Friday, April 22, 2011

Happiest of Easter Weekends to You, Dear Friends!

Hello sweet friends!  I am writing on this beautiful, sunny spring day to wish you the loveliest of Easter weekends!  And just for you, I set up a little photo shoot this afternoon!  I hope these photos leave you feeling warm and fuzzy and ready to celebrate one of my favorite holidays!  Incidentally, these little friends are on loan from my mom's lovely coop!  It is fun to have them here in our home for the Easter weekend and I see this becoming a family tradition for sure!  Enjoy!

I used the cross process application in Picnik's photo editing program to give these images a soft, vintage glow.
Amidst the baskets of chocolate bunnies, fuzzy chicks and egg hunts, let us not forget the real reason why we celebrate Easter! 

1 Peter 1:3
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... " 

 Thank you for your sweet visit today!
Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda

Joining in these fun parties:
Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound
Photo Feature Friday at A Rosy Note
Fabulous Fridays at McDougall Photography
You Capture at I Should be Folding Laundry

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Birthday Outing to Monticello Antique Marketplace

Hello Blog Friends!  The busy hustle bustle of the birthday rush at our house is over (until May) and I finally have time to sit down and write a post!  I can't believe it's been more than a week since I last blogged!  As soon as my birthday was over, I kicked it into high gear planning a Star Wars themed surprise party for my now 5 year old sweet boy!  The party was a huge success.  Hubby took a very active role in planning and prepping...I couldn't have done it without him!  The boys went out for lunch and golfing with grandma and grandpa before the party, which gave us the time we needed to decorate.  Everyone invited was able to come (when does that ever happen?)  So, we had 15 kiddos!  The house was packed but everyone seemed to have a good time.  I picked up a lot of fabulous (easy and cheap) party ideas from some amazingly creative mom blogs.  The kids enjoyed drinking "yoda soda" and attacking buzz droids (balloons) with light sabers (pool noodles).  Fun fun fun.

Now that the house has been put back in order (de-jedi-ified), I can't wait to tell you about my lovely birthday outing with my favorite shopping buddy...my mom!  I carried my camera along with me in my big new pretty pink purse (from dear hubby!) so that I could share my special day with all of you!

 We started our day at Starbucks...where else?  And just look what was there waiting for me in the glass case...
Isn't this the cutest little donut you've ever seen?  It's called a birthday donut!  Really!  And it has pink icing!  I had to have one.  I'm sure the other Starbucks patrons thought I was ridiculous snapping away photos of my little treat!  Mom and I did a little shoe shopping before we headed to Monticello Antique Marketplace to check out the big spring show!  If you live in the Portland area and are growing weary of the grey, soggy days, go check out the spring show at Monticello!  It's so bright, cheery and full of spring inspiration that you'll forget all about the rain outside!
Loving this amazing display by Worthy Goods!


So much to see in the lovely space of Annie, Fannie and Abigail!


I'm sure you all know Kathleen of Faded Charm!  Her booth was looking so beautiful!  I would have recognized her space, even without the cool sign!  She has such a distinctive style!



I am always drawn to the pretty pinkness of Lisa's "A Think for Roses" lovely space!



The more I look at this photo, the more I think I should have bought that beautiful barkcloth pillow!  Isn't it sweet?

Love these hand made necklaces too! 
One last little glimpse of spring goodness before I sign off!  I'd sure love to return to Monticello soon as there is so much to see and never enough time to soak it all in!  Thank you for joining me on another fun shopping expedition!  Lots of lovely inspiration, don't you think?

I hope you are having a wonderful week and are all ready to celebrate Easter this Sunday!  I can't believe it's that time already!  I didn't even get all of my decorations out...but I am kind of enjoying a bit more of a simplistic look this year.  What am I saying, our house looks like Easter year-round!  Do we really need to add any more bunnies to the decor!  I do love them, don't you?

Thank you for your sweet visit!  I look forward to seeing all of your Easter goodies and reading about what my blog buddies are up to this week!  You all inspire me so much.  Thank you! 

Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda

I will be joining in on these fun link parties:
White Wednesday at Faded Charm
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
Treasures and Transformations at Pink Postcard
Inspiration Friday at The Pickett Fence
Show and Tell Friday at My Romatic Home

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Girl in White With a Touch of Pink!

What is selling in the decorating world today?  Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals!  I do love color, especially pastels but I also love the neutral cream pallet that creates such a sweet backdrop for the pastels that are so cheerful and fun.  So, I've done a little revamping in my space at the antique store.  I started by pulling down the peachy pink fabric off of the ceiling and then brought in a bunch of creamy treasures. 

I gave this sweet little desk a face lift with several coats of pretty cream paint.  Sorry I didn't take a before picture but I'm sure you've all seen the 1950's french provincial furniture in a sort of off-white color with gold trim.  That was the look!  My mom had a bedroom set in this style when she was little.

The drawers were lined with the pages from a vintage novel.  I just love the look of these old yellowed book pages.

I had a fun day out shopping estate sales with a dear friend on Saturday and came home with lots of cream and white pottery...some old, some new, all elegant.  See my little "pop" of pink here - dried carnations.  Aren't they pretty?

Homer Laughlin Ironstone cups...

Kind of an after thought...I felt like this old scalloped lamp shade needed a little something extra.  I added a gold suspender clip and attached this cute little chick image from the Graphics Fairy.   The shade sits atop a vintage straw hat somewhat like a cloche. 

Thank you for your sweet visit!  It's time for me to switch hats and start planning a Star Wars birthday party for my big 5 year old boy!  I don't know where the last 5 years have gone!  It was also 5 years ago when I left the financial industry to stay home with my baby and start my business at the antique shop!  I think it's time for a giveaway, don't you?  I am working on one...stay tuned!

Best wishes and blessings,
Amanda

Joining in these fun parties:
Treasures and Transformations at Pink Postcard
White Wednesday at Faded Charm
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Treasure Hunt Thursday at Blue Creek Home

Friday, April 8, 2011

Girly Pinks...Tutus, Magnolias and Cupcakes

Today was the last day of Spring Break and we were blessed with the most lovely gift...sunshine!  We headed out to the park and I brought my camera along to photograph these beautiful pink magnolia trees to share with Beverly's Pink Saturday Party over at How Sweet the Sound.

Maggie and I had one last project to finish before spring break ended.  We cut several yards of pretty pink tulle and made a fun tutu.  Want to make one with your little ballerina?  I found a great tutorial here at I Heart Naptime.  Maggie looked so adorable in her pink tutu, we of course had to have a little photo shoot!


I love all shades of pink but I think my most favorite is a lovely soft rosy hue.  I recently discovered that several drops of red food coloring and 1-2 drops of blue produces the prettiest rose petal pink colored frosting. 


Happy Pink Saturday dear friends!  Thank you so very much for stopping by!  I sincerely hope you are blessed with sunshine and surrounded by beauty this weekend!

Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda




also sharing with Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies!
A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday at Bargain Hunting and Chatting With Laurie
I'm Lovin' it Friday with Tidy Mom
Saturday Spotlight with Craft Envy

Monday, April 4, 2011

Dress-up Jewelry

Aren't these little 1920's girls adorable?  I picked up this sweet image from The Graphics Fairy (where else?) for free!  It was perfect for displaying the vintage clip-on earrings I recently purchased from an estate sale.  Whenever I find reasonably priced jewelry that looks to be just the right accessory for little girl's dress-up fun, I snag it for my space at the shop!



Thank you Graphics Fairy for another fabulous free image!  For more lovely vintage images and to see how crafty bloggers are using them in their creations, check out the Brag Monday Linky Party today! 

Thank you for your sweet visit today friends!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda

Friday, April 1, 2011

Bunny Epergne, Camellias and Eggs




Every year around this time I pull my sweet bunny epergne off of it's shelf in the pantry and set it out on the breakfast nook table or kitchen island.  All spring and summer long I enjoy filling it with pretty blooms from the garden.  Today, just for you my sweet friends, we have little bunches of pink camellias and boxwood in each slender vase.  Nothing is more lovely and cheerful than fresh flowers in the home!




I just love how the pink and green in the flower arrangement are echoed  in my favorite April Cornell Tablecloth.  It's all so springy!  I wish I could tell you the name of this collection from April Cornell but it was a long ago Ebay purchase and the pattern has since been discontinued.


My dear crafty friend Nicki made me a set of these glittered egg ornaments long long ago and they remain some of my most treasured Easter decorations!  This is the first time I've thought to hang them on my epergne...I am enjoying the added whimsy!



Thank you for your sweet visit!  Have a wonderful day!  Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda

Joining in these fun parties:
How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday
House in the Roses for Show off Your Cottage Monday