Holiday Preview

12 Days of Christmas Cones

We're having a Holiday Preview Party over at the French Cupboard blog this weekend! Starting Friday morning we will be sharing some of the holiday items that we've been working on.

Tophat Tree Topper

Come on over and join us!

Savy City Farmer

This weekend Mr. Blessing and I finally, finally had the chance to meet Joy from Savvy City Farmer and her darling husband. Joy and I have tried to connect so many times over the years but it's almost comical how circumstances interfere. This weekend, she had a Shop The Shed sale and my only priority was to get to her sale. I didn't arrive until the afternoon but I heard there were hundreds of people shopping in the morning rain. Now that's the sign of a good sale! I took a few pictures before my camera battery died (hey, my priority was getting to the sale - not charging the battery *smiles*)...










The "Lake Shore Drive" sign is one of the amazing pieces that I brought home. It's special to me because when Mr. Blessing and I were newlyweds, our very first love nest sat right between C Street and B Street. Joy couldn't have known how much I would love this piece. For the many years that she held onto the post, looking for the right thing to adorn it with, she couldn't have known that her chippy sign was going to be dear to my heart.

How like God to make our much anticipated meeting all the more beautiful!

Harvesting the Fields

Happy Harvest time!

I drove through one of our local burger joints yesterday and they had such pretty hydrangea blooms drying on the branches that I asked if I could clip a couple. Yep, I just opened my car door, right there in the drive-through! Every chance I get, I'm soaking in the colors. Around here, Autumn can disappear overnight and then you awake to gray, cold skies so I'm bringing in a bit of the harvest colors just in case.

Does it seem that the weather has been unusual this Fall? It's been unseasonably warm here in Illinois and while we were in Texas a couple weeks ago, the weather was simply gorgeous. Normally it's almost unbearably hot during the Antique Shows but we had lovely breezes during the day and warm evenings. It was delightful hosting a casual plein air dinner with the gals from Gypsy Fish and Gypsy Brocante. I love the "field apples" they put inside the dressform for the centerpiece. This year, Autumn in Texas wasn't that much different from Autumn in the midwest.

So I guess the moral of story is: No matter the weather pattern and no matter if the field is beyond the prairie or beside the drive-through let's harvest morsels of Autumn beauty!

NaDa Farm Fall Event

It was quite possibly the most lovely event that I've had the honor of participating in! Anne Marie was the hostess that every vendor hopes for and every shopper adores.

Bridgette's cottage came to life! There was so much to see - I can't possibly share it all but here are a few photos...

There were crowds lined up at the gate both days. It was thrilling for me as a vendor to see so many people excited to get in the barn. I think I was more excited than they were!

Anne hand wrote excerpts from the Bridgette story on the entryway curtains.

(You should've seen the state of the paper wreath the night before the sale. There were tattered book pages covering my living room!)

Jen from Sanctuary Arts is my barn sale hero. Each corner was a testament to the creativity that just bubbles over into everything she does. I was fortunate enough to get one of her dresses (I'll save those pictures for another post).

Of course I had to bring one of Parisenne Farmgirl's dried bouquets home with me.

Jordan the horse peeked in to say hello.

And one shopper returned over and over - She just couldn't get enough.


Mr. Blessing had to keep reminding me that we were not there to shop.

But I couldn't resist the rusty lamp frame. It's destined for a special corner in my house!

This was one outfit that required no sewing.

The petticoat chandelier was hard to part with. I so wanted to keep it at home but there was a perfect spot for it in Bridgette's boudior.


Mr. Blessing's arbor was darling with the chandelier hanging inside. He put that beauty together just 2 days before the sale. He's already talking about what his next project will be.




Every moment was lovely. I was so proud to be part of it all.


It was the kind of event that we almost hoped wouldn't end. As the sun was going down and the displays were bare, some of the gals sat at the table, exhaused and exhilirated - planning for the next event.

We weren't even a few hours out of the Fall sale before the ideas were flowing for Spring! Trust me - You won't want to miss it!

Na-Da Barn Sale Begins Tonight

And we're off.... to the Na-Da Barn!
We've been creating and preparing for months...


If you're in the Chicagoland area, hot-foot it out tonight or tomorrow and visit us!
Click Here for more info.

Magnolia Pearl

Those of you who know me well (or even just in passing - because I AM that obsessed), might suspect that I bee-lined straight to the Magnolia Pearl booth, pushing and shoving in a wild panic as soon as the plane landed. Well, I'll have you know that no one was harmed in my frenzied, swift-paced walk from the gate to Tent A!

(Rachel Ashwell & Robin Brown)
Many of you have heard how, in the past, I've been struck stupid while in the presence of creative genius. But this year I did not make an idiot of myself... at least not openly. Of course, on the inside I was speaking all kinds of fibber-di-gibberish (I googled it, and that is officially not a real word but you know the manner of crazy talk I'm referring to).
In fact, upon looking at my photos when I got home, I wonder if some of my struck-stupidness did indeed leak out when I thought I was just thinking it.

But how could I not be dumbfounded by Robin & John's work?! Not just their Beautiful Wear but every show they have a new magnificent display. This season they made the most amazing dressforms that I've ever laid eyes on!! John told me that he and Robin just started making them about 2 weeks before the show. Dumbfounded, I tell ya!!


Robin said that this was her "Alice In Wonderland" mannequin. I want to live in their world - Where dressforms with metal flared sleeves and rusty bows come to life just two weeks before a show as big as Marburger!

I don't even have words for the gorgeousness of it all - even the giant paper magnolias were beyond words. Though I risk appearing a wee bit short of full-on crazy, I really do just stand in awe of everything Magnolia Pearl!

And, yes, I bought the dress.

Texas Garden Antiques Blog Party

We had such a wonderful time at the Texas Antique Shows! We hopped off the plane, dropped our stuff at the B&B and hit the tents! Theresa's blog party was amazing - as always. She had a little contest over the most creative serving dish.
I'm not sure which one won but this baby was a hit!


Take a glance at the table... Yep, that's an over-the-shoulder-watermelon-holder!

We met up with old friends, found some fellow French Cupboard members and made lots of new friends. We had a great time and I took tons of pictures. I'll start loading some of them up tomorrow.