Chic Americana from IKEA

I love shabby chic farm house decor, Americana, and modern european cottage styles! And of course I LOVE IKEA!!!!!!! 

Our kitchen makeover was inspired by the farm house sink we bought there.  

This makeover was on a budget, so we blended new and old cabinets and hardware (three trendy scooped drawer pulls from Home Depot) with our existing to save money. Replacing the over-stove microwave with a stainless steel range hood from Lowes, really opened up the cook top space. And the entire kitchen got a fresh coat of white paint. 

White on white isn't a look for everyone, but seen a lot in Europe and we love it!!! 

Our daughter loves thrift stores, and she picked the American flag at Goodwill of DE. It really pops out against the white walls. 

The milk cap magnets on the range hood are from Brandywine View Antiques.

After sanding the counter tops with a very fine grit sand paper, we sealed them with Behandla. A wood treatment oil, from IKEA, that is approved for kitchen use. For a more modern look, we decided on a stainless steel backsplash instead of tile. The farmhouse sink, faucet, stainless steel back splash, and four sink base cabinets are all from IKEA.

My hand-made denim window curtains are lined with cream and black toile fabric, and the blue & white vintage plates, and vintage aprons are also local flea markets and antique shop picks.

The ribbon hung china my husband found at his favorite resale shop in Ardmore, looks chic hanging from a simple peg rack from The Annex Market. 

Our old cork board got a fresh coat of white paint , a chalk board insert, and I added metal hook hardware. Fresh Vintage had some great accessories like the blue scrap bowl on the counter. 

  Michele

faith and love

Andie MacDowell entered a great personal short story for Guideposts titled, 

"Journey back to faith and love." 

http://www.guideposts.org/stories-faith/andie-macdowell-journey-back-faith-and-love

In her story, Andie recalls walking around the grounds of a church fair, when a beautiful painting of a hummingbird catches her attention. Talking with the artist's wife, Andie is moved by the artists story, his talent, and the true love she sees between the couple. It's the kind of love she's been longing for since childhood. As she continues to chat with the artists wife, she feels as though this woman can see into her very soul. And an insightful comment stirs an amazing feeling and understanding of true love. One she never realized she always had.  

The artist, Marcus C. Thomas, became a quadriplegic after a skiing accident. His paintings are amazing, and he is too! It's truely inspiring to see the art he creates, painting with his mouth. 

Visit his website, listed below, to see more of his fabulous paintings!

theme: miniatures

title: "Wild Roses"

theme: symblosim

title: "Wedgewood"

http://www.marcusthomasartist.com/

Follow Andie MacDowell on twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/andiemacdowell3

Andy MacDowell steps up for May SmartTalk

Andy MacDowell will be taking Sigourney Weaver's place for SmartTalk, at the Dupont Theatre, May 23rd, 7:30pm! Sigourney was looking forward to coming to Wilmington, but she obtained a leading role as Secretary of State in a new cable series called Political Animals.

Andie's bio is facinating. She's more than a model/actress. She goes by two names. In Ashville, she's Rose Qualley-mother of three, faithfull church-goer, and active in charitible circles. Everywhere else, she's the movie star with long dark, curly, hair with a part sexy part girl-next-door smile.

This is confusing stuff, if your not grounded enough to handle it. But if you grew up in Gaffney, S.C.. a child of divorce who helped care for her mother troubled by alcohol, stardom cannot blind you to what matters. 

Andie's Camp for Kids, in the N.C. mountains,is a place where children with diabetes can come for a week of fun and games. Working through the Billy Graham Children's Health Center, Andie also sponsors separate summer camps for children with diabetes, cancer, and asthma. She often leaves her camp to jott off for a modeling or movie shoot. 

www.missionhospitals.org

Andie made her film debut in 1984 in '"Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes." Since then she's become a fixture in films, usually in the supporting role as the affable leading lady to the hottest men in Hollywood-Travolta, Hugh Grant, Andy Garcia and others. She's appeared twice on People Magazine's most beautiful people list. Her L'Oreal spots, with the trademark phrase "Because I'm worth it" are inescapable. 

MacDowell limits her film work to five months of the year. That leaves the other seven for her favorite role: Rose, dedicated mother and devoted Christian. You can often find her in unglamorous blue jeans and hiking boots, gripping a coffee cup, refusing to surrender to idle celebrity chat. Instead she'll urn the conversation to the latest book she's reading. like... "The Ragamuffin Gospel," and the challenges we face.

"We're all Ragamuffins," MacDowell says. "We're dealing with the day-in and day-out of life, and trying to figure it out." And just like that it's clear: Andie MacDowell-Rose, really is succeeding where so many fail. despite two names and two lives, she knows who she is. She has figured it out. 

http://smarttalkwomen.com/speakers

ticket give away

I could definitely use a couple sprinkles of fairy dust to help speed up the country kitchen makeover we're doing!!! Should have some progress pictures posted soon. Speaking of fairy dust, Cathy Rigby is the next guest coming to SmartTalk on Tuesday April 17th, 7:30 pm at the Dupont Theatre. I'm looking forward to her amazing story of recovery and success. You can see the show too!!!!!!

Just message my post for a chance to win two tickets courtesy of SmartTalk!   

 I remember watching Cathy perform and compete on television. Her gymnastics skills were amazing!!! Cathy 's bio says she started gymnastics to help escape her shyness and an alcoholic father. She had the highest gymnastic scores as a U.S. Olympic competitor, but became both anorexic and bulimic. After being hospitalized twice, she retired from gymnastics, married, had two sons, and was a commentator for ABC Sports. 

Life wasn't a happily ever after for her. Unfortunately, her eating disorders persisted, and through the stresses of it all she'd felt she'd lost her winning spirit. But, after seeking  treatment, a divorce, and a new career as an actress and singer, Cathy conquered her disease, and her career soared. I love this picture of her playing Peter, in "Peter Pan" on Broadway. Must have been really fun to fly around stage in this show!

smarttalkconnect.smarttalkwomen.com

vintage dream

My vintage dream...... treasure hunting in Italy!

A guitar friend, Fran, facebooked that her cousin owns an Inn, in Umbria, Italy!  

Villa Pian di Cascina is a 20 acre private estate, and it looks like the perfect place to relax and go on the ultimate vintage adventure! Magnificant views, private pool, 400-year-old olive groves, scenic country walks, organic fruit and vegetables, olives, walnuts, figs, and Rome is just an hour a way by train! 

www.avillainumbria.com/en/

I'd also be just as happy to fall asleep in a field of poppies or sunflowers, just like Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz! Or shop vintage fabrics for my free spirit vintage and country boutique:)

  

Umbria is located next to Tuscany. After looking at the map, I see that Cortona, the setting for "Under the Tuscan Sun", is actually closer than Rome. It would be so neat to spend a day sight seeing there.

 

I'll keep you posted on my plans to visit Umbria!

vintage italy

One of my top 10 favorite movies is "Under the Tuscan Sun." The movie is based on the book written by Frances Mayes. I love this story! In one of my favorite scenes from the movie, Diane Lane's on a mission to reconnect with her new Italian love. She's wearing a beautiful vintage styled white dress!!!

Being the junk loving, antique finding, DIY diva, lover of vintage fashion that I am, I can't think of a better way to cure a heartache, than renovating an old Tuscan farm house!!!!

I'm so excited, because we have a girl's night out planned next week to see Frances Mayes at the DuPont Theatre for SmartTalk. I can't wait to hear about her life and about Italy.

 

www.francesmayesbooks.com/

10% off  SmartTalk tickets!

Simply use the code below when ordering:)

MR1

http://www.duponttheatre.com/smarttalk.html

DuPont Theatre Box Office: 302-656-4401 or 800-338-08

Chow bella!

5 & 10 Antiques Adventure

5 & 10 Antiques Market on Main Street in North East, MD is such a nice day trip. The shop has a little bit of everything! 

From retro tables and bake ware to primitives, Americana, jewelry, and vintage clothes.

With two floors of vendors, you could easily spend several hours hunting for that something special.

I love vintage Christmas decorations and had to have this box of large Shiny Brite ornaments. I have a box of the small ornaments from my great Auntie. 

I hope this beaded vintage purse will be there when I visit again:) 

Main Street is lined with cute shops and a couple restaurants. 

We had an early dinner at Woody's. The broiled rock fish was fantastic!

http://www.facebook.com/510AntiqueMarket?sk=wall

http://www.5n10antiques.com/