Opinions Please...Umbrella Strollers

We are in the market for an umbrella stroller and I could use some advice.  These are the finalist so far but I am open to suggestions!

Above Maclaren Volo, Below First Years Ignite

Above First Years Jet, Below UppaBaby G-Lite

And yes, I am looking for black or dark colors.  Our UppaBaby Vista (which I still love) looks like it needs to go through a car wash.

a giveaway from my store

Thank you again for all your encouragement about the store
and a special thank you to my first clients.

Some people have let me know that it isn't loading properly, this seems to be a question of server compatibility.  If you are using Internet Explorer 8 or earlier, then you may like to try using Firefox or Google Chrome instead.  These are free to download onto your computer, and should improve your browser for other sites too.

Today I am happy to tell you about my first
 give aways from the store.

This beautiful pillow sham, entirely hand sewn and embroidered with the letter M

Later today there will be new linens up for sale in the store.

and the second giveaway is two matching oval dishes, in blue and white transferware,
wonderful as soap dishes or presenting chocolates or biscuits

To join in the giveaway, just take a tour of the store and come back to tell me what you think, if you'd like a second entry then  share the giveaway on facebook, twitter etc.  Thank you!

The winners will be drawn on Friday 2 November at midnight Paris time.

{ Upcycling after Hurricane Sandy }

As I sit in my house waiting for Hurricane Sandy to visit us I'm thinking of all the things that are bound to go wrong with our house.

We never got our gutters cleaned this Fall, let alone added gutter guards to keep them clean. Trouble.
Our bedroom ceiling has sprung a leak. And overgrown trees in our yard are swaying like hammocks.

But, in the gloom and doom of what will/might happen to our house I can't help but think of upcycling projects I'd like to do in the aftermath and clean-up of Sandy.

So, in the thoughts that there might be some of you who are sick of watching weather forecasts, here are some clever projects I found while searching the internet.
With any luck, everyone will stay safe and there will be lot's of discarded items up for grabs for clever folks like us.

Happy Sandy Upcycling!

My first thought, gutters - if your in need of replacements, don't let the old ones go to waste.
Plant a wall garden instead.

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When you replace your old gutters, why not get a little crafty with the project - 

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If the gutters are still functional, donate them to your local nursery school for some water play.

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After your trees fall (hopefully in the right direction) try one of these projects with your scraps - 

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and if you're hosting Thanksgiving, you have just hit the jackpot!

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And, my all time fav...

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If we don't loose a tree in this storm, I will drive around looking for tree guys and beg them to cut me these slices.

Once the shock of our bedroom ceiling leaking sunk in, I won't lie. I started to think of what the possibilities could be for our "new" bedroom.  After the ceiling caves in.

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Yes, I would really do this to my bedroom ceiling.

Speaking of ceilings. I think I'll paint my dining room ceiling while stuck at home.

The winning color is Silver Marlin, by Ben Moore.

I'll also be adding some grasscloth wall paper to the walls above the board and batten.

If you're new here, you can see what my dining room currently looks like now here.

I hope I succeeded in keeping your mind off the storm for a little while.

If you're on the east coast I hope you are safe!

*added - if a tree must hit my house, I am crossing my fingers that it only takes out a bathroom , or two. With no people in it.  And, if you're wondering what I'd do to that bathroom - check here

store update

Things don't always happen exactly as we plan ! .....

Thank you so much for your comments and

encouraging words yesterday...

today I wanted to bring you news of a giveaway

but my internet has been down....

ALL DAY !!!    grrrrrr......

and I can't even blame it on a hurricane!

talk about great timing!

this quick message is sent from a girlfriend's kitchen!  :)

I am doing my very best to get back online, and as soon as I can I'll be updating the new store and showing you the giveaway

thank you for your patience

A special thought to all of you preparing yourself for hurrican Sandy, please take care and stay safe

xxx

MYCOLOR™ INSPIRED BY PANTONE® PAINTING PARTY! - Winner

photo credit – AHL

Thanks to all of you for the comments on the MYCOLOR™ INSPIRED BY PANTONE® PAINTING PARTY!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the ideas that you guys have for painting projects. 

The winner of the MyColor by Pantone paint is Rae from Through the Haze – Reads.  Congrats Rae! 

I hope that everyone in Sandy’s path stays safe.  Take care if you are on the East coast.  For the rest of you have a great Monday!

LiveJournal Tags: MyColor™ inspired by Pantone®,AHL

{ How to Use the Colors from Maps }

Okay, so I've showed you the best room in the house.
Now, onto the most difficult room in the house. The man cave.
We've been in this house almost 2 1/2 years, and I just can not get this room together.
(besides the fact that Danny doesn't want me to touch it,
which makes it a little difficult to decorate. snort.)

But, I think I've cracked the code. Map colors.
I've never been a fan of primary colors. But I am a fan of maps and globes. So, I figured that if I used colors from maps and globes around the room, maybe I'd like it more and it would start to look pulled together.

It all started with this table I found at an auction. I slapped a coat of yellow on it, and the room started to come to life.

I realized that if I added some colors, like the ones in the globes and the maps that are around the room, the room would not feel as dreary.

So, slowly but surely the room is feeling a little more zippy!

And here's a little sneak peek at my new love, the coffee table! And yes, it's the same blue as the blue in the maps! yippee!

Don't forget to enter for your chance to be Philly's next Design Star!

Linking to

St. V's Nursery Details Part II

Hello there, I hope you had a great weekend.  Shall we continue with the details of the St. Vincent's/ABC3340 nursery?  First up.....

The glider came from Storkland and the pillow from Etsy.  We added another pillow that matched the ottoman, not pictured here.  Ottoman was custom made, e-mail me @ mstronginteriors@aol.com for quote.  

Bedding- Sheet and crib courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids, skirt Robert Allen available through Marianne Strong Interiors.

Not a great picture but the best I had of the skirt close up.

Frames Target, painted custom color.  Prints inside frames are actually pages from the book Wherever You Are by Nancy Tillman. AKA the book that makes me cry every time I read it.

Light, to the trade, available through Marianne Strong Interiors.

Ceiling- you probably already know since it is a cult classic- Osborne and Little's Coronata Star.

Dresser available through At Home.

For specific pricing or questions e-mail me or Laurl @ mstrongint@aol.com.
Images Wynter Byrd and Marianne Strong Interiors

my new brocante store

I am very happy to announce that I  have a new on line

 store for sharing my brocante treasures!

I've been wanting to do this for a while but there 

weren't enough hours in the day!

I have created a new site, still called

My French Country Brocante

but now it is a site instead of a blog.

There are already a lot of items up for sale, and each
 day this week new treasures will be listed.

Tomorrow I shall bring you a giveaway to celebrate this big event.

If you have a look around, I'd love to know how you find it, and also if you spot anything that doesn't function properly!  :)

Thank you for your generous support,

without you none of this would ever be happening!

   

Quiet Time

Via

letters from a doting papa ....

Do you remember the days when people sent letters rather than emails?   Of course you do, and how much more romantic they were.  And what a wonderful trace of time they have left us.

 I was recently gifted four postcards sent by a father to his daughter Lucienne away by the sea  for the month of August 1938 .

From the cards it is clear that she was there for a month, that her papa came to see er every Sunday, and apparently, like so many little girls, she loved horses.

I was happy to discover  a little more.   Her address was at Villa Glaieuls, Ostende in Belgium.  This foundation still exists today.  It was originally created to support the families of soldiers, or for children from needy families who couldn't afford a holiday.  Today Les Glaieuls is still present for children in difficulty.

I tried to weave a little story around these postcards but decidedly I am not clever enough, and it became melodramatic, when actually there was no need.  So I simply bring you pictures of the cards and invite you to imagine your own story around these few words written each week by a papa, impatient to see his little Lulu the following Sunday.

If you are in writing mood and you would like to share a story that fits the images, then please feel welcome to use the comment box below - we would all be very happy to read you!

I wish you all a happy weekend, 

thank you so much for  your kind comments about my post yesterday, 

you really are the best!

PS.  And here to inspire you further, is a photo of the house where Lulu spent her holiday.