Baubles From "The Barn"

Of course I bought some amazing things at the barn and thought you might like to see.

A beautiful silver teapot (I seem to have a collection started and just can't stop), some dainty silver spoons and black/white toile pattern teacups.....sounds like a very vintage tea party to me.....Love the jeweled glass bottle (for my bathroom vanity) and the white frames with Laura Ashley wall paper will look awesome in my "chick room".

I found a beautiful silver ice bucket but the top is heavily rusted. I managed to remove the rust but it caused the finish to discolor. I plan to paint it (silver) and will share the outcome in a future post. Here is what the bucket looked like when I spied it during the Blog-Her Party......

I look forward to returning to La Maison Rustique next month......I ALWAYS come home happy.

Debbie Kay

Road Trip to Arizona State University

I have been away on a very difficult and yet rewarding trip to send my daughter (my first born) off to college. It was a 6 hour drive to Tempe, with a few stops along the way. My daughter just had to stop and have her picture taken under this sign......I can't imagine picking up ANY hitchhikers, much less, one near a prison.....YIKES!

We had to stop to eat along the way. My daughter enjoys "dining" rather than "grabbing a bite to go" and of course my little guy will eat anywhere at anytime.....

We arrived on Wednesday and she couldn't wait to move into her dorm. I left her there to organize and unpack and she amazed me. When I came back a few hours later, she had moved all of her things in and was ready to begin her new life in college.....I am so proud of her!!!

They don't give you much room for your stuff but they give you enough room from which to learn how to share (with your roommate), compromise (she always had her own room as a child), respect others (slob vs. neat freak), and most of all enjoy this time in your life.....they are quite possibly the "best years of your life".

My sweet daughter and future lawyer.....the sky is the limit!

Debbie Kay

A Beautiful Day With Beautiful Friends Sharing Beautiful Treasures

I ventured out to "La Maison Rustique" in beautiful wine country Temecula yesterday and had an amazing time with my dear blogging friends at the 1st annual Blog-Her party. Vendors traveled from near and far to sell their vintage wares.....I rubbed elbows with some very famous bloggers like Catiena from Vintage Housewife(middle) and RuthAnn from Warm Pie Happy Home(right) and of course one of my favorite barn babes Sherry from Prairie Home (left). WOW these ladies are "very vintage" and "very friendly" bloggers who made me feel very warm and welcome in their world......

Dear sweet Joy from The Vintage Rabbit was working her little fingers to the bone calculating the sales and "making change".......she is such a sweet friend and I am so grateful to have met her through the blogging network.

The lovely Miss Sherry worked her pretty vintage self all day to make the Blog-Her party a success.

After strolling through the barn (around 10 times) it was time for the food. The ladies put out a lovely spread of delectable salads, mini quiche and finger sandwiches......

The food went fast, I forgot to get a "before" picture but the "after" picture says it all.

Thank you Sherry (right) and Joy (middle) (thats me on the left) for a lovely day in beautiful Temecula with one-of-a-kind friends.....you are all very special to me..... I didn't get a picture of Linda "the barn goddess" but want to say thank you for your hospitality, I enjoyed the party immensly.

Til next time,

Debbie Kay

Fabulous Five

Just a quick post to share what I found on the $5.00 table in this little antique store next to where I work. These adorable shabby chic mirrors were only $5.00 each....what a steal.

Been a busy week for me, I am going through a lot of changes in my personal life.....perhaps when the time is right, I will share but for now please keep checking in on my blog. I will post as my time affords.

Just want to remind those who are in the area, La Maison Rustique is having the first ever Blog-Her party this Saturday August 16th in Temecula. If you can make it, you will not be disappointed. The barn babes have so many beautiful vintage items for sale and the party should prove to be a blast.

Thank you for visiting,

Debbie Kay

The Animal Lover In Me.....NOT!!!

Well most people who know me (and for those of you that don't), they know I am not an "animal person" so to tell my friends and co-workers that I am taking my children to the zoo, they think I have surely lost my mind. Rest assured my mind is in tact but along with the numerous changes I am going through in my life right now, I have grown to appreciate everyday and decided that a trip to the zoo with my children would be a very good day.

This is the last weekend that I had an opportunity to spend some time with my sweet daughter as she is leaving for Arizona State in a few weeks. Her little brother is going to miss her soooo much.

Most people who plan to walk all day would wear flats and try as I might, I just could not bring myself to slip on tennis shoes. I am a heels girl and when I die, I insist I am buried in heels.

The aligators were scary, the flamingos were pretty but all I could think was "when do we get back to the city"?

The Kangaroos and the Zebras, you get the jist but spending time with my sweethearts was at the top of my list.

Have a lovely week,

Debbie Kay

Pay It Forward.......

I am participating in a really neat giveaway called "Pay it Forward" and I was inspired to pass on the love by Rechelle of Walnut Haven Cottage. I am a new visitor to her blog and I was pleasantly surprised by her style and personality. I will send a gift to the first 3 comments on this post and then you too can make someone's day with a little bit of sunshine........

PAY IT FORWARD

Rules of the game:

I am going to send something to the first three people who comment on this post. Then those three people promise to send something to the first three individuals who comment on their posts and so on, and so on, and (you get the picture).The item must be something you've made, found, bought or were given AND it should be something that you would like to receive yourself.If you want to join the fun....PLEASE leave a message on this post and then, you in turn will post about the giveaway on your blog.Then you will send something to the first three individuals who sign up.LET'S PLAY!

Debbie Kay

I'm A Winner....Again!!!!

I mentioned in a previous post that I NEVER win anything, but ladies, I think I might be on a roll and perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket at the rate I am going. I won the "Christmas In July" giveaway Joanne hosted from Cottage In The Making and I picked up my goodies from her over the weekend when we met. Here are the Christmas items I won (wow Joanne is very generous in her give-a-ways)

Joanne & I are new friends and she made me feel very special with some extra goodies in my winning package. She lovingly included a miniature book about friendship (I just love stuff like that) and a beautiful saucer with roses on it. I have just begun collecting vintage, shabby chic looking plates and this one is the prettiest one I have in my collection to date. Thank you Joanne for being so thoughtful!

She included a very sentimental note for me on the cutest card I think I have ever seen along with a package of note cards with polka dots on them. I am a nut for stationery and pretty note pads (I wonder how Joanne knew that) and I will use them for very special notes I like to send to friends whom I hold near to my heart......Joanne is at the top of that list!!!

This little painting has to be one of the prettiest things I have ever received and fits my style perfectly. I was soooo thrilled to open my goody box and find this and all the gifts from Joanne.

I feel as if I just had my very own "Christmas in July"......thank you for blessing my life with your friendship Joanne and thank you for reading my blog and leaving such sweet comments....I appreciate all of you......

Debbie Kay

Treasures Galore and A Treasure Of A (New) Friend.....

It's true what they say "pretty is as pretty does" and let me tell you, Joanne Kennedy from Cottage in the Making is "drop dead gorgeous". It is rare to meet someone with whom you "hit it off" right off the bat and laugh and joke and agree with on so many things. We met for lunch and spent the day shopping, laughing, sharing, joking and we even made fun of this very rude woman who scolded us for taking pictures in her shop for fear we would steal the "secret formula" for the design of earrings and clothing sold in her "yuppie boutique"......(see Joanne's blog for more on that)......

Joanne had to wait for me to arrive as I hit a little traffic so she stopped at a yard sale and found some treasures that she lovingly shared with me. I love this two-tiered basket and of course it will be painted white.......

This adorable mini creamer & sugar bowl she picked up for a steal and gave them to me.....She knows I love roses.......

I mentioned to Joanne while shopping that I love silver and we found this pretty silver tea pot at the Salvation Army for $4.99. It is "Oneida" so I think it is fairly good quality. I really like to display these pieces around my home.

I found these lovely silver serving tongs (notice the fleur de lis pattern in the middle) at one of the antique malls and they were marked $10.00. I scored 20% off so it was a good deal (I would have paid full price for them shhhhhh)

Can't you just see some raspberry sherbet in this dainty little compote? That is what I saw and for $2.50 I had to say "I'll take it"!

These sweet little etched glass what-ever-ya-call-em were 2 for $3.00 so I grabbed them up. I could place a couple of very little candles in them but I may use them in my bathroom for my makeup brushes and lip liner......I just love being a girly girl!!!

Couldn't say no to this little soup tureen and shabby chic candlestick.........

We went into this dainty little tea room and gift shop called "Paris in a Cup" and I found a few gifts for my dear friend Tina, her birthday is in September......Both Joanne and I picked up the Romantic Homes magazine to drool over......

Found a little somethin for myself too......I love "big jewelry".

I cannot find one part about my day with Joanne that was better than the other because it was all such an adventure and a blessing to get to know someone whom I never would have met had it not been for God's hand in my life and my hand on the computer keyboard. Thank you my new friend, I look forward to many more outings and laughs......