A Touch of European Inspiration

I often like to imagine that I live in a quaint and cozy thatch roofed cottage much like the one in this painting, tucked away somewhere romantic and idyllic like Provence. Ah, beautiful Provence! I like to imagine such things especially when I glance up at the ceiling in the living room and see the 8 X 6 inch patch of missing "popcorn" {which sometimes snows down to the floor in the middle of the night} , or when I sigh hopelessly at the weeds I've managed to grow in my so-you-call-this-a-garden? garden, or other things that are not very Provence-like. I am a "head in the clouds" kind of homemaker, that is to say, while I should be cleaning or menu planning or doing laundry, I'm thinking up ways to try to make our home like the cottages I dream about. I don't have to tell you, dear reader, that it is really quite therapeutic and satisfying to do a few small creative makeovers and knick knack shuffling and Voila! Is this a French cottage I'm beginning to see peeking through the popcorn and weeds? Perhaps so!

I've collected a few beautiful vignettes from tourist and decorating sites or shops and I hope you enjoy looking at them as much I do. I apologize that I can't remember where I found a few of them...

{country living}

{country living}

{country living}

{country living}

{country living}

{farmhouse wares}

{farmhouse wares}

{family linens}

{the blissful}

On the home front, hubs returned from a nearly week long business trip last night and brought back the camera - the camera that I had planned to use last week to document some of the things I've been working on. I will share those soon. Note to self: Hide the camera the next time hub goes galavanting Buy another camera. :)