French Lique, Texas

Outside My Window...

2012-01-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

Last week, while having my "working at home" vacation...I decided to hang on old bird feeder just outside my home office window. My generosity of the extra bird feeder was greatly rewarded by the flutter of lots and lots of wings...

How many birds do you see? Can you find all 6?

We have quite an array of wild Finch that visit us during the winter months... I guess many of them fly back north once the weather warms... but right now... they are mine... so I'll keep them well fed just outside my window...

Not in a big hurry to send the winter birds north just yet...

down here in French Lique...

So Dixie... Whatcha Gonna Do With That?... and she said...

2012-01-27T07:15:00.001-06:00

Candy, Terry, and I parted ways about 2:30 Thursday afternoon after a fun time thrifting (I spent $3 plus tax)... Candy and Terry live near San Marcos, Texas. I live in French Lique (about 15 miles east of San Antonio, Texas)... So on my way home, I have to drive right through Seguin, Texas... Home of the Curious Boys.. Of course, I had to stop and do a little last minute junktique shopping...

I love shopping the Curious Boys booth. It is full of vintage architectural salvage.. like this beautiful chunk of cement...

and these rustic corbels... which came really-really close to coming home with me...

and wonderful pieces like this beautiful ornate oval frame...

This piece of salvage awaits the arrival of Miss Theresa from Garden Vintage Antiques... The boys posted about it this weekend and Theresa put her stamp of approval (SOLD) on it... She'll pick it up today.. now I can't wait to see what Theresa is going to do with this.. Hey Theresa... there's another piece there... it may want to go home with you too!

The Curious Boys march to a different drummer... okay... well it's the same drummer as the rest of us Junkaholics march to...

Now what could I do with her???

and these great silver buckets were callin' my name... "hey, Dixie, over here... look up!"

they were callin' but I wasn't answering them today...

But I did hear the call of this set of two ornate frames... and I think they'll look great painted perfect white...

and then... there was this...

The Heart Arch...

Yes, this beautiful, rusty, chippy-white-painted piece of iron...

called me right over..

and, I answered...

Good thing those back seats fold down in my mid-size Mercury Milan!

While it did go from stem to stern...

I managed to get it into the car and then home...

All my Ricky said, as he helped extract it from the car...

"Whatcha gonna do with that?"

I haven't decided yet... but I'll let you know...

as soon as I figure it out...

down here in French Lique...

Linking to sweet Cindy at My Romantic Home for

Show and Tell Friday...

Drop by and see who else is showing and telling about their treasures...

I'll Be Louise...

2012-01-25T21:05:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow Candy and I have a play date to go thrift shopping...
No matter where we go or what we do...
we always seem to have a good time...

Kinda like...

and now a peek at my most recent Thrifty Vintage buy...

Vintage Celery Green Sheer Dotted Swiss kitchen curtains... aren't they adorable?!

I've always loved dotted swiss curtains... they are sooooo cottage...

and wanting them in celery green...

I wasn't sure I'd ever find the ones I wanted but...

purchased on ebay.. still brand new and in the original JCPenny packaging, for $15...

Yes, I know that their original price was probably half that...

but considering how difficult these were to find in the exact color

dotted swiss that I wanted...

I think I scored!

More of the kitchen renovation in upcoming weeks.. as soon as I am able to get

a fire set under that dog-gone cabinet contractor !!

good Thrifty Shopping Everybody...

can't wait to go treasure hunting with Candy...

down here in French Lique!

I'm joining in with

Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday...

Leigh for Thrifty Thursday...

Pearls & Lace Thursday...

jump over and see who else in Thrifty Shopping too!

White Wednesday... White Photography...

2012-01-24T17:23:00.002-06:00

My oldest daughter, Stacy, is a budding professional photographer... There are a lot of pseudo-pro photographers out there... myself included... and I've often wondered what makes a "Professional Photographer" stand out from the rest of us.

Then, I saw this photograph...

When you can take something as mundane as a white styrofoam cup, and turn it into a piece of art... then I think you can say... Professional...

Congratulations Sweetie... you are well on your way... Now just finish that degree!

A little different take on White Wednesday..

from down here in French Lique...

Ruffles... do you think he'll notice????

2012-01-24T15:56:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, I bought this from Wayfair... yes... Ruffled Bed Skirt... the best part, after the ruffles... I got the last one selling for 50%-off...$14.99... but you can still get one for $29... still a steal!

One of my girlfriends remarked.. "That Ricky sure better be comfortable in his boots!"... he is... but...

Do you think he'll notice????

I got my ruffles in the mail today... quick shipping!... thanks Wayfair! Once received, I threw them in the dryer to pull some of the wrinkles out... and then...

Put that beauty on the bed... I put all creamy white sheets on... so maybe he wouldn't notice right away... washed my matelasse bedspread to fluff it up... and... well...

Ruffles... all around the bed... everywhere... are they fabulous...

Do you think he'll notice????

Dreaming of my dreamy ruffled bed...

down here in French Lique...

linking to

Tuesday's Treasures

and

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

and

White Wednesday

Porch Shadows in Biloxi

2012-01-22T14:03:00.000-06:00

I've been saving these photos for my first Shadow Sunday post.

Last fall, we went camping at the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, in Biloxi. We visited the retirement home of President (of the Confederacy) Jefferson Davis. It was here, at Beauvoir, that Jefferson Davis and his wife, Varina, lived until his death in 1889.

His cast iron statue casts a long shadow in the afternoon sun...

But the very best shadows of the day... were the beautiful shadows cast upon the porch

by things like the porch railings...

which were beautiful shadows... I imagined former occupants...

seeing these same shadows in the sunny afternoon gone by...

maybe sitting right here... rocking into the evening...

there's just something about an old southern home...

with a big old wrap around porch...

and a view of the sea across the picket fence..

If you're ever in Biloxi.. Stop by and visit Beauvoir...

and maybe you'll decide to sit in a rocking chair on the front porch...

and watch the gulf breezes push the waves to the shore...

and wonder what Jefferson Davis might have thought, as he spent his last days...

sitting here, so long ago...

loving the days gone by...

from down here in French Lique...

Curious? These boys are!!

2012-01-21T09:10:00.003-06:00

One of my absolute favorite booths to shop is any booth managed by the Curious Boys... You'll see them in my header... and now you can see them right here!!!

I can't tell you how many wonderful things I've purchased from them... salvaged corbels that I'll use in my kitchen reno... bowling trophies from 1930 that were a gift to newlyweds that are avid bowlers (they loved them!)... religious relics... rustic frames... and even two vintage shelf-kneehugger-elves which became favorite Christmas gifts of Candy and Terry... these boys know how to shop too... cause their prices are good.. not cheap... but good... Candy and I met them one day in Seguin while they were working their booth... and we've both been fans ever since!

So go visit my boys..

and wear your bib...

cause you're gonna drool...
and tell them Dixie sent ya...

Welcome to Blogland Curious Boys...

and hugs from Dixie...

down here in French Lique!

Pink Saturday... Found!

2012-01-20T21:06:00.000-06:00

I "found" this fabulous chair at The Bella Cottage (it really wasn't lost) and had to share it with you... Beverly's Pink Saturday seemed the perfect place.

This beauty is still for sale at The Bella Cottage.. only $795 plus shipping... I'll just have to enjoy looking at the photograph... and sharing it with you on Pink Saturday... thanks Beverly!

Maybe I'll move it from my "design inspiration" file to my "craft projects" file...

down here in French Lique..

Move Over Sarah Richardson... a new Blue and Yellow Laundry Room Redo!

2012-01-20T11:38:00.001-06:00

Okay... please don't move over Sarah... Keep inspiring me! You are amazing!!

Here's my inspiration... from Sarah's House... the basement laundry room Sarah created when she renovated a 1970's backsplit. I forget what Sarah's cost was... a little under $20,000... but let's face it... Sarah has more money than me.. .and mine was an update and not a reno... so my cost... about $300... but the bones were good when I started...

I couldn't find a store that had the tile I wanted to match the pretty glass tiles that Sarah used (and they were essential!)... but a wonderful seller on eBay did... I only needed 8 square feet... about $130 including shipping.
Joan J asks: "Did you do the tiling of the backsplash yourself? It's gorgeous". Dixie answers... "Yes, I sure did... I did all the updates myself!"

my yellow paint color (after sampling about 3 different colors)... from Lowe's National Trust for Historic Preservation line... 3004-4B Homestead Resort Tea Room Yellow... this paint is super thick and went on with ease... I love it!

I found accessories at Glory B's in Geronimo (the fan, once rusty green, now sunny yellow... baskets at MJ Designs after Easter basket sale... and some things I already had owned for years... the yellow pitcher from Martha Stewart at KMart about 10-years ago...

The washer and dryer... also about 10-years old and still keeping the Maytag man at bay... glass containers for Borax and Oxy Clean from Target... cabinets were already white, I just replaced the handles from ugly white plastic to trendy brushed chrome.. another eBay find for only $3 per handle.

A fabric redo of my message board (you'll see the before photos at the end of this post), where I hang my sunglasses collection and extra reading glasses... this idea came from another blogger, whose name I forget... but thank you to her whoever she is!

faux flowers (Sarah's were live plants!), vintage Ball canning jars that my sweet Ricky purchased for me on eBay when I told him they were just too expensive... and 3-monkeys... hear-no, see-no, speak-no... purchased at Tuesday Morning a few months ago for $9.99...

There are still a few things to finish... curtains over the window... a skirt to hide the hot water heater... installation of the vintage tole chandy to replace the industrial lighting... touch-up painting in a few places... but that will be done soon...

and here as promised... the before...

cluttered... disorganized... and absolutely no personality...

Thank you Sarah Richardson... keep decorating, sharing and inspiring... and if I ever win the Lottery... I'll call you...

Joining in

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

I love my new laundry room... down here in French Lique...

The Gift of a Cloche...

2012-01-15T13:50:00.003-06:00

When I go Junktiqueing... I take a list. Last year, on my trip with Candy to Roundtop/Zapp Hall/Warrenton... I had "wire cloche" at the top of my list... I found one, which was manufactured.. not exactly what I was looking for and at $40... well... it was definitely NOT what I was looking for!

Seeing my disappointment.. dear sweet friend Candy said... "Shoot, I've got chicken wire... I'll just make ya one!" She didn't know she'd spend hours on the internet looking at the "how to" instructions and videos on YouTube... and the the battle with the wire that would ensue, while she tried to mend and mold it into place...

But Candy is nothing if not determined.. and so on my recent visit to her guest house, the Red Bird Inn... she presented me with her very first original chicken wire cloche...

When we went thrifting in Austin the following day... I found the perfect vintage glass knob at Uncommon Objects, to add to the top... and then had Ricky dig around in his shop for two old washers.. he found the perfect pair... slightly rusty with peeling paint...

Now that I have it... I've temporarily housed a pair of birdie S&P shakers sitting atop a vintage Frankoma plate in Prarire Green...

They say it takes a village to raise a child...

Apparently it takes a village to get Dixie her much sought after and now...

beloved...

Chicken Wire Cloche...

a gift of friendship... from a very special friend...

sending a joyous thank you to my dear friend Candy...

from down here in French Lique...

Romeo is "King of the Road"... on Blue Monday...

2012-01-01T22:08:00.002-06:00

My youngest grandson, Romeo, had a photo shoot with his Aunt Stacy over the holidays....
and this one I thought, was perfect to share on Sweet Smiling Sally's Blue Monday...
it reminds me of that old Roger Miller song, "King of the Road"...

Happy Blue Monday..

from Romeo and Grandma Dixie...

down here in French Lique...

What I Enjoyed Reading 2011

2012-01-01T08:25:00.003-06:00

A Secret Kept by Tatiana De Rosnay

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

The Confession by John Grisham

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski’

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

I Heard That Song Before: A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark

Eye of the Beholder by David Ellis

The Sentry by Robert Crais

In The Woods by Tana French

Faithful Place by Tana French

The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Ford County by John Grisham

The Shack by William P. Young

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T17:46:00.001-06:00

Ricky and I wish you all a safe and very-very

Happy New Year!

Ghosts of Christmas Past.... Photo Album...

2011-12-27T18:58:00.009-06:00

Now that Christmas 2011 is behind us.. today I walked around the house and decided I really wanted to remember the decor this year... so I took a photo album of the things I liked the best... and thought I'd share them here with you...

My Nativity, pared down quite a lot this year... just the creche, angels and sheep... along with a few newly bleached white bottle brush Christmas trees (an idea I ran across on Pinterest)... set under glass in a cloche where French birds normally reside in my office... but I really like it here, on the kitchen counter during Christmas dinner...

My great mercury glass candle stick find at the Antique Mall in Seguin... only paid $16 for the set of three... then added red candles and snowy white Epsom salt... I'll be changing to white candles for the New Year celebration and then leaving the candles on the dining room table all year round!

My hot drink bar (another Pinterest idea) complete with cocoa and candy canes, vintage Holt Howard Santa candle huggers, peppermint tree from Hobby Lobby, holiday melamine plates from Target and a lighted Christmas tree...

I adore vintage Christmas candle huggers!

Kitchen niche, usually reserved for wine glasses we've collected from various wineries...

set aside to make room for my vintage Santa mugs and those bleached bottle brush trees... this was another Pinterest idea!

I bleached so many trees white, I put them everywhere... including as bottle tops in my kitchen window. Candy and I found the little Santa hats at Blue Hills in Geronimo a few weeks ago. I thought they would fit perfectly on wine bottles... but they were a little too small... so I made the one I bought a "bottle cap"... hehehehe...pun intended...

This year I played with putting many different items under glass... here, a candy dish with a tiny creche and a Cupie doll standing armless amongst Christmas trees... and see my sweet little Holt Howard Angel candle huggers...

I admit having fallen in love with old sewing cabinet drawers... I love them, but I've had no idea what to do with one... I purchased this one for about $10 at Blue Hills on my most recent shopping trip with Candy... It had a pretty blue knob on it when I bought it, but I traded that out for this fancy green glass knob purchased at Hobby Lobby... Here, I've used my drawer to display this years Christmas cards... now don't ask me what I'll do with it after Christmas... 'cause I don't know! But if you have any ideas for me... share them with me here! I could use the help!

and I don't know if you can see her wrapped around the white candle at the back of the drawer... but it's another candle hugger... this one is Mrs. Claus...

My garden art, Freddie Flamingo, is sporting a polka-dot Christmas ribbon... Freddie was meant for our camper when our daughter gave him to us for Christmas last year... but he's stood in the living room ever since... with a ribbon of the season as his only outfit!

My Paper Whites have begun to bloom finally.. I think I started them a little late this year... but I'll enjoy them through the new year and beyond... I brought twigs from the yard to stake the tall stems, and I love the way they look!

Last, but certainly not least, my vintage 1960's aluminum Christmas tree, complete with stand that turns and plays "Jingle Bells" and two rotating color wheels (Ricky like to "go big")... This was my Valentine's Day present in 2010 from Ricky... that man is full of romance!

and while I know that my decorating mentor, Sarah Richardson, said this season, she would never decorate her tree in green and red ornaments... my tree was a big hit at our Christmas Day family & friends get together... and I love the way it looks all decked out in bright green and red... it looks like... well... Christmas!

I hope that each of you had a joyous Christmas, and I wish you a safe and Happy New Year...

from down here in French Lique!

I'm linking to...
Mod Mix Monday
White Wednesday
Time Travel Thursday
Vintage Thingie Thursday
Show & Tell Friday

Small Town Vintage Shopping.... Fabulous Finds....

2011-12-22T17:54:00.004-06:00

I spent the day working in Seguin Texas on Wednesday... and since I had 8 appointments scheduled, I knew I wouldn't have time to run by Glory B's Cottage in Geronimo for a little last minute shopping....and a visit with sweet Beverly...

but on my way back from lunch, I drove past the Antique Mall in Seguin where the Curious Boys have a huge booth... so I thought... "why not stop... I've got 10-minutes to spare"... and I'm so glad I did... look at what I found!

Frames.. yes I love empty frames... and this pretty metal one was in a small booth that Beverly maintains in the Antique Mall...

and I had just the place to put it... in my guest room framing one of my sweet snow people...

and then there were these beauties... a set of 3 large Mercury Glass Candle Sticks with Hurricane glasses... all 3 in perfect condition...

so I played with candle sizes, and decided on the short fat ones... but I didn't have 3 of either color... so tomorrow, on my Friday before Christmas day off... I'll be candle shopping... for the short fat candles...
all 3 one color... red, or green, or maybe even white?

and the best part of all... the price $$$$$!

Candle Sticks with Hurricanes... $19.99 for the set! Better than that... 20% off sale made them $16.00.... S-C-O-R-E!

and the pretty little metal frame... $4.50... which I thought was an amazing price for the pretty swirled frame painted chippy white...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

down here in French Lique!

linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Vintage Thingies Thursday

Show and Tell Friday

Play Date with Candy in Geronimo...

2011-12-13T08:51:00.000-06:00

Candy and I had a wonderful shopping "play date" yesterday... We found bunches of treasures... and planned our Spring trip to Zapp Hall... stay tuned for photos of the treasures... and visit Candy to find out what she brought home!

In the meantime, the elves and I are joining Work of the Poet for Ruby Tuesday...

I hope your day is full of blessings...

From down here in French Lique...

Framed by the Skates....

2011-12-03T10:17:00.002-06:00

Not the best photos... but you get the idea... right? I've been a little under the weather with a cold this week and had to cancel a flea market trip with Candy because of it... so I decided to post something that I'd actually accomplished in the past week...

I wrote about finding the ice skates and some of the ideas I'd seen for them... Here...

and here it is... My Goodwill ice skates framed with an old square frame from Beverly's Glory B's Cottage...

I love the way it turned out!

I'd seen a photo of skates with fold over socks and I liked the way it looked... since I'd purchased a red sweater to create a pillow for my sofa, I decided to cut off the sleeves to create the fold over socks...

and a photo of my Christmas nose-gay that greets visitors in the entryway...

Welcoming Christmas a little at a time...

Down here in French Lique...

and I'm linking to Pink Saturday because Beverly knows that RED is almost PINK!

Pink Saturday.... October Blooms in Biloxi...

2011-11-18T20:09:00.000-06:00

We went camping (we call it camping... we're in our camper!) in Biloxi, Mississippi the 3rd week of October this year... When we pulled into our luxury campsite... we were surrounded by these...

Azaleas

beautiful... beautiful... PINK...

they were everywhere... all over the grounds.. aren't these guys suppose to bloom in the spring!? yet here they are near the end of October...
and just for good measure...

a pretty, PINK Camellia... blooming right along side of the Azaleas...

sure wish we could grow these (any time of year...)

down here in French Lique...

I'm joining Beverly for Pink Saturday... drop by and see who else is show PINK!

Blue Monday... shades of blue...

2011-11-14T10:17:00.000-06:00

I love the play of light on a cloudy morning... it's so subtle...

it feels quiet... soft...

cloudy foggy mornings... feels like shades of blue...

down here in French Lique...

linking to Sally's Blue Monday... have a beautiful day...

Ice Skates in South Texas... Whooda thunk it!

2011-11-09T17:56:00.004-06:00

I've been adding photos of Christmas wreaths with ice skates to my Pinterest Boards lately... Ricky and I have decided our Christmas colors this year will be traditional...

Red, Green, Silver (cause I'm using that 1960's silver tree again this year) and White...

So I'm searching for good ideas
in the traditional color scheme...

but I don't want rustic country...

I want shiny and bright Christmas...

with lots of sparkle!

and I've been wanting ice skates... I looked on line.. whoa! $40-$50 and more... kinda expensive for my thrifty budget...

and then today... I went by Goodwill, looking for sweaters to turn into pillows for my sofa.. in White, Red and Green of course...

and while driving my little Goodwill shopping buggy around looking at all manner of sweater...

I found these!

I couldn't believe it! Ice Skates in south Texas!

Amazing!

and the best part of all...

the price! $7.99! Oh thank you Goodwill from the bottom of my little ole ~~cheap~~... er... thrifty-heart!

and I know just what I'm going to do with them... thanks to this tutorial from fellow blogger, Jess at Just A Blink!

I'm feelin' lucky...

Down here in French Lique!

A New Wrinkle in time... and not very photogenic either...

2011-11-08T10:37:00.001-06:00

My husband thinks it's funny.... that it bothers me so much...

I noticed a new line in my forehead yesterday morning...

A new wrinkle... a SCOWL line... yep... one like this one here...

It's bad enough that I don't find myself very photogenic...

(We're having head shots done at work tomorrow...)

Now I have to find a new wrinkle in my timeworn face...

just two days before the photographer comes!

I don't think that anyone would ever describe me as vain...

More likely "self-deprecating"...

but I'll be 57 years old next month...

and it seems that each year...

I'm finding more and more wrinkles and lines...
will there come a time that I don't even recognize the face in the mirror...
"hello... who are you and what did you do with Dixie?!"...
does that face really tell the story of the woman that I am...
is that a road map of life that I see there?

and does the younger generation... our daughters and our sons...
do they realize that although that face is nearing 60...
the woman that owns it...
still thinks of herself as 35...

a pondering of perplexity...
down here in French Lique...

Jefferson Davis' Beauvoir in Biloxi....

2011-10-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

The newly restored Beauvoir...

What she looked like after Katrina...

porch shadows...

picket fences to the ocean side...

Front porch rockers...

artsy shadow shot for my daughter...

and ancient oaks...

we don't see this... down here in French Lique...

taking a coastal break... will return rested and sunburned!

2011-10-14T06:52:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Wishes.... and a few more Warrenton pics...

2011-10-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

First, and most important, today is Candy's birthday! I won't tell her age, since she is, after all, ageless... but I'll share a few photos of her zaniness... taken while we were in Warrenton last month...

I'm sure she'll say she was "framed"...

and more than once...

Candy is a junker in the true sense of the word. She loves anything old, tattered and rusty...

and the artist in her will turn it into a treasure...

Ya'll drop by Rock Candy and give her a Birthday shout-out...

and tell her Dixie told you...

down here in French Lique...

Blue Monday Vintage Party Dress....

2011-10-10T09:11:00.003-05:00

In 1968, my first beau escorted me to a dress up party... This is the dress I wore... not this specific dress... but the same dress, long ago discarded to Goodwill or something... this is the same dress... same pretty aqua blue color... same ties around the neck...

...same cinched waist and flirty full skirt...

I felt pretty in this dress... I wish I still had it...

strolling down Memory Lane with Sally at Blue Monday...

down here in French Lique...

Happy Birthday Panda... on Pink Saturday... the perfect day to celebrate YOU!

2011-10-09T11:30:00.000-05:00

I have only one granddaughter... and we call her the Panda... Pink Saturday is her birthday... and this is my favorite photo... where she happens to be wearing her favorite color... PINK...

she's a precocious little child...

full of wonder and light...

Today the Panda is 9-years old...

growing up just a little too fast for her grandma...

but life happens...

Celebrating you sweet Panda...

love from grandma and grandpa...

down here in French Lique...

Looking for Pink at Zapp Hall....

2011-09-30T19:29:00.000-05:00

While shopping Round Top/Warrenton, Texas I was on the lookout for a little PINK to post for Beverly's PINK Saturday... but it was slim pickins! PINK is not the color that is abundent amongst the rust and chippy paint... But, I did manage to find a few PINKs to share...

First stop... the HGTV booth where we met Emily Johnson of HGTV's Design Star... I'd love to show you the photo of Candy and me with Emily, but the lady that took our photo somehow managed to only get the top of the tent!

and then there were the Junk Gypsys and their PINK SUV... and Candy framing herself with my treasure purchased at Theresa's Blog Party... you can read a little more about that HERE...

then finally... this pretty top made from vintage doilies...

all pretty in PINK and ready to shop...

down here in French Lique...

I'm joining Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound... drop by Beverly's and see who else is playing along...

Vintage Fabrics and oh the things you can do!

2011-09-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

Taking Cindy's lead... I thought I'd post some of the beautiful fabrics that Candy and I found in Warrenton/Zapp Hall/Round Top. There were mountains and mountains of vintage fabrics... and beautiful items dressed with the fabrics. I think that's enough talking... now I'll just let you browse the photos...

Candy, looking through the mounds of vintage yardage...

Beautiful vintage bark cloth in some of my favorite patterns... $45 a yard...

Well... that's it for today... tomorrow... more vintage junk to share...

it's all about the beauty of vintage... down here in French Lique...

Now... go back and see what's happening at

Show and Tell Friday with Cindy of My Romantic Home...

Found.... Vintage Junk Treasures you'll LOVE!

2011-09-28T19:00:00.003-05:00

Our first day in Round Top, we made a bee-line for Zapp Hall, where we hoped to find Theresa of Garden Vintage Antiques and Deb of Talking Trash.

First we found Theresa, and I found this treasure in her booth... in true Dixie style, I decided to leave the treasure in her booth and let others decide if they wanted to buy it or not...

I figured, if it was there Sunday night when we came back for the Blog Party, it must belong to me... it was... and it does... (yes, that's Candy hiding in the mirrors reflection!)

We found Deb and Cat Daddy too... it was Cat Daddy's 60th birthday... and we found the little grand-princess, Miss Bella herself... but you'll have to come back to see those pics...

We also found lots more "found things" strung across frames (like mine) and pillows of burlap and linen. I am sure this technique has a name... but I have no idea what it is. If any of you junk devotees know what they call this stinging of found things... please share it with me. You don't have to know WHAT it is to LOVE it!

Hope you're enjoying these little teases... there is entirely too much to put it in one post... so I'm going to try to "group" like items and share them a category at a time!

Until then dear readers... just enjoy the view...

from down here in French Lique...

I'm joining Vintage Thingie Thursdays with Colorado Lady... Drop by and see who else is playing along...
and Liz has invited me over for Time Travel Thursday... Thank you Liz!

back in French Lique....

2011-09-27T15:18:00.001-05:00

Candy and I are back, safe and sound and no worse for the wear... Candy back in Wimberley and me, Dixie, back in French Lique... Here are a few photos from Theresa Cano's Blog Party, where we had a great time, met some new people and...

hung out with the Trash Talker herself... Trash Talkin' Deb! (and yes... she is really-really short for all her big vibrato!). Candy and I are about 5'7"... Theresa, in the middle background... about 5'5".... and Deb... I'd say she'd be about a foot short of a cornstalk... and not quite 5-feet tall... what a hoot this girl is!

Everyone brought some food with them to share and Theresa supplied the wine... Candy didn't hesitate to make herself right at home!
<3

...and this sweet girl, all the way from Atlanta, Georgia... had the most beautiful booth and the sweetest smile... but she didn't have any business cards... and I don't remember her name. She had the cutest wine bottle cork candles (which you can see displayed here on the wine bottle top)... She gave us much inspiration to bring back home. If any of you Georgia gals knows her name, share it with me so I can give her some credit! Check out her piles of pillows in the background...

We had a great time, and came home with lots of treasures to show and a few good stories as well... wait till you read the one about meeting Emily Johnson of HGTV Design Star fame... and the photo opp gone wrong! But that will have to wait for another day... cause this old gal is tired and ready to put her feet up for a few hours...

down here in French Lique...

Girlfriend Weekend in Roundtop...

2011-09-23T17:22:00.002-05:00

Candy and I are off to Round Top Texas tomorrow morning to spend 3-glorious days at "Oma's Haus" and shop-shop-shop! I thought I'd share a few photos from my Pinterest (check it out on my side bar if you haven't already), stuff that I'm going to be looking for while I'm there... then next week when I get back... I'll post what I found!

I'm always looking for vintage frames... the gaudier.. the better!

and vintage clocks... be still my heart!

I would love to have a chicken wire cloche... or two... or three!

and then to wrap things up nice and neat... we'll be going to Cat Daddy's 60th birthday bash on Saturday night... hosted by the fabulous Trash Talkin' Deb herself (seated here wearing white pants and the black print top) ... and then on Sunday night... Theresa Cano's Blog Party (there's Theresa standing behind Deb wearing blue)... and the blog party... well that's on my bucket list.

What a great time we'll have... wish you could be there too!

We'll be thinkin' about you down here in French Lique!

Come on down and we'll go shoppin' !!

2011-09-13T19:07:00.001-05:00

Candy and I will be there, along with a couple of other gal-pals... ya'll come join us! It's gonna be fun! Round Top here we come... from down here in French Lique...

Wordless Wednesday... chairs at the pond....

2011-08-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Stacy Pace Photography

Blue Monday... Girls at the Beach by Ann Iungerman

2011-07-31T20:49:00.007-05:00

I found this artwork via a Face Book Friend of a Friend... I tought it was beautiful... and...

Ann Iungerman

I thought that Sally would love it too...

I don't know anything about the artist, except that she is a friend of my friend Nancy... Facebook is a funny place you know... sometimes you find something wonderful there...

I'm joining Sally for Blue Monday today... and wishing Sally a speedy recovery and a welcome back home... from down here in French Lique..

UPDATE... spoke to Ann last night via FB chat... (thanks for the intro Nancy) and she was so thrilled I'd posted her artwork... she updated her status with my Blogger link... Thanks Ann for sharing yourself in Blogger land...

Cris D'Arques-Durand.. Rosaline Pink Swirl Champagnes and other pink stuff...

2011-07-29T15:31:00.004-05:00

On a recent shopping excursion with girlfriends..

we went to Blue Hills Antique Mall in Geronimo, Texas...

and that is where I found these...

These truly elegant and timeless
stemmed Arcoroc (Cris D’Arques-Durand) wine glasses
in the discontinued Rosaline Pink Swirl pattern.

A set of 8, in perfect condition, champagne glasses... $10...

yes, that's for the set... not per glass...

I did the happy dance all the way home!

and just for good measure.. I found this pretty vintage pink salt shaker at
Beverly's Glory B's Cottage...

I think the pattern is Pillar Optic...

one of my favorite depression glass patterns...

and since it was $3... well I just couldn't pass it up!

I'm joining Beverly for Pink Saturday...

and this bunch of Pink Peonies...

they're just for you as a little "thank you" for visiting me...

down here in French Lique...

Vintage from trash to treasure... it's a thrifty buy!

2011-07-27T17:17:00.005-05:00

okay... well not really trash... just seriously rustic when found...

but it had potential...

I can't leave it like this... I just have to polish...

and now look... treasure...

I'm always amazed at what a little silver polish and some "elbow-grease" can do...

found at Twice Blessed in San Marcos, Texas...

full service for 8... and a fabulous flatware chest...

I've got a long way to go... and I haven't even looked up the pattern...

but I am in love with vintage silver...

and this was a thrifty find... $50...

thanks to my sister, Lili, for digging to the bottom of the pile and pulling it out...

now I'm off to continue the buffing process...

down here in French Lique...

I'm joining Thrifty Thursday in Bloggeritaville...

and

Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingies Thursday...

Back to Nature... Wordless Wednesday...

2011-07-27T07:09:00.000-05:00

from Stacy PACE photography... my daughter...

Blue Monday with Sarah Richardson...

2011-07-25T08:18:00.002-05:00

I love looking at the rustic distressed style of painted furniture that is so popular today... but it doesn't fit MY STYLE... The sleek perfectly painted style of Sarah Richardson... fits me perfectly...

One of my favorite design style elements from Sarah Richardson is vintage painted furniture...

So here ya go... two of my favorite BLUE perfectly painted Sarah Richardson chest-of-drawers...

Simply Perfect...

Simply Sarah Richardson...

wishing you well Miss Sally on Blue Monday... down here in French Lique...

Shooting from the I-Phone...

2011-07-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

I'm so sorry... Candy forgot her camera... I left mine in the car... my daughter, Katie, snapped this photo with her I-Phone at Twice Blessed, of me... Dixie on the left... Candy (eating blow-pop) in the middle and our friend-girl Terry on the right...

I wish I could tell you in words just how much fun these two gals are... witty, funny... artistic and creative.... all wrapped up in a pretty friendship bow!

and this one for you Theresa Cano... I told you what I wanted to do with those S-E-A-R-S letters in the Curious Boys booth at Blue Hills... I did it... I didn't realize until my daughter emailed me the photo... that my A-S-S had arms! Oh my gosh! Hysterical...

Just wait until you see the AMAZING things I found today!... Can hardly wait to share... but I just gotta take some photos first!!

I adore these gals... down here in French Lique!

Planning and Thrifting...

2011-07-22T07:31:00.003-05:00

Today, I'm off to San Marcos for a planning lunch with Candy (Rock Candy) and friend Terry... we're planning a trip to Round Top/Marburger Farm/Zapp Hall in the fall... We've rented a little cottage for a few nights.. and we're finally going to go together and be at Theresa's Blog Party on Sunday night... and we've even got an invite to Cat Daddy's birthday bash...

so like the good little Girl Scouts (former) that we are... we're planning... what to bring with us... when to arrive... where we'll start and where we'll end up...

What a fun it will be!!

photo taken at Glory B's Cottage, Geronimo, Texas

and of course no visit with Candy can happen without a little Thrifty shopping! Terry has found a new place... Terry can ferret out the most wonderful Thrift Shops...

but... first... we'll be meeting up at the best little Thrift shop in San Marcos... Twice Blessed... where I never fail to find something wonderful...

photo taken at Blue Hills Antique Mall, Geronimo, Texas

So have a Twice Blessed Friday and whole weekend long... stay cool... and find something special... I know we will... down here in French Lique..

Blue Monday... on being a full-time fairy...

2011-07-17T21:59:00.002-05:00

Posting a Blue Monday for my pal Smiling Sally... Wishing her home...

Every day, before she walked out the door on her way to school, she looked in the mirror to check if she'd gotten all the flowers out of her hair... Sigh. It was harder than it looked; being a part-time third-grader and a full-time fairy.

Full-time fairies gladly reside down here in French Lique...

and thank you Stacy Pace Photography for the fairy photos...

Thrifty Pink Saturday Finds...

2011-07-15T18:03:00.007-05:00

Some thrifty shopping this past week, yeilded a few beautiful finds... I love this vintage pitcher and matching glasses in depression PINK...

and these two frosty PINK candle holders... not sure how vintage these are... but I liked them!

Two Madonnas standing together in the Curious Boys booth... the taller of the two in bright white made the other look PINK... so I had to have the little one for my own collection...

and beautiful satin PINK ballet toe shoes in Beverly's booth... (Beverly of Glory B's Cottage in Geronimo, Texas)... but this booth is in Seguin, Texas...

Then on my way out of the antique mall, I spied this not so antique.. but beautiful PINK sports car of the vintage child-size variety...

Filled to the brim with white silk Hydrangeas.. made for an adorable PINK display...

It's not easy keeping the green in my pocketbook with all this PINK everywhere I look... down here in French Lique...

I'm joining Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for PINK SATURDAY... link HERE to see who else in joining in...

Very Curious Boys...

2011-07-15T07:18:00.001-05:00

When I want something unique and unusual... whether for myself or for a gift... I go to these guys... the Curious Boys of Seguin, Texas...

Are you just about to die for that big pile of spools?

Is the is "B" section... I adore this large photo of a little BOY... vintage BOWLING trophies...BABY shoes... and a vintage BAKELITE clock...

Crochet thread and plastic Madonna...

Their booth is in the front... right in the front window for all to see... I do love to shop the Curious Boys booths... they've got an eye for Rustic Vintage Style... Now boys... about that name...

There are lots of special friends in Texas...

especially down here in French Lique...

Vintage things to love...

2011-07-14T07:51:00.002-05:00

Some of my favorite photos of Vintage Things in Geronimo, Texas...

I'm joining in Vintage Thingie Thursday with Colorado Lady today... drop by and see who else is showing Vintage...

Loving Vintage down here in French Lique...

My guestroom likes white.... just-right white on White Wednesday...

2011-07-12T20:03:00.000-05:00

Remember these?... found them while shopping in Geronimo, Texas a couple of weeks ago... and since it's White Wednesday at Faded Charm, I thought I'd show you what I did with them...

wanna see?

Added to my "Wall of Frame" in my Cottage French Guestroom... just tied some lace on one small oval frame and a length of discarded white ribbon on the other.. and attached them to rectangular frames already hanging on the wall...

One hanging north and south...

and one hanging east and west... just for fun...

Then I filled the metal just-right white basket full of sunny daisies.. and hung them all right next to a sunny east window...

So grows the wall of frame...

and the basket of daisies, hung just above the reading chair...

It's just-right white for my guests... down here in French Lique...

Wordless Wednesday - My fabulous granddaughter... "the Panda"... photo by her Mom... Stacy Pace

2011-07-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

Ruby Red in Geronimo!

2011-07-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

Something special found on my trip to Geronimo, Texas and Blue Hills Antique Mall... I love Raggedy Ann... and this vendor had her sitting pretty in a bright RED chair...

A good friend collects vintage tobacco tins... so I took this photo for him to see if any of these were tins he might want... but aren't they just the perfect RED to post today?

I'm joining Ruby Tuesday today.. drop by and see who else is seeing RED!

Loving vintage RED... down here in French Lique...

Blue Monday... Shopping at Blue Hills Antique Mall in Geronimo, Texas...

2011-07-10T17:53:00.004-05:00

Thinking of Smiling Sally and hoping she is back for Blue Monday... really really soon! We miss you Sally!!
Even if Sally isn't quite up to it yet... I'm posting
Blue Monday every week until she gets back...
Hurry Back Sally!!
Please stop by Sally's blog and leave your thoughts and prayers..
and post something Blue for Monday as a little warm thought for Sally's return to health..
UPDATE! SALLY'S GRANDDAUGHTER, ARA, HAS POSTED A BLUE MONDAY FOR SALLY AND AN UPDATE ON HER CONDITION! STOP BY AND LEAVE A FEW GOOD WISHES!

I was so excited when I found this pretty Blue HERS pillowcase... but there was no HIS, so my interest wained and I didn't buy it... will I go back?...

In the Curious Boys booth I found these chippy Blue letters... spelling S E A R S - but there's not a D in site... so I left the letters there...

There were lots of old Blue Ball canning jars scattered here and there... but boy were they pricey! $15 to $29... a little expensive for my tastes... so I passed them by...

This group of Blue canning jars... purchased as a lot would have been.... $112... yikes! Yep, they're all still there!

Then there were this beautiful set of mixing bowls... the smallest a beautiful shade of Blue... but I didn't need any bowls...
So... what did I buy... guess you're going to have to come back later this week to see... cause it was nothin' Blue down here in French Lique...

Perfect Pink Decor from Sarah...

2011-07-08T21:07:00.003-05:00

I absolutely LOVE Sarah Richardson's design style... If I ever win the lottery...(note to self: buy a lottery ticket)... I'll call Sarah and invite her to Texas to design my whole house... top to bottom... and it will definately have some PINK!

There's Sarah Richardson Design... Here...

Room Service... Here...

and my favorite...

Sarah's House... Here...

Visit Sarah... and then drop back by How Sweet the Sound

for Pink Saturday...

loving Pink... down here in French Lique...

Solo Thrifty Shopping Spree...

2011-07-06T07:41:00.004-05:00

While working in Seguin, Texas this week, I visited one of my favorite little antique malls... Beverly from Glory B's Cottage has a booth there... so do the "Curious Boys"... I wasn't looking for anything in particular... which leaves me open to find little treasures

here and there...

Two small oval frames... already painted a nice shade of white... just like I like!

I'd actually had my eye on this painted-perfect-white letter holder for a couple of months... and this time... it was on sale... so it is now mine!

A wonderful, shabby white wall basket... and it's metal! I've got just the place and just the silk flowers to fill it with... wait until you see!

My cost for this solo-thrifty shopping spree.... $26... Now that's what I call inexpensive fun down here in French Lique...

I'm linking in to....
White Wednesday

Thrifty Thursday
Show & Tell Friday

Wordless Wednesday at Never Growing Old... Roxy & Precious join in...

2011-07-05T19:10:00.002-05:00

Revisiting Blue Doors on Blue Monday in honor of our own Smiling Sally!

2011-07-04T16:54:00.000-05:00

I'm reposting an old Blue Monday post... and thinking of Smiling Sally, whose Granddaughter, Jenna, posted on Sally's blog today. Sally is doing much better today... and I hope we have her back posting new Blue Monday's soon. If you'd like to read Jenna's post, you can link HERE...

Have a Happy Blue Monday... I'm not going to say anything else... I'm just gonna let you look...

Maybe I'll paint my front door a welcoming Periwinkle Blue down here in French Lique...

Please Say a Prayer for Sweet Smiling Sally and post something BLUE

2011-06-27T15:49:00.001-05:00

I dropped by to visit Smiling Sally's Blue Monday this afternoon. I wasn't going to post anything BLUE, but just visit Sally and many of her loyal followers that post to Blue Monday every week. Sally has been in the hospital recently, and I wanted to check on how she was doing.

Sally's granddaughters have posted that Sally is not doing well. She is in the hospital in ICU after having had another surgery due to complications from the first. If you know Sally, or even if you don't, drop by her blog linked HERE and say a little prayer that she recovers and is home with her loving family soon...

In Sally's honor... I'm posting my BLUE striped yellow ware bowl I found while thrifting with Candy a few weeks ago... and a little angel beside it as my prayer for her recovery...

We love you Sally... down here in French Lique...

What Chair is This?!

2011-06-24T08:54:00.005-05:00

This morning I'm linking to Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday...and Cindy's Show & Tell Friday... drop by and see who else is joining in the fun!

My furniture, is outdoor furniture... I purchased this pair for $30 each at Twice Blessed Thrift Shoppe in San Marcos, Texas about a year ago... Twice Blessed is a thrift shoppe run by the Methodist Church in San Marcos and all proceeds go to charity... and they ALWAYS have really great stuff!

These girls were in my booth for about six months with a selling price of $100 for the pair... they never sold... so when I closed my booth in December, I brought them home and sat them out in the yard under a big oak tree until...

until our family cookout on Memorial Day in May... We needed more seating on the back porch where everyone seemed to end up that day...

So my nephew hauled the girls from the yard to the porch, where they have remained for the past month... The previous owner had painted them white.. but as the paint began to peel I realized their original color must have been a dark kelly green...

I adore the scrolls and twists of metal... Other than falling in love with the chairs, I really didn't know anything about them when I purchased them... and put zero effort into finding out anything about them... which is unusual for me... but...

I just knew I liked them and that was all that mattered... Isn't that armrest just gorgeous!

I've purchased some pretty aqua toile to make chair pads... this wire seat isn't overly comfortable...

this is the chair base under the seat... crusted with white paint... so I've already decided to take the white paint off... and then...

My Country Living magazine arrived just in time... and
I did the happy dance...

Right there at the top of page 47 in the "What Is It" and "What's It's Worth" section...

My chair...
circa 1970's Peacock Chair...

What it's worth... $375 for the pair... I paid $60 for the pair... SCORE!!!

(more happy dance now... )

Now my dilemma... should I take them back to the original green or..

should I paint them...

White

Cottage White

Apple Green

Ballet Pink

Hot Pink
or
Aqua

Tell me what you think... I'd love to know...

Just enjoying the summer and living thrifty down here in French Lique...

Welcome to the Summer Porch Party in French Lique...

2011-06-21T16:40:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the porch party at French Lique... and when you finish partying here... drop over to Rhondi's and see all the other nice folks participating in Rhondi's Porch Party for Summer 2011...

The flowers are all in bloom and inviting you in... and here's a chair for you... I just painted it yesterday morning...

or maybe you'll like this seat better... you get to choose.
The table has been set with all the things you like... lots of vintage china, silver, and depression glass... and a pretty vase of pure white roses...
Don't these say Porch Party to you? How about a bowl full of strawberries or maybe a bowl of cherries? Go ahead... take one... they're delicious!
Here's that artsy shot you've been waiting for... a guest's eye view...

Yep... that porch furniture painted a nice cottage white.. just divine...

Would you like a glass of Saint Gen's White Zin? See a cake plate can also serve as a nice bar tray for some pretty wine glasses...

Then after lunch... we'll mozy on over to the shady end of the porch for a little afternoon tea... Nice and shady and ready for us to while away the afternoon... chatting and drinking some lovely Raspberry tea... One lump or two? I love sitting here and listening to the wind chimes... or maybe even taking a summer afternoon nap...But today we're just too busy to sleep... Here... how 'bout a sip... Ricky got this pretty vintage china for me at an estate auction... it's called Coralbel...

Well... I'm still waiting... but no body's here? I'm sure the invitations said 11:30 a.m. sharp for lunch! Oh no! The invitations! Did I forget to mail them? I've just been so busy painting?!

Oh well... I'll pour myself another glass of nice cool wine and sit here and daydream for a while... It's a good thing I forgot to cook too!

Guess I'll tuck my little pretties away... until next time...Maybe Candy and BJ will come over early and help me get organized for our next Porch Party...

I love a porch party... down here in French Lique...

The big plan for the laundry room... on Blue Monday... Sarah's House inspiration!

2011-06-20T22:50:00.005-05:00

I absolutely L-O-V-E Sarah Richardson... I especially enjoy her series, "Sarah's House"... This laundry room is in a suburban back-split home built in the 1960's... I've been wanting to decorate my plain-Jane laundry room for years... and so... now the laundry room is my next project...

Sarah's House Season 2 basement laundry room... My inspiration!

The hardest thing to find... a comparable glass tile.. but I did find it... on eBay...

So my newly decorated guest room has become the staging room for the new laundry room...

Lots of yellow and BLUE.... stay tuned for the grand finale'... down here in French Lique...
I'm linking to Sally's Blue Monday... drop by to see who else is Blue this Monday!

Pink Saturday... Pink Peonies...

2011-06-17T17:46:00.005-05:00

My favorite flower... Peony... my favorite color... Pink...

When I found the beautiful Pink Peonies in my local HEB Grocery Store... I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven...

When you live in South Texas... and Peonies is your favorite flower, it's a lot like not having the Christmas spirit without snow on the ground... In South Texas... we don't get snow and we can't grow Peonies... But every once in a while... just like the snow... we get lucky and a few Peonies make it this far south.

Scratch & Sniff

So thank you, you wonderful Northern and North Western gardeners... for growing these wonderful, lucious, fragrant flowers... and for sending a few of them my way...

down here in French Lique!...

I'm joining the wonderful Miss Beverly for Pink Saturday... Please drop by and see who else is playing today...

The Perfect Country Cottage Guestroom... Inspired by Cottage White...

2011-06-14T21:44:00.002-05:00

I love color. When I was a teenager, I painted my bedroom apple green... with white trim... I thought it was beautiful... But as my tastes have developed over the past 40-some odd years... I've realized that I LOVE the color of .... White...

and with that in mind... I set out to create a beautiful Country Cottage White Guestroom...

I collected lots of old frames and turned them into wall art. I found this wonderful white cottage headboard online... it was perfect... and a cozy white matelasse spread... Then moved my dressing table from the Master to the Guest... not quite finished... I'm making a girlie white skirt to dress it up...

Added just a few table top accessories... some vintage... some not... an antique tri-fold mirror, a vintage crystal lamp... and a pretty-trendy perfume bottle... purchased empty for $3... I just wanted the look!

The walls are painted a creamy cottage white... the frames various shades of white, cream and gold... some their original patina... some not...

My grandmothers bone white heels that she wore to church... I like to tuck them under the chair... just as though she'd just slipped them off before putting on her little pink house shoes... and a luscious Flokati rug...

This night stand... originally french white with gold trim... I painted it purest white and added glass handles and a glass top... another garage sale lamp with a new crisp white shade... and that photo... my grandmother holding me on the day of my Baptism...

and my vintage crystal chandelier... inspired by Cindy's Romantic Home...

The perfect little Cottage White Guestroom... down here in French Lique...

I joining in White Wednesday today... just for fun! Drop by and see who else is playing!

The Perfect Country Cottage Guestroom... continued from Blue Monday

2011-06-14T08:18:00.003-05:00

The Second Time Around.... or maybe 3rd or 4th... but I love this wall full of mostly empty frames... I left some their original patina... and some I painted white or cottage white... and there's even an Aqua Blue which is my punch of color for this Cottage White guestroom...

This just might be my favorite wall decor in my house! Each frame, gathered over time from various thrift stores, antique malls and garage sale or two... My cost limit for frames is $5, and most of these... I paid less... so the cost of this near-pictureless wall of cottage frames.... less than $50... and that includes the one with the picture!

Recycled and Thrifty... that's what we love... down here in French Lique!

A little Aqua Blue in the perfect Country Cottage Guest Room... It's a sneak peek!

2011-06-12T22:47:00.003-05:00

I don't know about you... but for me... when I'm decorating a room... I always start with my inspiration piece...

For my guestroom, this pretty quilt that Candy spotted, and I purchased, one day late last year, while doing some serious thrifty shopping at Twice Blessed in San Marcos... Quilt and 3- shams.... $15... The fabric on the right is ready to create a cushion for my vanity chair...

Then a couple of months ago while flipping through one of my favorite magazines... A painting of a group of bathers at seaside inspired me to go on the hunt... It took a few weeks, but once again Twice Blessed had the perfect thing... there was a grouping of 4, but I only needed one... so I picked this one... a beautiful seaside scape... $12... yes... that included the frame!

This pretty little train case found at Beverly's Glory B's in Geronimo... $13! This is the original color... right now it's full of mercury glass ornaments... but I'm thinking of displaying something else in it... any ideas?

and finally... since we do live in South Texas, and I so brilliantly decided to replace the ceiling fan with a shabby crystal chandelier... I added this little tabletop vintage oscillating fan... bought on eBay years ago... I think I paid about $15 plus shipping...

So that's the teaser... a little aqua BLUE on Blue Monday... Now go visit Sally and see who else is BLUE today... and stop back by French Lique when you get a chance... I promise to reveal the perfect Country Cottage Guestroom real soon... down here in French Lique!

Ann Skelton

2011-06-06T20:47:00.006-05:00

I received an email from Ann's grandaughter, Brittany, today... letting me know that Ann had passed away... I am posting her email here, just in case you were missed. If you 'd like to link to Ann's blog, Life at Ann's Place... here's the link.

This is Brittany, Ann's granddaughter. I wanted to inform you that Ann passed away peacefully in her sleep yesterday morning. We know that her blog friends and email friends where very important and dear to her so wanted to take the time to notify you of what happenend. If you see I have left anyone off of this email list that she was close to as well, please take the a moment to inform them as well.

The memorial will take place:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 7pm
First Baptist Church of Warsaw
7161 S. FM 148
Kaufman, TX 75142

Thank you -
Brittany

Brittany must be an awful lot like Ann. In her time of grief, she took the time to email her grandmother's email and blogging friends. Ann was like that. Always thinking of others regardless of the pain she was going through. The bloggersphere has lost a treasure...

Ann Skelton, we will certainly miss you down here in French Lique... God Bless You Always.

Inspiration straight from Cindy's Romantic Home!

2011-05-26T22:00:00.008-05:00

A few years ago, I was reading Cindy's blog post about her $20 garage sale chandelier find! I remember thinking... that Cindy is one lucky gal... I'd never find anything like that in south Texas... That was in 2007. Now flash forward to 2009... wandering through one of my favorite junk shops in Geronimo, Texas... I found it.... now I have to admit... I didn't find it for $20... but I did find it... for $100. Already wired, this beauty had it's original Made In Spain metal tags on it.

So I carted it home, and got it in the front door... where it sat on a side table in my living room until February, 2011, when I finally got around to redecorating the guest bedroom... and now my beautiful chandelier proudly hangs there ... I just love it!

Notice the "wax" effect on the candle-liers? That was inspiration from Cindy too... on her "Drip, Drip, Drip" post... which was inspired by a post from "Miss Mustard Seed".

And... that's what I love about blogging... wonderful ideas from so many creative people... thanks Cindy... you are truly an inspiration to many.... and many more than you may know...

My perfect crystal chandelier... greeting guests when they retire... and making me smile...

Down here in French Lique...
I'm joining Cindy for Show & Tell Friday... so jump over and see who else is playing!

Spring Cleaning Vacation... and a break!

2011-05-10T09:58:00.010-05:00

This week I'm spending most of my time Spring Cleaning... taking a week off to clean... must be in my Southern Girl blood...

But on Friday... I've got fun planned... a much needed break for a girlfriend day of thrift shopping with Candy... We'll meet in Geronimo at Blue Hills Antique Mall and then visit our friend, Miss Beverly, at Glory B's before decided where to venture next... Bet I'll some interesting stuff to post about if I can just remember to take my camera!!!

And last but certainly not least... my new fav photo of my sweet granddaughter, the Panda...

Holding her faux camera in hand... she said to my daughter... her mother the photographer....

"Hey Mom! This is YOU!!"

Welcome to my world... Down Here in French Lique...

Red Shed Frenchy Giveaway!!

2011-04-30T16:54:00.004-05:00

The wonderful ladies at Red Shed Antiques are have a fabulous Frenchy Giveaway... Just back from a buying trip in Paris... they've got tons of wonderful treasures... drop buy and read about their trip, then leave a comment to win... and be sure to tell them that "Dixie sent ya"!

We adore all thing French... down here in French Lique!

A book review... or thrashing if you prefer...

2011-04-27T22:34:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading "The Host" by Stephanie Meyer. Stephanie Meyer, the author of the "Twilight" books... you know... team Edward or team Jacob... "The Host" has to be one of the most boring pieces of literature (if you can call it literature) I've ever read... and as most of you know, I read a lot...and a wide variety....

Not only was "The Host" boring, it was so far out in left field that I spent much of my time thinking... "this is weird... it's really-really weird"... It did remind me a lot of the wide berth she took in the final Twilight book, "Eclipse", my least favorite of the series, where I also kept thinking... "is she really going there?"... and yes... she did and she did it again...

Would I ever recommend this book, "The Host", to anyone... No! Do I realize that someone, somewhere would probably enjoy this fantastical stroll down Armageddon lane... sure, probably... Will I add it to "Dixie's Free Library" at work... I suppose I will... and I'll let you know if anyone that reads it, likes it... but I've got a feeling about this one... down here in French Lique...

Welcome (not!) to Daylight Savings Time... and other stuff...

2011-03-13T16:25:00.007-05:00

Surprize! (I know there's no "z" but I like it that way!) I haven't written any thing in a while... so today, instead of sitting around muttering about how much I hate DST... I decided to peruse my daughter's photography project blog and pick some of my favorite shots to show you today... so here goes...

"Forgotten"

"Iced Tea"

"Pollen Basket Pants"

"Posed"

(outdoor portrait practice with the Panda)
Want more SPace Photography... link here...

Thanks SPace for letting your mom open her braggin' book!

And just let me say for the record one more time...

I really-really hate Daylight Savings Time.... down here in French Lique...

Happy 60th Anniversary

2011-02-06T10:58:00.004-06:00

Happy Anniversary to my favorite couple... Aunt Clara and Uncle Alex... celebrating 60 wonderful years together. Uncle Alec told me at church last night... he wouldn't mind having another 60-years with this sweet woman... I hope you make it Uncle Alex!

Celebrating life! down here in French Lique...

Braggin' Blue Monday

2011-01-17T13:35:00.004-06:00

My oldest daughter... mother of The Panda and Little Einstein... is the artistic one in the family... she's pursuing a new career in photography... I love this photo, which she took for a project she is working on... It is of her (the photographer) and her soul mate... who I might add... is her biggest fan and one of her favorite subjects...

If you'd like to see more of her work... you can link to her photo blog... Photos By SPace... here...

I'm joining Sally for Blue Monday for the first time in many months... Hi Sally! Link to see who else is joining in today...

Have a sunny week... from Dixie... down here in French Lique...

The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo by Steig Larsson

2011-01-04T23:10:00.004-06:00

I highly recommend.... for the adult reader.... the Millennium trilogy.

Here's a little blurb quoted from website StiegLarsson.com
"Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) was a Swedish writer and journalist.

Prior to his sudden death of a heart attack in November 2004 he finished three detective novels in his trilogy "The Millenium-series" which were published posthumously; "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest"."

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-02T19:44:00.003-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

My booth in Geronimo is officially closed... this year I plan to focus on HOME...

My New Year Resolution... there are two...

De-clutter

Organize

De-clutter

Organize...

De-clutter-Organize-De-clutter-Organize-De-clutter-Organize-De-clutter-Organize...

okay... there is really just one isn't there!

Getting to work... Down here in French Lique!

What I Enjoyed Reading in 2010...

2011-01-01T21:39:00.002-06:00

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais

Find Me by Carol O'Connell

Heart Sick by Chelsea Cain

Indigo Slam by Robert Crais

Ireland: A Novel by Frank Delaney

No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman

One Soldier's Story, A Memoir by Bob Dole

Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner By Stephenie Meyer

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Vanished by Karen Robards

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-07T07:59:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas from Dixie and Ricky...

Ricky and I have been busy around the farmhouse. We're almost finished with the renovation and decoration of the Guest Room. We decided to buy a Sleep Number bed for our guests, since we love the one we sleep on, so much! I purchased a wonderful yellow and white checked Angelo Home chair at CSN. I found an old Crystal Chandelier at Blue Hills Mall last year, and it's now ready to be installed for our guests. Of course we have guests coming for the Christmas Holiday to try out our new digs.

The stockings are hung and we're ready to celebrate... in this order... My Birthday 12/18, Our Wedding Anniversary 12/20, Christmas Day and Dinner at our house 12/25, and Ricky's 60th Birthday 12/26. For Ricky's celebration, we're having an authentic Cowboy Breakfast.. I'll try to post a few photos here after the event.

We wish you all the Happiest of Holidays... and though I'm not here often, you are always in my thoughts and prayers...

from down here in French Lique...

Epilogue

2010-08-12T10:55:00.009-05:00

Epilogue according to Wikipedia, is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work.

This post is the Epilogue for French Lique, Texas blog. Over the past 3-months, as most of you know, I've been recuperating from knee replacement surgery. Those 3-months have given me lots of time to reflect and evaluate... the consequence of which is the end of French Lique.

It has been interesting and fun, most of the time, to blog here. I've made some real friends, inspired a few people and made a few people uneasy. I've shared dreams, thoughts, events and a lot of photos of treasured objects. I've enjoyed my stay, but it is time to go.

So here... the Epilogue...

French Lique is a fictional place. In a novel by Laura Lippman, her characters were traveling through French Lick, Indiana... I fell in love with the town's name and decided to name my fictional place in honor of French Lick... with my own spin... French Lique... "Lique" is not a real word, French or otherwise.

You can find the real me by google-ing Saint Hedwig, Texas... population 1875. I really do live in a small town out in the country on about 7-acres of land. I really do have a big front and back porch on a 40-year old ranch house.

I really am married to Ricky. We really do have 6 grown up children all of whom live in Texas..... and we really do have two white toy poodles named Precious and Roxy.

Ricky is Polish through and through... and I'm French and Irish... both of us Roman Catholic. Our heritages and religious beliefs color my thoughts and posts here in French Lique.

I do have 3 wonderful grandchildren, but their names aren't really Panda, Romeo and Little Einstein...though the nicknames describe them well.

Ricky will retire in 2012, and I will retire 3-years after that. We plan to spend our hot south Texas summers traveling, camper in tow, throughout the USA. There are so many places we haven't seen. We hope to spend our retirement visiting all those wonderful places.

Saying "good-bye" to French Lique is sad but sweet... I've given it lots of thought. I have other things to do now, and need to put my energy and time elsewhere.

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." - Herman Hesse

So from me to you..it's been fun... it's been a good ride... it's time to let go... for the final adieu... and a last good-bye from

Down Here in French Lique....

Dixie

IH10 East near New Berlin, Texas... Windmills and Rednecks...

2010-07-05T17:54:00.002-05:00

Ricky had the day off today, so we decided to take a little day trip out IH10 toward Houston... and I couldn't resist sharing a little of what we saw while driving through our beautiful state of Texas...

This was my favorite... old windmills and beautiful Texas blue skies...

Ricky's favorite... Redneck Camper... Why does this make me think of Cat Daddy?

I just love my husband's sense of humor... This one's for you Ricky! just gettin' out of the house for a while... down here in French Lique...

Lunch Break!

2010-07-01T09:27:00.004-05:00

Today is a happy day! Sister Lili and I are meeting Candy for lunch! I can hardly wait! She's bringing goody bags for us from Paper Cowgirl, that Cindy was sweet enough to send when I had to cancel due to my stinkin' knee! I'm looking forward to hearing all about Paper Cowgirl 2010 and the fun stuff that I missed! But the best part will be seeing Candy and catching up. You see, my friend Candy always, always makes me smile and laugh...

Down Here in French Lique...

Ancestry.Com and knee surgery....

2010-06-24T05:28:00.004-05:00

One thing being laid up from major surgery affords... lots of time to work on projects... mine... working on my Family Tree at Ancestry.Com... I've been slowly working on it for about 4-years. Last week I ran across the photo posted yesterday... of a great-great uncle and his family. I just love finding these old photos...

Happy Thursday from Down Here in French Lique!

ps... Doc says I can lose the walker and the TED hose next Wednesday! FREEDOM!!!

Wordless Wednesday... Ancestry.com

2010-06-23T00:23:00.002-05:00

Cowgirls Don't Cry....

2010-06-17T21:16:00.004-05:00

but I am....

My doctor has grounded me due to my knee surgery infection.... no Paper Cowgirls this year... I am not a happy Cowgirl...

down here in French Lique!

knees and cowgirls...

2010-06-12T06:30:00.002-05:00

Knee replacement surgery is just no fun.... on Monday, I will be post surgery 4-weeks. I don't know what I expected... but I'm pretty sure that it was something like... "I'll be almost mended and ready to take on the world...get back to work..." Well, that's not happening. I had a bit of a setback last week... a minor infection where the staples came out... taking antibiotics... mending slowly... Still not much in the mood for blogging...

I normally burn the proverbial candle at both ends... I'm finding that my personality type was not made to sit around and nurse oneself slowly back to good health... Beyond bored, I've found myself somewhat depressed... and sometimes even wallowing in self pity... that is just not me... but there is some light at the end of this long-long tunnel...

My sweet sister, Lili, and I are going to Waxahatchie in just under two weeks for Paper Cowgirl Art Retreat 2010! I'll still be hobbling along on my walker... I may have trouble sitting through the classes, so I'll probably be disruptive and have to get up and move around... but I'm determined to be there.... I need to get the creative juices going again...
Be with people... laugh... glue... cut paper... laugh... and so a plug for Paper Cowgirl... registration closes on the 13th at midnight... you still have time! Sign up, and I promise... I'll see you there... Just click on the link on my sidebar and be transported to registration. If you're already coming, let me know.. I'd love to meet you in person... I'll be the old broad with a bandaged knee and a walker...

sending out hugs... from down here in French Lique...

no super powers yet.... but I'm working on it... or.... she made it!

2010-05-23T18:00:00.001-05:00

I'm alive! Home! and I've a got a brand new knee... sounds great right? Well, my new knee doesn't work too well yet... it hurts and I've got a lot of work to do to get it up to speed... I won't be blogging much in the next few weeks... reading or writing... but you are all in my thoughts and prayers. I see each of your warm, smiling faces in my minds eye as I concentrate, groan, moan and screach my way to good knee agility.... hugs to you all... see ya soon... from down here in French Lique.... Dixie

Me and My Shadow.... Revisited for Sunday Favorites...

2010-05-16T14:13:00.006-05:00

On this Sunday morning... the day before my knee replacement surgery... I thought I'd join Chari for some whimsey and a little mental break... Hope you enjoy my contribution... and in my office... I have a baby... that perhaps dreams, that someday, he will grow up...and be a big boy... but for now... he'll have to resign himself to knowing that, his shadow reflects the metamorphosis of the big boy chandy he will become someday... down here in French Lique...

it made me think about how shadows are often so much larger than the thing they are a shadow of...

and a note about the chandy shadow... I completely forgot to take photos of it's installation... I followed the directions supplied by Wilson Graphics very carefully... and though, due to it's large size, it was a little cumbersome for one person to install it alone, once I got going, I found it pretty easy to do. It does take a while... with all the little "crystal" pieces, which have a tendency to want to stay on the paper you peel off... I used my Martha Stewart boning tool... and with a little patience and care... Voila'! I would highly recommend Wilson's products... I've bought others and been disappointed, but no disappointment here! I love it!

Happy Sunday Favorites... I've had this wall art piece for a couple of months... I bought it for my home office from Wilson Graphics Etsy Shop... Now, the reason for this purchase was...

Warning!!! You'll want to check this out! I promise!!!

2010-05-08T10:04:00.004-05:00

Snopes confirmed this warning is legit... There's a site called SPOKEO.COM and it's an online phone book that has your address, phone number, profession, age, how many people live in the house, relatives' names... Remove yourself by the Privacy link on the bottom center of the main screen. (passing along, scary stuff!)...

I just removed us!

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

2010-04-26T09:21:00.005-05:00

I've been trying to decide whether or not to blog about this upcoming event in my life... 'cause I don't want anybody freaking out over it or anything... Candy would probably tell you that I don't care much for whimpering and whining about my ailments... I just pick myself up by the bootstraps and keep going... so here goes...

On May 17th I'll be celebrating a new knee... yep... knee replacement surgery... I'm not worried about it... not scared... actually looking forward to getting it over with.

Candy would also tell you that I have significant trouble getting around when we take our little thrifting excursions... and I have to "take a break" quite often... which is why I haven't been to Canton or to Round Top in recent years... I've even had to cut back on my Wimberley Market Days trips this past year... So... I'm biting the bullet (as it were), and getting the surgery... Don't worry.... I'll be back in the proverbial saddle soon! So if I'm missing in blogger action for a while... don't worry... as the Terminator says... "I'll be back"...

racing to the finish line... figuratively speaking... Down Here in French Lique...

Sunday Favorites... Porch Party and Happy 1st Birthday

2010-04-24T21:58:00.006-05:00

Today I'm joining in the celebration of Sunday Favorites 1-year birthday! Chari at Happy to Design sure puts on a great party... and I couldn't resist joining in by reposting one of my favorite parties... a repost of my contribution to Rondi's second annual porch party, June 2009...

Hope you enjoy reading... or re-reading... and then drop by to see who else is joining in the party today...

THE ORIGINAL POST

Welcome to the porch party at French Lique... and when you finish partying here....
The flowers are all in bloom and inviting you in...
I'm inviting a few Texas Gals over to help celebrate... What... don't see your name here... why silly thing... it's right here in my hand...
and here's a chair for you... I just painted it yesterday morning...
or maybe you'll like this seat better... you get to choose.
The table has been set with all the things you like... lots of vintage china, silver, and depression glass... and a pretty vase of pure white roses...
Don't these say Porch Party to you? How about a bowl full of strawberries or maybe a bowl of cherries? Go ahead... take one... they're delicious!
Here's that artsy shot you've been waiting for... a guest's eye view...
Yep... that porch furniture painted a nice cottage white.. just divine...

Would you like a glass of Saint Gen's White Zin? See a cake plate can also serve as a nice bar tray for some pretty wine glasses...

Then after lunch... we'll mozy on over to the shady end of the porch for a little afternoon tea... These settees will get their white paint next weekend... But don't they look fresh and pretty with their cushions wrapped in an old chenille cutter spread and a few vintage looking pillows?

Ebay just has be best buys on cottage pillows... don't you think... Why don't you just sit right here and make yourself comfortable...

Nice and shady and ready for us to while away the afternoon... chatting and drinking some lovely Raspberry tea... One lump or two?

I love sitting here and listening to the wind chimes... or maybe even taking a summer afternoon nap...

But today we're just too busy to sleep... Here... how 'bout a sip... Ricky got this pretty vintage china for me at an estate auction... it's called Coralbel...

I have the perfect little place to hang my apron... This sweet apron was a blogger giveaway gift from Cathy at Catherine De the' Cups. It's just adorable... I love to wear it!

Here's what it says on the front... Isn't it just the prettiest thing!

Well... I'm still waiting... but no body's here? I'm sure the invitations said 11:30 a.m. sharp for lunch! Oh no! The invitations! Did I forget to mail them? I've just been so busy painting?!

Oh well... I'll pour myself another glass of nice cool wine and sit here and daydream for a while... It's a good thing I forgot to cook too!

Guess I'll tuck my little pretties away... until next time...Maybe Candy and BJ will come over early and help me get organized for our next Porch Party...

I love a porch party... down here in French Lique...

Flowers down the country road...

2010-04-18T21:49:00.005-05:00

With all the rain we've been having here in South Texas this spring... it's raining wildflowers...

These, all photos taken of the country road I drive down every few days, going to the post office... or to church.... so here you go... more photos of Texas Wildflowers... down the country road...

Thanks for going along for the ride...

from the heart of Texas...

down here in French Lique...

I'm more of a distraction than anything else....

2010-04-11T15:47:00.001-05:00

Back in early February... Candy and Terry (along with my sister from Mississippi, Lili) came to Geronimo to help me move my booth from the back to the front... here's that story... The Fairies of French Lique... and I remind you of this because...

just this past Friday... two of the fairies... Candy and Terry... were doing a little work in their own booth near Wimberley, Texas... My sister, here again from Mississippi..., and I decided to go and visit Candy and Terry and uh... help? Well, as it turns out... I'm more of a distraction than anything else... after our arrival... they worked for another half hour and then I talked them into quitting and running off to Wimberley for some serious sisterhood style shopping with Lili and me...

I forgot to take photos until we got to Brocante... I just loved these bottles... and the photo of the flapper in the cloche (background)...

Terry loved this debutante gown draped over a wicker chair... she's been wondering what to do with an old gown she has for sale... and now... she knows...

This fabulous piece of art reminded me of the beautiful creations of Miss Rock Candy herself...

but this... oh my... was the Pièce de résistance ...
I absolutely fell in love with this beautiful piece of art... from head...

to toe... Magnifique!
the price... $1800...
probably worth every penny...
but way-way over my current frivolous art budget...

after ooooohhhhing and aaaahhhhhhing... and walking around for about 2-hours... (yes of course I bought something.. but that's for later)...
we decided to stop and get a little Texas Iced Tea...

yes... it is true... I'm more of a distraction than anything else...
but Candy, Terry, Lili and I...
always seem to have a really good time... no matter where we go or what we do...
down here in French Lique...

I love Texas in the springtime... Wildflowers...

2010-04-07T20:48:00.004-05:00

Lady Bird Johnson spent most of her post White House life, celebrating and preserving Texas Wildflowers... The photos... not from a nature preserve... but from my front yard...

Bluebonnets... the Texas State Flower... and some yellow... Wild Aster
and more yellow... don't know the name but I love it!

and then...

Wild Verbena

and finally, flowering Redbud...

yes... the rusty wire fence surrounds my side yard out behind Ricky's shop...

no... I can't take the credit for gardening... this one is all the handywork of God...

welcoming Spring... down here in French Lique...

Hunting the Egg...

2010-04-05T10:03:00.003-05:00

Romeo had a great time at his church Easter egg hunt... and no wonder! Look at his Easter pail full of treasure filled eggs!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter... blessings from down here in French Lique!

Happy Birthday Precious Ones...

2010-04-01T00:46:00.002-05:00

This pretty little blonde girl... my oldest daughter... the handsome young man... her soulmate... Their birthdays, like so many couples in our family, fall in the same month... and theirs... in the same year...

Happy Birthday my precious ones... Nothing makes me happier than to know you have eachother and that so much joy comes from the love you share....

Big "J" and little "S"...

Wishing you many birthdays shared together, from down here in French Lique...

I'll miss you Lee! See you on the flip side!

2010-03-31T11:03:00.006-05:00

My blogging pal, Lee at Inspired Comblogulations, is retiring her blog... drop by and tell her goodbye...

Lee at Inspired Comblogulations...

We'll miss you... but we'll see you somewhere in Texas...

"the envelope please...... "

2010-03-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

and the winner is..... wait for it... wait for it...

Jennifer at Three Sons and a Daughter...

Jen lives in San Antonio and is a stay at home holding the fort down mom with... you guessed it... 3-sons and a daughter... and a great hubby...

So Jen... send me an email with your address or... if you prefer... I could just throw the magazine out the window and you can catch it as you drive by... seeing as how I live 15 miles east of San Antonio... ! anyway... I know you're going to love this first edition of FLEA MARKET Style magazine!

Thanks to all that shared your love of spring floral with me... now I'm off to have a wonderful long weekend with Ricky and a few friends and family... see ya'll after Easter... blessings from down here in French Lique...

A Giveaway to celebrate Spring!

2010-03-29T10:30:00.002-05:00

I ended up with an extra copy of FLEA MARKET style... and so... just in time for Spring, I decided to give my extra copy away... Do you have your copy? Retail Value $9.95. If you'd like to win this copy, just leave a comment on this post with the name of your favorite spring flower. If you want a second chance to win, put a link on your sidebar to this post and come back and leave another comment. I'll draw the winner by RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR at 9pm on

March 30th!

Good Luck and thanks for stopping by to visit down here in French Lique!

A Temporary Break in the Fast...

2010-03-21T10:16:00.002-05:00

I simply could not let the first full day of spring 2010 go by, without showing you the beautiful spring weather at my daughter's home in Allen, Texas (just NE of Dallas). Yes, this is her deck this morning... yes, that is about 6-inches of snow... and it's still coming down!

Welcome Spring!

Dang Global Warming!

Happy Spring from down here in French Lique...

The Season of Lent...

2010-02-17T23:57:00.001-06:00

Today I begin my annual Blogger break... in observance of the Lenten Season...

Blessings to each of you.

Hope to see you soon, down here in French Lique...

Breakfast of Pseudo-Champions... A Mini-Post...

2010-02-17T22:45:00.001-06:00

Just letting you know, I'm still alive and kickin'... er... baking... Double Dark Chocolate Walnut Brownies... and a steaming hot cup of Folgers Coffee...

proof positive! Chocolate IS it's own food group... and healthy... a full serving of walnuts in each brownie... Breakfast of Pseudo-Champions... hey... at least it's Breakfast...

Enjoying the break down here in French Lique...

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T09:41:00.005-06:00

Ash Wednesday...

Celebrating the Gift of Our Lord... down here in French Lique...

A Tweet and A Glass Box...

2010-02-16T08:22:00.011-06:00

I'm joining Diane for Second Time Around Tuesday... Drop by and see who else is playing!

I can't resist stopping by my favorite Salvation Army Store when I'm on the South Side of San Antonio... and there... last week... I found these...

two little Tweets... 49-cents each... couldn't pass that one up...

When Sweet Sister was here a few weeks ago... we thrifted Goodwill and I found this... missing one of it's ball feet and the ball on top.. didn't bother me any... 99-cents... Sweet Sister said... "what will you do with that broken thing?"

so can you guess where I'm going here?

yep... a perfect combination... now this is just a tease... you'll have to come back later to see the finished product...

Then yesterday at a meeting, one of my co-workers slipped and commented about something I'd said on my blog... huuummmmm... a co-worker lurker... I didn't tell her I KNEW she'd been lurking... Won't she be surprised when she sees this!

Love ya Margie!

Wondering who else is lurking out there in French Lique???????

A Valentine's Day Treat for My Valentine...

2010-02-14T04:35:00.001-06:00

What do you give the man who has everything... for Valentine's Day?

FOOD...

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING... DIED PINK FOR VALENTINE'S DAY... of course!

A whole DOZEN of them... just for him...

and for my father-in-law who'll be 85 years old next month...

a ONE LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING AND CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES ON TOP!

and for sweet hubby who makes my world go round...

A DOZEN CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES.. MADE WITH MY OWN TWO LITTLE HANDS JUST FOR HIM...

Happy St. Valentine's Day to my Sweetheart...
Down Here in French Lique...

Hey Grandma! It's Snowing... again...

2010-02-11T23:17:00.005-06:00

My Grandkiddos had a wonderful time with the Dallas area snow today...
Little Einstein had a serious snowball fight...

Sweet Panda cheered him on... and got in a few shots of her own!

They decided there was enough snow...

to build a snow fort...
while across town their cousin... Romeo...

had a snow ball fight of his own going on...
and Romeo decided to build a snowperson...

for his mom...

Happy PINK SATURDAY Valentine's from Texas...

and from down here in French Lique...

Baby Girl in Dallas wakes up to SNOW!

2010-02-11T10:26:00.007-06:00

Baby Girl woke up this morning to this! Her mama... (that's me...) called to check on her about 9am (she goes to work at 10am)... She was still snug in the bed and hadn't looked out the window just yet... "Sweetheart... it's snowing up there... Fort Worth already has 3-inches"... she jumped out of bed and looked out the window... "holy cow Mom...! I've got to get moving!" Mom, in her infinate wisdom, told Baby Girl... "take a change of clothes, your pillow and blankie... just in case you get stuck at work!" She did.

Now you northern gals might think this is nothin'... but in Dallas...

This is a lot of snow!

She called from the road... "Mom! I hope I can find work... I don't recognize anything!"

Mom (that's me) said... "Get off the phone and be careful... call me AFTER you get to work safely!"... she did.. and she did...

Dog-Gone Global Warming! HAPPY PINK VALENTINE SATURDAY EVERYBODY!

wonder if we'll get some snow today down here in French Lique?...

ps... Baby Girl supplied photos via her phone.. ain't the 21st Century just the bomb!