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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

WHAT IS CHARMLICIOUS?

Charlene's Colony of Shoppes is "charmlicious"! My sister-in-law, Brenda, and I went on a road trip Saturday to Halls, Tennessee, and we had a "charmlicious" time!



Charlene's Colony of Shoppes has THE most charming tea room (Just Divine Tea Room), AND they serve REALLY delicious food!






The tea room was originally the Hales Point Baptist Church and School, which held it's first church service in 1950. The church had been inactive for several years when it was purchased and moved to it's present location in three sections in 1998.







This place just oozes charm!





Of course, I had a difficult time looking at the menu, because the Just Divine Tea Room has some wonderful treasures for sale in each of their cozy little dining rooms.


There is a cross-stitched tablecloth on each table. I'm tellin' ya, the charm is everywhere!




And so is the deliciousness! One reason we decided to go this past weekend is that this was the 25th anniversary of Charlene's Colony of Shoppes, so there were a lot of sales (and you know how much I love a sale!). In addition to the bargains, Charlene's was serving this delicious chocolate and strawberry cake, which was in a charming gazebo. Don't you think that is just Charmlicious?




There is a huge gift shop;





an antique shop,




and a ladies clothing store,




And all of them are charming and all of them are filled with charming treasures, and there is delicious food to be eaten. Now THAT is CHARMLICIOUS!





I'm sure you can understand why we spent the entire day at Charlene's, and I'm sure you can see why we had such a charmlicious time! I hope you can also see why I had to invent a new word just to describe our fun!

(Sorry, I got a little carried away with my new word!)




~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

RESPONSES TO COMMENTS:



Last Thursday, I posted pictures of my "Ladies Only" plates. Several readers asked where I got them. Unfortunately, I have had them for 4 or 5 years, and I purchased them at different times in different stores (depending on what store had them on sale!). Some were purchased when Steinmart had a sale; some when T. J. Max had a sale, and some were purchased at Tuesday Morning. This is what is on the back of them: "The Sakura Table-Ad Lines-Stoneware Made in Indonesia".



MOSAICS: When I posted some "mosaics" this past Monday, I was surprised that some visitors asked what program I used. I use "Photoscape" for almost everything I do to my photos. The other bloggers who are posting mosaics, are using some other program, and I think their mosaics are so much nicer than what I can get by using Photoscape. I've just played with Photoscape so much that I kind of know my way around their site, so I haven't attempted a mosaic on other sites. As you can see from this post, I'm still playing with Photoscape. I do use "Big Huge Labs" when I am adding speech bubbles to my photos, but I haven't been able to figure out how to transport my pictures to their mosaic section.



MY HOME: When I began this blog, I didn't plan to do a lot of posting about my home, because I didn't want to run off my visitors. There are such wonderful blogs, authored by REAL decorators/designers, and we DO want to see photos of their decor. I do not know anything about design. I am just a collector (of almost everything), and my home is cluttered with collections. After I re-posted my toile bedroom, some of my visitors requested that I show more of my home!! (I know, I was shocked too!) My good friend, Connie, who doesn't have a blog, has made several requests that I do a posting of my family room. I felt that pictures of my Christmas and other holiday decor had probably given my readers more than they wanted to see of my home. However, since some of my blog visitors apparently are interested in seeing where I live, I will begin to occasionally share some photos of my home. (Of course, they have no idea what they are asking for). Before I post my home, I feel I need to post a disclaimer...Posting pictures of my home does NOT imply that I think there is anything worth seeing, and I know that I have too much clutter in my home, and it does no good to tell me I need to declutter (RMS readers already tried!).






Thanks so much for coming to visit me, and thank you for your lovely comments. (I'm still amazed that anyone reads this little blog-but I'm especially amazed at how kind all of you are!) . laurie

52 comments:

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Laurie,
You silly goose! I love your home so much and I am always so delighted to see each and every pic! Those very dumb people on RMS, that's why I don't go there much anymore because they like things stripped of character. Anyway, bring on the pics, I can't wait! Oh, and I loved the pics of the charming shops and what fun that must have been, I bet you got some lovely treasures. Hugs, Cindy

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh Laurie, I love all of your collections, and I would miss them terribly if you didn't have them. I think the way you display them in your home is such fun. Your trip and the gorgeous tea room sounds like so much fun. I loved seeing all the gorgeous things they had in that shop. Loved it all. Hugs, Marty

Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

Laurie,
I am one of those people that wanted to see more of your beautiful home!!! I love all of your collections...I think that is what makes a house a home!!! I hate sterile environments without character...boring!!! My favorite designer The Great Charles Faudree (I know he is everyone's favorite) preaches controlled excess!!! I love that!!! MORE IS MORE!!! Now, bring on the tour!!!

Your charmalicious(spelling?) trip looks divine!!! What a wonderful way to spend the day!!! Shopping and eating...does it get any better?!!!

I hope you are having a wonderful evening!!!
XOXO
Cathy

P.S. I hope I didn't come on to strong;)!!!

Cindy J. said...

Oh dear Laurie, you have my dream home.. so lovely and creative and so filled with love.. It is so beautiful I can close my eyes and see every room you have ever shared and I love every one. We are all doing pretty good my way.. I am so grateful for all of the prayers.. God is so gracious.. Love you, Cindy

Dixie said...

Laurie... as long as you blog about what YOU love... we'll read... our homes are our nests... which is probably why we spend so much time collecting and decorating... cleaning and decluttering... Have you ever watched the birds in their nests.... they do the same thing... collecting and cleaning... as Martha would say... "it's a good thing"...

thanks for your sweet comments earlier at French Lique... I was having one of "those" days.. I'm better now... ;p... Dixie

Chandy said...

Laurie, your collections and your home is "charmlicious!" I personally cannot stop admiring the treasures you filled each room with and that bedroom alone, if indicative of your not knowing "comfy and cozy" design then there's no hope for me! LOL

Miss Janice said...

Laurie, Didn't you just love Charlene's? I've been there many times! I love to shop there and dine at the "Tearoom." After the fire a couple of years ago, I went through Charlene-withdrawals until she reopened. It's a very popular place for ladies in the Mid-South! This post brings back happy memories for me:)

Linda in AZ * said...

* You PERSONALLY KNOW how much I love coming here for a lil' "vacation"~~~ you never fail to make it LIGHTHEARTED n' FUN, and I soooo enjoy your WIT n' humor!!!

Please, Laurie, POST AWAY on your house~~~ I'd LOVE to see more (but I can't IMAGINE anything M*O*R*E impressive than those FABTATSTIC BOOKCASES in your LR (that I would SOOOOO LOVE to have in OUR home)!!!

You are SOOOO VERY SPECIAL, dear pal! (Hoping, too, that your FIL is still progressing!!!)~~~

Love,
Linda *

xinex said...

Oh Laurie, you know I LOVE your home and everything in it, all your collections and your furniture. Your home is so warm. That store/restaurant is really very charming. I would spend all day in there too.....Christine

Unknown said...

I can't believe I was able to stay on your blog long enough to post. For several days, I would be thrown off of it. So, I am reading some of your older posts too. Thanks for sharing such a "charming" place. It looks just lovely. Thanks too for talking about the mosaic thing. I tried it, but with very little luck. I haven't given up but maybe later on in the summer.

Charla

Sara's Sweet Surprise said...

Miss Laurie, you're always a "charmlicious" delight to visit!! I actually plan my visits so I can spend (uninterrupted) time to read every word and gaze at every picture as long as I want. Sometimes I'll bring a treat to nibble on with tea. Speaking of tea...What a wonderful shop and that cake would've been on my plate for sure.
Once again my credit card would have been left with skid marks after that shopping spree.

Sweet wishes,
Sara

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Laurie...this looks like such a fun, fun roadtrip! I'd would have been in big trouble in the gift shoppe. :-)
Love your big, beautiful pics!
Susan

Anonymous said...

The fun and "charmiliciousness" is just oozing in your post! :-) I would love me some piece of the chocolate-covered strawberry cake. YUM1 And look at the bell-shaped glasses displaying wonderful things. I would love to have that.

I remember the plates with the different women. It is such a unique and fun plate. Very perfect when you had your girlfriends over.

Li

Kat said...

What a fun day trip! This looks like such a great place to shop and relax and visit with friends. They really do have some beautiful items, but I keep going back to look at that cake! I guess I'd better eat something for breakfast or I'm going to be dreaming of it all day. Kathy

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

I love girly road trips and your trip looks like you had so much fun. I love to go along even if it is virtual. Keep sharing your home. Hugs.

Carol said...

Charmlicious! Your new word should be added to the dictionary! Love it! Gosh, I wish I could have tagged along with you on your trip. The shopping & the cheesecake are enough to tempt anyone.

Keep posting about your home, it's so beautiful & gives me great inspiration!

Hugs,
Carol

Dawn Marie said...

those shops and tea room look AWESOME! I would have spent the entire day also.

Laurie, your home is awesome, you rock. Your so humble and its such an endearing quality...but you are surely a talented and wonderful lady.

Heidi Pocketbook said...

Laurie, I'm so glad you post the things you post--that's what drew me here in the first place and keeps me coming back!

Looks like your road trip was FUN☺

Stacey said...

Charmilicious is the perfect word to describe that place. Pure heaven for girls!

You know I'm dying to see your home. Yay!

Bridget said...

How fun, I just love places like that! I love how you interspersed your mosaics so we could see lots of images.
I'd love to see more of your home, this isn't RMS so don't be askeered. LOL

ellen b. said...

Laurie~ I soooo want to go have tea and a shopping spree at this tea room! How fabulous! Blessings!!

Kathleen said...

What a great place. I could see myself there all day too..Heck, Home Goods is 3 hours for me, and that doesn't count lunch!
Charmalicious it is!
Did I miss the bargainlicious part??

Kristens Creations said...

Hi Laurie, I always love seeing your home too! You should post more pics! The tea room had some beautiful things, I spotted some dogs that I have on my mantle.

Motorcycles are scary, but your right... if you just try and relax their fun.(and try not to think about dying) Talk to you soon, Kristen

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Definitely charmilicious, Laurie. I love it...my kind of shop, indeed.

J has a dr appt today,near the big city. On our way to the dr office, he's dropping me at a nearby Target in a sort of upscale part of town. I was really looking forward to that,until I saw this wonderful post!! Oh well.......I'll see if I can have a little bit of entertainment at Target, anyway.

nikkicrumpet said...

What a great place! and a great concept...feed ladies while you surround them with cool stuff to sell. YIKES you know you're never getting out of there without shopping! And don't be silly about your home..it is GORGEOUS and you should be showing it off to everyone! And we all know blogland is a much nicer place than RMS. So I'd be shocked if anyone told you to declutter. Those were all just jealous biddies anyway!

Connie said...

Laurie, A home is a place where you surround yourself with things you love.
I think your home is just that and it's lovely.

Lady Katherine said...

Laurie your home is just as Charmlious as Charlene's Tea Room! What a wonderful day to spend at the Tea Room! The cake was divine! Loved those roosters! I would love to see more of your wonderful Kitchen!

puddin07 said...

Laurie,Looks like a fun day, and I love your new word! I am so glad you have finally listened to my nagging! I don't think a home is a home without collections, and as for clutter, I have tried to declutter, and I can't stand it! I have to have lots of stuff around me! I sit and look at them and try to figure out how I can make them look better. I love your home, it is so charmelicious! Love Ya! Connie

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Your whole blog is charmalicious! Thanks Laurie - so much to see!

Unknown said...

Laurie, looks like there were some really great things there. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. It is so nice to know that I am not always blogging 'to myself'.
~~Elizabeth

Ginger said...

Thanks for taking us along on your road trip, it was fun. So charmlicious!! I love seeing your home and all of your fun stuff. I think thats what makes blogging fun is going into everyone's homes and seeing how they live. Don't change a thing.

Ginny said...

Laurie, your home always looks so beautiful. I loved the tea adventure. I like the roosters and the table linens the best.

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

OOh too much to see! Oh My!!! Looks like a fun time...but sensory overload! LOL Susan

santamaker said...

Gosh, Laurie, do you think you could use a little bit bigger font? LOL....
Just kidding with ya!
Loving the field trip you took. That's the perfect day, such beautiful things to look at and you did a fantabulous job on your mosaic. Just lovely, I will have to try your program. Seems to be all the rage since I've gotten back from my little break.
When you coming to Atlanta? We've got some cute shops here too!!!!

Judi said...

Laurie *hugs*
you are toooo cute. The place you spent the day is absolutely charming for sure! I love it and wish it was closer to me...by many states...I could spend a day there too. Its lovely! I saw so many wonderful things and its set up so very charmingly isn't it...ahhhhh..such eye candy.

I loved your responses to questions and smiled when you wrote about showing pics of your home. That was so cute. I really liked those plates you showed also...and I'll have to try the mosaics pics you did. Neat.

Hope you had a great day at work...and a nice evening.
Judi

Four Paws and Co said...

I love tea rooms & this one looks awesome! I could have done some damage to my debit card in that one!

Laurie, I would LOVE to see more of your house! ☺♥☺ Diane

Sharing with Sherri said...

Hi Laurie!!

How fun to go on a girls only roadtrip!! The charmalicious tea room you went to looks like my kinda a place, eating and shopping all in one spot!!
It really looks like they have some great stuff in the gift shop! How fun!!

Hugs, Sherri:)

SmilingSally said...

I like your new word, and you defined it so nicely.

Unknown said...

Charmlicious?! The perfect word! What a great tea room. Thanks for sharing!!! I want to go to that gift shop!!!!

~Liz

Cass @ That Old House said...

Oh wow ... what a fabulous day in charmalicious land!!! I want one of everything I saw in those shops!

Did they actually CUT that gorgeous cake? I think I'd have lacquered it and kept it.

I had to laugh when you said you are surprised when anyone reads your blog -- Oh my, that is ME! I am always astounded -- when I began last fall I figured I'd read it back to myself, and maybe a good friend or one of my daughters would read it; what fun to have met so many people this way in blogging land!

Thanks for visiting... I love my big breakfront -- got it for rock bottom on Ebay, just had to haul it from an apartment in Manhattan. Well, Howard did that chore!

all the best... Cass

Melissa Miller said...

"Charmalicious" is right!
I love it Laurie!

The little gift shop is just so adorable. I would really enjoy viisting a place like this.
Thanks for showing it.

Have a blessed weekend.
~Melissa :)

Miss Laura Lu/RMS4291960 said...

Oh Sweetie! Thank you for coming by and checking on me! I don't know how I missed this post! And why didn't you stop and pick me up?!?! I was right on your way! I'm gonna have a hard time forgivin' ya for this one girlfriend! (LOL) I loved seeing your bedroom again! I'd forgotten all about it! So pretty!!!! Things around my house are not good at the moment. I love my boys so much, but I wish I could just once be one of those parent's bragging about their child's accomplishments! Hey! They got the whole mess thing perfected! They certainly know how to throw wet towels on the floor and flunk classes and then go about their merry way! Was that too much info?! I'm sorry! Thanks for your prayers! Love Ya Girlfriend! Lauralu :) (and I'm smiling!)

Envoy-ette said...

Thank you for sharing such a magical place with us!
As for your home, you are far too hard on yourself! It's lovely! Remember the ole "grass is greener on the other side" because it NEVER is.

KBeau said...

What a fun girls' trip. I think I saw some toile, so you must have felt right at home.

Rue said...

Laurie! Are you kidding me?? Your family room (?) with the bookshelves is a decorators dream!! I am in love with that room!!!! Besides, I can't decorate to save my life and I post more pictures of my mish mash than anyone wants to see LOL Keep on posting those pics!

Oh and that store really IS Charmlicious ;)

hugs,
rue

artis1111 said...

This is a place I could stay at all day! I am just drooling!!!! Now I want to go shopping!!! Kathy

artis1111 said...

This is a place I could stay at all day! I am just drooling!!!! Now I want to go shopping!!! Kathy

Helen said...

... your new word is amazinlicious!

puddin07 said...

Laurie, I like this heading, too! I also love the yellow background! Love Ya! Connie

Anonymous said...

Hi Laurie! We're all going to gang up on RMS and go over and punch 'em in the stomach! What do those folks know anyway!
I love who you are and your wonderful home and how you place your pretties! You keep being you!
Now I love your new blog look and you're posting "BIG" pictures too! I love it! Your new header and your new name! Woo Hooness, girl, you're stylin'!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :0

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

Charmlicious! I love it!!! And yes, please post photos of your home. I love to see how real people live, not designers. Ok, it's fun to look at their rooms too, but I love everyday folks like you even more as I can relate better. Thanks for being you & don't ever change.

The Muse said...

The image of the tulips, stained glass and toile...pushed me over the edge...oh, that is my room!

I believe your home expresses who you are~well it should...and I see a kind and caring soul...
poopoo on those who cannot!