~sleigh bells ring are you listening?~

Good morning bloggy friends!

I've been listening to Christmas music for a good couple weeks now!

and when I looked at these pictures again......

they totally reminded me of this song

 and

~happiness~

sleigh bells ring....are you listening?

in the lane...snow is glistening....

a beautiful site

we're happy tonight

walking in a winter wonderland

gone away is the bluebird

here to stay is a new bird

he sings a love song

as we go along

walking in a winter wonderland....

{pause.....do you have any idea how hard it is not to comment on these pictures???}

in the meadow we can build a snowman

and pretend that he is Parson Brown

he'll say: are you married?

we say: no man

-pause-

{you do recall my love of brown packing paper.....or bags....especially w/ red & white ribbon......

and OH MY HEAVENS....I love those tags!!!probably pop out the generic white ones & replace

w/ red paper???? cuuuuuute!}

-o.k. back to the music-

but you can do the job when you're in town......

later on, we'll conspire

as we dream by the fire

to face unafraid

the plans that we've made...

walking in a winter wonderland

have a fabulous day friends!

Shellagh

{photos by woman's day, except second to last country living}

~I need a little Christmas~

Good Morning bloggy friends!

weather alert......after many days of rain

rain

and more

rain.......

The sun is shining!!!

hooray!

You know that song,

"I need a little Christmas right this very moment,

candles in the window, carols at the spinet..."

that's me today....

So here's a little Christmas

~wow, huh? cozy and lovely....

love the major chippy cabinet...barely any paint left

~

you know, I have a dresser like that....

sitting out in my garage....

I removed most the paint

and was so overwhelmed

by how difficult was!!!

I stopped.

?

I feel some inspiration coming on......

moving along...

not really Christmas but there is snow.....

so it qualifies

here ya go.....more Christmas.

I really love wrapping packages

in brown packing paper.

but

have any of you ever tried to convince your children

that this is better than Frosty the Snowman paper??????

it's a losing proposition....

Now

I have a question for you!

let me 'splain first....

for the last several years

I have had my tree & a kiddy tree

you know where this is going?

So my sweet 9 year old Allie

is asking me.....

"Mom...do we have to have the fancy tree in the living room this year???"  The one that we can't put our stuff on? ouch.

seriously.....ouch....

Ok...to my defense

we have had a tree in our family room

{where we spend 90% of our time}

that the kids can decorate any way they want!

~

is this not enough?

must I relinquish the fancy tree as well?

~

ok...that was my question for you

how do all of you do this?

I know you have fabulous trees out there

vintage ornaments & all! :)

it's a little bit of a balancing act...

to create the home we love

decor & all

all a certain way, with a certain theme...

and the sweet little child.....

one of several whom you are creating the home for...

~

throws a monkey wrench into it.

~

with that little tiny question......

are we taking enough time to relish in the wonder

of Christmas seen through the eyes of a child?

I know I could definitely do a better job....

~ 

a little less stressed about the 'clean house'

a little more enjoying the mess of baking...

~

a little less worrying about the frosting going on perfect

a little more letting them "do it themselves"

even

on

 the trays of cookies to give away.......

after all....

our kids don't remember how clean the house was...

they remember the love they felt

they don't remember the pile of laundry on the bed...

they remember snuggling up & watching a movie together

and the memories created...

behold our little ones....

Till Next time...

Shellagh

p.s.  I almost forgot to show you
 my latest pillow design...

ya' like it?

here's a close up of the vintage lace

the very top w/ a tiny vintage button on the pleat

and here's a picture of the back~

(if interested, the pillow is in my Etsy shop)



thanks for coming by today! xoxo

{most pics by country living...a couple from an unnoted source...oops)

~Ticking and Toile Vintage Home Goods~

Good afternoon Bloggy Friends!

I hope everyone is well out there!

I wanted to let you all know that I've added a few items to my Etsy shop!

a couple pictures...

a lovely vintage wool blanket/throw

and a couple pieces of vintage milk glass

These make the prettiest holiday centerpiece~

They look gorgeous stacked w/ the little one on top

filled w/ greenery & ornaments...

and some frogs.....

not the leaping kind....

:)

So have a look around....

there's more to come...

stuff I've been creating...

it's just taking a little longer than I thought...

Till Next Time!

Shellagh

~it's all about the stairs~

 Thank you for all the kind comments and

concern for my sick daughter, Kenzie!

I thought for sure she had the flu, but

her soar throat wasn't getting any better.  And when the flu-like

symptoms went away and the soar throat didn't... I thought I better

get her tested for strep.

and

sure enough it came back positive...

So she's on antibiotics & already feeling better...it's actually

a relief to know what it is & that it can be treated! 

so what else has been on my mind??

Stairs!  

You are all by now probably familiar with my house projects and projects and projects...

but one of the latest projects looming is our stairs!

I wish the stairs in the picture were ours!

they are not....

But, here's where you come in!

{I would love your feedback......}

I love these stairs...

I love the color, the farmhouse...cottage-y feel

and especially

the painted wood walls!

*

am I daring enough to go for it?

*

before you answer....have a look at some more ideas...

I really like these too.  I like the painted risers & the stained stairs.

I wonder about how well painted stairs would hold up to kids & such...?

These above are probably a little more practical & do-able.

Painted stairs would likely end up shabby & worn

similar to these above 

but...

do we really care about that?

isn't that kinda what we are all liking?

am I going to be ok with that? or am I going to feel like

I need to repaint??? you know the natural man in me....

on these...what I really like is the rustic timber on the edge.

I'm not a big fan of the 'light blue everything else'

but I'm thinking that could possibly be a way to

sneak some rustic wood into my home.

I found this on apartment therapy.  Kinda like the metal signs.

This is a recent revamp from

Just Beachy

It's kinda fun to number the steps huh?

here's another example

I'm really liking the painted stair runner with the numbers.

I like the stenciled stairs too.

I really like the saying on these.

I really like this too, there is a part of me that would love

to paint our upstairs hallway wood floor & carry it down the stairs

It would give our home a definite farmhouse feel to do this.

especially with our narrow hallway & stairwell!!!

and lastly, we could always do all wood....?

but I don't think I'm feeling that.

I'm feeling a little more painted- ish.

ok that wasn't the last....I'm still contemplating....

I guess I'm really feeling a bit wishy-washy.....

wanna help?  leave your opinion....

then I'll focus on something else....

like my craft sewing room redo and

my sewing projects, and

the master bedroom, and

the master bath, oh

and don't forget the main upstairs bath

and...and...and...

oh and yeah Thanksgiving & Christmas.......

it's time

to

get out 

the

Christmas

decorations.....

I am excited..really...seriously I am, it's just dragging them out of the attic

no what I really mean is having hubby drag them out of the attic....

I'm sure he'll be thrilled anxious to do that for me :0)

Till next time!

Shellagh

~kitchen yummies for you~

Good afternoon bloggy friends!

The sun is actually peaking through the clouds in the Pac NW! Truly a rare treat anytime after November 1st!  I'm not sure why I feel the need to give a weather report at the beginning of my posts.....hmmmm. 

 Anyway...

I've been working on some things lately....some things to share with you soon.......but not..... yet....

so until I have "the goods" to show, I thought you might enjoy a few kitchen yummies...

Here's what I'm loving about this kitchen...that fabulous clock!

and the chippy pale of flowers and that awesome light/lamp/chandy!

l o v e the simple-ness of it....

Seriously......I so love this kitchen....do you think

I'm crazy?  the beat up cabinet holding the sink?  really? 

really!

the range definitely looks commercial

and the little floral picture is so cute....

and

I love the sweet simple window treatment...

rustic chippy everything.. w/ a chandelier...

nothing more to say....

how about a skirted island? I like it.

and I'm always a sucker for saltillo tile floors.

I know "sucker" is not a very nice word, but it just seemed to fit....sorry mom.

how about a skirted everything?? I am liking it too.

the brick walls are amazing

and

the wood countertops are gorgeous

and

the exposed beam ceiling?

love it all.....

I need this in my kitchen....

more brick love

and

um, floor love.

My favorite....

straight from the french countryside...

stone floors, plaster walls

and

hanging herbs and such.....it's killing me....

anyone have some lavender I can dry out?

my insane blackeyed susan's my other perennials

choked out my lavender this last summer......

OK...I lied...this is my new favorite....

it's the light blue cabinet at the end...I need it.

and

the range w/ that fabulous  little work table next to it.

need that too.

I know it's not a kitchen, 

 but in the same file & too wonderful not to share...

you know how I love my pea gravel...

~ ~ * ~ ~

that's it for today friends...gotta go check on my lovey...

my sweet Kenzie-girl is down with a fever & soar throat...

this is her this last spring

helping her mom plant 100 boxwoods....

every 12 inches on center...:-} oh the memories of the projects we do....smiles.

Till next time

and I hope you & your families stay well.

Shellagh

{first 3 photos: country living, the rest from ?? oops, not noted on my file.....}

~kreativ blogger award~

Thanks so much for the nominations! 

Two wonderful bloggy friends have awarded me this
within days of each other

Cindy from http://cottageinstincts.blogspot.com/, and
  Lisa from http://www.recapturedcharm.com/

Please check out their incredible blogs....

Cindy's is so beautiful.... right when the page starts to load,

you know you're in for a treat ~ her dining room makeover
 (click here to see)

is totally amazing and serious eye candy.

and

Lisa has got to be the busiest person I know....

I am always astounded everytime I see yet another fabulous project she finishes!!

click here to see one of my favorites~

It is really so wonderful to be a part of this blogging community!

I have met so many terrific women who never cease to
amaze and inspire me.

Every new follower and every single comment makes me smile :-}

I think we all need the little motivation and encouragement
 that we get from each other....

the little nudge to keep trying, and the sweet comments to say "great job!"

on that note....now I can share with you 7 things you

definitely don't know because it's too embarrassing....

might not know about me....

 ~ ~*~ ~

1)  I don't like to shop for clothing....

I would much rather go to Lowe's or Home Depot....

and that is the reason I only own 2 pairs of jeans....scary I know.

2)  Regarding the "only 2 pairs of jeans..."

those get made into cut offs at the beginning of each summer
and become my gardening gear.......

3)  My hair "style" is a ponytail on most days....ok all days..

4)  I listen to talk radio roughly 4-5 hours a day...

(until the kids get in the car and/or come home and begin to protest) and
watch less than 1/2 hour of TV a day and rarely
use the computer (I know, I know.. the computer thing was an outright LIE! :) ) 

5)  I tore out all the grass in our backyard.....

if you are wondering if I did this while my hubby was at work...........well....ok.......you're right...

  but he did come home at lunch to load up the sod cutter for me in the trailer....that thing is heavy....and in case

any of you are wondering if he ever runs out of  patience...... you are right... I'm on strict orders  not  to tear up, or tear out, or dismantle anything until further notice...

(you can look here for other mischief I've gotten into over the last 5 years...)

6)  I'm horrified at the site of spiders AND my dear sweet hubby

HAS had to come home from work to kill (sorry sometimes being put outdoors isn't good enough... ) one for me...

and I've had several neighbors and my daughters rescue me as well..pathetic I know.

7)  We watch Home Alone I and II all throughout the year

and

start listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween.

Well, there you have it.....now here's what I do:

~thank the person who nominated me for the award
~copy the logo and place it on my blog
~link to the person who nominated me
~list 7 things people may not know about me
~nominate 7 creative bloggers
~post their links
~leave a comment on each

 ~ ~*~ ~

Here are my nominees:

1)  Lanette @ Cottage Elements
her blog is FULL of fabulous inspiration and eye candy~

2)  Cheryl @ Fields of Linen and White
I just found her and literally my heart skipped a beat when her page opened~
Her header picture is just divine & all the pictures are JUST my style~

3) Tina @ Cherry Hill Cottage

I just found her blog and it is so beautiful! The pictures of her home are incredible~

Serious talent over there~

4)  Lisa @ Tarnished and Tattered

Her blog is full of fun, old, and "tarnished and tattered"

lovely things! She's an amazing artist AND a mom to triplets born in '05!

5)  Cathy @ Mille Fleur

She is truly one of the sweetest persons I've met in bloggy land.  Her blog

is full of wonderful photos.  From decor to dinner ~ every post is a real treat!
and be sure to enter her Williams Sonoma giveaway!!

6)  Kathleen @ Faded Charm

Her blog is full of very cool vignettes & displays.  Her home is gorgeous.....

I love her style!!!

she's local and having a sale in a couple weeks that I get to go to!!! :-}

7)  Cori @ Starview Sonnet

I'm sure you've all met the kind of person who is like a ray of sunshine?! 

Well this is Cori ~ She is fabulous & her posts are always delightful!

Till Next Time!

Shellagh

~wingback slipcover DONE~

good morning bloggy friends!

I have been sooooo anxious to finish my latest big little project!

getting the loveseat slipcover done (click here to see) really motivated me to finish it all

and that meant the wingback chair....

(I'll tell you about the pillow later)

Ok I  know think my family is really ready for me to be done

 w/ such slipcover "excursions"

I call it an excursion because it takes me away from all reality

& normal mom / wife duties until I finish.....

don't worry the kids & hubby were fed..barely...the laundry was done..mostly..the house stayed somewhat together sort of  (unless you consider pins & lint & fabric strewn all over 2 or 3 rooms for a week a problem....)

Ok yes we ran out of groceries mid week & ate.... um....interesting combinations....

but while the project sits there in rags & pins

I am pretty much consumed with it every waking moment....

and there simply is not time to mess around at the grocery stores when

I need to finish!!!! 

BUT

girls....

I am done.

NO......this is not the finished product!

this is the fabulous, loveliness that

has sat in my living room for months.......and months...

this is the before

I was actually going to post a tutorial on this whole process

but I had a total of 112 pictures.....

and thought that might be a lot little much...

but I can certainly bore show you some of the process...(if you'd like to look it over....)

the fabric above is a twin matelasse coverlet

 (that I almost sold in our yard sale for $5!!!)

I am sooo glad no-one wanted it for the stiff 5 bucks I was asking!

 I was trying to figure out what fabric to use .... I knew I didn't want white linen for all the furniture...

but I knew I wanted neutral... is there anything else?

so I started rummaging around in the little fabric I had left over from the yard sale.  I was definitely in one of those 'get rid of everything moods' for that sale....

and I found the coverlet 

and

~so it begins~

this is how it starts...cut out a piece bigger & longer than the front back

make sure it tucks in nice & lays flat

and start adding to it

one piece at a time

you do a lot of fitting & pinning

I like to pin everything together inside out & then turn it around periodically to check the fit

 when you turn it around you can see where you need to make adjustments

you make piping

lots of piping....

you sew piping

you pin piping

you sew on piping

you run out of piping

you make more piping

you buy more cording

you make more piping

you pin piping

you see a pattern here?

can you see the coordinating fabric I used for the back?

it's cream denim

I really wanted to use burlap for the backside because I love

the way that looks....but I was really concerned about how

it

would

wash

up.

so I figured this was the next best thing

Now I don't want you to be mislead into thinking this project 

didn't require the same amount of customary trips to a certain fabric store

where grouchy very helpful employees are always willing to help and with a.....um....smile...

And

I don't want you to imagine that I simply strolled in there and got my 2 yards of cream denim fabric off the bolt sitting on the rack...like that would be so normal and easy.

no

I will not let you imagine such a simple process

because

that is not what happened............

not at the only fabric store in town fabric store I go to.

so

here it is in a nutshell....3/4 yard on the bolt...so "ma'am you need to take a number & stand in this very long line to ask if there is anymore anywhere..in back or whatever....so I stand in line for 15 minutes so I can have the pleasure of asking my question ask my question.  Then no there is no more fabric...(of course) "do you want just this amount?" said she.  "no, it's not enough" said I.

oh great I'm thinking  now what will I do & more importantly:

 how long is this going to set me back??? don't they know how extremely important this project is?

I mean...I need to finish it now..................um ok not really but I want to!

but then the heavens opened & a dear sweet lady (who deserves a raise)

~helped me~

"let me check in back for a comparable fabric...ok?"

music to my ears

"thank you kind dear, I love you" is what I'm thinking

.....and she found some...... (choirs of angels singing)

so I got 1/2 cotton duck & 1/2 cream denim for the sides & back of my chair. 

the fabric actually looks identical, the denim is just a bit softer.

ok

on w/ the slipcover.

working on the arms towards the end

attaching the back 

measuring & cutting seat cushions

pinning & piecing together the sides

~

and before you know it...

no after many many hours...

it's finished!!

I used vintage linen napkins on the pleats...kind of fun ... they had the same color trim as the coverlet so I lucked out.

finished side panel w/ the skirt on

front view w/ skirt

wing w/ two coordinating fabrics

OK....now the official after....

what do you think?

I like it.  I like the color & the texture w/ the rest of my linen furniture

wait...did you notice the little pillow at the very beginning??

I took your advice & made a couple burlap pillows

to go with the white linen

do you like the crocheted edge?

~~~~

There it is friends.....

Thanks so much for coming by today!

See you next time.

Shellagh