PIECES

Hey, there!  :-)

I just wanted to thank you all so much for the encouraging Tweets and comments I received yesterday on my first day back to school.  It was such an amazing experience for me, going back to finish up my education; and I am so happy to say that it was a wonderful day.  I have two different classes today, which I am a little bit nervous about -- but I'm feeling a lot better than I was yesterday before I left my home to drive to the school for the first time in so many years.  I loved reading your messages and each one made me smile and feel so cared for.  You guys are the best!

I was contacted last week by a really nice woman named Allie who works for a store called Pieces in Atlanta, Georgia.  Pieces is a high-end boutique that carries both vintage and new furniture and was started by owner and designer Lee Kleinhelter in 2004.  I asked Allie if I could showcase some of my favorite pieces on the blog today, and she said I could.  :-)  This is not a sponsored post.  I just really think these items are beautiful and am happy to share them with you!  

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Seriously...how gorgeous are these items?  I encourage you to head on over to the boutique's website and take a mini-break reveling in the amazing finds in this shop!

What's your favorite piece from this post?

love,

maria

Francesca's Collections: A Store to Love

Have any of you heard of (or been to) Francesca's Collections?  I first read about this store on The Small Things Blog, and when I looked up where the closest Francesca's was to me, low and behold -- it was right down the street!  Crazy!  I have yet to pop into the shop, but I did some online-looking the other day, and I wanted to share with you some beautiful things that I found!  :-)

{Drops of Turquoise Earrings, $12}

{Green Peaks Necklace, $28}

{Right On Time Watch, $28}

{Grace Lace Shorts, $38}

{Beach Sunset Cardi, $44}

{Rock Candy Necklace, $32}

{Afterglow Neon Belt, $12}

{Earn Your Stripes Top, $34}

Honestly, how great are those prices?!  I think my favorite pick would have to be the green necklace -- but you should definitely check out the site and see what else tickles your fancy!

What's your favorite item in this post?

love,

maria

Disclosure: I was not compensated by Francesca's Collections to write this post -- they don't even know who I am!  I just love their fun things. :-)

PS: Don't miss this weekend's posts...

Mary Schmidt Amons' House Tour

Penny Tile Love

xxoo

Table Runner of my Dreams

About nine months ago, while popping into Anthropologie to pick out some decor for my Fall wedding, I came across this table runner and instantly fell in luuuuuurve.  I mean hard.

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Isn't she pretty?  Can you blame me?  The problem was, I didn't look at the price.  I just stared at the runner, petted it, and then reluctantly tore myself away from it thinking that it was way out of my price range.

Then, about a month ago, this little beauty found its way to me again while I was perusing one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes and Cashmere.  I swooned, and then died just a little, because that's what happens when you love something but you can't have it.

Which brings me to the other day, when I was thrifting at my local Savers (great finds for projects and more!) and I found a pretty woven table runner that was reminiscent of my beloved Anthro variety.  

Okay, so the tinsel-y sweetness isn't there; but it has tassels, and there were no stain marks, no tears -- it was a virtually perfect find.  So I walked away with it.  And when I got home, I set it up and then came up with a summery centerpiece.  When my husband came home from work, he commented on the runner (he's awesome and notices things like that), and I smiled and felt proud.  And then I asked him if he wanted to see the table runner that danced in my dreams at night.

This brought me to the Anthropologie website, to the table linens section, and - oh my gosh - there it was, in all it's shimmery glory.  My runner.

For forty-eight dollars?!  What?!

I was shocked.  I squealed and I clapped and I may have even stood up and done a little fist-pumping action.  My husband just stared at me.  ;-) 

That night, I didn't sleep.  I couldn't!  Because this table runner was keeping me up.  And so, the next day, I went and found it -- it was there alone, like it was waiting for me -- and I hugged it and it sat in the front seat with me on my way home from the shopping center.  I had birthday money from last week's happy day, so it only cost me two dollars!  Woo!

I love how reminiscent of a Moroccan wedding blanket this runner is.  Maybe that's why I fell so hard for it in the first place...

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What do you think?  And are you a person who obsesses over table linens, too?

love, maria