A Cheetah Share & Wow was it at a savings...plus an Heirloom Gift

I'm excited to join Cindy at My Romantic Home for her Show & Tell Friday today. If you love animal print and heirlooms, you'll enjoy my recent adds to my Master Suite and a gift that I put together for my mom and sisters. Please stop by Cindy's to enjoy all the other Show & Tell items today.

I couldn't resist sharing my After Christmas special that I found at a local Antique store, one of my favorites, "A Flea Antique" located in Braselton, GA. The chairs and table in this post were purchased there recently for a "steal of a deal". The framed heirloom butterfly doily is something I framed for my Mom and sisters recently. The doilies were made by my Grandmother over 40 years ago...and they were all butterflies. They each love them and I used different color mats for each person to match their decor. My mom wanted hers on this black velvet!
Here's the table close up...the top had been distressed with a black paint...totally what I needed in this spot of my master bedroom.

A close up of the pair of Italian chairs - wood frames made in Italy and the upholstery work was done in USA per the label on the bottom of the chairs.

Some details on the wood here...

And there...

This table drops down and doesn't have to be in the open position constantly. I love it... The table was under $50 and the chairs were purchased as a pair for under $60 - Yes, you heard me right~ It was a huge blessing and find to add to our room!

The centerpiece is one I purchased at a favorite local consignment shop called "Emma's Attic" in Flowery Branch, GA. A huge savings ~ only $10 and still had the price tag on the inside of a flower for $129. The doily (handmade) was just purchased there yesterday for $1.50.

Here's the entire view as I sit from my bed~ I have a hint of Cheetah here and there in my room...and this brought it all together even better! The entire corner makeover was realized at a total of $121.50! My kinda makeover~ :)

`Merci for stopping by today~Have a blessed day!
~CC Catherine

Show & Tell & ~CC's Antique Virtual $ale, $ale, $ale Shows, with much about France!

Ahhh...Another Show & Tell Friday, with Kelli from "Kelli's House"! Please be sure to meander on over to her place to catch all the other beauties that are being shared today!

Below my Show & Tell, you'll enjoy another fun featured Virtual $ale, $ale, $ale tour that I recently returned from the Northeast from. Many items reflect my love and passion for things very French!

My Show & Tell: As a young girl, I was totally enamored and in awe of my Grandmother. Everything about her I loved, and still do...even in my memories. These simple little rubber banded boxes below is how she stored much of her lovely pieces of jewelry, and I am blessed to have three of them. She kept them in this huge wood cedar lined chest she had in her bedroom and every so often, we'd sit there together while she showed me what lay beneath many of the rubber bands and under the lids.

As you'll see in the following pictures, I tried to capture what the items looked like as she lifted each lid. I never grew tired of the times we spent going through these little boxes, it was as if there were a huge treasure in each one.

The pearls I remember her wearing often, and many times I would play dress up and try them on.

The watch in the small box was so worn by her that it seems impossible that she could have ever worn it to bring it to this state. I'm wondering if it didn't belong to her mother.

I don't recall this rhinestone pin, but I'm so grateful that I now have it. The key represents to me that her memory will always be the "key" that opens my heart when I see my little rubber band boxes in my closet. When my little granddaughter, Cate, is old enough, I want to do the very same thing with her. Who has need of a fancy jewelry box, when I can pass down to her the mysteries that unfold under the lid of an unknown treasure like one of these my precious Grandma Odessa shared with me?

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Welcome to Lucketts Store & The Bee Cottage in Leesburg, VA

for our Virtual $ale Tour, with Much about France!!!

While visiting my dear friend, Kathleen Ellis, of "Kathleen Ellis Life Style Designs", she and her Prince Charming took us on an afternoon jaunt to visit a few of her favorite Antique Shops , Lucketts Store, and a lovely Vintage Boutique called "The Bee Cottage" where many chic items are to be found. Come along and sneak a peek with me...and you'll soon find out why this has now become my favorite place to go when I head up North too!

A treasure in "The Bee Cottage" was this hideaway, tucked in a corner...

I adore the look & feel of the imaginary world they enticed me into...

To the left of this I found this treasure of a display...

From memory now, I think this lovely French looking table lamp was in Lucketts...they had both new and antique items in this lovely shop. Three floors full of lovely items! Let's just say I was wading in things with a French influence...
Chic, love the pillow with the ruffle down the middle!
Totally French!
I would have loved to have brought this chair home with me...another French find!

And this Settee was gracefully upholstered in fabric with French writing...

I hated to say ~Au Revoir to her!

Loved this little chic lamp & sign found in The Bee Cottage...

My favorite I saved for last...found at "The Bee Cottage"...

I totally am in awe of this French Blue Silk covered chair... Tea anyone?

Now, all I need is $1,000 to go back and buy all these pretties! ;)

"Oui", a girl can dream~

Fortunate for me, my Mom taught me how to enjoy what we called Sear's "Wish Books" when I was a little girl!

Thanks so kindly for taking this little ride with me today to Lucketts Store & The Bee Cottage!

Stop by to check out the awards I've payed forward this week at: "This Place"

~Au Revoir!

~CC Catherine

Show & Tell Friday...And a Virtual "All Things French" Shopping Spree...

Thanks to Kelli @ "Kelli's House" for hosting another fabulous Show & Tell Friday! Please be sure to slide by her place to visit all the others that are sharing today!

My Show & Tell for today ~ I decided to share another one of my Antique Books, By The Fireside, by Charles Wagner.

This book (over 100 years old) was originally written in French and was translated into English by Mary Louise Hendee. My first copy of this book was purchased at a yard sale for $1. So fragile that the pages and cover began falling apart as I began reading it. I soon began my search as to how I could find another copy in better shape.

In Kennett Square, (near Longwood Gardens) Pennsylvania, I found an old book store, "Thomas Macaluso Rare & Fine Books" that was able to locate this newer copy for me. This book cost me $29.68. A small price to pay for such enjoyment that will last me for my lifetime.

Copyright is 1904 as pictured below:
This particular book that I obtained through the Rare Finds Book Store had once belonged to the John Hopkins Library. It has a stamp inside the front cover that the book was disposed of from John Hopkins and my guess is that the little markings you see to the bottom left of this picture has something to do with who maybe owned it at a later date.
The chapters of this book are about life, family, love in marriage, brothers & sisters, order in the house, golden hair and gray, and so much more. The chapter below you see is on good humor in the home.

My favorite excerpt of the entire book is on "Marriage".

Since it's Valentine Day weekend, I thought it would be a lovely excerpt to share with you.

Read what the author writes, and how applicable that it should be even 100 years later.

"We are too familiar with these unions where love, dying early, sleeps forgotten in a hidden corner of the memory, like the wedding-dress and orange blossoms in some remote chest. We end by believing that it must be so, that it is the law of life. Let us lift our hearts to something more lasting, to a more tenacious love, not ending with the roses but faithful, deep-rooted and abiding, a love that braves the tempest and fears no frosts. It is not at all like a pretty child, full of caprice and half rebellious; it is a rough and ready comrade, not indifferent to fine weather, but known for what it is, and proven in dark days. It knows how to suffer, to pardon and to endure. It does not hang upon a ray of sunshine or the colour of a lock. It has no age, or rather, like good wine, age mellows it. As the delicious German proverb has it--"Alte Liebe rostet nicht," old love never rusts."

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"All Things French"
Now, it's tough to follow those words of Charles Wagner, but I'm going to try...so that I can continue on the Virtual tour I have for you of "All Things French".
Imagine, if you will, that at the end of this lane, we've entered the border of France!
("Winter Version" of my "Four Seasons of Heaven" photo's that I recently snapped) Once across the border we've come upon a small French town with, none other than, a French Vintage & Antique Shop. The first thing I see as I enter the boutique is this lovely tray that will go on my Verandah Porch that I'm in the process of making over. (I purchased this, so it's the real deal) ;) The tray is made from broken china and the colors are absolutely perfect for any room in my home. I love it!

The next item is a lovely white porcelain and gold embossed edge custard dish w/ a small matching plate. I actually purchased a pair of these for my daughter's china collection, they're for her birthday. My Beloved accidentally chipped the one plate before I could get it in my gift closet... (drats, I'll keep that one now) ;)
This is the shape of the little French plate that holds the custard dish and the markings on the bottom of the dish.
Next are all these French and Frilly extras for any room in the home. The colors are so rich! I love the dish behinnd all the vases. The colors in it are gorgeous! I was brave and walked on by...

I adored this delicate sugar & creamer set, but could not justify adding one more set to my home. (I'm still on the Dave Ramsay Total Money Makeover) ;) So, I took a picture so my memory would keep it longer... ;)

This little Vintage and very French looking short curio with glass encasement was stunning. So was the price! ;) But, I can dream.... Oui?

This delicate porcelain statue of ladies dancing just reminded me of what the lovely young French dancers must have looked like in earlier years...one of my favorite eye candys of the day! ;)

This entire set was stunning!

I loved the way the soft yellow glass lamps were reflected in this mirror...

Cherubs, Silver, and unique Vintage finds...

Totally Floral and French!

My favorite little piece, and only $29...porcelain floral by Aynsley

A teapot...Floral & French! ;)

This color and pattern jumped out at me, even though I'm traditionally not a green gal!

Crystal Decanter... Love the shape!

A French Country "CHIC"ken look! ;)

A "Fleur de lise" pattern set of dishes in light peach tone.

A French Chair for the boudoir

A delicate yellow collectible porcelain piece...so Francais et Chic!

Blue & Whites....always in with the French!

And last, but not least, this fabulous teapot! So delicate, so floral, so Hummingbirding... ;) Remember, just because we're in France, doesn't mean necessarily that everything in the shop will be from France! I found this to be true when I visited there...just like here, we have collectibles from all over the world in our Vintage and Antique shops.

I hope you enjoyed this "Virtual" tour of "All Things French" from my make believe trip to France!

(The few things I mentioned purchasing I really found here in GA! ) Isn't pretending fun? ;)

IT's all about dreaming, isn't it?

Now, don't forget to stop by Kelli's for more Show & Tell shares! ;)

~CC Catherine