Tales of the Traveling Tote 40 and a Giveaway

Welcome to the Tales of the Traveling Totes 40th post. (Wow, the big 40!) We are so glad to have you visit.  A group of the most fun ladies take their MacKenzie-Childs totes all over the place and share their adventures quarterly.  
Also welcome to Purple Chocolat Home's new home.It was a long journey, but we are now in and settled and Miss Madi K and I want to share our first photos with you.  

We moved in on December 8th with just enough time to set up a tree and do a little decorating. 
With traveling a lot during the cold winter months, it has taken some time to work on getting all settled in.  In addition we were getting our old house ready to sell.  
Hooray, it sold, even with the market the way it is!!

We have spent all spring 

and summer working on the 

back yard.  It still isn't done yet!

We were making progress and 

then we had a 100 year hail 

and rain storm and that set 

us back a bit with erosion, 

but the house was OK.

It was like a snowstorm with 

all of the hail.  The gardens 

are all shredded and fruit 

destroyed.  Our lower property

was flooded, but the house was 

fine.  Many houses were like a 

river running through their 

basements, so we feel blessed.   

Miss Madi K and I are going 

to start the home tour with 

one of my favorite rooms 

(wait, they are all my favorites - 

we spent several years designing 

the plans). 

This is the Orangerie - the French 

would bring their tropical plants 

into their orangeries during the 

winter.  We put in a sink and 

a drain in the floor.  

This piece you may recognize

from my old house.  We loved 

it and wanted to keep it, so 

we added a small sink so that 

watering plants would be easy.  

I can store vases and things 

below.  

It has its 

own heating and cooling 

system to keep the plants alive.  

I knew from the very beginning 

that I wanted it to be an entertaining 

space and to have a 

Modern French feel.  

Two amber chandeliers 

and beams add to the 

French flair.  We anchored

the one end with a gorgeous

fireplace.  

Miss Madi K and I set out 

to decorate the room for 

it's first party - 

A Mad Hatter Tea Party.

It was so much fun entertaining 

in the Orangerie.  I will give 

more details on our tea party 

later.  

Thanks for visiting, now hop 

on over and visit our other 

ladies of the 

Tales of the Traveling Tote.

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home (you are here)

 Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

 Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box  

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Bookish Dilettante

Visit Jenna's blog for a 

chance at this fabulous tote.

I always wish I could win these 

fun giveaways!!!

See you on December 1st for another adventure.