Trundle Bed Times

Sunrise on the Farm

2012-01-23T16:55:00.001-05:00

We recently found this oil painting at an estate sale. Don’t you wonder where this farmhouse was located and who thought it beautiful enough to immortalize in oils? I love how the house is situated so that the front where the porch is faces the morning light. Why did the painter choose to paint from this angle, highlighting the back buildings and the barn with a few brushstrokes creating the suggestion of stacked hay. The two chimneys promise ample warmth in the winter, while the massive tree whispers of cool summer days on the front porch. Do you think there was a town nearby or neighbors to converse with and share the burden of a farmer’s life? I would like to be invited in for tea and scones. I think I’ll wear the simple white gown pictured here. I will be on my best behavior and talk about the weather and ask after the horses. Surely with so much stacked hay there must be horses about the place! I think the people who lived here planned to stay awhile as there are saplings scattered here and there with the hope of fruit in a few years! What would you ask the owners if you joined us for tea?

January Whites

2012-01-07T17:54:00.001-05:00

More Images Of Christmas On The Hill...

2012-01-03T19:20:00.026-05:00

Chick Pick...

2012-01-02T15:00:00.012-05:00

We love watching "American Pickers" and their search for "rusty gold." But when we watch the show we often say "oh, I would have popped for that!" How can Mike and Frank leave that wedding gown, or that dress form! You see, we love all things romantic and feminine and wish everyone else would too! You can imagine how excited we were when we received a phone call from someone cleaning out their mother's estate! "Could you come over and look at our things?", she asked. "There are trunks full of grandmother's clothes and linens!" We made a date and made the trip(what Frank and Mike would call a Chick Pick) to a wonderful old house and met two amazing daughters who were cleaning out an estate. We stayed for hours looking through trunks and closets and found many wonderful items! Sadly, most of the items in the trunks had suffered severe water damage and were beyond rescue, but we still found so many lovely items, including a 1950's short wedding dress with veil, hats, aprons, beaded purses and many delightful items that will be making their way to our eBay auctions shortly. Here is a sneak preview of just a few of the items!

Christmas Eve Party

2011-12-30T15:33:00.010-05:00

We had the loveliest Christmas Eve party, with over forty guests. There was magic in the air as the flutist and cellist played carols. We played Christmas crackers, charm cake, hunt the pickle, peppermint pig and laughed and made merry until well after midnight! The food was delicious and included stuffed grape leaves, hummus and pita bread, artichoke squares, mini quiches, chicken wrapped in bacon, lasagna, strawberry spinach salad, tortellini primavera, cranberry nut chicken salad on freshly baked croissants, cranberry fluff, red velvet cheesecake, eclairs, cream puffs, chocolate trifle, apple cranberry pie, ginger cookies...Now that I am thinking about it maybe it was not the laughter that made my sides hurt so much!!!

Christmas All Around The House

2011-12-28T14:11:00.006-05:00

We managed to take a few photographs before the guests began arriving on Christmas Eve. The quiet before the Christmas Eve crowd of 40 plus arrives is quite magical. When you and the house are perfectly dressed, and the fire and candles are lighted, it is like waiting for a performance to begin!

A Lace Cuff in the December Light

2011-12-17T13:02:00.005-05:00

We adore this antique Victorian gown with its dripping lace cuffs and its stunning changeable taffeta front! A cunning bow sits atop the bustle at the back, which falls into a train. If you wore this gown your demeanor would have to have been more elegant than in a pair of ripped jeans and keds! And you have to love an era when women wanted to add volume to their backsides with bow and bustle! Who needs to diet after Christmas?! Let's simply revive this style!!!!!!!!

Lighting The Way

2011-12-07T22:47:00.004-05:00

We found this beautiful antique diminutive lantern just in time for holiday decorating. The sides of the lantern are made of paper and glow beautifully when a candle is placed inside!(We opted for a battery operated candle so as not to burn the house down!) Watch for it in our auctions!

Autumn In New England

2011-11-19T11:43:00.011-05:00

We have had the craziest weather extremes this autumn from 70 degrees one day to two feet of snow the next! The one constant this autumn has been enjoying all New England has to offer with good friends and family! Our fav haunts have been The Red Apple Farm, The Old Mill and Henshaw Farm; all perfect spots that exude a quintessential New England vibe!

Cranberry Bogs Awash In The Glow Of November's Full Frost Moon

2011-11-15T15:25:00.011-05:00

We went to Cape Cod this week-end for a mini vacation. We walked the beach at twilight, watched the full frost moon rise over the scarlet cranberry bogs, traveled up and down historic route 6A to visit antique stores and check out the quaint cottages with bittersweet spilling from baskets bedecking the gorgeous primitive wood doors. We stopped to eat at the Scargo Café and had delicious artichoke dip, grilled veggie burgers and pasta salad.
We stopped for ice cream but found all the stands had been boarded up for the season, and the little ice cream shop that has been around for 100 years was under renovation! At least the antique shops did not disappoint! We found an armful of treasures, including milliner’s flowers, a French box filled with antique doll wigs, an Edwardian slip, shiny black millinery feathers, and a Parisian four poster curtain surround with ball fringe. I guess we’ll have to wait until next spring for ice cream cones!

Goodbye To The Flea Market Until April 2012!

2011-11-06T11:08:00.011-05:00

Robins in the Trundle Bed
We couldn't resist the last flea market of 2011! The temp was in the 20's and cold, but the hugs from good friends saying goodbye for the season warmed and heartened us! We even managed to divest of one pair of mittens to search through a few boxes. While attempting to avoid ice patches, mud slicks and snow, we still managed to unearth a few treasures. Our fav is a Madonna on canvas from a Southbridge Church. Simply divine!

A Gown Fit For A Princess & A Locket For Her Prince's Pic!

2011-11-03T10:39:00.003-05:00

We found this gorgeous Laura Ashley gown at a local sale! It retains its early Made in Wales label, and exudes pure romance from each puffed sleeve and every deep ruffle! The locket is also a recent find. The silver locket has an exotic etching of a long legged bird in flight against palm trees and shoreline. The necklace is threaded through a pale pink ribbon. Wouldn't the necklace, with its exotic vibe be the perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the dress? Watch for both items in our Ebay auctions...

Snowy New England: A Once in a Century Storm

2011-10-29T21:09:00.006-05:00

The forecasters predicted that at 2 p.m. today we would have a bit of rain which would turn to snow showers around 6 p.m. During the night hours a Nor'easter would descend on us and last until morning. We arose early, and began putting away outdoor furniture, being careful not to slip on piles of leaves that had dropped following the five inches of snow that fell two days ago. We put in the grill and drained fountains and hoses. At the exact moment we planted the last daffodil bulb, at exactly 2 p.m., one snowflake fell from the sky. At 2:02 p.m. thundersnow began falling at the rate of an inch an hour, and has yet to stop. It is after 10:00 p.m. We are expecting two feet of snow.
The meteorologists are calling this a 100 Year Storm. The east coast has not seen an October Nor'easter like this since before the Civil War. We wonder how many layers our sisters from 1864 wore under their outer skirts. Now we know why they made flannel petticoats!

We were looking through our photo archives and found this gem of two Edwardian women riding their bikes in the snow! It gives us so many ideas for tomorrow morning. Anyone for a bike ride in the snow down Peabody Hill???

October Snow!

2011-10-27T22:43:00.006-05:00

Summer, Autumn & Winter meet on an eve in late October!

Best In Show For Nest Weaving

2011-10-26T21:43:00.008-05:00

We love antique trophies in all their tarnished glory, with all their dings and scratches, heralding the best of the best from The Best Bathing Beauty on the Eastern Seaboard to the Highest Jumper At Summer Camp! We've placed one of our trophies in a glass case and stacked old books, glasses and the sweetest nest(see how a discerning bird lined it all with the loveliest cotton fluff?) You can always find a trophy or two in our shop! By the way, don't you think if they handed out trophies for such things, the avian architect of that nest should have taken top place honours?

Week-end Finds

2011-10-18T18:29:00.005-05:00

We had the best time this week-end scouring all the markets and fall festivals for special treasures. We found two gorgeous vintage 1950's glam cocktail dresses. One of the dresses has black feathers all along the neckline that blow quite fetchingly in the slightest breeze. We also found the most abfab cream heart patterned lace gloves with the most cunning jewel embellished bows at the wrists! Other treasures that just seemed to fall into our hands this week-end were two black velvet opera coats from the debutante section of Macy's; an early nineteenth century lace greeting card; a two piece Victorian plaid costume; two gorgeous Victorian puffed sleeve nightgown embroidered with rose buds and vines; a mercantile stand with a hook to display jewelry; and a basket filled with millinery flowers... To top the week-end off we sampled all kinds of delicacies from Thai food grilled right in front of us to a vat of paella. We thought about it and decided to skip the blue cotton candy! You definitely do not want blue sticky fingers when diving into trunks of antique white linens!! Here's hoping that next week-end is sunny and filled with unopened trunks filled with Victorian treasures!( Although I don't know if any week-end can top one where you saw Johnny Depp tied to a tree?!!!!!!!!)

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Antique Automobile Luggage Rack

2011-10-13T22:07:00.004-05:00

We found this abfab antique luggage rack at the flea market this week-end. We re-purposed it to display a folded quilt and then turned it on its side and hung it as a display rack. This would be perfect in the bathroom, expanding to fit your towels. We completed the look by hanging a bundle of lavender and an antique dress from the Civil War Era. Watch for this in our Ebay auctions!

The Magic of Lavender

2011-10-12T12:56:00.007-05:00

We have a decided penchant for lavender! Lavender takes its name from the Latin word lavo meaning "to wash." We named our first shop, "Twin Sisters Lavender and Lace," and still continue the love affair by tucking sprigs of lavender or sachets into each of our parcels that we mail. We also offer bunches of lavender for sale in our shop! In the Christian tradition, Mary hung Jesus' freshly washed clothes on the lavender bush and that is how the plant got its divine fragrance! How wonderful a scent must be that derived from infant Jesus' gown!
From the divine to the mundane, lavender was much used in the medieval toilette, for bathing, cleaning hands and washing and storing linens. From ancient times to present day, lavender is used as a moth repellent, tucked between linens and hung in between garments. In medieval times lavender was a welcome addition to home-keeping, strewn on floors to impart a delicious scent when trod on! (Remember baths were far from an everyday occurrence and deodorant's invention was a long way off!) Lavender also has its place in the kitchen and not just on the kitchen floor. It is used in salads, but more to our liking is delicious in shortbread and ice cream! As much as we love lavender to some it came to symbolize distrust. The origins of this belief trace to the passing on of the tale that the asp that killed Cleopatra hid under a lavender bush!
Lavender water was thought to cure headaches, preserve chastity and enable you to see ghosts! Seems like the perfect water to swig at your next Halloween party!!(although we would not suggest dressing like Cleopatra!)

scrumptious red dancing slippers

2011-10-05T19:42:00.010-05:00

We found these divine red leather dancing slippers last week-end. They retain their original label from a Boston store on Marlborough Street that pledges to mend all rips! One faded pink bow has gone missing perhaps during a long ago waltz! We investigated throat, waist(isn't it funny how a shoe is described in terms of the human form?) etc. and have dated the shoes to c. 1815-1830. The tiny inside heel leather is the most wonderful shade of gold! The shoes are straights but ink scratchings inside one indicate left! Women of the period rotated their shoes so their delicate slippers stayed fashionably straight! Can you just imagine the lady who donned these slippers dancing the quadrille with its wide variety of rapid, skimming steps, such as the chassé, jeté assemblé and entrechats. I wonder if she ever had to avail herself of the guarantee of a free mend!! Do you think a suitor found the lost bow and kept it as a love token?!

2011-09-29T23:08:00.004-05:00

We found this gown at the flea Market this week-end! This dress is such a stunning show stopper! Can't you just picture Ginger Rogers dancing up and down a flight of stairs with Astaire by her side. I would keep this dress and snap myself into it,hoping for a special autumn event to wear it to. Unfortunately the corset hasn't been invented yet that would make that possible. And so the gown is currently for sale in our Ebay auctions under shemarielizabeth (or go directly to the item at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170703783342&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT)...Happy bidding!!!!!!!!!

Nantasket Beach In August

2011-08-18T12:36:00.003-05:00

Is there anything more wonderful than a trip to the seashore in August?????????? We sunbathed, shopped, met with two dear friends and laughed until our sides ached! We ate at the most amazing sea food restaurant right on the water and topped it all off with a ride on an historic carousel! As twilight turned to night we walked the beautiful beach and even found shells by the light of the moon! Delightful!

2011-08-05T17:26:00.004-05:00

We had the most marvellous time at our Cousin's home on Cape Cod. She treated us like queens, treating us to shopping trips and lobster!! From her patio you can see a bay and then the Atlantic Ocean! We watched boats coming and going and flocks of gulls circling by. We walked her private beach and out her dock. Our sister collected the lovieliest seashells and we collected the loveliest memories of quintessential summertime at the seaside!

Cape Cod At Cousin Ginny's House

2011-08-05T17:06:00.003-05:00

Summertime Bounty from the Farmers' Market

2011-07-01T18:10:00.006-05:00

In the summertime, we so look forward to Friday afternoons because it means that we can shop the Westminster Farmers' Market on the beautiful historic common. The common is ringed by historic houses with views of Wachusett Mountain. The houses are draped with bunting to celebrate the 4th! The vendors set up on the Common to sell their wares and each week as live music fills the air!
Our first purchase was at the Westfield Farm booth where we purchased our favorite chocolate goat cheese. One of our favorite vendors had the most beautiful flowers this week! She usually sells lovely bouquets, but this week's flowers were even more special as she had done wedding arrangement this morning and had "leftovers" to purvey on the common! On to buy allium blossoms, fragrant lavender bunches, cucumbers, summer squash and fresh raspberries and strawberries!
Our dinner tonight was a vegetarian delight: whole wheat pasta and vegetable stir fry with orange, pineapple, ginger teriyaki, followed by a fruit salad scented with mint leaves.

A Private Sale, Tea Party & A Sunday Brocante!

2011-06-23T12:11:00.005-05:00

We started our week-end treasure hunting with a call from a friend who knows exactly what we love!! She invited us to a "private sale" at her ab fab home. Sheila was able to rearrange her schedule and was so happy with the beautiful items that our friend had saved aside for her! We wish that we had been able to take you all to see her house as it is an amazing historic home in town! Our friend has the best eye for creating a gorgeous home chock full of perfectly edited antiques! The home never feels overdone or stuffy; always perfectly in tune with the season! Sheila was heard to comment that these private sales hosted by such a charming hostess may well spoil her, as the flea market seemed all the worse when compared!! Following this sale, we set up The Gardner Museum for Historic Uptown Walking Tours and a tea party(pics to follow). We spent Saturday working very hard at making the tea party seem effortless! All in all a wonderful way to celebrate the last week-end of Springtime!

New Finds From The Past Two Week-Ends

2011-06-05T18:34:00.010-05:00

We have had so much fun truffling out treasures over the last few week-ends. If you are interested in any of the items shown, let us know!

In Memory of Our Aunt, Victoria Barr Murphy

2011-05-29T23:10:00.004-05:00

It is with great sadness that we write about the death of our dear Aunt Vicki (who was also Sheila's Godmother). She died peacefully today. She was an amazing woman who lived a good life! She was a mother,grandmother, great grandmother, godmother and aunt. She was the quintissential lady who taught us how to curtsy, about the fine clothes at Talbots, and about always being there for family. We will miss her dearly and send our love and sympathy to her sons George and Brian and all the family! May she rest in peace and be reuinted in heaven with her parents, brothers, sisters, husband and son.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.
...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me...

Twin's Birthday, May Day At Pickity Place

2011-05-17T16:27:00.014-05:00

We went deep into the woods of New Hampshire for our birthday on May Day and had a splendid time! The gardens were just starting with diminutive lime colored sprouts of leaves all neatly labeled with the promise of what they will become. The centuries old house where the illustrator of Little Red Riding Hood lived was the exact deep red colour of the buds just starting in the surrounding woods. The house is surrounded by the most jubilant tangle of forsythia, the floral embodiment of a giggle!! We found a frog wearing a crown in the garden and wondered if on a magical perfectly sunny, warm May Day twin birthday if all the magic would join together and with one kiss, VOILA! a Prince?!!!!

We feasted on French onion dip, sweet red pepper veloute with watercress, marinated asparagus salad, and spring chive onion bread. This was followed by beef au poivre over boursin crustini, and stirfry vegetables in garlic sauce. We finished the meal with coconut lime mousse with mango salsa! Each dish was as beautiful as it was tasty, served with edible herb decorations.

Even with all things felicitous working in our favor the statue did not magically become a prince! So we decided the next best thing would be to go shopping. We bought this wonderful primitive bee skep to decorate our garden.

We were pleased to see that the wolf was sound asleep in the bedroom, probably too full after the beef au poivre over boursin crustini to consider munching on any guests. And how ferocious can he be, if the cat has chosen to nap with him? Anyway, I always think that a mob cap softens the features...

We thought that this boy statue had the right idea, and after eating the five course luncheon that a nap in the myrtle might just be the perfect thing! When we left the restaurant, we were each given an herb packet as a birthday present. What could be better on your birthday than the gift of thyme?

2011-05-01T09:58:00.014-05:00

READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!!HOT OFF THE PRESSES!!!!!! ROBINS IN THE TRUNDLE BED WINS SIMPLY-CHATEAU CONTEST!

After having watched the royal wedding, we suddenly found ourselves hopelessly mired in a morning of chores and kitchen drudgery. We washed dishes, emptied trash baskets and cleaned and filled the bird bath and feeders. After watching a commoner transform into a princess before our very eyes it was almost too much to bear. We suppose that it didn't help that we were wearing tiara culled from our collection(tarnished and a bit misshapen---the tiara not me!) Definitely not borrowed from the Queen... In between chores we checked the computer and discovered we had won the fun and quirky Simply-Chateau great blog give-away! Shirley of Simply-Chateau keeps all of her loyal readers well entertained with her brocanting antics and her raids on local French attics filled with trunks brimming with the most delicious finds anywhere! She has raised feamarketing to an art form! The minute we heard that we won we wanted to don our goggles and linen duster and hop into the nearest vehicle to catch the next flight to France!!! Eiffel Tower, here we come!

When more practical head prevailed, we decided the flight to France was not in the near future, so we would have to settle on living vicariously through Shirley's blog and reading the French magazine that we won! To fill in the backstory, Shirley was giving away a copy of the charming "LES SECRETS DU STYLE SHABBY CHIC" and asked her readers to come up with little catch phrases like hers: "flicks my switches, floats my boat, twiddles my tassels and plumps up my passementerie." We were up for the challenge and came up with this entry: "We have a penchant for collecting antique clothing, so our expressions reflect that! It cinches my corset; laces my boots; rattles my chatelaine; curls my ribbons; ruffles my petticoat; twirls my tassels; blossoms my bloomers; starches my crinoline; busts my bustle; beribbons my bonnet; pops my peplum and hulas my hoop skirt! All that thinking has made us hungry so...It butters my croissant & steams my au lait! Last (we promise!!!!!!!!!!), it shutters my chateau!!"

You could have knocked us over with a feather when we heard the news!
Here is what Shirley posted: "Oh heavens! What a responsibility! So many wonderful entries to the shabby chic competition that I couldn`t bear the responsibilty! So, laptop in hand, I called on Madame Rousseau in the village who speaks perfect English and delegated the task to her!
And her choice for the winner is:-

(fanfare of trumpets & drum roll)

................. the two girls from Robins in the Trundle Bed!"

Please visit Shirley's blog at http://simply-chateau.blogspot.com
Merci!

Sheila and Sherrill

Pale Green Spring Lilies

2011-04-25T13:45:00.002-05:00

Is there anything prettier than the palest green lilies? If these lilies could talk it would be in the prettiest whisper! They just happen to match our favorite pair of vintage green shoes that are made of a leather as soft as the lilies imagined voice! Spring has been so maddeningly slow to arrive that we will have to settle for bouquets of indoor lilies for now. We spied one pretty sight in an otherwise still dreary winter-worn landscape. We saw a robin busy building a nest with string that we have hung from a forsythia bush. It is such a sweet sight to see a robin, his breast the colour of an onion- skin dyed Easter egg, gathering string from amongst a few beginning yellow blooms of forsythia, with a smattering of snow just covering the grass!

Faded Fancies For Sale

2011-03-24T22:01:00.007-05:00

We have been searching through trunks in our attic and have been uncovering treasures that we stowed away years ago, earmarking them to go through someday...Well someday is now!! We have found christening gowns and coats, antique school herbarium pages, Edwardian ties and shirt waists that look like Anne of Green Gables would wear while bicycling round PEI! We found antique French bloomers, feather fans,wedding veils and a whole cache of dreamy pillow cases!! Can't wait for tomorrow when we go under the eaves and open another trunk...

New Items for Sale in our eBay Store

2011-03-12T15:27:00.002-05:00

Visit our eBay store, Robins in the Trundle Bed,for some charming new items!

Have You Heard the News? We Won!

2011-02-20T20:34:00.004-05:00

A special thank you to Mrs. Mobunny of The Rabbit Hutch Store for having a special giveaway on her blog (http://therabbithutchstore.blogspot.com/)! We won a beautiful apron that reminds us of spring (it really is around the corner, although it doesn't feel like it in cold New England!) Hop on over to her blog and see her wonderful handmade aprons for adults and children and her vintage textiles!!!
With gratitude,
Sheila and Sherrill

Photo used with permission of Mrs. Mobunny!!

Enchanting Items for Sale!

2011-02-20T15:40:00.010-05:00

Dress is Sold

Pillowcases are Sold

Here is a look at some of the items we have for sale on eBay (DBA: shemarielizabeth). We'll be posting photos of our newly designed shop soon. We have lots of lace,white linen, china, sea shells and shabby, chippy furniture for you to fall in love with!

Peony gown is sold

Bodice is Sold

Nightgown is sold

Boxes are sold

The jabot is available in our eBay store,Robins in the Trundle Bed (shemarielizabeth)

The apron is available with a Buy It Now Option in our eBay store

The shawl is available in our eBay store

RIP Hawthorne Peabody Murphy 1991-2011

2011-01-22T12:13:00.011-05:00

"A person who has never owned a dog has missed a wonderful part of life."

Our darling little dog Hawthorne died on January 19, 2011. He was 19 years, 3 months and nine days old. He was "the heartbeat at our feet" and we are devastated by the loss of our wonderful companion. We know that people say they had the best dog ever, but we truly did have the best dog! He was so sweet and we have so many wonderful stories to share. The tears keep flowing now, but when we are able, we will post some tales of the wonderful Hawthorne Peabody Murphy, faithful friend, loving companion.

"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears." Elizabeth Barrett Browning, referring her dog
We don't have Hawthorne to catch our tears...

Hawthorne at five months

Hawthorne with the Madonna print. After his cancer diagnosis, he fell in love with the print and would lie by it every day. This is one of our last photographs of him.

Hawthorne with his favorite toy, Baby Bear!

Hawthorne with Sheila, Christmas 2008

Hawthorne in the pumpkin patch with Sherrill, October 2010 (He had just turned 19!)

One of our favorite photos! Hawthorne incognito!

Hawthorne at 7 months, Cape Cod

Hawthorne, aged 2 months, a Christmas present from Sherrill, 1991! Can you find him amongst the presents?

Hawthorne with Sheila, Cape Cod, c. 1993

Hawthorne, 5 months, 1992

Recent Finds for Sale on eBay

2011-01-16T22:53:00.004-05:00

Visit ebay and see some of our recent finds (user name shemarielizabeth).

Christmas Upstairs & Down

2010-12-29T23:02:00.005-05:00

Here are a few more Christmas photographs...

Christmas Eve

2010-12-28T22:59:00.005-05:00

We wanted to show you Christmas Eve all around the house! We had an incredible time with 40 family members and friends. we'll write more tomorrow about food and party guests and games...

Christmas on the Hill

2010-12-26T19:35:00.004-05:00

We photographed the outside of our home so you could see our decorations before the blizzard that looks like a few innocent flakes in the pics buries us under 20+ inches of snow! We used lots of blue berried juniper, Andromeda, which has the most beautiful pink colour in winter, pine boughs and incense cedar. We have garlands around the door and lamppost that are lighted with white lights and festooned with deep burgundy ribbons that are backed in gold. The ribbon ends are woven through three shiny silver horns. Over each bank of windows we have berry and apple encrusted swags that are so lovely! We love skates and have used them all over the house inside and out! We hand painted an old pair of skates in gold, laced them with gold ribbon, and filled them with greens on the hitching post. Another pair around the side of the house is equally fetching laced in red ribbon and frosted in snow icing! The wreaths on the front door and on two upper windows are decorated with blue berried juniper, balsam, white pine and incense cedar. A graceful angel ornament flies in the center of the wreath and offers a reminder to those who enter what Christmas truly means...

Boston Area Shaker Study Group Film Festival

2010-11-29T23:54:00.010-05:00

Donna and Sheila recently spent a wonderful Saturday at the Boston Area Shaker Study Group Film Festival at the Tower Hill Botanical Gardens. They spent the afternoon watching documentaries about the Sabbathday Lake Shaker community. They toured the conservatory that features fruit trees and flowers. Donna and Sheila appeared in one of the films that recently ran on Bob Abernethy's PBS Religion and Ethics series. They were filmed singing Simple Gifts at Sunday meeting during the Friends of the Shakers weekend.

The Bronte Family Sitting Room

2010-11-13T23:28:00.003-05:00

Forgive us for not posting for a while. Sheila recovered from bronchitis and has had laryngitis for 3 weeks, and Sherrill is now ill with pneumonia. (Mom, too, is recovering from bronchitis!) We'll both be up and about soon, hunting for treasures and bringing those wonderful finds to you. To quote one of our dear friends, our house sounds like the "Bronte Family sitting room."

Hawthorne Peabody Murphy

2010-11-04T19:52:00.004-05:00

Our darling peke-a-poo, Hawthorne, was recently diagnosed with a melanoma on his lip! He is getting great care from our Vet and the staff at the Gardner Animal Care Center, and is receiving specialized cancer treatment at Tufts Animal Hospital. We are praying to St. Francis for the "little heartbeat at our feet" and hope that you will too!!

As we posted earlier, Hawthie was drawn to the beautiful Raphael Madonna print that we won. We still haven't hung it, as Hawthie sleeps next to it (in a spot he has never slept before) every day. Even now, our darling little boy is sleeping while Mary watches over him. Blessings for our dear Hawthorne Peabody Murphy!

Friend's Work Day Sabbathday Lake Maine Shaker Village

2010-10-31T16:54:00.012-05:00

Donna and Sheila went to Sabbathday Lake, Maine to The Shaker Village for Friend's Work Day. The Friends of the Shakers gather together each Spring and Fall to help the Shakers prepare for the coming season. Tasks at hand were sorting herbs in the herb room, planting spring bulbs along the Shaker Cemetery stone wall, picking pears and pumpkins, cleaning floors and windows and general tidying up and buttoning down! Sheila chose to strip summer savory and pluck bright orange calendula petals,(to be made into tea and potpourri), while others ground basil. The herb room smelled delicious enough to eat. Donna planted over 500 tulip bulbs, that will remain lovely secrets under the snow until early Spring!!
We visited the sheep that we had not seen since Summertime, and they had grown. Surprise and Oh No were the spring lambs born in April. The Shakers were given three Icelandic sheep this year from a farmer who no longer wanted them. One of the sheep, who was not thought to be pregnant went into labor. When the lamb was born the Shakers named her Surprise! Then the next day the other sheep went into labor. When they told Sister Frances she cried out, "Oh No!" And so she received her name. Oh no loves people and spent most of the Summer escaping from her pen to follow Brother Arnold and visitors to the Village. The lot of Icelandic sheep broke out of their pen(Surprise and Oh No included) and ate their way through the herb garden! They smelled lovely, like a pantry where somenone has just opened herb tins to prepare a feast! They also gorged themselves in the apple orchard on apples the October winds had brought down to sheep level!! Of course when the theivery had been discovered everyone shouted Oh NO, who looked as innocent as only a lamb can, tilted her head and appeared to query, "Who me? Well don't forget to shout out Surprise!

Lovely Autumn

2010-10-17T20:08:00.005-05:00

After the nor'ester blew through yesterday with high winds and a cold driving rain, we emerged today ready to seek out not only the perfect pumpkin but the perfect pumpkin muffin!(and of course a mug of mulled cider to warm us!) Our peke-a-poo Hawthorne has been helping us pick pumpkins for years now.(He turned 19 on October 10 and was feted with a new chew toy in the shape of a duckling and a mound of hamburger with a candle tucked in). We love Sunday afternoons in autumn in New England. They were just made for leaf peeping and long walks with our darling dog! When we returned home, Hawthorne decided to curl up in front of Raphael's Madonna, who appears to be holding him in her gentle gaze.(We won the painting in our Church raffle and had just brought it home when Hawth decided to nestle in front of her!

The Early Bird Catches the Antique

2010-10-10T23:06:00.008-05:00

We look forward to Columbus Day weekend for many reasons...viewing the beautiful New England fall foliage; going apple picking...celebrating our darling dog Hawthorne's birthday...and we especially love going to the old Bromfield School's annual flea market tailgate! With over 170 dealers, we are always able to find kindred spirits who love antique. We arose early and paid extra admission so we could be early buyers! Armed with our cups of coffee, canvas totes and sense of adventure, we scoured the field for one of a kind treasures! We found wonderful shabby antique paisley shawls for projects and pillows; a vintage housecoat with the tags still on it; a beatiful antique painting on velvet in a gold frame; old tintypes; darling, early doll dresses and a doll's wig; a stunning 1950's prom dress; vintage 1940's hats, antique children's clothing and old petticoats from a Pennsylvania farmhouse and so much more. One of our favorite finds is a vintage sign from a greehouse that says "Combination Pots!" It would be adorable in a kitchen!! We'll be listing items on eBay and putting some items in our shop.
We'll post photographs of some of our finds soon!

There are always unique, colorful booths...

And interesting items to photograph...

And great food booths too...and oh the view!

Textile Show & Tell

2010-10-05T17:32:00.003-05:00

Over the last few weeks, we have found the loveliest vintage clothes and textiles. One of our fav pieces is the 1840's tailcoat with the fancy green striped silk sleeves and quilted interior. Can't you just imagine the gent who wore this? We also found a great lot of 1930's Depression era dresses and feed sack quilts and toppers full of old darns and repairs that whisper stories about a farm wife's frugality and household economy. Don't you just adore the demure cotton frock with the pale pink shoulder straps and rose corsage? We think it would make the sweetest prom dress. We styled the 1930's gown with an Anthropologie deep red flower garland necklace. The white gown has such a beautiful fluid movement. We can picture Ginger Rogers, exuding Hollywood glam from every perfect pore, her hand extended toward Fred Astaire, her feet gliding across the dance floor. We'll be photographing more great finds for another Show And Tell... of

I'll Put a Trinket On

2010-09-25T14:50:00.004-05:00

Autumn

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.

Emily Dickinson

As we prepare for the season of beautiful foliage, pumpkins, corn stalks and apple picking, we thought we'd share some of our favorite photographs from last fall...

A Leap Back In Time(Not Easy to Do In A Hoop Skirt)

2010-09-22T12:37:00.004-05:00

We had a marvellous time at the encore performances of the Gardner Historic Reenactments and Walking Tours. The event went smoothly(except for one actor who forgot to show) and we played before hundreds of guests! A friend's child attempted to fill in for the missing actor, but alas the hat was too big! We ended the morning's festivities with a delicious tea party, where the servers joined in the spirit of the morning and dressed in costume! Now on to Gardner's 225th parade next Sunday at 1:00 P.M. Can't wait!!!

New Finds!

2010-09-17T15:10:00.003-05:00

We found so many incredible finds over the last few weeks. We have ventured around New England and stopped at farm stands and farmer's markets for armloads of fresh sunflowers and zinnias and locally grown veggies. We have of course also stopped at all the local end of summer flea markets and church sales and have armloads of fresh finds. We fell in love with the dramatic beauty of a jewel red garnet coloured velvet wedding gown from the 1930's that was worn for a December wedding. It has a peplum that cascades down the back in a tail that is backed in a creamy satin. We also found a gorgeous hand tailored Victorian two piece winter walking suit that was most likely for skating outings. It retains its original label from a Boston, Massachusetts design house. The garment is so heavy that we think that a pirouette on skates must have been quite a feat indeed! Check out the other snaps to see a great sign warning not to trespass on a private beach(Wellfleet on the Cape); antique corks coralled on ironstone with a metal boy lamp finial surfing across them; a miniature sewing table where two wee robins have gathered and a shabby ironstone pitcher sitting on a clockface...Inquiries welcomed!

Louisa May Alcott, Apple Slump, The Old Manse & The Old North Bridge

2010-09-08T13:52:00.010-05:00

Is there anything more inspiring than taking a pilgrimage, walking the paths of America's famous literary greats? We saw Louisa May Alcott's writing desk where she penned Little Women; Nathaniel and Sophia's window glass etchings made by their diamond rings; the honeymoon gardens Thoreau planted for The Hawthornes; Mrs. Alcott's yellow ware bowls so enchantingly displayed on her turkey red tablecloth; May's drawings on the walls of The Orchard House where she was encouraged by her father to paint to hone her talents(think of this the next time your little one takes crayon to wallpaper!)...We even trod the path between the Orchard House and The Wayside where the Alcotts and Hawthornes wore a path so long ago. Then on to a fabulous Sunday brunch at The Colonial Inn and a few antique shops. Wish you all could join us for such a day! Now time to revisit our dog-eared copy of Little Women!

Mom & I At The Picnic

2010-09-08T13:47:00.002-05:00

Donna Mom and I went to an Armenian picnic and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves despite torrential downpours that left puddles and mud everywhere!! But the food was delicious, the friends dear and the girl dancers... simply charming.

Vintage Corset Lingerie Mannequin

2010-09-05T15:33:00.004-05:00

We found this great corset/lingerie mannequin at the local flea market. The mannequin is fabulous. We dressed it in cream and gold Robins In The Trundle Bed ribbons and a vintage milliner's pale pink rose. We certainly managed to attract a lot of attention carrying Marilyn( yup, we named her for Marilyn Monroe) around the field. We finally had to tote her back to the car so we could get some serious shopping done!! Marilyn is currently available in our shop. Inquiries welcomed!

The Redcoats Are Coming...

2010-08-26T15:07:00.010-05:00

We had an incredible day at Old Sturbridge Village, stepping back in time(making sure not to step in any horse droppings in the process!)to the Revolutionary War. We saw all manner of troops associated with the War; saw a fashion show based on newspaper ads describing servants who had disappeared with their master's goods; watched a demonstration on medical equipment; watched a pie being baked(from the look of it a main ingredient was flies!); and saw a battle between the Redcoats and the Colonists...On this day we let the British win!!! Hope you enjoy the photos and the journey back to another century.

Recent Summertime Finds

2010-08-18T18:33:00.004-05:00

Here are photographs of some of our delightful recent acquisitions, all discovered in beautiful New England!
All are available on eBay (DBA: shemarielizabeth) or in our store, Robins in the Trundle Bed.

This is a beautiful hand made doiley with sweet cherubs. It looks beautiful on a vintage silver tray with an antique sprigware teacup and fresh strawberries.

This bonnet was discovered at an estate sale. It had been packed away in a trunk in an attic for years. It is in pristine condition, and is obviously fresh to the market.

A wonderful find of a stunning, antique, real feather boa...

This stunning quilt topper was a great flea market find!

This beautiful mohair cape was knit to look like a "fur" cape. It is oh-so-wearable and so lovely!

French Garden House Giveaway

2010-08-18T18:24:00.002-05:00

One of our favorite bloggers, French Garden House (photo from her site), is having a Heavenly Hostess apron giveaway! The aprons are so divine and oh-so-vintage inspired!! We love wearing vintage aprons and it is so nice to know that there are others who love the look of a crisp, starched apron. Visit the following site for details: http://littlefrenchgardenhouse.blogspot.com/2010/08/heavenly-hostess-apron-giveaway.html and good luck!!!

Winchendon Bridal Tea & Templeton Great Gatsby Party

2010-08-13T12:40:00.006-05:00

We had a wonderful time at a beautiful shower held at the Winchendon Historical Society. Our friend Kerry hosted a delicious afternoon tea for the bride to be!!

The mansion looks like a beautiful tiered wedding cake. A talented pianist played romantic music in the front parlour, while we drank lemonade and tried our hand at croquet. The tea was incredible with a parade of delicate sandwiches and desserts to tempt even the pickiest eater!!!

Mom and Sheila joined me on the veranda were old frienships were renewed and new bonds were forged.

Our friend Kerry is hosting a tea party on Saturday and asked me to pose for a few publicity shots to advertise the party with a dear young friend of ours, who is beautiful on the inside and out!!!

Is there any lovelier way to spend a summer's day?

Our sister Donna accompanied us to the gardens and took lovely photos in the warm summer sunshine.

The phlox attracted hundreds of butterflies and scented the air with the most delicious perfume!!

2010-08-13T12:29:00.000-05:00

Rescuing A Calash, Gowns, A Doll & A Piece Of Local History!

2010-07-30T12:59:00.010-05:00

We have discovered so many wonderful antiques this summer!!! We have photographed a few to show you. Do you remember Show & Tell from when we were children in grade school? Consider this our Textile and Millinery Show & Tell!(It sure beats a slimey frog and a handful of grimy aggies!!!)

We were saleing around a local Massachusetts town, armed with steaming cups of coffee and townwide yard sale maps!(Just imagine it, an entire town hosting sales down every street, on the gorgeous Common and all around the byways and back roads...)

Down one rural lane, we found a woman arranging buttons and baskets, shirtwaists and sleeves. We started talking and realized we had found more than things, but had discovered a kindred spirit, who cared enough about an antique doll, whose face was eaten by her cat, to try to find the doll a new home, now that she was forced to divest of her treasures. She explained(as she took a break from setting out her wares)how her naughty cat had torn the stuffing right out of a beloved doll's face and had the temerity afterwards to sit nonchalantly cleaning her own bewhiskered face surrounded by the bits of fluff and stuff that once had given the doll its fat cheeks!!
As we talked she dispensed stories of her youth growing up near the Hadley sisters(Lucy, Mary and Lizzie) who allowed her to play attic dress up with their ancestors' trunk treaures. She asked if we might be interested in them. Of course we responded with resounding affirmatives. She came back with armloads of velvet dresses, Edwardian blouses, 1850's gowns, and a stunning three piece blue and cream skirt, and bodice with the most glorious huge bow ever known to woman!!!! We were performing mental cartwheels as no living Murphy woman has ever been known to possess the agility to do an actual cartwheel.
We pledged to use the stories and garments in our children's tales and in our lectures on antique clothing. So thank you Lizzie, Lucy and Mary. We will share your stories and gowns with another generation of local youngsters. By the way, the seller gave us the sad old doll for free, waiving the 10 cent price she had decided on, so long as we take care of her. She has a seat of honour on a white linen covered chair, seated next to a very fine early china head, who does not seem the least bit nonplussed that her new chairmate is in need of some major face work!!!
That same week-end we also spied a folded calash at the bottom of a box of tools.(We know, we know... can you imagine that it had survived since the 1830's and was about to meet its end under a hammer and planer????) The bonnet was tossed aside by everyone who assumed it to be trash, until it fell into our hands!! The rescue was a success and the marvellous bonnet now has a place of honour in our collection...
We are marvelling at another fortuitous discovery of an old mercantile soap box, labelled WAX, that contains a pamphlet on how to make wax millinery flowers. The box was obviously a precious commodity and in an age when such an item was prized, it had been sewn and resewn by hand where the edges had begun to separate from the box!! Inside the box is layer upon layer of wax in the richest jewel shades...To sell or to keep??? Might the wax melt if we shipped it on such hot and steamy July days such as these? You are all correct. We had better wait...until the cooler weather sets in...

Could it Be True? Yes, it is!!!

2010-07-20T20:00:00.005-05:00

We have been missing Country Home Magazine since it closed production last year!! While we were out shopping at the grocery store, we spied a "Country Home Magazine" in the racks and quickly ran to pick it up!!! The new publication is a special edition with some beautiful photographs and interesting articles. It was so thrilling to see the magazine and we quickly purchased it and have embraced it like a long lost friend. We hope to see more of CH and the editor's note does state to look for another edition in September!!! Fingers crossed that the magazine will make a full comeback!! Another of our favorite magazines, Victoria, made a big comeback and we couldn't be more delighted with it....Now, if only Matthew Mead were to rejoin the publication. We can only hope...

225th Anniversary Red White and Blue Theme Contest

2010-07-16T11:09:00.003-05:00

Hip, hip, hooray!!!! We won The Gardner News's 225th Anniversary Red, White and Blue Theme Contest!!!!!!!!!!

Summers Spent on the Back Porch

2010-07-11T15:52:00.005-05:00

Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language.
Henry James (1843 - 1916)

In summer, the song sings itself.
William Carlos Williams

We're going to let the photographs speak for themselves as we show you our back patio porch. It's the perfect place to sit, relax and listen to birdsong. One of our guests said it feels like she is sitting in a treehouse when she visits...

Happy Birthday Gardner...Happy Birthday America!

2010-07-03T20:40:00.006-05:00

In honor of Gardner's 225th Anniversary, we have entered our home in The Gardner New's Red, White and Blue Theme contest!!

We decorated with tea stained bunting, flags and pull down banners. We have vintage flags decorating our pots filled with geraniums, vinca and potato vine. We have an old hitching post that is decorated with a basket of moneywort, lavender and candy tuft. An antique green and red wooden goat cart sits next to the post and is filled with a basket overflowing with American flags. Our antique Edwardian dress form is "wearing" an old white camisole and petticoat and is draped in period bunting. She also sports a necklace of rusty stars! The white bench is festooned with bunting and an antique picnic basket, straw boater and bunting sits atop it. Flags decorate our door basket and a "Gardner" sign rests in the basket in honor of the
225th!

Happy Anniversary Gardner! Happy Birthday America!

A Step Back in Time

2010-06-27T16:17:00.008-05:00

As promised, here are photographs of the City of Gardner's 225th Anniversary Celebration! We coordinated walking tours of the historic uptown district of our city and re-enactments in the Old Burying Ground. Eleven characters came to life in the cemetery. Sheila played murder victim Miriam Kneeland (d. 1855). She wore a dress over a 4 hoop crinoline (if you have ever tried getting into a car in a crinoline, or through a door jam it isn't easy). She added antique lace cuffs and a period collar and stunning cameo. She carried an antique parasol, carriage fan and a small antique hymnal from our collection. She kept her 21st century needs in an antique picnic basket and drank water from a black transferware handleless cup.
Mayor Mark Hawke played first settler Elisha Jackson and Kerry Bettez played his wife. Fire chief Ron Therrien portrayed Samuel Kelton. With his sideburns, he was destined to play the role. Rev. Gary Heikkila played Rev. Jonathan Osgood and Doris Forte portrayed his wife. Mike Ellis, Don Miller, Rev. Jim Hinds, Pat Gerry, and David Bojarcauk also played roles.

Each actor stood by his/her character's grave as the crowd of over 300 people moved through the cemetery from the first settler to a Civil War soldier.

Each performance was filmed and will appear on local TV beginning tomorrow night! Hollywood, here we come! One of our actors was a Hollywood actor! Rev. Gary Heikkila played with Liza Minelli in a movie some 40 years ago (ironically, he played a Rev. in a cemetery scene...)

Other events were: a tea party, a bike decorating contest, pie judging contest and fair at the Congregational Church, and displays and a silver smithing demonstration at the Gardner Museum! There was even a fireman's muster with antique firefighting equipment. Below, Sherrill stands next to an old firetruck from the town of Westminster.

Our Town's Birthday!!!

2010-06-13T15:13:00.008-05:00

Our town is celebrating its 225th birthday on June 26!! Our local newspaper(the oldest continuously run, independently operated newspaper in the country)is celebrating by having a contest for the "Best Dressed House." We have started with a freshly planted antique bicycle basket to adorn the front door. The basket contains pink impatiens, a pink geranium, vinca vines and a lovely purple cascading flower whose name eludes me at the moment!! We bought three antiqued parade flags at Country Mischief(Where else ??)to finish off a Summertime patriotic look. We'll post more pictures as we continue to dress the house!!!
Sheila and I have been working with the historical subcommittee on walking tours of the historic uptown district and on cemetery reenactments of our town's famous personages. All the actors are fabulous and are busy memorizing their scripts, and working on their costumes. Sheila is putting last minute touches on her Miriam Kneeland costume. She is looking through our antique clothing collection to find just the right parasol and gloves.
Does anybody know how big a breath it takes to blow out 225 candles???

Church on Sunday

2010-05-31T17:27:00.004-05:00

On Sunday morning, after only a few hours sleep, we decided to hit the flea market for its opening at 6 a.m. We decided that treasures were simply more important than beauty rest. Planning on attending Sunday mass after antiquing, we must have had church on our minds and managed to truffle out this wonderful vintage church birdhouse.

We also found a wonderful tin statue of a shepherd that looks so beautiful posed under a rhododendron. Other antiques that we uncovered were: a beautiful white feather fan, an antique wire office basket, a charming tea cup, stacks of antique cream and white hankies, an oval gutta percha case with an ambrotype of a woman, a fabulous 19th century braided wire hairpin, a vintage umbrella with wooden handle, and a vintage brass and silver mirror.

"Saleing" Along

2010-05-17T16:22:00.004-05:00

On Sunday morning we found an antique bird cage perfect for tea cups stacked and waiting for a tea party; a darling doll's apron in tea stained cream and red; a blue calico bag embroidered with the word "Buttons"; an antique geography book that someone with more of a sense of romance than wanderlust, pasted over the maps with beautiful poetry clippings; a collection of rubber marbleized balls that look like art when arranged in an old pantry box; a pale green hat stand and a perfect-for-summer cream purse...

Sunday morning was a whirlwind of activity...searching through table after table of junque to uncover a few treasures...back home to grab the dog, a cup of coffee and off to walk on one of the prettiest New England commons, with a view of Mount Wachusett that makes you feel like you are seeing the world through the eyes of God...then home to change and dress for Church... back home to change again and go for a longer walk around a beautiful lake...I love Sunday!!!

Darling Egg Basket

2010-05-15T18:49:00.003-05:00

Watch for this darling egg basket in our Ebay listings. We photographed it amongst hosta, forget-me-nots and white-flowered myrtle. Three eggs nestle in a bed of hay.

2010-05-13T20:58:00.000-05:00

Antiquing...exploring a New England Common...Having fun with two cameras(realizing that your pics are awful compared to your sister's...having steaming cups of coffee by a waterfall...HEAVEN in Springtime in Massachusetts...

May That Perfumed Month

2010-05-08T18:17:00.007-05:00

Is there anything as sweet as Spring lambs nursing?? We saw these darlings on the way to Pickety Place at a beautiful farm in Townsend.

We stopped at our favorite shop, The Cooperage, which is now a group antiques shop. What would a birthday be without a trip to the antiques store?(It is a great way to feel a bit younger when you are surrounded by items that are over 100 years old.)

I don't dare reveal how many years it has been that tradition has dictated that a May Day photograph be posed here...

May Day Birthday

2010-05-07T13:28:00.007-05:00

Our May Day Twin Birthday is always a lovely time of May baskets received and delivered; robin song at night's delicious close; tulips, forsythia and this year lilcas everywhere!!! We always travel to Pickety Place for an herb dinner...

Rosemary the cat(so named for a penchant for napping amongst the rosemary plants) waits to no avail to enter through this charming ivy covered door.

Should I or shoudn't I oblige and let the darling inside ...yes, I shall...

I think that I have just let Rosemary the Cat into the kitchen. Oh well do not blame me if there is no cream left for your tea!!!! See they even set a basin out for the statue of a rabbit!!!

A few minutes later and Rosemary is let out the front door and told the kitchen is off limits!! She decides to check out our mini herb garden and nibbles on a johnny-jump-up. Rosemary the herb is said to "comfort the heart, and make it merry, quicken the spirits, and make them more lively." This little feline lives up to her name, for it is a hard heart whose spirit is not buoyed by her charming antics.

The basket of herbs survived unscathed and I hung it on the hitching post when we arrived home, where a nesting robin has been quite intrigued by its bright pink ribbon as a perfect finishing touch for her lovely new home(already the finest on the block with its blue Easter Grass and twine....)

More Great Finds

2010-05-06T12:56:00.002-05:00

More hunting yielded more treasures... an antique key holder from an old seaside hotel...a great grain sack just waiting for a home interiors project(and someone who can sew!)...a funky one-of-a-kind early electronic system to summon servants to the library or west wing(a totally shabby find from an old new England estate)...a beautiful box with a lovely corsage tucked in.... an antique sewing bird...(perhaps for the seamstress referenced above?

Faded Fancy Finds!!!

2010-05-06T12:38:00.002-05:00

After an agonizingly slow 6:00 A.M.start at the flea market on Sunday morning, we managed to change our attitude and dedicate the next few hours to digging in search of the best shabby treasures to offer you, and stop griping about how it definitely was not worth getting up at 5:00 A.M.!!

And our treasure hunting luck did change. There was more than the usual share of plastic bins and reproduction junk, but with the attitude adjustment and the willingness to dig, we found this fantastic early gate key. We felt for all the world like Mary Lennox when she discovered the key to the secret garden. Who knows what this key will unlock. The possibilities are endless!!!!

On our last pass through in the one aisle we had skipped, we unearthed the most beautiful early lace gown. The lace is in very good condition for its adavanced age, and was so worth that last pass through...

We snagged this great Clothing Alteration Sign early in the morning. We thought we had found an early bathing suit complete with mobcap and bloomers, but the zipper and fabric gave away its age.

Stuff & Nonesense Totes

2010-04-24T10:37:00.003-05:00

Check out our new line of "Stuff & Nonesense" totes, perfect for stowing all the stuff and nonesense we find at local brocantes and sales that we just simply cannot live without!!!

The totes feature a wonderful array of antique and vintage photographs that we have collected over the years that in some way or other tell us not to take ourselves to seriously... Everyone can do with a bit of whimsy in this life!

The tote bags will be adorned with vintage and antique ribbon, buttons and other fripperies that we love to collect and squirrel away in a treasure box until "Just The Right Project" presents itself.

The script that accompanies the photographs is meant to make you laugh. We just adore the three bathing beauties striking such a darling pose for the ages... Can't you just imagine them singing out "TA DA!" at the accomplishment of such a feat on hot sand no less. Watch for silly snippets from fairy tales, folk songs and everyday jargon used in a whimsical way.

Watch for the tote bags at our shop or order them through e-mail inquiry.

A New Set Of Wheels

2010-04-19T22:12:00.002-05:00

We love this antique goat cart that we found at the flea market!! We photographed the cart under an allee of towering hemlocks, filling it with hay as a soft bed for our favorite lamb statue. Now comes the hard part... deciding do we keep or sell this charmer! The debate continues...

Search And Rag Bag Rescue Mission

2010-04-16T12:11:00.004-05:00

We frequently go out on search and rag bag rescues in an attempt to save vintage clothing from the hands of those who would use these beautiful garments for oil changes, waxing cars, wrapping glass at flea markets, or worse....(Are we wrong to insinuate that the culprits are usually men????) We found this beautiful butterfly dressing gown from a friendly flea marketer who had wrapped glassware in its beautiful beruffled edges and color-drenched folds.
After he looked at us as though we were more than half daft, when we inquired how much for the robe, we did manage (after quite a bit of explaining as to why anyone in the right frame of mind would want a rag and not the glassware) to purchase it.
Can you just imagine the stylish vixen who donned this confection???
Watch for this gorgeous rescue in our Ebay listings!!