October Giveaway Winner!!

I enjoyed reading all of the comments left on my October Giveaway entry and am so thrilled to have new followers of my blog! Thank You SO Much!! I get excited each and every time someone signs up to follow me! I am still pretty new to blogging so I hope I can find fun and interesting things to blog about.

So, now to get down to business! I could only choose one winner, and the name that was pulled out is; #6 Chari @ Happy To Design. Congratulations Chari!! You can email me your information for shipping at fabulouslyshabby@yahoo.com and I'll get your package sent out a.s.a.p. I hope you enjoy it!!

To those of you who didn't win. You will have another chance to sign up to win something fabulous soon. I have already been thinking about what to giveaway next month! And I'm thinking it will be Holiday themed...so be sure to come back for your chance to win! =O)

Well the kids are off to school and its a rainy cold day here in Maine today. So I think I'll be off to work on my Christmas projects! I will be blogging about and listing some in my shop soon. I am so excited, I think they are coming out so sweet! I am anxious to get feedback on them as I have been wanting to join a Holiday craft fair for several years but don't quite have the confidence or courage to do so yet....so please check them out when I do blog them and let me know what you think!!

I hope you all have a fabulous day!! =O)

~Sarah @}~

Gifts For Me! From Me!!

Last month was my 32nd Birthday. As I contemplated what to do with my day, since my kids were at school, I decided to take a drive to the coastal town of Searsport Maine to visit their Antiques Mall. This was only my second time visiting the mall but I just love going there. It is about an hour drive from my house. I was hoping to find a special little something to purchase for myself for my Birthday! I could've bought many things that I adored but I settled for a couple of cute items for my home.

I didn't bring my camera as I wasn't planning on taking the trip but the next time I go I will definately take some photos to share with everyone! The following is from their website, which of course, has no pictures lol!

""Welcome to Searsport Antique Mall:
"ABOUT SEARSPORT ANTIQUES:
SEARSPORT ANTIQUE MALL
149 E. Main St. 207-548-2640
Searsport, ME 04974
E-mail info@SearsportAntiques.com

Located in beautiful mid-coast Maine on scenic Route 1 between Camden and Bar Harbor. The Searsport Antique Mall offers one of the area's largest group shops. Situated in a town noted for its maritime heritage and many fine antique shops. Searsport is the mecca for the serious antiques.

Open year round 7 days a week, the Searsport Antique Mall is a page out of a by-gone era. Whether you are looking for wonderful smalls or to furnish a home, we offer a wide range of possibilites displayed in room-like settings. Carrying everything from 18th to 20th Century furniture; smalls ranging from art pottery to hooked rugs and everything in between, the Searsport Antique Mall is a must stop for your antiquing pleasure.

Manned with a knowledgeable staff, they are always willing to go the extra mile to make your shipping experience a pleasurable one.

So on your next trip to the coastal area of Maine, won't you stop in and visit? We would love to see you and help you with any of your antiquing needs...." ""

So at last here is what I purchased...
I saw this sweet 'February' birthday girl by 'Josef Originals' and decided then and there that I was going to collect all twelve months. I already had the pink 'January' one at home that belonged to my Grandmother. They are now on my shelf in my dining room and soon will have more to join them!
Next I fell in love with this sweet shabby pink towel rack. It stands about 4 feet tall. It has four rings for hanging tea towels and has scrolly legs. I am sorry for the poor picture quality as I will be buying a new camera a.s.a.p. Mine is in rough shape!
Next is my favorite purchase of the day!! I fell in love with this lamp especially the shabby vintage lampshade. It is so sweet!! Love the fact that its obviously old and used and the sweet bow!! LOVE! It has been completely rewired...I haven't hung it in a permanent place yet because I am currently redoing my livingroom, which is were it will hang.

I LOVE this unique plate. It has my favorite colors and style of shabby roses! I actually purchased this one on my first trip there but decided to share it anyway =O)

Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I hope you have a fabulous day!!

~Sarah @}~

October Giveaway!

Hello Again New Blogging Friends, I hope your all enjoying the beauty of the Fall season! I have decided to join in on the October giveaway party hosted by Cindy at My Romantic Home. I love these blogging parties! It's a great way to find new blogging friends! Please visit Cindy's blog if you'd like to check out the other blogs who are currently having fabulous giveaways!

I've selected two items to include in this giveaway! First are some festive fall soap petals. These are adorable orange, 'Pumpkin Shaped Petals'. Perfect to float in a warm bath on a cool autumn day! Also I recently picked up a couple sets of these pretty Royal Albert note cards and decided to give one set away. (I will be listing the other set soon in my store if anyone is interested) This boxed set includes 12 cards and 12 envelopes. The cards are blank inside so can be used for any occasion! I love the pretty vintage roses on the front!

If you'd like to sign up for a chance to win the items I've selected, please leave a comment on this post. Those of you who would like to sign up to become my blogging friends will receive two entries!! Those of you who already are a follower will and post a comment will also be entered twice! Simply leave a comment and sign up to follow my blog!! If you don't have your own blog please leave an email address for contacting you if you win!

I will randomly choose one winner on Tuesday October 20th.

I won't be joining in on the giveaway party every month but I will definitely be doing it as much as possible!! It's so much fun!

I am currently preparing my online shop for the busy Holiday Season and will be adding MANY NEW fabulous gift items and Holiday decor items for your home! All items in my store ship for FREE!!! Please check it out and visit me on November 1st for my "Splendid Season Celebration". This will be a Grand Opening of my new Holiday Shoppe Categories which include, "Deck The Halls", "Delightful Holiday Gifts", and "Stuff Those Stockings!".

Have A Wonderful Day & Thanks So Much For Visiting My Blog!!

~Sarah @}~

Changing Seasons, Updating Decor

I'm very sorry that I have been away for so long, sometimes everyday life and living gets in the way of the fun things, like blogging. That's what happened to me! My blogging and store have been on the back burner, but I'm back!!

We barely had a summer here in Maine this year. We had maybe a month of nice weather all together! Summer is not my favorite time of year but transitioning into fall isn't feeling quite natural either after having virtually no summertime! It's strange, September FLEW by and it took me a while to believe that it truely is October!

My favorite time of year is upon us! Fall is beautiful here in Maine! The weather and temperture are close to feeling perfect! Along with being my favorite time of year it also gets really busy for me. I try to start Christmas shopping early, to beat the holiday rush of course! Also in November, right around Thanksgiving is my Daughters Birthday. Then Thanksgiving a week later. Then Christmas a month later. New Years of course. Then the 10th of January is my Son's Birthday! YIKES...crazy huh?

I wanted to share a little decorating idea that I use to help me transition my home decor along with the Holidays and/or Seasonal changes. This is a simple and very inexpensive idea that I have been doing for almost a year now. When it's time to put up new decor for the upcoming Holiday or Season, I start by going online and simply doing a search for graphics. Today I used google and searched 'Vintage Halloween Graphics'. I always use the vintage graphics because I feel they go best with the "shabby chic" style of decor in my house. I save several that I like to my computer and simply print them out. Then as I put out my Halloween decorations, I will take my 'Vintage Summer Graphics' out of my frames and put my new Halloween images into them! It's simple because you don't have to (unless you want to of course!), move around your frame(s) if they have a special spot, your simply updating the look.

After Halloween I'll print out some Thanksgiving images, then Christmas etc. Or if it's not a busy Holiday season, such as what we have coming up, then you can just try vintage graphics for the entire season instead, for instance instead of "Vintage July 4th Graphics", search "Vintage Summer Graphics". Or, "Vintage Winter Graphics", instead of a specific Holiday.

I wanted to share a few that I like!! These free Vintage Halloween Graphics were found on various free sites and are images that I will be using around my house for Halloween!


(Images are a result of google image search. I do not own them or their rights.)

My 1st Giveaway!!!!

Hello Blogging Friends,

I am a little late, but better late than never!

Welcome to my new blog!

I have decided to join in this month on a monthly giveaway party hosted by Cindy at My Romantic Home. I love these blogging parties! It's a great way to find new blogging friends! Please visit Cindy's blog if you'd like to check out the other blogs who are currently having fabulous giveaways!

I chose a few pretties to giveaway, a sweet creme, porcelain trinket dish with a rose on the top. A vintage embroidered hanky. A deliciously scented tube of hand cream. A chic feathery pin, and three note cards by Laura Ashley with coordinating envelopes.

If you'd like to sign up for a chance to win this sweet set of items please leave a comment on this post. Those of you who would like to sign up to become my blogging friends will recieve two entries!! Simply leave a comment and sign up to follow my blog!! If you don't have your own blog please leave an email address for contacting you if you win!

I will randomly choose a winner on Sunday July 19th.

I don't know if I will be joining in on the giveaway party every month but I will definately be doing it again!! It's so much fun!

Have A Wonderful Day & Thanks For Visiting My Blog!!

~Sarah @}~

I WON!

I wanted to share a few photos of my wonderful package of goodies that I won from Lisa's blog Pupylov. I signed up to be entered in her blog giveaway and was thrilled to win! Especially since I don't usually win anything!!! What a treat!

Thank You SO Much Lisa for joining in on the giveaway party and for the FABULOUS package that you sent to me!!

She joined in, on a fabulous blog giveaway party that is hosted monthly by Cindy at her blog My Romantic Home. This is a blog party where other bloggers can sign up if they have something they would like to giveaway on their own blogs. Cindy is having this party on the second Monday of every month this year. I am going to join in for July and have my first giveaway!! So be sure to come back next week to sign up to win something FABULOUS!

Have A Great Week! ~Sarah @}~

**Correction Please Note; The blog giveaway party is hosted on the second monday of every month not on the first monday as I had previously stated. Sorry for any confusion!

First Blooms

So far this spring & summer season has been cool and damp here in Maine, I sure hope we still have a nice summer! I have planted some pretty roses for the first time this spring! I love roses, but since I rent an apartment, I have yet to plant all the flowers that I love....I found an excellent deal on them so I figured I'd give it a shot. I was planning on buying peonies to plant, I love their full large blooms, but decided to try the roses first. Here are some photos of my very first blooms :O)

This next photo is right before it died...Still gorgeous huh?

I have two more bushes that haven't bloomed yet but I finally have some new growth on them so I am hopeful. The next picture are of some other random flowers I bought at the greenhouses. I love flowers!! Imagine the world without them? BLAHHHH

Thanks for checking out my blog! I'll show some more flower photos throughout the summer. That's if the sun ever stays out for more than one day!!

Hope you have a sun-shiny beautiful day! ~Sarah @}~

Painted Pretty; Candle Holder Makeover

I just wanted to share another small painting project that I finished recently. I purchased this large candle holder because I knew it would be a perfect item to 'shabby' up. It has great architectural details that caught my eye.

BEFORE

After a few layers of acrylic craft paint, I 'chippied' it up slightly so it would look older. I also added two floral decals to the top, then sealed them. I am very happy with how it came out and am planning to list this pretty one of a kind piece in my store...hopefully soon!

AFTER =o)

I haven't had much time to list items in my store due to the kids being home all week on vacation. I hope to add at least a few things this week and lots of new pretties threw next week. Please visit me soon and check them out =O)

@}~~ Sarah

Sea Shells & Sea Glass

Just wanted to share a start to my Summer Decor. I found some pretty aqua & blues sea glass and also purchased a package of sea shells. As I packed up my Easter decor, I simply layered the bottom of my large glass jar with the glass and then arranged the sea shells on top of the glass. I think it looks pretty, even though it's not beach weather yet :o) I purchased two packages of the sea glass & one of the sea shells. They were very inexpensive, I bought mine at a local shop but I know decor items like these are available in many stores.

Another idea is rather than using sea glass, you could layer the shells on top of fine sand. That would look nice as well. You could fill one large jar like I did or you could use many different sized jars with different combinations. Either way, it's a simple and charming way to bring the beach & a Summer feeling into your home, especially if your like me and don;t get to the beach very often.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! Please visit me again soon, @}~~ Sarah