rainy days and thursdays

It’s been raining nonstop for the past five days here in So Cal, and I’m secretly loving it! In between downpours I’ve been out working in the garden… planting, feeding, rearranging… a fun change of pace. It reminds me of being in England and tending to my cottage garden!

This first picture was taken in Geneva, Illinois this summer and I love all the time-worn textures and cheery flowers in this vignette. I hope to recreate a similar vibe  near my own shed.

Serena &Lily really know how to design lovely casual décor, don’t you think? I have a tiny little secret that I’m excited about, and can’t divulge yet, but there’s a clue in this photo. ↑

With all the work I’ve been doing outdoors, I’m looking forward to those sunny spring days!

The lavender has grown so much over the past year, and I’m also looking forward to harvesting it and creating amazing little fragrant bouquets for the table.

And the lemon tree is packed full right now! I harvested three bushels this week, but there are hundreds of lemons still on this tree!

I’m sharing a few of my very favorite lemon recipes very soon… so please check back with me…

ciao! fabiana

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a little something to root for

With the winter blahs affecting some of us, January’s the perfect month to add a little greenery to our homes.

All you need is a something as simple as a beautiful evergreen branch or palm frond cut from your backyard or neighborhood. Set it in an over-sized glass vase and you'll be surprised how this little change can brighten up a  whole room.  

ciao! fabiana

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photo credit: Domino, Country Living and Luxe magazines

blue and white gingham finds

This past Thursday, I had a few extra minutes before my hair salon appointment, so I ran into my favorite little thrift store to check out their new arrivals.

I ended up finding one pretty blue and white ginger jar, and as I was paying for it, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a semi-clear storage box filled with blue and white goodies galore!

Long story short, I was unable to open the box until after purchase, but inside I could tell that it was filled with tableware in cobalt blue and white! 

So, when I brought it home, I was pleasantly surprised to find a full set of eight plates, bowls, salad plates, glasses and flatware!

Not only that, but there were lots of fun extras as well. So there’s good news and bad news. The bad news first… 

I’m running out of storage space for all my found treasures, so the good news is, some of my favorite tableware is now for sale on my Blog Shop!

Among the goodies in the box are these adorable “picnicware” plates, as I’m calling them. The plates have that classic picnic gingham pattern on them in my most favorite shade of blue.

In the very first photo above, you can spot the mugs and bowls which are available!

And they feature little fleur de lys in the pattern too!

So now for the FUN stuff...

The four piece service set with the amazing

cobalt acrylic handles is for sale.

This set includes a serving spoon, serving fork, 

pie server and slotted serving spoon.

Check it out here.

A set of four cobalt blue glass tumblers is also available.

Imagine these on your alfresco table this summer set with blue and white plates and fresh yellow lemons strewn across the table as an accent!

I love these adorable salt and pepper shakers. They’re quite large and really are just the prettiest shade of blue.

In addition to all the lovely blue items, I also have some vintage amethyst glassware available from my collection.

And who doesn’t love Eiffel tower collectables? These antiqued iron bottle openers would be perfect in a French Cottage style home or as a gift for someone special.

Here are a few adorable pieces from my collection of vintage china and glassware that’s available. The delicate white and green set was found at an estate sale in Geneva, Illinois and is Haviland & Co. Limoges from France. Check out the other listings here.

This is my little way of bring my favorite thrift stores and estate sales to you. Have fun browsing and maybe shopping!   

ciao! fabiana

Visit the Blog Shop on Ebay here.

mood indigo

It’s Friday! A reason in itself to celebrate! So today I’m sharing with all of you a few little snapshots of pretty blue interiors that I’ve spotted in several different magazines lately.

The common thread that runs through all the décor in my home is a touch of deep indigo blue. Just a touch… that’s all you need to offset the softer tones of blue that we’ve all grown to love. 

And although these aren't photos of my home, they'll hopefully provide us with a bit of inspiration for the weeks ahead!

ciao! fabiana

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photo credit: House Beautiful, House & Home, 

Verandah House and Southern Living 

shiplap happens

For the last two weeks I’ve been on a bit of a break from my photography and styling projects and have just been enjoying the last bit of holiday fun. All our Christmas stuff has finally been put away, so that blank canvas in my home has finally got me motivated!

We’ve got a couple of projects in the works at the moment. One is a rebuild of our pool house into a work-out space for my husband, which has been going on for about two years, and is just about finished.

The second project is the refurbishing of our living room, which means reconfiguring a few things and hopefully adding French doors that open up to the sunny back garden.

So with all that going on, I’ve been stalking pinterest for some inspiring ideas, so today from the world of Joanna Gaines, I’m sharing some of my favorite rooms from Fixer Upper that feature that ever-so-popular material – shiplap!

 

Is it technically shoplap if it’s installed vertically? I’m not sure, but I love it anyways!

ciao! fabiana

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photo credit: pinterest, HGTV and Joanna Gaines

country kitchens: details to love

Rooms that have layer upon layer of lovely details are the most interesting to me. Kitchens can be one of the best places to mix in fabulous vintage finds to add that perfect lived-in cozy look to a home.

Here are some of the pretty elements that I love from this first kitchen…

interesting lighting,

a pop of color on the door,

informal seating,

a fabulous mirror,

pretty French doors and windows,

an antique hutch with glass doors for displaying tableware,

bright white shiplap and tile on the walls,

warm wood tones to contrast all the white,

a primitive painting on canvas to add color,

a nice big island to gather around, 

and a fabulous pantry with custom doors!

This second kitchen also has that homey and cozy vibe to it, with a more formal look that I absolutely love! This one’s totally my style with just the right amount of contrasting black accents on all the trim.

And that seating area on the right looks so inviting!  

And finally, another type of country kitchen, and this one gives off a more primitive vibe, but the juxtaposition of that gorgeous range balances everything just perfectly in terms of design style.  

If you had to pick one of these kitchens for your home, which one would it be?

ciao! fabiana

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photo credit: Country Living