Hello Everyone!

I hope you are having a great week.

I am sorry I have been so absent lately.  

Things have been a little busy around here.

I had to take my camera in to get cleaned, I just got it back yesterday, so I will be able to get back to taking pictures : )

I just wanted to announce who won my 250.00 Gift Card to my online shop.....

Congratulations Anne!

Anne's Imagination Creation

I also wanted to announce the winner of the Annette Tatum  Pirouette Whisper Euro Sham....

Congratulations 

Coastal Blue Ocean

Thank you Annette Tatum for sponsoring such a generous giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who participated in both giveaways.

I also wanted to share a picture of my daughter Bethany and her goat Dolly....

Bethany brought Dolly along for our little outdoor photo shoot. 

I will be sharing more outdoor photographs with you very soon.

Hope you all enjoy your week.

Take Care,

Maria

Dreamy Whites Online

A Special Guest Post, Annette Tatum and an Annette Tatum Euro Sham Giveaway

Hello!

I am honored to have Annette Tatum as a special guest blogger today.

Annette Tatum founded the Annette Tatum Collection in 1994, and is also the author of the inspring book, The Well Dressed Home.

Annette is also giving away a Euro Sham to one lucky reader, be sure and read the giveaway information at the bottom of the post.

Thank You Annette Tatum!

Relaxing Outdoor Environments for Summer

          Guest Post by Annette Tatum

As summer approaches the warm air, fresh scents, and sunlit colors draw us out of our homes, and we dream of creating more ways to spend our time outside.  This blog is dedicated to exploring ways to create relaxing outdoor environments, giving each of us more reasons to enjoy the luxury of the outdoors this summer.

In Your Own Backyard

Create a place to rest in your own backyard.  Bring a daybed outside adorned with light bedding and floral pillows, as you find yourself relaxing with a book, enjoying a nap, or an afternoon snack.

An Outdoor Workspace

What a wonderful place to open your mind and stimulate your creativity?  Bring some paintings outdoors and set up a table for you to work, think, or entertain...a great place to invoke interesting conversations! 

Escape to a Yurt!

A yurt is provides an exotic way to enjoy the outdoors, while keeping cool in the shade creating the perfect place to unwind, meditate, stretch, think...or simply flip through a few pages of a magazine while you forget about "real life" for awhile...

Resort-Style

There's no need to plan a summer vacation if your own home feels like a resort.  Take inspirations from your favorite luxury hotels and travel destinations, and then create your own place of escape.  Dress up your patio furniture with vibrant, comfortable cushions, and extend living spaces to open to a patio or pool setting.  A lovely place for happy hour! 

For more inspirational ideas of how to express yourself through your home decor, please visit Annette’s blog, and be sure to pick up a copy of her book, “The Well-Dressed Home“.

Giveaway Information.....

To help you relax this summer, Annette is giving away: A Pirouette Whisper Euro Sham!  Value $64.00:

1. To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment on this post, and if you would like tell us how you like to create a relaxing outdoor environment during the summer months.

2. If you would like a chance for an extra entry you can post the giveaway to any of your social networking sites.  You must leave a separate comment for each entry.

The winner will be chosen by random number.

The giveaway will end Sunday, June 19th at midnight.

I hope you get a chance to visit Annette's blog and website,

Annette Tatum

Thank you Annette Tatum!

I have Annette's book, The Well Dressed Home, it truly is one of my favorite decorating books.
I will be back in a couple of days with the winner of my giveaway.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

Take Care,

Maria

A 250.00 Dreamy Whites Online Gift Card Giveaway

Hello!

I hope you are all having a great Monday.

I haven't actually done a giveaway for my shop on my blog yet, so I thought it

would be fun to do a giveaway today.

One reader will receive a $250.00 gift card to my online shop.

I can't thank you guys enough for all of the support you have given me this past year.

I appreciate it so much!

The giveaway information will be at the bottom of the post.

Here is a sampling of what you will find in my shop.

I took some product pictures outside this last weekend.

I  have been waiting for the grass to turn a golden brown so I could

take some product pictures outside.

(I love California's golden rolling hills and oak trees)

Here are a few pictures from this weekend.

I tried to keep it simple.

A French Bistro Chair....

An antique European grain sack wagon cover.

It has beautiful pale pink stripes.

I recently found this french wine basket that is over a 100 years old.

It was used to carry wine up from the cellar.

It has six slots for holding wine bottles.

 I finally have more red striped grain sack table runners in stock.

I will be adding more of these to my site this next week.

Giveaway Information....

One reader will receive a 250.00 gift card to Dreamy Whites Online.

The giveaway winner will be chosen by random number.

The giveaway ends June 12th at midnight.
The giveaway is open to international readers too.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave me a comment on this post

stating what you would purchase from my shop if you were to win the 250.00 gift card.

If you would like an additional entry you can.....

2. Post the giveaway to your blog

3. Post the giveaway to your facebook page and or...

4. Post the giveaway to your twitter account
In order for your extra entries to count you must leave separate comments for each entry.

If you leave an anonymous comment please be sure and leave your email address.

Thank you for all of the support and encouragement you have given me this past year.
It means so much to me.

Take Care,

Maria

Dreamy Whites Online

P.S. I wanted to say thank you to all of you that stopped by and left flower care tips on my last post.
I can hardly wait to try all of your great tips.
Thank you!

hydrangeas, peonies, and a french zinc bucket

Hello!

I hope you are all having a great week!

I just wanted to share a few pictures I took of a french zinc bucket that I added to my online shop last  weekend.

This vintage french bucket has an antique french label attached to one side of the bucket...

I filled it with pale pink hydrangeas along with a couple of peonies....

When filling a large tub with flowers, I just put a bucket inside the tub upside down for added height, and then add another bucket filled with water and flowers...

 It is a lot easier to arrange the flowers this way...

At least it is for me. : )

I don't know about you, but I have had problems cutting my hydrangeas for arrangements and then before I know it they are wilted.  

I just recently learned that if you slightly smash the ends of the hydrangeas and add ice to your water, 

your cut hydrangeas should last longer...

I so far have had better luck with my hydrangeas lasting longer when doing this.

Do you have any flower arranging tips and or flower care tips you would like to share?

Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a visit.

Take Care,

Maria

Dreamy Whites Online