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

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

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!

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

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!

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!

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!!

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...

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...

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

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

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

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!

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...

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

 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...