My Favorite Friendly Place

You just know where my feet took me not long after I returned from England.........back to see my dear friends at SuzAnna's Antiques of course.

With Spring in full swing, the outdoor area was overflowing with everything necessary for the garden, porch, patio, deck etc. Several vintage shoppers are realizing the fun of hanging, or standing, old mirrors outside. For several years I've enjoyed one on my front porch and a couple more scattered about the garden....always something interesting to reflect upon.

Inside the shop the usual plethora of pretties begged to be given a home...loved this lamp with toile shades. Pretty bronze fairy on a pedestal.



Charming cherub planter and vintage silver bowl.

Silvered candle holder......this I could see with white tapers on the night porch, lighting the area just enough while sitting quietly, watching the dancing fireflies as they hover over the cooling grass.................a much-enjoyed Summer evening pastime.

Oh my..............another suitcase, just when I've unpacked mine and am trying not to think about having to start again come July. Two upcoming trips planned......New England (DH's turn to go home) and then the West. This one would probably not hold up well on today's baggage carousels.........but would be pretty to store things at home.

Friendship

Friendship is a sheltering tree.

Don't you just love those words? When I first read them several years ago, I took them immediately to heart and have held them close ever since. How true they are. Life without friends would be very lonely.


This past week was certainly auspicious for meeting friends old and new.
On Wednesday I had a lovely time with Julia. We met for lunch and visited SuzAnna's Antiques and nearby Gresham Lake Antique Mall where Julia has a booth filled with lovely things. We first met in a local grocery store at Christmas, where she recognized me from my blog, which she kindly reads, although she doesn't have one of her own ~ yet. I hope we'll be spending more time together as I really enjoyed her company.


On Saturday, despite pouring rain and falling temps., I was back at SuzAnna's Antiques to meet Suzy of GeorgiaPeachez and her best friend Beth of Elizabeth Holcombe who were heading into Raleigh from Virginia. Those gals shopped for a long time finding SuzAnna's full of great things to haul back over the state line! It was great fun to meet them and see them swoon over the bounty on offer. Susie, Jenny and Linda were, as always, great hostesses. Dressed to the nines, they served hot apple cider and cookies which hit the spot on a cold afternoon. Even sweet Anna, Susie's former business partner, came by - she's always full of fun and it was was good to catch up on her news.

Meanwhile, over on Sam's Country Porch next to SuzAnna's, I met Mary Ann (also her friend Claire and other family members) who had set up her new and exciting venture, a tea room. She was serving coffee, tea and chocolate along with home baked goodies. Her biscotti are the best I've ever had - no jaw breakers here and great choc icing! Hopefully this will become a weekend happening which will be even more fun come Spring when the weather cooperates. Mary Ann is also a gardener and seamstress so you know we had plenty to chat about over hot raspberry chocolate........flowers and fabric really get me going........furniture too of course!


Before heading home I bumped into a fellow countrywoman, Sharon C. who grew up in Bedford, England. I detected her accent and she caught on to mine immediately - that always makes me happy because I think I've lost it! Sharon lives in Rocky Mount, NC and comes to Raleigh often so I'm hoping to meet up with her again. She admitted she loves garage/yard sales, thrift shops....................and even found a real French sofa at a Goodwill store!! I need to tag along with this gal who can unearth French treasures.

All the above beautiful handmade frames with vintage photos I saw for sale in a local shop. I loved the first 'Friends' one, and what about the last one where the groom is actually balancing the wedding cake while being photographed ~ that's too cute.

Here's to friendship ~ perhaps I'll be lucky enough to meet you under that sheltering tree some day.

Slow Enjoyment

Saturday afternoon, just at freezing. Slipping out between clouds casting long Winter shadows.

Driving slowly.

You know how it feels in a new car. Loving it but hoping nobody swerves, throws open their door...or worse!

Cold? Yes, very.

Alone? Yes, dh at the basketball game. Where did I go?

To the grocery store for necessities.

To SuzAnna's Antiques for some browsing and friendship of course.

The lights were on.......the heat wasn't. Cold, but warmed immediately by friendly smiles and hugs. Catching up on news made one forget the chill, and of course I had to keeping moving with my camera.

Beautiful bottles everywhere.

Loved these above - and the pair of old, soft kid gloves. I had on my elbow length wool ones and my fingers were still frosty....but I kept snapping away!

I took a lot more photos to share another time.....some pretty pink treasures for a future Pink Saturday post. I also found the cutest dolls ever and will show you those soon. How I loved having this slow day with a chance to visit friends.

For those of you who haven't entered to win my 500th post giveaway, do scroll back to my January 15 post and leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win some British gifts. All entries must be on that post only and no later than January 31. Look forward to adding your name to the hat.

Presents for the heart

FRIENDS often want to spoil you. They present special little gifts that bring a smile to your heart. They KNOW what you love, taking a moment in their busy day to scoop up something they spy on a shelf or counter, perhaps at an auction, or tucked away in a vintage shop, thinking that YOU might like that treasure.

Last week Susie and Anna at SuzAnna's Antiques presented me with this 1891 edition of USES of TISSUE PAPER. They just knew I would love the illustrations. They often find sweet things to share with me ~ thank you so much, you are the best shoppers............and shopkeepers!

I just have to share the introduction from this little book. So many of you create beautifully crafted items, from soft quilts to glittering mosaics. We all share a love of displaying decorative items in our homes so I think you'll find this quite interesting.

The Uses of Tissue Paper.

It is surprising to find how very much can be done in the way of decoration by the use of simple means. One of the greatest triumphs of this age of invention is seen in the use of every-day materials for the purpose of producing beautiful effects. In the past a mistaken idea prevailed that the beauty of a thing depended upon costly material and elaborate workmanship, and so it came to pass that decoration was left to a few skilled hands, and was only possible to the wealthy. Marvels of decorative needle work, consuming years of time, attest the love of our ancestors for the beautiful, and later on as the taste for home beauty spread, samplers were wrought by girlish hands and often formed the principal ornament of a home. But these are more hurried days - days of activity and pressure, and only the few, comparatively speaking, have time for elaborate work, and so year by year, decorations that can be quickly made acquire a greater value.........................

...........and this was written one hundred seventeen years ago!