If They Follow Me Home, Can I Keep Them?

Jeffrey Campbell's Cuff Heel

There Will Be Bows

Today I got out a little bag of ribbon and barrettes and finished five new bows for my girls. Last year, (and it's an odd coincidence that it was exactly today a year ago) I made a pile of them:

School was starting and I wanted the girls to have bows to put in their hair because (despite my gender-neutral brainwashing) they like that kind of thing.

I think the bill came to $7.50 for all 12 that you see in the picture. It was something like $2 for a 12 pack of hair clips and a total of $5.50 for all the ribbons to make the bows. I'm quite sure that I was able to start and finish this project (meaning all 12 bows) in a single afternoon. Frugalein definitely and happily approved.

Relax

It's been a long day, so why don't you take a seat? The porch is cool and I have lemonade inside. There's another chair for me. I'll sit with you and we can have a nice long chat.

The chairs are comfy too. You'll like them. I bought the set months ago at that little shop down the road--Recycled Rose. That's the one. But they had no cushions. I looked for some that fit right, but couldn't find any so I made these. It took me a while to finish them, but I'm so glad I did. I used the fabric from my bus stop friend and I'm really happy with them. So tell me, how have you been?

Frugalein Doesn't Always Win

Today I ordered this lovely pot. Mikasa claims this is a coffee pot, but it won't be in our house.

No. It will be the central piece for tea parties. I have daughters who are delighted by tea parties, and they have a mother who is delighted by slowly adding to her collection of china. This pot (when it arrives in 2 weeks) will be the first addition to my china stash since 2004 when my mother single-handedly more than doubled my inventory.

I did have a coupon, but Frugalein wasn't satisfied nor will she let me forget this affront to her sensibilities any time soon.

At the Flea Market

In the past I've complained about the freebie-newspapers that land unbidden and unwanted in my yard--particularly the problematic plastic bags they arrive in--but perhaps I shouldn't complain. They have a great community calendar in there that lists more fascinating events than we know what to do with. And this week, in their classified section, there was something that caught my eye: an add for a flea market to be held at one of those neat boutiquey-antiquey shops in my neighborhood. The girls and I went early this morning to check it out.

The shop is called Recycled Rose. Even though it's in my neighborhood and not at all out of the way, I've only gone in a handful of times. Still, it's a charming shop filled with beautiful things. Most of what you'll find at Recycled Rose is just a touch too romantic or eclectic (or both) for me to seriously consider making a purchase, but wandering through the shop is like wandering through a daydream -- and I like daydreaming.

In February I bought some lawn furniture I found there. It needs some work before we can use it. Now that the whether is getting nicer I'll probably prioritize the work these pieces need to be put to use.

Back to the flea market: it was set up (mostly) behind the store in a kind of wild meadow. It was picturesque, actually. The girls wanted to buy everything they laid eyes on, but were great shopping buddies all the same. And when I found a vendor selling antique (functional!) watering cans, I bought one. I've needed one for months, and now, I have one.

K. Hall Designs

I was out running errands today and a shop caught my eye that I hadn't noticed before. K. Hall Designs, and in big letters under that, APOTHECARY. After living in Germany and Lebanon, my sense of what an apothecary might be is quite broad. I mean, really. They could have anything from fizzy vitamin tablets to dehydrated lizards and I swear it would not surprise me.

But K. Hall did surprise me. They're tucked into a rather unfashionable block of Manchester Road in Brentwood--across the street is a garden shop and just down the road there's a place to rent heavy equipment. There are a few vacant storefronts to the right and left of them. It just isn't the kind of block where you'd expect to open a door into a magical boutique where everything looks and smells perfect.

The shop was full of beautiful furniture and furnishings. There were gorgeous linens and glassware. They had clothing for children and adults, an array of bath products, and everything smelled so lovely. Being in that store was simply wonderful, so I bought a candle to remind me of it.

They make all the candles and bath products on location (lotion, soaps, scrubs). Hooray for local businesses!

update: they have a website.

At the Green House Sale

Such beautiful light

Little treasures in a shop on Cherokee where I went today with Barb, Joe, and Katy.