Ooh la la...A WINNER!!!

Bet you thought I forgot.
No, I just planned to have a relaxing evening writing on my blog...
lots of news to share.
But I forgot how many people have fireworks and firecrackers on a night like this...
and how scared my pups are of all the bangs!
So I have spent a night cuddling my boys (not bad)
and not writing on my blog.
So sorry!
But...it's still July 4th...
and we have a winner of Chani's
"THE GLITTERED JAR"


...full of French goodies.

Out of 29 entries, the number pulled by random generator was #12.
Going back to my comments, that turns out to be..."Suzanne".
Haha...No, not me!!!
Suzanne from Skybluesea Skybluesea.
Suzanne lives in the UK and is a British Mummy of teens
(while I am an American Mommy of teens:)
She even has one that is a dancer, like me:)
And she is an amazing artist so I can't WAIT to see what she does with these goodies!
I hope you all loved visiting Chani's blog and store.
I even order one of these jars for myself and I know I will
be shopping with her OFTEN!!!
Thank you to EVERYONE who entered.
Usually, I like to write and acknowledge every one who enters and
let you know I got the correct number of submissions for each.
Please forgive me for not doing that this time.
When I said I had a lot going on, I meant it!
I planned to write about it tomorrow but I don't honestly think I will be ready.
Even though like has changed and thrown a bit of a curve ball
at me, I still have to take care of family and business as usual and I want to do this RIGHT!
I'm working on it...and I will be back soon...hopefully by mid-week
AT LEAST!!!
Thanks again everyone and hope you had a
Wonderful 4th of July.
(and to my neighbors...please stop with the firecrackers.
My boys are shaking!!!:(

XOXOXOXOXO
Suzanne

AMERICANA IN PARIS...AND GIVEAWAY!!!!

"Americana in Paris"...

Get it?
Like "An American in Paris" with Gene Kelly.
Pretty cute..and clever...if I do say so myself.
(Hey, I rarely think of cute and clever blog titles...
so yes, I am excited!:)

Okay...remember Americana?
That style of decorating that portray the best of the old American Spirit?


Using muted shades of classic colors,
such as slate blue, muted greens, faded reds...
including Americana folk art...


Some called it country...
(I think I did when my Mom decorated the guest room with it...
Sorry Mom. I didn't know a THING back then!)

While these are not pictures of my Mom's guest room,
you get the idea. I remember thinking it was like sleeping in
the "Betsy Ross" flag room.
Well, not me, thank you very much!

UNTIL...
I discovered Chani from
Blanc et Caramel


French for "White & Caramel"...
her colors du jour:)
She loves white, shabby and coffee stained items...
and shares them with the world via her etsy shop
and her main shop.



Here is what she says about her beautiful shop... "We are located in Paris and have vintage inspired products, but we also make sure they are French. Gorgeous finds from Parisian flea markets and romantic places in the southern French countryside, notably the Provence, were used for crafting our products. We love both the vintage and old-fashioned Paris style and the countryside shabby chic."

Now, Chani is a beautiful young lady,
born in Switzerland and now married with a family and living in
Paris, France.
I'm telling you, I have met the most wonderful ladies via my blog...
lovely people who are always there to lend an ear
and give you a virtual hug when you need it most...
(and I have needed it most lately.)
And I have met so many generous, kind and creative people...
just like Chani!

Guess what Chani loves?
In her own words...
"Isn't it funny how you always want what you don't have:
I want American stuff and Americans want French stuff!"

Yep, that's me she's talking about!
I love anything French...
If it has French words, designs (Eiffel Tower, Fleur De Lis...)...
I LOVE IT!!!
I'm going to Paris this Fall and ALL I want to do is visit the Paris Flea Markets:)

Anyway, Chani even has a name for it...
Shabby Americana.
How cute is that????
She decorates with it from time to time and creates with it.
Just look at a pillow she has in her home...



And some of the "Shabby American" items in her shop...



In her designs, she tends to make them in muted colors a la the shabby look and part of her color palette...



I think I might have a new love for Americana.
How funny it started with a sweet lady from Paris France:)

Chani also has a number of beautiful items in her shops...
such as these banners,

"For your perfect summer seaside decor: A seashell, a starfish with buttons and a conch made of white fabric and linen and some decorative stitching, attached on thick natural twine with bast. Some coffee-stained flags with compasses and “Coquillages à la plage” (French for “seashells on the beach”) stamped on them."

Lovely jewelry with pieces found at the Paris Flea Markets...


Pretty note cards...


Even some cinnamon sugar...


Sweet!

Oh right...did I say GIVEAWAY?
You bet I did!!!
And it is coming to you straight from Paris, France.
Well, actually I ordered it this morning and it is coming to you from
France via a stop in Florida to drop of my OWN goodies:)

So for all you creative types,
THIS IS IT...
"The Glittered Jar..."

Here is how Chani describes this item in her shop...

This sweet little jar is filled with treasures for your vintage crafting:

1) White ribbon, hand-stamped in sepia with “Paris” and crowns. It measures 100 x 3 cm and comes with a little clock tag.
2) Three kinds of old lace, found on a Parisian flea market. They are between 60 and 100 cm long.
3) Natural twine (100 cm)
4) Four mini tags with twine, stamped with “Paris”, fleur de lis and a crown.
5) A metal heart (maybe silver?) found on a Parisian flea market. It measures 3,5 x 3 cm.
6) Ten old buttons, most of them mother-of pearl.
7) A glitter star (3,5 x 3 cm).
Everything come is a jar (height: 7 cm) with a silver glittered sparkling cover and a coffee-stained Paris address tag attached to it.
Are you inspired?

Here's how to WIN!!!!!
Now, this is not about me...
this is about Chani...
and Blanc et Caramel...
So, please enter by visiting her shop...
and leaving me a comment telling me what you love most in her shop.

You also get an entry for visiting Chani's blog and leaving her a comment to
encourage her to keep creating beautiful things:-) Make sure you let me know in a comment
if you visit Chani!

One more way...blog about this giveaway and let us know that you did!

Drawing for The Glittered Jar will be on...
when else?
The 4th of July!!!!!!!
So hurry, hurry:-)

Au revoir!

Back to Blogland...

Happy Monday...I'm back to my little home on the internet. Amazingly, I managed to pick up about 30 followers in the few weeks I was gone. How does this happen? I don't know but I'm happy it does:-)

Yes, I took a little break. I can choose between writing about my life/family and the Holidays or I can live it. Unlike many of you gifted people out there, I'm not capable of doing both.

The bad news...I had my annual Holiday meltdown. The good news...it's over early and I'm good to go:-) About 2 weeks ago I called my mom and started bawling on the phone about how I feel I let everyone down... Blah, blah, blah. (Martha, this is because of you and my quest for the perfect Holiday:-) I've let go of a few things since then. Since my girls were little, I've always had to have the perfect Christmas card. I know photo cards have been around forever but I think I was one of the first that I know of to go with a "theme" picture for our cards, such as angels, mermaids... maybe I'll do a post about it and show a few. I can't show you the one of them when they were 7 and 5, lounging around the pool in old-fashioned bathing suits with flowered bathing caps on like some vintage bathing beauty, because that was the one card they refused to be a part of...and I never let them forget it! hahaha...

Anyway, this year the cards are ready to go out with a short, sweet note and a simple, fun photo. And it's killing me... lol

Okay, well, this is Thanksgiving week. Hope you're all enjoying this special time of year. Me...I'm not a big Thanksgiving person. In the old days when cousins aunts and Uncles crammed around a long table at my Grandma's...that was Thanksgiving. These days just aren't quite the same. Don't get me wrong, we are very thankful. But we are more than ready to move on to Christmas.
Sorry...one of those people:-) To top it off, I don't like turkey.

(You're safe from me, Mr. Turkey!)
But I do love mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie. Carbs anyone??? Geez...good thing I am serving dinner at the hospital with my husband instead of eating it! My girls are spending Thanksgiving with their grandparents so I will have my first Holiday with an empty nest...seems kind of strange but they'll have fun.

What else, what else... Well, we are in full Nutcracker mode around here. This is the Flower Fairy or Dew Drop, which is Taylor's main role. And she wears pink:-)



Rehearsals, rehearsals and more rehearsals...long ones...but it's looking good, so it's worth it. And we are making lots of these little cuties...




I know I write about a pink Christmas but the only rooms I can pull that off this year are Taylor's room and maybe the guest room. The great room is mainly a white Christmas with touches of red. Because I am worried about my curious BIG puppy, our tree has only those family ornaments that are not breakable as well as a lot of other sturdy ones, just in case I come home to find the tree toppled over. We glittered some starfish and white poinsettias and it looks so pretty.



One of my favorite decorations was the simplest. I had all of these colored glass ornaments and a huge glass cylinder I picked up for $7 at a yard sale this year so I dumped them in and voila...instant decoration!




I also love, love, love feather trees and here is one by the front door...




Just look at these shells...I'm not sure you can see but they're all glittery. Thanks to Tales from an OC Cottage for the idea!



Guess that's enough rambling for today. I'll leave you with a thought for the Holidays...
"Remember, the more expensive and big the gift, the more kids will enjoy playing with the box it came in more than anything".

Have a great day!
Au revoir,
Suzanne