Just Photos...

Some days, I'm not sure what to write about.  Sometimes, there just isn't anything for me to say.
All I know is that I just want to take photos of pretty things, things that make my heart sing, and share them with you. 
So I hope I don't bore you too often with some of my vignette's.

And by the way, thank you for continuing to visit me here on my blog, your kind comments mean so much!!

Hugs~
Melinda

A Healthy Snack & Other Things...

Hi all, hope you all had a great week and are ready for a wonderful weekend.
It has been just beautiful here over the past couple of days with sunshine and warmer temps in the low to mid 70's, boy do I miss the warm weather!

We had a scare over the last few days with my Mom. They found a lump in her breast and she had to have it biopsied to test for cancer. It was nerve wracking waiting for the results, especially since she just beat cancer only 2 years ago. But thank the good Lord above, it turned out to be benign!
Things like this makes me ever so grateful for the beautiful and healthy family that I have!!

I made some yummy and healthy parfaits for the boys a few days ago and thought I'd share it with you. So simple, with ingredients from Trader Joe's of course. I just added 2 flavors of low-fat/non-fat yogurt, low-fat triple berry Trader Joe's granola, & some fresh strawberries and blueberries, that's it~ super simple and delicious!!

I also made a new pillow yesterday using some old scraps of grain sacks that I had lying around. I just cinched the front of the pillow with the sewing machine and hand-stitched my husband's and my initials on the front. I like how it turned out because it's different and it adds some texture and interest to my sofa.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!
Sincerely,
Melinda

Favorite Places to Shop No.1

Hi everyone, hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Just wanted to share with you some of my new vintage goodies.
The French enamel canisters and re-striped grain sacks both came from Etsy.
Etsy is one of my favorite places to shop online. When I'm looking for something in particular, I almost always find it on Etsy, especially things from France. At times, the prices can be a bit high due to the shipping, but many of the shops have reserve and special payment plan options which helps.

I saw these gorgeous 1920's enamel canisters and just fell in love with the color, and they are in lovely condition for their age. I purchased these from a fantastic shop called "Vintage French Linens". The shop owners are from France and so wonderful. I know you'll love their beautiful treasures.

These grain sacks are truly beautiful. They are huge and made of super thick fabric. And they are in perfect condition.

The shop "Grain Sack" on Etsy, is the only place that I can ever find grain sacks for a decent price and in such great condition. They never disappoint.

Well, that's all for tonight. I'll share more shops with you soon.

Hope you all have a great week.
Sincerely,
Melinda

Living a Vintage Lifestyle

I absolutely love living with vintage pieces and where ever you look throughout my home, you'll find something old and worn, yet truly loved.
Vintage furnishings, old baskets, aged books with ruffled pages, vintage dress forms, and one of my favorite staples, white ironstone, all mix so beautifully and seamlessly together.

My home is done in faded colors; pale blues, grays, worn whites, and touches of red. I love adding touches of reds with faded red-striped grain sacks and monogrammed towels. I use them as pillows, upholstery to give new life to tattered chairs, and mostly, I just adore them for display. Stacks and stacks of linens make me happy, they add texture and interest to my home and especially beauty.
Living with vintage is an easy and relaxing style for my family and me. Pieces that stand the test of time and the test of boys. :)

What's your lifestyle? Do you adore vintage like I do, and how do you incorporate vintage pieces into your home decor?

In my next post, I'll share with you some of my favorite places to shop for vintage pieces.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!
Sincerely,
Melinda

Vintage Cabinet & Anthro Bowls

Anthro bowls in yummy colors~

 
Adding color to my new vintage hutch that hubby got me. I just received it on Friday and it's perfect for some of my frequently used dinnerware and linen towels.

 Latte bowls~

Inside Out bowl~

I purchased the latte and "Inside Out" bowls from Anthro. I wanted some cute bowls to use for snacks for my boys.
The white bowls on the left are from Ikea. I found these about a month ago for only $2.99 each. I absolutely love these bowls, we use them mostly for pasta and soup. They are super heavy and really well made, especially for the price.
I'll show you some better photos of my cabinet soon.

I also wanted thank everyone for your continued visits to my blog, I sincerely appreciate it and it's so wonderful hearing from you all!!

****P.S~ If I don't get a chance to reply to you by e-mail, I will reply to you right under the comments that you leave me. I am trying hard this New Year to get back to you all. :)****

Hope you all have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Melinda

Freshen & Renew

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you all had a very joyous holiday season! Mine was truly wonderful!
I've been busy freshening up my home for the New Year!! New curtains hung, things re-arranged, and waiting on the arrival of some exciting Christmas gifts. Yes, a little late, but I wanted to wait until after the holidays to get my gifts this year. I can't wait to show you all!

{all images by me}

Just a few peeks of the house. I haven't been taking full shots of my home because I'm waiting to save up for a wide-angle lens this February. It's a bit hard to get full shots of anything with the lenses I have right now.
Also, I finally treated myself to the "Vintage by Nina" book and I am so glad I did!! The photos and styling are absolutely stunning. It has really inspired me!

 **Speaking of inspiration, make sure and stop by Tracey's lovely blog, French Larkspur. Tracey had her beautiful home published in the Jan./Feb. 2013 issue of  Midwest Living Magazine. The photos are absolutely gorgeous!
Congratulation's Tracey!!!~

Hope you all have a beautiful day!! Talk to you all soon!!

Sincerely,
Melinda

**Joining Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.