Carolyn Westbrook Home Blog

Carolyn Westbrook: NYC Bergdof at Christmas

2011-12-26T11:55:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone! Hope you are enjoying the Season!! Here are more photos as promised from the Bergdof windows in NYC. First, is Alex excited to be posing in front of the windows. All I have to say, is it is a good thing that my friends, Gina, Heidi and Portia were not here with me, because we would have never been able to leave this location. Seriously, the next day, they would be scooping us up off of the sidewalk, as we would have stood out there all night trying to see everything, which is almost impossible. The detail is incredible. One window is all items made of wood, then another all white, and another is all mosaic jeweled items that looks like an underwater fairyland, and another is all black and white.

I hope that y'all enjoy these pictures, as it was really special. I am sort of numb today after too many sausage balls, turkey and dressing, and pecan pie...ughh! But it was a wonderful time for the entire family.
We have another member of the family now. The other day, after returning for New York, someone "dropped off" a little abandoned cocker spaniel. We named her Coco Chanel. She has found her a home and living in luxury, as she sleeps with me and follows me wherever I go. If I am not here, then you will find her curled up next to someone. She seems to have abandoment issues, as she will not go outside to potty unless someone goes and stands with her. I guess she is afraid that we will run off and leave her. Then, Victoria brought her Husky puppy "Coda" to live here for a while. Now we are back up to four dogs, 10 chickens, and Alex got an aquarium for Christmas...so now we have fish too, and an occasional cow.

Life is never boring. Believe it or not, there are even more pics to post....enjoy!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: More from NYC

2011-12-23T19:54:00.001-06:00

As promised...here are some more photos of the Christmas windows in New York. Hope everyone has all of their last minute shopping done...tick, tick, tick.

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Christmas in NYC...

2011-12-21T12:12:00.000-06:00

It has always been a dream to be able to see Christmas in New York and this year, that dream came true. Alex's birthday is right after Christmas, and she always gets a bad deal, as everyone combines birthday and Christmas. So, this year is her 18th birthday, and I decided to make it special and surprised her and my son Nick, with a trip to NYC. It was AMAZING! Of course, we were all there for different reasons. Mine was all about the window displays, Alex was all about the shopping, and Nick wanted to see the Natural History Museum and a cool Broadway show.
We walked for miles and miles the first day. First, was the Macy's windows. I took so many pics, that I thought that I would break them down. The Macy's windows were all sort of industrial inspired with gears and gadgets, and rockets, and turning things, and they did not disappoint. You can see a bit of that here. Then the other side of the building, was all about the book, Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. They had these windows within the windows, and you can see here as you peek into the library, and they were incredible.
That night we were off to see "Chicago" and since Nick plays the trumpet, he really enjoyed it. In fact, I have seen it before, but it is my favorite. Times Square was really, really crowded, with hustle and bustle, and some dancing Salvation Army volunteers, right outside of the 3-story Toys R Us, which had lines for miles. Like I said, Bergdof's windows were fantastic and left me speechless. I will save those for the last. I wish you could have all been there with me to see them, as the pictures cannot possibly do them justice. I want to meet with the people that came up with the concepts of these windows, as they are genius. Detail, detail, detail...incredible. I hope that all of you and yours are enjoying the excitment of the holidays and will post more tomorrow!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Life from the Plantation

2011-12-04T13:57:00.000-06:00

Even the dogs are decorating. I ran across this photo of my beloved Princess, and wanted to share it. Made me laugh and remember how great she was. I have missed talking to y'all and there has been much going on around here. The past three weeks, we have been going through operation: renovation. We got the news that the big muckety-mucks from one of the biggest retailers had agreed to a meeting/luncheon at the plantation. It started out, that we would showcase two of the collections. Then, my manufacturer thought that we should showcase all four. Plus the photographers were flying in from NYC for the last shoot for the book. I had people come in to gut one of the downstairs rooms, and by gut I mean ripping up carpet and tack strip, and pulling nails from the hardwoods. Floors were refinished, walls were repainted to match the bedding, and it turned out amazing@! Then upstairs, I decided to touch up the trim in the 40 ft. long hallway. When I did that the other trim looked dingy. So, had to paint all the trim and then the walls looked HORRIBLE. Then, had to repaint the entire hallway upstairs, but the problem was there was no break down the stairway, so had to paint ourselves down the stairs and into the downstairs hall. Crazy...right?? Did an entire overhaul on Alex's room. Her room ended up looking like a mid-century NYC apartment. With only 3 days to go, I am off to the lot to find the perfect tree for the downstairs hallway. The ceilings are 14ft. so it had to be tall. It goes in an urn atop a table and thought that I normally do not get them tall enough. Got a tree, got home and as Joe, Nick and I hauled it atop the table and it is touching the ceiling, Alex comes down the stairs laughing, saying "Hey Clark Griswold, is that tree big enough??"

It was down to the wire. The photographers came in Monday and it has not stopped since. The big retail people came out and we served them a real plantation lunch, with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, homeade rolls and peach cobbler. I think that one of the gentlemen could be my brother...he loved all of the things that I do, Paris, New York, toile, ticking and we swapped our stories about being searched when we tried to bring back a chandlier in a duffle bag or was it a bird cage, as we came through customs. I would love the opportunity to work with him, as he has 14 tubs of Christmas decorations for one room in his house. He might have me beat?? So y'all keep your fingers crossed that this works out.

Next, we lost the Colonel and now another of our roosters to an owl. The only one left is Chik-Fil-A. We put him in the pen with the ladies, and he seems to be in heaven. No more late night roaming around...he is the first in the roost for some shut-eye. Think he could be wearing himself out. WE also did a complete renovation of the chicken house that is original and built in the 1800's. We added some shutters, and some FAB urns with topiaries and candlelit lanterns.
The publishers had said that they wanted more shots here at the planatation, so we worked ourselves to death to get the house redecorated, remodeled a few rooms, and had to do Christmas all at the same time. I need a rest!!!

The good news is now I can have a Christmas get-together and it is all done. Woo Hoo!

This morning I woke up with glitter on my face and paint on my fingers...must have been a wild time.
Hope that you are having fun getting ready for the holidays...my favorite time of year!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Party at the Plantation

2011-10-30T13:39:00.000-05:00

(Alex and friends had to get a shot with the hot pink pony.)
Hey Y'all! Last night was a huge party here at the Plantation and it was one helluvabash! It was time to celebrate with my niece Carrington's 4th birthday and Victoria's 22nd birthday. It was a pink confection with Hello Kitty everywhere. We have been from NYC to Houston, and trying to get all of the orders out this week, no time for a rest, and knew this party was coming up. Not to mention another photo shoot in two weeks and having the NYC team coming here...no pressure. But, it was all about the party yesterday and Alex decided she needed to go look at a new car yesterday, as we committed to getting something. We thought we saw the perfect Mustang convertible, so thought we could run to Dallas and have a look at the car, and then come back and get it all done in 2 hours. What was I thinking??
(Victoria and Carrington, the birthday queens of the night!)
I might have been a little over-confident as we were hustling to get it all done before the first guest. Christi and I were going crazy, and the Victoria's showed up to help. We called in all of the troops and everyone was busy doing something. I kept disappearing into the warehouse and coming out with good stuff, and then off to the barn and some of the warehouses to find tables, chairs, fabrics, drapes, etc. We strung lights, and had tables with tablecoths, it was all about the black, hot pink and princess. Chandeliers hung from the tree limbs over the tables and urns and statuary were the centerpieces. Cake stands were loaded with candied apples, and cupcakes and jars were full of hot pink taffy, and pink jelly beans.Even a pink glitter pony...wishing for one with "saddlebags full of money" after this party. We had a stage, music, karaoke, castle bounce house and loads of hot dogs, and fixins. We had all ages from 3-70 and everyone had a great time. At one point, EVERYONE was out on the floor doing the "Cupid Shuffle" dance. Totally fun for all. We roasted ooey-gooey marshmallows and had loads of hot dogs with chili.

(Left: Alex and Carrington pose for a pic)
THe kids were going crazy, partly from sugar and partly from the excitment. The best part was when one of the little boys was running around and shouted, this is the best party that I have ever been to, and Alex said...I think our parties just get better and better. That was a home run!

Now have to get busy with the makeover of 3 rooms for the next photo shoot and Christmas decorations, as we are shooting Christmas in mid-November. So crazy, but at least it will be done! and just before the New York team comes in to discuss the fall/winter bedding line for 2012 at the plantation. The good news is...I could not be working with better or more talented people. They are hip, fun, and experts in the business of bedding.

Can you believe that it is almost November, boy this year has flown!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from Roundtop

2011-09-30T20:41:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the last day for the best show held only twice a year. Come see us at Zapp Hall in Warrenton, Texas. We close ar 4pm, so
hurry on over or wait until spring. Hope to see y'all there!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Calling all Shoppers!

2011-09-19T07:51:00.000-05:00

ok...I the event that I talk about all year, is finally here. This is the not-to-be-missed bountiful, plethora of the finest junk, antiques, and home fashion that one can see anywhere. Inspiration is everywhere, so grab a friend and make the road trip to Roundtop Antiques Week in Warrenton Texas. We will be at Zapp Hall in Warrenton Texas, look for the sign pictured here. We open Friday September 23rd and close at 4pm on Oct. 1st.
I will be signing books throughout the show, and if you cannot make it here a special book signing is scheduled at Leftover Antiques in Brenham TX. Sept. 24th at 6 pm.

Hope to see everyone there!!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the Plantation...Big News!

2011-09-11T15:09:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone. I have some big news that I want to share with all of you...and want you to know without everyone's support, this would not be possible. The summer was spent with trips back and forth to New York, and yes we have an incredible announcement...after months and months of negotiations, we were just able to sign our big deal with one of the largest bedding, quilt and bath companies. Featuring the Carolyn Westbrook Home brand of bedding, for adult and kids, and bath, for rollout with major retailers in Spring 2012.

I have been busy, designing, creating, and merchandising the new line, and the showroom. It is an amazing and huge showroom, in NYC on Fifth Avenue. So, all of the fabrics that I have carried around in my mind for years, as well as the bits and pieces that we brought back from Paris, have all come together to create beautiful bedding and pillows. I go back this week to do a final walkthrough of the showroom and see the final display, before the stores come in next week. I wish that everyone could be there with me, as we see this for the first time. How great would that be?? It is truly unbelieveable.

Everyone keep their fingers crossed that the retailers will love the line. I will try and take some pics while I am there, so that you all will be able to see it for yourselves.

Want to tell all of you to keep living your dreams. Even and especially when that seems impossible.

This week...I am in NYC and then off to Roundtop Antiques Week. We open Sept. 23rd-October 1st at Zapp Hall in Warrenton Texas. The motto here is "Come for the shopping, stay for the Party!" Right outside my door is gourmet comfort food from Royers Cafe and it is always a good time for a glass of champagne from the "Bubble Lounge."

Also, I am doing a book signing with my friends from Leftovers Antiques in Brenham TX Sept. 24th at 6pm. They have an amazing store and should be a great party!

I hope to see each and every one of you there...cannot wait. xoxo Carolyn

2011-09-10T11:08:00.000-05:00

Carolyn Westbrook: Photo shoot at the PLantation

2011-08-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

I had to share this with yall. Thought it was so funny. Keith is busy checking the shot on his laptop and Old Jake was right by his side, gazing into the monitor alongside Keith...you know he's saying in his old dog voice, that's lookin really good, Keith. I love it. I had several pictures of Jake for an entire hour following Keith and looking at the pictures with him. We were able to get some great shots, in spite of the 110 degree weather. Things seem to be rolling along with the new book and think that it is going to be the best yet.

The sunporch is all glamour with black and white dramatic look. Turned out amazing and photographed really well. So, we are now thinking about Roundtop Antiques Week that is just around the corner. WE will begin selling Sept. 23rd-Oct. 1st and hoping that it cools off for our big soiree. Know that all of my hard core treasure seekers will be there no matter what the weather, for we are all about the hunt.

Cannot wait to see you there!

xo Carolyn

CWH LIve from the Plantation...

2011-07-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

ok, so this has been the craziest summer..ever! It has been a wild ride around here. We are getting ready for a photo shoot this week, for the new book, which now has a title...Carolyn Westbrook: A French Country House, which we decided over dinner last week, as the publishers flew in from London...and might I say, a good time was had by all. Life always seems to be feast or famine, so back to back important business meetings, and something drastic happens, as it always does around here. Last Saturday, I noticed one of the doors was open on one of the warehouses here, and don't tell anyone, but every time I walked into that warehouse lately, I noticed the floor was "soft." You guys know what I mean when I say, it is one of those things that you do not want to deal with or have time to deal with, so I just kinda pretended that it was fine...and I would take care of it when I had the time to deal with it. Well, I went out to the warehouse, which apparently someone had been creeping around in, and when I walked through the door, there was a huge hole in the floor, where some creeper had fallen through. Now, that has to make you chuckle just a little bit, because first of all, this creeper guy gets in the warehouse and there is not one thing that he would want to steal. Now... if it was a girl creeper, they would be in heaven, but a guy would just look around and go, "huh?"It is all pillows, and furniture, and fabric, he was probably so disappointed, and then he falls through the floor. Can you just imagine the look on his face??

Obviously, I cannot leave a hole in the floor, so I go back the house, pick up the phone, on a Saturday afternoon, and there is no one answering the phone to come fix this. I am freaking out because I had already started a major renovation on the sun porch (for the photo shoot) and everything that was in there, is now out in the middle of the yard. Oh yea...looking good. At this moment I have a mess in the yard, and a hole in the floor and a photo shoot and a meeting just days away, not to mention the yard is pretty much burnt up, because we are living with 110 degree heat everyday, and we forgot what rain looks like. Nicholas a.k.a Nick, my son who is 15, comes out of the house and says that he can take care of that floor. He proceeds into the garage, brings out a sledgehammer and tromps off toward the warehouse. My nephew Christian is staying with us, and Nick drags him off of the games to enlist his help. We drag all of the stuff out of the warehouse into the yard. Now as I write this, you cannot imagine how much "stuff" is in this warehouse. It would be like if I dragged everything you own, out of your house and closets and multiply that x 10.
So, you get the picture. We piled the mirrors up leaning against the warehouse, thinking nothing other than hoping they do not get broken.

ok, remember me telling you about Chik-fil-a and the other two crazy roosters? They spent the entire next three days, strutting past the rooster (in the mirror) and puffing up and crowing at the other rooster, that was in the mirror. It was like fall down on the ground laughing funny. These guys are so full of ego and testosterone. Sunday was spent with everyone out in this warehouse pulling nails, joists (what was left of them.) Seriously, when we pulled the floor, there was nothing left. The joists were like sawdust...termites. Did I mention that it was 110 degrees? Nick and Victoria and all of us, pitched in and we got the joists rebuilt. Seriously, was amazing as Nick did the majority of the work, leveling, and placing them just so...at 15 years old. The termite guys came in Monday and did their work, to kill these pesky things and then a new floor was put in. While they were doing that, Christian and I and others, went to work on the sunporch to transform that space. I look out in the road and see a Range Rover, as someone was driving by, who had come to get a peek of the house. I'm thinking, what they must be thinking with "stuff" scattered all over the yard, and us wild looking people with sweat and dirt everywhere. You gotta laught, right? Just hope they are not taking pictures.

If you guys can remember from my first book, this space was all red, white and blue, which now had become a bit dated. We painted the floor glossy white and hung black and white stripe curtains. I hung black and white antlers and black glossy frames, it looked amazing, but it was still 110 degrees. Christian looks at me and asks me, "Aunt Carolyn, how much money do you make?" I asked him, why he was asking me this and he says, "Whatever it is...its not worth it." At this point, I might have agreed with him. It was absolutely crazy.

About that time, Christi pulls up in her brand new Yukon (SUV) that is black, all shiny and smelling brand new and you will never guess what happens next. Chik fil a decides to fly up on the hood of her car and when he starts sliding off, he starts clawing the hood, to get back up and claws the hood all the way to the ground. Christi is standing there in disbelief, as we all were. "I am gonna kill that chicken, she screams" while chasing Chik fil A across the yard. Luckily, we buffed it out, and were laughing later as she comes in saying, y'all were having fried chicken tonight! My mom said she could see Christi chasing Chik fil a across the yard with a hatchet.

Oh, and almost forgot the part about when Nick and I were bringing the rug and chest around from the sunporch to go in the other warehouse for storage, and I look across the yard and see a frog hopping...fast as he can. Around here, you rarely see frogs, mostly toads, but this was a real frog hopping as fast as he can with back legs outstretched flying across the air, like a cartoon. I pointed and told Nick, look at that frog and about that time, we both see the huge snake about 2 foot behind him, arched up in the air like a cobra flying across the ground, but his head and half his body upright. I have NEVER seen a snake do that and he is hot on the trail of the poor frog. We both at the same time yell, SNAKE! Nick runs to the house to get his gun and the snake stops dead cold, as I am hollering at him to get him to stay put. He is half upright turning his head to look at me, like a cobra would in the movies. Where in the heck is Nick, I am thinking. The darn thing lays down and starts slithering toward the garden, which is covered in flocks, and you cannot see anything here. Here comes Nick with the big shotgun, as he cannot find his other one, and he does not want to shoot, as this is an old gun with a huge kick that will bruise your shoulder. I run out to my pile of stuff in the yard, and grab a pillow, and run it back and say, put this on your shoulder. The snakes tail is barely hanging out of the garden, on the brick and Nick takes aim, with the pillow behind the gun and fires a very LOUD shot. The snake slithers off and we poked all around and the snake jumps out and slithers across Nick's boot and off into who-knows where. We did not find him, but the frog was saved.

Tuesday night, and it is still 110 degrees and we are shoving the last box back into the warehouse, sunporch almost final, and I have to go get ready for my big meeting the next morning. The people that I met with were disappointed that they flew in from New York and we did not get to meet at the house...if they only knew what had gone on up until that point. I decided to not have the meeting here, as only 8 hours earlier, I would have not had a clue that we could have pulled that one off. So, as I dropped one group off at the airport, I picked up the other group...photographers. Keith Scott Morton and I, feel like old friends now, so he did not mind the last minute clean up and preparation. In the end, the meetings went well, the photo shoot was great, and as I dropped Keith at the airport last night, and Joe and I drove home in the dark, I thought...I do not want to have to go outside all weekend. It is my birthday Monday, and I am going to stay in, under the air-conditioning, and lay across my bed and look at magazines and decorating books, and be lazy for once. Now, that will probably last about an hour and then I will be telling Joe, hey...I have an idea...and he will look at me with the one eyebrow up and say, uh-oh...not again.

Happy Summer!

xoxo Carolyn

Sorry Everyone, the show will not go on....

2011-07-07T19:50:00.002-05:00

I want to apologize, but something has come up and we will have to cancel the Summer Vintage Market sale. I am sorry for any inconvience, but will try and re-schedule at a later date.

Happy Summer to Everyone!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: The Big Show

2011-07-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

So, this is for all that have asked, when I am going to do my summer show. This is it..the information is here. It will be held one day, Saturday July 23rd from 9am-4pm in Rice, TX. (which is right up the road) and easy to get to off of I-45). Exit FM 1126 off of I-45 and it is on the West side, off of the service rd, and next to the nursery. Did I mention that it is air-conditioned?? I know we usually have an open air environment, but it is just too hot. I have invited some of my favorites in the biz, so you can imagine it will be a great show and only 40 min. from downtown Dallas and a little over 2 hour drive from Houston. For those in Austin, it is just a hop, skip and a jump. Last show, I had someone fly in from Ohio...amazing.

It will be loaded with awesome antiques, lots of garden stuff, furniture, and more.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful 4th of July, but you better find a swimming pool, a water sprinkler or a hose, because it is supposed to be over a 100 degrees again today. So, get the grill fired up, the airconditioner humming, and get yourserlf a big 'ol glass of iced tea with fresh mint...settle in somewhere with your favorite magazines or grab your swim suit and dive in...whatever you do, Enjoy your weekend!

xoxo Carolyn

EAT PRAY LOVE moment

2011-06-25T21:35:00.000-05:00

SO, this was our EAT PRAY LOVE moment in NYC. We were having a romance with our pizza and gelato. This was a place called Eately and was a fantastic marketplace.

This was one of the pastry counters.

More...

I have a friend from New York, who told us to have a steak at Frankie and Johnny's. He said that he was buying if it was not the best steak we had ever had. It was amazing but big enough for 4 people to eat.

It was a great trip and wanted to share.
Hope that you are all able to have some summer fun whether in another city or in your back yard!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Awesome NYC adventures

2011-06-24T20:56:00.000-05:00

Had a wonderful trip to NYC and wanted to share some inspiration. We had a great adventure with beautiful scenery, good food, and lots of shopping. I wonder what the budget is for the flowers in NYC? It is amazing. There are so many parks...I will have to share more pics on a seperate post. Here are some pics from ABC Carpet and Home and it was great as usual. A new place we went to was Fishes and Eddy (hope that is right). They told me they started out selling all hotel dishes and silver. Now it is new, but merchandised really unique. There were many of the vintage painted portraits that we love to name and create a story for. My friend Heidi collects these for her fabulous stores, so I gave her one and we named him Eduardo and he traveled around the world and threw fabulous parties. Anyway, loved how they worked them into the dish decor. It was a total EAT PRAY LOVE trip, as we shopped around and had some pretty yummy pizza, which will be in the next post. ABC Carpet and Home as the most incredible collection of chandeliers that I have seen anywhere. LOVE! Cannot afford one, but worth the trip.

I like the bedding floor...and I make bedding. The beds, the chandeliers, and all of the artful displays and antiques...well done. We stayed in the oldest hotel in New York. The architecture here is reminiscent of Europe. If you have not been then you need to go, but like it much better in the fall or spring. It was so crowded, I have not ever seen it like this. Sort of like Disney in the summer. I stopped by my favorite photographers studio, Mr. Keith Scott Morton and he was in the middle of a studio shoot. He had just finished shooting Katie Couric and said that she was so nice. She even made them a sandwich. Yes, but did she serve you iced tea in a Mason jar with fresh mint?? He laughed, and said no and that he wanted to come back to our neck of the woods for iced tea and Bar B Que.
Windows of ABC
Dishes and a portrait that looks a bit like Eduardo.

Exterior of ABC Carpet and Home

Will post more for you to see!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Great Junking!

2011-06-15T20:58:00.000-05:00

I was able to get to Canton Flea Market for a few hours this month, and realized how much I enjoy treasure hunting! I always try and get there early, when it is not so hot, and try and beat everyone to the buried treasure (tee hee). Collections are such an important part of any roomscape, and you know that I believe it needs to old and treasured, not some trinket bought from a store shelf. ok, maybe a few really good trinkets, but you have to have some antique patina or it looks like everyone else's house. I love stacks of antique leather bound French books. Now that is a beautiful sight. This photograph is in the new book, The French Inspired Home and here it is featured in a magazine, but you get the idea...it is all about the collections. Tarnished silver, stacks of books, a piece of antler, and a lone German sheep, looks amazing.

Plus, the bonus is, it gives you something to hunt for. I had bought just a couple of items, and was becoming a bit discouraged when I came upon a huge French mirror, dripping in swags and garlands of roses and bows. Standing about 6 ft. tall, I breathlessly asked the man, how much? He looks at me and says, how 'bout $125? Dollars? I asked...then quickly said, can you do $100? I know, shameless, but you have to ask. He quickly agreed and I could not pay him fast enough. The adreneline was racing through my veins as I shoved the money at him. I'll be back to get it, I told him. When I returned, he had a posse of women standing around it. He said, I'm glad your back, these women were about to make off with it. Usually, it is me that is left drooling over the "sold" item, but this time, I was the finder of the treasure! How exciting I thought, as I carefully put the mirror in the back of the Suburban. It was a good haul and a good day, as we sat under the shade of a tree, eating pimento cheese sandwiches with my mom and looking affectionately at my mirror. So, get out there and find your own buried treasures this summer, you will be glad that you did!!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the plantation..Home Grown!

2011-05-27T19:00:00.000-05:00

So, when we started this garden the last frost was just a few days before. Nick decided that he was going to have a garden and boy, did he! He tilled up a big patch and then we went and purchased plants and seeds for cucumbers, sugar snap peas, squash, onions, carrots...you name it we have it. He put up trellises for the cucumbers and tomatoes and worked his heart out, and you know what they say...you reap what you sow. Today, he came in with the prettiest and yummiest carrots that I have ever seen. Honestly. carrots have never really developed in Texas that I have seen. These are big, fat, juicy carrots, and do not taste like store-bought. Anyway, needless to say we had a feast of vegetables and I cannot wait until the red, ripe tomatoes start coming in. There is nothing better than a tomatoe sandwich, but only works with home-grown. The store bought ones taste like cardboard. We have more onions than we know what to do with.

This is the perfect time of year. We are all excited because it is warm enough to go barefoot, but not too hot. Time for working in the flower beds and gardens and decorating our out-of doors. After a long winter snooze, it is time to refesh and renew. Throw open the windows, break open the Pine-Sol and get busy. Washing down the house is a big job, but was sorely needed. A little touch up painting around doors and porches and all of the porches needed a good scrub. This is the time of year that I always like to evaluate the outside and see what needs freshening. Beautiful, bright, new cushions are brought out to grace all of the chairs, swing, and sofa on the front porch and same for the back. The porches are adorned with blue & white pottery of all sizes and filled with flowering plants. Any old rusted hardware, door knobs, door bell plates, should be addressed. This is the place that everyone sees, their first impression, so make it a good one. It is a great time to have beautiful patio or porch furniture, colorful umbrellas, rugs, even lamps, under a covered area. I like to try and find cheap vintage oil paintings and signs when out at the flea markets, to use on the porch. I was able to find a great "boat rental" sign that is one of my favorites for the back porch and an antique wire plant stand. It looks great covered in vintage pots, moss, and little flowering blooms look quite cheery when friends come in the back way.

Oh, and by the way...for those who read this regularly, you will remember that Nick brought home those baby chicks, even when I told him not to...they are ALL roosters. We may have to do some trading at Canton next week. Too many roosters in the hen house and they are all learning to crow at the same time. Old Jake is doing well and has gained 13 lbs, has a shiny coat and now acts as if he was here all along. Bob, who is my licensing agent was down yesterday, and he couldn't believe it was the same skinny, run-down dog from the shelter that he had seen 2 months before. Jake seems to like it here and has fit in very well.

I was busy getting ready for our first photo shoot for the new book, a couple of weeks ago. It was a whirlwind shoot schedule, but turned out just fantastic. I am really pleased with the direction of the new book and I hope to top the last book.
This weekend is supposed to be beautiful weather, so let's get out there and enjoy it. Refresh, Renew, and Enjoy!!! Happy Memorial Weekend everyone!!! xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: From the Big Apple

2011-04-30T08:43:00.000-05:00

Bryant Park

Ralph Lauren NYC

Ralph Lauren NYC

Just returned from New York City and wanted to share these photos with you. I love NYC and it was absolutely full of inspiration and beauty. Spring flowers were spilling out all over the streets with big pots of hyacinths, tulips and daffodils everywhere we went. The architecure is amazing too. This shot of the carousel at Bryant Park reminds me of Paris. If you cannot get to Paris, I would recommend New York. This trip was fast and furious and I made my licensing agent walk over 20 blocks in the sprinkling rain to see the Ralph Lauren store. There were no cabs available...they were all full because of the rain and we walked and we walked, but it was totally worth it. The windows were breathtaking. I wish you could see them better, as there are many details that do not show up in the shots. I have one word: AMAZING!
The entire trip was good and hopefully will have some good news to share with you on the book front.

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: A Sad Day in Warrenton and at the Plantation

2011-03-29T21:18:00.000-05:00

What started out as just another beautiful day in Warrenton Texas, soon turned tragic with one phone call. All that know me, know my love for my big Schnauzer "Princess" ( pictured on the right.) She was my baby and in my first book, sitting on the couch. She is our baby and pretty much runs the house. One of the smartest girls that I have ever met. She has been battling Cushings Disease and was not well, but doing fairly well when I left for Antiques Week. She suddenly became extremely ill and lost her battle yesterday. I told her that I would see her when I got back, and now realize that she will not be at the door waiting for me when I return. One of the saddest days for the entire family and we have all shed alot of tears. It is truly heartbreaking. I could not have been in a better place, as we sat around the table last night with all of my good friends gathered round, crying with me and offering condolences. Victoria was devastated and we could not find anyone that sold a pet casket locally. I told Victoria that when I was in Minnesota, that I bought a fabulous alligator suitcase with red satin lining and that would be fitting for her. She had a very dignified burial, just wish I was there for it. Later, I told my friends, with the price of caskets, got me thinking...will someone please bury me in a Louis Vuitton trunk. I think that would be much more to my liking... and my Mother laughed for once that day and said, "Honey, we might have to fold you in half." I told her that was ok by me. Princess will be sorely missed and unreplaceable. We all know that she is in a better place and feeling no pain now. Love to all, who understand the great joy and unconditional love that our pets, or should I say family members, bring in our lifetime. Here's to Princess...may you always be in green pastures and I know that you know, how much you were loved. xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Paris France or Warrenton Texas

2011-03-15T16:37:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!!! Excited to see the latest issue (April 2011) of Romantic Home magazine. It is all about the French and it is wonderful. We are happy to be included in the issue with a fabulous spread on the book, The French Inspired Home.
I was thinking...which is better, France or a trip to Warrenton/Roundtop Antiques week. Hard to say. I do absolutley love going to Antiques week and we will be there to see all of our friends at Zapp Hall antique show in Warrenton TX. Starts Friday March 25th-April 2nd. We have some fabulous new prints, and loads of the good stuff that all are searching for. As most of you know, the show goes on for miles and miles and takes several days to see. There are bargains and treasures and inspiration galore. We will have copies of the new book, that I am most happy to sign and look forward to meeting new friends. It is all about gathering and spending time with old friends, meeting new friends with good food, good fun and lots of wonderful shopping adventures. Here's to good times for all. See you there...

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: LIve from the Plantation...all the way to Great Britian!

2011-02-22T15:29:00.000-06:00

As if being in the latest issue of Where Women Create wasn't enough, just found out that the
book is a favorite with our friends in the U.K. as well. It is called: Period Living and you can find it at your local Borders stores. It is the February issue. This is Britian's #1 home magazine and found out that we had a 4 page spread...woo hoo! Actually, my friend Gina was perusing the book store and saw this article and gave me a call. Thanks Gina!!! I then found out that the new book, Carolyn Westbrook The French Inspired Home is like #7 in decorating books there on Amazon...we are so proud. Thanks to all in the U.K. for buying a copy. Maybe you should fly me over...would love to do some junking in England. I am looking forward to seeing all of y'all at the next big Antiques Week in Roundtop/Warrenton Texas March 25th-April 2nd..I hope to see you all there, as I have many new surprises that y;all are just going to have to have...and copies of the book, so come and get you a signed copy!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Home: Where Women Create Feature

2011-02-11T17:25:00.000-06:00

Today is Friday, and if that is not enough the weather is getting warmer and found out that we are featured in the latest edition of the "Where Women Create" magazine. It is a beautiful spread on the book. I would like to thank Jo Packham for supporting my efforts and love her wonderful story that precedes the book feature. If you have not seen this magazine then you are truly missing out. It is well done and very inspiring. The paper is good, the photography is great, and a very positive message for all of us creative types who live for the next project, re-do, or girlie get-together. You know who I mean. As I was perusing Hobby Lobby today, where I saw the magazine, the girl next to me was so excited..she was an avid scrapbooker, crafter, and was aglow with enthusiasm. She just happened to be standing there as I flipped through and saw the feature and was like, "Oh My Gosh!"
and then she was like, "What?" and then we got into this whole conversation about decorating, creating and what-not. I love the alliance of creative women.

Hope that y'all all will go out and get a copy because I know that you will enjoy it.

xoxo Carolyn

LIve from the PLantation: Happy Snow Day!

2011-02-04T16:25:00.000-06:00

First, I apologize for taking so long between blogs. Things have been really busy. Ok...y'all know how last year, I complained about the cold weather. This year has been waaay worse. I am ready for spring weather, the sun, flowers, green grass, so what is up with all of this cold weather??BUT...it is sort of nice to have a snow day every now and then. To be able to have the whole family sort of haven up, and except for Nicholas being buried in the snow, things have been very peaceful and beautiful, and I try not to think about the 1,000 gallons of propane flowing through the lines, right now.

You should see what is going on around here. We did another overhaul on Victoria's little cottage and it is looking very quaint and cute. She is now working at a little coffee shop in Corsicana, Texas called, Two Doors Down, and going to school and saving the world. If you are ever in the area, you really should check out this little coffee shop. It is so charming with little rooms, nooks and crannies all over the place filled with flea market furniture, (which I love), and bookshelves that are filled with books, so that you can just pluck one off the shelf and go curl up with a good cup of coffee and read.
The best part about this little shop is the lunch. You can get an amazing sandwich that is turkey and dressing, complete with cranberry sauce. The real highlight is the homemade bread pudding. I have never been a fan, until I tasted theirs. The owner's name is Todd and he lives here in Chatfield. The coffee shop is right off of Beaton Street and 6th in Corsicana. If you go, make sure that you tell Todd that I sent you.

So, all of y'all know that our beloved Jack, the big black lab, died last year of bone cancer. Victoria calls me from the pound and tells me about this black lab with only two weeks to live. Of course, not much later I am at the pound and I am looking at "Jake." Whatta think...not much later, Jake is hopping in my truck with me. They told me he is 3-4 years old and he has to be "fixed." The "fixing" part was sorta rough and I had to take him back several times. On the last trip, I ask the vet...he seems to be very lazy and not much of a guard dog, is it because of the "Fix." The vet looks at me and said, "Well that and he is old." I looked at him and tell him that the pound says he is 3-4 years old. He reaches over and pulls his lip down to expose his nubby teeth and said that the dog was at least 10 years old. I could not believe it. I spent all this money on a dog that is probably going to croak soon...and he said, at least he will die healthy. I didn't care how old he was, he was now ours.
As I pulled up to the house and he jumps from the truck and sprawls out on the back porch...thinking that I am going to have to change his name to Old Dog.

Meanwhile, Nick calls me from the stock show and wants to bring home chicks. I told him absolutely not!!!I do not need anything else to take care of. A few hours later, he comes through the door with a box full of baby chicks. Since Old Dog is in the laundry room, the chicks had to reside in the dining room. I have been hosting many meetings in the dining room, which is also used for a conference room, and now have a heat lamp with some peeping chicks in there to add to the atmosphere, and a slighty stinky Old Dog in the laundry room. Too cold to bathe him and let's not forget about Princess and Teddy ( the schnauzers).

Then...the frigid temps come in and we have to bring Bella (English Spaniel)in the house to add to the mix. It is the night of the 10 degree weather and I am laying in bed wondering how cold the grown hens in the chicken house can take it. It is enclosed and there is lots of hay, but I begin to worry about the chickens, so I put on my rubber boots and go out to the chicken house with a spotlight and a pet carrier. I peeked in and shined the light and they were fine. The hen house was not that cold. Thank Goodness!

I need a snow day after all of this and ready for sunny weather, but this does give us a good excuse to grab a mug of hot cocoa in our warm slippers and fuzzy p.j.'s and lay in bed under the covers looking through our favorite magazines...or maybe a good book (Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home.) How's that for shameless promotion.

Wanted everyone to know that because of all that is going on, that I will not be at Urban Market in February. I will miss it and you, but the good news is Roundtop/Warrenton Antique Show will be here before you know it!

Ya'll enjoy your snow day! xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Happy New Year! from the PLantation

2011-01-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to all of y'all ! Hope everyone had a wonderful time bringing in the New Year, but even better, was our annual New Year's day tradition. Actually, it is not only our tradition, but one that all of us Southerners partake in and that is a big 'ol heapin serving of black-eyed-peas for New Years. Everyone knows that you have to eat black-eyed peas on New Years, as they make you prosperous...at least that is what my grandparents always said and ask any good southerner and they will tell you the same. So, every New Year's day we have a bil 'ol southern feast for the family...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn bread, collard greens and black-eyed peas with ham. You also know that you gotta have the pepper sauce for your greens..right??? and then a little iced tea to wash it all down. Mmmmmm! Yum! I wish that you could have all been sitting around the table for a bite of this good ol southern comfort food. And as any good southerner knows, you gotta have some peach cobbler for dessert.
Nick just had one of his friends come in the door and first thing he said was, did y'all eat your black-eyed peas? He had two helpings so he could be extra profitable.
Hope everyone took part in their own traditions and may we all be filled with joy, health and happiness, and of course some prosperity would be great too,
so don't forget your peas! xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live at the PLantation

2010-12-21T12:34:00.000-06:00

Winding down to Christmas...and here are some more shots as promised from the Plantation. The first is in the "Red Room." This is the room where most of the action takes place. The main tree is in this room and it is massive with all of the ornaments collected over the years. From when I was a small child to my children's ornaments from birth. Every year they get to pick one ornament to go on the tree. I love tradition and think it is an important part of life. I love that all families have their own unique traditions for the Holidays!

Even our lawn jockey has been brought in to add a little something next to the fireplace and he holds a bunch of Christmas lights.

Here is an exterior shot of the front door. Love the lights at night.
Here is a shot of the 12ft. tree in the living room and here is Victoria, Alex and Princess. They would kill me if they knew that I posted this., but thought it was a pretty good shot of the tree. All of Alex's gifts are wrapped in zebra, so we have a very festive assortment.
Love to all and will try and post more pics as we go.

xo Carolyn

Live from the Plantation: Merry Christmas!

2010-12-17T15:24:00.000-06:00

I can hardly wait...in fact, I couldn't wait on some of my gifts...I love the giving part. Ho, Ho, Ho!!! This year it is very sparkly around here. Now I feel sorry for all of the photographers out there shooting Christmas trees. They are the very hardest thing to shoot and make it look right. Our tree in the hall, is on a table that is 3 ft. and the tree is 6 ft, but in the picture it looks like a 3 ft. tree...go figure. I just wanted y'all to have a peek at a little of our sparkly, twinkly decorations. I do love this time of year.
This first shot is down the entry hall and this enormous old mirror (that is featured in the book) that is dripping with all kinds of shiny gobbly gook that I love.

So, y'all know that I am my mother's child, and she loves antiques as much as I do, so I bought her a fabulous silver tray at Urban Market for CHristmas. She walks into the warehouse and says..."what a pretty tray." I'm like...get away from that, this is your Christmas. Then just the other day we had our annual girl Christmas shopping outing with Portia, Gina, and Heidi. WE try to go to every antique shop known to man in the Dallas area. There, I could not resist a wonderful old French mirror with Borbola dripping from it, for another Christmas surprise for Mom. Could not wait...gave it to her already. Then we had a major Christmas bash for all of the Chatfield women, who are mostly all retired and do not "get" what I do. Spent all day cleaning and weeks decorating, and hardly anyone even stopped to notice the decorations. Some of these women put up a little 3 ft. tree and call it done. Here is to all of you that love to live in a sparkly, drippy, magical wonderland...even if it is only for a few weeks and we have to take it all down.
Here is a shot of the hall tree, although it looks way better in real life. It looks tiny and is really about 8 ft. with the concrete planter.

I love the natural look of all of this. The main tree of course is traditional red and green and will show shots of it on my next post. Also, want to show you all the outside. Nicholas and I went overboard and even have a 6 ft. "Grinch" hiding behind a tree.

Here is a shot of the front of the hall. I hope that everyone makes a pinky swear to enjoy the Holidays this year. Put on some cozy P.J.'s and warm socks and settle in with some hot chocolate and read a book or look at our favorite magazines for the 100th time, for Pete's sake! Will post more pics, now that things have slowed down a little bit.
Love to all of y'all!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: At the Plantation

2010-11-21T16:55:00.000-06:00

(Pictured here: Victoria and Jack)
Back home at the Plantation and all of you that know me, know how I always talk about our big, black lab, Jack. He was the protector of the house and all who live here. He kept the skunks, coyotes, and everything else away, and was always waiting at the end of the road to welcome me home. He would run beside my truck and lead the way into the drive with tail wagging and his big ol' tongue hanging out. We have had many dogs and still have three others, but none would take the place of Jack. Just before I left for NYC, as I had to walk down to the barn to get something, Jack ran before me, as he always did, to make sure that all was clear and to protect me.

He would stand in front of me and hold me back, many times, while he chased a cat out or a huge buzzard that was once nesting there. We noticed that he had been limping and the vet suggested arthritis. During the Halloween Weenie Roast and Hayride, I noticed he was having a hard time getting around. We took him for an x-ray and bad news...bone cancer. He did not last long and he passed this week and it was a very teary good-bye. He was one of our family.
He will be sorely missed and reminds us of how important it is to be thankful for the little things and enjoy every being that is in your life, as we never know when that can change. So, this Thanksgiving, I will be reminded once again, to count our blessings and to thank God for all of the creatures and blessings in our life. I appreciate every one of you that support me through the things that I am able to do.
Happy Thanksgiving to any and all who are reading this and my thanks to you!!!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn WEstbrook: More from the big apple

2010-11-03T17:33:00.000-05:00

So, as promised...more pics from our latest whirlwind trip to NYC. Our hotel was in Times Square so we were sure not to miss anything. We perused all of the junky tourist shops on Times Square and I cannot help it....I love snow globes and they had the tiniest, cutest ones with the Statue of Liberty in pink...how adorable. We grabbed some authentic New York style pizza and headed back to the room to have a hot bath and put on our p.j's after walking all day because Victoria had to watch the Rangers...sorry they lost.
This amazing culinary store/bakery was at the Plaza...OOOH I absolutely love The Plaza. And guess what...

My favorite store of all time...the Eloise store, all in pink. I absolutely LOOOOOVE Eloise since I was a kid. I had all of the books and read them to my girls when they were little, and they have been skibbling around ever since. We even had to buy Skipperdee and Weenie, back when they were small...they may be vintage now??? Here is Victoria in the Eloise store and she looooved it too. She had to have an Eloise coffee mug and we were upset that there were no Eloise t-shirts for adults. If you have not heard of Eloise, then you simply must look for her books.
This is another shot from another section in ABC Carpet and Home. Again, one word...amazing!
This city is a breath of inspiration.
Will keep posting more pics as we go.

I wanted to say thanks to our friends at French Laundry for the lovely blog post and giveaway on their website. If you have not seen it then check it out for a chance to win a copy of my new book: The French Inspired Home. It is a beautiful website.

We should be in the November issue of Where Women Create, so look for it on stands..thanks to Jo Packham.

Also, just heard from my friend and Editor n Chief, Jacqueline at Romantic Homes magazine, and we were chosen as one of the "Romantics" for their big February issue of Romantic Homes. I am honored to be a part and how she does all that she does with a new baby...incredible.

Don't forget...we will be signing books this Sunday at the Urban Market in Houston, Texas. I hope that you all can come out it is a wonderful show packed with great talent! For more info www.THEURBANMARKETHOUSTON.com

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook LIve from NYC

2010-10-30T08:33:00.000-05:00

This is what welcomed us when we stepped inside the ABC Carpet and Home Store in New York. The chandeliers were breathtaking, all clustered together everywhere. WE had just come from a major department store and I told Victoria that they needed to come over to ABC to see how it was done. STUNNING.

I recognized my friend Cody Foster's product, as I walked in. He designs the coolest stuff. Anyway, you can see for yourself, how great it is. It would be fantastic to be able to see NYC at Christmas time. I have always dreamed of that. I can definitely see why so much design takes place here...the air is charged with inspiration and creativity. Just walking down the street you can gain inspiration!
LOved this all white vignette. You know me and white, we are always in a romance.

Here you can see more gorgeous chandeliers.
They were everywhere. I will continue to post more pics, so keep looking.

I have to go now as we are hosting our annual Weenie Roast and Haunted Hayride tonight! I have to go scare up some haunts around the plantation and make this place a spook house. We have a hay wagon pulled by horses stopping in to take all of the teens through a scary spook filled ride and I havent even started. Wish me luck and I'll keep an eye out for ya!(tee hee)

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from NYC

2010-10-29T18:12:00.001-05:00

That's right, NYC....can you believe it. Things have been a whirlwind lately. First, off to Atlanta to do the Country Living book signing at Stone Mountain and then hopped a plane back home to head to NYC with Victoria and Robert, my licensing agent. It was Victoria's 21st birthday and what better way to celebrate than Times Square?

I have so much to catch up on and will post pics of the Country Living show in Atlanta later. I met a lot of great people there, as usual.

We got to NYC and picked up in a limo (which Victoria loved) and off to the hotel...now that's something that doesn't happen everyday and we enjoyed every minute of it. I was there for some meetings, but we managed to get in some free time.
A long time friend of mine, who grew up in New York told me to go to a place for dinner...Frankie and Johnny's for steak. He said if it was not the best steak that I have ever eaten then he would buy. Well...I happen to think that Royer's has the best steak that I have ever eaten, and have a loyalty to the family. Well...they brought out a Porterhouse for two, sliced off the foot long bone, cooked to perfection...no doubt the best steak that I have ever had. We had to leave half of it there, we could not begin to eat it all. Then off to see Chicago, (the musical not the city) which was fantastic. The next morning there were meetings and after that, I told Victoria we had to head to ABC Carpet and Home. I will post pics of that in the next post. All I can tell you is that it lives up to the hype. It was fantastic. It was my mothership. Unbelievable!!!! For women and guys like us...you gotta go. You are going to be drooling. Here are a few shots that I took along the way of the city. Times Square has changed drastically and the Toys R Us with the 3 story ferris wheel was unbelievable.

As you can see...lots of police everywhere and we felt totally safe there. It was amazing and they are not kidding...the city that never sleeps. At midnight the stores are open and people are shopping like it is a Saturday afternoon.

Here is some shots of some of the musicals playing on Broadway.
Still have not been to the Polo store yet....maybe next time.
Iwish that we could have all been there together to see the ABC store...but I took a bunch of pics, so it is like you were there.
Will post more pics as soon as I can!!!!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Back at the Plantation

2010-10-08T18:19:00.000-05:00

It's so good to be home! I have missed all of you, but we did have quite the time at the big Warrenton/Roundtop show. For all of you that came out to see a new look and a new book, thanks so much. We sold out of books in a few days, so I apologize for not having enough on hand. We had no idea what to expect and were quite surprised at the turn out and the excitement, and I appreciate that like you will never know.

Here are some shots from the booth, sporting our latest collection of gray, white and magenta. I thought it turned out very dramatic and I love it when a plan comes together. We met many people and some very interesting characters. The blog party was much fun at Theresa Cano's venue and thanks to her for putting that together.
Rick at Marburger Farms was fantastic and made us feel right at home. Thanks to you for letting us sell some books and what a wonderful show.

Hope all that came had a good time...the weather was FANTASTIC! I found some new treasures and brought back presents for my sweet mom.

So, I went to Lowe's last night to buy Nick a utitlity trailer, as he is quite busy, mowing yards, etc. While I was waiting for the manager to go unlock a trailer, I saw a magazine on the rack with pics from the new book on the cover...how exciting. It was the new "Romantic Country" magazine. So, I grab up the only two copies and flipping through like a crazy woman, and then I see the book pages on several pages. Woo Hoo! So, the clerk says, What??? I tell her about my new book and the magazine coverage, and she is like..."ok lady, pay up and move on."
Honestly, I am going to do a little plug for Lowes...they were so good. We had three people outside getting the trailer on my Suburban, changing the ball on the hitch, putting a converter on the lights, etc, etc. and they were completely helpful and concerned...imagine that. So, I am on the Lowes band wagon.

I will be doing a book signing at the "Beaucoup" store in Richardson Texas from 11-2 on Saturday Oct.16th.

Then we head off to the big Country Living show at Stone Mountain in Atlanta, Georgia. I cannot wait to see everyone in Atlanta...it has been a while. I am doing a little presentation and a book signing, so we should have plenty of books for that.

I will keep you posted with more pics from Warrenton.

The book is in most stores now and on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and others...Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home.
Hope you all will buy a copy...it is much appreciated and I hope that you enjoy!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from Zapp Hall

2010-09-20T08:57:00.002-05:00

Come One, Come All to the Greatest Show on Earth!

I am talking about the Roundtop Warrenton Antiques Week that only happens twice a year, my friends. I will be debuting my new book!!!!! and you can get an autographed copy, hot off the press. For those of you, who may not know, this is one of the best antique, junkin shows in the world. If you cannot find it here then you can't find it. The show lasts for 10 days beginning officially Friday Sept. 25 at Zapp Hall in Warrenton Texas, but I just came from there and people were already set up and selling. AMAZING. Marburger Farms opens Tuesday Sept. 28th and I will be doing a book signing and a presentation on how to shop French at Marburger Farms, which is absolutely fantastic and inspiring. I am always there for early shopping, racing to my favorite dealers as soon as the fence drops.

My official signing at Zapp Hall, will take place at my good friends Theresa Cano's booth, right outside the door at Zapp Hall, Sunday the 26th, at her fabulous blog party and I believe it starts at 6pm. Check out her website which is Garden Antiques Vintage. I will have books at the Carolyn Westbrook Home booth for signing.
The book made the Publishers Weekly list for fall. Woo Hoo!

We just had a wonderful book signing event at the Creative Connection in Minneapolis and it was super successful thanks to Kevin Haas with Ryland Peters & Small and of course Marny, who keeps me straight on where I am supposed to be and when. Jo Packham and Nancy Soriano put on one heck of an event, and it really was a fabulous gathering of creative women and very inspiring. If you get the chance to go, you should. Minneapolis was beautiful. I have never been and the weather was cool and what a welcome change. I saw pumpkin patches with huge pumpkins and geese all over the place. Thanks to our new pals, the Red Shed girls, Val and Michelle for carting us around to the Junk Bonanza and having dinner with us at the Creative Connection. These girls own a travel agency and an antique business, and they take tours to France. From what I have heard, the tours are fabulous and after being with them, I can assure you that it would be the trip of a lifetime. They are located in Grapevine Texas: The Red Shed.

O.K. I had better see each and every one of you this week at my space at Zapp Hall. I am working hard to make it inspirational and really want all of you to get a signed copy of the new Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home. We are debuting new bedding, pillows, and home accessories. Bring a truck for loading up, and do not miss this! Come see me and I will give you the best places to shop!!! Be Here:

Zapp Hall
Warrenton TX.
Opens: Friday Sept. 24th-Oct.2nd.

I will be looking for you!!! xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: LIve from the Plantation

2010-08-27T18:30:00.003-05:00

Good Morning Everybody!

I walked outside yesterday and the weather was beautiful and 74 degrees and no humidity…amazing! Quite a change from 107 degrees and tons of humidity. I know it is really hard to keep up our pinky swear promises to enjoy summer, but I have really tried, this year. There is much going on… and look what happened! So, you all know that I bought the pair of Sterling doves for the store event and brought them back to live here at the plantation. We had put a nest in the cage and they had laid two eggs. Unfortunately, those were not good and never hatched, but two days later, two more eggs appeared. These little birds are busy. She has sat on these for several weeks and one day, I noticed a teeny tiny little thing in the bottom of the cage, shivering. It was a baby bird and they had knocked it out of the nest. I went to put this little thing back in the nest, when a bigger version, with some gray fuzz, pokes his head out from under the mother bird. I could not believe my eyes. They had two babies and evidently had been there for a few days. The one tiny bird did not make it, but the bigger one is thriving and so precious. The kids love to see the mother bird feed him.
Nick and Nora (the proud parent birds) are very good parents and take very good care of this little birdie.

It is the end of summer, school is about to start and Nick and Alex wanted to go somewhere, so that they felt like they had a summer vacation. I am always up for a road trip and asked them where they wanted to go. My son Nick is 14 and he is a big Saints fan, so he wanted to go to New Orleans. I told him that we took him there when he was four and he had no memory and Alexandria was six when we had been, she said that if she could not remember it, it didn’t count.
The kids laughed and told me that most parents plan a vacation a month or so in advance. We decided to go on Sunday, did some laundry packed and were out the door, Monday morning. What can I say, I am a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl. As we backed out of the drive of the plantation it was 94 degrees that morning. We hit the road and made our way to New Orleans. I told the kids that they had a choice…we could stay at the Hilton on the water or the more historic, quirky hotel. The Hilton has all of the amenities, but the same old-same old. They voted for the historic quirky hotel and I love that about them. They are my kids you know. As we walked into the lobby, I wanted to make off with the chandeliers…fabulous. We wanted a bigger room, with teenagers, so I asked to see a suite. The doorman took us down a brick hallway, out into the brick courtyard that looked like New Orleans should look, with the fountains and the gigantic French doors and windows opening on to the courtyard, and we went through a breezeway and around the corner into a hallway with a massive old staircase leading up to our room. Don’t get me wrong, this place is old and the plaster is peeling from the walls, leaving exposed brick, the kids thought it was a bit creepy, but it made my heart go pitter-pat. I love old. We made our way down the hall to the room and when the door was opened, we all just sort of stood there.
Unbelievable. The ceilings were like 20 ft. and I could see the huge French doors in the bedroom that were probably 14 ft tall with their elaborate window treatments and an enormous marble fireplace. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was a little quirky…the water wouldn’t come on in the shower and when it did it was blazing hot, but we made due and for us, it was just what we wanted. There was a room that was a full kitchen and chandeliers and a gilded armoire…very cool.

As we walked out the door, we were right in the middle of it, so we walked all around New Orleans. We went to Jackson Square, the cathedral there, Café Du Monde and Alex shopped her way through New Orleans. We had dinner overlooking the water, listening to jazz and we all had a great and memorable time. We headed back and even stopped at Cracker Barrel. Now, you know it is not a vacation unless you stop at Cracker Barrel. Breakfast for supper…YUM!

Now the kids are back in school and things are crazy busy as we are in production for Roundtop/Warrenton Antiques Week and about to start the book signing tour. I leave for the Creative Connection, three days before I leave for Warrenton and our signing at Marburger. We added a new company to our production team and there have been a few wrinkles, while beginning our licensing program, and heading that up is Mr. Robert Van Dyk. He is a great asset to us and very exciting, but things are crazy busy.

This weekend, I was in the throngs of mothers trying to get the last pack of pencils at Wal-mart and it reminded me of how I used to love getting school supplies. It always reminds me of fall. Even though it is still hot, when you get your school supplies and head to the Friday night football games, it makes me want to move into fall. Is it too early to start decorating??? I do love the change of seasons. So, let’s make a pinky swear to enjoy the holidays…how about that?

But first, I want to hear from all of y’all and let me know how you kept your promise to enjoy your summer…sort of a what I did on my summer vacation. I cannot wait to hear from you.

Talk again soon. xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: News from the plantation

2010-08-05T19:19:00.000-05:00

O.K. y'all... It is getting harder and harder to keep our pinky swears about taking full advantage of summer with it over 100 degrees every day. We are just going to have to enjoy the outdoors in the morning and take full advantage of the whirrrr of the ceiling fans and the air conditioners in the afternoon. Preferably while laying across a feather bed, with the fan blowing directly on you, while flipping through your favorite magazines. Speaking of which, loved Jacqueline Demontravel's story of giving birth to her son, in this month's copy of Romantic Homes. She is a fabulous editor-n-chief and know that she will make a fabulous mother, and sounds like she if off to a good start, and I am proud to call her my friend.

O.K. now for the big news...just found out that the new book, was chosen for the publisher's weekly list. So, I am thinking, I guess everyone's book is on that list, but still exciting.

Then Marny called to inform me that only one book from each publisher made the list and I honestly could not believe it. There is no way that I could have done it without the help of so many talented people and I love you all.
I cannot wait to see the finished product and they spoke with me today, from London to say that I should get one copy of a very few preview copies on Monday or Tuesday. I will be waiting out by the side of the road for the courier, even in the hot sun. I wish that everyone could be here and open that envelope with me. Since we cannot do that, next best thing...meet me at one of the book signings, and we can all enjoy the moment together. Hoping that I make you proud. Check my website for locations, dates, and times for signings all over the U.S.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Last Day at Carolyn Westbrook Home

2010-07-24T07:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Summer!
Today is the last day, for those of you, who have not made it out to the Limited Engagement: Store Event in Dallas. It has been a great time, getting to meet many of you, sign some books, and sell some beautiful things that will find good homes to enhance. Today will be the last day, and we close the doors at 5p.m. so if you are looking for wholesale priced bedding, pillows, trying to create a room or just refresh one, then we hope to see you there. The store is located at

5211 Bonita
Dallas, Texas (Right off of Henderson)

I know it has been crazy hot this summer, but we are managing to stay cool with trips through the sprinkler, and if we stay in the shade, then it is actually nice, when we catch a breeze and the trees are rustling, and the locusts humming. We were outside the other evening, after the sun had gone down, and the kids were making smores, and it was really wonderful. Nightime is so different. The toads came out and were hopping across the back porch, thankfully chasing mesquitos. Victoria had candles glowing across the table, and a few bottles of Pelligrino, with lime and crushed ice, and mint. Delicious and so refreshing. I love things like this. The lightening bugs were out and we could here those bullfrogs croaking loud from both ponds.

When we opened our grand opening at the store, we had a wonderful handcrafted bird cage, which we still have for sale (by the way), and we decided to buy these beautiful Sterling doves. They are a pair, husband and wife, now named Nick and Nora, and we hated the thought of leaving them at the store over the weekend, so they now reside at the plantation. The day after I bring them home, my mom decides to put a little nest in there. The nest was not even real, it was one of my 'for sale' nest. Anyway, the two of them got in there, and to all of our surprise, the next day there was an egg. Nora laid an egg. UNBELIEVABLE.

The day after, there were two. I could not believe it. We were all so excited about the thought of seeing baby doves, right there in our home. So, it has been a week and she pushed one of the eggs out and it cracked, and nothing formed in it, so she obviously knew that it was not fertile. Nora is still sitting on the other, and we are watching everyday to see what happens.
t Here is a photo of one of our outbuildings, the Dr.'s office, as it was originally in the 1800's. This is where my studio is housed and inside is where we shot the "Where Women Create" book. I do love the porch, which is where we do our potting and re-potting. Right outside this on the lawn is where we had our smore party the other night.
I hope you all are having a wonderful summer and making lots of memories. Here's to not even having to leave the house to have fun. Just a box of graham crackers, a Hershey's chocolate bars, and marshamallows, will do the trick.

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook :LIfe at the Plantation

2010-07-13T18:24:00.000-05:00

It is blackberry time! Yea!!! Nicholas has been busy plucking blackberries from the vine. It seems that Nick and my other son, from another mother, Brian found a plethora of blackberry vines over by the big tank, loaded with juicy, sweet blackberries. We promised him that we would make blackberry preserves, if he would bring us back a bucket, and he did. He put on the rubber boots and gloves, as you always have to worry about the snakes in the blackberries, hopped on the four-wheeler and a while later came back with these. We were able to get 16 jars of preserves and some of the best that I have tasted. Nicholas and his friends gather here most mornings for sausage gravy and biscuits. That is one thing that I do love, is to have a whole house full and we are the go-to house on the block. I even taught Nick how to make gravy and biscuits, in case we are not here. Now not many 14-year-old boys could make homeade biscuits and gravy...girls I am telling you, he will make a wonderful husband someday!
This morning, I woke up to the smell of hot buttered biscuits. Seems Nicholas rose at 6am to make a pan full of biscuits, for the wonderful jam that we made. I think he loves it more, because he picked them. So, I go downstairs and Nick and his friends CHris are sitting in the kitchen having biscuits and jelly...priceless!

So, trying to live up to our pinky swear promise by enjoying summer. I have to say this...on the way home on July 4th, we stopped and met some friends over by Cedar Creek lake. We went to this little hang out by the lake, walked in and were invited to take part in the food that was all caught or grown locally at the lake. There was fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, a fabulous pasta salad, sliced tomatoes, onions, a little chow-chow and the best garden peppers that I have ever eaten. Not hot, just the right pepper taste. I made off with some of those for the seeds, so that we could plant some next year. Joe and I were talking, that there is not many places that you could go and be invited for home cooking, by people that you have never met. So, we filled our plates, got ourselves a beverage and went out into the parking lot, overlooking the water, and were able to see about 25 different firework shows going off at the same time!
How's that for a fourth to remember!

Let me know how your keep enjoy summer pledge is going! Hope that it will be one to remember! xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Store Opening

2010-07-07T19:52:00.000-05:00

So, after all of the confusion about when our whirlwind store opening would be, we had our opening party yesterday and it was a wonderful time. I appreciate all of the support from friends and clients. Now, for those of you who have not made it out...it is at 5211 Bonita Dallas, TX.
Open Tuesday-Sat 10-5

A wonderful wreath by Rebecca Dejohn from Heaven and Earth. Come see her amazing creations at Wholesale Prices.

Food, Friends, and shopping!!! Does it get any better???

More gorgeous florals!!

Hope to see you all there! xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: CHANGE THE DATE

2010-07-03T21:29:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Please note that we have changed the date of the store opening from Thursday to Tuesday the 6th from 4-7pm.
There was an error in the Dallas Morning News coverage that stated Tuesday instead of Thursday, so since we are not able to have a
do-over on that, we decided to change the opening. Hope this will work for everyone and cannot wait to see you all there!

xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: On the Road again!

2010-06-24T20:32:00.000-05:00

One minute we are in Canton, the next Colorado. It was a beautiful background and wonderful weather as we junked our way through Colorado. The scenery was beautiful and we saw some wonderful stuff along the way.
The biggest Bass Pro shop that I have ever seen, in Denver. It was amazing with stuffed bears, waterfalls and a fish pond with glass walls.
We even ran across some bagpipers along the way!

Nick got to do some fishing and it was actually chilly in the mountains. Quite a switch from Texas! Here at the base of the mountain, we saw river rafters braving the rapids. A good time was had by all! I did love the mountains, but was happy to get back to Texas, even though it is hot, hot, Hot!
Don't forget the Summer Roundtop Show this weekend at the Big Red Barn!
Hope to see you there!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Summer Junk Trip!

2010-06-23T20:26:00.000-05:00

I had to take this shot of the heaping pitcher of iced tea, so that y'all would all know that we really are keeping our pinky promise and making delicious summer drinks with yummy fresh mint, straight from the herb garden. The girls (our happy hens) are laying everyday and this morning it was all about the omlette. WE had omlettes at the hotel when we were in Colorado, so now the kids think that this is a wonderful idea. With all of the tomatoes coming in at the same time, we are making huge bowls of fresh salsa, which Nick can eat in one sitting. I think that he could be drinking it. After all, he is 14, and between him and his friends, that seem to congregate here every day for meal time, and those guys can eat. I love having them all around.
Here are some more shots of the famous Canton Texas Flea Market. Lots of stuff and love the stacks of cowboy hats!
Below is a shot out on the grounds and you can see lots of great garden things that I love. We went home with quite a nice haul. It is hot, but if you shop early, nothing can really keep me away from this.
Also, wanted to talk to all of my friends in the NYC area or if you want to come to the NYC area for a book signing. They are wanting to do a signing at the Rizzoli store in NYC, but need to hear from my friends to see who would be able to make it out for the signing. Thinking the 14th of October. If you would be interested in joining myself and Keith Scott Morton to get an autographed copy of the new book, Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home, then please let me hear from you. If we have enough response, then we will see you there!

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: At Home and Gone Junkin!

2010-06-21T21:05:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone is keeping their pinky swear promise to enjoy the long, summer days. Yeah, I know it is hot, but hey if you stay in the shade and get a nice breeze or run through the sprinkler or just get sprayed by the water hose, we remember how great those summer days can be. I for one, have been taking full advantage of the iced tea, making heaping pitchers every day, laced with fresh mint and orange slices. I have so many things that I want to tell you and so many things to blog about, that I cannot get it all into one. Yes, yes, I know that it has been a while since I blogged, but I have hit the road lately and left the plantation to go out on some summer road trips, in search of great junk, and I have seen plenty.

First, I was off to Canton Texas and found piles and miles of great stuff.
There was fields of all kinds of great stuff to buy and I could not possibly get all of the pictures on here at once, so you will have to stay posted, as I do it a day at a time. This picture was quite an eclectic mix, but the pelican would be great sitting poolside and the stagecoach would be great for our annual haunted hayride!
The flowering plants were plentiful at Canton and thought this was an incredible shot of the pallets of beautiful snapdragons, moss rose, larkspurs and more. I bought an entire truck full of knock-out roses, moss rose and zinnias for our summer gardens. By the way, give me a shout out if you loved the gardens in the movie," It's Complicated." I absolutely fell in love with the gardens in that movie with the vegetables, the cabbages, tomatoe vines and flowers, were glorious. Nancy Meyers produced that and "Somethings Gotta Give" and she is a genius. I loved the beach house too and found myself watching both of these over and over, just to look at gardens and decor. How about y'all? Speaking of gardens...how about these vintage garden tools that I saw at Canton for $4 each??? I will post more great pics of our summer fun and road trips.
This weekend we will be road tripping down to Roundtop Texas for the Big Red Barn Summer Show that starts SATURDAY the 26th and Sunday the 27th. This is a great group of dealers...the best from Warrenton, Marburger and ROundtop, so if you are in need of the good stuff, and ready to hit the road for a summer getaway, then don't miss it!
We will be set up at the show and have our usual great mix of linens, garden, French and architectural pieces.
P.S. while your there, don't forget to visit the legendary Royers cafe, that is famous for their 40+ kinds of homeade pies with real homeade crust from cherry to tollhouse, you have to try it. Also, don't miss the Sunday lunch with homeade fried chicken dinners. Truly, the best fried chicken, other than my grandmother's recipe, that I have ever eaten.
Plus you get to enjoy the Texas Hill Country and it doesn't get any better than that!
Meet me back here tomorrow, for more of our summer junkin trip!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Happy Memorial Day and Happy Summer!

2010-05-29T12:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Memorial Day: from the Plantation!
From all of us at Carolyn Westbrook Home, to all of you, we hope that you have a wonderful holiday weekend! Whether you are sleeping late, something that we all rarely do, but hey, now that the kids are out of school, let's all try and do that, shall we. Let's make a pledge right now, that we are going to enjoy this summer. I know, I know, we say that every year, but this year will be different, because we will make it so, right? So, everyone get those pinkies up in the air and pinkie swear: This summer, I pledge to spend lots of time with family and friends. I will actually read a book and not just read a book or two, but finish them. Preferably, while lying in the sun, whether in some exotic location on the beach or next to the kids blow-up swimming pool (that the top ring has deflated on, and we cannot figure out how to use the patch kit or even know where it is) but hey, it still holds water, right! Cheers to that! Here's to being positive, more loving and being appreciative for what we have (we may not have anything but a splash pool, but thank God for that) and to just being fun to be around, you know, like when you were when you were a kid! Here's to getting excited about the little things in life, like a big ol glass of iced tea, Whoo Hoo! Here's to embracing those warm temperatures (It has been no time ago that I was griping about the snow) and lets be thankful of the long daylight hours, and for lightening bugs! I saw some last night as I was walking down the driveway. Your time to start living life to the fullest, STARTS NOW!

Here is to peaceful sun-filled days. Let's vow to rock on the porch or at least sit outside, go fishing or paint a room, to make s'mores with the kids or have a bike ride. Whatever it is, just remember to enjoy and to count your blessings, because we are all blessed to live in a country that we are free to do all of that. Thanks to all of the men and women that have protected us and continue to do so! God Bless the United States of America and all of us that call it home!
P.S. Summer begins NOW! Get our there and enjoy it!

Get out there and garden, girls! It's Summer! Let's get our hands dirty cuz we can always wash them off with the hose.
The girls say hi! as they cluck about this morning! Say hi to Willemena, Babs, Roxie, Cluck, Peck, and Big Fat White Hen, who doesnt like to be photographed!

Here's to the easy, breezy days of Summer! The crickets chirping and the bullfrog chorus is going on every night, just across the road at the "big lake" as Nick likes to call it. There is plenty of fishing to do!

Carolyn Westbrook: The Big Reveal

2010-05-17T18:12:00.004-05:00

Could not wait to get back from my makeover trip to be able to share this
reveal. This was a friend who allowed me to do whatever I wanted, just create her
perfect dream house was the order. I spent months collecting all of the pieces necessary
to create a vision. I wanted a Marie Antoinette look, with French landscape prints, antique busts,

These are the before and after photos.
French books, and all of the other fabulous elements that came together to make
this look. The rooms were not large, so it was important to be able to create specific rooms using
a fabulous divider with gorgeous linen curtains. It also needed dramatic touches of color with
the touch of black elements. The room was dark and needed the beauty of lighting. The couch
on the left was an antique pale green couch with lots of tufting and we added pale green silk pillows
that are just to die for. The black shades add to the room and tie in beautifully with the zebra rug.
A skirted ottoman, comfy throws, and aged tarnished silver completed the look. I was thrilled with
the results and thought that you all would be anxious to see.

I will post the bedroom pics next. Let me hear your thoughts.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Here it is...The French Inspired Home!!!

2010-05-07T13:33:00.000-05:00

Oh my Gosh!!! I was jumping up and down when I opened the envelope and saw this!
Turned out even better than I had hoped. And with that said, just want to send out some
great big hugs and kisses to my photography team, Keith Scott Morton and his assistant, Eric.
Both are not only fabulous people, but just awesome at what they do. We are putting the finishing
touches on the book and also would like to say how great it is to work with such a wonderful
publisher. Thanks to my tireless editor Gillian and to Cindy and David for believing in me.
It is being presold now on Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. So, now I just need all of
ya'll to please go order one. I cannot wait to see the first copy and will keep you posted on
events.

How about this weather we are having???Gorgeous! Have a wonderful weekend.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Garden Party Sale!

2010-05-03T22:04:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Wanted to let you all know that it is time for the annual Garden Party Sale.
This sale takes place in Dallas, Texas at my good friend Portia's. I know that you all have heard me
rave about all of the good stuff that I find and these two friends have incredible stuff. Oh, forgot to
mention that my good friend Gina, Country Garden antiques will be at this event too.
If you all are into the spring cleaning and re-doing like me, then you really need to check this out.
Lots of great stuff esp. the hard to find garden and architectural. Garden urns, statuary, furniture, lots
of really neat odds and ends and bits and pieces...treasures that we all love to find.

Here is the info:
Thursday May 6th- 6-8pm
Friday May 7th 10-3
4224 Allencrest
Dallas, TX. 75244
Questions??? 214-770-3038 Gina

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Creative Connection

2010-04-20T20:34:00.000-05:00

Very exciting news!!! The new book Carolyn Westbrook: French Inspired Home, will be out just in time for the Creative Connection event this fall in Minneapolis.
I am thrilled and honored to be doing a book signing on September the 16th at this event.

It is a roster full of some of the most creative women in the business and Jo Packham and Nancy Soriano are the master minds behind this wonderful gathering of creative souls. I cannot wait. They have key note speakers, workshops, and all kinds of interesting things taking place for all of us who cannot get enough of a good thing. There will also be a market of hand picked vendors to shop, and if that wasn't enough it is also the same time as the Junk Bonanza. You can register and see all of the details at www.thecreativeconnectionevent.com.

I look forward to meeting some new friends and celebrating the new book together!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Let the good times roll on prom night!!!!

2010-04-02T21:47:00.000-05:00

Another fantastic Roundtop/Warrenton show at ZAPP Hall in Warrenton Texas. We have visited with those from all over the country from California to Michigan to Wisconsin and loving every minute of it. Seen some celebs, like Miranda Lambert and also my friend Jo Packham from Where Women Create. We are hoping to get our new book in time for the Creative Connection event. The weather has been fantastic and there is much fun to be had and of course ...great junkin!!!!

We will be hitting it hard tomorrow for our last day, so if there is a way to get here, you need to. These are some pics from the prom night, put on by our friends the Junk Gypsies, who work hard to make a great event even better.

My daughter Victoria was able to come out for prom and she can be seen at Amie, Janie, and Jolie's booth. Miranda Lambert was there for prom and Tori was hoping to catch a glimpse and she did.

As you can see we were well protected as all of the local law enforcement had dinner right outside our cottage...seems no one can resist Royers Zapp Hall cafe!

The festivities continue tomorrow through 4pm
Hope to see you there!!!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Time for a Hen Party!!!

2010-03-13T16:07:00.000-06:00

It's time for a hen party and maybe a rooster or two. Time is ticking and I for one cannot wait for the gathering of all of us who love the Roundtop/Warrenton Spring show. We will begin selling on Friday the 26th and cannot wait to see everyone there. It is such a transformation with tons of inspiration everywhere you turn. This is where you will find the true movers and shakers of the design business, I think. Many an idea has been born here in the gorgeous vignettes that you will see, truly amazing.

Spring is in the air and as always I am thinking about projects. Perhaps we need to finish up one or two we started last year. Without a project, I am not myself. I love running around with a hammer in one hand and a tool box in another. Makes me feel that I have really accomplished something. I am ready for Spring cleaning as my windows are up, and I do love to smell the fresh air smell. Where is my Pine Sol? It is time to dust it off and put those winter things away, because Spring is about to happen.

I love it! This time of year I am ready to put up the blankets, heavy rugs and replace them with white slips, sizel (because it feels so good on your bare feet) and fresh cut blooming branches. Out with the stale and in with the fresh. I do love the blooming branches in big clear containers, and it sweetens the air.

Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you looking for a little inspiration, then pack up the car and head down to Warrenton Texas for good times and great shopping. Be sure to shop early for best selection. I would hate for anyone to miss out.

Mar. 26 2010-April 3, 2010
Zapp Hall
Warrenton, TX.

Hope to see you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Cannot Wait til Warrenton!!!!

2010-03-06T18:29:00.001-06:00

O.K. Girls and Boys, it is almost that time again!!!! I cannot wait until Warrenton, the big show at Zapp Hall. For those of you who have not been it is the show of the year! It takes over the Texas Hill Country with the beautiful Texas wildflowers blooming across the countryside, while SPring is in the air and even better...SHOPPING! and not just any shopping, but the best stuff that you have ever seen as this stretches across three towns, Roundtop, Marburger and Warrenton, TX. What a sight to see! Miles and miles of great merchandise and people from all over the country getting together for great finds, good friends and a great time.

So, I have been busy putting together a wonderful collection, gathered from near and far, to bring to all of my friends that expect to be awed each season.
You will know that Spring has sprung once you step foot in with slipcovered couches, flowers, glass, lots of Frenchy items and urns, statuary and all of the good stuff that I can find. Of course, our staples of bedding, pillows and slipcovers will also be here. I hope that everyone will have a chance to come and see what all of the excitement is about at this show.

Let us not forget, Royers cafe and Beer Garden (with live music) right outside my door, who are famous for their homeade pies and gourmet comfort food, as well as the Champagne bubble lounge, where one can relax and enjoy some bubbly while listening to the band. This is truly not an event to be missed and remember, shop early for best selection!
You know what I always say, this is not Walmart, this is the good stuff and it is one-of-a-kind fabulous antique items that one could search the world over for, all brought to you in this event.
We will open Friday mid day and be open until April 3rd at 4p.m. at Zapp Hall in Warrenton, TX.
Hope to see everyone there!!!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Snow, Snow Go Away

2010-02-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

Hello All.

O.K. I was thinking that we lived in Texas so that we didn't have to deal with the snow. I took a bunch of beautiful images the last time, and we liked it for a day, then we are wishing for 75 degree nights. It's all fun the first five minutes with snowball fights, snow ice cream and snow men, then it is a wet, cold, sloppy mess that leaves the kids home from school, bored out of their minds, and tracking in wet, melted snow and mud, every 5 seconds. Is anyone out there with me on this???

Thank goodness that our photo shoot ended on Saturday night. We had some really great sunshiny days last week and got some great photography. Now I am frantically writing text as my deadline is quickly approaching.

The snow is coming down again today like gangbusters and then melting and making a slushy mess. Canton is this week and hoping to get out and look around. Think about this...less than 4 weeks to Roundtop/Warrenton show.
Amazing how fast time flies and so looking forward to the greatest show on earth

Trying to talk my photographers into showing up for the show from NYC. They have shot it for Country Living many times, but thinking that they would see a different side from the ZAPP HALL location, as it is a great time and a great place.

Hope that all of you will get to come and see it for yourselves. As I sit and look at the snow fall, I can only dream of the Spring wildflowers and hanging out with all my friends as we go junkin through the fields and of course meeting lots of new friends!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: A Valentines Treat for the Sweet

2010-02-10T17:43:00.000-06:00

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day, even though it is a bit early. I do love this most romantic of special occasions, as it reminds us to think of those that we love. My friend Carol invited us to a dinner at her home, while we were at the Urban Market in Houston and we were joined by my friends, Peg and Jon Vandyne (French Vanilla). It was a wonderful time and of course Carol and her culinary skills...she prepared an absolutely wonderful meal that ended with these stacked cake plates full of the delicious confections.

I had no idea that Carol could create such baked masterpieces, but found that this is where her passion lies and that she had been quite the famous baker, before moving here. As you all can see these petit fours are not only beautiful but filled with a decadent raspberry filling. Then she showed me her cookie creations that were skillfully and artfully done with different themes. There are crowns, French motifs, and also monograms...stunning. There were many more, for weddings, wedding showers, parties, pratically anything for any occasion.

I had to share this with y'all, as it was truly incredible and would be great at any party or wedding or perhaps Valentine's day. She does have a blog at www.cookiedumonde.blogspot.com

I have trouble icing a cake and she can do all of this, it is mind boggling. I wish everyone the most romantic Valentine's day and hope you and your sweetie do something wonderful.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westrook: Urban Market

2010-01-30T17:32:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone! I wanted to invite everyone to our upcoming show at the Urban Market in Houston, Texas.

One day Only!
February 7th
9am-4 pm
The Knights of Columbus in the Heights (Houston)
607 E whitney Dr.
Houston, TX. 77022

THis is a great show and hope that you all will try and attend. For more info go to www.theurbanmarkethouston.com

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Here's whats going on....

2010-01-14T18:56:00.000-06:00

I know that it has been a while, but busy, busy, busy with the new book. I have been up to my ears in decorating, styling, and photography for the new book. We have been working through weekends and all hours to meet deadlines, but how rewarding it has been. I am the most fortunate person to be able to work with one of the best photographers out there, Keith Scott Morton, and his team...thanks to Sarah and Eric, as well. Flying in from NYC and working these kinds of hours is rough, but they are pleasant through it all. For those of you who enjoyed the last book, then hoping that you will love this one. We have photographed some fabulous locations, and the photography has been absolutely stunning. Thanks to all involved who helped make this happen, it has all come together for a fabulous result. We are all still working hard and is due to release Sept. 2010...cannot wait for everyone to see it.

Wanted to remind everyone that the Winter Roundtop show is this weekend in Roundtop Texas, Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of January. Check the Original Roundtop Antiques Show website for more details, or for those of you who know where the "Big Red Barn" is in R0undtop then just come on down. We will be there and have loads of beautiful linens and some wondeful modern style curved slipcovered sofas, so hope to see everyone there! XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn WEstbrook: Happy Holidays

2009-12-19T08:34:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Holiday Season.
Here's to hoping that we remember the important things in life come from
the heart and not from the department store.

Remember my friends, it is our ability to get creative and give heart felt gifts
that have true meaning, and these do not have to be expensive. A photo album,
a handmade scrap book, a handwritten letter telling those we love, how much
we care, perhaps some homeade cookies or other sweet treats that we have baked
ourselves. These are the real treats in life.
Let's remember, most importantly the Reason for the Season: A Celebration of the
Birth of Jesus, and to share that love this Holiday Season.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Holiday Season to remember!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Tis the Season

2009-12-03T19:58:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it my friends??? Christmas has snuck up on me this year. I am so far behind and running to catch up. It is Christmas here at The Oaks, and trying hard to get everything ready for the Season. It is a tradition around here that before the turkey is even taken from the table that we all have to gather outside and wrap the massive columns on the porch with garlands. Good thing that I have brothers, and one that is still agile enough to scurry up the 40 ft. ladder. It makes me worried just to look at the ladder, it is so incredibly tall. Of course, when my smarty pants brother starts cutting up, I have to give the ladder a gentle shake and tell him that I hope he doesn't fall. Truly, he is a sweetheart. All brothers, Mom, Dad, Papa, Nana, cousins, sons and daughters have to pitch in, as it is a HUGE undertaking. There are five trees all with vintage ornaments and this year trees are wrapped with lights, as my son Nicholas is feeling even more festive and he is the king of Christmas decorating. He has been busy after school wrapping trees with lights and garlands around the long fence across the front of the property.

This is a great time of year and I cannot believe, SNOW???? This is a shot from last year as it snowed and Victoria and Alex were trailing off into the woods. I love this photo. Meanwhile, perhaps a chance of snow tomorrow, in Texas...seems that Jack Frost is here early
.
Just an update about the book. We did some shooting already and looks like it will be a fantastic book. I am so fortunate to be working with reknowned photographer, Keith Scott Morton, and he has done a magnificent job with the photography and is a joy to work with.

I wanted to let you know also, that I have two matching twin sized red velvet spreads that were made specifially for the book shoot. I now will offer them for sale and they are stunning. They are made to layer over a white dust ruffle and there are pillows to match in the white box pillow and red velvet Euro and some smaller pillows. It is absolutley stunning and thinking that it would be even more so with a white Jr. Box in the front monogrammed in red. Contact us, if you are interested in matching twin and they will be discounted below wholesale.
Meanwhile, hoping that all of you are decorating for the Season and in the Spirit of the Holiday! Hoping that all of your dreams come true for the Holiday Season!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

I would like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving Day! This is one of my favorite holidays because it makes us really look and see how richly we are blessed. Gathering with family and friends is what it is all about and to be thankful for all of the blessings that we have.

For us, it means getting together and cooking up some delicious Southern food. We will have family, and with my little Victoria around, all of her friends that have no family to go to, who will now become part of our family for the holiday.
To me, that is the real blessing. The house is full, as I write with wonderful smells wafting up the stairs. It really is the things that money cannot buy that makes for the spirit of the holiday season. It will not be long until we all sit down and feast on turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, layered salad, mac n cheese, fresh cranberry relish, and all of the yummy desserts. I love this cranberry relish. I will leave a recipe in case anyone wants to make it...it is delicious.

I would like to wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. Hopefully, we will all be reminded to slow down long enough to enjoy the real riches in life...our family, our home and our friends that fill it. Love to all and bon appetite!

Cranberry Relish:

Put this in the food processor:
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 small orange peeled and sliced (slice all of the white part off of the orange)
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Chop and serve

Refrigerate and it is better the longer it sits.

XOXO CAROLYN

Carolyn Westbrook: Thank You

2009-11-13T17:41:00.000-06:00

Dear Decorating Friends,

Thanks for all of your support and well wishes about the new book. I have been so enthralled with trying to put together the most fabulous French inspired that one has ever seen that I have forgotten to write. What a great assignment! I love anything French, so loving it. From the crusty French shell art boxes to the crystal chandeliers, hoping that everyone out there will gain inspiration from the new release. My goal is to make it very diverse. That way we will have a little something for everyone. This is going to keep me busy for a while and I am frazzled as I write this on decorating overload, but what better place to be.
I have met a new friend and inspiration along my travels, that I am sure most of you have already heard of...Charyl Coleman. She has been in many magazines, but most memorable for me was the Victoria issue where she did the decor for the revamp of the Havana in San Antonio. When she said that, the memories of that issue came flooding back, not to mention Joe and I went there for our anniversary several years ago...my response was, "You had me at Havana." Charyl does incredible work and just love her ease of style.

Love meeting a fellow sister that loves great design as much as I.

I have to run now and looks like an entire week of 24/7 decorating. Hope everyone is well and let me hear from you! Love reading your comments, it keeps me going!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Big Annoucement

2009-11-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

This is to all who have been asking for some time now, when is the next book coming out. I am very, very excited to announce that I have an answer for that question. That's right friends, the ink is barely dry on the contract, the new book contract that is. I am fortunate enough to be working with Cico/Ryland, Peters & Small on the next book entitled, Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home, due to release Sept. 2010. We will be doing various signings and hope that all of you will get a copy. I cannot wait to sign a copy for each and every one of you and know that I will work very hard to make sure it is a book that you will cherish as much as the first. Love to all of you and thanks so much for your support. I love hearing from you, so keep those comments coming.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Happy Halloween!

2009-10-26T20:04:00.000-05:00

The air is crisp, the pumpkins are ripe, and the smell of autumn is in the air. I love this time of year with caramel apples, hayrides, and spooky spider webs. Halloween is always a fun time for the kids, putting together great costumes to top the ones from the year before. Here it is all about the haunted hayride and annual weenie roast. Harvest tables are brought out into the yard. Spooky chandeliers hang over the table with drippy wax candles and spider webs. We pick only the best pumpkins for the carving and we all compete for the best one. Then they are lit up on the porch steps, while luminaries lead our guests up the drive. Hot dogs, buns, and all the fixin's line the table that is covered with burlap. Hay bales are the best seat around the fire. The centerpiece is an old rusted French urn filled with moss and pumpkins, while candles from the chandelier glow overhead.

The kids love to come and the favorite part is the ooey gooey marshmallow goodness. They have to be roasted just right. Of course, smores are the order of the night, and then it is time for the spooky stories. Then we head off for the haunted hayride.
Pictured here is Alex and one of her friend's and were the winners of best costume.

I want everyone to know, that I will have a big announcement toward the end of the week.
Hope all will check back and I will let you know the big surprise! We are very excited about things that are going on, and cannot wait to share with all of you!!!!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Junk Palace Going out of Business!

2009-10-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

Friends,

For all of you who have not had the pleasure of seeing my friend Lillie's store
"Junk Palace" in Malakoff, Texas, then now is the time. We are sad to say that she is going out of business, which is so sad because it is a great store. I have enclosed photos of her Halloween motif.

It is a wonderful eclectic mix of quirky vignettes showing off the spooky effect of the crows, spiders, and such. Of course, all mixed in with her great conglomeration of furniture, antique frames, mirrors, patio furniture and wonderful finds.

Here is a great vignette featuring a great little crystal sconce, urns, Frenchy couches, all at great "Going out of Business" prices. Below is a great table setting complete with bugs, spiders, and a few eyeballs rolling around on the place setting. Cannot be without those for Halloween. Love it!

Here is the information:
Store: Junk Palace
Proprietor: Lillie Bussey
213 S. Terry St.
Malakoff, Texas
Phone: 903-288-6130

She will be closed Friday the 23rd, opening on Sat. the 24th at 10am.
Her hours will be irregular because she is "going out of biz" so make sure to give her a call before you make that drive.

P.S. Don't forget to stop by Curiosities, while you are in town and see Donna's FABULOUSO store too! Lillie can point you in the right direction.

Oh, just wanted to tell everyone, thank you for taking the time to let me hear from you about the Made In The USA post. It really meant alot to me. Luv you all!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Made in the U.S.A.

2009-10-19T21:58:00.000-05:00

Made in the U.S.A. seems that this is a thing of the past. Oh my gosh!!! I never seem to have time to sit down and watch an entire movie or program on T.V. but I was in the room when this HBO special came on something like, "Rags to Riches to Rags" a feature on the garment industry. I was mesmerized. It was talking about how the industry has changed so DRASTICALLY since even the mid 90's. Even I can see, when I got into manufacturing in 1994, there were plenty of fabric lines, reps. plenty of sewers and cutters, it was still a possibility to manufacture here locally in the U.S. Since that time, I myself have seen the decline in the garment industry. The fabric shows were HUGE and the fabric merchants had lots of ATTITUDE. Now, they are begging for business and the fabric shows have declined to pratically nothing. The fabric mills are on a rapid decline with hardly any actually left.
They showed on this feature this stunning realization.
1965- 95% of garments were manufactured here in the U.S.A.
1975- 80% of " " " " U.S.A.
1985- 70% of garments were manufactured here in the U.S.A.
1995- 50% of garments were manufactured here in the U.S.A.

Now for the most disturbing news...
2009- 5% of garments are manufactured here in the U.S.A.
and virtually all of the countries that are manufacturing are using child labor.

It is stunning. This comes at a time when I am in talks with a company about moving manufacturing to China. I really had no idea what the statistics were.
We really need to care about this because it not only effects the sewers, cutters, designers, but the accountants, the secretaries, the maintenance staff, and our entire economy. Hopefully it is not too late for us to care where are products are made, and what this means to the U.S.A.
The Fat Cat big name designers charge unbelievable prices for their garments, could they not afford to have them made here at home and still profit. Are they really that greedy?
Yes, I know we all like to get the great shirt or sweater for $12, but it seems that we will end up paying a much bigger price if this continues.

I for one, will not be moving operations out of the country. I am an advocate for children and could not sleep at night knowing that I was profiting from child labor.
If you get the opportunity to watch this, you really should. It is a real eye opener about what is happening to our country and how very sad it is to see these very talented people (designers, pattern makers, etc.) out of jobs because of our desire to buy cheaper, cheaper, cheaper and because of the greed of big corporate. Let's remember the pride that comes with MADE IN THE U.S.A.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Glad to see me go!

2009-09-19T21:19:00.000-05:00

Well, it is that time of year again, where we take advantage of all of the labor that we can find to load a 26 ft. truck, and 16 ft. trailer for our bi-annual trek to the biggest show of the YEAR! My kids go running for the HILLS!

As you can see here, I wore everyone out and they shouted thanks to the heavens as the big truck was finally loaded and ready to head on down the road.
Even Jack (our big black lab) was exhausted. He has to run around and pretend to chase squirrels the entire time we are outside, just to prove to us how worthy he really is.

Alex passed out in the road a couple of times, and when we were done, the drama queen passed out in the middle of the road. Good thing that road is not very busy, right Alex. You see, the harder that you make this job out to be, the bigger the shopping spree at the mall. Alex thinks that she is worth an entire day of shopping at Northpark.

Victoria on the other hand, my little minister in the family, was singing her praises that the job was done, and she could be done with me for two weeks and
have plenty of cash for gas and "hanging out" after her college work was done.

It's funny, my kids make out like this is the worst thing ever, but the teens from around here, come out of the woodwork when it is time to load, and they are willing and able, and much cheaper I might add. So, you kids of mine better watch out or your shopping days are over.

You hear that Alex....is she still outside in the road???? It's getting mighty late, perhaps I should go check.

Nicholas is not pictured here because he has already taken off on his 4-wheeler. He high-tailed it out of here, as soon as we said the word, DONE! Was that Done or Dad....I think he got to leave early. Him and his posse of boys are a big help to us, and they are getting to those teenage years, where they can lift more than anyone else...and that my friends is a good thing. The only down side is you have to feed them.

So, as we head off down the road, we will miss everyone (for two weeks)those three teens of ours, Nick, Victoria, and Alex, Our dogs, Jack, Bella, Princess Teddy, and Mom, Dad, and even the chickens....so long for now, but HELLO ZAPP HALL!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Countdown to Warrenton

2009-09-18T20:30:00.000-05:00

So, not only do you get the best shopping trip of your life, you get the best party too! We are less than a week away until the excitement begins. Make sure to hang on to all of the tips that I have provided when you get here, they will come in handy.

Thursday night Oct.1st is the best party this side of the Mississippi. It is late night shopping at Zapp Hall. This is the place to be! At 6pm they begin FREE, that's right FREE Belinee's and a FREE load of snacks, and we are open until 8pm for late night shopping. You can shop, have a beverage and some tasty snacks, all at the same time. It is truly a majical and later, wild night.

It is then time for the famous, JUNK GYPSY PROM. I promise that you have never seen anything like it. So, be sure to pack that vintage prom dress, a feather boa and as much bling and as many petticoats as you can possibly fit. Oh, and don't forget the boots they are crucial to the Junk Gypsy Prom look. Forgot yours...don't worry, my friends, Amie, Janie, and Jolie will have plenty of petticoats, t-shirts, and bling for sale. The official site is the Junk Gypsy tent and they furnish a live band. Then over in my neck of the woods is another band
playing. and hundreds of happy party goers.

Pictured here is Cash, Jolie's son with the singer of the band.

Below that is the entire JG crew with my daughter, Victoria. Gotta love the funky and fun outfits. Love it!

Pictured last is the most incredible get-ups the "One night Stands." Get it? They have nightstands around their waists and lampshades crowning their heads...this was hysterical.

Food Tip: If you are hungry for dinner, no need to go any further than Royers at Zapp Hall. They have wonderful gourmet comfort food, with everything from quail to Beef Tenderloin to Texas Cavier. It is always a great meal, and very fun environment.

If this does not convince you that this is where you need to be, then nothing will. I hope to see everyone there soon.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Warrenton Countdown

2009-09-17T18:54:00.000-05:00

Y'all getting excited yet? Let's hear it. Not long now, so thought that we should touch on the fact, that everyone is loading up and puttin on the dog...getting ready for the good times at Zapp Hall.

Make sure that when you come in on hwy 237( From Brenham), the first stop to the right is the La Bahia show. Make sure that you pull the car over for this one. It is worth the stop. This needs to be put on the list as a must see. In fact, you could see this field, then jump in the car and head on down 237, there are fields on both sides for you to explore. If you have the time, you can head back to Marburger Farms for a second look. Your wristband is good for the entire show, so be sure not to throw it away!

Once you make it back into Warrenton, across the street from us is the Campbell Building. You will see the red trim on this building. They have a party...I believe Tues. night, but check in with them to verify. My friend Haley Johnson of Cottage Gatherings is here.

Food Tip: Last show they had a wonderful eatery at the back of the Campbell bldg. with tasty, healthy treats like spinach salad with strawberries and pistachios...YUM. All kinds of yummy different types of salads with delicious goat cheese, sandwiches and such.

O.K. here is our dinner tip for the day...if you are up for a little drive (20 minutes from the show) in Giddings, Texas (Off of 290), there is a FABULOUS mexican restaraunt there called Jalisco's. In the strip mall with Wal-mart, which seems a bit unusual, but we laugh because two of the best restaraunts that we have eaten at are in this same strip. One is Jalisco's, which has an all-you-can-eat buffet on Friday and I think, Sat. Includes fajitas, shrimp, all kinds of stuff, and is well attended. I am not much on buffets, but everyone raves about this one.

We always get the same thing, which is the Guadalajara ( not spelled correctly, but I tried). We are definitely a good judge of Tex-Mex and this is REALLY good. This plate is huge and you will have some left for later. If you like Chile Relleno(ask for poblano pepper) then this is the place for you. They make a good margarita too.

If you like the scenic trip then come back the next night to the Hunan Chinese, right down from Jalisco's. They have some of the freshest ingredients around, and the vegetables have a good crunch, which I love. Everything that we have had here is very good. If you can make it, it is definitely worth the trip.

Tip: bring along a good bottle of wine or you can buy some at the Wine Shop in Roundtop, and have a little end of the day "Show N Tell" party. We all gathered in a hotel room, and had a challenge, a contest if you will, where we all looked for the best purchase of the day, but the spending limit was $5. Yea! I won the last one.. I found a beautiful antique silver plate monogrammed napkin ring for $5. We figured out a little prize for the winner. Just a fun little get-together for all of us and would be great for you and your girlfriends.
See you soon! XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Warrenton Countdown

2009-09-16T17:12:00.000-05:00

Friends...I just checked and there were some rooms available. If you have been wanting to come to the show, now is a good time to see if there have been cancellations and you could find a room. WHOO HOO! This could be your lucky day. I am telling you, this show is not just great for merchandise, but a favorite vacation spot with the girls. Last year, we had a group of women show up that came for one of the girl's b-day. Her husband had a huge rental truck sent in for them to load up, but in the back of the truck, prior to their load, had it decorated with tables, chairs, streamers, a complete birthday party with cake, in the back of a rental truck. What a great husband!!!!

Tuesday, Sept. 29th is the opening of Marburger Farms. There is a $25 fee for early shopping. There are numerous huge tents and buildings at the venue. Some of the best vendors do this show, including my good friend Janet Wiebe. SHe is in a tent in the back of the field, next to Marie and Simone, who you have seen on my blog from New Orleans. I have always said that some of the best pieces in my home come from Janet and Marie's is FABULOUS as well. You cannot miss them. Also, along the fence row at the front of the show in the long row of tents, you will find French Vanilla, Peg and Jon Vandyne. Need I say more??? Most everyone knows them and try not to get trampled in the herd that is headed for their booth. There is so much to see here you could certainly spend a whole day. In another tent look for my friends, Austin Woodhenge. They have handcrafted reproduction book plates, framed with handpainted frames, along with handmade wooden stools and all kinds of interesting finds. They are quite the talented couple, Kathy and Donny Gross.

If you wait until later, the price for entry does go down, but there is something about rushing off to your favorite booth.

Food tip: Back down in Warrenton TX. right off of Hwy 237 you will find the Legal Tender Saloon. They have incredible pimento cheese that is made with 5 cheeses on homeade bread, and incredible bar-b-que. We like the beef stew, but sells out quickly. There is indoor seating for this eatery, and it is a great place for lunch.

If you do decide to head out to Marburger Farms, make sure to tell all my friends, that Carolyn sent ya! Hope to see you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: The computer crashed and so did I

2009-09-15T18:48:00.000-05:00

Friends, Sorry that my countdown to Warrenton, came to a hault. It has been a tough time around here. My computer decided to crash at the same time, I did. I woke feeling like death on Sunday and was scavenging the house for the kid's leftover antibiotics. Those of you that are Moms know exactly what I am talking about. I found some and took that along with everything else that I could think of. Felt better than death a few hours later, but still horrible. Now those who know me know that I would rather have my arm chopped off than go to the doctor, but this time I had to go. I took my computer to the Dr. first and then headed to the local convient care clinic. Got there at 8:30 am and they said that I would have to wait until 3:00 pm perhaps later, to be seen. (Are you kidding me???)I made an appointment for my regular Doctor in Frisco (1.5 hrs from here) and dragged myself up there. Turns out that I was really sick. Got lots of medicine and trying to get over this. I HATE BEING SICK and this is not the time. I have things that have to get done, as we start loading the 26 ft. truck this weekend.

Moving on. Let's move on to the countdown. Next, if you are in for inspiration, you have to go see Mark Dooley's field, which sits on the East side of clutter on the corner of 237. You will see the metal buildings and this is the designer district. Lots of high end Fabulous European finds to be found here. (Picture left)

If you and your friends are looking for a cup of coffee and a great breakfast one morning, then head to Roundtop square to Klumps. It is a down home little building with simple breakfast fare. You will be greeted with mismatched tables, chairs, and old-timey hardwood floors... these folks know how to cook a good breakfast. My only warning, and I hope that they do not take offense, is make sure you have plenty of time. This is not a fast paced city restaraunt. It is worth the wait!

While tooling down the road back toward Warrenton from Klumps, make sure to stop at the "Texas Rose" show. It is worth stopping for. They have several tents and buildings, and many of my friends are here. They know how to put on a show. I think one of the best shows here. So, be sure to check it out and tell Lily and Margaret that Carolyn sent you!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Countdown to Warrenton

2009-09-13T17:21:00.000-05:00

Day 3

Here are some more fall photos of the CWH booth at Zapp Hall. I think that Zapp Hall hosts some of the best talent in the biz, and looking at these photos think that you will agree.
(Left) This is a shot of my good friend's Debbie (talkin trash) and Danny York. There's is not to be missed. Here the good junk is plentiful and the prices are right, so make sure that you make it here. Also, if you go around the corner, in front of Zapp Hall, you will find Theresa's booth, and it is a perfect place to stop by. Also, very inspiring and great prices.
The next shot down is also Debbie and Cat Daddy's booth. Behind my building be sure not to miss my good friend, Gina from Country Garden Antiques. She is the QUEEN of Christmas. If it is vintage Christmas ornaments that you crave, then be sure to see her booth.
Make sure to plan plenty of time to spend here at this field. There is so much to see here, including my friends at the Junk Gypsies. This is the spot for funky furnishings and clothing with the Junk Gypsy brand.

For those who want a great nightime dining experience there is no place else like Royers Cafe. Make sure to make your reservations in advance. If you are a steak lover, then they have a treat for you. It is simply the best steak that I have ever had and we travel all over the world. It is called the OMG steak and it is. Their homeade rolls are wonderful and they come with a sweet spread. In fact, everything that i have ever had here is good. Now, you will have to wait a while, even with reservations. But not to worry...the wait is half the fun. They have an "honors" cooler (except if you happen to be an attorney, then it is cash first HAHA!) tha't what is says on the cooler. It is filled with beer and wine, and you can have a seat and visit with all of the other fellow antiquers. You are bound to meet some new friends. Oh, and don't forget the pie. Royer's is famous for their pie, and they have a bazillion different kinds, and they do ship. Make sure to tell Bud that Carolyn Westbrook sent ya!
Bon Appetite! XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Update on my last post

2009-09-11T20:16:00.000-05:00

I just found out that the last tip, regarding Curious Goods is incorrect. She will be at Marburger Farms this show, which I will post more on later. So, disregard my information on where to find her. You will still want to peruse the "Bar W" field. You never know what you will find, and there are deals to be found.
Happy Junkin!
Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Countdown to Warrenton

2009-09-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

DAY TWO:

Once you have been to Clutter, then in the field to the west of Clutter (backs up to Clutter) on the West side...I think that this is Bar "W" field. You can park at the back here. Look for my friend Donna at Curious Goods. She was in with Renee last year and Renee has FABULOUS stuff too, but thinking she is not going to be there this time, setting up, just here to shop. She is right along the fence row, if you go down the trail next to the fence, she is down toward the end of the tents facing West. You will see the wonderful collections as you near the tent. Her merchandise is wonderfully odd and she has very inspiring display on how to use things in a different way, which I love.

In fact, this whole field is great to peruse for great junk.

Forgot to mention yesterday...Clutter also has a little eatery at the show. They have really yummy healthy fare, and a variety of coffees and teas. There is a shaded dining area and is a great resting spot to have a little bite and something to drink.

TIP: Make sure that you have a purse or tote bag with a bottled water. This is Texas and it can get mighty hot in Sept. It is VERY important to stay hydrated. Also, bring a bite stick and put in your purse. Texas also has fire ants and if you happen to get bit while out in the fields, it is good to have a bite stick to kill the sting.

For nightime dining; If you are planning on eating at the original Royers Cafe in Roundtop, you will need to make reservations, and they will ask for a credit card, and it is nonrefundable. F.Y.I.

See you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Step Right Up...Fall Warrenton 2009

2009-09-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up for the most fabulous show on earth. Do not be afraid and let's not get overwhelmed, we are here to help. Of course, we are talking about the upcoming Warrenton/Roundtop Antiques Extravaganza. It is simply not to be missed and we can help you out with the top attractions, where you will find the best food, antiques, parties, etc. We are here to give you all of our years of experience and information and it won't cost you a cent.
Our show will be opening just two weeks from tomorrow! Can you believe it???
I will be doing the 10 days of Warrenton...which will be a special countdown, until the week that we leave with some great tips and information every single day, starting today.

Tip of the day: (Day 1)
Friday, September 25th is the day we open at Carolyn Westbrook Home. We will be selling at the show at WHOLESALE PRICES, so if you have been itching to re-do that stale bedroom of yours, now is your chance. We will also have our FABULOUS one-of-a-kind finds.

I have to tell y'all a funny story. One of my customers came in on Friday (opening) , I was tagging a statue for her that she wanted, and I asked what name she wanted on the SOLD tag...she says to "mark it Zitch." I am like, that is an unusual last name, she says, that's not my name, but everytime I get here, these zitches have already been in here and bought up all of the great stuff, so this time, I am the zitch! I loved it...fell out over that one. So, now everytime we see her, that is her name...Ms. Zitch.

After you have finished here, do not miss the opening party for "CLUTTER." It is amazing. Located in an old house right off of HWY 237 you cannot miss it with the big sign that says "Clutter." It is in Warrenton, but East of Zapp Hall and before Marburger on the right (if you are headed East.) They have wonderful horsdeurves, wine, beer, soda, for their guests, but the best part is the heaping headful of inspiration that you will get here. The dislay is wonderful along with the merchandise. You are sure to find some treasure or trinket and for you ladies (or guys) that love transferware as much as I do, you will not leave empty handed. It is super crowded for this event, so get there early. I think the party starts at 5:00, but may be 4: 3opm. Would not hurt to get there early as there is a line.
Same goes for us, the early bird, gets the worm.

Here is the food tip of the day. If you find yourself at Zapp Hall (before Royers opens) and need a quick bite then look no further than the Diamond Shamrock gas station. They have the best sandwiches, and Doris will make it herself. They are made on homeade bread and are HUMONGEOUS!!! no kidding, the meat is piled 3" high...you had better split it with a friend. They have wonderful red rind cheese, turkey, ham, whatever you like, and check the cooler for all kinds of bottles of sweet tea, diet sweet tea with mint, all kinds of YUMMY flavors. I'm from the south, so love the iced tea selection! At the counter, they have homeade sweet treats, that are made by the local ladies. So, stop in, grab a sack lunch and head out for a picnic lunch under a big tree, with your favorite shopping buddies. Believe me, with so much to see, you'll need the recharge.

Hope you guys enjoy the daily countdown and the tips and info, and better be seeing you down the road, at ZAPP HALL!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Field Trip

2009-09-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

Ladies...and gentleman too, it is time to confirm those hotel reservations for the upcoming Warrenton/Roundtop Antique Extravaganzzza! Get ready to get that car packed up and hit the road, because in three weeks, it is time for the biggest ANTIQUE show on earth! I will be posting important info, like the dates, which is 9/25/2009-10/3/2009, so important to know when to come. This show goes for miles and includes several towns, and different shows, open different days. I always recommend getting there early, especially at our shop, the early bird gets the best stuff to choose from. We open on Friday, 9/25/2009.
When you come in on 237 just keep on coming til you get into Warrenton, and look for the ZAPP HALL sign. You will see a Diamond Shamrock station...I recommend pulling in there and you can park in the parking lot in the back. This is a pretty central location.

I have enclosed a shot of Gina and I shopping at Warrenton. I love Warrenton because there are deals to be had, out in the fields. You never know what you will find. I think that Zapp Hall is the best field, and that is why, that is where you will find me. We have a little cottage there and a Big Tent, that is filled to the brim with all of our Carolyn Westbrook Home bedding, pillows, lamps, lampshades, slipcovers, and home accessories. THESE ARE AT WHOLESALE PRICES (DURING THE SHOW ONLY)Not to mention our fabulous one-of-a-kind antique treasures that we find along the way. We are known for creating an entire environment with slipcovered sofas, cabinets filled with ironstone, wonderful paintings and antique prints, so that our customers really can have a one-stop shop to decorate the rooms in their homes. We have done all the work and put it all together from antique iron beds, bedding, night stands, mirrors, wall art, cabinets, whatever you need. We have antique cabinets, harvest tables, all sizes and kinds of tables this trip, along with a primitive workbench, French bistro set (black and white), metal patio furniture, some pink, some cream with our signature Carolyn Westbrook Home cushions in coordinating pink, cream or green florals and stripes to match. It appears as a room setting when we are finished, with all of the work already done. Of course, we have Ironstone platters, dishes, and such, along with trophy cups, antique books, and anything that we think makes for the perfect combination.

I have included a list (Above)of things that you will want to bring on your junkin adventure in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country! So, get a sitter for the kids, the dog, the cat, the husband ( or bring him along) anything that is holding you back, cause you gotta come.

Not to be missed, this trip...we will feature some special pieces of our new CWH line of linen clothing. These will be a must have... in colors like chocolate brown, oatmeal, white, midnight, and moss, you are gonna love these and they are special! After the shopping...

Zapp Hall features Royers Cafe, where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, beer, or good 'ol southern tea in the beer garden, while you listen to live music! Let's not forget a glass of bubbly at the champagne lounge. The food at Royer's is to die for, especially the pie! They have the best shrimp BLT that you have ever had, if you've ever had one. I think it is a Royer's creation. It is the ultimate in gourmet comfort food, all enjoyed in the ambience, while gathering with your buds, showing off your finds! Hello...does it get any better?
We stay up til whenever, having show and tell and last year Gina even furnished a craft project for our late night get-together.

Check out local hotels in Brenham TX. to find accomodations.
Hope we will see you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Cannot Wait....

2009-08-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

I cannot wait any longer. I have done my best to hold it in as long as I could...does any of this look familiar? It is coming up on the time for the most fabulous show on earth...REALLY! September 25th will be the start date at Warrenton/Roundtop Antiques week, and we will be getting ready for the show at Zapp Hall. For those of you who have not been, then all I can say is, why not? I don't care how you have to get here, just get here. Once you go, you will be hooked. This show consists of miles and miles of the most great junkin that you have ever seen. You never know what you are going to find. Add to that, live music, the fabulous Royers Gourmet Comfort Food, and throw in your best friends, and you will know why they say, Come for the Shopping, but Stay for the Party. Let's not forget the "Bubble Lounge" at Zapp Hall or the Famous, "Junk Gypsy Prom." Hope to see you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Lazy Days of Summer

2009-08-19T16:55:00.000-05:00

This is a shot from my Summer Sale in July. This is my friend Wendy's Baby, Sophia. She is truly a little doll baby. Thank you Wendy, for letting me share this beautiful picture.

I thought that I would also share this with you, as a late summer project. This swing was the hit of my Summer Sale, and I was proud to not only be able to think of it, but to implement it, as well. You know, when you visualize something, and it does not turn out as good as you think or you simply cannot get it to work. Well, this was easy and worked perfectly. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to lay on this, under the trees, and gently rock back and forth. It is HEAVEN! You gotta have one!

Here's How To Do It:
I took a sheet of 1/2" plywood and put the twin mattress on it and drew off around it. Then I cut the pattern on the plywood out with a jigsaw. Don't be afraid, jigsaws are very easy to use and remember, GIRL POWER! I bought some heavy duty rope at Home Depot (was in with the swingset supplies) and you will need quite a bit, if it is a tall tree. I bought a 50 ft. piece. I drilled holes in each corner of the plywood ( being careful to put them all in the same spot, so it would hang level. Then I threw the rope over the tree limb and doubled it with a loop, then pulled the rope through the loop, and tightened it up around the limb. I then ran the rope down to either side and put several knots in, to make one big knot, which held great. Now for the fun part. I bought some pretty floral sheets ( using the flat sheet to cover the box springs)and then we hoisted the box springs and mattress on to the platform, and Voila!

Can't you just imagine yourself, lying about, gazing up through the trees, and even on the hottest days, under the trees it is nice (with a breeze blowing). Everyone had to try it out for themselves at the sale, and it is surprising how sturdy it is. Hope that everyone gets a chance to savor these late summer days in your very own swing bed!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Let Them Eat Cake

2009-08-15T14:58:00.000-05:00

Today, is my Mother's Birthday! For her birthday she wanted me to go see Julie and Julia, since she has not seen it yet. I was kinda hesitant since I usually hate seeing a movie more than once. No worries...it was just as good the second time around. You gotta go! It makes you want to go home and cook something delicious and while your at it, to remember to follow your dreams. Even when doing that comes with obvious obstacles. Hey, that's just the way it is. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy. Victoria thinks that she now wants to go to culinary school, she was so inspired. Actually, we have talked about that, before this movie. Talk about putting in your dues. That is a tough job being a starter cook.

So, when we get home, I decide to make my grandmother's chocolate cake recipe, for her birthday. This is the best cake that you ever put in your mouth. I think that there are many versions of this, but to me, hers is the best, because it comes with a hunk of family tradition and lots of memories. The recipe card is covered with chocolate thumbprints and smudges from so much wear. For those of you, who have my Carolyn Westbrook Home book, the photo of this cake can be found on pages 132-133. And yes, it is even better that it looks. Talk about revealing a family secret, I am going to share that recipe with you, my closest friends, so grab your pen and paper and take this down, and try not to drool on the paper...

Grandmothers Fudge Cake
Ingredients:

2 Cups sifted All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 stick Oleo aka margarine (I use butter, cause ya know, butta makes it betta!)
1 Cup Water
1/2 cup of Crisco ( Again, used butter. O.K. I didn't say it was lowfat)
1/4 Cup of Cocoa
1/2 Cup of Buttermilk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder (make sure it is fresh)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Sift together flour and sugar. In a saucepan begin melting butter, add water, cocoa and shortening, and bring to a rapid boil, while stirring. Pour over flour and sugar mixture and stir. Combine remaining ingredients into the bowl and stir. Pour into rectangle cake pan, that has been oiled. I spray mine with cooking spray. Put in the oven to bake until a tooth pick comes out clean in the center.

FROSTING:
1 stick butter
3 1/2 TBSP. of Cocoa
1/3 cup of milk (I used cream)
1 lb. sifted powdered sugar.
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup of chopped pecans (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan. Add in cocoa then milk. keep stirring. I add powdered sugar, while stirring until it thickens to frosting consistency.
Ice the cake while hot and it will pratically ice itself. Recommend adding some Homeade Vanilla Blue Bell to go with.
Now sit back with a glass of ice cold milk and let this melt in your mouth. You will be thinking you died and gone to Heaven!
Bon Appetite, My friends!

Carolyn Westbtrook in Romantic Country magazine

2009-08-14T08:52:00.000-05:00

So, here I am perusing the isles of Barnes and Noble. Actually, I was standing at the magazine isle, then I was sitting, I was there for quite some time, as this is my mothership. You cannot get this in Corsicana, TX. I love Barnes and Noble. Every kind of magazine in the world, from around the world, and I had not even hit the decorating book section, yet. This is my idea of heaven. Anyway, looking through the Romantic Country, and there is one of my good customers, Candy Moger, and there is our signature bedding and pillows in the shot of her bedroom. LOVE IT! There was more...she loves our lampshades, and sure enough they were there in the living room shot, along with more pillows. Looking great, Candy! You know, I saw Jo Packham a few months ago, she is the author for the "Where Women Create" book that I was in. Now she is heading up the "Where Women Create" magazine. She showed me a copy, and I was very impressed. I was flipping through and saw Candy in that magazine, and I was surprised. Turns out Jo knows her well. I have spoken with Candy many times, and always fun to see a face to put with the voice.
Then, kept looking and saw our friends, Robin and John, from Magnolia Pearl. A feature on their wedding was in this issue.
Just when you think it cannot get any better, then I see an article on one of our California customers, Lucy Torres from the Paris Flea Market.
Happy to see that this magazine was filled with some top talent and of course, I bought it.
I could not find Jo's new issue of Where Women Create. I was disappointed about that because it is really good. We are going to try and work on something together for the magazine, hopefully we will be able to put something together.
I continued on with my hunt for more fabulous magazines. The other issue I liked, was House and Garden. Completely different from this style, but I do love diversity.
I am sitting there tearing through these magazines, one after another, I am in my element. People come and go, and here I am, still there, having the time of my life. Does not take much for us, does it girls. Just
give us a fabulous selection of inspirational magazines, and we are in Heaven.
I did eventually make it up to the book section. I like the book, Blue and White. I know it has been out a while, but the photography in that book is excellent and I am a fool for blue and white. It is so crisp and clean.
There are many books here, including the "Where Women Create" book, which we are fortunate enough to grace the cover of...it is really weird to go into a book store and see your own stuff. Also, the, "Vintage Vavoom" book was front and center, which I was lucky enough to be a part of, which made me feel really special.
So, all in all, a great day at the Barnes and Noble. You gotta love Barnes and Noble. There is just something about that store, that you do not find anywhere else. It is so peaceful and calming, and the smell of coffee wafting through the air is devine. Makes you want to go have some, even in the middle of August, even if youre not a coffee drinker. Finally, had to go before my family sent out a search party.
Thinking about books on the way home and wanted to share a secret...
There is a new book coming out called William Yeoward: Entertaining...I was able to get a sneak peek from the publisher and it is a wonderful book. More about how I got a sneak peek, when I have more to tell, but keeping my fingers crossed. In the mean time, get out to your Barnes and Noble, and Enjoy...I did!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Summer FIreworks

2009-08-13T09:42:00.000-05:00

Ahhh. Smell that morning air. Hope everyone is having a good Thursday morning. I had to share this with you. Actually, I meant to do this last week and didn't make time. The crepe myrtles are in a majestic glory, in the middle of August, can you believe it??? Usually, this time of year everything is dead and dry. I walked out this morning, to a gorgeous sunrise and this huge burst of color that reminds me of fireworks. They are absolutely gorgeous. I began to think about how when we first moved here (15 years ago) that I would have coffee outside in the morning, and really appreciate the birds, the trees and all of the beauty that life has to offer. Now, I get so busy and stressed, that I forget to appreciate life and all of the beauty that surrounds each and every one of us. Whether it is in our yard, our house, our loved ones or in whatever form, let's remember to appreciate the good things in life. Especially, the things we love like junkin, decorating, and just a good project in general... nothin wrong with that! Here's to the GOOD STUFF!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Home: Reality Check

2009-08-09T16:22:00.001-05:00

So, I have been dying to go see that new movie, "Julie and Julia." The critics gave it a C+ in the Dallas paper, so I was sure that it would be good. Finally, Victoria is finished with heading up her retreat, so she went with me. I loved it. It is my new favorite, right up there with, "Somethings Gotta Give." I love the house in that movie and I love Diane Keaton. She actually came shopping in my friend Gina's store. Anyway, have hit the rewind button a hundred times looking at the house in that movie.
This movie was adorable. I laughed, when they were talking about a book deal, and maybe the advance would be a hundred thousand dollars. I remember when I thought that authors became rich from their books. Maybe if you are Mary Higgins Clark or Danielle Steele! I love to watch cooking and they showed Julia living in France, and it made me want to be there. I could totally move there, it is that fabulous. The attention to detail is not missing in Paris. They never gave up on gorgeous packaging and attention to detail, like we have here. My girls shop at the "Pink" store in Victoria's Secret, and I am convinced part of their success is due to the fabulous bags and tissue paper. It is like opening a present, which who doesn't love that?

I was watching this sweet movie and noticed that the apartment, where Julie lives, is not super clean. In fact, there was one scene where I noticed the light switch plate in the kitchen was dirty (like mine gets from teenage handprints). I came to a realization. I spent yesterday out in the heat, plucking grass from the front walk, that had somehow managed to grow up through the concrete. How's that even possible? We have dead spots in the yard, since the huge oaks were torn from the ground during the tornado, so the grass is now in full sun, but it manages to come up through the concrete and thrive. Anyway, just started me thinking...part of the charm of a home, is to be enjoyed and lived in with all of it's imperfections. The things that sometimes drive me crazy, I would actually miss if I moved into a new home. Seeing this in the movie, the handprints were actually charming. Sometimes I forget that the best part of our home is that it is filled with family, from the dogs that leave stray hairs on the stairs that look like they always need sweeping, to the toothpaste oozing out of the tube on the counter... and how I will miss all of this someday. So, going to try very hard to see the charm of my house and all of it's imperfections, because it really is what makes a house a home!

XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Summertime

2009-08-06T17:25:00.000-05:00

This time of year is always leaves me looking forward to getting the house spruced up. The kids have been home all summer, and school is right around the corner. The house looks like a bomb went off after a summer of the kids being here 24/7 and the pantry is bare. In just a few short weeks, it will be back to getting up at the crack of dawn shuttling kids to band, football, and dance team. I always love to do my Spring cleaning and re-freshing. Thinking that I need to do a fall re-fresh, as well. I have had a week of being able to spend some time at home, and seeing all kinds of projects begging for my attention. Thinking that I need to do some serious paint touch up and start preparing for a fall decor. For some reason when the kids go back to school, makes me think of freshly sharpened pencils and new backpacks. Not only that, but it also makes me think of how I am bored with what my house looks like. Time to pull up the straw rugs and bring in some fall colors. The hydrangeas are long gone...time for a big bowl of apples or perhaps some monogrammed napkin rings. I know it is early in the season, but can't help myself. Once they go off to school, in my mind it is time for fall. As these long hot days of summer drone on, I am ready to move on and see something new.

I have said a million times how I love the smell of clean. I am ready to smell that again, for more than an hour, until it has been cancelled out by the kids being here. First, got to get it clean. That means a thorough dusting, mopping, and lots of Pine-Sol. Ahhhh, the smell of Pine-Sol in the air, is almost as good as Chanel, when it is clean that you seek. Then on to a fresh coat of paint. Amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do for your soul. I love to feel like I have accomplished something. Then moving on to bringing back in my chocolate velvet bedspread, landscape paintings, brown transferware, and cooking up some new color combos. Don't ya just love it. Would love to hear from y'all to see what you do to bring your home into the fall season. I am putting up the Ironstone and bringing in my blue Spode. I have not had it out in a while and have missed it. I am a hoarder of transferware. I think that I have every color, and there is something about the beautiful blue with the cows that reminds me of when I was a child. Not only this, but I want to bring in some more French pieces. In one room that has upholstered walls, ready to strip that down and do some paint, while one of the upstairs bathroom is in need of some more modern looking wallpaper. It is currently painted black and I am growing tired of that. Don't worry, pairing it with a 9 ft. white linen shower curtain and a Venetian mirror, thinking that will be fabulous.
It's like before the first autumn wind starts to blow, which we know will not be for another couple of months, that I begin nesting. Instead of storing up nuts and seeds, I have to redecorate and re-fresh the nest. Then when the cool breeze begins to take over this warm air, I hope to be ready...until Christmas decorating begins, of course.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: A cool Summer Getaway

2009-07-27T08:10:00.000-05:00

O.K. Friends. If you are looking for a Cool Summer Getaway, then look no further than the "Cloverleaf" store in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I have travelled cross-country and never found a store like this. This is frothy pink creation was created by propreitor Heidi Chapman, and it is a delight. You will immerse yourself in this fantasyland of everything us girls love!
The outdoor section alone is worth the drive. You cannot miss it off of I-35 and Broadway, as it is literally a huge pink palace.
As you can see to the left, this is a mouth-watering cotton candy pink palace, with all of the goodies that we love. Below, you can see that my girls (Alexandria and Victoria) were even loving it ( and I find very few places that my teenagers love other than the mall.)
Below that, you can see one of Heidi's confections with the gorgeous apothecary jars filled with sugar and darling little dog candy boxes, as well as, cake plates topped with charming little items. There was absolutely something to see everywhere you looked and brilliantly put together to create a feast for the eyes. I absolutely loved it.
I have more pic's to post, so check back for more on this fabulous store or better yet, hop in
the car and head out down the road, for a great summer road trip!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Pray for Baby Witt

2009-07-24T16:56:00.000-05:00

I am calling out to everyone out there who knows what it is to love a child. Our friends from Zapp Hall, Cheryl Lehane, her sister Karen, and her daughter Mel and son-in-law Austen need our prayers. Mel and Austen, who you have seen at Zapp, have a precious little boy by the name of Witt. He has been through much in his short life, and went in for surgery and exploration of his heart. He has been declining since the surgery, and of course everyone is crazy with worry. They have been stellar in their faith during this ordeal and have been an inspiration for all.

I would like to call on all of you Mom's, Dad's, Grandma's, Grandpa's and Aunts and Uncles to say an extra prayer tonight for Witt. Put him on your prayer chains and add him to your prayer lists, because we all know the power of prayer and this little guy needs some divine intervention.
Love to all of y'all for taking the time to say a prayer for Witt, and hopefully, I will have some good news to report.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Summer Market

2009-07-23T18:24:00.001-05:00

Well, the weather was perfect, my friends were here, and a good time was had by all. Really enjoyed having everyone here for our one day sale. All of our hard work paid off and I especially loved "The Potting Shed" that Rebecca created. Guessing all of our customers loved it too, as they were coming in with arrangements by the armload. Thanks to my special guest Lelia Richter who flew in from Columbus OH. to buy her bedding. Danny a.k.a. Cat Daddy is already talking about next year. Love to my friends that did the show, and a special shout out to Baby Bella, who hopefully will get to come home soon. Thanks also to all of my good friends in the biz, who gave such great promotion. Hope everyone enjoyed themselves and see you on down the road...Warrenton, now that is closer than you think. In the mean time, I need a rest.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook's Summer Market

2009-07-16T18:41:00.000-05:00

The Tent is UP!!!! Getting very excited about the show and cannot wait to see everyone here on Saturday. I forgot to tell y'all that these antique floral paintings shown here, will be for sale at the show, and they are gorgeous. Also, there is a killer French big mirror with garland swags, that you guys will love. Lots of great patio furniture and cushions and just a bunch of great stuff, that makes my heart go pitter pat, so know that you will love it too! Here is some of the great stuff that I can remember...lots of great statuary, one is very old that is a little girl holding a bowl that has beautiful detail. A vintage dog statue, and a graceful statue of a woman, plus finials, and more. Let's see... one of the best iron beds that I have ever had, also the heaviest, and an amazingly tall headboard. A great shabby pink harvest table, with great old chippy paint, along with chandeliers, gilded mirrors, Venetian Mirror, and a great bistro set, that is very Frenchy. Lots of great tables from side tables to dining tables, and let's not forget the mid century modern tufted couch and chair. My daughter thinks it looks like Marie Antoinette, very Urban Frenchy, love it! Oh yea, some fabulous old French doors, with toile'like colored scenes in the glass, absolutely beautiful. I will try and post pic's tomorrow, so you guys can see what I am talking about and know that you need to be here.

Cannot wait to see all of my sisters that love the good stuff like I do. See ya soon!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook's Summer Market

2009-07-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

WHOOPS! I made a mistake on the date on my last post. The date for the Summer Market is JULY 18th from 9-4.

Sorry about that. Thanks to my friend Theresa for watching out for me. Must be too much sun, as we frantically try and get everything just right, for this one-of-a-kind sale. Hope everyone is planning on coming. If for nothing else to see the deck that we all worked on, and it turned out rather good. Talked to Heidi (Cloverleaf) this morning and she got quite a kick out of the idea of us building a deck, sort of Lucy and Ethel, like. You know how I feel about being able to build things and the whole girl power. I am happy to report that with some help, WE DID IT! Can't wait to see you all here this weekend. Remember, check our "Upcoming Events" for more details.
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook's Summer Market

2009-07-10T18:22:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up, and get up and go, next week to our "Summer Market."

Here you will find one-of-a-kind treasures for your home, that are sure to put a smile on your face, even in this Texas heat! I have put together some of the best talent in the business, and people I am happy to call my friends, Miss Talkin Trash Debbie, and her sidekick Cat Daddy, who are seasoned at beautiful merchandising. If you are looking for the good stuff than look no further, we have gathered it for you. The famed "Willow Nest" will be here with their magical creations, and also my friend Rebecca, of "Heaven and Earth" will be transforming the log cabin into a beautiful potting shed with her gorgeous natural floral creations. Also joining us from North Carolina is my friend, Stanley Williamson, who is bringing a truckload of fabulous antique furniture. So, dress cool and come early for the best selection, because this is one sale that you don't want to miss out on. CHeck our Upcoming Events page for more details. It is June 18th from 9-4.
Address is 3043 NE CR 1030 Chatfield, TX 75105
Head out I-45 between Ennis and Corsicana TX. Exit FM 1603 AND head East to Chatfield, then follow signs. It is that easy!
Can't wait to see y'all!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Summer Market

2009-07-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

Next week July 18th for one day only...Here on the grounds of "The Oaks" plantation
is a not to be missed sale! Our "Summer Market" held here and it is for those who love
garden, antiques, furniture and more! Check our Upcoming Events page for more info!
Hope you all can make it!
XOXO Carolyn

Summer Roundtop Show

2009-07-01T20:24:00.000-05:00

Roundtop Antiques Show...in case you missed it. Thought that this was the best that they have ever had. That was the buzz that I heard all day. First, here we have my friends from, "The Seed Box." They had yet another great booth, with affordable, unusual finds. The second picture is the always remarkable, "Willow Nest" booth. Linda and Ludmil always do a beautiful job. Don't forget, they will be at our upcoming, "Summer Market" here on the grounds of The Oaks Plantation, July 18th. CHeck our Upcoming Events page for more details.
3rd photo is from "French Vanilla" with the talented Peg and John.
And last but certainly not least is the talented Theresa, from Garden Antiques Vintage, who always has a smile on her face. She did a beautiful job, as well.

As you can see here there was much to see and much that was missed if you could not make it.
If you did miss out and are hungry for some good stuff, we can help you out. This is too hot not to be missed! The "Summer Market" at "The Oaks Plantation." Yes, we are doing it again, right here on the grounds of my home, which you guys have seen in my book, "Carolyn Westbrook Home." It is on my Upcoming Events page, and the show will feature myself, Carolyn Westbrook, along with Willow Nest, and our friend Miss Talkin Trash herself, and not to be forgotten, her sidekick, Cat Daddy.
This should be a spectacular sale with lots of antiques, garden, bedding, pillows, trinkets and trappings, to inspire everyone. Come see the potting shed, in one of our original cabins on the property, also known as "The Man Cave." Sorry guys, we are converting it for a short time, and transforming it into a French Potting Shed. Cannot wait for everyone to see! Put this on your calendar girls, and bring a truck, cause your gonna need it! XOXO Carolyn

Roundtop Antiques Fair this Weekend!

2009-06-25T23:05:00.000-05:00

Everyone get ready for a summer road trip to the Hill Country. It's time for the Roundtop Antiques Summer Show at the Big Red Barn in Roundtop, Tx. Check our website at www.carolynwestbrookhome.come for more details under Upcoming Events page.

We have a wonderful gathering of treasures from cross country including a mid century modern tufted couch and chair (fabulous!) and some gorgeous antique oil paintings, along with urns, statuary, and of course, our signature bedding and pillows.
Cannot wait to see you there!
XOXO Carolyn

Sometimes it takes a little disaster to find out how truly blessed you really are!

2009-06-12T18:19:00.000-05:00

I just want to say thanks to all of my friends out there, who took the time to let us know that they were thinking of us, as a humongeous tree was laying across our garage. I know everyone has things happen, and feeling really blessed that our house is still here! The sheriff's dept. confirmed a tornado and it is so funny, like it seems like it was concentrated on the grounds here. The county sent out a truck to get the one laying across the road, but this morning bright and early, we had a gang of young men, Nicholas, Riley, Brian, Blake, Christian, Dalton, and the grown-up's Kenneth and his wife, showed up with chainsaws and trailers. These friends worked all day, and were able to get most of the tree cut up and carried off in the front yard, and that was no small task. We are talking sweaty, gut wrenching work and we had a team of 4-wheelers, trailers, and people stopping by to check on us. Thanks to all of you who sent me notes of concern, and for all who helped! We are all blessed to have each other!

Second,
I am leaving and will be traveling up I-35 to Oklahoma City and Wichita...if anyone knows any great shopping stops to hit along the way, let me know, especially you Miss Garden Antiques Vintage, as you have been everywhere known to woman,where antiques are sold and find the best treasures. Would love to hear from all of y'all!
XOXO Carolyn

XOXO Carolyn

A tornado hits The Oaks Plantation

2009-06-11T17:30:00.000-05:00

It is so heartbreaking. Today, 200-year-old oaks that stood proudly around "The Oaks Plantation" were torn apart and uprooted today, as a tornado came through our area. Five trees total were blown down, one on top of the garage...unbelievable. It is so sad, as these could never be replaced and they will be missed. All of the oaks are now gone that stood proudly in our yard. The windows bowed inward and looked as if they were about to burst, and we were thankful that they did not. A tornado came through in the 30's and blew the entire town away, but our house creaked and groaned, and every window was said to have been blown out, but the house stood through it all, one of the only structures to survive. We are thankful that she withstood the test again today. We are blessed that everyone is safe and the house survived. Hope everyone else faired well, during these storms, and is safe and sound.
XOXO Carolyn

You better go...Garden Party Sale

2009-06-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

Attention Friends. Some of my best friends are gearing up for the annual "Garden Party" sale in Dallas. It is Portia, from "Garden Party" and Gina, from "Country Garden Antiques," and there is no time to waste, as it starts tomorrow. Gather here for antiques, garden, architectural, and just great stuff. Make sure to get there early for best chance of finding your treasure. Here is the info:
June 11 6pm-9pm
June 12 9am-4pm
4224 Allencrest
Dallas TX. 75244
Gina- 214-770-3038

Carolyn Westbrook @ Urban Market

2009-05-29T23:10:00.000-05:00

Can't believe that I have not been in touch for so long! I feel like that I have been running around with my hair on fire! O.K., so last time we talked, I was working on the man cave, but the rain for weeks, shut us down. Then we had to hit the road to the Urban Market show, where all of my fabulous friends were there to sell. I was able to capture a few images while I was there. ( Left) you will see the unbelievable space of Linda and Ludmil from Willow Nest. It was fabulous. The corrugated tin was the perfect backdrop for all of the wonderful, white, "French" stuff.
Next, we see a cabinet from Peg and Jon's from "French Vanilla." Careful not to get caught up in the stampede to Peg's booth!

(Below) another shot of Willow Nest...Bravo!

O.K. since we last talked much has been going on. We left the Urban Market, and as most know, Victoria is back from college, and needs a space of her own, which we were discussing on the way back. I got to thinking...Joe will tell you, that this is always dangerous, and thought that we could renovate the outbuilding across the road. It is truly a shack and only 750sq. ft. It is her townhouse in the country, nestled under a cluster of oak trees. I called a contractor, to get started on the big stuff. We re-sided the outside, new doors, French doors, kitchen, bath, plumbing, electric, floors, sheetrock, we had to have it all. Victoria and I broke out our tools and tapped into our girl power, and tiled and grouted the bathroom floor. It was much sweat equity, and hoping this will encourage her to keep this floor clean.
Hoping to post pics, but cannot find them at the moment, with all that is going on. Cabinet tops are being installed tomorrow. To all of the women out there, (and men) who have to deal with the most outrageous people during this kind of a project. I had three bids for countertops, we are talking miniscule, counter space, and this one guy tries to explain to me that the black marble, that I have been saving for 15 years (long story, bought at an estate sale) and he says is junk, and that I need beautiful cultured marble instead. I could not believe that someone would come in and actually say, "Looks like you got a mess, this is just a bunch of crap!" I can give you beautiful cultured marble (FAKE MARBLE) for just a little more. I am thinking...you have to be kidding me. That is like saying, "My Louis Vuitton has a scratch, so let's throw it away and get a fake one?" ARe you kidding me!!! I politely declined and moved on.
Meanwhile, all of you Mom's out there know that the end of the school year is crazy and had a dance team banquet, and a band concert on the same night. Then the next day a party for my nephew, Christian, for his Baptism party.

Life is crazy and wouldn't have it any other way! Summer is almost here and I always think that I am going to sleep late, and then my mind will not shut off, with all of those decorating thoughts and inspirations, and so I absolutely have to jump out of bed and get busy! So much decorating and so little time. Love it, Love it, Love it!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook at Urban Market Houston

2009-05-11T10:21:00.000-05:00

Hoping to see everyone, this Sunday, at the Urban Market Show in Houston, Texas. It is a fabulous show, with I think a collection of the combined "Best" vendors from Marburger, Warrenton and Roundtop. The displays are FABULOUS and this is where you can find, "The Good Stuff!" The best part is it is one day, 6 hour, shopping frenzy. You will see the best merchants from cross country including, Peg and Jon from "French Vanilla," along with Linda and Ludmil from "Willow Nest" who you have seen in a ton of magazines, and also my friend, Janet Weibe, who has KILLER pieces direct from France, that she hand picks across the French Countryside. The best pieces in my house came from these people. Don't get me wrong, all of the people at this show have phoenomenal things, so get there early!!!! We have a wonderful load of stuff, and I am especially fond of this pink and yellow "peely" outdoor iron set, with magnificent chairs. So, plan your day to be at this show!
I also have some new bedding, which will include a spectacular green linen.
Look on my "upcoming events" page for details!
XOXO Carolyn

My mother is a Spark Plug! Carolyn Westbrook Home

2009-04-26T19:47:00.000-05:00

Anybody that knows me, knows what an inspiration that my mother is to me. She is a Spark Plug. I was so proud as we renovate the man cave, as I am using the circular saw for the first time. Well, I have moved on to the Sawzall and more. Mainly because growing up, my mother was not afraid to tackle anything. They had a very small budget, so she made everything from my clothes, to mirrored coffee tables. She was the Queen of D.I.Y.
So, today we were trying to get a metal screw and bolt off of something and it had rusted on there. I tried the saw, pliers, screwdrivers, everything. My mom (who is in her 70's) and still climbing ladders, says..."I can get that off with the grinder." So, she gets everything set up and sparks are flying everywhere. I am ducking and dodging, screaming "Don't burn me." We are looking like Lucy and Ethel, and she yells out, "Let me know if my hair catches on fire...don't want to burn my hair off!" as the sparks are still flying everywhere.
She is a crazy woman for sure and a inspiration to everyone in our family, as she has the patience of a saint, never raises her voice, and can do just about anything. Debbie (Talking Trash) always refers to her as a true Southern Lady, and she is, not afraid to get her polished nails dirty, and then next thing you know, she is hosting a party in pearls and heels.
Gotta love her and all of us true grit southern women who can do it all, with a baby in one arm and a power drill in the other!
Here's to us!
XOXO Carolyn

Carolyn and Nick Westbrook's Man Cave

2009-04-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

Well, after being gone 2 weeks in Warrenton, I hit the ground running upon returning. I was in serious need for some family time, and the kids were glad to see me, as well. Nicholas and I had been talking about a treehouse, and we began scouting a location for the perfect place. We were walking past one of our log cabins and it hit us that this would make for a great "man cabin." A perfect place for campouts, roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, and telling ghost stories. We got to work straight away and Nick gathered his friends and they got to cleaning the mountains of debris inside. Someone had kicked out the windows, so I set off to get windows for the place. Blake cut back all of the brush in the front, and we began plotting our plan to restore this into a hangout that they could be proud of. The stone fireplace, is pretty much still intact, so we just have a few stones to replace. We made plans for building a loft for sleeping, and of course my mind is racing with thoughts of a rug, plaids, velvets and such. I can see this place turned into the perfect mini log cabin.

I have always had a passion for fixing things up or as my friend Gina would say, "Making a
silk purse out of a sow's ear." Ever since I was a child, I have always been about making a
precious playhouse, tent, or any space that I could find. Know that many of you are the same way and have that same passion, for creating something out of nothing. Our next project is to replace the chinking. It is a great
project for a son and his mom, and all of his four-wheeling pack of friends, who are now like family.
So here's to Blake, Nick, Brian, and Riley. I am trying to teach them what great things can be accomplished with a lot of hard work and some elbow grease. Honestly, these are great boys and I they were all there to help unload from Warrenton, which was great, so they definitely earned this "man Cave." We intend to take pictures along the way, and keep everyone posted on the happenings here. If this plan goes well, we are moving on to the large log cabin, from the 1800's across the road. Hmmmm...now that place could be fabulous. Whoops, my ADD is kicking in...one project at a time. Hope everyone enjoys seeing the transformation, and would love to hear from you. Also, to all of our friends in Houston, cannot wait to see you at the upcoming Urban Market on May 17th.
XOXO Carolyn

The Famous Prom Night at Warrenton Texas

2009-04-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Ladies!!!!If you missed the prom or if you did not enjoy your prom, this is your second chance... this is the prom for you! The party at Zapp Hall was in full force and the bands were FABULOUS! This was my daughter Victoria's first trip for prom and she had a blast! I have taken a few shots to give you an idea, but you really need to see it for yourself to believe it!
Here is a shot of little "Cash" who is Jolie's son, pictured with the lead singer. He was dancing the night away.

Here is a shot of Amie and Jolie, and other prom queens gathered around the band and the dance floor.

O.K. these guys were hilarious!!!! They were called the "One Night Stands" and had their night stands built around them, complete with tablecloth, and the lit lampshade on their heads!!! You guys should win the prize for best costume.
Here is a shot of my long time friends Amie and Janie of the Junk Gypsies, pictured here with my sweet daughter, Victoria.
If y'all missed the show, make plans now for the fall...book your room now, as they book up months and even years ahead. We will begin selling Sept. 25, 2009 through Oct. 3,2009. Come Early, for best selection of merchandise. There is much to see and you want to see it all, so plan for at least two full days. Will be back in touch to post more pic's! CHeck out our website for more www.carolynwestbrookhome.com
XOXO Carolyn

More from Warrenton Texas

2009-03-31T20:43:00.000-05:00

Oops...did not get these in the last post...This is a shot of Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Debbie, Sue Whitney and me. Below that is a shot of the real fun...My friends, Ms. Talkin Trash, Ms. Heidi Chapman (Cloverleaf) and My crazy friends, Angela and Jennifer, posing with Chapman. You might notice that Angela is carrying her medical kit, which holds the wine, corkscrew, and cups...it will cure what ails you! You need to be here!

Carolyn Westbrook Home Warrenton 2009

2009-03-31T20:39:00.000-05:00

Here are some pic's. I have not been able to get out long enough to shoot anything except at my space, but promise to do that soon. Here are some shots of Ms. Talkin Trash, Ms. Junkin YaYa, and Ms. Elizabeth Maxson (hoping that I spelled that right). We think that we were seperated at birth. I LOVE this show...All of my good friends in one spot and we are all gabbing like a bunch of hens! There is some Greastuff here. Teresa's book signing and blog party was a huge success. It was so much fun to meet everyone! I miss all of those who couldn't make it, but love all of the women that get together and all have a love for great style. Now, we are all looking forward to the party of the century, put on by my long time friends, The Junk Gypsies...Junk Gypsy Prom on Thursday. Promise to send more later!
Wish you were here!!!Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook Home

2009-03-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

It's time to hit the road for the good stuff!
Head on down to Warrenton Texas for Antiques Week!
It is going to be great show with lots of beautiful vignettes, already!
I will try and post pictures throughout the show.
Check our website www.carolynwestbrookhome for more details.
Hope to see you There!
XOXO Carolyn

Get Ready, Get Set...Zapp Hall opens this week!

2009-03-22T19:06:00.000-05:00

I posted some great pic's here, as we get ready to begin setting up for
another awesome Spring Warrenton. The middle picture is from the
booth of the famed "Junk Gypsies," with my good friends, Amie, Janie, and Jolie Sikes,
who are also at Zapp Hall.
The bottom is a couple of prom girls. Do not forget the biggest
and best prom that you have ever seen. For more information about
the fabulous Zapp Hall Antique Show, check www.carolynwestbrookhome.com
or check the Junk Gypsy's at Gypsyville.com. We hope that you all
can make it for the most fun, the best antiquing, and great food and atmosphere!
xoxo Carolyn

Open, Open, Open!!!! It is almost Zapp Hall time.

2009-03-20T12:32:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, get ready to start your engines!!!
Happy Spring!

Less than one week until the opening of Warrenton/Rountop
Antiques Week. We open 3/27/09 or perhaps late Thursday.
We are putting it all together for another fabulous show and
cannot wait to see all of our friends down there. Let's hope this
beautiful weather holds out, and prepare yourself for the
Blue Bonnets! Friends, if you have not been to the Texas Hill
Country in the spring, you are in for a treat. You will have the time
of your life. Do not forget to stop by the Royers Cafe, they have
wonderful upscale comfort food, including the shrimp BLT...Yum!!!
Right outside our door is the beer garden, restaraunt, and of course,
the famous "Bubble Lounge." See you there!
For more info visit Upcoming Events page: www.carolynwestbrookhome.com
Carolyn