Top Ten Things I don't want under my tree....

I know it's important to convey your desires in the xmas season to those who may want to acknowledge you with a gift for xmas. That being said, it seems it may also be important to acknowledge those THINGS you DO NOT WANT. Herewith, for your amusement my personal list of things Santa can keep in the sleigh.

I am not doing many pictures with this because I don't even want to SEE these things.

I don't want a CLAPPER. I'm just not there yet. Give me a little chandelier instead.

I don't want anything REGIFTED. Why would I want a gift the original recipient didn't want in the first place???? EEEEEWWWWW! Bad Form!

I don't want anything you wouldn't give me any other time of year. Like one of those silk pillows you put over your eyes with millet seeds in them... You bet I use one of THOSE daily.....

I don't want anything that comes from a chain drugstore except for the product in which they specialize, like I wouldn't mind a gift box full of Aleve or heartburn medicine..( although those stuffed animals that you press the button on their foot who dance are sometimes amusing.)

Don't give me anything that wets, poops, or bites. There is no room at the inn!

(Ok, maybe for one more... I am a spineless wonder)

I don't want a trick bed. I just want one that feels good and you can get a good nights sleep in it. Period. I don't want to dial my bed, make it go up and down, or balance a glass of wine on it while someone jumps up and down on the other side.

I don't want anything that is FAKE FRENCH. There's been enough of that stuff.....Give me the real thing.......

Oh and please don't give me anything made out of Styrofoam!!!!! Do your bit and save the environment. I won't use it anyway!!!!!!!

And please God, no way, never, not one of these!!!!!

Not until they figure out a way to make these things grow cold hard cash!!!!!!!

How bout all of you ???? You have any gifts you really hate?? Come on lets hear!!!!!

Next up the ten things I would love to get as gifts with Pictures>>>>>>

I need to add a big #11 to this: Ruth at The Beautiful Life commented that she didn't want a "Snugglie". ME EITHER!!!!!! I don't need to sit on my sofa dressed like a monk.... This is going to be funny!

A Gift to all My Design Blogging Sisters

If I were coming to your house for Thanksgiving or for the Holidays I would bring you this:

A Bloembox.
Whatever Bulb Flower is on the top of the box is the live version ready to plant inside. This is the White Dazzler Amaryllis.

There is also a Paperwhite Narcissus. I also have a surprise. The very talented Kees Terberg was kind enough to help with Beadboard's window featuring Fairies and a tree made of Bloemboxes. I learned about him from Lee Ann and Fabulously French. Look at the magic he worked with them.



The paperwhites.....




A Beadboard Fairie over the Red Lion Amaryllis.






And our favorite lady perched on it. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you marvelous bloggers and readers. If I could, I would send you each one...... Thanks Kees, you did a wonderful job and we are very grateful....:) To see more of Kees's work, google Kees Terberg Fairies....

The touch the feel of cotton, linen and alpaca....

When we were selecting blankets to carry at Beadboard I wanted the following: They had to be beautifully made, unique, washable, and of a quality that would be passed down from one generation to the next. The other criteria was this: They had to be made in a place where it is COLD.

It is cold in Maine. And, in my opinion,Brahms Mount in Hallowell Maine makes the best blankets there or anywhere else in the US. They are unique because they have thick threads and are made on old looms from the 1930's. Much of today's technology can't handle the sheer weight of the thick cotton, linen, and alpaca they use. Besides I didn't want to say our blankets were made in someplace hot like Miami...



Each loom has to be hand set for a different pattern. Shown here is the ticking weave in black and natural.



Above is their 100% linen blanket. Look at the texture.......Don't you just want to wrap up in this??????? They also make linen towels.....




This is a cotton throw with the hand tied knots. It almost has a nautical feel to it.





100% white cotton in the Checkmate pattern. When Claudia Brahms and Noel Mount, the designers and founders of the company, select the weaves and patterns they always hit the mark. This checkmate pattern is also available in the most awesome crib blankets.



My favorite pattern is Starry Nights. We had this throw in the shop as a blanket on a bed in the front of the shop. Snowy white. A gentleman was considering purchasing it and left to ponder.
The next day a customer came in with a "to go" box from the restaurant next door. Evidently she had had capellini with tomato sauce for lunch because as she was looking at something else in the shop the sauce poured out in a stream on the snowy white blanket in a diagonal across the corner. Uh Oh. I saw it after the fact and snatched up the blanket and socked it with Orange Clean and water. I threw it to Robespierre, who prompty hustled home and washed it in cold water in La Blanc Towel wash and stuck it in the dryer. It turned out perfect. And of course the gentleman came back the following day and decided he wanted the blanket. So I confessed and told him I could order him one and spilled the beans about the episode. He was amazed. He asked me "that happened to THIS blanket?" I replied "YUP".

Then he said, " No I want THIS one."



A favorite of the shop the Ribbed in Natural.


No wonder they named this pattern "Starry Nights"......
Sweet Dreams.....
ZZZZZZZZZ..

Road Kill Design OR I Brake for Furniture!

At the risk of the title of this post ruining my design credibility..........I have decided to admit to the world that I suffer a syndrome I call "Road Kill Design" or, slamming on your brakes after you spy a piece of furniture or junk by the side of the road that has great lines or is just "cool". This happens to me on occasion. When I drive home and mention to Robespierre I have "FOUND"something, so cool, so appropriate, the perfect size, or so different, he gets a glazed look on his face translating into "OH NO". If the object is too big or too heavy to fit in the truck, it seems there is more cause for concern. If the thing is 4 hours away, that is not good either. The French, of course, coined the term for these things"Found Objets" which is the same thing, kinda. "Found Objets" lacks spontaneity. It is, however, how and where one "finds" the objects that differentiates the two terms. The way I see it "Objects" are found in Europe in a castle and have some historic reference. Road Kill is just great stuff found is unlikely places with possibilities. And you know what????? Every designer worth their salt has done this!!!!!!! Why? Because it makes a great story........

Nope, I don't normally shop here....... But you see the banks of lockers at the bottom of the sign???? This place doubles as...




Ricks office furniture. Of Course. This is where I found this...



Yup. Gym lockers. Aqua gym lockers...Great for my Retro California Kitchen!!!!! We had been looking at cabinets but they weren't Retro enough......

Here they are..... Not bad eh! Robespierre has put things in them, and, for instance, if you want some birdie treats it is located in #525. Mojito knows 525 is the GOOD locker. There are also hooks inside for you to hang strainers......Other cooking stuff.

Nope, I normally don't shop here either, but I spied an old Drexel Dresser that would make a great sideboard. Some Behr Ultra Premium Plus did the trick...

So here it is.......Great lines......

This is an old 1800's building. I was driving by and saw a thing chained to the post in front of it.

After knocking on the door the person gave me the number of the person who owned the thing.

I called the number and she agreed to sell it and after sandblasting it and powder coating it it is now the outside home of ...

You know who.

I would love to hear some of your own Road Kill Design stories.......And see pictures too!!!!

And remember, always wear your seatbelt.

Fall At Beadboard, Spanish Dubloons?

Fall at Beadboard isn't very conventional. I love bringing in the colors of autumn but with an UpCountry tweak... This is a small cylindrical "Spore vase" by Maureen Welton showing mandarin orange diamond drops in the water with the fresh roses. The diamond drops give the water a 3D effect. Some float, some sink, and some just hang suspended in the water.

Maureen's company also makes the glass pumpkins...Also the French bottle carriers are great. You know the real ones had candle holders like the one pictured here. How else do you think they could pick out six bottles of wine in a DARK cellar????

My fall bed up front. I was inspired by one of the rooms at the Villa Gallici. The mix of the ecru mattelasse and white linen pillows with the toile and the feedsack pillows look Euro-Cozy. Bed by Peacock Alley, Papillon Linens and Petit Coterie. All washable...of course.

One of our signature chairs with an industrial table. The tabletop is an old elevator grate.

More fall.......





Faux Sunflower bundles, I cut up a Nicaraguan coffee bean bag and wrapped with 4" double faced Swiss satin ribbon......






We had an invasion of Parisian Pigeons.....They seem to like the Sondra Roberts evening bags...

They also like the Pewter Taverna spoon by Arte as well......(probably because there is a bird on the handle!)

We carry these mirrors all the time in different sizes . They are vintage ceiling tiles. Just beautiful. We try to carry the creamy white colors. Look at the table with the lavender toiletries reflected in the mirror.

We have great customers.....One of them saw this pendant on the right by Obsidian. It is a faux Dubloon with a piece of Jasper set in silver. She told us this Dubloon really looked like the real thing. She knew what she was talking about because she brought her real one in to show us and it was gorgeous!!! She had to get it out of the vault! Everyone was looking and admiring....She bought the one on the right for her daughter.....

A new way to "decorate" for xmas!

Someone please tell me why didn't I think of this!!!!!!?