SHE'S A BEAUTY

Happy Tuesday all.  Hope you all are having a WONDERFUL week.  This has certainly been a BETTER week for me.  We have finally managed to get our yard cleaned up after the recent storm blew down the massive red oak tree which smashed BOTH of our vehicles (wellllllll, we still have MOUNDS of firewood to get rid of) but for the most part it's done...woohoo...you can read all about our HUGE catastrophe HERE...

The adjuster has FINALLY come out to access the damage (much sooner than they had estimated)...and our claim is just about settled...boy, what a process!!!

I have AGONIZED over the loss of my van...after all it was a great van...very ROOMY and had all the FRILLS...it was long enough to haul lumber....roomy enough to lug home all those fantastic furniture finds...great for trips....all leather, heated seats, entertainment center...how do you replace something like that?  Not easily...

...I'm tellin' ya, any OTHER time I would have been all for buying a new vehicle...but when you have a good thing...it's just so hard to commit to change....anyway, after much thinking, scrutinizing and debating over this BIG decision of just what kind of car to get...I finally decided on this little beauty....




Chrysler PT Cruiser

 Yes, she's little...probably won't be hauling any wood home in her...or very many furniture finds....but my pocket book will be SINGING with all that gas money I will be SAVING....and besides she's sooooo CUTE, I just had to have her...the color...2.DIE.4...it's called "cool vanilla"  is that the name of a decorator's color or what...HA, I'M LOVIN' IT!!!!  

So as I hop into my new ride...I'm wishing you all the best for this week....take it easy...soak up some sun...grab a tall glass of ICED TEA and...chill.....

Although this doesn't fall into the category of tabletop anything..metamorphasis anything...or any other decorating topic...I am still joining a few parties to share the good news...

Tabletop Tuesday
What's up Wednesday
Show & Tell Friday

A BIT OF A CATASTROPHE

Hello y'all.  Wow, there has been SOOOO much going on in my life lately that I have not had the time to really do much playing or posting.....Though I have been keeping up with all your posts....Between planning and decorating for the Mother-Daughter banquet (that post HERE) and now for a graduation, and trying to find the time to finish resurfacing the driveway, I have been a very busy girl and....earlier this week I found myself a whole lot BUSIER....busier that is cleaning up after our little...HUGE...catastrophe...

Can you tell what this is?...

...We had a storm come through early Wednesday morning...the strong winds blew over my GINORMOUS red oak tree in the side yard...that wouldn't have been so bad except for not only was it my absolute most FAVORITE tree in the entire yard...but it squished...by squished, I mean completely FLATTENED our two vehicles parked in the drive way...yes, you heard me right...both our vehicles totalled...BY AN OAK TREE...

...this is surely a catastrophe for us....since these are the only vehicles we have but...they are replaceable...after seeing the tree and where it fell, I immediately started thanking our wonderful God that it did not land on the house...as my daughter was sleeping right upstairs...I know without a doubt that it was the hand of God that kept us safe...

...to the left, the house...and to the right, the garage...neither received so much as a SCRATCH...as I said my daughter was sleeping upstairs...she never awoke until it was time to get up for school...my son (because he's still afraid of the dark) was sleeping on the sofa near my bedroom...he also stayed asleep through all the COMMOTION...

...now we are just waiting for the insurance adjuster to come assess the damage...the problem....the adjusters are so busy because of damage from tornados in Joplin, MO and other areas....our appointment for the adjuster to come is not until June 14....two whole weeks...so we are waiting...ever so patiently...NOT....

...anyway, we feel so blessed that our lives and home were spared through this little disaster...and I am kind of excited to be looking for a new car...looking for something a little more gas efficient...I was only two payments away from having the van paid off...so I figured I would be in the market for a new car soon anyway....

I am linking up today to Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home...and I will be back soon with car reports and some pics of the graduation decor...STAY TUNED!!

A LITTLE INSPIRATION...FRENCH STYLE

Though I have very few things in the way of FRENCH style furnishings or decor and my house is not necessarily a beautiful french CHATEAU...I would love to have a house full of all things french...who wouldn't, right?...I truly love the french country style trending right now...but I prefer French Provincial or baroque style...you know, something with a more formal frenchy flair, so to speak

...Over the past few months, I have been toying with the idea of doing a little of this french provincial style decorating in my dining room and living room areas...the key phrase here is..."toying with the idea"...as I know the hubster is not going to willingly agree to fund this little decorating adventure of mine...(I wonder if shedding a few tears, or if giving him a few backrubs and foot massages will work, hmmm....after looking at these gorgeous inspiration photos I found....I just might have to consider those forms of persuasion , lol)...

...let's start in the dining room, shall we...

...yes, these lean more toward the country french side, and I just love the curves and "blueness" of it all...

but, I'm leaning more towards this...

ohhhh so formal...I love the tray ceiling which is in a lovely shade of gold and the beautiful gold damask chairs, gorgeous...but I'd even settle for this (which I believe is a little more on the greek/roman side...maybe even eqyptian inspired design, nevertheless, very beautiful)...

Found at Decork: Modern Furniture and Decoration blog
in case you want to take a look

...I found a few bed and bath items that are just to die for...

Is this bed awesome or what...(kind of frenchy goes hollywood glam)...I could just see beautiful fringed, velvety linens and pillows everywhere...perhaps in colors that would coordinate with this litttle beauty...I so want this little chest...

I love this writing desk...I know you will too and I expect that one of you fabulous furniture restorers out there...is going to have to do something like this...Tre' chic!

...okay, for the bath...could you imagine brushing your teeth here...

I just love the "crown" mirrors...and actually, I'm a lucky girl because I already have a mirror similar to these in my dining room....now onto the living room...

...how's this for french chateau....so relaxing and beautiful...and now for the piece de resistance...drum roll please...

...not really my colors, but I so WANT this sofa/daybed....oh so frenchy!!!

Have a fabulous and inspiring weekend...AU REVOIR!