Before and After - The 1927 Cottage We Call Home

A peek into our renovated kitchen.  This is our stone concrete prep sink area with chalkboard and open shelving above. The door with a cast iron door knocker at center opens to our mini walk-in pantry.  

For the full tour including before and after pics, 
see our latest magazine issue:

(update: Unfortunately, the magazine platform we used is no longer available - leaving our magazine cover here for archival reasons only. )

{Volume No. 01 ~ Issue 03}

In this issue:

Our Renovation Journey
(before and after pics - part 1 - our kitchen)
Our latest song pick and video 

(it makes us smile every time we hear it)

Companion Guide to Inferno
(a free multi-media guide to the novel)

A mini Italian lesson
(Ready to learn the language? Professoressa Alex gets you started)

Quiz  - Are you a sugar addict? 
(Is sugar aging us? - excerpt from the book: Sugar Detox)
The Heart Expansion Experiment
("Try this exercise today...")

Chicken Farfalle
(easy and satisfying, this is our go-to pasta recipe)

and more

Also see our 98 page feature and travel guide:
Sextantio - Le Grotte della Civita - l&l visits this fascinating CAVE HOTEL in the ancient city of Matera, Italy.  
Wedding Destination, History and Historical Sites - Things to Do and See in the Region.

Find the links to this separate travel magazine feature within the pages of our latest magazine issue or click the link below to go there now:

{Sextantio - Le Grotte della Civita} 

cave hotel in the ancient city of Matera, Italy

a 98 page digital magazine feature and travel guide created by l&l.

grotto/cave - hotel room located in the ancient city of Matera, Italy. 

We hope you  e n j o y!

LeAnn 

                      & Alex

                                               

 

visit our new site:

www.linenlavenderlife.com

Check Your Inbox

Are you one of our email subscribers?  If so, be sure to check your mail for the latest edition of our digital magazine delivered to your inbox early this morning.*  

IN THIS ISSUE - 

l&l travels to the ancient city of Matera, Italy - tour Sextantio's cave hotel: Le Grotte della Civita ~ See Before & After Pictures of the 1927 cottage we call home ~  and much more:

Note:  If you find you have a problem viewing our images contained in your email, go to the top right of the email and click: View this email in your browser.  If you still have problems viewing the images and links in our emails, please contact us.

We appreciate your feedback - it helps us troubleshoot for the future and we are happy to help you make the most of your subscription to l&l.

Not a subscriber?  If you'd like to receive exclusive content and have our magazines delivered to your inbox at least one day prior to the rest of the world:  

{Subscribe}   

 In addition to receiving our posts, news and exclusive content, 

our subscribers are also automatically entered in all our giveaways.

Our digital magazines now have a place for comments and/or you can always reply to our email with any comments or questions .  If you have a moment, we'd love to hear from you.  

Our best,

LeAnn 

                      & Alex

                                               

* Subscribers were sent an email with links to our latest magazine September 4th - 5:20 am PST.

2012 Holiday Giveaway ~ How you can win a Kindle Paperwhite!

Yes!  It's true!  A Kindle Paperwhite 

will go to one lucky l&l reader!

If you already have an email subscription to l&l, you are automatically entered and can receive additional entries by referring your friends:

If you aren't already a subscriber, you can sign-up below...

Subscribe by Email ~ Suscripción por Email ~ Inscription par Email ~ E-Mail-Abonnement ~ Cadastro de Email ~ Pассылка по электронной почте ~ 電 子メール経由で購読

...then return to this form to submit your referrals and earn additional entries.  

Happy Holidays!

LeAnn & Alex

questions?  write us  [here]

linenandlavender.blogspot.com

giveaway  .  follow  .  facebook  .  pinterest  .  shop

If you won the latest give-away...

–a $100 gift card–

 to shop in

by linen &  lavender

What do you think you might select?

Maybe a Beta-Plus book with hundreds 

of ideas for creating your dream kitchen?

Compendium: KITCHENS

You could get that hefty book and still have enough left to get these charming glass jars.  I was wishing for more of these the other day to store my freshly-made pesto.

Italian Recycled Glass Jars

Hmm.  Or you could get several CD's with that amount 

—or download one hundred of your favorite songs!

Comme Si De Rien N'Etait

-or-

There's a panini press by All-Clad I've admired.  

All-Clad Panini Pan with Press

Or, -it's a little off the beaten path- 

but I've even included a few gourmet food items in the emporium.  

Oh, I know!  Here's a treat you can splurge on...Hazelnut Graham Crackers (organic. –no less.)  

Organic Hazelnut Graham Crackers

I've tried them with a lemon dessert cheese...H e a v e n l y!

A sparkling wine and you're all set for a summer evening with friends.

White Stilton with Lemon Peel

Of course, books are always a treat as far as I'm concerned.  There's a bevy of home and garden books in the emporium, but also a few books of poetry, philosophy, fiction...or how about a beautiful cookbook like this one?...

Country Cooking of France

-or- 

You'd even have enough for a 1 year subscription 

to the French edition of ELLE Decoration:

Elle Decoration - French Edition

Or you know what?...  

How about a book that will help you plan 

your next trip to Europe...

Maybe a trip to the Amalfi Coast this year?  

Great Escapes Italy

And if you are like me and would only want to be seen on Italy's shores looking toned and swimsuit-ready, you might want to throw in something like this...

Flow Yoga by Shiva Rea

Hmm.  So many things.  It's hard for me to choose.  I certainly wish the $100 gift card recipient the best of luck in making their selection(s).    It's not going to be easy!

Oh, you know what?  

I just remembered.  

I haven't even notified the winner yet!  

I guess I'll do that now.  

(Drum roll please)

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S 

goes to

.

.

.

.

.

Marsha of Splenderosa!

. . . . . . . . . . .

My thanks to Marsha and to each and every one of you who entered.  It was great fun receiving all your lovely comments and emails, –including some wonderful recipes I can't wait to try and share here on l&l.

Hugs!

..

visit our new site:

www.linenlavenderlife.com

Give-Away extended to June 22!

{This giveaway is now over.  

Go here for the latest GIVEAWAY NEWS}

Dear Readers,

I promised a giveaway and then I had the chance to get-away for a little vacation and I jumped at the opportunity.  For those of you left hanging on the edge of your seats, I'm so sorry for the delay!  The good news is I've extended the deadline and I've come up with several easy ways you can increase your chances of winning. 

All FOLLOWERS are eligible for the drawing.  For more chances at winning, here's what you can do:

Between now and June 22nd:

1.  Make a comment on any post -past or present- and each time you do, your name will be added to the drawing. 

2.  If you leave your first name and your country with any comment, I'll put your name in TWICE for each comment containing this information.

Note:  Your first name and country will suffice--no need to leave any further comment unless you feel like it.   Just take the time to leave your  name and your country -on any as many posts as you like- and your name will go in the hat twice each time you do.  (Feel free to include your city if you like, but it's not necessary to be eligible.)

3.  Lastly, if you email me a favorite recipe I will add FIVE extra chances at winning.  (Be sure to include written permission for me to re-print and/or publish your recipe in a future post.) 

Submit here:  linen & lavender recipe submission

This is the opportunity to get your name in the drawing literally hundreds of times!   And what's at stake?

A $100 gift card

to shop in the emporium and select anything your heart desires!

Best of luck!

{This giveaway now closed.} 

visit our new site:

www.linenlavenderlife.com

 

image via:  Côté Ouest Oct-Nov 2005

"I still have linen sheets woven by my Belgium grandmother..."

Meet Kathie the winner of a $100 gift card in linen & lavender's most recent give-away.  I have thoroughly enjoyed corresponding with her and was delighted when she sent me the lovely letter you will find via the link above.  I know you will enjoy the peek into her life and getting to know her a bit as I have. 

It is so fun for me to think of each of you out there...wherever you are in the world and wherever you settle in to view the things I share here.  Each time I meet another reader, I am touched to hear how much they have enjoyed the content on l&l.  It makes all the hours of sifting through and editing photos, the writing and researching —everything that goes in to creating l&l worthwhile.  I love enjoying these inspiring images myself, but it is due to you, my readers, that I've remained motivated these 16 months to bring them to life in this forum.  So thank you.  Thank you, dear Kathie and all of you out there who support what I do here.  

A big hug from me to you!

linen & lavender

see our new site:
www.linenlavenderlife.com

Midnight tonight - Are you in?

Maisons Côté Sud, Dec 01-Jan 02

TO BE ELIGIBLE, you have until midnight tonight* to Follow or Subscribe. For more chances to win, just leave a comment.  Each and every comment you post prior to the deadline gives you an extra chance at winning!

. . . . .

Sorry, this giveaway has ended. 

Go [here] to get the latest giveaway news!

. . . . .

5 names will be drawn:  One lucky winner will receive a

$100 Gift Card to use in

[the emporium]

and four others will receive one of the following books courtesy of Travelers' Tales:

TRAVELERS' TALES ITALY: True Stories of Life on the Road;

TRAVELERS' TALES TUSCANY: True Stories;

30 DAYS IN ITALY: True Stories of Escape to the Good Life;

100 PLACES IN ITALY Every Woman SHOULD GO by Susan Van Allen.

photograph by lb:  Santa Monica, California

Good luck!

linen & lavender

see our new site:
www.linenlavenderlife.com

*8/8/10, 12:00 MIDNIGHT, Pacific Standard Time.

August 8th Give-Away Prizes Revealed...

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED, BUT PLEASE CHECK {HERE}FOR THE LATEST GIVEAWAY NEWS!


As you know if you have been following linen & lavender for awhile, I'm celebrating my one year anniversary of blogging by conducting a 3-part give-away.

June 8th, Tiffany of Southern California won
a 1 year subscription to Maisons Côté Ouest. 

July 8th, Kristi of San Jose, California won
"The Home Within Us" by Bobby McAlpine. 

The celebration culminates August 8th with
(drum roll please...)
one lucky reader receiving a

 $100 Gift Card

The winner will shop [the emporium] -My collection of favorite home design books and magazines along with CDs, movies and more.

And that's not all...

Four other names will be drawn and each winner will receive one of four travel books offered by TRAVELERS' TALES.

TRAVELERS' TALES has graciously offered to give 4 titles:

TRAVELERS' TALES ITALY: True Stories of Life on the Road;
TRAVELERS' TALES TUSCANY: True Stories;
30 DAYS IN ITALY: True Stories of Escape to the Good Life  -and the recently released:

100 PLACES IN ITALY Every Woman SHOULD GO by Susan Van Allen.

To add to the fun, I've decided to give everyone extra chances at winning, here's how it will work:

Make a comment on any post -past or present- between now and August 8th.  It can be as long or as short as you like, but it must include your name (or blog name -some way for me to identify you) and where you are from (no specifics please, just your country.)  Each time I receive a comment from you, your name will go into the hat.

So let's see...if you are a Follower, that's one chance.  If you are an Email Subscriber, that's another chance.  And if you make even just one comment every day from now - August 8th...that's at least 9 extra chances you'll have at winning.

So go forth...    Follow!  Subscribe!  Comment!   

Good luck!! 

P.S.  It is just a coincidence that both winners so far have been from my home state of California.  I just want to make it clear that the give-away has always included every one of my readers around the globe...Iceland, Indonesia, Australia...wherever you are.  If your name is drawn, I will figure out a way to get your prize to you no matter where you call home!*   

Image:  Milford Grey Towers, unknown source.

*Except where prohibited, of course.  Sorry.

linen & lavender

see our new site:

www.linenlavenderlife.com

There's still time!...

Bobby McAlpine

Give-away entry deadline extended to 12 midnight PST.

Follow or Subscribe by 12 midnight tonight, July 8, 2010 to be eligible.

Winner will be announced in Friday's post.

Welcome new friends!  Good luck!

linen & lavender


This giveaway has closed.

see our new site:
www.linenlavenderlife.com