HELP!!

Can anybody out there that might be reading this help me to figure out how to change my header??? I want my blog title inside the little tag by the birdie and I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it!!!! I've decided I want to change my blog background, etc. once a month and it's become this maddening obsession--kinda like an itch you just have to scratch!*! so if anyone can help me I'd appreciate it.

Just a Lazy Winter Day

Some days are just "lazier" than others and today, I decided, was one of them. I spend 3-4 hrs. each morning doing barn chores (yes, we live on a real, bonafide dairy farm) then I have the mid-day hours to myself. Some days I have REAL work to do, errands to run and Weds. are usually my days to "Tweek" my room at the Red Rooster. But today I'm gonna just do "me" stuff...like check out my favorite blogs!!~And after I get a few things done around the house (unloading the dishwasher, sweeping and a little dusting) I'm gonna sit myself down to a few of my favorite things. I love me a GOOD cup of coffee with something sweet and these Lindor truffles are just sinful! I allow myself 2 a day. Then I'm going to pop in a great old movie and my choice for today is my favorite EVER~~To Kill a Mockingbird, which my daughter gave me for Christmas. I will probably get some sewing or crafting done as well so it's not a totally "wasted" day. My summers are usually CRAZY busy~so winter is my "down-time" After my daughter has her baby in April I will be babysitting 2 days a week-then my life will really change!! So I need me a "lazy day"now and then!!!

Ode to Violets

I thought I'd try to evoke some warm feelings of spring on this bitter cold day by putting together a vignette using some vintage items I've recently found with a sweet violet theme.

I also recently purchased a boxful of lovely teacup and saucer sets (28 to be exact!)

This was one of my favorites--so delicate!~~Keep the pinky extended!*!

These silk violets will be the perfect adornment at the store for my spring vignettes!

My order of glass cloches came in and this was one of those that I recently received! I absolutely adore the glass bird on top~~Will have to order more!!

Our spring Open House is March 24th~~It will be here before you know it! I'm already dreaming and planning some awesome displays with some great garden embellishments and have tons of project ideas. Now to get motivated to get them done! What else can you do on a cold wintery day?!?

Little glimpses of the Red Rooster

Linda from the Red Rooster in Plymouth, WI has some fabulous, fun items for sale...

like these great vintage shoes

and this gorgeous linen dated 1890!! She also has some other wonderful turkey red linens~~one item in particular is from the civil war era~~just perfect for a Valentine's table setting!

I love this hanging tole lamp***great color and patina!

...some sweet silver on a wonderful old tray

this fun bench was made for me by my handy guy Dan--he used parts of a buffet for the bottom and an old radiator cover for the back. Now how's that for recycling?!?
we're having a big sale on Fri. Feb 12th in conjunction with the downtown association in Plymouth~~~ markdowns up to 50% on select items!!! It would be worth the drive !

Revamping my craft room...a little facelift!!

I decided my craft/sewing room needed a little facelift and some much-needed reorganization. I also wanted to use my vintage garden collection to spruce things up a little. I spend quite a bit of time in there (when I'm not blogging!) and this collection always makes me smile...especially this handsome little guy...his patina is perfect! He's spent alot of time in the sun and the rain.

I love the color of this pot~a warm, rusty red.

This is the cupboard that now houses my collection. As you can see, it was nothin' but a HOT mess!! So I put all my fabric in totes in the closet, tore the fabric off the doors and.....

I like it soooo much better. I'm going to leave it this way for now. I thought about chicken wire, but didn't want to obscure the view.

This little wheelbarrow has such charming time-worn character.

Gotta love cloches!! I just ordered a bunch more in different sizes for the store. Can't wait to get them!!

This galvanized birdhouse was outside on my deck until the roof came off, now it's found it's way inside.

I mentioned this wonderful garden advertising sign in a previous post...well, needless to say I couldn't stop thinking about it and just had to have it. So my friend Katherine was going back there to pick something up and I asked her to buy it for me. Now it's mine and I LOVE IT!!! I would like to post some more pics of this room but I want to get it just right. I'm looking for a different chair for reading, sewing, and watching tv~ something vintage and wonderful!! If I wait long enough, Linda will bring something into the Red Rooster for me!!! Patience~~~

Celebrating Home

I recently purchased this book at the Red Rooster and have been devouring it ever since. It is divine!!
Sweet spring setting!

Every season is celebrated with fabulous, unique ideas that are VERY inspiring!! Love this little 4th of July trike. Love how they used poker chips to hold the flags in the vase~~SO clever!!

~~Being a collector of transferware, I especially enjoy this cupboard and it's contents~~ Very rich!

This chair and all the vintage Christmas adorning it are simply dreamy~~such great patina!
What's your favorite book? Let me know!!

My Favoritie books of Inspiration

This book has become one of my favorite go-to books for ideas and inspiration! Great ideas, beautiful photography using time-worn finds. There isn't a page I don't love!*!

JUST ADORE these GORGEOUS trophies and hydrangeas!!!

...also love this great decoupaged suitcase idea~~have plans for future projects like this and have done and sold chalkboards in great vintage frames.

...this is just too cute!!

~~LOVE this entire vignette!! Everything is just to-die-for!!

My next post will be my OTHER fave book~~~~~

So Shabby thrift finds!!

I try to get out "treasure-hunting" at least one day a week and today I found these oh-so-shabby vintage lamps...now to find the perfect shades!!...so romantic chic~~

I love the look of this darkened silver~~I"ve heard it called "poor man's silver"

this sugar and creamer set is actually glass that looks like silver!!

this bunch of goodies were my fave finds...the little brass trinket box is just adorable...love the little porcelain vase too. One of my better days...until spring and the garage sales start!*!*

Garden in Winter

Patiently waiting for spring...

Woke up this morning to a delicate layer of gorgeous spiky frost**!

The thaw has uncovered some of my vignettes that were buried for the last few weeks.

...peeking out of the snow...waiting for the birdies to come back!

Memories Antique Mall

I just had to have this to-die-for antique aquarium***the basis for many vignettes to come!!! Also more vintage ornaments--you can never have too many!! ...and another bottle brush tree to add to my collection...SWEET!!! Then added some of my vintage valentines to the mix.
Transferware pitcher and some little bitty ornaments that were actually from an old garland!*!Gorgeous!!

Vintage wire basket, sweet little creamer and an old book whose author has the same name as my husband's grandfather "John Theodore Mueller" (The old spelling before it was changed to Miller) ...was so excited to add the wonderful boot pincushion to my collection too!!! alot of the dealers had sales going on in their booths, so we got some good deals that day...

...these great ball garden adornments were my favorite find of the day!! can't wait to work them into my spring vignettes at the Red Rooster!! The sweet garden advertising behind them was a little too pricy to justify buying---sigh!!

I still think about this adorable dolly dresser and 3-way mirror...again a little too pricy for resale, but they still haunt my dreams. Maybe I'll go back.........

This mall can be a hit or a miss--some of the booths weren't very inviting and some I just stood and stared at all the GOODS! This booth was one worth drooling over!!!

Great Day--Great Finds!!

These adorable vintage animals reminded me of animal crackers!! Not sure if they came from an old game or a toy farm--but I thought they were so cute, and now they are MINE!

Some of my finds from my junking adventure (Tues.) with my friends Katherine and Linda. We went to the Neenah-Menasha area, and had a great day!

Thought this grouping of vases was pretty!

A friend of mine and I discovered this place by accident a couple years ago! It's called Urban Evolutions (Menasha) and you'd never know by the bland, warehouse-type outside what fabulous stuff hides inside!!! All things are either vintage or made with architectural salvage such as ceiling tin, old windows, doors, and other industrial type materials. They have a great, inspiring look!!

This is where I purchased my baby animals and the cake stand. We also went to Memories Antique Mall in Little Chute, WI. The goods I got there will be up next...stay tuned!!!

...and more collections

My one and only seed box~~~cows grazing inside a primitive cupboard~~~

just love the crusty rust of this little doorstop...so dainty-how could it hold anything much less a door!?

...some more of my doorstops. I have 10 in all!

I just adore these strawberry make-dos!!! Purchased all of them from Fibber McGees in Plymouth. I'm heading out tomorrow with my buds Katherine and Linda to cure some cabin fever. I hope we come up with some good finds!!!