Monday, May 30, 2011

Flying The Coop



This week I will be flying to Florida to keep my Dad
 company as he drives north for the summer.


I'm looking forward to our time together...
quiet time and time to talk.




 Sister Lynn and I found this old chocolate tin at the flea market.
The sweet faded poem on the cover brought tears to our eyes
 and $2 out of my pocket.


Mother
Every Age and every tongue
Of Mother love has fondly sung
And from my heart I want to add
A glowing tribute just as glad
For never could love more wonderful be
Than you, dear Mother, have given to me.


                                 Mary Grey Robinson


Remember this beautiful linen heart that
 Mira of Belle Blanc gave me last March?
(She picked my cup in her favorite cup contest...lucky me!)

I just love it...

The poem which she printed on the fabric...
 I Carry Your Heart With Me by EE Cummings
 holds special meaning.
It probably is meaningful in some way to everyone.

We are planning a memorial service for Mom on June 11th to be held in the Adirondacks
 so that her family and friends in the north have an opportunity to celebrate her life.

We helped Kate move this weekend 
and it was fun to spend time with her and her friends.

Hope the long weekend was full of fun
 and special memories for you too!

:)
Hey! This post is mostly white...
I'm linking up to Kathleen at Faded Charm 
for White Wednesday...check it out to see the other participants!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Happy Memorial Day!


Remembering and honoring those who have lost their lives
 serving our country...



 ...as well as those serving our nation now.

Happy Memorial Day

:)

Friday, May 27, 2011

Trading Up


Early this morning the sunlight beckoned me outside...


...the perfect light for taking pictures.
This wire dish drain used to belong to my girlfriend Paula...
...you know, the one I had the sale with last weekend.
 We traded quite a few items before the sale...
and this old thing just needed to come home with me.



The beautiful botanical black and white dishes, you may recognize,
  came from Anthropologie several years ago.
Paula fell in love with them and bought them first.
I waited and waited....eventually they went on sale...
...and then I pounced and bought them too.




 




Oh, and this old screen window came home with me too.
 love it!

Instead of opening up the lake house this weekend...
we stayed in town and will be helping Kate move
 out of Manhattan and back to Brooklyn again.

  Mr. Flea spent the day repairing a vintage dressing table with triple
 mirrors that Kate set her sights on a few weeks ago
 when she was home for a visit.
  We will be bringing it to Brooklyn for her as well as a few other vintage girly things to decorate her new apartment.

What are your exciting plans for the long weekend?
:)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Another Beautiful Spring Day


Today was another spectacular May day...


Grateful for these beautiful gifts ...


Hope you have fun plans for the weekend!
:)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Aunt Jo's Chocolate Pot



This old chocolate pot and little cups and saucers  once belonged to
 Mr. Flea's Great Aunt Jo
(That's what his dad used to call her...Johanna was her name).


I love the soft pink blooms that decorate the delicate porcelain
 and have always admired it sitting in the hutch
 in my mother in law's dining room.


To my surprise, this afternoon she told me she was cleaning out
 and did I want Aunt Jo's chocolate pot?
I think it is easier for her to part with things from my father in law's side of the family than her own.

Anyway, of course I was delighted!
As I carried it out of the house the rhododendron next to the front door was just beginning to bloom...
 so I stole a few blossoms to take home with me.

:)

Big News!
Tomorrow, Daniel will be sworn in as a New York State attorney.
Congratulations Dan! We are all so proud of you!

Linking up to Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Fit to Flea


Whew!
 Talk about tired...


I'm not fit to flea!


The yard sale at Paula's home was loads of fun.
A big thank you to all the neighbors, blogger friends, lurkers...
 and even self proclaimed stalkers :)
...who made time to come.


We loved meeting you all!

Suzanne, Janet, Debbie, Kim, Mary and Denise ...
...and those whose names escape me ( so sorry )...

Wish we could have hung out together a little longer!


The weather held out on Saturday and
many folks took a walk out back and toured Paula's gardens.


The photos here show a lot of the treasures Paula was selling and an old iron crib that our friend Kathleen has for sale.
I should have taken a picture of Paula's charming crib turned daybed ... it is fitted with a ticking covered cushion and sits in her living room...there probably is a pic of it somewhere in a previous post.

The yard sale was fun...
...relaxed, comfortable and so very civilized...
(as compared to the flea market)


We finished cleaning up after the sale and packed our cars full
 for the flea market on Sunday.
Then our good friend Deanna from the incredible shop Gather in Ivoryton stopped by and we relaxed with a glass of wine
 before our delicious dinner. 
Thank you Bill! 
It was early to bed as we got up at 4:00 a.m. 

Did I mention that I was tired?
Did I happen to tell you that I'm not used to all this
 lugging, packing, setting up and taking down,
and the worst...

 negotiating a sale...
?

I mean seriously when you tell someone your price is $2.00 for five perfect creamy white doilies and they say, "I'll give you $1.50"...

Well,
 I'm exhausted.


So, the idea of an online shop is sounding better and better...

As much as I love to shop a flea market...

...apparently, I'm lacking the required physical stamina and the unique negotiating skills needed for the other side of the table.

As a buyer, a friendly smile served me well.  
As a vendor...not so much!
There are some seriously talented bargain getters out there!
Sigh...I am no match.

...it's so much more fun to search out and buy treasures
 than it is to sell them.
I found myself just a little bit cranky at the flea market.
Sorry Paula!

But it was great to see Suzanne, Janet and Debbie again...
...they had a marathon weekend of flea shopping fun!


And it was great to meet Debra of  Capers of the Vintage Vixens!
She was shopping with cute as a button, little Stella who had just found a vintage Barbie
 with a bag full of delightful handmade vintage clothes!
We were playing Barbies and trying on clothes right there at the flea...what fun!

And it was wonderful to see our dear friends Evi and Ebbie
 who were at the flea searching for the perfect mirror for their newly renovated and decorated bathroom.
 I can't wait to see it!

Well, at least I got rid of a lot of good junk treasure!
:)
Hope it was a fun weekend for you too...
and that the week ahead brings all good things! 

Friday, May 20, 2011

Blue Vintage Enamelware Bowls


Lucky me.


I found these blue enamelware nesting bowls...
...in the basement.



...and fell in love with them again.


 I will be bringing a car full of vintage items to Paula's yard sale
 on Saturday...
...but not these pretty blue bowls.
Not this time.
Not yet. 

Don't worry...there will be lots to pick through!

Anyone interested in old shutters?
Paula has a stack of them for sale.

Hope the weekend brings sunshine and joy...
and a successful sale!

What are your plans?
:)


I am editing this post in order to link up with 
Bizzy@t home
who is having a challenge to do a post with something old and something blue!
Doesn't it sound like something fun?
:)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Uncovering Forgotten Finds


Where did these come from?
I must have loved the blue green color...
...and brought them home from the flea market.


But...
I can't remember for sure.
It is not a complete set...but that doesn't bother me.
I like to mix and match.


The pretty color is the same as one of my Belgium beer bottles.





The backside!
click to enlarge

Bringing all to the sale at Paula's farmhouse
 in Centerbrook, CT on Saturday.

What are you planning for the weekend?
Keeping my fingers crossed for clear skies!
:)


P.S. For those who asked... 
       That wild springy thingie in the previous post is a flower frog!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

White Wednesday and a Thank You!


It is time to say thank you to Kathleen at Faded Charm for hosting
100 White Wednesdays!
Hasn't it been fun?


As I pull out collected finds to bring to the sale
 at Paula's home on Saturday...
...I am not surprised at all the white treasures I have amassed.


...and strange things too!


It has been lovely to be able to visit and share with
 so many like minded friends!





  So...this little bouquet of Lily of the Valley is for you Kathleen!
...and for all our blogging friends who participate and share their
 White Wednesday Posts!
Thank you!


To see more participants in White Wednesday...
She is also hosting a celebratory giveaway
 that you won't want to miss!

Our sale on Saturday at Paula's charming farmhouse
 will begin at 9:00 am at
5 Deep River Road
Centerbrook, CT  06409.

Hope to see you there!
:)