Cabin Is Turning Into Beach Cottage

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Remember the cabin we planned to build up in the mountains of 

Idaho?  Well although we still own the lot up there and have no 

intention of selling it, now that we are in Texas near the gulf coast

I am itching for a beach house.  I have fallen in love with the 

small coastal community of Rockport, Texas.  Now I just have to

figure out a way that I can have both ;-)

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Ah ~ sea breezes, seafood, beach combing, sand between your
toes ~ sheer bliss don't you agree?  So let's pretend that I can
find some cute little beach cottage and decorate it with salvaged
finds and treasures.

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Something modest and sweet that's my dream.  Every time I
mention beach house my husband David starts looking at beach
mini mansions.  For one thing we can't afford it and for another
even if we could, it's not what I want.  I want a little place that
is cute, fun, carefree and charming.

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Something like this.  Bright colors and lots of simple charm.
This is a cottage on Tybee Island.  That place has the corner on
charm.  Let's look at some more ...

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This just screams HAPPY!  I love it.  Okay, so now we have some
examples of the exterior we could create ~ now let's go inside our
pretend beach cottage and roll up our sleeves and get decorating!

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From the first time I saw pictures of Mary Kay Andrews'
beach cottage I knew I was in love.  It's warm and friendly and
has the kind of laid back lived in look I love.  Don't you just
love these colors???

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I love these lamps and shades.  Such fun.  It's hard to be
serious or sad in a place like this.  I could very easily
stretch out on this sofa with one of Mary Kay's books.

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A cute spot to hang your straw beach hat and a basket
of towels.  Imagine the possibilities for decorating.

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Of course now it's just a dream.  But we all have to start
somewhere don't we?  I hope y'all have sweet dreams tonight.
Dreams of places you long to be.  Happy dreams!

Nighty Night

Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

Dining Room Plans

Y'all have probably seen my dining room before.  I have not changed

much since I changed the color of the walls from mustard to a deep red.

But I am feeling that it needs some tweaking to make it feel more

complete.

The area on either side of the mirror over the sideboard looks a bit

lonely to me.  I am thinking about adding some framed prints to 

either side.  I remembered that I have this ...

it's a book of large Audobon prints that are suitable for framing.

I like this idea especially since we have so many birds in this area.

Do you think this would be a good idea or do you think I should 

carry on the equestrian theme that is in other areas of the house.

Fox hunting prints perhaps?

I also have these niches that are full of blue and white china.  I want

to find a way to introduce some more blue into the room so I was thinking

about adding a drapery panel on either side of the plantation shutters on

the window.  Something like a Jacobean print.

This is a terrible pic, I know, however you can get a sense of the 

space next to the window.  It just seems so blank and cold to me now.

I don't want to cover up the window at all because this is room is

north facing and tends to be dark.  The windows are are about nine

feet across and almost touch the floor.   I don't want to remove the

plantation shutters either because this room is on the side of the house

and since we are on a corner, it faces the street.  We want a bit of 

privacy.  So I thought a single panel drape on either side might 

soften it up a bit.  I saw some drapery panels in the current Pottery

Barn catalog that are in the Jacobean pattern.  

I think I will replace this rug too, perhaps with a seagrass one.  This

current one so dark and it's down on top of dark stained hardwoods.

Oh well, little by little I will get there.  

That's it for today.  Bentley and I are headed back out to work in 

the garden.  It is beautiful outside today!  I hope you are having

lovely weather too.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

I Have Cake

I am completely speechless.  Very unusual, just ask my hubby.

But I have cake!

Don't know what's wrong with me.  Can't focus on any one thing at

the moment.  Maybe it's spring fever.  I'll try to get my act 

together and finish something.  But right now all I want to do is

goof off.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Brenda Needs Our Help!

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Here's our girl friend Brenda with her pups Abi and Charlie.  Y'all know

her from her wildly popular blog Cozy LIttle House.  Brenda is in a pickle

and needs some assistance with her big move starting on Friday April 11th.

She has been such a good friend to so many of us and now is the chance

for her readers in and around Tulsa to give her a hand because she ...

Is Moving!

Having survived my own cross country move last August, I can tell you

that moving is an arduous task even in the best of circumstances.  Brenda is 

having a hard time accomplishing this task and as I learned early in life,

many hands lighten the load.  So I am appealing to any of you in the Tulsa

area who can give Brenda a hand, we will both be eternally grateful.  Now 

she does not know that I am asking you for help.  This is my own idea.  One 

thing I know for sure is that when we girl friends put our minds to it we

can move mountains!  So all you gals in Oklahoma, go show your

spirit of friendship and help out one of our own.  

You can read more about this move here.

Galations 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ

Seasonal Sundays

Thank You!
Susan and Bentley

Decorating For Easter

Easter is just seventeen days away and I have not put

out any decorations yet.   I often have to go through old

photos to see what I have done in years past.

I am not sure what we will do for dinner or brunch this year.

In the past we always went to Mom's house.  But this year

it will be just the two of us and Bentley of course.

We will go to church of course, but then what?  Should we have

dinner at home?  Or should be go out for brunch?  We like to go to

our club for Sunday brunch but since we did not live here last

year I don't even know if they will be serving on Easter Sunday.

Or maybe if we should pack up a picnic and drive down to the beach.

It will be different this year.

We will just have to start a new tradition.  Maybe we should hide dog

treats around the yard for Bentley.  What are your traditions?

Show and Tell Friday

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley