10.01.2010

The Cream of the Top

Hello weekend vacationers - doesn't  it sound lovely to think of the weekend as a mini-holiday? If only that were true.

The last few days of the Texan 'Round Top Antique Fair' is upon us. 2010 marks the fairs 43rd anniversary. RT is located  90 miles from Austin and 2 hours from lovely Houston.

If you are one of the fortunate people to be visiting Round Top today or Saturday, there is one fabulous side-trip to not leave off your list of 'must-do's' and it's only a short 22 mile drive from Round Top. To venture another 28 minutes is well worth the stop as you will be pleasantly surprised by what will await you.

  'Beadboard UpCountry' is a Euro-Country lifestyle and design source located in a beautifully restored bank on the Upper East Side of the town square in picturesque Brenham, Tx.

This county seat is situated in the east central part of Washington County, which is home to more than 120 historic sites and markers, many from the Texas Revolution era. The Texas Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed in this county. Great shopping with a tidbit of history thrown in.

Shop owner Maryanne Flattery is a California girl with Texas roots and 20 years of experience and survival in the home decor and fashion genre. But what truly sets this perfect proprietress on a pedestal is her genuine kindness, warmth, and the ability to unearth some of the most beautiful of treasures for their shop for you to beautify your home; all this is Maryanne and more.

Driving directions you can find here.

dumbwit and Maryanne - June 10'
  Maryanne is welcoming all  bloggers with a heart-felt invitation to stop-bye Beadborad UpCountry. She will be serving aperitifs and champagne on Friday and Saturday (10/2) evening. Good company, great conversation, fun shopping  is guaranteed. I think I may just be rather parched after a day @ Round Top, champagne here I come. Thank goodness for the husband and designated driver.



Who has not heard of the French Basketeer?

I had the great fortune of receiving the most charming of totes in the mail recently from the gracious Andrea of the French Basketeer. It is positively divine and so beautifully crafted.

natural leather handles & trim age beautifully with wear

My "Eze" tote ready to head out to a football game.
my 'Eze" natural seagrass tote relaxing by the pool. This toes holds 6 bottles of wine!
 
Andrea lives in Southern California, but also spends part of  her year in Burgundy and visits the south. She lived in Paris for several years while she completed the three year course in art history at the Ecole du Louvre. Andrea is passionate about her baskets and their construction, color, art, design and bringing a little bit of the French lifestyle to the United States. 

(pssst...) Andrea's home in France will be featured in a 14 page layout in the upcoming November issue of Romantic Homes magazine. I'm convinced it will be a must see.    
 
French Basketeer products can be purchased through the FB website, at select California farmers markets and at select specialty retailers nationwide.  

Personally I cannot think of a more stylish and chic way to carry just about everything from the market, to work, and to play. At the grocers, just say 'no' to plastic., you have a French Basketeer basket!

Andrea is truly a magnificent, talented woman. She just announced her partnership with the talented Laura Ingalls Gunn  of Decor to Adore in their new venture, Metis Linens.


Andrea and Laura created Metis Linens out of their shared passion for vintage French fabrics. Must be why their motto is;

"If it isn't French, we don't stock it!"

The ladies are offering their first giveaway on Laura's blog, "Decor to Adore". Be sure to visit and enter.

I wish you all a creative, inspiring fall weekend. Here's to the hunt of the treasure and to the friendships forged along the path.

Bon week-end ~

{go forth and shop responsibly}
             share the love

42 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pamela Terry and Edward said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pamela Terry and Edward said...

This makes me look forward to the weekend even more. Especially as I sit here taking a break from planting sooo many pansies and chrysanthemums. With dirt under my nails.

joanna said...

Very informative post, thanks for the links and travel tip... although I am not down there in long horn country it is still nice to know. Will look over the "French Basketeer" website and her new "of decor to Adore"...
Making baskets is hard work, I took a caning and basket making class years ago and I do beileve my hands still hurt.

Enjoy your week end,,

Joanny

A Perfect Gray said...

ohhhhh, so wishing I lived closer. thanks for your little glimpses of these great folks/spots. I know some of their blogs!

fun!

Karena said...

Isn't Andrea great...I was so proud to have a Giveaway from French Basketeer!! The Eze tote is so classic!

I am posting pink today!

Karena
Art by Karena

French Basketeer.com said...

Deb, thanks for the mentions; your basket is like the little gnome, we will see it poolside and at the Game haha! Seriously, glad you like your tote. And seriously, did you someone mention champagne? I have seen BeadBoard Up's name but will go see her blog now. good weekend to you...

Gwen Driscoll said...

I must come to Round Top one day! It looks great. Hope you have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Dear Deb, Alas,I shall not be able to make what would, I imagine, be just the 4,022 mile trip. But how I should wish to be there. It all sounds so very exciting and many splendidly new ideas to be gleaned as well as 'responsible' purchases to be made! Have great fun this weekend!

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

What a divine weekend you have to look forward to! I wish I could be there with you, sharing one of those (6) bottles of wine that will fit in your gorgeous tote, strolling around Round Top, and shopping at Beadboard Upcountry. Have a wonderful weekend, love!

P.S. As always, thanks so much for your sweet and supportive comments :)

La Maison Fou said...

I wish I was going to be there, alas I will be with 300 seniors at an overnight college camp.
Oh, I will think of all the things that I will not get to see.
French furnishings,baskets, accessories, cute clothes, ....................
L.

Parisbreakfasts said...

Have you met up with Corey Amaro of Tongue in Cheek/Provence?
She is supposed to be there...
It all looks divine...

Decor To Adore said...

Oh there is almost to much lovely eye candy.

I adore my Eze tote too.

Thank you for the kind mention.

Bonne Chance!

Dovecote Decor said...

A Tisket a Tasket, you won my little basket!! I'm going to win something very soon, I feel it in my bones. I sadly took it off my notable giveaway page.
Best,
Liz

La Petite Gallery said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
La Petite Gallery said...

I know and like all the blogs mentioned. That Tote bag is wonderful.

yvonne

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

A shopkeeper that serves bubbly? My kinda lady!

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Dear Deb,
Like Edith, I would love to be there but, over 4,000 miles is a bit of a long way to come for an Antique Fair !!!!
It does look wonderful though....our antiques fairs never look as good as yours....ours are often quite small affairs, whereas yours are huge !
Have fun Debs and don't spend too much !!!! XXXX

Barbara said...

Loved all the links, Deb.
And I so wish I could join you at the Round Top Antique Fair. Sounds right up my alley!

SpryOnTheWall said...

If I only lived closer! Sounds amazing (love that bag)! Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!!! xoxo Jenny

Sarah Klassen said...

How wonderful! I really enjoyed this post -- and now want one of those fabulous bags :)

Hope you enjoy the remainder of the weekend, and thank you, also, for your sweet comment the other day,

xo

Renae Moore said...

Oh how I woud LUV to visit RT! Maybe next year we can have a bloggy-vention, wouldn't that be fun. I adore Maryanne of Beadboard UpCountry...she has quite a charm about her. AND aren't you the lucky girl to have such a lovely tote from French Basketeer?! Her designs are fabulous!
Hope your weeknd was divine!
xoxo

La Dolfina said...

Oh how I wish I were in Texas with you! Sounds like you had yourself a fabulous weekend Deb!

Renée Finberg said...

6 bottles of wine???
now that's a handy damn tote!

xx

Renée Finberg said...

6 bottles of wine???
now that's a handy damn tote!

xx

Pinecone Camp said...

I've heard about this antique fair....wish I could check it out!
By the way, are those picnic baskets in the top pic? they're adorable.

Kelly Frances Dunn said...

This makes me wish I was back home in TX...not that I ever need an excuse to feel that way! Lovely tote...a lady can never have enough stylish portable storage!! XO, Kelly

DolceDreams said...

Love it all! A "bonne" week to you too my dear!
Nathalie

Millie said...

MOTH will have my broomstick all fired up so I can whizz over Deb. He reckons he needs a Millie-Free weekend!
M ^_^

vicki archer said...

I love that line....go forth and shop responsibly....xv

Privet and Holly said...

Bet you had
a blast shopping
and meeting all
of these creative
artists, vendors
and bloggers! I
am hoping to get
to East Texas next
spring with my
mom for a little
b-day trip and can't
wait!
xx Suzanne

Francine Gardner said...

Would love to visit and shop at Round Top! I especially would enjoy visiting Maryanne's shop. She is such a lovely person and i almost feel as if i know her.
Hope you are having a lovely week end. Francine

Hill Country House Girl said...

Love Round Top, Love Maryanne, love your blog!

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Dear Deb
If it weren't too late I'd hop on a plane now.. and visit both Round Top and Beadboard Up Country... what's a 15hr flight to see all these delicious goodies!!! haha

I wish we had such gorgeous fairs here... our markets .. although interesting.. are a lot more laid back and quite lacking in good vintage finds.. even the goodwill shops have figured out the fine art of charging!!.

Hope you have a wonderful week.. ciao xxx Julie

Heidi said...

Stopped by for a visit and was not dissapointed. Smart and funny, you are and you do it so well. Love that bag, OMG. Thanks for the shout out about Round Top. BTW, thanks for everything. Heidi

Clarity said...

You both look charming in that picture and I adore the decor, that would make me smile too.

"If it isn't French..." sounds like a smart motto and I hope they do curtains too - I want some Provence style ones. Thanks for bringing the beauty girl, and... pssst. Bette Davis won the "spotted" competition below ;)

North of 25A said...

Would I love to have gone with you! Sounds like it was going to be something.
Best,
Colleen

PS LOVE LOVE LOVE the bag.

24 Corners said...

Deb, I just read Vamps post on you and got kind of sad when I read that you were moving to Scotland (and kind of jealous) but then I realized...bloggers connect all over the world for goodness sakes, I guess Texas just felt "closer".

I have to say though, that I think you're moving to Scotland is absolutely wonderful...you'll be back in your 'home town weather' so to speak, surrounded by lovely greenery, water and hopefully many puffy pink cloud trees in the spring. I've been in love with Scotland for ever and look forward to hearing and seeing what this new adventure brings for you both.

Love BUC by the way, how nice that you've been able to meet...and the Eze was my pick too...lucky girl!!
Blessings with all,
xoxo Jessica~

Beadboard UpCountry said...

Well, it seems I have recovered from Round Top to actually have the time to start reading in blogland again!!!!! And I read about my own shop albiet a bit late!!!!!!Thanks Deb for being such a sweetheart and portraying our shop so well....I love those bags too and I'm with Renee, anything that totes 6 botttles of wine prettily..... Sounds like a great tote!!!!!!!!!!xoxoxMaryanne

Anonymous said...

Wow... we'd love to check this out sometime!

E+J

La Petite Gallery said...

The closest I'll get to Round Top is the Round top Playhouse in
Damarscottia, Maine. It's a lovely place to visit if I get back in your area.
yvonne

Decor To Adore said...

Thank you so much for your kind mention. Andrea is such a dear. I have your same basket and use it tons. I know you will enjoy your woven treasure.