French Harvest Trug

Good morning!  How are you?  I hope all is well!  If you are curious to know, I did get outside to enjoy working in my garden this week.  Although the snow hasn't shown up again, it has been quite a cool week with hard frosts most nights.  Hopefully, my flowers took it in stride and I didn't lose any of them.  The sun peeked out during the day and it sure felt wonderful!  There is nothing better than the sun on your face!

Today, I would love to show you my antique French grape harvest trug.  These wooden trugs from the south of France were carried on the arms of french vineyard workers while harvesting grapes.  This one, was found hanging on the wall of an old barn at an off-the-road french brocante.  Don't you just love the perfectly weathered gray wood?

I stuffed it with vintage french torchons and some tiny clay pots.  I got the inspiration to roll the towels from Tracey at French Larkspur.  It all makes a great display on our coffee table!

And of course, it is never complete without a bundle of the best smelling lavender!  Thank-you, Maria!  

I have a bit of exciting news for you!  My dream has always been to start up a store to sell my vintage finds.  I love hunting down treasures and collecting to decorate in my home, and I am always moving things around.  When I am finished with it, it just packs up into storage until I think about it again, so why not let it move on to display in your beautiful homes?  Karl promised me that if my blog ever became big enough, with maybe 500+ followers and lot's of daily pageveiws we could purchase a domain and set up a little online store for a start.  Vintage items, like this trug for example, will be available for purchase.  I am getting very excited about the prospect of it!  Please stay tuned for updates!

Thank-you so very much again for your continued interest!  When I started this blog last year, I never imagined that it would spark so much attention!  I am more than blessed to have formed such wonderful relationships with you and developed some amazing friendships through it all!

A huge thank-you to the girls over at Ivy and Elephants for featuring my bedroom chandelier!  They made my day with their sweet comment!  Thank-you Paula and Patti! 

Maria ~Rusty Hinge

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Is it Really Snowing?

 It has been snowing here on and off the past couple days and even though it isn't sticking to the ground it nevertheless pains me to look at it.  The cold wind just took a huge bite out of me when I stepped outside this morning and my trellis just blew over.  With a sigh, I head back to the house.  It looks like I'll be working indoors for now.  Maybe later in the day when it warms up a bit, I can try again.

Here an old french wire basket holds some more bright blooms from bulbs.  This will have to do until the real thing outside!

I have to confess that at the moment I am behind on replying to your comments and leaving them on your lovely blogs.  I feel horrible and I am very sorry.  But please know that this does not mean that I have not visited and I do read and cherish every comment you leave me as well!  Thank-you very much for your continued support!

On another note,  some of you have been asking about Romantic Prairie Style magazine since Fifi and Mark were here in March to photoshoot our home for the magazine's winter issue.  You can read about their visit *Here*   Even though our little farmhouse won't be featured for several more months, I have been excitedly waiting for the arrival of the premiere issue.

  Great news!  Fifi just announced that it will be out on newsstands in two weeks!  Look for this cover next time you are out and pick up a copy!  I can not wait to read it!  It will be filled with decorating ideas, stories, gardens, projects, prairie-style recipes, and much more.  Like everything else Fifi has put her hand to, she poured her heart out on it and it's going to be wonderful!  To learn more  *Click Here*



Thank-you again for stopping by!  I hope you all have a wonderful week!





Maria ~Rusty Hinge

Rain Boots

April showers bring May flowers, so while I wait for those showers, I decided to bring my rain boots inside to add a little color to our living room.

I love re-purposing items into flower vases in unconventional ways.  Flowers look great displayed anywhere, so way not spice it up a bit?

The arrival of spring always moves quite slowly here in Michigan, so I try to bring it indoors as much as I can until my garden is in full swing!  I see all of your gorgeous gardens well on their way, and I am just itching to get out in mine!  I will share outdoor photos as soon as I can, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the splashes of color I give you indoors!


Thank-you very much, Courtney at French Country Cottage and Debra at Common Ground for featuring my vintage ice cream bucket of blooms!








Thank-you as well, Nicki at The Vintage Farmhouse, for featuring my tole bedroom chandelier!





Go give these talented ladies a visit and tell them I said hello!





Maria ~Rusty Hinge




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He has Risen, Indeed!

Happy Easter!  I love all the light decorations that fill our home this time of year.  Although the decor, egg hunts and chocolate bunnies are fun, it is important to remember that all aside they are merely sport.  Easter is so much more!  Christ is ALIVE!  What He did on the cross for me, for you, to save us from the hell we deserve.  It is impossible to fathom.  But now He has risen!  He LIVES!!

I put together this centerpiece by filling an apothecary jar with Spanish moss and grass.  I found the nest outside in the yard and made the tiny eggs from colorful origami paper.  I had seen something similar displayed while shopping at Pottery Barn a couple years ago.

A vintage egg-tree stands guard on my living room side table.  I love the patina on these old hand twisted wire pieces.  I collect anything from wire baskets to cooling racks, and in my opinion the rustier they are the better!

I love these vintage pots.  You probably already guessed, as I have them everywhere!

This is the season of new life.  I see it all around me from my awakening garden to the robins busy making their nests in the pines.  It is everywhere.  I remember once when I was a little girl back home on the farm, my dad woke me up at sunrise one Easter Sunday.  He told me to hurry back to the birthing pen.  I will never forget watching that little calf being born that Easter morning.  I had seen calves born many times before, but just watching this little one take it's first steps as the sun peeked over the barn, brought tears to my eyes.  It reminded me of the new life we receive from God's precious gift to us, His only Son.


The tomb is empty, my friends!  Rejoice!  He has risen, indeed!



Maria ~Rusty Hinge



"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
2 Corinthians 5:21










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