i needed a focal point ...

... and here it is. 

 Mr D and i spent the Saturday and Sunday of the Memorial Day 

weekend looking at couches sofas. we ended up entirely frustrated.  

so...back to the drawing board Pinterest and blog posts i went. 

how may times has this room popped up in my virtual world?  

MANY.  

every time it appeared, i loved it! 

now... this room holds a much GRANDER scale than our living room here 

on 34th street,  our room is very similar...just a smaller bone structure. 

we have a floor to ceiling stone fireplace with windows and a slider

 (dreaming to be transitioned into French doors some day)

 on the very same wall.  this room is a perfect palate for seasonal transitions.  

this room says,"here lives Mr and Mrs D"...and

The Chocolate Mousse Gousse, of course.
 her days on the couch are numbered.


(how many Chocolate Labs do you know that sleep on matelasse' 
with a French pillow? you can tell that we are empty nester's.)

and... believe it or not, the two of us agreed on the style of couch in the photograph,

without the photograph. we just have to get to the same page on the fabric.

i'm headed to the printer... to print this image  for the story board i am putting
 together for the next outing.  at least we'll begin on the same page this time.

just a ramble today! thanks ever so much for listening to me!

withLove.

look what she's doing now!

a couple of weeks ago, i shared 

the cutest gift from Linda, at Flowers On My Table. the phone case is hand made 

by Wendz at 15 Coast Road.  i received some emails asking me if Wendz markets her

accessories on Etsy, or if one could buy them on line. i believe that one can only purchase

her pretty accessories at fleas and boutiques across the pond. 

this morning, there was a post from 15 Coast on my blog roll. 

Wendz collects vintage embroidered linens.  some of the linens are stained and not suitable for

the table or bed, so she takes the best of the vintage treasure, and transforms it into

another treasure.  i adore how she finishes her pieces with ribbon tags and words.

one could see a piece as such at Anthro. 

i had to place photo corners on the next piece because it's dream (inspiration) 

board worthy!  i have a collection of not so perfect embroidered linens calling out

for a transformation. perhaps this inspiration is the kick start that i need to get going!

withLove.

just some "happy" little words with tea today!

i woke up so extra happy today!

first of all, it's going to be a Sunny day!

 Beeee- you- tee-full!

i just let The Chocolate Gousse outside to scout her back yard.

{Summertime is just around the corner!}

I can wear pearl grey linen and white to work today!

Fleur Impressionist lipstick...Lancome... it's my lipstick with linen fave!

Mr D and i have a little road trip on the horizon.

we are going to visit our son Jay in Boise, and make are way

home through Washington's wine country!

we're going to stay one night here.

Holland Grace turns one in June!

{our precious pearl girl} Chrislyn is planning a berry sweet 

 first birthday party for her.  Jay will be home for the first week and 1/2 

in July! we're going to host an open house so friends and family

can pop in and catch up with life and times.  i am so grateful for my family and friends.

i love having  tea with you and talking 

about happy things!

now it's your turn to talk while i sip!

withLove.

is there a such thing as a Memorial Day Sale(s) hangover? today, it's about our freedom savers...

let's start with the disclaimers.

this image is not "of "me nor was it created by me.

i found the image on Pinterest this morning.

i tried to find the source and got a big "this could be linked to spam" message 

with an exclamation point that said: Go back to Pinterest!!!!

(if this is your image, i wish to thank you for letting me use it today.

i would be honored if you would leave a comment.)

i will confess...i am tired of shopping for living room furniture. 

i am tired of furniture sales associates.

we have yet to pick up our easel, because there was a little 

integrity snafu with that purchasing experience as well. (kinda took the joy out of it.)

enough wining... i am lucky that we are able to entertain the idea of purchasing

new living room furniture. enough said.

oh...

(just to let you know...PicMonkey now has collage.!)

~on the chandie is my  own little (red, white and  lavender blue) tribute to the sacred grounds of
America and Normandy~

today, i will set the farm table in honor of those who have given their lives,

saving freedom. 

via

broad stripes...bright stars...that's the spirit!

good morning, long holiday weekend!

via

it's the perfect day to wrap onerself in bright stars after a morning sugar scrub!

via

are you setting the table for a family picnic in the sun?

via

you might be "dolling up"  for a late springtime performance
of Coppelia! (love the nude shoes)

via

lately, i'm digging Sperry! have you visited their site lately?

    today, i will be wearing my blue jeans, and pinning the stars and stripes to
 my SWEET market bag. Mr D and i will be hitting the local farmers market(s)
and picking up the easel for the flat screen.  we're also going to this kookie
furniture store called The Cannery. they feature some v e r y   i n t e r e s t i n g  items.

most times, i cannot find anything that appeals to me, but last year i was quite taken this
piece! perfect rustic French bread.(something totally unexpected for The Cannery.)
we did not buy it, but it was fun to photograph.
they have free hot dogs and soda today! i will go expecting the unexpected! 


~ * ~

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formally known as Decoration Day and commemorates all men and women, who have died in military service for the United States. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day and it is traditionally seen as the start of the summer season.


i wear this holiday's colors with spirit, with pride, 
with gratitude, and...
withLove.

May's pink story...

once a month...

 it's my pretty way to remind you 

to take 5 and check on the girls.

Mr D and i will be visiting the farmers markets this weekend. 

we will be shopping for the garden and the farm table!

our easel is ready to pick up at Seldens.

{ to my American friends,
i wish you sweet memories and safe travels 
on the holiday weekend .}

withLove.

~image from my pink ribbon board here~

no dessert recipe today...but there is some sugar to share!

                                               ~ i had mentioned in yesterday's post, that i was

going to share an easy dessert  today. i ended up not 

making it!  (we still have chocolate chip cookies in the cookie

jar that need to be consumed.) i'll make the crazy, 

experimental dessert this weekend, and share soon. 


blog           sugar
meeting       gracious,
giving hearts, every
time you sign on. 
pretty sweet! it
 makes my

day!


some of you have sent me some pretty
creative keepsakes. i have mixed them with
my family keepsakes...

... in the kitchen,

in my powder room,

and on the chandie. i have little treasures tucked
here and there around our home.

this month, i was so pleased to meet Liz!

she featured our Spring chandie at The Brambleberry Cottage today!

thank you, Liz, and thank you to all the gracious hearts that
take a moment to visit me here on 34th street!


withLove.

visions of berries and cream dancing in my head...our girlies are coming to dinner tonight !!

with every one's busy schedule we don't often get together for week night

dinners. H.G's daddy has a meeting tonight, so our girlies are coming to visit!

this means... that berries and cream will be on the menu!

~visit Samantha Lamb here~

at the present H.G. is CRAZY for strawberries!

since it's a work day, i won't have time to make strawberry and cream 

French macarons. (Holland is not quite ready to eat  them yet.)

 i pinned  this image with recipe so i can make them for her

 first birthday party.  aren't they pretty?





~* ~ 

for tonight... the list:

i am also planning an easy dessert for Mr D.

i'll share it tomorrow!

withLove
~all images (except the girls) are from pinterest~

the new Molly Malone...

... took a clam basket,

added moss, some pillar candles, and clothesline.

i would like to make a clam basket chandie for our cherry tree.

if i cannot find a vintage piece around town, i can always go here.


alive, alive, oh so pretty! just singing saying.

withLove.


~the image was found on pinterest...it's origin could not be traced.~

sweet son of mine!

he's a perfect example of  turning cant's into cans, and dreams into plans.

his twitter profile states that "ordinary people can do extraordinary things".

Jay, interviewing one of his mentors, ESPN's  Kirk Herbstreit, while covering the Boise State Broncos

at the Maaco Bowl  in Las Vegas.

 last summer, he moved from Lewiston, to report for the number one station in 

Boise, Idaho. Mr D and i are planning a trip to visit him in June. you may read his profile on 

the KTVB website, if you wish to...here.

this photo was taken while visiting Jay in Lewiston, last summer.

Jay arrived on this day, 28 years ago!

happy birthday, sweet son of mine!

withLove.

for my dream board...and my dream boat!

 way before Pinterest...

we were all pinning to our own little big dream boards.

i still keep a few inspiration boards around the house.

there's one in the kitchen, one on my side of the bed, and one in my craft room.

today, i am pinning an image that i found here.

i LOVE to visit her!

Sharon, i cannot even begin to tell you how much your blog inspires me!

oh!... how i wish to take the doors off of my 

UGLY kitchen cabinets!

oh!... how i want the lower cabinets to wear skirts! 

you don't see a lot of this look in America. everything is 

quite beautifully finished wood and granite right now! 

i adore the non contrived look of this kitchen!

functional living, by design. 

 i am not certain that Mr D would be smitten with

the idea of taking all of the doors off of the kitchen cabinets.

he has,  however, embraced the my quest of a French industrial look.

we recently ordered this.

we finally came to terms on how to display our black
flat screen. it is presently sitting atop my great grandmother's
vintage New Home sewing machine.  i'll share a photo of the
easel when it is delivered and set up in our home.

{today Mr D and are married 39 years!

i placed our {now vintage}wedding invitation on the chandie.

we are blessed.!}

this weekend we'll be having a
"down home celebration" for Mr D's 60th!

FUN! plain and simple!

yep! that's the theme!

happy weekend to all!

withLove

back to Camp...the Hudson Valley is on the chandie!

i have been "popping in" to visit Meagan Camp's blog  for almost a  year. i found her photography
featured in issue five of  RUE Magazine.
 when she photographed her shop  t e l e s c a, my eyes zeroed in on the
vintage fruit baskets. there happened to be a few available in her Etsy shoppe.

i wasn't quite certain what i was going to do with the little Hudson Valley treasures.
i just knew that i wanted some.

last Friday the baskets arrived,

along with a bit of history

 from their original home.

 STRAWBERRY HILL NURSERY

pieces of a past,

on the chandie, just in time for Mother's Day.

just add vintage fruit baskets, peat pots with 
white hydrangea, bay leaf and water daily,
withLove.

~ the winner of the glassy baby give a way
is
Necole at the well fed soul!~

~ visit Meagan Camp's blog here ~
~an article about Megan's find at Strawberry Hill Nursery here~
~ the image of orange poppies was taken by Janis, at Pinecone Camp, you can view her brilliance here ~