Christmas Wishes

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Decorating (simply done this year), shopping (mostly online), wrapping (with many little helpers), baking (thanks to my daughter), done. Now to start cooking!  Enjoy!

Holiday Shop Announcement!

All custom orders including planters, signs and pine cone arrangements need to be received by the end of the day Saturday 12/8/12. We will not be able to accept any orders after this date except for in stock items.  Our workshop is reaching the max for the season! Thanks so much to all of our customers for keeping up busy all year. We wish you a very Happy Holiday Season!

Shop Update and Local Holiday Events

Just a little update on what has been going on over here in our studio.  Some of you have noticed that our inventory is changing - to the majority being all handmade by us except for a few lines that we love such as gorgeous ribbons (I have a bit of an obsession!). So, since that is the case - you will find that (especially this time of year), not too many new product lines are added since we are just keeping up with the orders from our current listings. Most of our items are made to order. Although we try to get ahead of ourselves with some ready to go stock.

Besides the website and busy little Etsy shop, we are also selling our products in 3 stores on Long Island!! And each of them are very different which allows me to design a unique product for each.  If you are a follower of our Facebook Business Page, you can find pics of the items we make for the different shops. Some of these products are exclusive to those stores due to design collaborations  which are so fun - when creative minds get together!  So you may just have to visit them if you see something you like. It will be worth your trip!

So let me introduce them to you.

This beautiful shop features several local artisans including the very talented owners!

Here is a little sampling of some of the work I have done for this shop.

Natural Christmas Decor

"french" tote hand painted

Added my touch to a 1940's sideboard from the shop.

 

See more of The White Weathered Barn on Facebook Here. You will find pics of the owners' gorgeous creations such as linen lavender pillows, jewelry, stamped vintage flatware, artwork, candles, reed diffusers, soap, barnwood signs......this is the place if you're looking for that something special.

Also, the Village of Greenport is hosting a great shopping event!

Here is a link to the event on Facebook.

Another shop I have been working with for quite a while is:

They have just opened in their new location at 903 Main Street, Pt Jefferson Village.

photo by Lori - Lavender Fields

You can find Lori's picks for beautiful gifts and home decor including bedding and Dash and Albert rugs. A true lifestyle boutique.

Here are some of our favorites from Lori's shop.

Such great gifts!

For the locals, Pt. Jefferson Village is having a really fun Holiday Event this weekend.
The 17th annual Dickens Festival, November 30th, December 1st and 2nd 2012, an annual Village celebration of the author of A Christmas Carol, features costumed characters, decorated streets and shops, Victorian entertainment and food.

More info HERE.

If you're not local you can visit Lavender Fields online HERE.
And keep up with the latest news on their Facebook Page HERE.


Finally, I just started doing some window displays and bringing in some of my painted furniture pieces and other home accessories and gifts to a really beautiful flower shop located next to Theater Three in Pt. Jefferson Village at 408 Main Street.  They are expanding their line of home decor and gift items. 

I added some holiday touches to the shop yesterday just in time for the Dickens Festival. Kathy and her staff were busy creating some amazing holiday floral arrangements for their customers.

You can also find them online HERE.

Photos of the shop coming soon!


That's it for my news update for now! I need to get back to working on my orders. And speaking of orders. Please keep in mind - most of our items need 7-10 days for production (with a few exceptions) and we are shipping from NY. I know there are a lot of last minute shoppers (like myself) and we will do our best to accommodate you! 

Thanksgiving Wishes

Wishing you...
a great day spent with family and friends
and remembering all you have to be thankful for
today and every day!

"La Chouette"...the house in France

It's over 5 months since we were in France and boy do we miss it. I look at my photos a lot!  The first, very busy week was in Paris which I posted about HERE.

Our second, very relaxing week was in Semur en Auxois, the French countryside, Bourgogne region.

Semur is a small medieval village. I think what surprised me the most that people still live in villages like these. Reminded me so much of the village Belle lived in the movie "Beauty and the Beast".

The sound of window shutters opening in the morning and closing at night,

the constant smell of wood burning.

We found less english speaking in this area but we did ok, I think :)

Would love to be back!


Here are a few pics of the home we stayed in.

Love the tiny door, some of us had to duck our heads to come in.

Such great details

The front door view from the inside - such a cool old door.  All of the window treatments  were the same throughout the house and puddled on the floor.

This is the entry with the most beautiful old spiral staircase which went up to the 3rd floor.

Our "wine cave". I think every house in France has one.

Our living room. Love the neutral decor.

That owl painting on the mantel was made by a local artist who had a shop in the village square.  That was one of my souvenirs...the house had a name "La Chouette" which means owl.

Loved the doors throughout.

This is what we saw across the street.

And up the street.

The dining area.

The kitchen. Yes it's built into a huge granite wall.

Our bedroom.

More great details. I love all of the wood beams.

We really enjoyed spending time here.

I have lots of pics to share so I will post again when I'm having withdrawals of France. 

Enjoy your week!

Anthro Bowls

Loving my new bowls from Anthropology.
A pretty blue.
Perfect for...
cereal
berries
lattes

Bought them in a mini size too.

I don't see them online. Picked them up at the Rockefeller location in NYC.

Great price!!

Armoire Makeover

I hope your Labor Day was a good one. It's been a while since I posted here! It's been a busy summer. Just sent the kids off to school - first day back for us. I would like to share a piece I just finished this weekend. I needed some extra storage space in my bedroom and this armoire was perfect. It's painted in Annie Sloan's Duck Egg Blue, distressed and finished with clear and dark wax. The inside is painted in B.M. Stonington Grey. Planning on using it for my dresses, shoes, bags and costume jewelry. Well, we will see if I can fit all of that in there!

Love the detail of the keyhole and the original hooks.

And here is what it looked like before.

It's pouring here on Long Island. A perfect day to work on custom orders. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

Paris...continued

  During our stay in Paris, we celebrated Easter. Just had to go to Notre Dame on Easter Sunday.
What a beautiful church. So much to photograph. We waited on line with hundreds of others, just to walk the perimeter of the inside during mass. It was really unbelievable!

Crossing the Seine - the Love Locks.

Easter dinner was at Le Procope - the oldest restaurant in Paris. Our dinner was delicious and we sat for about 3 hours! I love how you are never rushed in a French restaurant. 

We walked off dinner and took pics of this beautiful bridge on the way to the Champs Elysées. 

I couldn't believe how busy it was on Easter which is one of the biggest holidays in France.

The day before we were leaving Paris, we went to Versailles. It was immense. Raining. Gorgeous. And incredibly crowded! Here are just a few pics I managed to take between all of the people.

The ceilings and the chandeliers...trés belle!

Marie Antoinette's estate.  Truly out of a fairy tale.

And finally, one last visit to the Eiffel Tower. 

Up next:  a week in the French Countryside.
Read Paris (part 1) HERE
Read Paris (part 2) HERE

Paris (part 2)

I had been meaning to share these posts sooner but the time is flying by with all of the end of the year events in school, dance and sports.

I gathered some of my favorites from the next couple of days in Paris and created a few mosaics for you.

Les Fleurs...the markets and the gardens...ooh la la!

Parisian life...signs, the cafés, the bicycles you can rent all around the city, the market streets, the scooters and one of my husband's favorites - the woman sweeping in front of her building entrance.

I love the street signs on the buildings.

The Architecture's dream...so much to admire...the colors, details, the courtyards.

And last but not least!
The food...we thoroughly enjoyed, the wine, the cheese, the pastries, the baguettes! Never tasted a baguette like the ones we had (daily) in Paris.

to read Paris (part 1) click HERE

next post: Easter Sunday in Paris

A Perfect Robin's Nest

Lots of nesting going on around our house. We found this nest in the corner of backyard swing. What a place for a nest! The eggs inside are the most beautiful Robin's Egg Blue. Great inspiration for my nest paintings.

Simply Baby's Breath

One of my favorites - never used to be.   I used to toss the baby's breath from my flower arrangements. Now, I love it on it's own. So pretty, like lace.

Last weekend we celebrated my daughter's First Holy Communion. Thought this would make a pretty entrance to our backyard party.  Would be beautiful for an outdoor wedding too.

Simple, inexpensive, and elegant.

In a gate basket...

In a wire basket with burlap on a farm table (of course)...

I have used them in mason jars placed inside a wood planter...love!

It also makes a beautiful flower wreath for a special Communion girl.

Still working on more photos from France!  Coming soon...