Post Holiday Sale at Robins in the Trundle Bed

Visit our shop at Country Mischief Plus and take 25% off all Christmas and winter items!!!!!! We hope you'll visit our shop and take home a treasure...or two!

Festival of Trees

We have decorated a tree at the Gardner Museum's Festival of Trees! (Gardner, MA). The trees are on display until December 10! You can buy raffle tickets ($5 for 25 chances) and enter to win one of the beautifully decorated theme trees!


We decided to recreate the spirit of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. We decorated the tree with amaryllis blooms, antique keys, birds nests filled with eggs and items evocative of a secret garden. We chose to embellish the tree with the image of an Edwardian girl who represents Mary Lenox. Her face is at once the picture of innocence and mystery. Calligraphied on each of the images is a word that calls to mind the essence of the story…nest…robin…magic…secret…

We’ve placed a few of Mary’s Edwardian antiques into the branches. Look for her white and black shoe that is now transformed into a bird’s nest and her sun parasol that sits atop the tree. A moss covered garden statue of Dickon with his pet squirrel sits beneath the tree. We’ve included a copy of the book in the hope that you will be inspired by our tree to revisit this childhood classic.

We dedicate this Secret Garden tree to our grandparents, Frances and Molly Murphy. Our childhood was blessed by growing up across the street from them. They lived in a house that was yellow like sunshine. In the springtime their front lawn was a carpet of violets, and under the privet hedge, there bloomed rows of daffodils. They encouraged us to be creative and to use our imaginations and they taught up to see the world was filled with love and magic!

Christmas at Robins in the Trundle Bed

The holidays have arrived at Robins in the Trundle Bed! We have wreaths and swags and wonderful whimsical holiday decor. Brighten your home with silk greens tucked in an antique fur mitten, or with vintage child's skates...or with wooden skiis! Our theme Christmas tree is brimming with surprises...antique doll house furniture, antique holiday post cards...doll clothes...and secrets tucked in the branches.

Our mannequins will soon be dressed in their holiday finery, so stop by the shop to browse...or buy! We'd love to see you and help you ring in the holidays!

Recent Acquisitions at Robins in the Trundle Bed

We found this wonderful old drawing board with a leather handle the same morning we uncovered a rolled up print in the bottom of an old trunk. The beautiful sepia tones of the print seemed a natural pairing with the artist's board, which became a whimsical "make-do" frame. The print depicts a mother and her children bathed in light at the breakfast table with a nun framed in the doorway wistfully admiring the family circle, while held outside of it.

Later in the day, we made a trip to Petersham stopping for coffee and muffins at the country store. We were inspired by the beauty of the church on the Common. We made a serendipitous find of our own little church with a green roof, a handmade spire, "stained glass" windows and even a parishioner sitting inside. The interior features miniature religious pictures on the walls, pews and an altar. We had so much fun discovering the details that were lovingly crafted so long ago.

Please visit Robins in the Trundle Bed at Country Mischief Plus to see our recent acquisitions!

Autumn Shopping in New England

The heavy rains could not dampen our spirits, nor stop our weekend quest for antiques! We traveled the back roads and countryside of New England this weekend. We found many charming items which will be making their way into the shop this week, from starched linens to a beautiful French white doll's dress to to our featured item this week... a wonderful tinted art photo of an old doll. The print is matted and framed and is signed. The back of the photograph says "Spidel Studio, 35 High Street, Clinton, Mass"

The doll is so lovely and we are thrilled that she was captured in this photograph for all to enjoy! See how beatufiful she is...

Robins in the Trundle Bed

This photograph is an old, rare tintype that shows movement...two women dancing! We were enchanted by this image and use it on our calling cards.

Trundle Bed Times

Welcome to Robins in the Trundle Bed's blog site. We promise to bring you interesting stories about our antiquing forays and we'll keep you posted about new items in our shop. We welcome you to join us on this journey...as we search New England for wonderful, one-of a kind items that to bring to you! We are Sheila and Sherrill Murphy, twin sisters and co-owners of a small antique shop. We are dedicated to bringing you antiques that have a voice and that sing a whimsical tune. We stock our shop with antiques that hint at the former owner and her life.

We carry many one of a kind antiques that we assiduously gather throughout the year. We hope to use this forum to bring you stories of our weekend treks as we have learned that Saturday and Sunday mornings are not made for sleeping in. Oftentimes we awake while it is still dark out. Armed with a large canvas tote and a sense of adventure we set out on wonderful treasure hunting forays around the New England area. On one such trip we discovered beautiful antique letters cut out by a teacher and her pupils. We spent an afternoon puzzling out the scrambled letters into words that read “vacation” in silver foil letters, “welcome” in bright green signed by each incoming grade-schooler on a long-ago September day.

Our shop also contains displays that feature common household items. We are especially intrigued by everyday objects that have been lovingly mended and repaired. In an old trunk we found an antique ironing board cover stitched from a feed sack. It has been lovingly patched and repaired and tells a wonderful story of making do. We were touched by our find of a primer whose cover had been carefully stitched by a mother’s fine hand. We oftentimes see the beauty in these forgotten objects and encourage our customers to do the same.
We love to leave messages around the shop to inspire those who read them. A box of old flashcards containing the letters H, I, S and W, becomes a gentle reminder to “WISH” when the letters are rearranged and placed on metal card holders on a shelf. Placed near a vintage box of birthday candles and fancy 1920’s paper party hats, customers get the sense that a surprise birthday party might begin at any moment.

We invite you to an impromptu party at our shop, Robins in the Trundle Bed, located at the group shop:
Country Mischief Plus, 36 Baldwinville Road, Templeton, MA...

or visit us online at www.robinsinthetrundlebed.com