~what's on the "LIST"

Happy Monday everyone!!

How was your weekend?

Mine was great!

 ~ with the small ittty bitty

exception of....

the worst migraine of my life

 so yes, lucky me suffered through this from 4:40am

to 12:30pm yesterday morning....goodness me,

wouldn't wish it on anyone.

but!

I am feeling great today! yay!!!

I'm waiting for the fog to clear....

and the sun to show up and I'll be heading out

for a run.....

I wanted to share with you my list and what's on it......

for me 2012 is all about finishing....

yep....finishing our house....

it's long

it's scary

it's overwhelming

but it's reality....

and I'm ready!

I'm not going to make you all tired

by giving you the whole thing

cuz it is just Monday

and you need to feel uplifted & inspired

not exhausted & disturbed by my long as

humanly imagineable list!!

but here's what's on top of it:

1) replace doors upstairs

we have many antique doors sitting in the garage,

taking up valuable man-cave space,

waiting for us to install

{well strip, and re-finish and fit

to our door jams}

up until now....it was too

overwhelming

to me to even think about

but not now...

now is the time....

to finish....

****please excuse this interruption***

where we'll be testing Mrs. Ticking & Toile's

good mood & patience today....

the toilet has just overflowed, there's an inch of water

in the bathroom, it has gone into the

hallway, onto her beautiful plank floors, and under the refrigerator....

and Mrs. T & T will (while attempting to soak up

the water) spill melted red wax all down the wall

and onto her cute shabby table, onto the floor & down the

hallway.....

~*~

where was I? 

yes, what you read is true....

um...how's my mood?

well, slightly dampened...

s   l  i  g  h  t  l  y...

it's all good.  problem fixed~

water cleaned up, waxed cleaned

up ~ just a minor diversion~

;)

sheesh.

ok...

we were talking about doors.....

I'm thinking with the "replacing the doors"

portion of my list~ I'd really like to strip

them & go for the natural, worn, slightist

bit of paint left over look~ like these....

don't you love this?

here's another example

I love how the worn doors look against crisp

white door frames...yes?

you like??

lots of prep work to do...

a little resizing to do...

door knobs to find & buy

{anyone got any they'd like to sell?????;) }

etc... etc...

wish me luck!!

Got anything on your list??

got a major focus for this year??

do tell! :)

Have a wonderful day!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images found here}

~too early to wish for spring?~

Hello guys!

Yes, I suppose it is to early....

to wish for spring...but we can dream...

I came across some beautiful photos

that really got me dreaming of spring....

this picture pretty much captures everything

yummy we love ~ chippy paint, vintage books,

faded roses, and drippy chandys

don't  ya think??

they are by the amazing & talented artist

Jo-Anne Coletti

of Vintage Rose Collection

her work is so beautiful...jump over

and take a look!

here is just a small sample of some

of her gorgeous photography~

oh, is there anything sweeter than

roses in ironstone?

nope...don't think so...

mmmmm, can almost smell them from here....

can you imagine if we didn't have beautiful

art or pictures to remind us of spring & summer?????

hop over & say hi!

and

have a wonderful day!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images Vintage Rose Collection}

~what not running will do for you~

Hello my friends!!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a safe & wonderful

weekend :)

Well with the New Year comes the

"new pounds" hee hee ~ oh the fun

of eating too much fudge & any other

kind of sweet lurking about.....

veggies?  huh?? what are those??

sound familiar?

well I knew it would all come screeching to a halt

this week....I knew the days of decadence and laziness (so to speak...more about that later!) would be out the window come today....

yep...today is the day....

 I have to say, I am grateful for the warm, mild air

this morning with the tiny peek of sunshine~

 I happened to notice when I was sleepily doing one of my "usually annoyed at"

morning chores....... feeding the cats....it requires going out

on our back patio, shuffling to the big cedar box (wow what a whiner I am!!) & feeding the always starving (?) cats...

but had I not done this terrible rotten chore, I would not

have noticed the fresh & mild morning air....and

probably wouldn't have noticed the little ray of sunshine,

seemingly urging me on~ prodding me to just do it.

to just go..

get on your stuff...

get on your shoes...

and go for a run...

oh so true....it's that first step....

~all I could really think about this morning.....was how long it's been....since I last went ~3 weeks to be exact... (yep an excuse!) 

and that:  it's gonna be hard, it's gonna

be cold, my feet will hurt, I won't be able to go

very far, I won't be able to go very fast, I've lost

so much momentum...........................!

sound familiar?

but yes, I am chasing a goal.....

of being a "runner"

and I worked my way up to 4 miles ~

and I'm not about to give up

because of a little time off!!!

and a little (ok a lot.hee hee..) of fudge & goodies

and inactivity.....

so to answer my own question of

what not running will do for you??

here's the answer....

when you do begin again......

it will....prove to you that you can re-start!

help you notice the wee little bit of sunshine

in the midst of winter

notice the birds chirping & make you think of spring...

notice the seagulls against the blue sky & remember

warm beaches....

notice your thigh muscles with every step

and visualize the lean legs you are building....

and lastly, realize you don't have to give up!!!

I can tell you this......I feel good now....:)

have you been feeling a little sluggish too??

are you dreading "getting back into it??"

do you need a little push?

here's your push!

go on now ~ go do it....

whatever it is....

a walk, a run, or even a little bike ride....

go get some fresh air...

move around & breathe....even sweat...

oh yeah...feels amazing!!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

{all images via pinterest}



~what to do what to do!~

Hello there!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas

and are enjoying this week!

I've definitely been enjoying some

much needed down time......

in fact ~ I stayed in my new fuzzy

bathrobe all day yesterday!!

well ~ I did change out of it for about 2 hours....

just long enough to go to dinner with my

family.....;)

then I was back in....snug & warm....

& settled in for movie....

I'm thinking I might be ready to do something

tomorrow......something productive....

but let's not rush things....hee hee

will it be working out????

possibly....

{not that I need it or anything after

living on fudge and chocolate covered

pretzels for um well 2 weeks....}

will it be cleaning something???

highly recommended since I have

company coming this weekend.....

yikes.

or......... will it be redoing something??

like....say.....ripping out the bathroom

vanity & putting in an old dresser???

tempting...tempting...

why yes...the dresser is sitting out in the garage....

oh to twist Mr. T & T's arm....

alas...he's so much more

r.a.t.i.o.n.a.l.

and r.e.a.s.o.n.a.b.l.e.

then me.....

hee hee

I'm just glad that the urge to

do something

is beginning to return....

have to admit ~ I was getting a little

worried at my majorly lazy self....

I think I needed this little staycation.....

What are you up to??

Where are you at???

ready to jump back in to projects?

or ready to jump back into bed?? :)

love to hear from you!

xoxoxoxo!!

Shellagh

all images found here

~need a little getaway?~

Happy Friday my friends!

yep, it is definitely my favorite day

of the week.....love my Fridays....

and guess what?  the sun is peeking out

from the fog....it's gonna be sunny today!!

yay!! :)

well, we're winding down here at the Linen Shoppe...

only a few more orders to finish & then it's

r*e*l*a*x*

and I think that's why I'm so drawn to this

today....this escape....

~*~

because....

~we've had a lot of Christmas....yes?

~we've seen a lot of crafts....yes?

~we've got our lists written, shopping

done (what?? I do?), been crafting away,

decorating away, baking & fluffing,

wrapping & stuffing....and now....

....we need a little break....

we need a little nap....

right here....

with the window open...

and the soft breeze drifting in...

with the faint smell of lavender....

ahhhh......

and maybe a little bubble bath?

and a little toe painting?

those always go hand & hand with me...

bubble baths & toe painting....

oh wow....take a look at those travertine floors

up there.....oh my....I cannot get enough

travertine!!! 

ok...can you be in love with a sink?

because I seriously am....{and there we have more

travertine too...ahhh....}

shall we make a 'fresh from the garden' salad?

because it's the middle of summer ya know?

add a little fresh herbs?

we can sit in here....or

here

or here...I'm thinking we better go out here....

and soak up a little sun.....

when we're done eating our lunch & sipping

on lemon water....

maybe we'll feel like reading a great book...

or thumbing through several hundred

magazines....

or pinning a few pins...hee hee

{now, I'm trying to keep the techy stuff

outta here on this little getaway ~ so

I'm thinking we're unplugged...all the way...}

I know scary...

but who needs to be pinning when we can

soak up this view??

and breathe the fresh air?

I'm thinking a little walk would be perfect about right now...

maybe there's a cute little market down

the road....where we can pick up yummy stuff

for dinner? 

some fresh bread?

and cheese & fruit?

{I could be perfectly content eating baguettes,

cheese & fruit...forever...period.}

maybe there's a darling little hole in the wall

antique place....to browse about....

and when we're all tuckered out...

and ready to come back...

we'll make some dinner here....

and then relax by the fire....

ahhhh......

I don't want to wake you up.....

I'll just quietly sneak away~

and wish you a wonderful weekend....

xoxo,

Shellagh

{images}



~the best of the best Christmas crafts~

Hello hello!!

It's Wednesday a.l.r.e.a.d.y.....

crazy how the time is speeding by!

I have pinned & pinned & pinned

a bizillion Christmas craft ideas...

I'm hoping to have time  s  o  o  n   to

play & create....

here's a few that made the A list....

cute angel wings....

wouldn't these be sweet hanging on the tree?

I couldn't find a template for the wings....

but I think you could almost trace gently over

your computer screen, no?

probably a big no-no for sure....

otherwise maybe free hand it?

sticking with the book pages, newsprint theme

how about this darling little birdie ornament??

I love the little doily & button...

so cute!

here's a similar bird template you can

print & trace....

you can also go here to get it:

what I really really reeeaaallllyyy

want to make are these little bird ornaments....

this is from Lulu's tree

at Dusty Lu's blog

they are just precious ~ but I'm thinking they

would be quite time consuming & I need

a lot. of. them....

but who knows?  maybe the urge will

strike & I'll give it a whirl....:)

so what else is super cute, you ask??

I love this wax paper garland!!

so easy & looks dreamy on a tree

don't ya think?!

and how about wax paper garland

mixed with little paper birds??

ok...actually think that is button garland (down below)

but either way...cute!

ya got a lot of buttons in a jar somewhere?

I know you do....:)

this is the sweetest little button star....

I have no clue how they made this one, but

I'm thinking....cut a star out of super

sturdy cardboard....spray paint cream

if you like...and hot glue the buttons on!?

wouldn't this make a nice gift as well?

love all the different vintage buttons...

are you still with me??

are you bored yet??

ok then ~ just checking....:)

who has made these clay tags?

definitely want to try...

and can't forget about my cones....

so easy & darling...

AND cute to hang

a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e.

ok I lied...now just a couple more!

got little ones??

I thought these were too cute!

and lastly cute little candy cane hearts.....

wanna make these too...

my goodness....too much to look at & make huh?

well I'm off to take my daughter Madi

to Drivers Ed...yikes...yep she's got

her permit now & is practicing

practicing....:}

~*~

hope this inspires you to get crafting!

head on over to here

and here

to get instructions &

such!

Happy crafting & creating....

xoxo,

Shellagh