Etsy Love: Dollhouse Miniatures

Hello friends! How are you doing? I can’t believe summer is coming to a close and I’m getting my little girl ready for Kindergarten! Crazy! She’s gotten so big! So grown up and it has gone by so fast…

With my little girl growing up too quickly, perhaps it explains my complete fascination with these adorable, too precious for words, dollhouse miniature sweets! Oh my goodness…they are just too cute!!

These tiny little works of art were created by the talented Pei Li. Her pieces are truly amazing and so detailed! Check out her Etsy store here.

Grace’s dollhouse may need some of these….I know she would love them!

xo,

All images via miniaturepatisserie

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Vintage Home Bars

Hello there! I hope your summer has been fabulous. It’s going SO fast, isn’t it?

So, I just got done posting on my other blog about my love of Vintage Seltzer Bottles. These amazing historic objects are now being sought out, collected and displayed in homes. While they look beautiful anywhere you put them, they fit perfectly nestled among other pretty barware.

With Mad Men influencing style and celebrating the age of martinis, people are pulling out their liquor and putting it on display. And why not? It looks gorgeous! Check out these oh-so-glamorous vintage bar set ups. LOVE!

This weathered trunk makes the perfect pedestal for your bar. Its rustic textures play off the sparkle and polish of the bottles and silver tray. The mirror doubles the glamor. And I just love the mod Lucite chairs.

Drool. (note to self – buy a vintage bar cart asap!)

one word – AMAZING!

make your bar mobile with a wheeled cart!

French flair and elegance at its best. You know you would receive a tres chic concoction from this bar, perhaps a Pompier? Never heard of one?…neither had I but they were a popular cocktail served in Paris during the 1930’s! Made with a black currant liquor (crème de cassis), dry vermouth and club soda, it is meant to be absolutely delicious on hot summer days! Gotta try this one.

Your bar cart doesn’t have to be shiny and new, this well-worn industrial cart has a great masculine, urban feel.

Adore this one. So feminine! In the market for a vintage bar cart? Check out these I found for sale on Etsy – 1, 2, 3.

Don’t want to cart it? No worries, use a table and corral your barware on trays to help define the intention of your display.

Or proudly show off your cocktail fixings within a bookshelf. This is a fantastic idea for someone living in tight quarters.

So many gorgeous ways to add the glamor of a home bar to your space.

Do you have one set up now? I would love to hear how you did it…

Cheers!

xo,

{for more ideas and links to all these images go here}

Book club night & farmhouse style

Last night, I hosted my book club – a fabulous group of some the most interesting and intelligent woman I have ever met! (Lucky me!) When I attend a book club night, I am guaranteed a wonderful night of fascinating conversation, good doses of laughter, delicious food and wine and a lovely ambiance. Each lady is a talented host and cook. So, when it comes time for me to host, I want to give them that same decadent experience. I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right and last night, I am proud (and relieved) to say was a hit!

The concept for my table design began the night before. I knew I wanted to use my latest treasure as the centerpiece – a beautifully rustic French wine bottle carrier.

(this beauty will be on sale in my shop very soon!)

The wine carrier makes me think – Farmhouse style – so that’s what I went with…

It made the perfect caddy to display the utensils…

A variety of textures – burlap, linen, lace, silver, glass, ceramics – creates that farmhouse feel. Rustic but elegant. Can you tell I had fun?

I knew we would be dining outside so I kept it in the same theme. I am so grateful to my beautiful purple hydrangea bush! She supplied all the florals!

Hydrangeas are so fabulous because they are like a hundred flowers on one stem! Popped these freshly cut blooms into crystal cut glasses and my simple table arrangements were done!

Had to put out my newly acquired antique French pitcher too! This one was sent to me from a woman in Normandy! So pretty with a vintage lace apron tucked inside…

The trailing wisteria over head completed the purple, white and green color palette…

I did spend a lot of time on decorating but I didn’t forget the FOOD! I whipped up a huge batch of Martha Stewart‘s Macaroni and Cheese! So very naughty, with a whole stick of butter and an obsene amount of cheese! However, I was so caught up in my decor that I didn’t take a picture of it…oops…so here’s one via Smitten Kitchen…

I must say…it was delectable and everyone went back for seconds! Yah! A fresh garden salad and chocolate cake for dessert completed the simple but comforting meal.

All in all it was another fantastic night with my book club gals! Love you girls!

xo,

Paris Treasury on Etsy

Okay, one more quick thing before I head to bed! I was so excited to find that my lovely vintage platter was featured in this gorgeous treasury! It was so in line with our little visit to the Paris flea markets today, that I couldn’t resist sharing it with you! So well done! Thank you hilltopcottage!

{click to shop this Treasury}

Here’s a little closeup of the platter. I do love photographing these treasures! So much fun…

Alright…gotta go get some sleep.

Sweet dreams!

xo,

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• I’m dreaming of a French flea market… (graceandivy.wordpress.com)

I’m dreaming of a French flea market…

Hello friends! How are you? Hope all is well in your world.

My head is in the clouds a bit today…I’m dreaming of jumping on a plane destined for Paris and spending entire days drowning in all the treasure at the flea markets. I just found out that there are actual travel companies that take you on guided tours of these magical markets – totally brilliant! sigh. I want to go so bad!

Okay, so the reality is…I’m not going anytime soon so what’s the next best thing?  – I’m going there vicariously.

This would be my Parisian apartment for the week. A perfect place to lay my head after a day rifling through French antiques! Isn’t it dreamy?

{images via}

Now on to the markets…

(just a warning – I may freak out. I get giddy at a Goodwill so this may just kill me.)

I’m going to follow this chick…she looks like she knows what she’s doing. ;)

Deep breath. Remain calm…

(starting to hyperventilate…)

OMG! Can you see why I want to go so desperately! I’m feeling light headed. I better go sit at a cafe and compose myself.

Ahh…much better. Wow, that was overwhelming but I think I have a logical plan of attack. You see, you have to be calculating at these markets. You need a system. How about this?

1. Buy everything in sight.

2. Throw out everything in my suitcases and cram new purchases inside.

3. Realize that my suitcase won’t close so just…

3. Rip up my “vicarious” return ticket and live forever in the City of Light.

Sounds good to me.

Have you ever been to the Paris flea markets? If you have, please do share your experience! Would love to hear about it!

xo,

Images via here and here

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