A Favorite Store

One of my favorite stores is Anthropologie. It's actually a very unique store with an inventory of wonderful items for the home, for the bath, toiletries, clothing, and accessories. Anthropologie sells everything from furniture to coin purses.
Their pieces however are priced a little too expensive for my budget, and their clothes are made with a much younger woman in mind, but I go there mostly for ideas and the occasional sale item. I love to just browse these stores for inspiration on how to accessorize and display home decor.
And I love how so many of their articles and displays have a vintage feel to them.
If you've never had the pleasure of shopping Anthropologie, just look at these pictures and you'll see exactly what I mean.










Check out the vintage looking dishes and glassware, and the linens and aprons in the pictures below.

Don't you love all the colors? I want one of each!


And in the picture below my eye went right to the colanders. What attracts you most?

I love how so many of the items are displayed on vintage looking furnishings.



I even enjoy looking at the displays they have outside their entrances!



'Hope you enjoyed shopping with me in one of my favorite inspiration spots!

Tablescape Thursday ~ Just A Little ReTREAT!

Please go to our hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for a view of some spectacular tablescapes.



I'll let you in on a little secret. I have a sweet tooth, well, that's not such a big secret really. But I like to indulge my sweet tooth sometimes with a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. And I try to secrete myself away as I spoil myself with both a little treat and a little retreat.

Look here, today I've set myself up out on the side deck off the sun porch.




I like to sit in this wicker chair.







And for my treat today I've pulled out of the freezer some grapes (before they went into the freezer they were washed and placed in a zip top plastic bag with a box of cherry jell-o powder, then I shook and shook them to coat the grapes. My blogger friend Sandy shared this 'sweet little recipe' with me), and I made myself some lemonade. I also surrounded myself with a few treasures that make me happy just to look at them. And I sat down to enjoy my little feast.






This glass was purchased last year on sale at Anthropologie (one of my favorite stores!).



These little bowls are all from Anthropologie too.




This is some of the beach glass that my brother-in-law has collected for me on the beaches of Long Island (I have vases and vases full of these jewels!)







The potpourri was purchased at Ikea.




My napkin is actually a vintage tea towel bought at a church flea market for ten cents and the napkin ring was on sale for $1.00 at Pier One.




The dish is part of a set (I have two of each: grapes, lemons, pears, and apples, and I have mugs that match). I love the basket weave design around the rim. I bought these dishes on sale many years ago but I can't remember where they were purchased. They only say 'made in Portugal' on the back.



The chippy vase is from Michael's craft store along with the little silk rose bouquet.





The rock was collected on a beach in Maine by a good friend and she handpainted it before she gave it to me.




Okay, I guess I'm done since there's nothing left of the grapes except the stems.



I guess it's time to clean up and force myself back into the real world...




...and leave behind my little retreat, all refreshed...



...to go back inside to where another 'treasure' is offering me a happy greeting!



Now that you know my deep, dark secret, don't let the cat out of the bag! And next time maybe you'll join in and indulge with me! I 'd like that!

Driftwood Beauty

I wish I had 'before and after' pictures for this post, but the 'after' pictures are going to have to suffice.
While beach combing last week my family and I found lots of treasure in the form of seashells, rocks, and beach glass (my husband found a beautiful shade of blue and I was lucky enough to find a rare pink!).



But the crown jewel was that I also found a wonderful piece of driftwood. It was actually a beautifully worn and weathered oak plank. A very long, very thick, very heavy oak plank that had weathered to a beautiful color gray. My brother-in-law, Donald, very kindly offered to haul this massive plank home in his car, he was going to be golfing with my husband this weekend and he would drop it off then.

Well, he not only did me the favor of dropping it off, he first fashioned this beautiful rustic shelf for me out of that plank of wood! I absolutely love it! A thing of beauty created by Mother Nature and further enhanced by Donald.
Now, this to me is eye candy!








We all agreed that this weathered beauty belonged outdoors, and we also agreed that the outdoor sink would be a nice home for it.

Tablescape Thursday

This is my second time joining in the fun of Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan of Between Naps On The Porch. Susan's charming blog reflects her lovely home and her equally lovely spirit. Visit Susan's blog if you'd like to participate and click on the list of other bloggers who have joined Tablescape Thursday to see some of the wonderful creative table settings that have inspired me.




I thought we'd have breakfast on the sun porch this morning.

















A happy find at the TJ Maxx discount store!








Many years ago my Mom's jelly purchases became dessert cups and drinking glasses for our family once the jars were emptied. I still happily use them for my own family and friends!
I've also been Blessed with the rose print dishes that belonged to my grandmother.
















A pretty flea market purchase.








We'll be having frozen blueberries with cream poured over, and sour cream walnut cakes with butter. Now, don't knock the frozen blueberry concoction until you try it. Just defrost the blueberries a little until they are semi-soft and pour the cream over them, it's a delicious cold breakfast treat on a warm summer morning! And I love it with an iced cold glass of cranberry juice. Come on, give it a try. You might like it!































Now on to the sour cream cakes (warmed in the oven) and fresh-brewed coffee!











Sweetener?






Cream?









Uh-oh, only one left!






Oh, come on, we'll share!













I'm full!





How about you? Did you have enough?








Let's clear this mess out of the way.












Who's turn is it to do the dishes this time?




What's that you say? If I wash them, you'll dry?

Oh, don't bother. I'll just let them soak for awhile. You can run along!





You can do them next time!
Please come again!