And the winner of the tea towel give away is...

Tea and Margaritas in My Garden! Congrats~ you get the Third Drawer Down Camilla Engman Tea Towel from Kir deVries!




Email me ASAP so I can get your mailing information and send it your way!

Awesome Michael Kors bedding sale at ideeli!

If you haven't already used this link to become a member of ideeli for free - than you might want to when you see this gorgeous Michael Kors bedding seriously discounted.





Happy shopping, and remember - you have to use this link to get the free membership!

The Amazing Cave Village in Matera, Italy

The Sassi is a town of stone homes caves and a group of renowned cave houses set against the Gravina Valley. It is "the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history." -Unesco.org

The albergo diffuso project is 18 hotel rooms spread over several buildings where extreme care has been taken to keep the structures in tact. You can see by the before and after pictures that all they've seen to have changed was adding some furniture and picking up chunks of rocks. It's quite a cool story that you can read at the hotel's website - http://www.sassidimatera.com/


Here are the rooms restored:










The caves before restoration:





The area and exterior:





very cool no? I'd also like to point out that you can make reservations online - but prices aren't listed ;)

Pretty (and cheap) DIY headboard ideas!

An inexpensive antique door can be made to look like something you bought at Restoration Hardware. Looks like Martha and Country Living share brainwaves! Country Living lists the instructions here.
via Country Living, via Martha Stewart

A pocket door topped with molding and adorned with sconces makes a great space saving multifunctional piece - this one might be a little harder to pull off, however...
via Sunset Mag


An Apartment Therapy reader's success at making a headboard from a door.

*gorgeous* This mantle headboard looks fit for royalty
via A Fanciful Twist

ooo... I love this pale shabby chic version, too...

Really awesome directions and more pictures at Apartment Therapy.
She claims it only took $65 and 2 hours!

Beautiful Interiors from my Favorite Blogs

I'm really liking this new tradition of featuring images from my favorite blogs once a week!
This first set is from one of my first blogging friends - the multi talented Rachel from Dwellings and Decor




The second grouping here comes from the always inspiring Decor8.


and last but certainly not least, from JuBella

If I were the swooning type...I would be swooning. Those floors! Those billowing white curtains!

A classy and elegant house

I fell in love with the home of Windsor Smith, which is featured on the September issue of House Beautiful. Her kitchen also graces the cover. As you can see, she's got a sophisticated taste without being flashy, and I love her eye for color!








via House Beautiful, September, 2009

Fresh and clean idea houses and home tours

It's been a rough morning for me due to some stupid mistakes I made on some rather important paperwork, so I need a little zen before I start trying to clean up my mess.










via Southern Living