Spring Activities

Playing with a few Easter decorations...
I bought this pretty table runner last year at a close out sale...







The little bunny is an old tea drip catcher sitting on a cushion made from antique fabrics...by Kim Stout of Thistle Hill.
The heart was made using antique fabrics by my mother in law.



A few of my old chocolate molds.







...very pale blue eggs...





Spring is finally here!
There is lots to celebrate...
...and lots to be grateful for!

Tomorrow I am beginning the big clean out...
I will be going through boxes and closets and sorting and organizing.
Things will go to the thrift store... in the "to be sold pile" and in the trash!
This long overdue "spring cleaning" will continue for many weeks to come....

As a life long collector and having lived in the same home for over 36 years...
well, to be honest...I don't know what I have!

Stay tuned as I am sure to uncover some long forgotten treasures...
I will report my progress and my finds and may need some decision making help!
Do I keep? throw out? sell? donate?

It is overwhelming...daunting in fact...
...but I am resolved to get it done!

Are you with me?
:)

Rainy Day Blue With Sunshine On The Way!

Rain, rain go away!



My forsythia bushes are blooming....
...had to bring some of that sunshine indoors!



The sun is supposed to come out tomorrow afternoon...



...and the rest of the week will bring sunny, spring like and warm weather...



You know what that means?

Flea markets!!!

...and time in the garden...

...and a beautiful Easter Sunday!

:)

Ducks In A Row

Today was day number one...
...at home.
...no travel.
...no office.

It was a good day...I actually got a few things done.
I have a long way to go in organizing this household!

Just trying to get all my ducks in a row....
...or peeps in a row!



These wooden ducks were lawn ornaments from the 50's...
...they're still kind of fun!



Well, now I have the time I have been craving for so long....
...guess I'm a lucky duck!

Tomorrow is day number two!
I'm making a to do list.

Hope it's a productive day!
Hope it's a good day for you too...
:)

Special Gifts, Favorite Finds and Old Montreal

Do you remember Mlle Magpie's give away not too long ago?
The winner received a stack of these fabulous vintage French paperback books.
I wanted to win soooooo bad.
Alas, I did not.



Guess what Zita had for me as a welcome gift for my first trip to Montreal?
Aren't they beautiful?
And she picked out one with a bit of BLUE to top off the stack because she knows how much I love blue....
Could anyone be any more thoughtful and sweet?
Look at those creamy ruffled pages.....all that French text....



Not only that.....she took me to the very spot where she searches for these old paperbacks from the 30's, 40's and 50's ...
She told me that they are getting much harder to come by....



...and then she found a few right right while I was standing there...
and let me have them to buy....
...and to make it all that much more exciting... it was half price day!
How sweet and generous is she?
How lucky am I?



I also found this pretty white porcelain dish marked $1
...remember... it was half price day!

I loved the shape...perfect for a few trinkets...



...or to hold my lovely Belle Blanc soaps...



My big purchase was this beautiful sac made out of a vintage dress!
I could not resist....and just had to bring something back from the wonderful little French store, L'Atelier du Presbytere...
... the incredible shop with all the vintage treasures from France and the items meticulously hand sewn from antique linens...



...I also brought home this little tin sign...new, but with a vintage flair.



...Lovely details of my sac...
Notice the initials....M L J
...we decided they stand for Mary Beth, Laura and Joseph and I thought it would be the perfect souvenir of our first trip to Montreal!



...there were several choices...all unique depending on the antique dress or fabric used...
It was hard to choose, but I finally did and this sac came home with me!



It is reversible and the other side has pockets and a deeper linen color on the bottom.
I am so delighted with it!



Saturday, we drove up to Mount Royal to take in the spectacular views...



The 1976 Olympic arena in the distance...



We walked around Old Montreal and saw the Bonsecours Market ...







...ate crepes for le petit dejeuner at Chez Suzette's...



...and enjoyed the cold and crisp fresh air of beautiful Montreal.
It was a wonderful trip!
We saw enough to know that we must return again soon to enjoy more of this beautiful city...

I loved spending time with my sister Mary Beth and nephew Joe...
...and I loved meeting Zita of Mlle Magpie!

I hope the week ahead brings all good things to you...

I will not be going to the office tomorrow.
I will be here.
At home.
Nesting.
:)

Fun With Zita in Montreal

We met the lovely Zita of Mlle Magpie on Friday morning...

I knew that I would get along well with Zita as we have been commenting on each others posts for the last year...what I didn't realize is that we would immediately click....that our passion for vintage collecting, creating and decorating would provide a bond that would make us feel as if we had always known each other...we speak the same language...we understand each other...

Zita came to get us at our hotel and first took us to a French cafe for hot chocolate and cappuccino....then it was on to Rue Notre-Dame to her favorite thrift store....The French Canadian Salvation Army...
... Zita gets me!

If you look close in the picture above you will see my sister Mary Beth peeking out from piles of dishware....I don't think she and my nephew Joe ever expected to be thrifting in Montreal!



We walked along Rue Notre-Dame peering in the windows of the beautiful antique stores...
...please excuse the reflections of the road construction, buildings and cars in the storefront windows...



Wonderful giant urns...





A carved marble mantle...



Chandeliers...



Fabulous French antiques...



Chairs...



more chairs...





I loved these old metal window frames...







Isn't this a fantastic bird cage?





Zita took us to this wonderful shop where the owner had lots of antique French linens and antiques....She used to own a shop in France but now was living here in Montreal...





Her shop in France...



The name of the shop on an antique sheet hanging on the wall...



Just look at these beautiful sacs that she has fashioned using antique, vintage and new fabrics...









Her wares included antiques and new gift items as well...







Antique cafe au lait bowls...

I just loved everything about this shop....it was full of treasure and all charmingly displayed.
Tomorrow I will show you what I bought and the sweet gifts that Zita gave me.
The best gift of all though, is that I have a new friend.
Zita is a beautiful girl inside and out and all three of us are so glad to have met her and been able to spend some time with her. She provided us with a lot of information and tips regarding the city and university and was so very kind to us and generous with her time.

I am sure Zita and I will arrange to meet again!



The rest of the day we spent at McGill University where we took a walking tour of campus and the residences in the surrounding area of Montreal...



A statue of Queen Victoria in front of the Music Building....
Montreal is a very beautiful and diverse city with the old and new blending together....







Joe and Mary Beth on campus. We were impressed with McGill University and they seem to really like our Joe....but we don't know at this point where Joe will choose to go to college. He has had many letters of acceptance and some scholarship awards...we are so proud of him!
Joe will have all his offers by the end of the week and then will make his decision.
If he chooses McGill, I told him Aunt Laura will be visiting often! :)



It has been a wonderful trip....this is a fabulous historic city with so much to offer!
Tomorrow I will share some of our photos of our time at Mount Royal and Old Montreal!
Good night! :)