Coincidence? I think not...............

Today our weather is absolutely gorgeous! We worked on our yard so took a drive out into the country to one of our favorite nursery's....well, that was the plan anyway. On the way, my dh and my dd spotted a sign advertising a new nursery that was farther up the road. They wanted to check it out, so we travelled on. The minute I got out of the car I saw this bunny planter....and the memory it brought me was so sweet! It reminded me of one that my Mom used to have, that I always admired. She's been gone awhile now, and when I mentioned it to my dh, he quietly asked the owner if it was for sale. She said that she had been making those from a mold for a few years now, but her mold had so deteriorated that she stopped.....and this was her last one.
It's made of concrete (very heavy) and it's now in my courtyard!
I filled it with some purple pansies and a white verbena.
This will make me so happy every time I come up my walk.

The book you see in my first photo was found shortly afterwards in a tiny antique store in Coburg......it's so stunning with it's red leather covers and it's called 'Flowers of Memory' from the late 1800's. The books intro talks about the death of a Mother and how at the time they couldn't find anything soothing to read so they wrote their own book with all sorts of poems and stories about motherhood. It's really quite special and has gorgeous black and white illustrations.
I thought it was interesting how those two purchases entertwined today and had a common theme, my sweet Mom.
Mother's day will be here soon, if you still are blessed to have your Mom around give her a huge hug, appreciate her while you can........

A Spring-time project......

I'm not at all sure why I've become obsessed with ballet toe shoes lately. It could have something to do with my new Vintage by Nina book (although her shoes aren't embellished).
Isn't it pretty hanging in my lilac bush?

They're just such a pretty blank canvas to work with...and I have lots of laces and bits of fabric to use on them.

This one has some vintage velvet berries and leaves on it's toe.....

This will be listed this evening in my shop.
So cute to tuck a sachet into and hang in a special spot.

A flea-ing fool......

Headed out by myself to the flea today.
Found some great pretties and great deals.
This doll is stunning in person, 16" tall and filled with sawdust.
I love her dress....well, I love everything about her.

Sweetest old Avon dusting powder tin (puff is inside).

Gorgeous little Bible missing it's clasp.

Darling child's book.

Cutest box filled with the cutest blocks (and they're all there).
Amazing.

And fresh off the farm stand. This very old bushel basket lined with the happiest oilcloth...parts of it have been mended and taped back together because that's what people did back then.
Instead of throwing it out and buying new (because who could afford that?) they fixed what they had and made it last.
This basket is to die for. Almost hope it never sells.
These items and more, in my shop soon.

I all but screamed.....

So today was the first day I ventured out in a week because I've been sick, and so has my dd. We've been at home trying to get well.
She had a field trip at school today and really wanted to go because it was a tour of her beloved Oregon State! Luckily she was well enough to go.
Which left me some time to have lunch with dh and hit a thrift store (scored on some books, big surprise!)
On the way home there was a sign in our neighborhood for an estate sale. Did I go? No, no I did not. Wasn't feeling great so I passed on it.
Then when dd came home I asked her if she would want to walk down the street with me to check it out.
She said "Sure!"

I'm ever so glad we went!!!! Up in one of the bedroom closets they were sitting, as pretty as can be.

They were $4 each. I couldn't grab them fast enough, then wondered at all the people who had passed on these beauties.
The strange thing is that I've been searching for some more pillows like these for a few weeks now, online of course because it's not like you can just walk into bed bath and beyond and find such goodness, right?
Check out that tag, have you ever seen one like that? I haven't.
My research shows that this company was in business in the 1940's.

The one pillow has darkened quite a bit, any suggestions on cleaning it? The other one quite possibly was never used.
Seriously clean and bright.

Of course I also found some crocheted collars that are just darling and will make their way into my Etsy shop soon....but don't look for these pillows in there because you'll never find them...they're keepers for sure.
Any brilliant cleaning tips are welcomed.
Happy bargain hunting out there.

It seriously IS all that and a bag of chips....

So I ordered this book after about 2 weeks of going back and forth....it's hard to find and it's $$$$$++++!!!!!

But so worth it. This woman is a stylist extraordinaire~seriously. She's. Very. Good.

I was a bit worried that it would be all white, which is not me.
But it surely is very pretty.
The fact that she found an old home and filled it completely with vintage everything filled my heart with joy! There are copies of this book in foreign languages, but since I don't speak those I wanted to make sure that my copy was in English. I wanted to get some background on her technique, etc.
Maybe I can be just like Nina when I grow up! Whenever that may be.......;)

Pretty!

More pretty!

And yet more....

There is not a page that disappoints....

And the good news? She has another book due out the first of May called 'Brilliant Reuse' about repurposing old things.
Hmmmm, I may be interested in that concept. How about you?
I don't buy many magazines anymore so that's how I justified this purchase.....it's a book I will never get tired of.

Gosh I love our local library's book sale........;)

Some of the fun books found today

Others are already listed in my etsy shop

May have to go back tomorrow with more totes!!!!!!

New goods in shop..........!

Small storage drawers

Awesome old ledger

Old aluminum spoons

Gorgeous old Kodak camera

Tiny leather pocket dictionary

Unused Christmas novelty candles

Beautiful books

Pretty bride doll

All of these can be found (now or very soon) right here
www.etsy.com/shop/littlebeachdesigns

Oh, the random-ness of it all.........

I'm big on believing that we get what we're 'meant' to get, if that makes sense.....in other words, instead of wanting and wishing really hard, just put it out there in the universe that you really love something and you never know what may come your way!

I've never been a huge 'trunk' person. Don't get me wrong, I do love them and have seen many a lovely one in my day. But the reality is that often times they're simply too big for our spaces nowadays. But I've always been enamored of the ones with the gorgeous interiors, and I especially love the inserts and drawers in them, especially the old steamer trunks. I've been lucky to have found a couple and my best friend Melanie has also gifted me with a couple of them. All of mine are fabric covered drawers and they're beautiful. I love to use them in my displays around my home.

Today my dd and I went out and about to some antique stores. The prices were pretty high (as I expected them to be) so we didn't buy much.....on the way home I asked her if she would mind stopping in at one last store, St. Vinnie's, since it was right on the way.....being her sweet self she said, "Sure!"
They had moved some things around and I made a bee line for the linens department......while she headed a couple of aisles over to the toys. I looked down and in a messy corner I saw the insert below standing on end but I knew instantly what it was and I grabbed it, who wouldn't with that stunning floral wallpaper on it?

Sorry my photos aren't great but we just had a bad hail storm so there was no way of taking them outside.
Anyway, I turned around and saw the trunk itself, it was stuffed with old blankets.

I was astounded at the inside condition of this trunk, hardly any tears to this gorgeous paper.....how did that happen?

I looked at the price, it had 2 different prices on it. One said 79.99 and that was covered with one that said 49.99. And since that tag was yellow, and yellow tags were 25% off today, I got it for 37.49.......oh happy day!!!!!!

Even the paper lining the tray is pretty. It reminds me of a trunk that may have been found in a farmhouse attic filled with pretty things.......

I can't stop staring at it! I think it will go in my studio to house my Etsy items, or at least some of them.
I feel so lucky, and I wasn't even in the market for a trunk.
Funny how things work out.
I hope you all find something to treasure this weekend~~~~~

Sharing some of my favorites...........

Plants that is.....our cherry tree....pure love.

Lilac about to burst, can't wait.

A very sweet smelling viburnum that surrounds our back patio.

Rhododendron

Camellia

Bleeding Heart

Camellia

Daphne (my personal favorite)

Pansy

These are a few of my favorite, of course some others are a bit away from blooming, such as roses and peonies.
I love this time of year and seeing all the new life....and the smells!
I hope the weather is beautiful wherever you are.