The Elf's Are Exhausted...

It has been so long since I have added a blog post and I can honestly say I have missed all of you. The elves are completely worn out and it is now time to just enjoy the holiday. We will continue to offer our free shipping ( U.S. customers only) on any burlap pillow slips until Friday. We also have a special on our tea towels. Buy two and get the third one free, that will end on Monday.

My Christmas tree is still waiting to be decorated, I still have not done my usual holiday baking so I am looking forward to a few days of getting into the spirit. I hope all of you have had sometime to reflect back on this year and remember the blessing that you have received. I know for myself, I can get caught up in the everyday events and not recognize all the wonderful gifts I have been given throughout the year.

This has been an amazing year full of love, health, family and friends. I greatly appreciate each one of my customers who have become friends and for the support they have given me. I also am so fortunate to have met so many wonderful and inspiring women who have taken time to visit my blog, you are all such a treasure!

Each Christmas Eve we have a tradition of drawing names, we then go around the room and express our Christmas wish for the name we have drawn. It is such a wonderful heartfelt time when we express our wish for that person. Many tears are shed and it has become one of our families favorite traditions. My Christmas wish for each one of you is an abundance of love each day, health and happiness in all that you do and the ability to
recognize the small blessing that come each day.

I wish each of you a very Happy Holiday full of love and laughter…

Love Vintage Suitcases? Make Your Own..

I started thinking about vintage suitcases like this one, and how they tell a story of where they have been. I have a collection of vintage suitcases and they are wonderful for storage. It seems that they are scarce and not many flea markets have them, so I thought it would be fun to offer a solution where you can make your own. These would also make a wonderful gift.

From time to time I’ve seen these great cardboard versions of vintage suitcases. PaperSource actually has a wide variety of them at pretty affordable prices - these black suitcases range from $8.00 - $14.50 each. These would be great for storing photos, stationary and craft items.

Lucky for me, I came across this DIY suitcase. It’s apparently made out of a Bisquick box! Who would of thought? Find the instructions here for this simple project. This project gives you so much more freedom, because you can use whatever boxes you have available to get the size you want, as well as fabric or paper that matches your color scheme, and it will cost next to nothing!

I envision creating a stack of these suitcases and decorating them with vintage travel stickers which you can purchase at a very reasonable price at Hello Traveler. Or paint them with chalkboard paint and write a personal message and give them as a gift.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Just Five Minutes, That’s All I Need

Whew! Made it through another very hectic week that consisted of so many mishaps. I always find it so interesting that Monday always seems to start off so good, I’m upbeat energized and ready to tackle the week ahead. Then by Friday I am in desperate need of just five minutes, five minutes to take a deep breath and take a look back at the week and see what I have accomplished and what still needs to be done.

I look forward to Saturday just as much as I looked forward to Friday night when I was a teenager. That sense of hurrah, I made it through the week and now I am rewarded with a day to myself. I love weekends, they give me a sense that I can stay in my P.J.’s all day and work at my own pace and if there is a spare moment I can allow myself to put aside some of my work and just design. Priceless!

I hope all of you will find more then five minutes this weekend to just stay in you P.j’s relax and find inspiration for the week ahead.

Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you next week.

Mid Week Buzz

It’s only Wednesday, and I feel like the idea of getting caught up is just an illusion. Between work, trying to keep my house clean, taking care of my family and chasing after the dog as he tracks mud across my living room carpet, it’s a wonder I have time to comb my hair in the mornings.

I have added a few new tea towels, and if your anything like me, I love to design my own gift baskets for the holiday and I think these would look adorable tucked in a basket.

So how is you week going? Do you find you’re under the gun and over a barrel? On days like this I am reminded of a quote from Kin Hubbard who says, "A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower."

Let’s hope the rest of your week buzzes by quickly.

Shameful

Just Shameful !!!!


I know it’s just shameful to be sitting in the dark on Halloween night, with my porch light off while all the children in the neighborhood are dressed up in their adorable costumes. Ringing door bells and trying to hit as many houses as they can before their parents have had enough and call it a night. Okay, I do feel awful, and the only excuse I can come up with is I have been so busy all week and I kept putting off the horrible trip to Wal Mart to stand in line for what seems an eternity just for candy. I promise, I will make up for it next Halloween.

I so enjoyed all of your costume stories and they did make me laugh. I especially liked Martha’s story and did get quite a laugh out of it. I just envisioned her in her orange pumpkin costume year after year. So Martha you have won the rug. I want to thank all of you so much for posting on my blog, I do love to hear from all of you.

Be sure to stop by again, as you never know what I will be giving away next.


Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat, Halloween Giveaway...

Halloween Giveaway

With Halloween right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to reflect back on one of your worst costumes. I think there was nothing worse then having your mother purchase your costume without you being present. What your mother thought would be a really cute costume often times turned out to be the most embarrassing, especially when your ten. While all the other kids had the cool trendy costumes, you were left with a Casper the Ghost costume that was made entirely out of plastic, with the full on plastic mask that only made your face sweat. We all wanted to be either the princess or the bride.

Of course there were some really ingenious costumes like the kid that was wrapped entirely in tin foil, who went as a leftover. Or the girl who spray painted her hair pink and tied a pink tennis shoe to her head. When asked repeatedly what she was supposed to be she said "she was a piece of bubble gum stuck to the bottom of a tennis shoe.

We have all been there. So to make this really interesting we thought it would be fun for all of you to share your worst or most embarrassing costume. To really give you incentive to share your worst costume we decided to give out a little Trick or Treat. Our treat will be our newest rug design. So jump right in and let all of us know. I think it will give all of us a great laugh. We will pick the winner of the most tragic costume on Halloween night.

I do hope all of you have a great week and do stay out of the Halloween candy!

How Is Your Week Going?

On a scale of one to ten I would have to say mine has been a ten. Last week it was a one. Amazing how small things can impact your entire week and they seem to multiply as the week goes on. Last week I could have crawled back into bed with the covers over my head and stayed there. This week has been fantastic!

One of the stores in the U.K that carries Petit Coterie, The Old Cinema was featured in BBC Homes & Antiques November issue. He was kind enough to send the photo used for the feature and there they were, our burlap pillows. That added a bright spot in my week.

I’m sure many of you have so many great ideas of things to make and the problem is just finding the time. This week, while working on orders I decided to allow some extra time to add some new items that have been on the back burner. Our new tea towels are finally available as well as a new burlap pillow for the holidays. Still have a few other things I want to accomplish but will save those for Saturday.

How is your week going on a scale of one to ten? I do hope it’s a ten for all of you!

Who Is The Winner?

What a great day this has been…. I never got out of my P.J.’s and even though I was not going to work , I still can’t help myself. I guess it’s not really work since I love what I do and Sunday is usually a slow pace day for me.

I also had such a great time going and visiting all the wonderful blogs that all of you posted. I loved having an opportunity to just travel around to so many interesting blogs. It was so hard to pick just one winner, so I have 3 winners!!! I want to thank all of you for sharing your favorite blogs and I do hope we can do this again as the holidays gear up.

The winners are:

Kelly Ann from Kelly Ann Studio , with her favorite blog http://www.bedifferentactnormal.blogspot.com

Vale from Les Cotrions, with her wonderful French blog http://leplaisirdesmets.over-blog.com/

Jacqueline from Home, with her beautiful blog ,http://www.melbourneepicure.blogspot.com

Thank you all for leaving a post and I do hope you will stop by again. Have a wonderful week!

Giveaway Ends This Sunday

I just wanted to let everyone know that the search for new holiday blogs will end this coming Sunday. With the holidays fast approaching I think it's fun to visit blogs that have great recipes as well as entertaining and home decorating ideas. Just add your favorite blog post on this post or the search post below.

You could win a pillow slip of your choice from our Etsy shop. Let's expand our search to new blogs that maybe we all haven't visited.
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I hope all of you are having a wonderful week full of blessings!

We Are Going To France

We are so full of excitement at the thought of going to France, that I just had to share with all of you. I know you are thinking what a wonderful trip and yes it will be, but only for Petit Coterie pillows. Our pillows are going to a lovely shop that will be opening in 2 weeks called Fabulous French in Eymet, France.

I know many of you know Leeann from her Fabulous French blog, she is such a dear and is now working frantically to add some beautiful items to her shop. I was so thrilled when Leeann contacted me and wanted to carry Petit Coterie. I know her shop is going to be fabulous and I so wish that I could travel along with our pillows. If you want updates on Leeann’s shop and her grand opening stop by her blog.

Please don’t forget about searching for wonderful blog sites that have holiday recipes and decorating ideas. Just read the post below for all the details. I will pick the winner next Sunday. So start your search now!

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend,

Let's Go Searching

I don't know about you, but I often stay within my own circle of blogs. I think we all feel comfortable reading up on what our blog friends are up too. So I have come up with a challenge. Should you choose to accept this mission here is what you need to do.

With the holidays right around the corner I thought it would be fun to find new blogs outside of your own circle that are geared towards holiday food and entertainment. I think we all like new recipes as well as holiday decorating tips. I know there are some great blogs out there that have fabulous recipes and I thought it would be fun to share these blogs.

Once you find an interesting blog, come back and post a comment and a link on why you like the blog. Of course there is an incentive for the best blog searcher and that would be a pillow slip of your choice from my Etsy shop. I think this will be fun and I do hope that you will join the search.

Yesterday was one of those days when nothing would go right, to much humidity in the air so much of my work ended up in the scrap pile. I was so exhausted last night that I forgot to post the winner of the Holiday stocking, so here it is! The winner is June from Laughing With Angels. I want to thank all of you who left such wonderful posts about your holiday traditions.

Happy mid-week to all of you. I do hope the rest of your week is full of blessings. Now let's go searching!

I Feel Like I Have Been on Another Planet

My days have been consumed with work and by the end of the day all I can think of is sleep. I know many of you are getting busy preparing for the upcoming holidays and there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done.

I have had so many of my customers ask for fabric that can be used for upholstering chairs, ottomans and yes even pillows. We now are offering fabric by the yard and I just wanted you to see our latest design.

You know me, I absolutely love giveaways so here it is… Just by leaving a post telling us what your favorite holiday tradition is. You could be picked as the winner for for one of our burlap stockings. I know everyone loves to hear what traditions are special to you and your family. I will pick the winner on October 6th

Hopefully, my space ship will touch down soon and I can regain a normal life. I hope all of you have had a great week and by all means have a wonderful weekend.

Someone So Special Winner..

I know many of you are wondering who the winner of the Enchante pillow is, and I must say it was a very hard choice. You all offered some wonderful people who are so deserving and I sincerely thank you for sharing.

The winner of the pillow is the McClenahans and I have added their link so you can all see what a wonderful inspiration they are. What makes this giveaway so special is the person who submitted their name has never met the McClenahans. Rose from Portugal had read their blog and was inspired to submit them. Thank you so much Rose!

Recently I had asked for your creative suggestions for a pillow I was doing and many of you sent the most wonderful sayings for my royal winged giveaway. I have added the picture of the design and I want to thank Karen from Brayton Homestead Interiors for her suggestion.

I hope all of you have a blessed and wonderful weekend.

Giveaway For Someone So Special

I know each of us have someone that has really touched our heart and is extremely special to us. I would love to hear from all of you who that person is. Just tell me why you think this person should receive our Enchante pillow. Our mistake makes a wonderful giveaway. We had an order for the Enchante slip, but somehow it ended up as a pillow. So what could be better then for us to share our mistake as a giveaway to someone who is so special.

We will pick the winner next Friday the 28th We will wrap the pillow up with a special note from the person who wins the giveaway and ship it off to your special person.

With the holidays just around the corner we have started early offering a special sale on our Etsy shop. Starting today through Sunday the 23rd, we have a buy one pillow slip at regular price and get the second one for half off. Just thought I would let all of you know.

With the weekend fast approaching I do hope you all have a special one.

Join Me For a Posh Get Away...

Before I announce the winner of my creative giveaway, I thought it would be fun to travel to a new destination and enjoy the elegance of the Le Pavillon Hotel Built in 1907. The Hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America. It is truly elegance at it’s best. So come along I have a suite reserved just for us.


As we arrive at the hotel you will notice the fifteen-foot monumental limestone statues that flank the grand entrance to the hotel. They represent "Peace and Prosperity." One statue is depicted holding the Horn Of Plenty, while the other has doves resting on her shoulder denoting peace, they are circa 1880.





The grand lobby is adorned with beautiful Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers, exquisite antiques and priceless paintings. There is so much to see in this beautiful lobby, I think we should sit for awhile and take it all in. Notice the pair of Louis XV Bronze Cherubs they are fabulous.






Let’s do lunch in the Crystal Room.




Then off to the Palace Suit.



I know you will love the decor in this suite, especially the hand carved wooden fireplace mantle, Circa mid 17th century. It is solid mahogany, and was intricately hand carved for a European Castle. The crème de la crème of this particular suite is the extremely rare marble bathtub. Purported to have been owned by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is hand carved from one single large block of white carrera marble. It is one of only three known to exist in the world today. One of them is proudly displayed in The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, while the other is in a private collection.





Now to the roof top pool and spa.







I do hope you have enjoyed our little get away to the Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans.

Now I would like to announce the winner of my Creative Giveaway. I must say that I was so impressed with all your creative ideas and I thank you for participating. And the winner is... Karen from Brayton Homestead Interiors. Her suggestion of Majestic Ascent will look fabulous on the new pillow which I will post a picture of this coming week. Thank you all for entering my giveaway.



Have a wonderful and peaceful week ahead,