French Mirrors? CAST IRON? Oh YES!

We are all familiar with the French Trumeau, the Louis Phillippe, the Restoration etc.

I LOVE these Art Deco pieces.......They have soft details we don't associate with Art Deco.

Like flowers and bows.  This one is from the Rhone Valley  made in the 30's.

Here is another example...A silver one I love the shape, and the tassels. 

Negrel Antiques Austin www.negrelantiques.com 14 x 31 it lists for 1250.00

 

This oval is great with the floral detail......17 x 29 and sells for 1395.00. Also at Negrel.

Don't let this fool you this is a large mirror selling for 9000.00 at

 Newel

 Antiques in New York www.newelantiques.com

This is also a beautiful example and big.........Reminds me of Estate Jewelry....in the 7000.00 range also at Newell.

So what do you think, do you like them too???????? I liked them so much I bought one....A small one.

The first one..... It is still in Austin.... But I already have a place picked out......;)

Tsunami of Tornadoes....

Our hearts and prayers go out to the people of  the plains states,and the southern states, especially  Alabama(Tuscaloosa), Mississippi, and most recently, Missouri especially St. Louis and now the  devastation in Joplin.  Our country has endured a tsunami of deadly tornadoes SO FAR this season.

I remember as a child after having moved to Texas from Philadelphia,  my family was living in a small town called Hillsboro, about 60 miles south of Dallas.  I was about 12 and we were having dinner about 6PM. The same time the tornado hit Joplin last night.  Betty and Bill (my Mom and dad) were looking out the kitchen window over the sink.  In my young mind I thought they were looking at SOMETHING. So, I got up from the table and looked out the patio door to a TORNADO SKY.  Black on top and gray on the bottom.  My eyes widened and I stared in amazement as there were no less than SEVEN funnel clouds spinning from the blackness into the gray sky below.  We were lucky, they dissipated....... I can't imagine what would have happened if one had turned into a category 4 storm like the one that hit Joplin last night.  I keep thinking, how many were just sitting around having dinner like we were?

Please donate to your local Red Cross, again.
Incredible image from Picasa by thepqnation.com

Attention!! All my blogging friends!!

No Images.... Why???????
Because I have an incredible blog friend who has influenced me by being an American expat living in Paris...... Not a lot of Visual, not an interior design blog. But one of the funniest, whittiest, hysterical blogs with the best insight on French life I have ever had the pleasure to read. The blog is LA MOM IN PARIS...the websiteis www.lamomparis.blogspot.com Normalment, I would link you but recently blogger is driving me nuts........So just pay her a visit......She calls her two sons the French fries and her French husband the Big Fry....She deals with two hour lunches in France and has to go back to work..... In laws who say "no, cafe, does not come before dessert" . She has the inside scoop on expats really living there and puts a refreshing spin on all of it.....Hey, she and the other expat wives have champagne at Laduree when the Big Corporate Fries are out of Town...... Also, she has been written up in a Paris magazine by Isabelle Juppe as one of the most insightful blogs in Paris.....
So, now she has been nominated as one of the circle of expat  blog moms out of 25.entries....  I am asking you to go to her blog connect and vote..... Hey, no GIVEAWAYS here, just enthusiasm and the gift is discovering a very funny and enlightening blog that will lift your heart and spirits. If you want to know what real life is like in Paris go visit...Deadline is the 5th of June
The reward and gift is this : You will not be disappointed........... You are welcome!!!!!!

HAVE I EVER STEERED YOU WRONG??????!!!!!!! XXOO

Dining Al Fresco with a Secret!

Voila!!!! La "PEEK NEEK"! A lovely Panier filled with the required baguette,

grapes, cheese, wine, pretty linens and

Gorgeous Provencal Plates and Bistro style glasses.

More of the lovely Dinnerware and Glassware.......I know all of you that read my blog are saying

"Ok where is she going with this?????"

You can present outside in a basket........

Lime Greens, Ice blues, and the colored glassware.

Platters with little bowls for condiments.....Paired with OMG am "I" saying this????????

Paper napkins??????!!!!! ( I love the Limonade ones) But there is more.....

More dinnerware...... Provencial Plates in White with the beading.....

Hang in there I am about to "spill"...

Look how great these look.... Ok I'll give you the secret....

PLASTIQUE!!!!!!!!! All of it!!!!!

Yep, for all of us that have fine dinnerware and glassware and have an outdoor entertaining area for guests...

Do you really want everyone to drink out of glass?????? Maybe, depending on the crowd...

Look again, I originally balked, until these Melmaine plates were designed so beautifully, they go in the dishwasher as do the glasses........So  now all of our customers with pools and B&B's are loving these and

SO ARE THEIR GUESTS!!!!!! WHY?????

RELIEF.....FOR EVERYONE......

 Style for the Hosts, no worries for their caterers, the guests don't need to fret about them or their kids breaking anything...... This dinnerware has beautifully evolved.......

AND the price doesn't break the bank either.....

HMMM.... I wonder if the glasses float?????  And of course you can get them at Beadboard ;)

Bed or Souffle???????

Peach Souffle.  Looks delicious, airy, mouthwatering..... Yummm.

So, we thought, did this...

This is the latest and greatest bedspread from Arte Pura.  It is called the Sorgente, and we JUST got it and put it on the bed.......The color is Armonia Old.  Linen encased with organza with Arabesque embroidery and a double volante in linen.

See the way the organza puffs up and makes it look so airy?????? We decided it looks like a big

PEACH SOUFFLE.

So now we call it the Peach Souffle bed......

The Souffle pillow in white.......Also with the organza and the double linen volante.

Similar, Right? Souffle image from http://www.coco-cooks.com/ I went to her blog,

and if she made this.....Wow!!!!!!

ALSO.... Don't miss Monika's 2 Cents series on http://splendidwillow.com/2011/05/05/2-cents-on-antiques-via-fab-blog-friends/ 

you may see a familiar face, mine.  Also putting in their two cents is Mona, (Providence Ltd) Greet (Belgian Pearls), Brooke (Velvet and Linen), and Gina (Willow Decor) enjoy!