Pink Saturday

I'm not into displaying modern art in my home, however when I worked in art and advertising I was taught to appreciate all art forms.  I have to admit this print above caught my eye because of the murky (I love murky, dirty, dusky colors!) shades of pink, and the couple's hats.  I love cloche hats on women and real country squire type caps on gentlemen - not that guys in ball caps can't be gentlemen too of course!  Beautiful length of perfect pink damask fabric hanging nearby.

Gosh, the weeks fly by don't they?  I've missed several Pink Saturdays recently, just too many things going on.  This weekend I'm actually away again, at the North Carolina coast, but I prepared a few glimpses of pink for you before heading for the blue ocean!

A warm looking rosy pink blankie for snuggling while tooting your horn!

Another popular collectible, the washbowl and pitcher set, this one very pink and pretty.

Pink roses on china, always, always loved and enjoyed.

All these lovely pink items I spied for sale in dealers' booths at SuzAnna's Antiques in the past week.

Hope your Pink Saturday is a fun day.  Remember to visit Beverly, our hostess at How Sweet the Sound, where you'll enjoy more pink posts.

Coastal call.....

I'm off to the beach for the weekend with........

Bob, Jasmin, and I love to visit the coast of North Carolina in the Autumn.  The Summer crowds have gone, the cool night air refreshes the early morning, warming to perfect temperatures for walking and playing on the beach by afternoon.

Eating fresh seafood, lots of it!  Window shopping and real shopping!  Boat watching and wanting!  Relaxing and waving across the pond to loved ones at home!
More when we return!

Thanks so much for all the delightful and generous Happy Birthday wishes to both Jasmin and myself - we are so grateful.

Aging.............

...................is not bad.  Look what it does for linen and hemp...........turns grain sacks from the era of horse drawn threshing machines into fabric we love to use for pillows, upholstery or slip covers.
 

Gorgeous grain sacks found in Asheville while antiquing last week.  Love the top one with the attached pouring spout on the right side and original cord tie.  One of these is bolster size - long and skinny - so I've ordered a custom pillow filler and will use it across the guest room bed.

I recently purchased this old round French mirror from another dealer at SuzAnna's Antiques..........no matter that it has a few chips in its patina, it's aging beautifully.  It will hang over my sofa that's awaiting new slip covers being stitched by my sweet Italian lady tailor/seamstress.  

These two old books, pages yellowed and well wrinkled under their newer dust covers, are another recent find from the the ScreenDoor in Asheville........as was this magnificent wrinkled grey-green squash.

Why is aging on my mind today?  Perhaps because it's my birthday and I too have the wrinkles to prove it!

Above, my special cup and saucer in the antique Torquay (my English hometown) pattern, depicting seashells and seaweeds, play things of my childhood beach days.  It will hold my birthday tea later today - and I'll celebrate another wonderful year, wrinkles and all!

A Special Day.....

Sweet Jasmin..............14 years ago today you came into my life and for 14 years you have been the brightest light in my universe.

  

My granddaughter Jasmin shining brightly in my booth at SuzAnna's Antiques.

*******HAPPY BIRTHDAY*******

Asheville's antiques.......

A few more images from my recent Asheville antiquing day with that great group of blogging friends.  

Always interesting displays........

........of course we must remember to always look up.......wonder if there was a cowboy hat in that vintage STETSON hatbox!

Trunks and vintage suitcases......great storage pieces.

 

More of that very interesting display....love the seltzer bottles.

The tall slim cloches were beautiful............

...............a story accompanied the display.

Asheville, I love visiting.  Scattered between your many wonderful shops, lots of your antiques dealers have 'the eye'.  They bring lovely things from around the country and around the world to share with us.  We can look, sigh, enjoy, and sometimes buy when a special item catches our eye.  I brought home a few things besides the lavender - will share them with you soon.

Last of the lavender......

Autumn brings bunches of lavender, freshly dried once the heat of Summer is past.  At the ScreenDoor in Asheville there was a delightful booth filled with fragrant lavender offerings.

I couldn't resist buying a couple of bunches, one for a friend, and one to place here.......above my kitchen sink.

More lavender bunches, exquisite crystal chandelier.........

.......delicate lavender sachets to tuck in drawers or a pillow case.

Clean wrapped bars of sweet smelling lavender soap.

An expensive ticket to Provence not really required (but of course if you have the opportunity go, it's so beautiful there!).  A trip to many places right here in the USA offer beautiful lavender in all its many perfumed forms.

Playing shop...........

Vanessa and I are like kids in a candy shop........playing with our doodads, moving things about, hammering more nails, sweeping up the floor, and making decisions.  'Fluff the booth' day this week.  After last weekend's very busy Open House there was lots to do.........we thank the many people who came by, especially those who made a purchase. 

We moved the right to the left knowing that items seen from another view sometimes look new and fresh.  While I was out of town hobnobbing with the huge bunch of fabulous blogging friends, Vanessa was busy painting more chairs.

We brought in a few new things for the table knowing Holidays are looming closer, cooking, baking and serving loved ones will take up a lot of time.

A child's adorable wicker chair, a baby book, a print of children playing.

The Halloween pumpkins sold.  The witch has gone somewhere new to scare the trick or treaters.  The ravens are still perched with their not for sale stickers............but perhaps I'll sell them as next year we're certain to come up with something new!

All Autumn decor will be removed from dealers' booths by November 15, then it's time to add Christmas items.  We need to get our thinking caps on and decide what to display.  This shopkeeping life keeps one busy and there's not much time left to actually play in the candy shop after all!

Europe comes to Asheville

Entrance to the ScreenDoor, Asheville, North Carolina

I so loved everything in this space at the ScreenDoor, always my favorite Asheville antiquing place.  I met the lady who owns these lovely treasures and she told me there is also a shop in Black Mountain, which unfortunately we didn't have time to visit during our busy Saturday.  Would have stopped there Sunday on the way home but it wasn't open. 
 

Gorgeous linens................

........interesting vintage photos and art........

......................adorable tiny loveseat, or perhaps large bergere chair, upholstered in linen.  Wish I had a corner for this piece!

Speaking of corners, do you have any spare ones?  I'm discovering, after all these years, the cottage lacks corners!  With small rooms and nice size windows, corners are almost non-existent.  There's a fabulous painted corner cupboard for sale at SuzAnna's, very Swedish-looking which of course blends in so well with French...........sorry, must run and leave you now to look for a corner, somewhere!!!

Antiquing in Asheville

Another exciting part of the bloggers brunch get together last weekend, was the shopping spree.......of course!  After Penny's delicious meal, all fourteen of us piled into vehicles and headed to Asheville's finest treasure troves.

My favorite is the ScreenDoor where unsual things are always awaiting, also The Tobacco Barn and Oddfellows, both of which were crammed full of antiques, vintage, and stuff from every era and every place around the globe most likely!

The current interest in collecting and displaying religious artifacts such as these shown here was prevalent in several locations.

I also loved these crowns................

..........and in this shot the pair of rusty chandeliers were fabulous also.



Isn't she delightful?  Loved this santo and her beautiful accessories.  The tilt of her head and composure somehow made me feel relaxed and that all was right with the day.............and how could it not have been when so many friends were so lucky to get together and have such a wonderful time.

More images of treasures in the North Carolina mountains coming up soon.

Penny's Place.......

Having a wonderful blog friend is always exciting......meeting her again in person a second time, sharing time in her home and studio, then lunching with her and many other blogging girls, is even more fun!

Penny of The Comforts of Home and Lavender Hill Studio may have more beautiful china than the rest of us put together!  Here's just sampling of her shelving units groaning under the weight of dishware and silver awaiting their new lives after she turns them into..............

................lovely pieces such as this!

Then there are Penny's culinary skills..............she makes the best darned quiche I've EVER had!  These were baked early Saturday morning before we all arrived.  When the 'fabulous 14' sat down to eat they were still warm from the oven and perfect.  I tasted two - the Mediterranean, delicious, and the Mushroom and Fontina Cheese, scrumptious!

Jeanne of Backyard Neighbor and Penny our hostess.

More stories from the best blogging get together ever coming up later this week.....including fabulous antiques and vintage items from the shopping trip.