Happy!

Wishing all my friends and readers a very Happy Spring!

Happy Easter!

Happy Passover!

A Little Help From My Friends

To start I would like to express my gratitude for your kind and encouraging comments on my last post...
...for thinking of me and my coworkers and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
...Your support is deeply appreciated.

As we have all said before...change is good but not always easy.

Because things have been so busy this week there hasn't been much time for picture taking.
No fears!
Fortunately, with a little help from my friends and digging in my photo archives...
I have a few pretty images to share!

The photo above was taken at dear Evi's home on New Year's Day. The little antique French basket pictured on the library stairs was to hold a drinking glass for Vichy water. I saw these little turn of the century baskets at the brocante when in Paris years ago but passed up my chance to buy one...I have regretted it since and coveted Evi's little basket carrier. I was delighted when Corey put several up for sale in her online shop, Tongue in Cheek Antiques and am happy to say one of these dear little basket holders is on its way to me from France!



Evi and I both love our bunnies...
...this one sits on a dresser in a corner of her living room...



Evi's husband sometimes calls her by the pet name Bee...
...(I forget why)...but one can find the bee motif frequently in her home...
Evi...tell us that story again please!



More bunnies on the kitchen wall...



...and birds....
...these wonderful burlap birds she got from Ballard Designs...
...don't they look charming flying about the chandelier in her dining room?



So there you have it...
...the birds and the bees...some bunnies...
...and a little photo inspiration and help from my friend Evi tonight!
She is a never ending source of inspiration to me!

I hope you all have a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed and ready for a new day tomorrow! :)

Lake House in August

The morning the girls were due for their visit....my Dad helped me borrow this fern from the woods behind the house to create a centerpiece on the old oak table in our camp.



This table has special meaning for me as I discovered it in pieces in the barn on my grandparents' farm when I was a newlywed (many years ago)!



Yard sale bunnies huddle under the shade of the fern...



August this year has served us unusual heat and humidity....



But with the tall pines and the lake nearby to cool off in...we have not suffered...



This beautiful home at the end of the lake has always been everyone's "dream house"...



Feeling grateful for all this beauty...



Grateful for the peaceful and calm days of August at the lake...

Home and Garden Tour.... 7 Samuelson Residence

This next home belongs to an artist and illustrator of greeting cards....Adrienne Samuelson....It is stunning and my pictures don't do it justice.....this is a view into her charming kitchen from the dining room.....



This vignette is in front of the bay window in the dining room....



There is a recurring theme throughout of wonderful bunnies, birds, and gardening elements .....



A spectacular centerpiece on the dining room table....






This plate rack holds her beautiful Villeroy and Boch dinnerware as well as a collection of chocolate molds and interesting zinc and pewter kitchen items.....



The view out the back kitchen door.....



We all just loved this vignette.....I have old tins and clock faces similar to these but it takes an artist to create this arrangement........



Another vignette.....lots of black and white in this house....absolutely stunning!



This is her studio where she does all her art work.....



Some samples of her illustrations.....



And this is the view to the backyard as she sits at her drawing board.....Do you agree....Adrienne and her beautiful workspace belong in the publication..."Where Women Create"!?













More photographs taken in the back gardens.....







I just love this stone bee skep....I was told it houses the garden hose...





Here is Carole of Maynard Greenhouse getting the perfect shot.....she can identify all these plants and varieties of course (not like me) ....Adrienne was so happy to see her and have her visit her home and see her gardens....



I loved this heart covered with moss and ivy.....



So charmingly displayed on the table in the garden......



Isn't the purple clematis mixed in with these pale pink roses beautiful?



Charming chickens are a theme in the black and white kitchen....







The front side garden.....daydream indeed.....



I apologize for the long post but couldn't decide which pictures to omit.....I loved this beautiful home and gardens and hope you did too.....they truly reflect the personality and artistic talents of this lovely lady who was so gracious in welcoming us all into her home....