Rose Bouquet

This weekend, I went into town and stopped by the flower stand at the Saturday market at Town Square. There I picked up a couple bouquets of pretty salmon, cream and pink roses. They were perfect for the McCoy vase I discovered this past week and look beautiful sitting beside my kitchen sink. I couldn't help but post a photo to share how gorgeous they look!

RECLAIMED RUSTIC ~ Old Silver Spoons

To be featured as the Reclaimed Rustic item of the week, I chose the old silver spoon. Old siver spoons are a wonderful item to collect or actually use from day to day. Many collectors have their collections on display in proper cabinets or shelves specially built to house spoons. This is great way to display a collection, but it always reminds me of retired old ladies and their collections of spoons, a small token from every state their RV rolled through. Though I've seen beautiful displays and many more beautiful sets of spoons, this is just what comes to mind.

Personally, I find I like to use my spoons. I have quite a few of them actually. Some are just single decorative spoons that I've collected at auctions simply because I liked the pattern or the motif ontop. Others are full sets of teaspoons or little scoops. Whatever their shape, I always find a use for them! I use a decoartive old tablespoon to scoop my coffee instead of a cheap plastic one. And, when I serve tea, each person gets their own little spoon - something that is always a conversation piece. (When we were little we used to all fight over who got the little spoon with the wooden shoes ontop and who got the one with the coo-coo clock when my Oma served tea). Other spoons get tied with pretty ribbon onto jars of homemade shea butter scrubs for gifts or they sit in little apthecary jars by my tub filled with soaking salts.

Whatever their use, an old silver spoon is always more lovely than a regular spoon. It useful while being dainty and prettier at the same time. That's why it's this week's Reclaimed Rustic item.

A French Flea Market

I'm always excited when I find (usually by stumbling across) a flea market. However, more often than not, I find myself disappointed. Flea markets in our area are rarely the haven for old trinkets and treasures that I long for them to be. Instead of bolts of vintage fabrics and worn architectural details we find stalls of old video games, knock-off hand bags and random tools. I've always longed to find a quaint little flea market with beautiful bouquets of flowers, old ephemera and treasures from a time long ago. Of course, there would also be the rustic antiques, the fresh lemonade stand and the to-die-for pastries that go so well with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. It's a rarity to find yourself in a flea market like that unless you've hopped a plane and landed in Paris itself.

This past week, I discovered a posting from the blog French Larkspur called French Flea Market. It highlights a market held in Tipton, Indiana and is full of photos the writer took when she went down to photograph the event. I'm sure you'll enjoy taking a peek into the magical little market as much as I did.

Enjoy!

All of the photos in this post are from French Larkspur and are taken by Tracy herself on her adventure out to Tipton, Indiana. All photos are also property of French Larkspur and are to be used only with her permission. Be sure to head over to her blog to check out all the other wonderful things she's written about - Below will take you to her page.

Bringing Back Afternoon Tea

Strange how the tea pot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.

- Author Unknown -

The following was inspired by an article in this past month's British Country Living. I had packed it with me and took it up to the cottage where it sat for the majority of the little holiday, on the coffee table, waiting to be read. Finally, on one of the more breezy days, I made myself a cup of tea, picked up the issue and settled myself comfortably into the couch. It's always amazes me how lost I can get in good issue of one of my favourite publications. I especially love the British country inspired magazines because it's the style that I'm most fascinated with. What is it about the British? I've come to think that I'm so drawn to their relaxed, yet rustic, style because it just exudes comfort. It's a style the reflects the simple beauty found in nature and the joys and splendor found in the English countryside. Cottages are true cottages and villages are true villages. They're old and they boast character. Everything about this particular style is comfortable and welcoming (which funny enough, isn't always how the British themselves are portrayed). When I think of British country living I think of sheep grazing lazily in the meadow, small stone cottages surrounded by stone fences. I think of comfy wool sweaters with Hunter wellies, picturesque little rows of shoppes in a quaint little village, and probably, above all else, tea time.

On this side of "the pond", we don't have tea time. Most don't even own a set of china tea cups. Oh, we drink tea - it's just usually in a paper cup from the drive-through of our choice. When did tea time cease to exist here? When did we stop taking that short break in our day to sit and enjoy and nice cup of tea? How inviting and simply wonderful does that sound?

My proposal is this: Let's, as the article was so simply titled, bring back tea time. Dust off the pretty cups and saucers, open a tin of something other than Red Rose (although even that tastes better when it's from a proper tea cup!), fill a plate with something scrumptious and do tea. Tea is always more fun when it's with someone, however, alone with a good book can be just as nice sometimes. " It's a respite from the ho-hum routine of the day." So put the kettle on and see where the conversation that always ensues will take you.

There are few hours more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

- Henry James; the Portrait of a Lady -

The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose.

- George Gissing -

BROWSE LIST ~ Featuring " Easy Cottage Style" by Liz Bauwens an dALexandra Campbell & www.purlsoho.com

This weeks book featured on the BROWSE LIST is "Easy Cottage Style" by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell.

"Whether you dream of a country cottage, a beach house, or living in the open air, Easy Cottage Style will show you how to create your own piece of nature."

Quite frankly, that just about sums the book up. It's a wonderful read illustrated with gorgeous photos. The authors do a great job highlighting the different aspects of cottage style in different settings - beach, country, city and more. Filled with beautiful fabrics, colours and rustic finds, each page is full of country-inspired ideas for furnishing and decorating. I especially admired their focus on bringing natural elements into the home and really showing how each home owner highlights the natural elements around them and uses their decorating to really compliment them.

Purl SOHO

This week's featured website on the BROWSE LIST is Purl Soho. Purl SOHO is a quaint little crafting shop in New York City. PURL opened in 2002 as yarn store for all to gather and be creative. In 2006, a sister fabric shop called PURL Patchwork was opened only a few doors down. This past spring, both stores were combined to bring us Purl SOHO, located in SOHO.

Their website boasts a rainbow assortment of products to browse; endless supplies for every crafting desire. Spools of silky thread and piles of patterned fabric beckon one to done a thimble and start stitching away. Colourful buttons, ribbons, felt and yarn all await, ready to be transformed into something even more beautiful . You absolutely cannot help being inspired - it's just too exciting!

And, as if that's not enough inspiration to get creative, their website also features a blog called The Purl Bee. Anyone can join the "Beehive" and become a part of this artistically imaginative world. Most importantly, the Purl Bee is an assortment of posted projects that come with step-by-step instructions, simple enough for anyone to follow. Check it out and get creative - start a project today!

http://www.purlsoho.com/

The Amish Auction

This year the auction was a success! As you can tell, from the truck load, I made out with lots of great items. Over all, though there didn't seem to be as much furniture as last year's sale, it was a fun filled day. Due to the amount of auctions going on at once and the amount of items that I was watching, I didn't actually have a lot of time to walk around photographing the event. I did manage to get a few here and there throughout the day though. Enjoy these few and maybe I'll see you there next year!

Oh and by the way, the wild chickens that the little Amish boys we re-selling for a 200% profit in the photo above were purchased by my mother. I swear, she'll buy anything, at any price, as long as it's a little Amish girl or boy selling it to her. She lives in the city where they have laws against owning foul so why she would need a set of chickens is beyond me.