VINTAGE FARMHOUSE CHIC TO THE MAX!

Mom and I made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Canton for the Fall Preview Show at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home which was also the opening of her new 6,000 or so square foot shop next door to her previous shop. Can you say amazing! Could anything be more fantastic than her other shop? I didn't think so but when you magnify all that vintage home goodness by a zillion times, the answer has to be "YES!!!"!

There was so much decorating love everywhere you looked that it was almost hard to take it all in! We came away with some real treasures and tons of decorating ideas! In fact, in talking to each other the next day, we found out that neither one of us got much sleep that night because we kept thinking of all the great stuff we saw-----lots of unique vintage-looking lighting and gorgeous chandeliers, galvanized metal, tissue-papered walls done by hand, white pumpkins with curly vines, mini gourds strung together, alphabet hooks, paper flowers, beautiful jewelry, handmade wreaths, little turkeys, burlap ribbon, burlap pillows, large santos statues, black & white cafe signs with the coolest sayings---I could go on and on----just click here to check out all the shop photos on her blog! I think my very favorite thing was the white china display on the wall. I love pretty dishes. I've bought the square white plates from her in the past (and have gotten so much enjoyment from them), and on this trip I bought one of the little white china dishes that was made up of 3 flower "bowls" attached together all in a row, that was hanging up in that display. It's too cute! I'll have to do a post later and show you the goodies that came home with us.

Here's the extremely talented Tina of the fabulous Cherry Hill Cottage.
Be sure to check out her beautiful photos of LauriaAnnas Fall Preview!























She is always so sweet and helpful. I'm a HUGE fan of her blog!

We got to meet jewelry designer,Michele Busch of Plano, whom we had just read about in the Dallas Morning News, and see her beautiful handmade jewelry in person. Click here to see her photos of her trunk show at LaurieAnnas. She was so sweet.

And to top off our visit, it's such a pleasure to see Zeek, LaurieAnna's sweet shoppe dog! He is such a darling! And thankfully he is feeling much better (for those of you who keep up with him through LaurieAnna's blog).

We had lunch and then came back again to make sure we didn't miss anything. It was so much fun and we left with our brains totally swirling with decorating ideas!

LaurieAnna's shop and (her booth in the Arbors on the TradeDay grounds) are open Thurs. through Sun. during First Monday TradeDays. The next TradeDays start Sept. 2nd.

ANOTHER UNBELIEVABLE MILESTONE!

I can't believe it---another milestone birthday to someone who does not look their age at all!----my beautiful sister-in-law & friend, Gena, is turning 50! You would never guess! We had celebrated early, so we could surprise her! So, here's to you, Gena!!! Hope your birthday is as special as you!!!

CO-WORKER'S BIRTHDAY--THE BIG 5-0

Looking at my co-worker, Angelle, you would never guess she recently turned 50, would you? We had a walker waiting for her at the restaurant--- something we figured she might now need in her "old age" (ha! ha!)---as well as lots of other gag gifts.

We all went out to Brown Street Cafe/Kolache Depot for lunch to celebrate!

Above - friend of ours at the next table. (Actually, we ran into several friends there that day! ---It was fun!)

I can't name all of the gag gifts in this post, as I have a family member (you know who you are) who reads my blog, who may be "honored" with more of the same on their 50th, which is coming up soon! (Get ready, G!...and next year 3 more milestone 50th birthdays in Big D's family and my family--- P, A, and D! Am I missing anyone? You know we'll get you!)

We had so much fun humiliating, I mean "teasing" Angelle on her milestone birthday! She was a very good sport! Happy Birthday, Angelle!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RANAE!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful friend, Ranae, who is celebrating a birthday today! Our office took her out to eat at a Mexican restaurant, Don Jose's, where she had to replace her birthday tiara with their sombrero! We celebrated by giving her several funny gifts & a gift card to one of her favorite shops! So full of energy, you would never guess her age--- OK, so maybe the necklace might give you a hint! But, it is very hard to believe!

She is such a sweet person! Best wishes for a Happy Birthday, Ranae!

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

America the Beautiful! Land of the Free! I'm so thankful to be an American with all the freedoms we have! God bless America, and God bless the men and women serving our country.

Happy Fourth! Patti

FASHIONISTA GOOSE!

I drive past this house a lot and think it is so cute with its green paint and red & white trim! And I like the way it sits at an angle on its corner lot!

But what's really cute is that concrete yard goose with its own little flowerbed built in a circle around it (see last photo above).

Not long ago, it was sporting swim goggles and a colorful plastic floatie around its middle---ready for summer! Now it wears a stylish matching pink scarf and apron!

Have a great July 4th weekend! Patti

MORE BROMELIADS!

Remember when I posted about Bromeliads at Northpark here? Well, the next time I went over to Mom & Dad's, look what kind of plant they had in their entry........you guessed it!---a Bromeliad!