my blessed life

Yes, this is a repost from 2009~written about our previous house~but I'm linking it up to the *Gallery Wall {Party!}* at The Inspired Room today. These are some of my favorite family photos and I can wait to unpack them and get them hung up in our new house. I already have the wall picked out! ******* As I slowly wind up the house tour~there's just maybe one or two posts left on that~I just had to show you my favorite wall in the house. My wall of black and white photos of The Princess and Mr. B. This *collection* didn't start out planned, but grew and evolved. Until we moved into our current house I have always had these in our master bedroom, it just always worked out that way. But in this house I had a lot of wall space in the hallway and this just seemed like the right spot. I love the way it turned out! I look forward to adding more.

I have come to a realization. I love spices. I realized this last night when I was doing a bit of spice-cabinet-organizing and counted up nearly 60 spices and spice blends in my cabinet. I know ! It's an addiction! But I really do use nearly all of them, at least occasionally. There is definitely all kinds of stuff in there. Although every once in a while I come across a recipe that calls for a seasoning that I actually don't have. Hard to believe, isn't it? And I know that you are supposed to clean out your old spices every six months or so and while I must admit I'm too cheap, I mean frugal , to do that with abandon, I do toss one occasionally. But it is amazing how long spices actually do last! I do have a few personal faves. Seasoned Salt is one. I love the stuff from Tastefully Simple, although I do have a great from-scratch recipe for seasoned salt that I love, too. Smoked Paprika is another wonderful spice. I could just smell it all da...

Happy Independence Day, Y'all! I love red, white and blue~and decorating with patriotic touches! Some things I have out all year long, such as my blue and white state plate collection , but mostly things I only put out in the summer time. Today I'm sharing those with you... Here's my front door and the new patriotic paper wreath I made this week. You can find out how it's done here . The kiddos and I also did some rock painting this week~I love how they dress up my flower pot. One the coffee table are some of my vintage patriotic postcards. I found a couple of new ones this year! Here's my bucket of *vintage* flags ( go here to find how I antiqued them) and also some more of my patriotic vintage postcards. Here are a pair of Americana themed guest towels that were a gift from a friend. I love them! These tea towels aren't the traditional patriotic red, white and blue, but I think hot dogs and hamburgers are pretty all-American. And it doesn't get...

I have this small, accidental collection of straw hats. I love them! Each one has special memory associated with it. For the past few years most of them have been stored away, but this Spring I thought I would get them all out so that I can enjoy looking at them. And they're handy so that I can grab one on the way out the door on a sunny day! Going clockwise from the top right: The one on the top right was purchased at a charming little Victorian shop where I worked for a few years. It's part of a collection of Mary Engelbreit hats that were produced. I love the fruit! The one below is from Jamaica, purchased at an outdoor market. It's handmade, excellent craftsmanship. I've had it about 20 years now. At the bottom left is one that I picked up on a very sunny day in Annapolis, Maryland. It's gotten the most use~I love it! The middle one on the left is from Hawaii. I bought it on my first trip there in 1993 and, yes, I carried it all the way home on my lap ...

This week I was given a couple of surprise treasures! This sweet person knows my likes very well, I must say. She had acquired a couple of random plates and "thought I might like them". Might?!?! I love them!! This first one is a dinner plate. It's American made, with sweet flowers and gold around the edges. I plan to hang it in The Princess' room. It flows perfectly with the plates already hanging in her room. This second one is more of the bread and butter size. It's Limoges with a lovely fruit pattern that I don't remember seeing before: "Pomona". I know I plan to use this some where in my living room, but I'm still deciding if I want to hang it or put it on a stand. I love these colors though, it matches so well. Have you noticed the sweet quilted sampler that I'm using for this shot? I love this little piece and recently re-discovered it. I bought it in my pre-child days with the idea of hanging it in my nursery one day. And...

Are you enjoying some Spring sunshine where you live? We sure have been here in Arkansas! I've even had the windows open, enjoying the fresh air. I love this time of year! So in honor of Spring and Easter, the seasonal decor had to come out:) This is actually MY Easter bunny. I really haven't gotten her out in years, but this year out she came and she even got all freshened up with a bath. My aunt crochet her for me (and many, many more boy and girl bunnies for all of my cousins) as a child. Here's the Spring coffee table decor. I just added bunnies. These are a pair my mom gave the kiddos a couple of years ago. They take them off and play with them, but when they're not playing they park themselves on my table. Here are some of my vintage Easter postcards. They're so pretty! Here's my other Easter bunny. I adore him! He was a gift as a child, too, from a lady in our church. She's the same one who painted my beautiful nativity. Here are the *fab...

Do you love to label things? I DO!! It must be the organizer in me, but I think a cute (and functional) label just dresses something up nicely. Sometimes I make a cute handmade tag. Other times I grab my....er, my hubby's... label maker. Here are a few of the things I've labeled around my house. The laundry basket in the kiddos' bathroom: The *outgoing* mail basket by the garage door: A jar of sand and shells: A jar of beach rocks: Homemade spice mix: Cute jars in the pantry: My new bucket for my homemade laundry soap : I'm already thinking of more things around my house that need some *label love*! This post is linked to My Romantic Home and The Inspired Room.

Blue and white has been a pair of *friends* to me for a long, long time. I fell in love with the combination way before I was married and began to pick up a piece or two here and there. When we were first married, I began collecting blue and white plates in earnest to hang in our kitchen (I love hanging plates!). I also kept an eye out for cobalt blue glassware, it's just so beautiful. Then as friends and family members found out how much I liked blue and white, I began to receive pieces as gifts~lovely!! Thus a *collection* was formed. In the past I know I have shared my plates in the dining room/kitchen and also my blue and white souvenir plates , but today I'm sharing blue and white things around my kitchen and house that make me smile. I hope they make you smile, too! This post is linked to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Hom e.