Make Mine Pink's Friday Shopping Event - Office Chic

This week is "Office Chic" at Make Mine Pink's Friday Shopping Event, and Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor couldn't resist the chance to participate. Just think of your home office, or your away-from-home office all dressed up with pretty findings from the shops at Make Mine Pink. Drop by Cozy Cottage where we have free shipping on all items in our shop now, and then drop in on the other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink. You are sure to find some lovely items to make your office a little bit cozier.

Happy Shopping!

Debbie

Pink Friday is "Beautiful Blues"

Blue is calming and serene. It's a coastal color, often used in bedrooms and rooms of relaxation. From delicate pastel to a deep, emboldened navy, adding blues to your décor can evoke a tranquil yet often vibrant mood. Beautiful blues surround us, and remind us we are home. Make your home a cozy retreat with beautiful items from Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor!

Cozy Cottage offers free shipping on items in the Pink Friday category....this is the time to load your shopping cart at Cozy Cottage!

You may also enjoy the items in our Little Pink Boutique.

Please join Cozy Cottage and other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink as we celebrate "Beautiful Blues" on Friday, May 8th.

Pink Friday, a New Recipe, and a GiveAway!

Pink Friday

Please join Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor along with the other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink as we celebrate...........

Marie Antoinette

What a trendy theme it seems to be!

Marie Antoinette was young, tall, blonde and beautiful and she set fashion trends through France and Europe. Her flip remark, "Let them eat cake" (attributed to her, but never confirmed) was the spark that ignited the French Revolution.

Today, we simply cannot get enough of "Marie".
She became Queen of France while still a teen. Her excessive fashions for high headdresses, plumes and voluminous dresses were subject to public
comment, admiration and ridicule.

To escape the formalities, boredom, and royal obligations of court, Marie-Antoinette created a private realm of pleasure for herself and her friends at the Petit Trianon, a small retreat palace on the grounds of Versailles, and Hameau, where she planted the first Anglo-Chinese garden; collected all species of antique roses; and revolutionized architecture and gardening trends.

So why do we love Marie Antoinette today? All her extravagance, her life of excess, her hairstyles that were larger than life, her reported love of pastries and champagne (some truth and some fiction as Marie was a teetotaler) all create for us a time and place

where a young girl can be Queen.
(--Director of Community Relations @MakeMinePink.com~Designer @ CestChouetteHome.com)

Make your home a castle or a cozy retreat with beautiful items from
Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor!

Free shipping
on items in the Pink Friday category....
this is the time to load your shopping cart
at Cozy Cottage!

You may also enjoy the items in our
Little Pink Boutique

Now for a recipe decadent enough for the pickiest of queens!

This recipe was a favorite at my coffee house, "Great Expectations". Although we closed the shop a few years ago I still have former customers who comment on this delicious treat!

Mocha Chocolata

Ingredients: Chocolate ice cream, espresso coffee (prepared), Torani chocolate syrup, Torani French Vanilla syrup, 1/2 cup Half&Half, whipped topping, Hershey's chocolate syrup, chocolate sprinkles.

In a tall soda glass place two large scoops of chocolate ice cream. Pour one or two shots of freshly made hot espresso coffee over the ice cream (depending on how much of the coffee flavor you like). Pour the Half&Half over this. Then pour two shots of Torani Chocolate syrup and one shot of Torani French Vanilla syrup over the top. Top with whipped topping and garnish with chocolate sprinkles.

Serve with a long sundae spoon and enjoy!

We also called this the PMS Special for obvious reasons! :)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And now for the giveaway...............drumroll please!

The first person who leaves a comment on this post telling which song
the title of my recipe comes from will win a special little something
from Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor!
(Check back in a few days to see who the lucky winner is.)

Linens and Lace at Cozy Cottage - Pink Friday

Fine linens and lace passed down through generations.....what stories they could tell if they could only speak! When I go to an estate sale or auction I can never pass up the chance to bid on a stack of old linens. I try to imagine who might have used them and why they are being discarded. Is no loving family member left to be their caretaker? Or have they just gone out of style with the latest generation?

This week at Make Mine Pink our Pink Friday theme is "Linens and Lace". I can't wait to see what everyone has to offer........I am using several of my vintage linens to create something special, but you have to wait until Friday to see it on my website!

Vintage linens can be used in your home in many ways.......they add that special touch of coziness that makes your house your home. I love to layer my linens by placing a pretty cloth over a table, then accenting items on top by placing coordinating crochet doilies underneath each item. Drape a pretty crochet cloth over a lampshade to diffuse the light and create a soft glow. If you sew, you can create many lovely items from vintage linens and lace........pillow covers, handbags, bedskirts, curtains.... just to name a few.

I would love to hear how you use vintage linens to decorate your home!

Show and Tell Monday.....Cozy Cottage Chairs....a Christmas present to me! :)

"All I want for Christmas is......" these adorable chairs, perfect for my Cozy Cottage! I was shopping a local thrift store a few days ago and there they were....just calling my name. I tried to be strong thinking I should be buying gifts for others right now....and even left the store without them, but the next morning I was back again, and claimed the pair as mine! Best of all, when I got them to the cottage I discovered that I have fabric just like the foral on the cushions so I can make skirts for both chairs.....I think they will be perfect then!

If you like my cottage chairs you should hop on over to my Patchouli Rose blog and see the fainting sofa I bought at the same time!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, good times with your friends and family, and a special present just for YOU!

Pink Friday - Last minute gift ideas!

This week's Pink Friday features Last Minute Gifts.....do you need some? Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor and other boutique owners at Make Mine Pink understand, because we are not only boutique owners, we are wives, mothers, daughters, and friends. We know what it means to find the perfect gift for that special person. We too shop at the last minute, at odd hours, or in our jammies.....and I can say from personal experience that the quality and customer service you will get from the boutique owners at Make Mine Pink is top of the line! Go fix your favorite warm drink, pull up a chair and join us this Friday for some serious last-minute shopping on Pink Friday at Make Mine Pink.

Show and Tell Monday

A bit of information for you........

Pink Friday at Cozy Cottage held over this week! Yes, you can take advantage of the Pink Friday and Friday FleaMarket free shipping all week long.

Something new at Cozy Cottage! All orders over $100 (before shipping cost is added in) will receive a full refund of the shipping cost....that means FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $100!


Also, for every $50 you order (before shipping cost is added in) before December 18th, you will receive a gift of peppermint scented Candylights, retail value $11.00. So, if you order $100 of merchandise you will not only receive free shipping, but also two strands of Candylights.....now what could be better than that???

Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe comes from my mom. It was a new recipe to her but she made it for Thanksgiving and we all loved it!

BEER BREAD

Ingredients:
3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 can of flat beer (open a beer and let it sit out for a couple of hours)

Mix all ingredients and pour into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle melted butter over the top and bake at 375* for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool until bread is just warm before cutting with a serrated knife.

Note: This bread makes wonderful toast!

Pink Friday - Christmas Shopping at Make Mine Pink

Shopping's a breeze at Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor......

How does a day at the mall sound......first fighting the crowds in the parking lot and then in the stores? Hmmm.......it's not my idea of fun either! Instead, how about fixing a cup of your favorite hot tea, a yummy turkey sandwich and sitting down in your chair in your home and doing your shopping online.......without all the stress! Best of all, everything will be delivered right to your door and can even be gift-wrapped if you choose. Now that's my kind of shopping!

Here at Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor we offer all that and more! Items in our Pink Friday and Friday FleaMarket categories and our Little Books in the Paperie category can all be purchased with FREE SHIPPING!!!

Wouldn't this Elegant Ebony & Crimson Journal make a lovely gift for someone on your Christmas list? It can also be found in the Paperie category at Cozy Cottage.

Items purchased this Friday, Nov.28th, will be packed and shipped on Tuesday, Dec. 2nd, via USPS Priority Mail assuring that they are received by you long before Christmas.

Happy Shopping!

Treasure hunting for Cozy Cottage - fun!

It's been a very busy week searching for new items to list on the Cozy Cottage website and to re-stock the brick and mortar store. I found thie cute retro style cabinet this week and fell in love with the art deco painting on the glass. After a little reburbishing it will be offered for sale in the brick and mortar Cozy Cottage.

I spent all this afternoon in one of my favorite markets and came home with the Cruiser literally loaded down with goodies. Some will be craft projects for the online Cozy Cottage, and some are ready to be photographed and listed hopefully within the next two or three days. Please be sure to check frequently in the New Items section at Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor........it's a great alternative to crowded shopping malls!

Pink Friday, October 17th

Cozy Cottage is participating in Make Mine Pink's Pink Friday this week. The theme is "In the Hope Chest" which promises to be full of surprises. Just think of all the goodies that could be placed in a hope chest! Be sure to visit Cozy Cottage and the other participating MMP boutiques to see what we have to offer for your hope chest. Remember, this is also a FRIDAY event although sometimes you can peak in a little early and grab some goodies when no one is looking!

We have also joined the Friday Flea Market blog group which promises to be a fun adventure. Just click on their icon on the right side of my blog to visit Cozy Cottage and all the other participating shops. But remember.....it is FRIDAY Flea Market so you can't visit til then!

Be sure to set aside some time on Friday to do some serious shopping......and have a wonderful weekend!

Pink Friday, October 3rd

Please join Cozy Cottage and other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink as we celebrate "Office Chic" this Friday. As you can see, I have "pinked up" my own office this year and I get compliments on it almost every day.



"~Create a space of your very own~

When you look around your office, what do you see? Most office furniture is drab utilitarian, designed for function, but not beauty. The good news is, with a little imagination and the right props, you can create a chic office space that can be more than just an office, it can be respite just for you. It's all in the accessories. Add a chandelier, a floral display, pretty fabric organizers, chic storage boxes stacked in the corner, perhaps even a pretty, slip covered chair and ottoman. Awaken your senses - listen to the rustle of silk curtains blowing in the breeze, feel the smoothness of a hand painted desk, smell the scent of a flickering candle, gaze upon a basket of colorful ribbons while doing the most tedious of tasks. Make your office so much more than just an office. Let it be your sanctuary, your inspirational spot to create, a quiet place to write a letter to a friend, a place to get lost in a Victorian novel, a place to listen to music or maybe just a place to feed your soul." -- Joyce Lucas, Founder of Make Mine Pink

Pink Friday - Cozy Comforts

Wrap yourself in the cozy comforts of home, a steaming cup of cocoa, warm fuzzy slippers, cushy comfy quilts and pillows, then kick back and shop. From the “Cozy Comforts” of your home; we invite you to shop at Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor and other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink for our “Shopping with a Twist’ event, Friday, Sept. 19.

Show and Tell Monday

After a long leave of absence from Show and Tell Monday, I'm back! Here are just a couple of things I've been working on lately......

First, this pretty oriental style buffet/dresser


Before





.....and after







And these little mini-books....perfect for sketching, autographs, notes.....






This one is still in the works......

In my spare time I have been totally reorganizing the brick and mortar Cozy Cottage......check back for a new slide show coming soon!

Everything's coming up roses.........

this week at Cozy Cottage and other participating boutiques at Make Mine Pink. The theme this week is "Romantically Roses", so if you've been considering a rosy new decor theme, or if you just want to add a few roses to your favorite decor be sure to join us this Friday, July 4th for Pink Friday at Make Mine Pink. Can't wait to see you there!

Show and Tell Monday

This week I've been working on new signs for my cottage shop. I had the hanging sign handpainted by an artist named Othelia Vacura, who has an online shop called Old Czech Country Antiques & Primitives. I asked her to copy my shop logo as closely as possible and I think she did a great job.



Next I got some black outdoor acrylic paint and painted the street number for my cottage shop so it is visible from the street now. I found the cute little wooden butterfly cutouts at Walmart and thought they would add a little touch of whimsy and charm.



Last of all I went to VistaPrint and designed a door sign for the storm door at the shop and I just love it! Sorry my photo skills aren't the best and don't show it off too well but it's nice and was very inexpensive.

I've also been busy with the spray paint again this week. Here is a lovely old wicker rocker....it is huge!....that I bought at a yardsale last summer. It was black when I got it but I thought white would look nice and bright for summer...what do you think?

While I was at it I got my French tea/flower cart out of the garage and gave it a new coat of white paint. Then it got a place of honor on the front porch of the cottage.....I'll be a little sorry to see it leave when someone else decides they want it for their cozy cottage.

New family in residence at Cozy Cottage

Last weekend when we were working on my studio, my daughter Ashley and I discovered that a pair of cardinals had built a nest in the branches of a display rack I had set on the back porch last winter. Inside were three tiny speckled eggs which the mama cardinal tended very diligently. Yesterday I discovered that the eggs had hatched and inside the nest were three very naked baby cardinals. Aren't they the ugliest little things? It is hard to imagine that over the next few months they will become beautiful scarlet cardinals. Their nest is right outside one of my studio windows so I'll try to take photos of their progress and you can watch them grow with me.

Springtime comes to Cozy Cottage

Bunnies, bunnies and more bunnies......and they're all having a party at Cozy Cottage this week! I just added new items to my cottage shop and couldn't wait to give you a peek. Almost everything you see in the slide show is for sale and if you are lucky enough to live close to the real live Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor, please drop by and see us! If it isn't possible for you to drop by but you see something you absolutely just cannot live without please post a comment here and we can discuss how to get in touch so that you can purchase that item online. But best of all, you can just browse the shop and it doesn't cost a dime!

Cozy Cottage wishes you a wonderful Easter and the best Spring ever!

Coming soon....

Next in my line of Cozy Cottage Home Organization Products will be magazine storage boxes. These will be much more attractive than stacks of magazines on top of the coffee table and floor other places we just won't mention right now! Plus, now you will be able to have all of your Romantic Homes, Romantic Country, Victoria, Home Companion, Country Living, Cottage Living, Coastal Living, Tea Time, and all of those other wonderful magazines organized!Keep watching my Little Pink Boutique and Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor this week for the debut of Cozy Cottage Magazine Keepers.

MAKE MINE PINK COOKIE EXCHANGE

TEA COOKIES

This recipe was given to me by Sharon Stout, a lady I had the pleasure of working with in Oklahoma City in the late 1970s. They are a delicious shortbread type cookie and are wonderful with a cup of your favorite hot tea.

Mix well: 1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Add: 1 T. water
3 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Roll out on floured board and cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 375* until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Makes 4-5 dozen small cookies.

Pink Chocolate.......mmmm, mmmm good!

glitter-graphics.com
Deep velvety chocolate brown paired with pretty pastel pink....what a luscious color combination! "Pink chocolate" fabrics and accessories are readily available for you and your home (and even for your pet!). I just did a "google" search and here are a few of my favorite finds:

Cozy Cottage Gifts & Decor http://www.makeminepink.com/boutiques/shop/?store=93 has a luscious pink chocolate lap throw made from vintage lace paired with a rose pink cotton fabric.

C’est Chouette http://www.makeminepink.com/boutiques/shop/?store=33 has an absolutely gorgeous tuffet fashioned of pink and chocolate dupioni silk.

Bella Pink Boutique http://bellapink.typepad.com/bella_pink_postcards_from/ has a lovely blog designed in pink chocolate.

So Shabby Pink Boutique http://www.soshabbypink.com/catalog.php?category=31 features
pink chocolate terra cotta pots.

Natasha Burns Artistic Creations http://www.natashaburns.com/catalog.php?item=234&catid=5&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D5 offers faux chocolate cupcakes with pink icing that look good enough to eat!

Visit these fine shops and all the other boutiques at makeminepink.com for even more pink chocolate items for you and your home (and maybe even for Fifi!).

My #1 pink chocolate find was right here at home! Bryan, Brittney and Bailey Grace