Kreativ Blogger Award

Oh my, I have been given the Kreativ Blogger Award by two of my blogging friends...Natasha@5 Minutes Just For Me and Jane@Mamie Jane's...thank you ladies...I'm soooo excited! I have been enjoying blogging with these two awesome ladies...both are very creative so please be sure to go over and check out their blogs. I appreciate this honor and now I will pass it on to seven more creative friends.

The rules of the Kreativ Award ask that I name 7 things about me that you may not know...so here they are:

I have been married for 24 wonderful years to my best friend.

I love decorating magazines...keep them for several years...fav is Coastal Living!

I'm the BABY in my family...I have one brother and three sisters.

I look just like my father.

I teach a 3 year old Sunday School class at my church.

I love to travel with my family.

I LOVE Auburn Football...WAR EAGLE!!!!!

The 7 people that I would like to pass this award on to are:

1. Rebecca@Vintage Living
2. Mary Lou@Marmielu's Nest
3. Heidi@Craft Monkey
4. Debbie@Love the Decor
5. Donna@Sugar, Spice and Southern Life
6. Jane@Blondie's Journal
7. Deb@Dragonfly Treasure

And here are the "official' rules of the Kreativ Blogger award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Blogs.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each.

Thanks again Natasha and Jane,
Blessings,
Linda

White Wednesday

I'm joining in on WHITE WEDNESDAY over at FADED CHARM with Kathleen for the first time...please be sure to go by to see all the wonderful WHITE treasures!

I love using white in my home...at one time a few years back...my entire family room was decked out in WHITE...now I mainly just fluff with it. Here in the first pic is my dressing area...I have a wall with a collection of beautiful WHITE vintage pieces...some of them belonged to my MIL...those pieces are truly treasured by me! Hope you enjoy some of my WHITE treasures!
                                                    Blessings,
                                                      Linda

White Vintage Collection


My MIL's lovely pearl evening bag...I enjoy using it for special occasions!


Vintage white lace gloves and beautiful white roses...love the romantic feel of this!


Old Tin Ceiling Tiles...I made this mirror...and many others like it when I had my Antique business...I'm still loving the look!

Awesome Garage Sale Finds

My sister (she's also my best friend) spent the weekend with me, and what a great time we had together. Early Saturday morning we headed out to some garage sales hoping to find some great bargains...well I guess you could say...we did really well on our hunt! We only went to six sales and came home with a car load of goodies. My sister and I are updating her home, so finding decor items at garage sales is soooo awesome! We found her four roman shades that were in excellent condition for only $10.00...score!!! Here is some of the bargains I found on our hunt.
                                                  
Please come over to JUNKIN MONDAY at Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration to see all the goodies that were found this past weekend...you will find me there!
                                             Blessings,
                                               Linda

Handmade Stool...$1.00...She Is So Cute!


40 Year Old Soup Tureen...$6.00


Set Of 6 Sherbet Glasses...$1.00


Very Heavy Glass Bowl...Multi Purpose Item...$1.00


Vintage Linen Napkins...10 cents each!

Great Little Frame...50 cents


Small Pewter Lamp...Think I will put a "S" on the shade...$2.00


Mardi Gras Guest Towel...$2.00


Love This Little Cone....75 cents


A Pair of 100% Silk Drapes...Not Sure What Room These Will Go In...$10.00 WOW!!!


Large Square Glass Plate...Great for a monogram...$1.00


Charming Urn...$3.00

Pumpkin Muffins

Rhoda@Southern Hospitality is having a RECIPE PARTY today...come on over to her party and join in...or just look around and grab you some great new recipes!

My recipe for the party is...PUMPKIN MUFFINS...these little goodies are soooo scrumptious!!! The recipe really belongs to my daughter...she made them last Saturday for our tailgate party...they were by far the biggest hit at the party...so I thought I would share them with you!
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup veg. oil
2 eggs
3/4 can of pumpkin (15oz. can)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400
Mix sugar, oil and eggs...then add pumpkin and water.
In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
Add both mixtures together and stir in the chocolate chips.
Using muffin liners...fill them 2/3 full with the batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes

Soooo sorry that I don't have a pic of these yummy muffins!

Vintage Enamelware

Flea Market Style is hosting their inaugural "I'm a Flea Marketeer" party...so I thought I would join in on the fun! Please be sure to go over and check out all the cool stuff!

I love flea markets, antique shops, estate sales and thrift stores...'bargain" is my middle name. In 1999 I started my antique business...named it "Cottage Charm"...I was located in several upscale antique malls and shops along the coast...in 2005 I decided to close the business so I could spend more time working with our beach rentals (keeping up with three beach condos is a very busy job). While I had the business, I did a lot of shopping for it at large flea markets in the southeast. This is where I found some awesome "vintage enamelware buckets"...sold lots of these in my shops...but I had to keep a couple of them for myself. Here is one of them that I have in my kitchen, that I use to hold my kitchen towels (I think it's been in this same spot for five years...only move it at Christmas time so I can display my "vintage kitchen Christmas tree). Here are some other great ideas for using these little cuties...holding your kindling wood at your fireplace...magazines...flowers or plants...toilet paper or use one at Christmas this year for holding a Christmas tree!
                                                            Blessings,
                                                               Linda








Another favorite find...my aqua blue canning jars!!!

Lunch with the Neely's

My personal chef...aka hubby...loooves to watch the Food Network channel and when I told him that I was going to Memphis in October he said I had to eat with the Neely's...so I did. The Neely's have a show on the Food Network channel...check them out...you won't be disappointed. I love me some BBQ and always like to check out new restaurants...well I have found the BEST BBQ... at the Neely's in Memphis.The pork ribs were the best that I have ever had...they just fell right off the bone...soooo tender. I guess you could say that I'm a potato salad snob...and theirs was scrumptious...enjoyed every bite...it was PERFECT!!! I bought my sweet hubby some BBQ sauce and rub...can't wait till he fires up his green egg and tries them out on some ribs and chicken. Thanks soooo much sweetheart for telling me about the Neely's!

Blessings,
Linda

Meet the Neely's...Pat and Gina



World famous ribs...and in my book...world famous potato salad!



The servings were huge...it was my only meal for the day!



My sister had the small pork sandwich...yummy!



The peach cobbler was to die for!

My week at the beach!

Well I promised you pics from my week at the condo...so here we go! I spent a lot of time out on the beach reading decorating books and magazines and catching some rays. Late in the afternoons I would take a walk along the beach (street side) and the beach houses were a delight to view with all the different personalities that they hold. After dinner I would sit on my swing with my laptop and listen to the sounds of the gulf surf...what a perfect place to "BLOG" away!

Blessings,
Linda




Sitting on my swing and soaking up this wonderful view...oh how I luv it!



I could sit here for hours...and I did!



How cute!



Picture Perfect!!







My view on my late afternoon walks...ENJOY!!!



"Bahama Mamma"



"Sand Castle"



WOW...now this is one hot pink lady!



What more could you ask for to end a perfect day at the beach!

Seashell Mirror

I'm back from the beach now...boy I sure did have a wonderful week at the condo with my hubby...peaceful week...lots of beautiful weather (perfect temps) love this time of year...some work...and some projects around the condo. We bought this condo six years ago, it came completely furnished and over the years I have replaced most of the furniture and accessories...but I still had this UGLY white plastic mirror...I had plans to add seashells to it or replace it...six years later I finally did it...I added some seashells from my collection and here it is! I was very pleased with how it turned out...sure wish that I had done this sooner...oh well. I have some beautiful pics to share with you from my week here...so stay tuned!

Blessings,
Linda

My collection from our beautiful beaches here in Alabama.


I wasn't kidding..."UGLY" white plastic!

Wow...she sure looks a lot better!

I will be joining the following parties...please be sure to check out all the AWESOME DIY projects...you might just get an amazing idea!

It's Fall Y'all!

Update 10/1...Rhoda@Southern Hospitality is hosting a FALL party so I decided to join in on the fun...here is PART TWO of my FALL DECOR...please be sure to check out PART ONE for more of my home...PART THREE will be up as soon as I return home from the BEACH...so stay tuned to see more FALL DECOR with me...thanks soooo much for coming by for a visit! Be sure to view all the great FALL links over at Rhoda's FALL PARTY.

Blessings,
Linda






Well part two is finally here...my FALL wreath is up...so I guess that means that FALL is officially here! I made this wreath for a whopping $6.45!!! I spent $1.99 for the wreath, $2.97 for the pics, $1.49 for the "S" letter and the spray paint and burlap was FREE! I painted the letter with Heirloom White and then sanded the edges to give it a little distressed look...tied it up with some burlap and here it is...what a beauty I have here and I didn't break the bank! I still have more to come so stay tuned for part three.

Blessings,
Linda