What I Have Been Up To

 Last week I brought flowers and an orchid into my living room

to get ready for my photo shoot for my new website.

This blog will soon be moved over to my new website so all my work will be linked

together.

Thursday was my daughter Ellie's birthday, we celebrated by hanging her new curtains

in her living room with a pretty Schumacher greek key trim.

And panels in her new kitchen with the greek trim again. Happy Sunday!

Welcome to September

 As we get ready for Fall and we enter into September, we are starting to see the temperatures

drop and the last of the summer blooms before fall.

My mom came over for wine one afternoon and brought me tomatoes and her Zinnias

that I added to my four. The colors are so intense and beautiful. 

And speaking of flowers, I sold an antique flower book that I listed on ebay, the pictures

were stunning. 

Mini Wedding For My Daughter Ellie and Wes

 My daughters may wedding was postponed to August, not realizing that it was

to soon to have a large get together. So her grandmother said why don't we have

a small wedding with just the family and renew your vowels next May with the big

traditional wedding. So as we enter Nini's house, Ellie's grandmother, I had forgotten that

years ago, I had decorated this house for her almost from top to bottom. It is to die for.

  The flowers in the living room that Ellie and Nini arranged surrounded by the curtains that

I had made for her, 138 yards of a Schumacher silk.

The view of the pool as you enter the terrace, it is almost surreal.

My Dad and his Grandson, my son Edmund is on the right.

Trent, Wes's brother and best man, Halsey as the maid of honor and the two babies, Lucy and

Teddy.

Ellie walking down the isle or down the grass.

Ellie and Wes as the new Mr and Mrs Petterson.

Ellie and her Dad and Ellie and her brother.

Myself and my sisters.

The boys.

Ellie and Wes in front of the pool, better of the front flowers and awful of them, wrong lens setting.

And to day is National Dog Day, my beautiful Mandy in the morning sun. 

What is Happening in August

 This is what I saw when I went out to take a few pictures of my flowers, he is next to the bird feeder.

Now that it is the end of August, my flowers are started to go to seed, but not my Zinnias. This is

when they really start to shine and show their blooms.

I have one last window to do for my client in Richmond. This is a large bathroom window

and we are doing a flat gathered Roman shade in Bunschwig and Fils Les Touche in pink.

We decided to add a ball fringe to the bottom of the shade and I had one on hand that might

work, but I ordered a couple more that will have pink in them. They should arrive soon but

the mail is really slow these days.

I don't know about you but August is flying by.

Buying Books on Amazon

For years now I have been buying books on Amazon. I check for the best price,
condition if it is gently used and the content, must have pictures. I am always
searching for decorating books, cook books and my recent purchase, gardening
books.

I love Bunny Williams, not only is she a great decorator but she is from Virginia, I
have had several of her design books, seen houses that she has designed and follow
her blog. So to occupy my time indoors in this heat, I found one of her garden books
on Amazon for $11.00. I have had such a good time looking through the pages, it is
a beautiful book.

This will inspire me when I have my own garden again one day. I prefer more garden,
less grass. So check out Amazon for your next book, they even let you preview the pages
and offer great prices.

Wants Been Happening This Week

So once this crazy Covid 19 started, and panic set in, I decided to list the

stack of discontinued fabric samples on ebay. Ebay was giving 200 free listings

for sellers so I bundled the fabric in groups of five. Well, Nancy in N.Y. decided

to buy 34 of my bundles and they ended yesterday.

The fabric samples are in two boxes weighing 14-17 pounds, the client paid

right away, it's a good thing! I also sold one of my paintings and some wallpaper

samples. On another note, I have more orchids blooming.

  

They love my kitchen window, even if they take up good counter space. And a last post,

this rental is a 1930's farmhouse, at some point some one did some very nice beds around

the house, you have seen pictures of the triple dark purple Columbine, well next you will

see the Hosta they planted. I have been really good about cleaning out the beds of the dead

leaves in the Fall and it has paid of. The are huge and very happy, see for yourself.

Farmers Market Flowers

Thursday I was on my way up Beverely Street to the grocery store. I get
stuck at the red light and I see the Farmers Market going on the my left
at the light at Grubert and Beverley in the empty parking lot to the left.
Lots of pop up tents and then I see the one calling my name. This tent had
a table of beautiful flower bouquets, buckets of sunflowers and fresh veggies.
After my grocery store run, I thought I would check this place out for myself.
I think the sign said Thursdays, 4-7, one entrance and one exit, you must wear a mask
and you purell  your hands before you go in and you can use a credit card!

I bought a vase of all white flowers for $15 dollars. Bells of Ireland, Zinnias, Snap
Dragons. Just beautiful, plus the vase fits in your drink holder, no spillage.

Where to go: West Beverly Street Farmers Market, next to Stella Mia. Thursdays 4-7.
Flowers, Vegetables, Jellies and Jams and Artists.

Pink Hydrangea

This beautiful Pink Hydrangea has moved with me three times. At each move, I have
dug this guy up and planted it at each new house. This is the best it has ever looked
so I guess this is the best place for it.

I planted this Gladiolus last year in the spring, the first one was purple, then this
beauty bloomed, I love the white flower with the pink center. So pretty. Stay cool,
it is very hot here.

Sunday Fun Day

A couple of weeks ago I had a message on my Etsy shop that a man
named Kevin wanted to purchase a piece of furniture from me for his
wife. They are moving from Texas to South Carolina and he would be
coming through town on his way down and would purchase the server if
I would hold it for him. Well of course I would hold it, it is in my dining
room. Well, this never happened, he did not purchase the piece on Etsy
so I took the piece down from the site thinking they may have changed
their mind. So Thursday I got a call from Kevin saying that he was in
Vermont and would pick the server up Friday afternoon. Okay Kevin,
that's great news but there is one problem, you haven't paid for it. I haven't
paid for it, says Kevin, are you sure? Men! So I asked him to bring me cash
and to call me when he gets closer. Apparently his wife is a designaholic,
his truck was loaded down with fabric, wallpaper, antiques and his seven
year old daughter, Gigi, who happens to be very cute.

 So this antique English server went out on Friday afternoon and is on its way to South
Carolina. This left a big hole in my dining room and I wanted a piece to take the servers
place. I would like to find something smaller, maybe a demi lune. Because Saturday was
the 4th of July, I was afraid that most businesses would be closed, so I set my site on Sunday.
There were three places I had my site set on visiting, Rockfish Gap Country Store (right down
the mountain from Afton), Tuckahoe Antiques ( just up the hill from Rockfish Gap Country
Store on the way to Wintergreen) and Covesville Antiques up 29 towards 64. At the first store
I saw a nice little French piece but it had sold, so up the road I went to my next stop. This is
what I found at Tuckahoe Antiques.

This is a Bigg's light colored Lowboy for $195.00, it is about 30" high and 23" deep
with lots of storage with 5 drawers. It is not an antique, it was probably made in the 1970's.
The salesperson was very helpful and gave me this information. I also found this in another
booth.

This lowboy was originally $350.00 and marked down to $250.00. It was way more
ornate with more carvings, shinny brass and a darker stain. My salesperson said this
was definitely an antique, the owner of this booth used to have a famous auction house
in Charlottesville. I took pictures and decided to head over to Covesville Antiques, which
is also owned by the folks at Tuckahoe Antiques. Here I found two more pieces of interest.
The first piece looked just like the one above, but were the carved shell was an opening.
I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture. The price tag was $250.00 then around the
corner I spotted this beauty.

 It was priced at $225.00, beautiful carvings, pretty brasses and I liked the bottom details
under the shell. Definitely an antique and the wood had a pretty patina. SOLD, because I
was paying cash, I got it for $180.00. Here it is in my dining room all dressed up.

It is the perfect size, not as hunky as the other piece, I love it. You have got to check
out these stores. I could have spent a fortune in these places.