Monday, December 31, 2012

TOASTING YOU with a SALE!!!

 * HAPPY NEW YEAR"S EVE *
This morning I was at the computer, when my son came in....


with this!


Fresh squeezed California Liquid SUNSHINE {from our trees}.... and some almonds!


A sweet way to start the morning!

Before I get on with dismantling all of Christmas....

I want to make a toast to you
 *Happy NEW YEAR 2013*
May it bring you all that you desire*

I want to invite you to hop over to my store
and SECOND SHOUT OUT
TOASTING 2013 SALE 
20% off selected Vintage items.
Hurry over!

Have a beautiful last day of the YEAR*
xo,
me



Saturday, December 29, 2012

New Year's Eve...Vintage Style

Mornin Darlins...
As we close the door on 2012 it is tradition to celabrate!

I hope you look back at the events of this year fondly.
No matter what has happened... there is a lesson and something good to be found in every situation.
I know this to be true, trust time...

Time to prepare for New Year's Eve, a few photos from my home as we prepare!


Gentlemen of course could wear... a pair of wing tips!
This pair of wing tips has sentimental meaning, my husband wore them on our wedding day...
The vintage hat box was a find!
 A cool leather strap, from the original owner, 1940's.


A vintage tux with a glitter top hat is perfect for him...


A vintage silver brush with super soft bristols...
I use to brush off my vintage gold slippers*


I love wearing these!



I have this vintage silver tray filled with clear glass cups,
 ready for after dinner Cappuccino's!

Hope you use your vintage trays and platters for New Year's and all year long.
Don't save them... enjoy them!


My favorite winter white vintage stool holds a special edition Evian water..
{ I love the pretty bottle, can't open it}!
I wrapped the seat with a my favorite vintage tule apron,
 that was my Grandmother's.

My Design tip: Vintage fashion,vintage accourtements all tell a story about us and our style.
Take some time to figure out what you want your own style to say about you.

I hope you enjoy Saturday's "Designing with Vintage'' it is my once a week series I do for SSO SECOND SHOUT OUT blog.

My intention is for SSO blog posts are to keep it light, fresh and inspiring with ideas. 
With using my own materials and photos I am able to share my own 
"Casual Loves Elegance" style.
 I am frequently asked via email  if the material is my own through emails...
 Yes!

Vintage can be used everywhere, design, home, fashion and daily living.
 I hope by sharing a glimpse with you of my LOVE for vintage, and how I live with it.
 Hope it inspires you to incorporate vintage into your life...

Thank you for visiting here and at SSO!

Have a beautiful New Year's eve!

May 2013 bring
 LOVE
GOOD HEALTH
and PEACE to all

xo Darlins,
Gail










Thursday, December 27, 2012

Quick Hello!

Hope you had a lovely Christmas... 
 Getting back to routine a bit... 
 still savoring the last days before we take down the tree and bid farewell to to Christmas....


Farewell to sweet deserts...



Like these Chocolate and Almond croissants....
 I made for Christmas morning!

wish your week ends with....
 sweet memories of this Christmas, 
that will stay in your heart till next year and forever....
xo,
me


Tuesday, December 25, 2012

*Merry Christmas*

Merry Christmas Darlins....

The magic of Christmas is 
everywhere,


I hope the blessings of the season are with you....
Found this special vintage "Silent Night" ornament this year...
 SO grateful!


Specially on this Christmas day.
Love this tin framed Angel... I keep her out all year.




Warm candles on our porch...
*Love & Peace* 
to you,
 on this Christmas night...
xo,
me


Sunday, December 23, 2012

gifts are from the heart...

Hi Darlins....

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve...
Can't believe it's here!!!
Are you ready??? 

wrapped everything, ready for the dinner prep in the morning!


Here is one I wrapped for a friend... I always try to wrap with a little personal touch.. 
It comes from my heart!

Hope your day is filled with excitement and gifts of the heart...
xo,
me

Winter White Allure

December Winter Solstice...
On the calendar it's officially Winter... just a few days before Christmas.
When I think of Winter Solstice, 
I dream of my favorite White...
"Winter White".


Papery winter white birch logs, cut by my dad many years ago, I treasure them...
they stand tall in a vintage box that was found on the property at our old beach house form the 1940's.
Read full post here at SSO BLOG
shop for some Vintage Winter White finds here....
Have to get my wrapping finished...
xo,
me



Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Fresh Christmas greens


Last night, when I was turning on the light I was delighted with a smell of Christmas...
 over my head from this wreath!

My son said...
 He smells Christmas....
 when he is opens the door to his room too!


This wreath welcomes you in the boyz foyer and when the door opens the bells jingle...
the sounds of Christmas!


This garland was tricky to get on the top of the mirror!
here in the dining room...


Smells & sounds of CHRISTMAS everywhere in our home!!!
Wishing you a week filled with LOVE * PEACE & HOPE.
xo,
me







Saturday, December 15, 2012

*10* days counting till Christmas!!!

Morning Darlins....
Loved waking up to the chilly morning here in SoCal. 
We have had some much needed rain and it's nice and chilly....
finally... Christmasy weather for us!

With only*10*days till Christmas you still have time...
 to shop for some special one of a kind Vintage toys and Unique Decorative items for your children's rooms....

I was honored to be recommended by a very prominent local designer to sketch and submit a proposal years ago for a annual Historical showcase home in Coronado, Ca.


I submitted my sketches for a young child's room {3y old girl}. I was chose!
This was the magazine page and photo for the room. {Not a great scan sorry...}


I incorporated this vintage European large dancing doll here you see at the little table...
 She was the inspiration piece for this dreamy european style child's room.
Years ago,This doll was in my children's store AKA"Buckingham Mercantile" everyone seemed to inquire about this doll...but I had a big NFS
{not for sale
on her...
One day I was told by a customer she had one of these dolls growing up.
 The doll has bands on the feet where the child strapped the doll to the top of their feet for a dance partner to learned to dance... 
Shirley Temple and Hollywood had parents dreaming their child could be the next child star! 
True Story!!
I have a little collection of Vintage toys...


OOH LA LA! 
Guess what!
I decided to offer them for sale this Christmas....
for the first time!!!
All of these... and more are in my store click below as of this morning!


Here they are in the chandelier!
I found these as different times but they look like sisters!


Here is another one....
She is adorable too!

This one is measures 36" Tall
This one measures 24" tall
This one measures 14" tall


Of course I have vintage toys in my store for the boys!!!!
This is a vintage tin litho by Marx.... so cute to use a magnet board in their room. Or down low in a game room to use with a dart gun! Great condition and a collector piece!


A little plaster oval cowboy hanging plaque!
Just the little inspiration piece for that little boy room or nursery!

 I have boys... when I did their nursery's and rooms as they grew I always designed them with vintage  toys...
They look so cool and not like any one else's!
My boys loved their rooms and I still use vintage in every room... 
It is our style!

Hurry...Hop over to my store Casual Loves Elegance to shop for all of these!

Lots of fabulous new vintage in my store this morning!!!

I wanted to post about the toys on today's Saturday's" Designing with Vintage" 
you can read the whole post there on Second Shout Out blog in a bit.

It's 10 days before Christmas so hope you will be giving the ultimate green this year *VINTAGE*
You'll love shopping SECOND SHOUT OUT for all your vintage gifts.

My design tip: Vintage toys are like fairytales added to a child's room. Incorporating vintage gives you a chance to create a one of a kind room or nursery that reflect your child and home's uniqueness.

Every child is one of a kind... shouldn't their space be too!!!
Have a beautiful day!
xo,
me











Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Happy White Wednesay

Hi Darlins...
I hope all is well with you!

Been sooo busy haven't had time to visit blogland or post anything!

The weekend was busy getting ready to host a Christmas dinner party for Saturday.
I had to get my decorating finished, shop and prepare for dinner.
We had the perfect evening... Good friends that came for dinner. We like small intimate gatherings verses a large loud party...
I love to entertain....
It was a beautiful evening, we had started with drinks and horderves up in the garden house with the fire-pit roaring...
then moved into the house for a construction update tour!
So enjoyed having a dinner party and cooking on my new wolf range and preparing a sit down course dinner for our friends. 
We dined by the fireplace and it was so fun to catch up and relax after dinner...


The table turned out lovely .... I'll share later!

Sunday night while doing dishes I began thinking about the end of the year coming soon.....
I
 felt I should host a "Holiday Coffee" here for some friends so I sat down and made an invite and sent it out that night!!! for Tuesday!

So glad to have a few of the girls over... some had never been here before so we did a little tour with our coffee andI served a light fare of quiche, yogurts with blueberries and fresh juices I made that morning! 
We hung out a bit before we all started our day...
I felt I needed to have something special for the mom's who are so helpful to me when I ask to pick up my son or take him to sports practice throughout the year...
So nice we all support each other with our kids and I appreciate that!

I hope you have a beautiful week...
A couple Christmas pics I took around the house....
xo,
me

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

A warm wish...

Wishing you a warm and cozy white wednesday...
A busy week... felt as if there was a bit more time,
because of the extra week between Thanksgiving!

A little christmas design design project I was asked to do for our office is completed... 
 I think everyone is enjoying it!
Our office sits in the village of Rancho Santafe, California and the town and our building is so charming.

I will have to take a few pics to share later. 

Our tree is up, only partially decorated...
{share later} 
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that our home 
Smells like christmas*


Beginning to feel like Christmas...
Lit our first Candle on sunday...


Beginning to look like Christmas...


Season's Greetings
 in my vintage frame with dried hydrangeas from my garden.
Love these metal letters... found them at Roger's gardens in Newport Beach years ago.

Have a beautiful warm and cozy White wednesday*
xo,
me

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Welcoming December... Vintage Chalet Style

Morning! 
Welcoming Winter's December....there are little hearts filled with anticipation....and romantic hearts {like mine} dreaming of this special Christmas season.
I truly love the vintage character of mountain lodges and the cozy charm of a Swiss chalet. 
I have always dreamed that mine would be like this.... only on a edge of a lake...
LOVE LOVE LOVE  the red swiss Shutters!

This little chalet is in Mammoth lakes, Ca  I took this picture from my car window!



Sharing some photos here at our home...
At home my winter Holiday style is a nod to a swiss chalet and has lodge lake house vibe.


This vintage french chair still in it's underwear...
  a favorite of mine.
Sitting by the fire in our dining room with a red and white vintage gingham sack from sweden adorned a velvet millinery flower.
A vintage etched heirloom goblet, special holiday release Evian water... on a buffalo china platter.


This vintage heirloom beaded millinery patch found in a box of our family's treasures....
 an embellishment to enjoy now that it's on our chair!



Vintage textiles are beautiful to use for the holidays.
Some vintage tea towels for the kitchen.
A vintage flour sack stuffed with down for a cozy pillow in my son's room...
 Little stitches of red make it cool...for him 
Kids and teens, like red for the holiday's....


A vintage lederhosen harness is embellishing some vintage chenille silk fabric on my sofa.
 This piece has to be my favorite textile find..
Guess one of the vintage decor items I am stocking my store for Christmas with this week....
Yes this fabric!
 Check mid week here at my store Casual Loves Elegance and it can be yours. 

My Design tip:Incorporate vintage textiles with textures for warmth and inviting to boost up comfort for your home during the holidays.
Enjoy the first day of December Darlins...

Hop over to SECOND SHOUT OUT BLOG to see my post on "Saturday's Designing with Vintage"
then start your Holiday shopping!
xo,
me











Friday, November 30, 2012

Christmas glow


May the glow of the season begin within your heart....

Have a beautiful friday...

Love to share with you tomorrow..... "Saturday's designing with vintage".
xo,
me

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Christmas pines..,

Happy * Wednesday *
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of pine at Christmas.... & all year. 
So lucky to have some big ole pines on our property... 
 when the wind blows it reminds me of the mountains. 
That sound... swishing through the needles!!!
I love to cut pine branches throughout the year and we use the pine cones as fire starters.

A few piney pretties at my home...

A vase filled with pines on the sink in my son's bathroom....


This is above his bed.... 
I'll share more of the room later!
Can't wait to finish it...


 A short post... but have to go to an appointment!
Have a beautiful day 
 bring some pines in your home!!!!
{even a pine candle would be lovely}
xo,
me

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Deck the Halls in VINTAGE style

Beautiful Morning!
The season is upon us ....  it's time to deck the halls...

Vintage style for me*
Come on in...
 a glimpse and some ideas starting off the Holiday's at our home...

I have my favorite pink ladder...
 {I found it years ago just like this, very old with rope for bracing... it was this beautiful enamel pink old paint}
that I use around the house to reach high doorways to hang lighted garlands and wreaths for the holidays.


Vintage luggage..
Here is my Dec. 25th piece!
I made tags with the date of specific holidays.
Storing my delicate decorations for different holidays in them.


Vintage lighting like these french sconces
 looks even prettier with a sparkly snowflake*



Vintage glass peanut butter jar filled with fresh roses from my garden...
pretty fragrance and simply hangs off an old french window 
by a vintage monogrammed initial *P* ribbon
adding a touch of holiday red!

A great gift idea: a vintage container filled with fresh flowers would be a beautiful gift anyone would love!


Fresh greens I clipped from the trees in yard, mixed with my garden roses in a vintage container for the door.


Have you started making Christmas plans???

My Design tip:
Christmas is the time to express {decorate} your home in a way that is comfortable and memorable.
"Using vintage is key to a unique style".

Hope you had fun at my house this morning....
Get a cup of cocoa
 stay in your jamies...
Then... shop for some unique holiday pieces for your home and start Decking the halls!
 Get a jump start on that list and you will truly surprise them with something unique 
from Second Shout Out shops!

Thank you for visiting...

Have fun!

xo,
me