Stars, Stripes & Shadows

We caught an interesting shadow pattern on one of our flags in our summer display at the store yesterday. Wishing all of you a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend in the States.

We also want to take time to thank all soldiers everywhere, who have given up their freedom for ours ~ Thank you !

It's Shadow Shot Sunday - for more shadows from around the world - visit our favorite place for shadow gatherers at

Hey Harriet!

Something to Tweet About

Feeling a little bit like summer?

Time to get a new tote...

& have we've got some great ones!

Purple, Blue & Natural colored bird totes

that will draw ooooohhhs and ahhhhhs

from those around you!

Wednesday Words

Happy Wednesday Words to ya!

Just look at that face - tongue sticking out and all...

That, we're proud to say is our dad - nice ride dad!

Wednesday Words are brought to you by our Wall Enhancers and our Alphabet Images.

Got a great quote? Put it above your pictures, your bed, your fireplace...any place you like!

We firmly believe in this quote...if it wasn't for humor some days, how would we ever make it through?!

Make it a happy day today!

The Big Reveal!

It's time!! The Big Bathroom Reveal is here!

Here is a before picture going into Karla's old bathroom (be impressed that we remembered those "before" pictures!!)

Here is the "After" shot! What a difference!

In the window (which is still getting stripped & stained yet!) We put a cute little dog salt shaker that we found at the flea market last year - quirky yes...but it's expected from us! We also filled the vintage green drip planter with a Gerber daisy.

(does any flower make you happier than a Gerber daisy?)

Woof!

We also put a big ironstone platter in the window for privacy. We didn't want curtains, so we put stuff in the window instead.

In this picture, you can see the old tile (which was popping off) and the old wood paneling.
New hexagon flooring, bead board paneling & "ahhhhhhh" woodwork that Awesome Bob put around....now THIS is starting to look like a bathroom!
While we were out shopping with mom one day, we found this rug - from Company C. We loved the colors and brought it home so that we could pull other colors from it to be our "inspiration piece" for the bathroom accessories.
From the Gerber daisies, to the pictures, and the desk you'll see below - everything matched our rug - got to love that!!
The pictures were hanging in Karla's upstairs bathroom - but they look perfect in this little bath! The mirror was in her stairway, for lack of places to put it...now it has a home!
The silver tray we got at an antique store & it was in the old bathroom. The blue carnival glass was a find at the flea market a couple of weeks ago. The doily was something we had stashed away - we couldn't part with it at the store!

Before....there was a little cubby in the wall of the bathroom. It was wallpapered, and really had no purpose. So when Awesome Bob came to fix the bathroom....we asked if he could do some wall trashing.
Sure enough, we could create a little spot that could hold a dresser or table of some kind. Awesome Bob told us what size this little find could be...and wouldn't you know that day we were going junkin' with our friend Ruth?

And wouldn't it be our luck, the first place we went had this darling wicker stand - in a most awesome color & chippiness?? Lucky girls!

Once the drywall went up, we had our super cool friend & faux finisher Jill come over to put some pattern on that wall (with all of that bead board going up - we needed something fun!)

Something very fun! She is so wonderful - just enough color & pattern !

We put a tin tray up on the wall that we picked up at a Tag sale. The runner is something else that we had as well. The basket down below is temporarily holding toilet paper, until we can find something bigger for under the table.

The mirror we were keeping from the old bathroom - found it at an antique store & love it!
The lights - gone - as well as the sink. We needed something that felt more open....found a pedestal sink that was perfect!

We had to find a narrow light base - and found the perfect one...however it was $236 per fixture and x 3....ahh...not in the budget! So, we found the base for the lights on Shades of Light, but, we didn't really care for any of the shades for it. So, we went on Rejuvenation and found these - giving the lights a turn of the century look that fits the home.

The brown plate was in the bathroom before, the M was in Karla's bedroom before she wallpapered. We hadn't hung it back up yet, so it found a home in the bathroom.

Woof! Wash your hands!

This cute little puppy figurine was part of a collection that Karla's daughter had - perfect beside our fabulous Caldrea hand soap.

Karla says that this little doggy reminds her of our good friend Carol - it looks like something she would put beside her soap in her bath!!

The bathroom door was off of the bathroom for quite a while. We had dad stripping it for us. We were unsure if we would want it stripped or not - but we are so glad that we did - what a difference it made! Of course we had to decorate behind the door. The little ladder that could, didn't fit beside the sink like it did before, so it went behind the door to hand the towels...

Above the little ladder that could is the picture of Calamity - the family dog. Our dear friend Donna from Mourning Dove Cottage painted it and we love it...as well as everyone that enters that bathroom! Above Calamity's picture is a plate that we found at the flea market, and below is a plate that we found at a Tag sale.

We collect linens wherever we go. Karla was going through a pile of linens that needed starched and came across this small one - and this dog one below. Colors were perfect, as well as the size...so - on the ladder they went!

Want to see more transformations - from every day items to big projects? Join Susan at her lovely blog, Between Naps on the Porch, as we join her in her Metamorphosis Monday !!

Giddy for Gingham

It's HOT
Gingham is all the rage

Have you seen the fashion magazines?
Look here at Elle magazine
for perfectly pretty
Gingham dresses!

Well, we may not carry Gingham dresses,
but we do have some great Gingham aprons that will get you giddy in the kitchen!


So....tell us - would you do Gingham?

Got Junk in Our Trunk

A nice sized table

Three plant stands

Two candelabras

A cute bed tray

A couple of neat stools

Plant stands
Silver!
Little accent tables
Tall accent tables
Shelves galore
but wait...there's more!

Lots of fun yesterday - got home around 4pm & priced everything until 5:30pm
whew! what a day!
(we'd do it all over again in a heartbeat!!)

Wednesday Words

Today we are off to get junk....

the very best kind of course!

We love this quote by Thomas Edison, however, we'd say

"For the store, we need a little imagination

and a good pile of junk!"

Wish us luck!

We'll be back with pictures of all of the fun stuff we found!

In the meantime, check out our Wall Enhancers and our Alphabet Images.

Let's Sail Through Monday

Ahoy Mates!
This weekend we started to get out our summer line of cool insulated lunch totes.

More hobnail lanterns

and these.....


Vintage nautical glasses - aren't they darling? Use them as glasses, or put a votive in them to sit on your table.

When we find pieces like this in the winter....it kills us to box them away until the right season!

But, we're glad we did!


Summer's coming...
are you ready?

Here Comes the Sun [& Shadows]

Loving the sunshine we have today!

As I walked through the front door I saw the sun hitting these vintage Belgian plates that were from my husband's grandmother.


I love the subtle shadows they made on the wall. There are the shadows to the left, but there are even softer shadows being cast to the top right of each plate.

For more sunny shadows, visit Hey Harriet!

Got Dill?

Last night our class was about the 2010 Herb of the Year....Dill!

Catherine prepared fresh dill bread with

dilled butter for everyone to snack on.



The pictures tonight are just gorgeous...there is nothing like fresh veggies & herbs to take pictures of!

Got to love garlic & onion!


Tonight we were told how to make delicious Dill Pesto and a homemade dill pickling mix.


Catherine showed us a Quick Pickle recipe that

"screams summer!"

Quick Pickles:

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumbers, sliced
2-4 sprigs rosemary
2-3 sprigs dill
2-4 sage leaves
2-4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
1 cup cold water

Tightly pack sliced veggies and herbs into a 16oz. glass jar, layering them, until 3/4 full. Combine vinegar and salt in a pan. Bring to a simmer and gently stir til salt dissolves.
Add cold water to this mixture and let cool. Pour liquid in jar to cover veggies. Add more cold water if needed. Leave room at the top. Refrigerate for about one hour, until chilled. Serve.

Feel free to substitute any veggies you have on hand for this beautiful salad!

Give as a gift for a friend - serve right away for freshness!

So, tell us - doesn't this say "summer's here?!!"

Vintage Vroooom!

Look what pulled into the driveway yesterday

A 1960 Cadillac

Is it Summer Kitchen Girl worthy?

We think so....

Especially when she's pulling a vintage trailer behind it.

One perk of working across from our Dad & brother is their business.

There are frequent, fun vintage visitors...

it makes a [Summer Kitchen] Girl feel at home!