Round Top Report (Part 1): The Bed and Breakfast

Hello friends! I've been downloading and editing photos from our weekend birthday trip to Round Top and I decided that there were so many that I should break up my "report" into two parts: 1) the Bed & Breakfast Cottage, and  2) Shopping at Round Top.
(Fair Warning - there are bunches of photos, so you might want to grab your favorite beverage and get comfy!)

The Bed & Breakfast Cottage

(click any image to enlarge)

Let me tell you what, I about had a happiness heart attack when we pulled into the driveway of this incredible PINK Bed & Breakfast Cottage! KUDOS to Tami & Troy, the wonderful, sweet innkeepers at Tara Farms in Brenham, Texas!! They have created a peaceful, beautiful retreat that really lives up to their motto: "Come Renew Your Strength", based on the Scripture,

"Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31).

This was one of the best Bed & Breakfast experiences I have ever had, and it was the attention to details that helped make it so.

Troy owns a landscaping business in Brenham and Tami is an avid gardener, and boy does it show on this property - the grounds and gardens were GORGEOUS! Here's a tour of the grounds leading to the front porch...

What's not to love about a white porch swing hanging from a huge pecan tree overlooking a gorgeous garden?

Welcome to the garden...

LOVE this little bridge that leads from the guest parking to the cottage walkway...

Quite a view! That is the most luscious Bermuda grass...we walked barefoot all around that velvety expanse of grass; it was heavenly!

In about a month, I imagine the pecan trees will all be green and the rosebushes will be in bloom, but even without that, it was still gorgeous...

I have a thing for porches...especially adorable pink ones!

And that was just the outside! Now we're entering Mia's Cottage...

Pink cottage with a dark pink cottage door and adorable Victorian white screen door...yep, I'm moving in!

Here's a look around the main room...LOVE all the details! It's as if it was decorated right from the pages of my idea notebooks...

The TV was tastefully hidden inside this great old armoire...

More details...

The gorgeous, fluffy queen bed was as comfortable as it was beautiful!

But what really stole my heart was the dining nook with the wall of mis-matched pink rose china, chippy white table and green chairs, and tiny pink chandelier...SWOON!

The table was set with beautiful china, an assortment of homemade goodies, and fresh flowers...

The kitchenette was a great chippy old cupboard that they had rehabbed to house a sink, microwave, and a mini-fridge below. It was filled with more china and various serving pieces, and it was stocked with everything from coffees and teas to yogurt and fresh fruit....lovely!

Finally, the all important bathroom. I can't tell you how many times I've stayed at B&B's where the room was wonderful, but the bathroom, not so much. Well, that was NOT the case here...the bathroom was beautiful and very functional, roomy, and comfortable. It was thoroughly modern, but looked wonderfully vintage like the rest of the cottage...

It had a great garden tub as well as a separate shower...and more china plates!!!

...and lots of sweet details...

One last look at the cottage from the front door...

...and from the back looking out...

I hope you enjoyed the tour of Mia's Cottage at Tara Farms! I enjoyed myself all over again! Here's a peek at the back porch of the main 1880's era farmhouse that the owners completely remodeled and where they currently live (next door to the cottage which is situated to insure privacy). 

You can get an idea of the gorgeous terraced grounds...it's a really beautiful place!

But here's the best part of the whole special birthday weekend...

...my sweet, cute Hubby that made the whole thing possible!

Thank you for an unforgettable birthday!!

Love you Sweetie!!

______________________________

Next up: Shopping at Round Top! I hope you'll stop by again to see all the fun junk!!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Hey Y'all! I'm heading out for a very special birthday celebration. It's the big 5-0 for me on Sunday (wow), and my sweet hubby is taking me to a wonderful Bed and Breakfast cottage for 2 nights...yay!

But, guess where the Bed and Breakfast is...right near Round Top, Texas, home of the famous Round Top Antique Show which kicks off this weekend!...and we're going to do one of my most favorite things in all the world...look at miles and miles of vintage junk and antiques!! Plus, see some great blogging buddies, which is really what I'm looking forward to the most...

...and as a bonus, it's the height of bluebonnet season here, so there's sure to be lots of this yummy loveliness all over the place. Oh how I love Texas in the Spring!

Yep, should be a fabulous birthday weekend!!  You know I'll have my camera around my neck the whole time, taking photos of the things we love to see...I'm definitely taking you, my sweet friends, along with me in my heart...

I'll be back at the blog Monday with a full report! Have a wonderful weekend y'all!

(I know I will!!! LOL)

Featured at Launch Your Creativity!

I'm am so excited to let you know that sweet Sharon Hughes, the woman behind Launch Your Creativity (and Pansy Cottage & Garden), has featured me and the story of my artistic journey on the Launch Your Creativity blog today! What an honor - thank you Sharon!!

Launch Your Creativity was started by Sharon as a way to share knowledge, inspiration, and encouragement with women who have a dream of starting their own business. The first Launch Your Creativity event will be held April 9th, 2011 at the Paris in a Cup Tea Salon located in Orange, CA, and will include a luncheon, all kinds of goodies, and five dynamic, inspiring speakers including Jacqueline deMontravel, the editor of Romantic Homes magazine! It's sure to be a wonderful day! Read more details about the event and all the speakers, and even buy tickets online at the Launch Your Creativity website.

Thanks again Sharon for sharing my story.

And friends, I hope you'll visit Sharon and read mine and other stories of women stepping out and following their dreams - I know you'll be blessed and encouraged!

Cherry Pickin'!

Don't hate me...Garage Sale this morning - CUTE Kate Spade Cherry Purse - 50 cents!

(you can click the Kate Spade link above to see how expensive her handbags are!)

I haven't been pickin' in earnest for quite a while now. After our last flea market show at Winnie in November and the wedding I styled in December, there's been precious little reason (or opportunity because of the cold weather) to go to garage sales. But reason goes right out the window when dayglo orange and green signs pop up on street corners everywhere like so many dandelions in Spring, beckoning you with words like "GIGANTIC Moving Sale!", "HUGE Multi-Family Yard Sale", or the heart-stopping "Estate Sale"!. What's a junk-loving girl to do?

Actually today was a lousy pickin' day overall, but this one little .50 gem saved the day from being a total loss. And isn't that why we keep our eyes peeled for those crazy signs in the first place, and go to garage sales when we have no business going?...because of the HOPE that there may be a hidden treasure in a fifty cent junk box...?

Well, the cherry purse got me to thinking about other fun cherry stuff, so I thought I'd top off the post with a few cherry images to sweeten your day...

Birdie illustration based on Kathy's sweet stuffed birdie-in-a-teacup...

EASY Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe

No-Sew Cherry Valance Tutorial

Thanks for stopping by friends - BIG Texas HUGS to all of you, and...

Happy Weekend...with a cherry on top!!