Bay Beautiful Bay

I've found myself another absolute favorite!

I've been hinting to the hubs to get this for me for my Christmas decorating.

I keep telling him it'll last forever and isn't just for Christmas. So far he is putting up a front that he isn't going to get it for me but we shall see.....

What is it you ask?

drum roll please....



It's a fresh Bay Leaf Wreath from William Sonoma!

Isn't it perfect for me....I'm mean really isn't it?

They come in two sizes


22"
AND


15"

I personally like the bigger one. Plus, get this, since they are fresh you can use them for your holiday cooking. Just pluck a leaf off of the wreath (from the back honey....) and it's ready for use. Fresh Bay for your soups or stews or what-have-you. Then as it dries out, you have dried Bay Leaves. Do you know how much Bay is at the store? Do you? Well, this much Bay would cost wayyyy more than 30-60 bucks. For sure....

And really the price is right, the 22" is $59.95 and the 15" is only $29.95.

I can see this hanging at my kitchen window from a beautiful ribbon.

Not only is it beautiful but so super useful! I mean who couldn't use a Bay Leaf Wreath, right?

Simply Bay's Place sure could use a fresh Bay Leaf Wreath.

A Marriage made in Heaven.....

Enjoy!

3 Inspirations and a Wedding....

Have you ever been shopping without any pretenses on what you will buy? That's my favorite kind of shopping. Going in with an open mind and heart and listening to what the clothes tell you (or anything else you are shopping for; accessories, antiques, furniture, etc.). Then when you actually find that one thing that you do need and it is magically just perfect on you. You look and feel like a princess. I don't usually want to feel like a fairy tale type princess but when I am feeling like this princess:

I am giddy.
When the bride requested we all wear little black dresses I never thought I would find something so perfect that it makes me feel like Princess Grace.
I'm. in. Love.

Since I always have been so inspired by Grace Kelly as a style icon, especially before she became a real life Princess, I am looking for some classic but fancy shoes that fit this wonderful dress.
How about these Stuart Weitzman little lovelies, they are called Gigi.

I adore them. Open toe, classic. Ruffle, adorable. Heel, sophisticated. Perfection!

I'm always so inspired on Mondays. Peaceful weekends=time to dream about redecorating every room in my house and perusing magazines to find new projects I just MUST do.

This is what inspired me this weekend.

While shopping for a wedding present, from across the room these beauties cast out a glimmer and put a twinkle in my eye. I could not get across that room fast enough to look at them up close. Gotta love Ralph Lauren!

Up close they don't look like "Mandarin" should be their name. The etching is so detailed and gorgeous. It really inspired me to try some new things with my glass etching.

Check out this vase!

Yep, I'm going to have to find some glass vases and use this "Mandarin" inspiration!

I am loving all things with bows and ruffels. I always have been drawn to them but not like lately. I think it might be the girly dress I'm about to wear (that funny enough, doesn't have a bow).


The fact that this is from Anthropologie well, only makes me adore it more.




The Bow Tied set has a matching duvet and dust ruffle but the pillows really speak to me. It is feminine but not too much so and the creamy color is absolutely perfect. I think my hubs might go for it....Maybe?

And last but not least oh, that Sarah Richardson. You gotta love her! This chair is divine:

The velvet and that piping! I can only image how this feels when you sit on it. Pure luxury. And those legs. I am coveting this chair. I see myself sitting in it and reading for hours and hours. Beautiful!

So now that I am all inspired, off to do something!
Hmmm what to do first. That is always the question.

I hope you have an inspiring Monday.

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.

Henry David Thoreau

Ask and you shall receive

But I didn't ask!

But you see, I have great friends. My wonderful friend tells me last night she has a suprise for her I can't spend a dime right now friend, and this is her sweet and oh so thoughtful gift.

Isn't he handsome?

And here is his mate:

Isn't she darling? She isn't a really frilly or fussy girl but that's what I love about her. They are a little beat up but I like that too! They have been on adventures together, they've seen the world! I could make up a thousand stories about where they've been together and what they've seen.

So after obessively contimplating where these little gems should go I stacked them on the end of the loveseat.

Added our precious little shamrock, some old jars and a leaf tealight holder (I'm a mountain girl and I love leaves like ocean lovers love shells)

And voila!

I would like to add one more suitcase so that the stack is a little taller and can actually be used as a end table. But for now it is just perfect! But, I might add some books under that plant though, hmmm.

So, that inspired me to make our antique hall tree look just as pretty.

I added a basket full of magazines on the awkward bottom shelf along with an old soda crate filled with little treasures and our umbrellas because lately we have needed those on hand. It has been so rainy here!

I am going to add an old steel letter Z that my dad has in the lower left corner of the crate but I just couldn't wait to get it from him to take these pictures!

Some fresh flowers and an old tin canister and presto, new charm to my old hall tree.

So, sweet and thoughtful Nancy, thank you. You have just made a little corner of my world a happier place!

THIS used to be a potting shed!

When I first found Heather Cameron's gorgeous greenhouse I was instantly inspired. As a wedding gift her husband dismantled an old potting shed and rebuilt it as this amazing little space. When he was rebuilding it he used 11 windows that were from salvage, using some on the roof as well for a greenhouse effect. This pic is the only one that gives you a glimpse of what this little potting shed gem used to look like in its previous lifetime.

When his wife took over the decorating it became a masterpiece.

Let's take a look inside!

Can you believe how beautiful this is. So bright and shiny, so lovely! See those Chandys, they aren't even wired but I almost bet that they don't need to be, when the sun hits them I am sure they bounce rainbows over every little surface. See the Milkglass and Jadeite wares tucked above an old wood door that she cut into two and made shelves out of each piece. That's my kind of girl! I will be doing that. Any smart use of an old door pulls on my heartstrings.

I love the use of pictures in this space! In my minds eye (or in my imaginary greenhouse) I see them all suspended on a wide colored ribbon with a number stenciled down at the bottom. Also, how great is that ladder as a display case of sorts. I feel the need to lean it up against a the wall but I am inspired to use this on my back porch! And the metal tub housing those beautiful hydrangeas, the only thing missing is a number, how great would a big number 2 look on the front of that tub. Sigh, I just can't get enough.

Tucked inbetween that adorable display ladder and her linen covered couch is a stack of vintage luggage used as an end table. I have been scouring the antique markets and yard sales for luggage just like these for quite a while now, to do this very same thing. They make great storage as well for extra linens and pillows. Throw down a jute rug from IKEA and voila instant coziness! I want to start my mornings here, cup of coffee in hand and birds singing their happy wake up songs.

I did notice that there are NO letters or numbers in this space at all! I would say that that is the only thing missing from this stunning space. I see coffee bag pillows, a letter tucked up on those fun shelves along with maybe a plate adorned with a number, another number hidden on the top of the ladder, and a big L above the entry.

Wouldn't this be a great little place for a tea party! I can already envision the menu and there is no need for extra decorations, this place is already perfect.

Well thank you Heather for allowing us into your adorable potting er...greenhouse!

Needless to say I wish this would have been my wedding gift.