He was such a

little gentleman.  He stole my heart.  Then came Binkie and now

Bentley.  Y'all know how much I love him and have loved all three.

Another favorite collectible is the demijohn.  Because of their versatility and

probably because of retailers like Pottery Barn and Ballard Design, they tend

to be pricey.  You have to really hunt to find a good bargain here.

But their rich texture and old world look brings charm to any corner.

What's It Wednesday

Home and Garden Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

We seem to be collecting lizards out in our gardens.

I'm all for it because they eat bugs.  Bentley on the

other hand has no interest in collecting lizards ;-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My Husband May Shoot Me ~ But ...

When we moved into this house I promised my hubby that I would not

paint the paneling in the family room.  Even though it is a dark room, I

have come to love it's men's club coziness.  Yet I still think there need

to be a few lighter touches in the room so it is not all stained wood

everywhere.

David had a last minute overnight business trip and I decided to paint

the vintage French country drum table that is between two comfy

slipcovered chairs in what we lovingly call the "library" section

of the room.  It's a pretty piece but never really showed up

against all that stained wood.  So …

Here it is now painted a soft sage green.  I still have to distress it, but 

decided to show it to you in this state because I have decided to paint

a vintage dresser in this room too.  I am painting it the same soft sage

and will distress both at the same time.  I hope that David does not

mind too much.  He's not into painted pieces as I am.  

Disclaimer ~ no he won't shoot me, but I can imagine there

will be some shoulder shrugging ;-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Look What's New

A couple of weeks ago I was browsing on ebay and I found this cute

gingham pitcher by Crown Burslem.  It is still wearing it's little

Union Jack sticker which I plan to peel off but thought it would be

fun in the pic.  I love gingham and can never pass it up.  It was

a bargain too which always seals a deal.

Then I was in Hobby Lobby on Saturday on a completely different mission

when I saw this cute sign marked 50% off.  It was the last one ~ quickly

into my cart it went.

So now I  have a new vignette on the top of my old thrift shop dresser.

Sometimes things just come together by chance.  Or is it the little

decorating fairies that just put things in my path???

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Mod Mix Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Blue Monday

Show and Share

Knick of Time Tuesdays

Tweak It Tuesday

The Scoop

Inspire Me

Wake Up Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Cottage Style Party

Bentley had a wonderful weekend!  He chased lizards and

squirrels.  Sat in his Daddy's lap and watched the British 

Open.  Ate some grilled skirt steak and scrambled eggs

too.  Pulled all of his toys out and enticed us to play with

him.  He cuddled and went on long evening walks with

his Momma.  That dog knows how to live life large!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

On A Misty Morn

Every morning I let Bentley outside when it's early and misty.

The high humidity from the night before still lingers in the air

surrounding everything on the porch with a hazy and magical

mist.  All is quiet except for the melodies of the birds.

I love this hour.  The day greets me with the promise of creative

opportunities.

With the promise of enjoying my family and friends.

With the promise of daydreams.

With the promise of fluffing the cottage and homespun pleasures.

With the promise of long walks with Bentley

With the promise of potting a new plant.

Simple pleasures.

And being thankful.

Home Sweet Garden Party

Have a happy and blessed Sunday everyone!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley