Late week musings and a monogram giveaway!!

Hi there! Hope you are having a great week. Hard to believe summer has closed its doors and its already back to school. Sure hope you had a chance to check out the amazing guest post Michele of Hello Lovely did on me yesterday,  if not click here to visit...it was wonderful! I also have a fun monogram giveaway to announce (details on the bottom of this post). By the time you are reading this I will be in Brimfield for the antique show, hopefully busy scoring some fabulous finds! Its been a busy week with the start of school but I was determined to make it there. I will report back on the weekend. So as with all my random musings post, this one features a little of this and a little of that. Lets get started........This picture reminds me of why Fall is my favorite season..........glorious!

 Got the back powder room wallpaper done and I love it. I am now looking for the perfect mirror and basically will be done at that point..woo hoo!  Here it is.......

But first Teddy my trusty assistant as Michele of Hello Lovely has pegged him, slacking on the job.......

So happy I went with my first choice, its fresh and clean and crisp and not too formal.   Here it is.......

I was experimenting as I like to do with one gingham shade and one plain.....(just in case you were wondering)   Now have to find the perfect mirror.....until then, vanity be damned!

I really like my statuary line and have several of their pieces in my home. I just added this piece to my island and filled it with pears....isn't it pretty!

Also took the large trivet (in my online shop) and made up a cheese and cracker tray, my phone died as I was in the process but it looked great, filled with fresh figs and olive oil and breadsticks, a few cheeses, a small tray of olives and flatbread, made such a pretty presentation.......

...

Shop news......The Staffordshire dog lamps are up in my store, in two colors, already quite a popular item! So excited to have finally added  my new category "monogram mania"  to my online shop. It features all kinds of wonderful monogrammed goodies, all super well priced, discounted approx. 15% from retail with a super fast turnaround time ( as in 3 days they are on their way to you). Perfect gift! Click here to visit my shop.

Can I just say how madly in love with this that I am. I mean seriously swoon worthy right? Not exactly masculine I know I know and living with a family of 4 boys (husband included as one of them) this is a bit too frou frou for them, but man its pretty! A great way to channel your inner Marie Antoinette! If you want it, its for sale over at Tara Shaw Antiques.

Remember the hardware dilemma for my island and how I am considering changing it to an ant.brass? Well I am definite on it but figured as long as I am committed to it, let me be sure that I get exactly what I want so ordered another round of contenders and here's a sneak peek. You know I will share when I decide on which wins.....

I will use a pair of these for towels to hang on the island

The island with the bin cup pull I am nearly certain I am using...

Always like to throw in a little food something.....because of course I love food, good food that is. I love cooking, preparing and of course the best part....... eating!  This is a winner and sooo easy!! It is  super satisfying and great for no guilt eating, it is a salad afterall but chock full of all the "good stuff".

 Tex Mex Salad

Serves 4-6 (main dish)

Serves 6-8 (side dish)

Ingredients:

2 heads romaine lettuce

2 avocados (chopped)

1 cup frozen corn (defrosted) or fresh (if it's in season)

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sour cream or reduced fat sour cream

1/2 cup salsa

2 teaspoons chile powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, plus more for garnish (you can use more if you are like me and LOVE cheese)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 limes

Tortilla Chips ( I bought the tortilla strips in a bag if you can find them)

Directions:

Make black bean and corn relish.  Combine black beans, corn, red onion and red bell pepper.  Pour over white balsamic vinegar (or other light vinegar), squeeze the juice of 1/2 of a lime, season with salt and pepper and allow to sit for a half an hour or up to one day.

For the salad dressing.  Combine sour cream, salsa, the juice of half a lime, chile powder, cumin and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Every salsa is a little different so you may need to add more salsa or add more sour cream to reach the desired consistency for your dressing.  Taste it to see if you would like to add any more of the seasonings as well.

For the main salad.  Chop up romaine lettuce.  Add avocado, black bean and corn relish, cheese and cilantro.  Pour over dressing and toss to combine.  Garnish the top with more shredded cheese and a bunch of cilantro.  Serve with cut up slices of lime and tortilla chips.

If you would like to serve this as a main course, I would suggest adding some grilled shrimp, chicken or  sliced flank steak. 

Have you seen Ralphs latest collection? Yes, that Ralph as in Ralph Lauren...you don't know we are on a first name basis? :) What can't he do? Every one of his collections is just so spectacular! DROOLWORTHY.  These images tell me one thing....take me there NOW!

 Finally the giveaway! To celebrate the Monogram mania intro to my online shop, I am offering one lucky winner a box of 6 monogrammed soaps customized to their specifications. All you need to do is go to my site, check out my newest additions in the Monogram mania section and come back here and tell me a fave. That's it. I will announce a winner on Sunday. Click here to visit.

So that's about it for today. Wishing you a wonderful day. Be back over the weekend to announce a winner!! Remember, if you are anonymous, I have no way of knowing who you are, unless you use your first name and first letter of your last name in the body of the comment. Ditto for those of who you who just use your first name, please in the comment be sure to put your last name initial, as there are often duplicate names. Thanks for stopping by.......

Canopies, Caronas and Crowns.....oh my!

Happy Wednesday to you! As I am starting to finally think seriously about my guest room and my own bedroom (at long last), one look I am continuously drawn is canopied beds and beds with crowns. Yes, it is very classic and traditional, having been done for centuries but now you also see it being done with a modern twist to give it a fresher cleaner feel. Its a beautiful way to use a favorite fabric or combination of fabrics and just feels so "cocoonlike". I remember the very first time I slept in a bed with a soaring crown was in a beautiful hotel room in Belgium about 15 years ago. I felt like a royal and must say I had an awfully great nights rest. So....am sure I want to do the same thing in  my own guest room and today's post is a tribute to all the wonderful treatments that can be applied to a bed. What are your thoughts? Is it a like? A love? Would love to know! Here we go.........feast your eyes on these beauties!

This beautiful bedroom has been an inspiration for my guest room, love the check fabric used inside, think it makes it less fussy and crisp feeling, Joy Tribaut

The colors here are my favorite, I like the idea of a very quiet print with solid colored muted bedding, so inviting! TH

Beautiful application, love how the fabric matches the wallpaper,also love the gathered carona,  Kendall Wilkinson

LOVE the scalloping detail on this vision in ivory, Phoebe Howard

Always adored this bedroom, so serene and inviting! Cathy Kincaid

 Fun twist on a traditional room for a lucky young lady! Palmer Weiss

How pretty is the soft billowy fabric used as a canopy? So soothing and calming.....Howard

Thom Felicia's bold take on a modern day canopy bed

Mary McDonald dreamt up this vision in white!

Wiliam Eubanks designed this fabulous master retreat using warm soothing tones...so elegant!

How sweet is the pink gingham? Love it! Shes so pretty

This sumptuous room by Mario Buatta just screams "come jump here" and bring your mags and books with you (and a indulgent little snack too:)

Love this serene oasis of a room, the scale of the room makes it feel majestic, Veranda

Always been a fan of this gorgeous dreamy room of canopied twin beds, Cathy Kincaid

Love pretty prints in rich warm tones for a canopy as Rinfret did in this elegant retreat

Love this monochromatic take on an elegant modern daybed....beautiful!

Of course everything Ralph Lauren touches turns to gold or at least into a bed fit for a princess!

Solis Bentancourt's modern take on a pair of canopy beds, pretty!

And for a more masculine approach, canopy beds can still work...as shown here in Cottage and Gardens.

I really like Michael S. Smith's take on a more transitional cleaner feel on a canopy bed, Elle Decor

Barry Dixon designed this fabulous retreat in brown, love the feeling!

And finally....who said canopy beds are just for humans?  Aristopaws

Too cute! Chinoiserie Chic

Had to throw in mans best friends, they like to live in great style too! So....whats your take? Do you love this look? Do you favor it more traditionally or like the more modern take? To me, its just beautiful any which way. As always, love to hear what you think. Wishing you a fabulous day!