In and Around the Picket Fence

                                                                 Hello everyone,
        I hope your week is going well. It is a busy one here as we are getting ready for the Downton Abbey              Tea here on Saturday but I thought you might like to have a little peek at the garden.

          I took these shots this morning and they are all in or around the picket fence area coming up to the                  door of our home. Our barn is in the background.

                                                   We have many different varieties of phlox blooming now.

                                            Also,lots of daylillies in many different sizes and shapes.

                                               On the outside looking in both here and below.

  Here we are leaving the picket fence garden  and heading toward the hillside garden and the south beds.

Hope you enjoyed a little peek around the picket fence-sometime soon I will show you the rest of the garden but for now I better get out there and do some deadheading and tidying up.
Tomorrow morning my daughter is coming to help with some baking and I have spent a few hours already getting some baking for the tea into the freezer -hoping for a perfect day!

Thank you for visiting,
Carolyn

Ryan & Ashley's Foyer

Ryan is my brother.

This is Ashley & Ryan (at their wedding), Buddha and Pickle.

I am sharing some pictures of their foyer and staircase.

 This is a naturally distressed old chair conveniently placed in the foyer for removing and putting on shoes. A perfect accent, too.

The shoes are stored right where you need them. The "we live here" look put me at ease as soon as I walked in.

Ryan's bike is stored right by the front door. They live close enough to the city that he can bike to work.

The staircase wall is covered from floor to ceiling with picture frames. Some empty, layered, snap shots, portraits and art. Most of the frames are from a goodwill store.

Ryan does the decorating in this space. He has great taste and a lot of talent.

Here is a peek at the family room...

(that "thing" on the rug is a cow - dog toy with only one leg and a duct taped tummy - must be a favorite for Buddha or Pickle)

I will share Ryan's kitchen and wine cellar when I return from our vacation to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. We haven't been there since we moved to the East Coast 13 years ago. Can't wait to show our boys all the natural wonders there.

Enjoy Summer!

Sharing with:  Funky Junk Interiors SNS #199

Annie Sloan's New Book!

                                                           Hello everyone,

                      I have something a little different to share with you today.... not my own photos but                       a book review of Annie Sloan's latest book.

                       Annie Sloan. The mere mention of the name speaks of quality and cutting edge techniques in the dreamy world of decorative painting . The Cath Kidtson and Rachel Ashwell of decorative painting, Annie Sloan brings fresh inspiration and ideas to us with her latest, much anticipated, and instantly best-selling book; ‘color recipes for painted furniture and more’. So you can imagine what a pleasure it was to be given this lovely book, filled with 200 inspiring images, and be asked to review myself. I confess that the cover alone had me lost in ideas for my own home with thoughts of bringing the French countryside in to my entry, with easy steps found within the following pages.

                       

                     Like most of us, I love all the beautiful colors that Annie Sloan paints come in and while I was in England I enjoyed visiting an outlet for Annie Sloan paints with several beautiful pieces of furniture painted in  various colors.  - alas, my suitcase was not big enough! I would love to have the paint available here on the Island...maybe soon.     

 The soft tones and gentle texture of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ is evident in every image throughout the book. Filled with 200 inspiring images, Annie Sloan shares her 40 years of experience and teaches us various techniques, including distressing, color washing, gilding, découpage, stenciling.. even dyeing fabric with paint, and more. i was particularly interested in experimenting with the Annie Sloan unique colour palette, and learning more about mixing colours, as well as using pops of colour from the palette in unexpected ways ~ such as the project found on page 65 in the 'Boho Chic' section, where Annie uses a pop of green inside a side table drawer. These details and attention to the use of colour and technique is signature Annie Sloan style.

There is a lot packed into this thoughtful book, and I look forward to sitting with a cup of tea, and reading through every project in detail once again. Annie Sloan gives even the faint of heart first-timer the confidence through detailed images, descriptions and steps to master a project they may be dreaming of, and for those of you wishing to be challenged with depth and detail.. there is plenty being offered to satisfy all the way to professional refinishing. 

About Annie Sloan

ANNIE SLOAN is one of the world's most respected experts in the field of decorative painting and a key figure in the painted furniture revolution, through her lively and creative approach to painting and 40 years of painting experience. She is the author of 23 books on painting techniques (three million sales worldwide), including her recent number one Amazon-ranked book, Color Recipes For Painted Furniture and More, along with Creating the French Look (CICO Books) and Quick and Easy Paint Transformations. Annie Sloanrevolutionized the world of painted furniture when she introduced her specially formulated Chalk Paint™ at her store in Oxford, England in 1990. One of the most talked about paint products in the home décor blogosphere worldwide, Canadian devotees of theAnnie Sloan brand will be happy to learn that Sloan's signature Chalk Paint™, Soft Wax, Pure Bristle Brushes, and Craqueleur finish, are now carried through Canadian Stockists, with more products to be introduced later in the year. For locations please visit www.anniesloan.com.

Hope you get a chance to pick up a copy of this delightful,imformative book too....now where is my cup of tea!

Thank you for visiting me and have a great weekend.

Carolyn

More Summer Fun

Summertime is the best. We are staying with family for a month.

Birthday parties and more parties, splash pads, shopping, amusement parks, go-cart riding and a whole lot of catching up with all our friends and family.

We have been playing so hard but I have accomplished a project or two....

...just a sneak peak.

I need to remember to take more photos because I have some pretty funky home decor stuff to share, too.

We haven't even gotten to Yellowstone yet.

Happy Summer!

Vintage Jadeite Tablescape

                                                              Hello everyone,
                        It is a beautiful evening here now but I am thankful for the good rain we had                                 overnight as it has been hot and dry.
                         Today,I thought you might enjoy seeing my friend's collection of beautiful jadeite
                          dishes that she has been collecting and generously lent to me for a fun photo                                 shoot out on our screened porch.

                           The vintage enamel teapot is from my own stash and the pretty salad
                           I picked from our veggie garden. We grow organically and besides being pretty
                           nasturtiums are edible!

                              The table is set for four so you can join us if you like.

                             The roses are David Austen Golden Celebration and the pale yellow ones in the bigger bouquet are The Pilgrim also a David Austen rose.

             I hope you enjoyed a quick peek at my friend Snow's beautiful collection
                      of vintage jadeite dishes from the 1940's and 50's.Thank you, Snow for your                                  generosity!
                            I have been busy with plans for the upcoming Downton Abbey Tea (tickets                              have all been sold) and I gathering up my prettiest china and planning the menu(so                          much inspiration on pinterest!) I think anticipation is half the fun!!!
                       Speaking of anticipation, my sister from Vancouver is coming to visit on Friday
                       after a month in the Netherlands visiting our cousins and touring around, so we will
                       have lots of catching up to do. I was delighted that she got to see the home where                            our mother grew up and it still looked the same as the picture we have of it from                              all those years ago- I have never been there yet but it is definitely on my                                          bucket list!
                          I am joining BTNOP for Tablescape Thursday today - Home at Rose Chintz                             Cottage-  and Home Sweet Home for the Charm of Home.
                      Also joining My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.                

                         Thank you for taking the time to visit me!
                                                          Carolyn

A Perfect Summer Day

                                                         Hello everyone,
                           It was a perfect summer day here sunny with a gentle breeze and
                           low humidity. We had our last tour from Japan yesterday for awhile
                          so I took some time to enjoy one of my favorite passtimes.....doing a little
                          styling for a photo shoot for you!
                              I bought the above chairs along with 2 others and a nice table for $25. at a
                             yardsale last week. Now,they didn't look like this as I gave them a couple of c
                             coats of paint -they were brown before.

                           

                           This past Saturday Sobey's Garden Center closed for the season,
                          so they had 75% off everything! I bought the new watering can
                          and the pretty geranium above along with a few other things to
                          perk up a few planters etc. I love those sales but can't believe that the
                          season for these little garden centers is already over...wasn't it just
                          yesterday they opened for the season????

       I love how well they co-ordinate with the vintage tablecloth that I had for several  years.

                             Our screened porch was a lovely spot to be today.

             I really enjoyed my day and I hope you did too!

                      I also did a pretty tablescape today. ...coming soon!!!

                     Thank you for visiting and welcome to my new followers and thank you
                     to my long term friends as well-I appreciate your visits.
                                                       

I think the best way to end my perfect day is to relax with

my sweet husband by our pond for awhile- See you!

                                                                      Take care,
                                                                               Carolyn