Date Night Pink

Our lives have been very hectic lately.  My husband and I have had

very full schedules and really need a date night.  I have decided that

tonight is the night.  I'm planning a quiet evening at home with flowers,

candlelight, some wine and a calorie friendly meal.  A time where we

can talk and laugh and share our week.

I'm planning on a bubble bath and a little pampering to put me in the mood for

date night.

I really need to give myself a manicure too.  I love to wear a soft pink polish.  I think

it's pretty and it is not so obvious when it chips.  No matter how careful I am, my 

polish always chips.

I think it's important to spend quality time with the ones you love.

If you are not married or have a significant other, you can still plan a date

night with a good friend or your kids, parents or maybe your furry friend.

We all need to pamper ourselves and those we love at the end of a

busy week.  Have a great weekend!

I am joining

Pink Saturday

Don't worry Bentley ~ Momma and Daddy will be staying home for
date night so you will be with us 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

Let's Fast Forward to Spring

I really can't complain.  We have not had a very cold winter, and

although the snow is covering the mountains just up the street from my

cottage, it has not snowed much down here in the valley.

That being said ...

I am itching to fast forward to spring.  This is the time of the year

when I am tired of down filled coats and wrapping up in scarves and

hunting for my mittens.  I want to be fluffing up my front porch and

leaving the doors wide open to allow Bentley to run freely in and out

of the house.  I want to plant pansies and start working in my garden beds.

But ...

I know it will be a few weeks before that can happen, so you will have

to indulge me as I play with a few things that remind me of spring.  I love

this rusty old trowel.  It is so much more handsome than a new one ~

don't you agree?

Show and Tell Friday

Pink Saturday

Bentley found his "Busy Bee" that he left out in the yard.  It is

almost like a new toy for him now because I think he forgot about it.

Apparently he's not too bummed that a Yorkie did not win the dog show.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

A Pink Palooza

Although the winter has been very mild so far for January, it's still

cold and gray with lots of rain.  I feel like I need a little bit of cheer so

let's have a ~ Pink Palooza!  A whole lot of happy pink pics.

A crystal bowl filled with pink carnations.

A sweet rose covered pink cup and saucer.

A galvanized metal planter filled with cottage pinkness.

An indoor pink picnic tea.  Whoops, I almost typed in Picnik because I 

love that photo editing site so much, even though we will be losing it.

And one of my favorite pink tea cups.

I feel happier already!  Okay ~ let's get more pink palooza at

Pink Saturday

and 

Friday Fun Link Up Party at Sugar Pink

Bentley ~ what do you think?  Shall we try to finish painting that

hutch today?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

From The Desk of Susan and Bentley

There are three desks in my cottage.  One belongs to my hubby and two of 

them are mine.  I use one desk for taking care of business ~ household 

accounts, taxes, the nitty gritty aspects of life.  But there is another desk ~

that's where dreams happen and creativity flows.  

I have collected lots of little things for this desk over the years.  Little things that make

me happy and encourage the dreaming to become reality.  It is probably no surprise to

you that most of these things are pink.

I have been fluffing up this little area of my cottage recently and will be showing

you more of it later.  Until then, this is my contribution for Pink Saturday.  I hope

that each of you have a spot in your cottage that makes your heart sing.  Bentley

is always in my lap when I am at my desk and that makes my heart sing too.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Heart You

A little surprise inside just for you!

Open the lid.

We heart you!

Bentley and I want you all to know how much we appreciate

your friendship!

We heart Pink Saturday too.

Bentley ~ I do believe your groomer is coming over today to give

you a trim.  Maybe she will bring Daisy with her.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

It Pays To Be Patient

Sometimes when I am shopping I come across a piece of furniture or a plate or

some fabric that I love, but think it is too expensive, so I pass it up.  That's how I

felt when I first saw this dish at a consignment shop.  Loved it, but thought to

myself ~ too pricey.  I set it back down and walked away, hoping that the price 

might be reduced, and if should sell before that happened it was just not

meant to be mine.

The other day I was in the same shop looking for a chandy for a remodel job when I 

spotted this dish once again and noticed the price was reduced.  This time it was a

bargain and I could not pass it up.  It pays to be patient!

Okay girls it's time for the first Pink Saturday for 2012!  

I'll share a little secret with you ~ Bentley has great patience!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Holiday Ice Skates

I started skating when I was very young.

All through elementary school and high school I went skating

on weekends with my friends.  I loved everything about it ~ the

crisp cold air, cute little skating skirts, hot chocolate by the fire

in the clubhouse.

I made this little ice skating ornament for the tree with pink laces

and a pink pom pom.

I have not skated for a while, but am hoping that there will be a

new pair of skates for me under the Christmas tree this year.  And 

tonight I will be watching The Bishop's Wife staring Cary Grant,

Loretta Young and David Niven.  I love the skating scene in that movie!

Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to visit ~

Pink Saturday

Bentley ~ maybe I could put you in a little puppy carrier and take you

skating with me.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My Tiny Pink Christmas Cottage

I have been in my studio creating once again.  Here is my tiny pink Christmas

cottage.  It is nestled in snow in "my little world".

I made it from the cardboard of a Ritz Cracker box.  Not to worry though,

in my little world the building codes are quite flexible.

I may need to add more houses and tiny shops and a church to keep

this little cottage company.  What do you think?

Now that construction is complete ~ I am off to visit Beverly for

Pink Saturday

Bentley ~ we have to go over to your Grandma's house to help her

decorate her Christmas mantel.  I bet she has some treaties for you!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Let the Christmas Decorating Begin!

I hope that everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.  We did!

Last night the kitchen was cleaned up and the china and silver safely

stored in the hutch.  And now ...

One of my favorite days of the year!  No, I'm not fighting the crowds at the mall!

But I am starting to pull out the Christmas decorations.  I have been itching to do

that, but I hold off until the day after Thanksgiving because I love to savor the 

specialness of each holiday!

Of course, I might run over to a few of my favorite antique shops to see if there is

something special to add to this Christmas holiday decorating!  Which reminds me ...

Tomorrow has been designated Small Business Saturday.   Please go visit the

independent shops in your area.  These small shop owners work hard to compete

with the big box stores and they often have such lovely merchandise and are

really happy to deliver great customer service.  Remember Kathleen Kelly's "The

Shop Around the Corner" in the movie "You've Got Mail"?  What a charming

shop that was and it was staffed with really knowledgeable people.

So there's your assignment ~ shop the small independent shops too!

So now that there are lots of leftovers in the fridge, a nip is in the air, and I

am all excited about decorating ~ I will leave you with this.  I have been 

dreaming of decorating my Mom's solarium all in pink and green for Christmas.

She does not know about this yet, so it will be a big surprise for her.  I will be

sharing it all with you each Pink Saturday in December!  In fact, I am headed

over to link this post up to Beverly's Pink Saturday and to visit the other

party goes to see their Christmas decorations!

In answer to your questions ~ yes Bentley had turkey yesterday!  He's 

napping right now but he will soon be helping me (watching me) bring the

Christmas decorations down from the attic.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

A Pink Surprise!

Hurry over to my Momma's other blog

Ash Tree Cottage Minis

for a Pink Surprise!

Momma told me to link up to

Pink Saturday

Love and Kisses,

Bentley

xxoo

What No Pink?

Not everything at Ash Tree Cottage is pink ...

Just ...

Some things!

Wishing all of my Pink Saturday friends a 

safe and happy Halloween!

Thank you Beverly for hosting another fun

Pink Saturday

Be sure to stop back for a visit later this weekend when

I'll be taking you on a tour of great Halloween decorations and

the big reveal of Bentley's very own pumpkin!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

A Pink Flowered Pumpkin

I have seen a lot of the decoupaged pumpkins everywhere, but I wanted to come

up with something special for Pink Saturday.

So I took a white pumpkin, my craft paints, some ribbon and a couple of 

artificial flowers and created my very own girly pink pumpkin.

I am going to take it over to my Mom's house because I think it will look

great in her solarium which is all white with touches of pink and green. 

Okay gals ~ lets go visit Beverly for 

Pink Saturday

Bentley ~ maybe I should paint another pumpkin for Daisy!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Faded Pinks

It's time to start changing out the pinks on my front porch.  Although I

love the soft muted colors, it's time to bring out the warmer more vibrant

colors for autumn and the winter months to come.

I still have some pink flowers in my pots on the steps leading to the porch, but it won't

be long before they will disappear with the colder nights.

But for now, I will enjoy the last of their beauty despite the falling

leaves surrounding them.

It's time for another Pink Saturday.  Let's go visit our friend Beverly!

Bentley has been having so much fun playing in his yard

during all the warm sunny days.  His toys are scattered around the 

yard ~ so cute!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Pinks in the Bath

A few weeks ago I discovered this pretty pink dishcloth at

Twigs and Twist created by a 90 something year old who 

has developed her own cottage industry.  You are never too old to

be an entrepreneur!

I thought it might look cute as a washcloth in the bath paired with pink rose soap in a 

pink and white transferware dish ...

With a pink nail brush from Crabtree and Evelyn.

What do you think?

It's time for Pink Saturday again.

Wow these weeks are really rolling by fast!

It's not supposed to rain quite as much today Bentley ~ better

run out in between the raindrops!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Dreamy Boudoir Pinks

Soft pinks in the boudoir ...

What could be dreamier?

Lots of excitement in my neighborhood ...

It's the annual Hyde Park Street Fair.  So before I rush

off to enjoy the fun, I will be visiting Beverly for

Pink Saturday

Bentley ~ Tina, your groomer is coming today to give you a 

bath and a haircut.  She is bringing Daisy her new Maltese puppy

along.  I think you will love her!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley