REVIVAL ~ Antiques and more in Raleigh. . . . . . . .

I paid a long overdue visit to one of my favorite shops on a recent
 Sunday afternoon.

Before we headed to the Ansel Adams exhibition at the art museum, 

my granddaughter and I enjoyed an hour here at REVIVAL'S

 Spring Open House.

REVIVAL is always full of amazing painted furniture, antique and
 vintage. Their team of craftsmen turn the scratched and battered,
 faded and worn into pieces so beautiful you want to take them all home.  

Then there are the accessories, lovely items, again some antique, others
 vintage, many new, and all certain to look attractive in any home.

Below are some of the special things which caught my eye.

Their black painted pieces are outstanding - they do many other colors also.

One of Revival's three cute shop cats.

Some cool music played in the back room - Ed Moon 

Jazz Trio - and there were great refreshments being served.

Jasmin and I both fell for these black and white botanical prints.
We like how they are framed between glass with distressed black painted frames.

We purchased the pair - the one below is here at the cottage in my
 living room - and Jasmin took the other one home with her.  

Some day in the future I'm sure the two will hang somewhere as a pair 

once again!

All photos above taken with my iPhone7

That was certainly a busy but very enjoyable Sunday afternoon. 
After the art museum we also stopped by the arboretum to see what
 was starting to bloom, then headed  to a Mediterranean restaurant
 for an early supper.

Vintage Village in Raleigh. . . . . . . .

I've been away from the Vintage Village and SuzAnna's Antiques far too long. 

Last Saturday I did stop by as granddaughter was 'keeping shop' for another, 

'village' store owner. Jasmin still works at SuzAnna's Antiques but is also

 available to help out at other shops.

Needless to say I made a purchase from St. Clair's!

The blue and cream linen pillow - you know I have a hard time resisting

 anything with a birdie - came home with me.

Granddaughter Jasmin 'minding the store' - a really delightful little

 antiques/vintage shop named St. Clair's Décor in the village

 next door to SuzAnna's Antiques.

Upstairs there is a tiny space filled with some lovely small painted pieces. 

Have a wonderful weekend. Hope your weather is fine.

Anyone heading out to shop - antiques, vintage or new?

Asheville - Flowers and Antiques ~

When visiting Asheville, North Carolina, about 4 hours from Raleigh,
 our favorite hotel is right in town. We can leave the car in the parking lot and 
walk to many interesting places, only having to drive if visiting Biltmore Estate
 and Village, or up a hillside to the fabulous historic Grove Park Inn, where we
 can enjoy a drink on the terrace with breathtaking views across the city toward the
 Blue Ridge Mountains.

This week we looked down from our window and directly below us found 

the historic Thomas Wolfe House, home of the American novelist. I told you more

 about this home in my post in the Fall of 2014 HERE.

Along the hotel's parking lot was a really wonderful mixed border of Summer

 blooming flowers. The coneflowers, grasses, and especially the tall pink

 Joe-pye weed caught my eye. . . . . .so of course you get photos here!

Attractive to butterflies, Joe-pye weed is a great addition to a wildflower

 or natural garden. Perhaps I will be able to tuck a few plants into my own

 wildlife habitat (yes, it's overgrown and in need of a serious makeover,

 but birds, butterflies, foxes and more love it!), in the coming season. 

This is a beautiful perennial with clouds of dusky pinkish-purple blooms,

the common one growing 5-7 feet which may require staking. There are however 

shorter, named varieties which I'll be looking for. They apparently prefer moist,

 well-drained soil in sun or with a bit of shade. These at the hotel were in full sun,

and seemed to be very healthy in the 95+ temperatures we had in Asheville.

It should be cut back to the base in Winter when it gets untidy.

Anyone ever grown this eye-catching plant with the odd name?

Never leave Asheville without a visit to my favorite antiques, vintage, book shop,

 home and garden venue, the ScreenDoor. 

Didn't make a purchase this time but took a few photos of items which caught my eye.

Didn't realize that dried magnolia sprigs could look so attractive with their

 two-colored leaves. My backyard neighbor's tree drops leaves on to my

 garden - perhaps I can sneak a few sprigs before they fall - they ARE hanging

 over the fence into my space!

Such unusual and charming handmade bird houses - I really wish I had

 brought one of these home with me. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . .and I loved these illustrations with just one word. Kicking myself that

 I didn't buy one - but couldn't decide between RETURN or RESPOND.

 With such hot weather I think RETURN had the most cooling effect, but I love

RESPOND with the laundry drying in the fresh air too!