Thrift Store Mantel Decor...

I've been playing around with the mantel decor a bit and thought it might be fun to group several thrift store finds together...

There's a silver candleholder, some small shaker bottles, a white footed vase...

... and my favorite, the lady head planter vase on the end (found last year at a thrift store in Cambridge, MA). Although she's elegant just as she is, I wanted to try a few different looks on her...

Here she is modeling a bit of faux ivy....

... and here she is sporting a bird's nest to celebrate SPRING.

 Decisions, decisions...

Although it's hardly spring-like, with it's black velvet brim, I kept coming back to this vintage hat with the delightful netting and rhinestone embellishment (picked up at yet another thrift store in Cambridge last year)...

So for the time being, Miss Lady Head Planter Vase will sport her black & white hat while sitting on the mantel among my other thrift store finds.

I'm linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop over and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna



You can't fool Mother Nature...

... but she can sure FOOL you!!!

I'd love to say this is an April Fool's Day gag post...

..but it's not! This is the view we woke to this morning.

It started late last night...

... with HUGE snowflakes falling from the heavens...

(even though in my photos they look like darts!)

You'll just have to trust me - they were big, gorgeous snowflakes!

And as SICK as I am of snow, the beauty of it always takes my breath away...

...with the view from each window...

..being more gorgeous than the last...

So we'll grin and bear it, once again....

... and admire the winter wonderland that Mother Nature dropped on our doorstep...

On this lovely, spring, April Fool's Day.

I can't get over the irony of that!

But HOPE springs eternal that Spring will be on it's merry way to New England in the very near future!!

Donna

The latest addition to my Mary collection...

I have a soft spot for Mary...

...and a great fondness for statues of Mary.

It started with this 1960's ceramic Mary that belonged to my mom, that now hangs in my home.

I then found the most incredible vintage, chippy cement Mary statue for our garden.

There is also my ever-growing collection of vintage Madonna busts and planters.

So needless to say, when I came across this very old, chippy chalkware statue of Mary in a thrift store, I was absolutely smitten.

I'd never seen a piece quite like this before. In addition to Mary, there was an old, chippy chalkware statue of Jesus...

...both of them standing on a base with a Holy Water font, votive candleholder...

...and sweet chippy cherub between them.

It's just the most beautiful old statue and I am so grateful to have been in the right place at the right time to have found it.

And you just know that Miss Social Butterfly was overseeing every photo I took of this statue,...

... peering at me from behind the divider windows!

She never misses a trick,...

... always keeping an eye on what's going on, and this afternoon was no exception!

I'll be posting this over at Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday this week. Be sure to pop over and check out what everone else is sharing! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

(NOTE: I have NO clue what is going on with the layout here! It was fine when I typed it, and it's gone crazy. No matter how many times I edit it, it reverts back to this hodge podge! Hope you can make sens of this post! haha)

Donna

Birds of a feather...

... flock together, and it appears that cats do the same thing.

Baby has some favorite places to relax. They're definitely not the most comfortable spots, but they all have one thing in common... cat statues!

Here she is practically falling off the edge of our small recycling center, but it doesn't seem to bother her because we have come to realize that Baby really enjoys the company of the many kitties who decorate our little cottage! She not only enjoys cuddling up with them...

... She also assumes their poses, which makes for some pretty cute photos!

It may start with a friendly conversation...

... or a bit of shyness as she gets to know the kitties...

...but before long, she has snuggled up next to her friends (in this case a cast iron cat, which can't be comfortable!)...

...and, as I mentioned before, assumed their poses.

Baby is a very social cat...

... and she really does enjoy hanging out with all of our cottage kitties.

I think I first noticed it last Halloween...

...when I snapped this photo of her posing with the black & white thrift store kitties.

All I know is that I believe she'd miss the kitties even more than I would (in my ongoing efforts to become more of a minimalist), so it's safe to say they are here to stay!

It's still unseasonably COLD here in New England, but the afternoons do warm up a bit. We'll take anything we can get at this point!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Donna

Thrift Store finds ... and our dog is famous!

I was so happy to come across these Cath Kidston cannisters in a thrift store last year.

All of her designs are so cheerful, and I fell in love with the pink roses against the blue background on this Coffee & Tea set. Perfect for our little cottage kitchen!

Mr. J gets very excited when he sees me reach for the Coffee tin.

That's because it holds his treats rather than coffee!

Now take a good look at the sweet face on the Charlee Bear Dog Treat bag...

I think they borrowed sweet Mr. J for a photo shoot when I wasn't looking! Here he is doing his best impersonation of the dog on the bag!

Thankfully the snow we got overnight amounted to no more than a dusting. But with temperatures back down in the 30's for the next several days, we are wondering, "Will Spring ever arrive in New England?"

I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop over and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Donna

Our little troll...a tribute to pound dogs

A one-in-a-million dog who escaped being put to sleep by praying for her life.

Click Gizzy's photo to read her story.

Our Gizzy Girl

1992 (adopted 3/11/2000) - March 22, 2008

It's hard to believe it's been 3 years. The little girl with the huge presence; a heart, personality and attitude way bigger than her size. We miss you so much, our sweet Giz.

Love, Mommy

Click to view Shelter Dogs, one of my favorite commercials by Pedigree. Gizzy certainly had tales to tell and stories to write, as do all the wonderful shelter and pound dogs waiting for homes this very minute...