Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Cottage decorating giveaway

One Woman's Cottage Life is hosting a Cottage Charm Give Away Day in May. She's invited like-minded bloggers to participate. Of course I had to say yes! Cottage decorating and secondhand finds often go hand-in-hand. My own style has evolved into a cleaner, brighter look with each house, but I still have a soft spot for peeling blue paint, dented tole, and faded old linens.

Wouldn't you love a trio of rosy plates for your cottage? I'll be giving the plates below to the lucky winner! All you have to do is EMAIL me your best tip or resource for decorating with cottage charm, on the cheap. You'll be automatically entered in the drawing, and your advice will go into my file, possibly for a future post. Send your best tip to likemerchantships@yahoo.com by May 25th. Don't forget to click on the graphic to the left for One Woman's Cottage Life's main page.


33 comments:

marycelery said...

My best tip is to always have your children's portraits taken with a plain, white background. No matter the season, white is always the best. Why?
First, it shows your children so clearly and beautifully without distraction. Their clothes can indicate the season, but not the background.
Second, they automatically "group" on a wall. You have have all sorts of beautiful, unique frames, and all of the white backgrounds will give the grouping continuity.
Finally, it will give all of your portraits a "posh" look. Even WalMart photos, matted and framed in a second-hand frames look fabulous.

Miss Msary

Candy said...

Hi there,
I would love to be entered into your draw. I will email you my tip now..
Thanks so kindly,
Candy

Mimi said...

Hi

I emailed a tip as well. The rose plates are lovely.

Thanks,

Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

The rose plates are so pretty, I love them.

Ok a tip. Paint and TLC can trasnform the ugliest, junkiest item to to thing of beauty. Freebies and bargains are everywhere, just keep an open mind as to how they could be transformed :)

La Tea Dah said...

Decorating with cottage charm --- on the cheap. Here's my idea:

Choose one of your children's favorite 'first reading books'. If it's okay with the child, carefully remove two or three pages from the book. Choose pages with colorful pictures (Dick and Jane books are perfect). Buy inexpensive wooden frames at the dollar store. Paint them white or cream (or both, with an antique effect) and frame the art. Not only will you have a keepsake of the early years, you'll have a pretty and meaningful addition to your home walls. The children will love that you included them in your cottage decor.

A Dusty Frame said...

My tip is to pray before I go thrifting!

I ask God to help me see what I should see. It's amazing the beautiful things I find;)!
My friend always says I have a "nose" for the good stuff.
I told her, "nope--it's the Lord."

Lizzie

Anonymous said...

LOVELY plate! Please include me in your draw.

My tip ~ Decopage.
Cut out pictures of your choice from magazines we have lying around the house.
Cost - Zero.
Paint an old stool (or any old furniture).
Cost - Zero (because they are left-overs!)
Decopage your pictures on the furniture.
Cost of decopage glue - $5.
Cheap - YES!!

My email: lyheg6599@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I forgot to say ...

Do check out my weblog ~ motherandchild.typepad.com to be included in my draw.

Trudi said...

Please enter me into your drawing and stop by and enter mine. The plates are lovely.

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

My best tip is flea market, rummage sale, or whatever it's called in your part of the country! One persons trash is anothers treasure. I love roses, so please enter me in your drawing!
Ele

pink23 said...

now these are beautiful!! lovely! what a fun giveaway! I hope I am lucky!

Kristin said...

Beautiful plates! My tip is to get a few girlfriends together and make a day of thrifting! Stop at tons of thrift stores and have lunch somewhere fun. Shopping and laughing are wonderful medicine! :)

Jessica said...

What pretty plates! I would love to be included in your drawing!
Thanks!
Jessica
lv@vcdesignconcept.com

Mrs.Garcia said...

My best tip, is to use what you already have on hand for example I have a Dining Room Lace Table Runner but I am using it on a End Table.
Use what you already have around your home but use in diffrent areas of your home and or for diffrent purposes.
May I also be entered into your drawing?
God Bless,
Mrs.Garcia

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be entered. I love the plates, they are so beautiful. My tip is use your imagination. My Grandmother had needlepointed two pieces that I had packed away and just looked at sometimes. One day I decided to make pillows out of them. Used a nice color backing that went with the roses and they are beautiful. I can display them now and think of her every time I look at them. judy_1212@msn.com

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I love those rose plates!

My tip is using paint. When using items that don't naturally "go" together, painting them the same color makes them all work in the same space!

mrsrabe.blogspot.com

Betty Jo said...

You have a lovely blog. I just emailed you with my suggestion. xoxo

Alison said...

Yes I would love those plates. Please include me.

Sol said...

I love the plates...please count me in. I wish you a great week ;-}

Little Pink Farmhouse said...

Oh oh count me in! Beautiful stunning plates!
Thanks! Ginger
littlepinkfarmhouse@blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Hello! What a lovely giveaway. I'd love to be entered. My tip is to use things in unexpected ways--like a cottagey silverware tray used as a thread rack like I posted on my blog a few days ago. Thanks for doing a giveaway, I hope you visit and sign up for mine! ~A :-)

cherio1 said...

My grandmother had left me a truly beautiful crocheted tablecloth. it was too large for my kitchen table so I added some curtain rings to it and hung it up in the guest bathroom as a shower curtain. I've gotten so many comments on my beautiful shower curtain! Please add me to your giveaway. Thank you.

Mrs. Cherry Heart said...

PAINT PAINT PAINT... its the best tool for adding cottage charm with very little cost!
You can paint anything!
Shop sales, flea markets etc for pieces then paint them...wha la you now have a beautiful item that is fresh and new for your cottage home!

Hugz, Dolly
http://frommycherryheart.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Grace said...

hmmmm...my best decorating on the cheap tip... I guess I would have to say it is always being open to the possibilities of what you will find. Decorating with tag sale finds, found objects, even side of the road treasures takes creativity and an open mind. Don't box yourself in with other peoples ideas of what you can do with something. Follow your own muse and always have a can or two of paint (preferably from the oops bin at the paint store!) on hand.

Roberta said...

I'd love to enter your contest. Those plates are so charming.

my tip would be use what you have and wait. So often items you desire appear at yard sales and thrift stores or your mother or a friend is getting rid of items and offers them to you. Being content to not have something "hot off the press" helps the budget as well as winnowing out what you may come to realize is less than your favorite in the near future.
It appears you already know this, but I think it's a good foundation for wise stewardship in decorating one's home.

Anonymous said...

Hi Meredith!
I love those sweet plates and have really enjoyed reading your bog. Hmmm...my tip would be that when you see something in a store/online/magazine whatever, that to avoid an impulse purchase, walk away from that situation or environment and wait. Give yourself a few days and see if you still feel the same way about it then. Most likely, the urge to buy it will be significantly diminished.

Anonymous said...

I think simple is better when it comes to decorating. The prettiest cottage homes I have seen (online & in magazines) are those that have a few decorative items. Otherwise it seems to become "pretty" clutter.

Sorry to hear of your family's loss & thoughts for a safe trip.

amelia said...

What pretty plates!

My tip is writing on the walls. I've used quotes and scripture. Once I traced the lettering using graphite paper, but I found it easier and just as pretty to dress up my own handwriting. I used various colored Sharpies, so it was just a dollar or two. I paired the writing with some second hand spray painted frames with pictures of the family for a bare wall that is very inexpensively and beautifully personalized. Those two walls are the ones every one stops and admires when they enter my home too!

Anonymous said...

Hi, thanks for entering me in your giveaway. I e-mailed a tip :)Thanks for such an inspiring blog.
zokiemichael(at)sisna(dot)com

Recycled Rita said...

These are beautiful! Your blog is really pretty also! Please enter me in the giveaway and come visit my blog sometime! karen b...
recycledrita.blogspot.com

Recycled Rita said...

Hi! What a pretty giveaway! Count me in! karen b...
recycledrita.blogspot.com

Lori said...

those are so lovely:) i have just started a little plate collection and these would be a perfect addition to help me along!

Toystory said...

Hubby will say --- you already have so many plates...too bad -- I need more.... :)