My bags are packed...

Time for another voyage across the pond.

Headed to Northern England and London for

family time and some vintage shopping for the boutique!

Below is my wardrobe for the next 10 days...

Each trip finds me bringing less, making my

back a happy camper!

Places on our agenda ~

Camden Passage Antique Market

I hope to find some vintage wares...

Disappointment reigned when I found that 

Downton Abbey Highclere Castle 

tickets are sold out during our stay, not sure the

rest of the family is disappointed!

I will however be visiting the 

Bronte Parsonage & Museum...

...home to those fabulous Bronte sisters.

Also on the agenda, a local cheese market,

WWII museums, Cutty Sark and large quantities of scones!

Last year's visit found me electronically challenged

trying to keep up with the blog overseas but I believe 

we have corrected the problem. 

(Or user error as my husband would say)

So stay tuned and maybe just maybe my paparazzi skills will prevail and you will see a 

 photo of new Prince George, hope springs eternal!

Labor Day

In the words of the US Department of Labor~

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, 

is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. 

It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the 

contributions workers have made to the 

strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

So celebrate your contribution to America 

and join us this weekend at

www.maggieandreese.com

for our Labor Day Sale! 

First Day of School

Anthropomorphic art~ Artist Eugen Hartung (or Hurtong) 

Cat Math

Why not mark the first day of school 

with our cheery paperweight.

Misbehaving classroom kitties mark 

a right of passage that everyone

has experienced, 

the joy of mathematics!

If literature is more to your liking, 

our

Alice In Wonderland

might be a good choice.

If you are celebrating a special event in your life;

a new baby, baptism, marriage, birthday, 

contact us at 

info@maggieandreese.com

and we can help you create a custom paperweight personalized with a lock of hair, holy card or 

antique postcard for a unique gift.

See the rest of our current collection at 

www.maggieandreese.com 

School Days

It's that time of year again. 

September looms on the calendar and I find

myself reminiscing about the 

excitement of going back to school.

New pencils, freshly sharpened to a lethal point,

notebooks with their covers still shiny and smooth,

and the fall shopping excursion to our 

local department store for three new outfits 

to last until spring.  

I was especially in love with jumpers. 

Wool ones. This was not a practical choice since September in Texas is still quite hot and 

our school was lacking an important component 

for wool, air conditioning. 

Jumpers, does anyone actually wear them anymore?

YES! THANK YOU TORI BURCH!

Then came the lunch box. 

I would stand gazing at all the options and styles trying to decide who would go home with me, 

Huckleberry Hound, The Jetson's, 

Barbie?  So hard to choose! 

I loved the smell of a new thermos!

Finally, Sunday night would arrive.  After dinner we would take our baths, put on our PJ's and settle in to watch our favorite Sunday TV show.

My favorite episodes featured Ranger Woodlore,

he introduced me to our National Parks and 

the world beyond my neighborhood.

Of course I always felt queasy that first morning.  

5th grade was particularly tragic, Mom informed me at breakfast that I would be escorting myself to my classroom while she took care of my younger sister!

I survived and in later years had to learn to 

adjust to new schools in new states.  

Soon I was taking my own boys shopping for 

pencils (still yellow), notebooks (with Ninja Turtles and Transformer covers), and school uniforms.  

But time moves on and even that has come to an end.  Still, BACK TO SCHOOL signs fill me with excitement. 

I am not quite sure why. 

Could be the anticipation of cooler weather, 

football or upcoming fall holidays.  

I find myself drawn to the aisles of glue and 

construction paper wondering 

what happened to jar paste?

So for those of you with school age kids, 

savor this last summer night before the 

first day of classes. 

Help pack backpacks and marvel over new school supplies. Share your first day memories and remember, your children are building memories they will 

share with their children one day.

As for me, I guess tomorrow I will be looking 

for a new wool jumper! 

Whistle while you work...

Summer heat has set in so time for an indoor project.

When my boys were younger, they often complained as young boys will about having to do homework, pick up their rooms or make their beds.  My answer was always the same, "and so you think I love doing your laundry?" 

Thus started my attempt to try to help them understand that sometimes the best way to tackle a chore was to find an entertaining way to approach it.  Basketball hoops over laundry baskets, the joy of bubbles while cleaning a tub, cool hose showers that came as you washed a car in the summer sun.  I am not sure they always got the message but in trying to teach them I came to realize that sometimes the most important places in a home to beautify were not the public spaces, but the ones where the mundane chores of life take place ~ 

take the laundry room.

In recent years it has been nice to see laundry rooms come out of the shadows, some are complete with desks, gift wrap stations and china closets.  

But if you are like me and have a run of the mill size space 

just look at it as being small in size but big in potential.

My current laundry room is only 4' x 10' with the washer and dryer on either side of a walk in space and has an overhead cabinet and 1 shelf above a hanging rod.  My previous one was a large room with cabinets, built~in sink and a utility closet.  But no matter the size or configuration, I have been doing the same thing with every move.  I have vintage travel posters featuring National Parks we have visited and pictures of our kids and family members we have traveled with on various vacations, this way as I am washing and drying I can think about those I am washing and drying for.

So why not create a personal retreat in your laundry room.

First, think about how you want your space to feel; elegant, cheery, bold, reserved.  Once you decide, pick a color that reflects that mood. If your space is small, don't think you have to go light, dark colors can really give life to a small interior creating a jewel box effect.

 Lighting has a huge roll in creating the mood of a space so find a fixture that is in keeping with your goal. 

There are great options on websites like 

Overstock.com and Lighting Universe. 

Finally find some wall art and accessories that will make you smile every time you enter with another load of wash.

Here are two ideas for your weekend project, 

the first one is called 

Royal Wash

Start with regal walls in a deep purple like this one from

Farrow and Ball ~ Brinjal ~ rich and dramatic.

For a light fixture, why not a mini chandelier?

I am sure Cinderella would have loved folding clothes to the light reflecting off these crystals.

The mirrored artwork

Keep Calm / Now Panic

give a creative solution to labeling laundry piles.

A metallic crown hook for hanging a laundry sack 

and the elegant 

Scroll Wastebasket 

complete the look.

For those with a small desk,office or shelves

and love of color, how about

Blue Bayou

This happy color is Benjamin Moore's Paddington Blue 791

The fresh, clear hue is bound to cheer all who enter.

And nothing looks better with bright blue walls than bright white accents like this white drying rack that is 

not only decorative but functional.

If you have a place for pictures, why not some pretty frames like these from Maggie & Reese to 

feature pictures of your loved ones

Turquoise Chevron  and Round Grey Ikat

And if you have a desk, our 

Snuggle Bunny

paperweight with it's vintage ad postcard adds a 

touch of whimsy.

A glass pendant and Vera Bradley laundry bag add additional color to the room and the wall art of a

popular children's verse

This Little Light of Mine

keep things light~hearted as you fold your clothes.

The Zebra Wastebasket  gives you a place to throw away dryer sheets and and laundry lint.

So there you have it, just a few ideas to lighten the load while you tackle those necessary chores and don't forget to whistle while you work!

~Maggie

Across the Sea

After spending last week in England, we decided to continue our old fashioned 

"Summer Tour" and head across the sea, 

or should I say Channel...

When I first went to France several years ago, it was only because it was between me and my final destination ~ Belgium.  Like most Americans, I had heard every story about the inhospitable people, over sauced food, etc.  And although some of the cliché's may be true in some areas of the country, I found that after surviving a train strike, less than perfect weather in Paris and the narrow miss of the volcanic ash cloud upon departure, 

I love France! 

And of course the designer inside of me is fascinated by how the French can 

create the beauty of Versailles 

in a space the size of a postage stamp!  

So let's begin.  

Our inspirational space this week is a living room in a rental property located just a few steps from the Champs~Elysees.

Courtesy ~ Paris Haven

The most important element in this space is the color.  Trying to capture the light of Paris is impossible and matching the perfect gray/blue hue you find in almost every French space is equally difficult.  I myself spent many weeks with several gray/blue mixtures in my kitchen trying to find the one that made me feel I was breakfasting near the river Seine.  

The one that came the closest was 

Sherwin Williams Conservative Gray 6183.

(Design note ~ lighting, room orientation, cabinet colors all affect the final outcome of a wall color so ALWAYS paint LARGE test samples on each wall the color will be applied so you can experience it in multiple scenarios. And never trust color in a photo!)

The next element I would concentrate on 

is the beautiful, gold gilt mirror 

Courtesy of Layla Grace

With this vintage mirror 

Louis Philippe from Layla Grace

your space is almost speaking French!

Lighting is one area of design that I find to be very personal, almost like selecting jewelry.  There is no rhyme or reason, you either like a specific style of lighting or you don't.  I personally love antique fixtures with worn gold

finishes and crystal drops so I frequent Ebay in hopes of finding fixtures that fit whatever 

space I am currently working in...

...but if you are someone who prefers 

something a little edgier (like Reese)

by all means mix things up a little and 

add a contemporary fixture in an elegant finish 

like the one below 

The Morgan Chandelier 

by Troy Lighting

Now for chairs.

The French Bergere chairs shown 

are easy to find.  

Everyone from Ballard Designs to 

One Kings Lane has a version of their own.  

For me, I prefer the small stature of this antique version recently offered up at auction.

So that's it!  That is about all it takes 

to add a little Joie de vivre to your project, 

except maybe some fun stemware to toast a glass of French Champagne!

Celebration Flutes 

www.maggieandreese.com

As daughters of veterans, we are proud to share

this week's "giving back" opportunity 

Honor Flight Network

  honors our veterans by flying them to 

Washington DC to visit their memorials with 

top priority given to the 

senior veterans from WWII.

And for all those left behind and their families,

we say Thank You.

Normandy France

Normandy France

For more French Interior ideas, visit our Across the Sea board on Pinterest. 

~Maggie

Across the Pond

With everything at my house focused 

on the Brits these days, my oldest and his wife

were here on "holiday" from London, 

the speculation on the arrival Will and Kate's baby

at posting time, Kate is in labor! 

and the planning of our trip to 

merry ole England this fall, I decided 

that this week's summer style would focus

Across the Pond...

Courtesy of The English Home ~ July/August 2013

Our inspiration picture is located in the 

village of Wiltshire and is a new home

built to reflect a classic Georgian one.

One of the elements that drew me to this image was

the "duck egg blue" paint.  Few people realize what a great

"neutral" color this can be.  It blends with greens, reds, blues, I have even seen it paired with pumpkin 

tones and it was truly stunning.  

Benjamin Moore ~ 2051-60 Bird's Egg

Benjamin Moore's Bird's Egg is the perfect 

match to our inspiration room and a very soothing 

color on a hot summer day, we are off to a great start.

Now for someplace to sit.

Allan Knight ~ Hampton Sofa

The lines of this Allan Knight sofa are similar

to the English custom design but I like the

loose back cushions as it will make it a 

little more comfortable when seated.

Since English homes bring up thoughts of gardening, 

how about a grass green sofa fabric?

This Manuel Canovas in 100% cotton keeps our room

bright and cheery.

Manuel Canovas ~ Foch in Amande

Next we need drapery fabric.

Jane Churchill ~ Rossana Silk in Pink/Green

A lovely Jane Churchill fabric, 

Rossana Silk 

keeps our theme alive with English Roses.

Because our drapery fabric is softer in 

tone than our inspiration picture's darker reds, 

I am opting to add brilliant purples, 

reds and periwinkle shades,

again from Manuel Canovas.

Sultan ~ Fuchsia

So how are things shaping up?

Time to accessorize!

John Constable ~ Harwich, The Low Lighthouse and Beacon Hill

It is hard to find an English home that 

does not feature artwork. If you can't afford an 

original painting, there are many on-line shops 

that offer everything from reproductions of masterpieces 

to original photography available for framing, just choose

a piece that will say something to you 

every time you look at it.

Nothing says "English Home" like a 

blue and white pitcher filled with hydrangeas!

Or how about a Royal Doulton serving dish for 

afternoon tea?

Royal Doulton 

I think we have done a jolly good job 

on our English Cottage! 

Hopefully we have shown you 

that Traditional does not have to mean stuffy!

Combine traditional elements like roses and silk with 

more contemporary colors and textures and you

have a stylish cottage wherever you reside.

In honor of Princess Kate, this week's charity is 

Dedicated to children aged 5-16 who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties, 

The Art Room offers art as therapy to help build 

self esteem, self confidence and independence.

Be sure to see more on our Across the Pond Pinterest board!