Senin, 17 Mei 2010

Tracey~The girl behind French Larkspur & a Thank You


I want to share someone with you that is incredibly talented.
She can make any room feel heavenly.
Not only is she talented, but she is such a genuine person.
She also has a great home interiors shop, called French Larkspur.

Tracey was kind enough to let me do a little interview with her, and she also has allowed for me to share some incredible pictures of her home!
Thank you Tracey!



What inspired you to start a blog?

I always loved going on the Scandinavian blogs and looking at all of their beautiful decorating, but I was basically too "chicken" to start my own. When I made the decision to start my own online shop, I decided it was finally time to get over my fears and start my own blog. I needed a way to get my name out there for the sake of my shop. As I started blogging, I quickly discovered that I was going to LOVE having my own blog regardless of whether or not my shop did well or remained open. I had finally found the creative outlet that I so very much needed and wanted!

What was the inspiration behind the name you chose for your blog?

I love to garden...I also love all things French. When I was trying to come up with a name for my shop and blog, I happened to glance at a packet of seeds that I had recently planted called Imperial Larkspur French Alouette, and I thought to myself, "Hey, what about French Larkspur?" The name stuck!


Where are you from?

I am from Illinois. I grew up in the same town my whole life until I went away to college. My parents still live in that same childhood house of mine. Going there still brings me great comfort.

How would you describe your decorating style?

My deorating style was quite modern when I first married my husband, so the evolution that my style has taken has been a bit of a rough road for him :) I began liking the "shabby chic" style of painted, chippy white furniture, lots of florals and strong doses of pink about 7 or 8 years ago. I loved that the style was so kid friendly, but fresh and homey at the same time. Eventually I started incorporating some French style pieces into my look and continue to adore all things French! The Scandinavian style of using a clean white pallette has been the biggest influence on me in the last year or two. I have stream lined my look and pared down to what vintage pieces I love the most. Of course I still go crazy for white, but I have found a passion for grey as well, and have heavily toned down the pink and florals in my home.

What is your favorite room in your home, and why?

My dining room is my favorite room. I recently switched my living room and dining room so that now the dining room is the bigger of the two rooms. I love to entertain and take special care to set a beautiful table {when I can find the time}, so it only made sense for the dining room to be in the bigger of the two rooms. I also love this room the most because it gets so much afternoon sun and I adore a sun-filled room. I don't allow my little ones in there, so it gives me a chance to do more of what I really want in terms of decorating, without worrying so much if it's baby proof or not!


What is your favorite find?

My favorite find is the very large mirror that is in my foyer... it is something that you see immediately upon entering my home. It was probably salvaged from an old Victorian home when the home was being torn down and it takes up almost the entire wall in the foyer. My husband hated it when he first saw it {in part because it weighs about 150 lbs. and he needed to figure out how we were going to get it home}, but as people have complimented it over the years he has grown to appreciate it a little more!

What is your favorite Design book?

Right now, I get the most inspiration from the Danish magazine Jeanne d' Arc Living and the Norwegian magazine Vakre Hjem. I still get a little giddy with excitement when a new issue arrives at my door :)

What inspired you to start your home interiors shop, French Larkspur?
When I was first exposed to the Jeanne d' Arc Living books and magazines I just couldn't get enough. I fell deeply in love with the gorgeous look they were showing that so seemlessly weaved a religious influence into their decorating. I started thinking, outloud, to myself that I should import their products and start my own shop {basically inorder to get my hands on the goods for myself} My husband heard what I was saying and instead of telling me I was a little crazy for thinking the idea, he blurted out one day, "Why don't you just go for it?" And so I did...

Do you have any advice to give to others who are thinking about opening up a home interiors shop?

My best advice for anyone who is thinking of opening up their own home interiors shop is, buy what you love! If you are passionate about the items you carry it makes it so much more fun to do your "job."

Your photographs are always beautiful, have you taken photography classes?

Well thank you! No, I have never taken any photography classes, although I would like to. When I first bought my SLR camera last July, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I LOVED photography!!! It is an extension of the decorating that I so enjoy and a wonderful creative outlet for me. I am totally hooked on learning everything about photography!

What kind of camera do you shoot with?

I have a Canon Rebel XS.

Do you have a project that you are working on now?

I am currently trying to find a new {old} buffet for my dining room, as well as "spruce" up my son's room and my own bedroom. We are installing hardwood flooring in my son's room to help cut down on his allergies and I have convinced my hubby that a painted white floor would look great!




I also want to thank Tracey for the incredibly sweet gifts I recently received from her.
This is how my gifts arrived.
Everything was wrapped so beautifully I didn't even want to open the packages.

Tracey puts a lot of thought into how she wraps her gifts.
I can't tell you how special I felt when I received this package.

I love all of her thoughtful details.

I love this metal letter M.
How sweet is that.

Look at this adorable bird confetti.
The birds are all made from paper that has french print on it.

There were a number of them sweetly placed around the packages.

Here is what I received...
I felt really SPECIAL!

I can't tell you how inspiring this magazine is.
I love it.
I learned about Jeanne d' Arc Living, because of following Tracey's blog.
She sells Jeanne d' Arc Living items and their magazine in her shop...

Love this Jeanne' d' Arc Living herb bag!


Then there was this pillow slip....
It is really lovely and can be found in Tracey's shop.


The material is really soft & I love the color.
I love how it looks with my other pillows.

I love these little french flashcards that have a key attached to them with a ribbon.

Thank you Tracey, I LOVE everything!
Tracey you never fail to amaze me with your talents.

You are such a wonderful friend and such an inspiration to so many of us.


She also has a great online shop, where you can find many wonderful Jeanne d' Arc Living products, called French Larkspur.

Thank you Tracey for your friendship!

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Jumat, 14 Mei 2010

A Kimberly Taylor Print


Hello Everyone!
I hope you are all having a great weekend!
I wanted to share a talented photographer with all of you.
Her name is Kimberly Taylor.


Remember when I showed you pictures of my ladder. Well Kimberly was the reason I was on the hunt for a ladder in the first place.
I saw this post...
Be sure and check out Kimberly's kitchen while you are over there.
Warning don't get lost while you are over there....


Ever since I saw that post. I had been on the lookout for a ladder.
So I found myself 2 orchard ladders. The one pictured here is an orchard ladder from France.

and then I discovered her prints...


Remember in this post, I told you that there was something new on my mantle that I really loved....
This cupcake print made all the difference.


You see, I won a giveaway on
What did I win?
I loved reading Gaia's interview and learning more about Kimberly.


So this is where I chose to put my cupcake print.
It adds a lot of color to this little space.
I love it.


I felt really special & lucky, when this cupcake print arrived in the mail.
Thank you Kimberly and Gaia.
I am now obsessed with Kimberly Taylor's Prints.

This sweet cupcake print can be found in Kimberly's etsy shop.



I just ordered a few of Kimberly's Paris prints.
I LOVE all of them, it was difficult for me to make a decision!

I can't wait for my prints to arrive in the mail.
I will be sure and show you what I did with them.

All of the photos below were taken by Kimberly, while she was in France.

As you can see she is very talented.
I can't tell you how much I love her blog & her prints....


You can visit the amazing Kimberly over at




You can also purchase these beautiful prints here~





Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Rabu, 12 Mei 2010

Vintage White Market ~ Held in Somers, Montana

Well hello, all you Dreamy Whites readers! I'm so excited to be posting about
(Our website is flash based, so be patient if it's slow to load!)


Maria was so kind to feature our market on her blog, and I feel so honored! My name is Jana, and I blog for Twig. I hope you'll come visit me! I'll be posting updates about the market there, as well as some fun giveaways in between!

The Vintage Whites Market is set in Somers, Montana on the shore of Flathead Lake. We are about 10 minutes from Kalispell and 45 minutes from Glacier National Park. Come to the market and make a weekend trip out of it! There's so much to see and do here!


These pillows are so cute that Jana made, they will be available at her sale!


I, along with my friends Vanessa Pleasants and Sandy Hohf started the Vintage Whites Market to share our love for unique, vintage, and handmade finds with the
awesome state of Montana. We have a growing number of vendors who make everything from handmade vintage first aid kits, to goats milk soap and repurposed candleabras, to the most delectible baked goods you can imagine!


Our markets happen once a month throughout the summer from May until October, and the hours are from 9 until 6 in the evening, but you're welcome to stick around and say hi! We would absolutely love to meet you, and I look forward to blogging about the experience! ;) You can check out our website, The Vintage Whites Market for more details!


Don't forget to come check out my blog,


and say hi!

Thanks Jana!
I was so excited when I discovered Jana's blog.
She is from Somers, Montana, only an hour away from where I was born and raised.
I immediately became a fan of her blog, Twig!
Her blog brings back a lot of fun memories of living in Montana.
Jana is also sweet as can be!

Just in case anyone is interested in moving to Somers, Montana,
Jana also has a house for sale.
She lives very close to where my sister had her wedding.
I posted about my sister's wedding here!
It is a beautiful area.

I hope you get a chance to go and visit Jana over at Twig, and if you are in the area stop in and say hi to her at the Vintage White Market Sale!
I am hoping my mom gets a chance to go to Jana's sale this weekend!
The picture below is a sampling of some baked goods that will available at their

Did I mention before how lucky I feel to have discovered blogging??


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Senin, 10 Mei 2010

I have a very special guest poster here today!


photo by me

Hello everyone!
I just wanted to say thank you for all of you Happy Mother's Day wishes.
I hope you all had a great weekend.
Well today I have a really special guest poster for you.
Melanie is a very talented girl. I was blown away when I first found her blog. Not only am I inspired by her talent, but I am inspired by Melanie as a person.

I have to tell you a few stories that my friend, Melanie, has shared with me.
I think she has a great eye, when I told her that,
she humbly told me a story about how she was hired
by an Ethan Allen Furniture store, as a designer, because they thought she had a great eye. How did they discover she had a great eye? Well she was purchasing furniture for her home, and they liked what she was picking out. So they asked her to be part of their design team. I wish I could have that happen to me.
Then she told me about when she had spotted a desk in an antique store. It was $600.00, she really wanted to purchase it, but her husband wasn't excited about the price. She said that antique store was right next to her shop. She would always go in and admire it. One day she saw two men who had just visited her shop, come out with it. She went running out to let them know that was her desk. They told her that this desk was worth a lot of money. They even got the owner of the shop to come down. She said later she saw those same two men, with the desk, on the antique road show. The desk was appraised for over $100,000. She said that her husband now trusts her judgement. I want her to go shopping with me!
I wanted to share these stories because I think you will all agree that she has a great eye after you see her guest post!

photo by me

These two pictures are pictures I took of Melanie's painting she sent me.
She is such an artist and paints beautiful paintings.

She recently opened an etsy shop, called Melanie M Originals, where she sells her beautiful art.
Thank you Melanie for sending a piece of your beautiful work!





It all started with this door. This is how I met Maria. She loved my door. A few months ago she so generously posted about my blog and commented about how much she loved my ten dollar door that rests above my bed. Our friendship bloomed immediately.


I should introduce myself. My name is Melanie and my dear friend, Maria asked me to do a guest post here on her lovely blog. Thank you for having me, Maria! You are an inspiration to us all!

This is my first ever guest post so I apologize in advance if I have broken any rules.

I blog for many reasons. I began blogging a few years ago as a creative outlet while raising our two little girly girls. A way to connect with similar souls in this gigantic-sometimes crazy -world. When my dad became ill two years ago it became more of a way for my family to stay updated on his condition. After he passed away last year, I began blogging as a way of healing my heart. I have eventually made my way back to blogging as a way of releasing some creative energy!


Anyway... I live in Michigan. "The Great Lakes State." Most of my design inspiration comes from my everyday life. I live in the country... the middle of farm fields to be exact. So naturally, I am inspired by nature. I love the idea of a single birch branch being recycled into a drapery rod. Or trimming my fruit tree branches and popping them in an urn. They are just as interesting after the blossoms are gone. Seashells. Sand. Grasses. Stones. You will find all of these things throughout my home. The beauty of it is that they are free. All I have to do is step out my front door or take a walk on a beach and I have found a new treasure.







Most days I am running around, chasing after my daughters, breaking up arguments over lipstick and purses. { did I mention that they are 4 and 5?} Once in a while I get the opportunity to indulge in a favorite hobby of mine. Painting. Most days my daughters are painting right along side of me.



As with the rest of my home... my paintings are mostly inspired by nature. Cherry blossoms, Apple Orchards, Beaches and Farms are among my favorite scenes to paint.. I am terrible at painting people. This is one of the reasons I stick to nature. A tree never yells at you if you do not get the color of its eyes right.

Although I am a lover of all things white, I have a bit of color in my home. Mostly blues and greens, otherwise known as Nature's Neutrals. My feeling is if you get the shade right, both colors go with just about anything. The combination of the two together brings me a sense of peace. Even when all is not quiet.


Our master bedroom is the place I go to relax and rejuvenate. The hallway leading to our bedroom is filled with family photos and keepsakes along with vintage letters that represent each of our family's first initial. I never tire of taking this walk. It reminds me that first and foremost, love is my home's foundation.




My bedroom is all about comfort. I chose to paint my walls a soft blue to remind me of a summer sky, a day at the lake, or as my niece once said... " A white-washed Tiffany box."

I have sheets over my sofa cushions {inspired by Maria, of coarse}, an uncovered slip covered chair, buttons sewn on simple white pillows , photos of our favorite places and easy, breezy draperies. Nothing is fussy. Our family does not do well with fussy. Especially in our bedroom. Somehow, this has become the place where our family hangs out most. I wouldn't have it any other way.







I cannot say the same for my bathroom. I am a little selfish when it comes to my tub. I lovingly share everything else in my home. Not my tub. I only wish I had more time to use it.
{ Sigh.}Someday.



Most importantly, My home is filled with people I love and memories I cherish. Many of the things that fill my home are here for a reason. There is a story behind most of them. My grandmother's glassware in our kitchen. Barnwood frames in our dining room holding pages from her composition books where she composed some of the most inspirational songs ever written. A piece of birch bark from my Dad's favorite spot in the woods. My husband's grandmother's quilt. The 150 year old roses that grace our front walkway given to us from his Great grandmother's garden. All of the things that make our house HOME. The beauty of it is that all of these things were free. Now they are priceless.




There you have it. A little about me and the place I call home. Thank you all so much for allowing me to share a bit of my life with you. I hope you enjoyed your visit. I certainly did!

Be Blessed!



Thank you Melanie!
Isn't her home amazing?
I love it!
You can visit her over at
I also wanted to tell you the M pillow you see in her guest post was made by Melanie.
Melanie also hand paints the monograms on her pillows.
She has a separate etsy shop for her pillows.

I have a few updates for all of you as well.
I am so excited because guess what?
The ceiling is finished.
My husband completed it for me for Mother's Day.
He is a real sweetheart.
We are now caulking, priming, and painting.
So next week I will have my bedroom in order,
and will be able to show all of you the finished product.
I can't wait.
Hope you all are having a great Monday!
Take Care,
Maria
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Langganan: Postingan (Atom)