A Rainy Summer Day

 

Picked wild greens and a Hydrangea bloom yesterday for my vintage French chocolate jar!

 

A good thing since a thunderstorm throughout the night led to lovely, steady rain...all the day long.

 

 

Hung up the beach hat and picked up the "The Waiting".   Just a few chapters in and really enjoying it since it's based on a true story.  Well written, good story.
 

Baked a couple of banana tea cakes....pretty but didn't quite bake through!  I need an oven thermometer OR a new oven!  Darn.  I put them back in which seemed like forever before they were done.  Love these cute paper 'pans'.  I wonder if they were the culprits...  Oh well, they tasted delicious finally. 

So thankful for this day!!

 

Out of the Mouth of Babes...I Dreamed I Love Everyone

My daughter in California recently posted this about her little one and it is TOO sweet not to share!
   Here she is at her Matryoshka themed 4th Birthday Party.  She's our little Russian Doll!  read on...

 

 

 

Zen doesn’t talk about her dreams, so I know this was a big one. In March, shortly after her 4th birthday, she said to me in the middle of the afternoon while driving in the car.
“Mum, you know what I dreamed last night?”
“What was it babe?”
“I dreamed I love everyone”
“Everyone?”
“Not just everyone in our family. Everyone in the whole world.”
Be still my heart. Profound thanks for this incredible soul spreading peace, laughter and love.


Feel the love from this little girl?  I do!!  xoRoberta

Jeanne d'Arc Living new book CELEBRATIONS

 

Follow the months of the year with  plenty of inspiration for life's celebrations, big and small. From weddings, a party at the local community center and a guys' party in the garage too! Intimate and romantic dinners - all of them making use of seasonal materials. Everything comes together with beautiful table arrangements and floral decorations not to mention decorated surroundings.

You'll also find ideas for invitations, gift ideas and menus.

 

Released May 1st! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ironstone and a Snowy Day

        Another beautiful snow and no work today so I took advantage...made a pot of soup, gathered my ironstone and rearranged the heirloom cabinet.  (Quite ironic since we stored our galoshes in it as kids...a miracle that the glass doors were never broken!)

Pinning ironstone lately has inspired me to group all my pieces together.  See my lovely sanddollar print from Kerrie at SeaWashed.

        It's time to replace the wallpaper background...perhaps the pale beach glass color on the wall above the shelf that surrounds the dining room.....the shelf is original, quaint and cottagy and I'm so happy it's there!

 

 

With all the obsessive pinning, I wanted a vintage French (of course) round soup tureen but since they are scarce and so highly priced....I got this one at BBB for $25 with a coupon!  It has the look I was going for, came with a ladle and I liked it better than some of the new pricier ones out there.  Meanwhile, the search is on for an older one and patience usually pays off in a great find at a fair price....patience..patience..patience...

     Love the color and design in the pretty pitcher that holds some favorite (polished) monogrammed silver.  I like them either way but the monogram does show up better when polished up a bit.

 The unique shape of the French Memorial Plaque appealed to me and found a spot here.

                            One of my favorite vignettes...a still life

 

 

 Madonna has found her way in amongst the beautiful grays and whites. 

 

 

 

            I am so thankful for such a peaceful and pretty snow day...
                                    So happy you stopped by!
                                               xoRoberta


 

February Jeanne d'Arc Living and A Rainy Day

Hello!  It's a beautiful, mild rainy day on the coast of Massachusetts today....in January!  And, it's that time again for the latest JDL...

 

The February issue features brocante...bathrooms and beautiful winter homes..a perfect read for a rainy day.

 

Illuminato Christmas Mantel

 

A simple mantel this season...

 

 

So grateful for a peaceful, gray and foggy Sunday at home to take in the sounds and scents of Christmas...enjoying quiet moments..
                    

       I hope your holidays are filled with joy and peace and love!

                                 Christmas Blessings xo
                                          Roberta

Interior Design and Grays in Autumn Decor

Mauvy Grays...Green Grays...Blue Grays...

 

 

Keeping shells in my fall decor...while collecting many shades of gray books....all working together on my Autumn buffet.

 
Whelk shells have beautiful veins of blue gray to compliment the book stacks.

 Silver lettering in the collection unifies the varied grays. 

 

The Interior Design book can be found at Enchanted Treasures.
 

The 'Decorating with Books' Bug

Okay, so I'm late jumping on the 'decorating with books' wagon but when I was in Portland, OR recently visiting my daughter and newborn grandbaby...I stopped in at my all time favorite antique shop Justin & Burks.  As I was browsing around taking it all in....Justin let me know that the 'Loft' was open.  THE Loft....that he LIVES in!  

                  (the next time you see my mantel...it will look like this!  crazy...I know.  I love it!)


Now THIS is Decorating and Living with BOOKS!!  When I was there two years ago, he had an 'Open Loft Soiree' that I was unable to attend and had been thinking about since!! 

                                   He said "the only thing Sold are the books"...

(all pics are taken from his facebook page) Okay...so up I go not believing my sheer luck! Did I mention that he is drop dead gorgeous with a very kind demeanor? Well, he IS and I PROPOSED to him when I came down from the Loft!! hahah   As I carefully walked around taking it all in I thought how strange...that ALL the books were sold...did the same buyer purchase the ENTIRE collection? 
I was up there alone and felt as though I was transported to another place and time...Paris perhaps.  He is an old soul with an eye and hand for decorating that I have never experienced first hand before. 

                              And, everything in the loft was tagged for sale.... except the books.

                                           I was mesmerized with every step that I took.

After the proposal I asked him about the books.  Well, the books are the ONLY thing he cannot part with!  I get it...I understand completely.

 And now, I am on a mission.  I am obsessed with getting this look and scouring every Savers, Goodwill and Salvation Army within 50 miles! 

 And this is beginning of my collection.  I'm sticking with gray, pale lavender and sea glass with silver wording to enhance my driftwood and old bottle collection.   So far I've spent hours removing bookjackets to see the beauty of the bindings....the lettering...the title...the color... for the perfect 'look'.  Focus...gray, pale lavender and sea glass green.....a long way to go...

 

 

 

This is on my mantel now...My Own Cape Cod, Chesapeake, Marina, Water Baby, Summer Rental. Titles and colors I couldn't resist..focus..focus...focus.  My pinterest book board.

 

 

 

I'll get there....eventually.

 

oh, and three nymphs gardening....:))

 

 

JULY 'Pavilions' JDL

Available for pre-order now and expected delivery July 1st.

Amazing Retreats by Jeanne d'Arc Living

Dreaming of a summer retreat away from home?  Amazing Retreats is a book released last year from JDL and is filled with lovely images of cottages, cabins, lake houses and shacks by the shore and in the mountains.   

 

It happens to be my personal favorite of JDL's books and that is why I brought it back!  If you missed out the first time around you can get it here.

 

A little more color and casual feel...down to earth.

Just the way I like it. 

How about you? 

 

 

The Beach House in Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine

'The Beach House'.....as in MY beach house is featured in the Summer issue of JDL!  Not only am I pretty excited about it, I was surprised when I opened the issue and there it was....the very first article!  

  Last year Lonnie told me it would be in the summer 2013 issue, but I think I actually put it out of my mind so I wouldn't be disappointed if it didn't appear.  Mark Lohman's photographs are dreamy on the matte pages of JDL.  

Sure it's the same ol' story of how I came to 'find' the little cottage on the bay (it sought me out), but it's one of Divine Intervention and I still get 'goosebumps' every time I tell it.  

Proof that when you focus and visualize...eventually the dream materializes. I remember sitting on the beach many years before the fruition of the 'beach house'...

 In my mind, I put a beach house in a bubble and let it float across the sea.  I wonder if that was the key moment..

It's simply a matter of believing and seeing it before it appears!

 Do you have a story about how your dream has materialized?  I'd love to hear about it.

xo Roberta 

Any day now...Jeanne d'Arc Living MAY issue

                                          
                              The photos in JDL speak volumes.....

                                                       Love, Love, Love!

Boston...An Old Soul

                    We are Praying for you and your People

Boston has an old soul...amidst the Big Dig with new highways, tunnels and bridges..one still senses it. 

We are one hour south of Boston and were in the city on a Saturday afternoon recently.  A small Italian restaurant with rave reviews coaxed us in to town.  As we waited in line outside in the cold surrounded by tenements, people were ambling about carrying laundry on their heads while some with it in carriages.  Clearly it was wash day for many of these working people who did not have washers or dryers in this old part of town.

After dinner we made way to my favorite and very charming and cultural 'North End' where lines of people waited to get in to one of many Italian pastry shops!  As much as we would have loved a cappuccino and cannoli, we passed it up for lack of parking anywhere.  

 

Now, we are praying for this lively town so trodden down by sadness and fear.

 Boston...Love will prevail! 

Sunny Spring Finds

Hello!   The sun is shining brightly in the cottage today and it feels so good!

I've added an ironstone bowl of pale blue 'Easter' eggs to the buffet with a pair of chicks and new found little farmgirl doll for Spring.  You can find the eggs here.  I've had mine for a few years now and love them!!

 

I found her for $2 at a church treasure sale recently.  She may be Greek because of the design on her apron...such a pretty hand painted face!

The chicks make me smile with the other reds in this vignette for Spring and Easter.

As for the white onion/cheese boards.....I have been searching HIGH and LOW for a vintage one to no avail.  I managed to find a couple of new ones but if you know where I can find an old one ...please...drop me a line.

I hope your Spring and Easter are Happy and Blessed! 

xo Roberta
 

Arrangements...

 

Oh that I would dare to cover a wall with photos like this!  And cozy up on this very cool sofa... I must be craving some color and texture in the beach cottage.  I usually do in the wintertime...and it's such an easy fix with throws and pillows, but I just haven't gotten around to it... 

 

 INSTEAD...

 

I found these very nice gray linen panels from Ikea!

 

 

As soon as I got them home, in the washer and dryer they went.  And the beauty part?  I didn't even iron them.  They'll look so much better once I move them higher and cover all the casings...but for now, here they are. (on spring rods)  I'm trying to create the illusion of bigger windows and higher ceilings, but it is a beach cottage...

 

At $50 for two 92" panels, the price is right and I love them!  And, I don't think you could make them for that price!

 

In other news over here...

 

My dear 89 year old Mother has moved in with me.

Here's her spot in the waterfront room.

 

 

 

 We were so pleased that her twin bed fit in the small space that was once my office.  These vintage panels have been used in so many places.  I think they are perfect here.

 

 

 

It's been a few months and we're both happy with the arrangement.  I get to keep an eye on her and she has company!

 

Hope you are well and happy:)

 

xoRoberta