Organizing My Office

I have been organizing my office.  I have so many files and design inspirations clipped 

from here and there.  So many books to leaf through and to search for decorating ideas.

Last week I mentioned to our carpenter Brad, that I wanted some crates.  I told him

what I wanted and he went into his workshop and started creating for me.  Each one

is slightly different.  He uses recycled wood and lumber scraps for every unique crate.

When I saw this one, I just knew it was meant to crate some of my many

design and decorating books.  I love it's old chippy look.  It's so primitive

looking ~ and I love that!  I painted it a celery green color and added some

wonderful graphics from our own Graphics Fairy.  I think this vintage French

Chocolat label is so very charming.  Can't wait to start organizing all of my

books in this crate.

I will be showing you some more crates this week.  I am thinking about

selling them and filling special orders.  Let me know what you think.

I am joining ~

Monday Market Place

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

and

Table Top Tuesday

Okay Bentley ~ help me pick out some designs for a crate for all

of your many toys!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Tartan Me Up Scotty!

I have always been crazy about plaid and Scottie dogs too.

My very first dog when I was a little girl was a Scottie named

Bonnie Heather MacGregor.  She always wore a tartan leather collar

imported from England. Tartans and Scotties are a match

made in heaven. 

Since those early days, I have collected every form of plaid.

Lunch boxes, coolers, picnic ware, plates, jammies, suitcases and more.

I guess you could call me Tartan crazed, so when I heard about

the four day Tartan Parade, I just knew I would join in on the fun.

I asked my lead carpenter to make some crates for me (crates are my

newest passion) and I painted one red and added a vintage 

Scotty fruit crate label.  I think much of the tartans will end up in

our cabin up north as will this crate.  Can't wait to see what others

are sharing this Sunday!  Let's go visit some friends ~

The Polo House

Sarah's Blog

Upstairs Downstairs

Vignette Design

and

Seasonal Sundays

Bentley looks good in tartan too!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Primping the Front Porch For Spring

I am always so anxious to decorate my front porch when spring arrives.

Unfortunately it has been very breezy and it has been raining most every day.

So all I have been able to do so far is gather up the elements.

I painted and decoupaged this old TV tray.  I showed you that a few days

ago.  I think it will be fun to use for serving iced tea, etc.

Birdcages and cachepots.

I painted my Grandmother's old cranberry scoop and filled it with some

artificial ivy for now.  I need to get to the garden shop for the real thing.

Oh, and I added this little thrift shop plate too.  I plan to hang the scoop on

the wall behind Grandma's old rocker.

Several years ago I hand painted this little bird house.  It has weathered and aged

and I think I like it better now than I did when it was freshly painted.

That's all for now.  Can't wait to put all the elements together and present

the reveal.  Have a great weekend!

It's time for my favorite party of the week ~

Pink Saturday

Bentley, let's stay inside and clean the house today.  Maybe if the 

rain lets up this afternoon, we will walk over to that new flower shop

called Blooms.  I am so anxious to see it!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

A Bunny Breakfast Tray

Bunnies abound in the spring and I love them.  I also seem to be

focused on breakfast trays these days.  Remember my Rise and Shine

Breakfast Tray from a recent post?  

Maybe I am hoping that someone will serve me breakfast in bed (hint, hint).

So I was inspired to create a bunny tray for a happy breakfast to get you

hopping out of bed.  I used a floppy eared bunny bookmark to keep the

vintage silver in place.

I love this pale blue hobnail glass.  I found it for pennies at a garage sale a

few years ago.  I am glad that someone decided to give it up because

it has become a treasure in my cottage.  It will make a great vase for the

lily of the valley popping up in my Mom's garden too.

Here is Mrs. Rabbit rocking her babies.

Stay tuned for more spring decorating.  You never know where more

bunnies will be turning up.

Hopping over to visit ~

Tablescape Thursday

Home and Garden Thursday

Open House Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Time Travel Thursdays

Show and Tell Friday

Home Sweet Home

Potpourri Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration

Farmhouse Friday

and

Inspiration Friday

Bentley does not want any bunnies in his yard.  He chases them just

like he chases squirrels and cats.  So all of the bunnies around here

are just for show.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Tools of the Spring Trade

A couple of weeks ago I found this adorable vintage tool box.  I don't

think that there is a vintage wood tool box that I don't like.  So, of course

this one just had to come home with me because I knew I could find so

many ways to use it.

I could not wait to fill it with bunnies and chicks and Easter eggs for a

spring centerpiece.

After Easter has passed, I think I will fill it with little pots of 

herbs and flowers and put it on the front porch.  

Or ... maybe the back porch.

Table Top Tuesday

Your Cozy Home Party

Tuesday's Treasures

and

Wow Us Wednesday

This vintage tool box would work for some of your dog toys

too Bentley.  Your toys are scattered in every room of the house!

Now if I could just teach you to put them away.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley