Souvenirs [Search results for romantic] 

Farmstyle can be romantic, and Polly Hood has shown us just that

she also joined us here at the farm when she participated in the event last October... 

these were the coolest tags she made just for the saleshe brought some amazing architectural pieces... hand made items... even a light made out of an antique pinafore... all the while looking stunning in her Magnolia Pearl dress her husband Steve bought for her (what a great guy he is!)
We are the ones Counting Our Blessings... because we are just so excited to have her back this May... with her Romantic Farmstyle
here's some of the items she's planning on bringing...

I love the touch of gypsy love with the feathers...

(I also think she takes wonderful photographs)

She and her husband own and operate French Cupboard... an online shop featuring many wonderfully talented people (kind of like Etsy) AND In her spare time, she travels around the country searching out treasures to sell online, and now, for the farm here, all the while taking photographs and gathering some great information and compiles them into PORCH magazine:

Visit/shop French Cupboard HERE
Follow along with Polly's romantic farmstyle HERE
and order her PORCH magazine, go HERE
If you missed meeting all the dealers joining me in the barn this May... or just want some great shopping... just scroll down my blog... I featured a dealer every day...
The Farm Family is growing isn't it???
*no baby yet* but my midwife says any day
My husband and I wish you all the best of weekends

xo+blessings,

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

I have to admit, that when Fifi contacted me, I thought it wouldn't go right...
that she wouldn't like it...
I was out in the garden, nails full of dirt, and hot and tired from working out in the garden when my husband called to me "Fifi's on the phone"
I started laughing... it just didn't even sound right!... but it was for real...
she started talking to me and her voice was so sweet... and she was so genuine... and she put me at ease immediately asking me questions about our farm
I answered the best I could, but it all didn't sound worth it for being in a book... so I asked Fifi if I was going to be in the 'decorating no-no section' or the 'romantic faux pauxs'
seriously
but she laughed and said "i don't think so sweetheart"
afterall, I knew the other women who were going to be featured in the book... and I knew that their talent and creativity and decorating skills far excel mine
but here we are... she did like our home, and actually did put it in the book...

after a day of photography shoots in and out of the farmhouse, we gathered some elements from inside and actually brought them outside to our prairie we have in the back 3 acres, for a fantastic candlelit dinner shot
... it really was so romantic... so Romantic Prairie Style

we then enjoyed dinner on our deck with both Fifi and Mark... and the next day, our little 5 year old daughter asked when "Uncle Mark" was coming back (she missed him already... and seriously thought he was her uncle... so cute!)
both Mark and Fifi are a part of our family now... part of our memories here on our prairie, and I hope when you see our home in Fifi's book, that you feel a part of our life here too...
no amount of money could buy the gifts I have received by knowing this sweet lady...

SO WHAT'S THE GIVEAWAY???

A SIGNED COPY OF HER NEW BOOK! enter the giveaway by: * taking the giveaway button and placing it on your sidebar, and linking it back to this post * leave a comment here sharing with Fifi and I what you love (if you wish) Deadline is: February 11th, 2011... 12/midnight Winner announced: February 14th (Saint Valentines Day)

PLEASE NOTE: that the book will not be published until the end of April, and the winner of this giveaway will be mailed a signed copy shortly after the release date...
and remember, that Fifi and Mark will both be here at the farm May 20th and 21st for the Farm Event! They will be selling and signing copies here both days... if you want to book your stay for the event, then go HERE ROOMS ARE GOING FAST! (limited rooms available)
All the best... xo+blessings, Fifi and

AND BY THE WAY... I'm linking this post to my friend Jenn's fantastic party!! go HERE to join in on the fun!

One of my favorite blogs is written by a very romantic soul:
Simply Me

her style is so graceful and romantic, yet rustic and real... I just love it

She is one of the nicest people as well... if you haven't been over there to meet her, I highly recommend it
Thank you so much Tausha for letting me share your blog with others... tell her I said hello!

(All these beautiful photographs in this post were taken by her)

xo+blessings,

slow cooked lamb shanks... asparagus with Hollandaise sauce... white bean ragout... homemade fettuccine... warm rhubarb-Bourbon compote with vanilla ice cream

That is what I served for Fifi O'Neill and Mark Lohman (a friend and the wonderful photographer of this book), and our other guests that filled the long farmhouse table outdoors, at a farm to table style dinner late last spring.
All those recipes are now in Fifi's new book, The Romantic Prairie Cookbook
It was a pleasure having Fifi over for dinner again, and though there were some mishaps (like my oven breaking down) it all was meant to be that way. The recipes in the oven had to be changed quickly, and a quick trip to the garden inspired me, and from the reaction from our guests, they were more than happy with the results.
I'm honored to have been in this book.
Like Fifi's description of the book: "Field-fresh recipes and homespun settings"

here are a few shots from the rhubarb-bourbon compote...

this will be my 'go to' cookbook this 2012... there are some really great recipes and beautiful settings in here...

thank you so much Fifi for asking me to be in this cookbook it was such a pleasure preparing the food... and bringing it all to table
xo+blessings,

whenever I come across fabric that speaks to me, for whatever reason, I purchase it...
whether it's vintage... antique from France... or new...

this fabric is so luxurious... silky... so feminine... I had to play around and take it's picture up my stairway to show you it's glory...

it will be transformed into a few gowns... which you could wear to the Boho-Ball that I'm hosting here at the farm May 20th — the Friday night event -
being no stranger to creating gowns, this is one sewing project that I'm so excited to get started on
more on the Boho-Ball coming soon...
and another giveaway tomorrow to kick of February' Farm theme: "romantic spring"
xo+blessings,

This front room used to be the old front porch of this house (to read more about it's history — and some divine intervention — go here)
Since Jill is doing a Porch Party every Monday, I thought I'd join in on the fun with pictures of my thrown together front room/porch/baby and I room...

only things that were bought was a dresser and the two glass lamps
everything else was literally thrown together to make a comfortable and feminine room for me and the baby to cuddle... dream... and enjoy our first few months together

the couch is vintage (our first purchase as a married couple)
my collection of mirrors I used in here as well as some of my favorite trim to add some texture and interest to some pretty boring lampshades...

my grandmother's antique egg cup adds a bit of color

this bed was a gift for my daughter a number of years ago...
I really like the dark wood tones against the pink! This pink fabric was originally purchased for the Patisserie I designed...
and never... NEVER thought it would be made into a coverlet for a bed I would sleep in... (didn't I tell you I was totally into pink lately?)

the fabric is taffeta... and feels like I am slipping into a ball gown when I get into bed...

bedside...

when I first started this room it was minimal bare... and I just couldn't help putting some of my favorite items in our home in that room
there is no 'rhyme or reason'... golds... metal... dark wood... painted items...
I let my gypsy soul go

a crocheted caplet my sweet grandmother made for me!

this is one of the items I purchased for the room...
a $60 dresser bought locally — and all it needed was a scrubbing
now it is perfect for a changing area

As the weather warms up... I'm looking forward to opening all of these wonderful casement windows and hearing the birds awaken in the morning and smell the flowers outdoors
it has a terrifc view of the potager as well

Do you have an area of your home you want just for you?
Just start bringing some of your favorite items into that space and you'll be surprised at how much you love it...
xo+blessings,

To see what this room has looked like before go: HERE or HERE or HERE or what until you see Romantic Prairie Style (book by Fifi O'Neill)

YOU WON JoLynn!!!
(winner taken by using random.org) Send me your address at: ndfmama@gmail.com in order to receive your signed copy of Romantic Prairie Style, by the one and only Fifi O'Neill!!

Here's JoLynn's comment: ____________________________ JoLynn said...

Oh, how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this style!! I feel like I have just "figured out" what my style is {actually a mix of things}, but I would be so thrilled to win this book!!! Thanks for the generous giveaway!:)
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 ____________________________

Congratulations JoLynn! Fif and I have loved reading your comments... and if you aren't JoLynn, then both Fifi and I would love to extend the invitation to come to the Farm Event this May 20th and 21st, here in Illinois, where she and the photographer Mark Lohman, will be selling and signing the book... hope to see you!

Fifi &

there are plans to recover these chairs... but to this absolute amateur in re-upholster, this project is going to wait
for the time being, I'm really enjoying the romantic prairie look in this farmhouse even more and for $70 for the pair, I seriously couldn't pass these up

*on a personal note... * thank you all so much for being so sweet to me and my "ideas"
and putting up with the random thoughts
you all make me smile every time I read your comments... and I mean that
*thank you*
have a fantastic weekend!
xo+blessings,

casual... romantic... non-pretentious... lovingly classic

those are all words that come to mind when I think of Cabbages & Roses
they have designed a new website that is so nice and clean...
here are some of my favorites I saw...

the models Christina Strutt (the owner of C&Roses) chooses are always so natural... I just love (and appreciate) that!
have a great weekend!
xo+blessings,

just one of my inspiration picture (via country living)

not so much "clutter", and I am working on my daughter to create an oil painting of our dog Samson who passed a few years ago (a black Tibetan Mastiff)
someday Jason will build us something like this on either side of the bed... I just know it:)
to see more of my inspiration, see my pinterest board: "current project"
our master bedroom (you will see why this is a project)
it's a place... sorely neglected... it was painted a deep orange on the one wall behind our bed — a sleigh bed that is espresso (but you could also say 'black')
the bed came with two nightstands and even though I like the King size (to squeeze a number of children with us at any given time) I really have never cared for it... or the night stands...
it was from a customer of Jason's for a job he was doing... the man was moving to Hong Kong and needed to sell his furniture... so a deal we didn't want to pass up...
but, it is modern... not bad... but just not what I have in mind for this 'undecorated' look
here's the 'before'

our style isn't a "style" really... so we jokingly call it "Farm Style" it's a blend of anything we have on hand really natural woods and found objects
pieces that tell a story

the hallway's built in linen closet... will never paint this... love it

a peek into our bedroom...

the armoire is gone it was from our original small little farmhouse in a small town where we started raising our family so I moved it into the little boys room...

this shot of the bed was taken in '09 — tried to disguise the orange wall... to no avail...

(can anyone say "a sorry attempt to decorate"??)

but I think it was a few years ago now that my friend Lulu and I were on the phone and she was urging me to: — get rid of the armoire... check! — paint... check!! — chandelier... I'm working on that...
(to check out more about how this master bedroom has slowly being done, go here)
I'm approaching this room with a romantic softness that will naturally infuse our farm and prairie life
no 'decorating' or such
I'm totally flying by the seat of my pants (per usual)
and wanting to finish this project by Saturday
why?
a very special reason... that I will indulge you in on a later day

xo+master blessings,

WRATH
I am certainly my own worst critic
***********
For example: when Fifi told me she wanted to feature our home & prairie in her new book, I asked her if I was going to be in the "decorating no-no" section.. the "how not to achieve the romantic style"

Even though it made Fifi laugh, I was literally more nervous than possibly any time of my life! trying to do more than one woman could do, I started having agitated thoughts about not getting it all accomplished... & I don't like being agitated it breaks up my peace... my spirit
***********
Today, being the last day of Lent, is like an exam for me
the internal studying... all the reading...

it's done

no more time to prepare
I can't let myself get angry that I didn't do more...
I just hope I pass

xo+blessings,

welcomed with hydrangeas cut from the garden in a vintage blue vase
set upon a garage sale find nightstand that sits next to a lamp from my grandmother (an old marble one!)

nestled in the nook for whomever happens to stop by, eat a meal, and stay up late talking on the deck with wine, laughter, debates, opinions, and the summer breeze...
they get to nestle into vintage sheets hung outdoors on the line, and if blessed by a cool breeze, a small collection of quilts neatly folded nearby to grab and snuggle under

a dream of mine is to open up the corn crib (restored of course) to have guests stay here and just 'be' on the farm with all it's sights, doings, peace and inspiration wouldn't that be grand?
i think so
like seeing a bee swarm just steps away from the hives (that means another hive is born!!) speaking of bees... we are soon to "spin out" the 2nd batch of 'pure prairie honey' (which in case you didn't see, was in the latest issue of Romantic Prairie Magazine — with Fifi O'Neill) she is so very sweet... as sweet as our honey I think...
a good day and night to all
xo+blessings,

The new Spring 2011 issue (the one on stands now) of Romantic Country Magazine, features the Farm Barn Sale from this past October!!!
Actually, this issue is really great! So much so, I'd like to giveaway a copy to you! (along with a few other surprise goodies)
Just leave me a comment on this post.
DEADLINE WAS DECEMBER 22nd, midnight

* GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*
WINNER!!! from Random.org is...
comment #34:

Laurie said...
Congratulations! I'll have to get a copy if I don't win:)
12/19/2010

CONGRATS LAURIE!! email me your address!! Merry Christmas!!