~anybody out there?~

Well hello there my friends.....

it has been quite awhile

I am still here :)

how about a little bathroom eye candy

while I catch you up on life....

{photo credit decorpad.com}

it's been over 4 years since I posted last...

and honestly just about if not certainly

the hardest 4 years of my life

not to be too dramatic...

just honest....

{photo credit classyclutter.net}

...it has been several years of transition

for this mama....

children graduating high school

going to college

serving missions

aka leaving the nest....

wow...what a heart wrenching experience

it has been for me...

but I am learning to cope...

learning to let go...

and realizing they aren't gone forever...

let's go back to some eye candy before this gets too deep...

{photo credit French Country Cottage}

oh do I love Courtney's style at French Country Cottage...

its simply   a  m  a  z  i  n  g!

so if the kiddos growing up was the

(I have one kiddo still in high school...senior year....) 

only major life change

and upheaval I was experiencing,

I would say wonderful!

oh...loving the paint finish here...
{photo credit Tidbits and Twin}

but we combine that with going back to work

full-time....

to a very stressful job unfortunately

commuting an hour or more each way, in horrid traffic
dealing with Mr Ticking and Toile's career upheaval,

a couple major health challenges we won't go there now

and you have your ~general everyday

blogging disappearing act....

I tell ya....it's been one for the record books...
quite the challenging time in my life...

it has stretched me more than I 
thought possible...
and literally dropped me to my
knees ~ submitting to God....

knocking...pleading...
praying...
more than ever before...

He has been there...
He has lifted me...
and strengthened me....

because of Him I have been able
to get through these storms....

my faith is stronger
my marriage is stronger
and our family is stronger...

~*~

and I am on the upswing...

things are getting better...

and life is starting to even out a bit...

~*~

phew...time for a little more
eye candy....

{photo credit apartment therapy}

I am realizing I've never written any of
these thoughts down....
even though I have journaled in the past...
it's been a little too hard for me to even journal...

{photo credit Velvet and Linen}

none of us are immune from trials and challenges
in life...it's what we do when we're 
in the middle of them....

One of my favorite quotes....

so here I am...growing, stretching, and 
believing...

talking to my blogging buddies...

and resurfacing...

sharing the journey with you, my faith with you,

and my dreams with you... 

{photo credit Country Living}

I imagine us 
sitting at the kitchen table... 
flipping through decorating magazines, 

talking about life...laughing, crying,
and strengthening...

and in the middle of it...
getting distracted with eye candy...

and dreaming of what we're gonna do next...


what fun projects to embark on...

recipes to try...

gardens to plan...
and dreams to fulfill

{photo credit Werandacountry.pl}

so join me...
stop by...say hello
and sit for a spell...

let's reconnect...

thanks for stopping by...

see you soon...

xoxo,

Shellagh

~well, hello there!~

Hello hello!!!

Where in the world have I been?

via pinterest

some of you have been so sweet,

inquiring.......  

checking in on me to make sure I'm 

still around....:)

via pinterest

well no worries.....

all is well!! :) :)

I took an unplanned break....

and because I'm kinda boring like

that, I don't even have a good excuse...

It's my same ole' story....

holed up in my work room.....

work work work work work.....

no time for decorating....{boooooo!!!!}

no time for projects....{bonus for Mr. T & T}

no time for housekeeping...

{just knock down a cobweb every now & then...and wipe down 

counters once a day....}

or grocery shopping...

{thank goodness for a teenager who can drive & for 

my girls who love nothing better than "a party in the grocery store" while

doing the grocery shopping for mom!!! :) }

or cooking

{it's a good thing I've been training them since they were wee little girls

to cook!! cuz they've done their fair share!!}

or

 personal hygiene

{good grief~ my roots are ridiculous.....you've heard of ombre

hair color right??? well I'm developing my new ombre style....}

or....

or....

or..........

via pinterest

I've been working 6 days a week for 

as long as I can remember....

at least 8 months I would say.....

yikes!

but what a huge blessing it is to

have my little

Ticking and Toile Linen Shoppe

{for those of you who haven't a clue what I'm talking

about!! :)}

it's been growing growing growing!!!

and I've been hanging on for the ride &

just trying to keep everything under

control!!! 

we just hired another seamstress....

so now I officially have 2 full-time

& 2 part time seamstresses....

and an on-call crocheter! :)

c.r.a.z.y.

but fun....but busy...

I did have the opportunity to be a part of the

Junk Salvation show

with Kathleen from Faded Charm

way back at the beginning of February...

she asked me to come, along with my

bedding & pillows & such... 

so I was able to display my linens on her

gorgeous vintage bed....

and hang around & chat with people,

and help Kathleen when the crowd was 

swarming...

{of course her booth was one of the best there!}

it was a lot of fun! 

and I met a lot of people who followed my blog :) :)

{and yes I felt soooo guilty for the recent lack of blogging....}

we created some new items for the show...

a couple union jack pillows....one is shown above

here's another: 

this one is my favorite...tattered & all...

and a new duvet cover....

lots of ruffles of course!! :)

and some new linen pillowcases with 

hand crocheted edges...

sooooo beautiful & soooo french country....

anyway...lots of fun stuff!!

if you'd like to take a closer look

click here and hop on over to my store...

I did have the amazing opportunity

to work in my garden beds yesterday....

via pinterest

first time in f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

it was 62 degrees out & sunny blue sky!

so I grabbed my gloves & clippers and

went to work!

it felt soooo good!

something so therapeutic about digging in the dirt

and listening to the birds sing....ahhhhhhhh :)

via pinterest

dreaming of lilacs blooming....

and clematis scrambling up the rose arbor....

via pinterest

spring is definitely on the way....

I love spring!

all the little plants poking their heads out

of the soil after a long nap....

so exciting......:)

I have so many plans this year....

like fine tuning my english garden....

love the allium shown above with

the boxwood hedge...

I've got the boxwood hedge just

not a certainty of what's going inside....

I've done veggies, petunias,

and a mix of everything...

but this year I think I want something

different.....

allium?

roses?

lavender?

via pinterest

ideas????

please share! :)

~*~

well I guess it's time to get back to work!

it's been so nice chatting with you this

morning & I promise I'll do better 

getting back on here!

fair warning though~ 

it may just be me rambling about life with 

some pretty pictures for you to look at :)

via pinterest

I hope your day is fantastic!!

xoxoxoxo,

Shellagh

btw....I do post every single day

on facebook!!!

so come over for some more inspiration!

~Christmas inspiration~

Hello everyone!!!!!

Seriously!

a disappearing act.....

I almost forgot my login....

it's been so long! :)

I have been so busy & just haven't

had much to share....

ya' know???

if I actually had time to decorate

my own house again.....I would definitely

be sharing more often!

{but I do post inspiring pictures on

facebook each day....so follow me over there

if you like!

click here for

Ticking and Toile on Facebook}

right now I'm just having fun helping other's 

decorate their homes right now! :)

{by means of my Ticking and Toile

Linen Shoppe, in case you aren't following

me!  My Etsy store found here}

most recently, my Michigan BFF Laurie,

from Heaven's Walk

dreamed up a tablecloth we made for her..

I love the way it turned out!!

I'm loving the double ruffles & the frayed edges...

Now if you don't know Laurie....you need to!

Here's her blog link so you can follow her...

she's a doll!

she is just amazing....

I am in love with her home, her garden &

she is just the sweetest!!

ok...back to Christmas...

today is the day for our family

to decorate!!!  Yay!!!!

lights are going up outside,

the tree is getting decorated inside,

as well as the rest of the house...

and bonus...it's sunny out!!

woo-hoo!

it's been raining all week so this

is a surprise!

right now I'm totally obsessed with

these skinny trees in buckets or baskets...

just love them!

but to find a tree like this around here

seems next to impossible....

everything is fat & bushy!

I need a Charlie Brown tree!! :)

although this little guy is a little fatter,

and looks totally adorable in an old box!

well....time to get going...

I've heard.....I am way behind on decorating....

I've heard....all the bloggers are already

showing their homes....

oh well!  wouldn't be the first time!! 

lol :)

I'm just excited to do it today!

How's your decorating coming??

if you're all done,

do not tell me....;)

if you're just starting...feel free

to leave a comment! lol :)

no seriously, I'd love to hear from you 

either way! 

Have a great weekend!!!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

{all images via Pinterest & found

here}