Calming Down

Over ten years ago Evi made this Santa especially for me... he holds tiny, meaningful treasures that I asked her to include...(the little doll I bought on our trip to Paris)....Isn't he wonderful?

So, after feeling pretty good about my energizing post on all things Christmasy RED yesterday...
...this morning on my way to work, I heard on the radio that red is indeed energizing but stressful and that greens and blues are calming and the way to go this holiday season...



So here are some more blues and greens...and some more stockings!
They were cut and made from antique pieces of toile by Karen Pfaller.



A few vintage blue ornaments...





Remember these green transferware plates I found at the flea market a few weeks ago?
They cleaned up so nice...



...and a few vintage Christmas postcards in blues and greens...
Do you feel calmer? What colors do you prefer for your holiday decorating?

Dreamin' when I should be Cleanin'

My brother-in-law wondered if the name of my blog...52 Flea...referred to the fact that there are 52 weekends in the year....52 opportunities to go to flea markets......
.........sounds reasonable, doesn't it?



So I took another Friday off to continue to clean out the front porch and my bedroom/storage area....I want to have another car load of stuff to bring to the thrift store this week....
I found this little picture frame that my Mom-in-law gave to me several years ago (probably like 20)......anyway....I always liked it....you open the doors and.....



There's this sweet and pensive picture of this older gentleman by the sea......he is dressed in his suit...why? He looks as if he has just been disturbed from some deep thought....I wonder what he was thinking? I wonder who he is? I always imagined I would use the frame for another photograph or perhaps to display my art.....but I never had the heart to remove this old soul.....



Anyway, back to the cleaning off of the porch.....this old iron bed with brass finials was in Kate's room when she was a little girl....I found it in an antique store and loved it....My Mom-in-law made a pink quilt for it and it was charming....anyway the bed frame has been sitting on the porch now for quite a few years....replaced by an IKEA frame in Kate's teenage years.....



I took it off the porch and then, because I am who I am, and got off track.....I set it up here under the gracious boughs of the giant pine trees in the front yard.....



I decided to make it up and display these awesome pillow shams that I purchased from Raised in Cotton and that my blogger friend Chrissy of The Apothocary Shop displayed earlier this week....



Then I decided to take a few pictures of some of my antique clothing....



I love the look of the dappled sun on the fabrics although I know it doesn't make for the best pictures....



As long as my toile bedspread was outside....I used it as a backdrop for this lovely plate I found for 50 cents.....



and this French bowl......






and a few pansies and an old book......



Then I changed the bedspread.....to one that belonged to my mother? my grandmother? I have had it around for a very long time and just can't bear to part with it! Golly, I feel like a nap.....



I didn't get as much done this Friday as last week.....but I still have Saturday and Sunday!