Quick Trip

Charleston, S.C. is by far one of my favorite places to visit.  Amazing architecture, delicious food, plentiful vegetation, history (some good/some not so good), and, at the right time of year, balmy weather.  We took a day trip last week with friends.  And despite the heat and humidity, we managed a brief walk down King Street and through the Battery.  Thought that I'd share a few shots.  And if you are in the area, I believe this week is the Spoleto Festival, a  wonderful arts and music and food extravaganza in Charleston.  But take a fan and some sunscreen.  I think it is supposed to be a HOT one!

Just a few shots of the South end of King Street.

Gardens are everywhere...tucked into every nook and cranny.  The neighborhoods are so lush and green. 

The iron work in Charleston is just incredible.  Everywhere you look is a beautiful gate or an interesting detail.  I am assuming that the item pictured below is either to keep someone out or in...not sure if I really want to know the truth.

And a shot back on King Street.

Can I DREAM for just a minute...

I own a couple wing chairs, does that count????

This amazing work is that of Patrick Sutton (www.patricksutton.com) and there's more...he has a store (patricksuttonhome.com).

Images found via www.desiretoinspire.net. 

Flowers from the Garden

Somehow, despite the incredible amount of acid in our soil, this hydrangea hasn't turned completely purple/blue yet.  The flowers still have a touch of PINK!!!  But just a touch!  First Coneflowers and Dahlias of the season too!

Garage Sale Find

   I am a junker.  I try to hit all the yard/garage/estate/tag sales that I possibly can.  Silly as it may sound, I wait all week for it...the thrill of the hunt I guess.  I almost always find something. 

  This past weekend I found a few pieces of Stangl.  The company was started in New Jersey in 1814 to produce utilitarian items, drain pipes and the like.  Dinnerware began production in the 1920's.  The hand-incised, hand-painted pieces were introduced in the early 1940's and sold all over America.  Stangl enjoyed popularity until the company's doors closed in 1978.  This is a relatively new collectible for me and I don't really need another, but I fell in Love with the thistle pattern (shown above).  I bought a few pieces at the sale, but after some research I regret not buying ALL the pieces.  I know better than to leave anything behind, but I'm on a budget.  Still....            

                (Info from stanglpottery.org)

Golden Harvest pattern

I LOVE a good Farmer's Market.  I LOVE fresh produce!  And I LOVE it even more when I manage to find something new.  This week...personal sized, seedless watermelons!  PERFECTION!!!  Great for two people!  Doesn't overwhelm the frig!  No seeds!  Amazing on a hot afternoon!  I think I'm in LOVE!!!

Flowers from the Garden

Yeah!!!  For Hydrangeas!  Love them! 

Wild Kingdom

Spotted this guy/gal and ,minutes before, his/her mate in the pond behind our home. This was as close as it would let me get...as you can see....

BEFORE and AFTER

So, remember the 8.00 chair I found a few weeks ago...well, it has had a makeover. I actually LOVED the wood tone, but the previous owner must have doused the thing with Restore-a-finish. When placed in the sun, the stain oozed out of the grain. And no matter how much I buffed it, the cloth would end up stained. So instead of owning a chair that I would be unable to sit in or brush past, I decided to paint it! And since I do love the old and crumbly, I antiqued it as well.

Now I know the color, or lack there of, may not thrill you...but in my fabric stash, I found a yummy Italian linen Schumacher sample that I wanted to use. So, I opted for a tone-on-tone look. I think I will add a comfy seat cushion in the same linen. Overall, I am pleased. (Hadn't screwed in the seat for the photo shoot, so pardon the gap.) There always seems to be something that I'd do a little differently, I'll save that thought for the next project.

It will live in a soon-to-be-painted darker gray bedroom. So it won't be quite as blahhhhh when in it's habitat!

TALENTED FRIENDS

I started this blog to explore things that inspire me and, along the way, share my journey. I am very fortunate to have many talented friends who motivate and inspire me on a daily basis. Friends with their own creative ventures. I want to start sharing these ladies with you! I love them all and have chosen to start with the longest friendships and work my way through!

In college I worked for many years with the most delightful person. Holly is a beautiful person...smart, witty, funny, and super talented (in many artistic pursuits)! Aside from her AMAZING sewing skills, she creates chic jewelry that feels modern and relevant and fun. Please check out her blog and her Etsy store to see for yourself!!!

hollyberryco.blogspot.com

hollyberryco.etsy.com

Favorite Products

I have a favorite new (new to me) product line...Boscia. A little on the pricey side...my reason/justification for the splurge, my rather sensitive skin. I am pretty low maintenance, but I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorites with you. I prefer natural/organic lines. Easy when you live near something like Whole Foods, but challenging where I am now. I used the entire ZIA line for years, but I still can't live without the occasional application of their Citrus Night Time Reversal. I love Boscia's Oil-free SPF moisturizer. And when I wear a little makeup, the operative word being little, I love Korres mascara and Larenim mineral makeup. But the all-time, can't live without item...Burt's Bees Lip balm!

What are some of your favorites?

CHECK OUT THIS POST!!!

There is beauty in decay. This post on Bonnettstown: Andrew Bush, over at beachbungalow8.blogspot.com, is proof. Check it out!

INSPIRATION FOUND

So I took a quick look around the homestead for a little inspiration. Amazing what you can find when you look. This vase is a rather recent acquisition. I'm pretty much in LOVE. The garden grown peonies aren't bad either!
I wish that you had a smell button, so I could share the gardenia's intoxicating scent.
OK, no laughing. Love these! Found them in the freezer and ate a few for dinner. Ironic after watching Oprah and a show about people and their relationship with food. Don't worry, my addiction/coping mechanism is shopping, not food!

I'M STUCK!

Having a bit of trouble with motivation lately! Any suggestions??? HELP!

Ahhhh, the Weekend!

Some days it is difficult for me to make it to cyberspace. Especially when the sun is shining and the list of projects is long! Started Friday with this beauty waiting for me in the mail box. Won, OK bought, this great vintage piece on Ebay! It jingles like the Salvation Army bell when I move, but I'll deal.
The first berries appeared! A little bitter, and super TINY, but I got to them before the birds did!

The first Hydrangea blooms of the season! One of my very FAVORITE flowers. So much bang for your buck!!! I've cleverly squeezed a few bushes into every slightly shady spot of the yard. And I do believe that our unseasonably cold winter, or maybe the turkey compost, provided just the right conditions for an abundance of blooms! So many are yet to open!!!

And I managed to spend a little time on some projects! Before and Afters to come....

MISS MY SIS

The last post made me really miss my sister! I LOVE YOU R!!!!!!!

Some weeks are better than others...and to make it all just that much more uncomfortable, it has been HOT and HUMID here in the South! It's only MAY! I need a trip to my happy place! A cooler and dryer climate...oh, Colorado why did I leave you???

Just a note that I DO LOVE the rain...don't want that to stop...it makes the flowers GROW!! And the lovely pictures are courtesy of my amazing sister and mom!