Vintage themed showers for * BABY*

Happy Weekend Darlins....

When a baby is on the way we have so much planning to do...

Especially all the celabrating!

Recently I was invited to a baby shower for my friends daughter, it was over the top cute, the details were adorable...

Nothing sweeter than a bunch of mommies talking about their families, and sipping tea and playing games...

Did you know the tradition of baby showers began in Victorian times as a way to celebrate the pending or recent birth of a baby by presenting gifts to the parents? 

According to Miss Manners... because the party centers on gift giving. the shower is typically arranged by a close friend rather than a family member. In fact is is considered rude for the family to give showers for them...Interesting, 

Thank goodness my baby showers were by friends! Wouldn't want the stork upset with me!

Styling a baby shower in a vintage theme can be so much fun! 

Pull out some of your favorite vintage pieces including furniture and be creative! 

Here are a few ideas to help inspire you!

A vintage cup for the new MOTHER filled with hand written sweet tips on Motherhood!

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A vintage scale to display some baby items like these baby shoes and bibs for the memory game... Everyone writes down what they saw on it!

 This pink vintage scale would be adorable at home later with a stack of fresh baked cookies on it!

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Of course a delicious decorated cake, maybe with some vintage fabric flags. 

Use your vintage dishes and serving pieces instead of paper products for serving your guests.

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These book markers are so pretty! Easy to make too, with vintage jewelry for each of the guests as a special Thank you gift.

Cuddly vintage chenille teddy bears for baby's room...

A petite vintage pillow with a pale yellow hand appliquéd deer on the top of pillowcase,

would be so cute for the mother to be to place behind her back or under the baby's head when feeding!

This picture of me with my youngest son....he was 6 weeks old here! 

We were leaving to go to his baby shower!

 AWE...I remember every detail of our day like it was yesterday...

When we were picking the dates for the showers (I had two) I wanted to wait until after the baby was born so I would know boy or girl!

 I wanted to get clearance from the doctor at 6 weeks before I took him out and about.

 Having him with me was so fun and special, I couldn't wait for everyone to meet him!

My Design tip: Using vintage elements will give the shower a style that will be unique and memorable.

Hop over to Saturday's Designing with Vintage on SSO blog and read the whole post.

 If you would like any of the vintage items go to my store here!

Have a beautiful weekend,

xo,

me

Architectural Do's

Morning Darlins...

Every once in a while... I find a really unique property for a client that is off their check list box if you will...

It's rare, I have come to understand that having a vision is very black and white.

 Either you have vision and get it, or you don't and get overwhelmed.

Discovering who has this abliity and gets it, is the question I'm discovering!

 Saying...oh yeah, I see it! In reality they don't.

Time is a precious commodity... for all of us, especially my house hunting clients. 

I don't want to waste anyone's time taking them down a road if they don't have the vision.

 It can be very overwhelming and discouraging for them.

 That's ok... It's my job, to carefully gage what clients have this vision and are comfortable.

Those of you who are designers, will know what I'm saying here!

A lovely story for this...

 I was previewing listings for an out of town client intereted in purchasing a property here. 

I found several listings that fit her must haves.

 Hmm...searching, I saw a property that intrigued me. 

Thinking to myself, if the location of the property was were I thought it was, it could be fabulous...

I had to see it! 

After previewing the little primitive cottage and walking the property till dark, my thoughts were...it's a gem in this area!

I was meeting the couple in the morning for the first tiime and taking them out to see the properties I had set up. A lovely couple! 

I hoped to get a feeling with each property, that we were to tour.

As the day went on I felt she was one of those rare people who was articulate, detail orientated and clearly had design vision. 

The little gem was special and I thought if we shared the vision then I should tell them about the gem property after we see everything.

 If they were on board, I would take them to see it at the end of the day. 

Primitive, bare bones, yet utilities already there, character and potential up on a knoll with a couple acres!

When I saw the property, I took this picture and instantly visualized what it could be transformed into...

 My vision was seeing it without taking away its original cottage character, which was cozy and charming.

photo: pinterst

 I visualized something like this!

Are you with me? Do you see it?

 Implementing architectural salvage pieces to add a bit more personality and style...without compromising the integrity of the original charm.

Interior details can be amazing with vintage salvage pieces,

 like this vintage cornice facia off an old building.

Using this Antique street light base you could create a stunningly elegant table with adding a thick glass top.

A glass top would let you see the details of this beautiful base. 

This would be a beautiful foyer piece with a flower arrangement!

 Or a glass top round dining table surrounded with some french chairs...

Collecting accessories for your project is where you can really add some charming character.

Using exterior architectural elements like this vintage corbel inside to hold up a shelf, or placing a hanging jar of flowers off the finial. Propping up framed art or a photo would also be cool!

This vintage shelf is pefect for holding latte bowls, some vintage linen napkins, a favorite cook book and some pretty garden flowers in a kitchen!

My Design tip: When collecting vintage pieces such as a wood corbel shown above,finding a pair or many is difficult. Find a wood turner, they can replicate your corbel and give you as many as you need. You just paint them or stain them all to match.

In closing my little story....

At the end of the day, my instincs felt the client was looking for something more than her list...something special, a peaceful place that she could design her own spaces. 

She loves painting, so I thought how inspiring this setting could be for her. 

So charming, quiet and relaxing.

 I felt it,when I first drove on to the property. 

I hoped they would feel it too!

As we drove to the property, she looked at me and I could see she was on board.

I love working with people in Real estate.

 Sometimes it is what they don't say, that I hear...

Have a beautiful weekend!

xo,

me

Hop over to SECOND SHOUT OUT blog for my "Saturday's Designing with Vintage" series. 

Street light base, corbel and shelf are available in my store!

P.S. Email me... I would love to assist you in searching for one or just transforming one!

Romance in the air!

Can you feel the romance and the sweetness?

A little hand made vintage wool heart, I had these specially made for my store many years ago!

This morning started out so sweet....I was rushing a round getting my son off to school and texts were coming on my phone with sweet sentiments! 

I sooooo Love the ones from my BOYZ!!!

I wish I could give everyone a hug...

Sending wishes to ya'll for a day of filled with sweet surprises

 & love...

A little espresso, a rose and my favorite heart candle to start the day!

Silly but....Soooo excited about my beautiful light finally in this room from the Halogens!

My favorite Valentines mugs say Sweet heart on one side and...

tesoro mio on the other side.

LOVE the petite red heart inside near the rim!

Velvetly pink ribbon under the cloche for some Valentines I still have to make and wrap!

I Love to always make my valentines... Do you?

My favorite linen Valentine pillow slips....

I am off to pack up the vintage wheel barrow that I SOLD this morning!

 From my store SSO Casual Loves ELegance

I wonder if it was a Valentines Gift!!!

Hop over and shop for Valentines!

I wish you a Beautiful day

 filled

 with 

L*O*V*E*

Romantic style...lounging in my garden house

When I think of romantic style... it is more of a feeling to me. 

As we lined out the placement for the foundation and of the garden house up in a corner, 

I kept running to all the windows to see if it was in my sight line everywhere! 

The placement had to be perfect,

 angeling it just so to catch the afternoon light.

The archetectural structure is very special... 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!

 I want to see it everytime I look outside!

My vintage garden house is my favorite place to be in the afternoon.

The natural light coming in from the west is beautiful, it washes the white weathered wood in a warm glow.

Roses are symbolic for romance.

 The pale pink petals are delicately ruffled.

 These are from my garden

I love these hearts just hanging in a cluster layered together, 

they might hint...

 I'm falling for you!

Sentiments of a heart shaped candle in the palest of pink, returns to be lit only for a short while every valentines.

Valentine gifts from my youngest son when he was little, he said one was the mommy and one little one was him!

My favorite vintage latte bowl with two biscotti's to share, layered beneath with pretty squares torn of pink floral fabric.

The scent of these almond biscotti's dippped in chocolate paired with the fragrance of an antique garden rose is like perfume***

This vintage french campaign bed is weathered to perfection! 

My newest vintage find.

 LOVE LOVE LOVE it....

Stuffing a feather bed into the pale pink european vintage duvet is 

simply my idea of

 romantic lounging 101!

A favorite quote of mine from Audrey...

My Design tip: Use your senses to create a romantic space

Wishing you a romantic Valentines weekend!

Hop over to read my Saturday's Designing with vintage post on SECOND SHOUT OUT BLOG

and shop for something for yourself or a special gift for Valentines  at my store Casual Loves Elegance

xo,

me

All photos are owned by Gail Smith-Peterson

A blast from my past today with my BFF *SPUDS*

Yikes ya'll...

I recieved the sweetest email from family who saw this in the paper today...

I am on the right with the bud light and my BFF *Spuds*

This storyThe article in the Daily Finance

This commercial was so fun... SPUDS was adorable to work with!

Spuds and I had stand- ins so we got to hang together on the set while during some of the rehearsals!

My modeling agent told me my casting call was for a national commercial for Anheuser Busch and it would be with a dog...

 In my auditon the casting director asked me to say something into the camera using Spuds name, pretend like your telling him bye...

So I said....

Bye Spuds, call me!

Here it is! {This link wasn't in the article}

I'm the blond with long hair talking!

I did many commercials for Anheuser Busch, and spokesmodel for them. I have a soft spot for them....They were my first commercial audition ever and I booked the principal part with the amazing Mr.George Burns, 
and became a SAG member.  
A cute story I will save for another time.

Fun flash back... to the late 80's!
Have a nice evening!
xo,
me 
P.S. Love to hear from you if you remember the Spuds commercials!

Pink...warms me like Sunshine

Pink warms me like Sunshine...

A dreary... damp morning here in SoCal 

In case you need some warm Pink for your day, I'll start with these...

Antique Roses from my garden...

Fresh baked Almond Croissants...

One left for you!

 These are popular at my house....

Sweet how we hover around the oven waiting for them to finish baking!!!

Cute story... My son had about 8 boys over a couple weeks ago right after school. I baked croissants and took out a tray{they were skate-boarding in our driveway}. One of the boys asked...What is a croissant? I never had one!

My son who has quite the pallete responded... your kidding right?

It was what we refer in our family as a "Sandlot" {movie} moment"!! 

Some of my favorites...

I hope this warms you up a little!

Have a pretty day!

xo,

me

Natures beauty pairs perfectly... with vintage

Welcoming February's first weekend...

With my hands filled with pretty pure white tulips, 

I laid them on a vintage iron garden chair, 

I never really noticed this pretty women's face on the back of the chair.

Always knew I loved this old chair for the detail, but never focused on her face!

*LOVE* vintage garden furniture....

Love how my wood pieces have become so weathered with a perfect grey patina.

I snipped some fresh herbs from my garden with these old rattan wrapped scissors.

 I found them this way years ago when I was renovating a very old house!

Growing my own fresh herbs is like recieving a little love from nature!

Fresh flowers are so romantic... 

This WHITE...vintage french enamel water jug has three pieces, a lid, a pan and this water resevoir.   A statement piece for perfect for holding fresh flowers on the front door! 

You can purchase it here at my store

My Design Tip:

Everyday tasks large and small can be more beautiful and fun with vintage finds. Vintage garden tools, elements and furniture will only get better with time.

What ever your space is or where ever you live there is always something vintage and fabulous waiting for you to discover it!

Have a beautiful first weekend of Februarary...

Grab your coffee and hop over to read my Saturday's "Designing with Vintage" post on Second Shout Out blog and take a peak at my vintage finds in my store!

xo,

me