The T-Cozy

A Picnic, Presents, and a Parade

What a wonderful weekend! To celebrate Hannah's graduation and my birthday, we had a picnic brunch at the beach yesterday with family and friends. It was a beautiful day and John made pancakes on the grill. They were delish!

We asked everyone to refrain from bringing gifts, but that didn't stop them from bringing flowers. Look at all of these glorious bouquets!

John and the kids gave me some spectacular presents: a book that is just my style called Found, Free & Flea, the new John Mayer CD, and best of all, an iPad. Yay!

Or course the weekend wouldn't be complete without attending Rowayton's little Memorial Day parade. Here are my favorite views from the event: a 1958 turquoise and white Nash sedan convertible, a trio of Boy Scouts manning a vintage wooden go-cart, and the marching band from Hannah and Jacob's former high school.

What fun! But now it's time to get back to work. This afternoon, I'm photographing my new Elephant's Trunk Flea Market finds to prepare them for their Etsy debut. I promise to share them with you later this week.

Susan

Anticipation

I'm sorry to report that the estate sales I went to on Friday were disappointing. Even so, they primed the pump and got me in the mood to shop. So I prodded John out of bed at the crack of dawn on Sunday to accompany me to the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market. We arrived at 7 a.m., just as the gates were opening. 

With glorious weather, the line to get in was long and the dealers were plentiful. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air and my hopes were high for finding a few vintage goodies to add to my Etsy shop.

Is there nothing better than trolling the aisles of an outdoor flea market on a beautiful sunny morning? And best of all, I discovered some awesome items that I'm really excited about. I can't wait to share them with you, but with a crazy week ahead, it will have to wait until next week. Thanks for your patience...  :)

Susan

Azalea Colors, Crafty Projects, and A Garden Niche

While out on my morning walk, I couldn't help but notice the Azaleas in full bloom. 

I love their mix of vibrant colors, so much so that I believe I was influenced by them when I gathered together the materials, below.

These are just some of the things I'll be using to transform the vintage vegetable bin I shared with you a few posts back. It is getting a makeover this week. I will be repainting it, lining the inside with pretty patterns, creating magnets, and more. Just call me Crafty Sue! Then when it's all done, it will be making an appearance in Studios magazine.

Back outside, in the same garden as the Azalea bushes, you'll find this primitive garden niche. I have always been intrigued by it. 

Lined with little bits of turquoise tiles, this domed concrete structure is situated at the very edge of the garden, right along the street. 

Nestled inside is a porcelain figurine of a girl. Over the years, the elements have wreaked havoc on her, and she's missing part of her skirt. I can sympathize. Although my clothing is intact, I sometimes think the elements have gotten to me, too...  ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Susan

Firefly Lodge

Feast your eyes on an adorable cottage that I pass every day on my morning walk. For a number of years, this little house has looked neglected. But suddenly over the past few weeks, it has been transformed into a charming oasis, complete with its own name, "Firefly Lodge."

I was so happy to see this home come to life and wondered what inspired its owners to spruce it up. Then last week, a "For Sale" sign appeared out front — the reason for the makeover.

Now that we are empty-nesters, John and I have been toying with downsizing. Always on the hunt for the cottage of my dreams, I decided to look at this appealing home's listing. Situated on a tidal inlet called Farm Creek, this house has water views and is located in the very desirable Rowayton neighborhood of Bell Island. Although it has 2,000 square feet, there are only two bedrooms which is not ideal. And then there's the price — a whopping $1,600,000! Wowza.

Aren't real estate prices insane in my area? Needless to say, this won't be the cottage of my dreams. 

Susan

Massachusetts Mementos

This week, I've been working on listing the vintage items below, my latest discoveries from our weekend away in Massachusetts. I'm making progress. A few of them have made their Etsy shop debut; the rest will be making an appearance soon.

I'm quite pleased with these finds. Aren't they fun? And there is yet another relic that I'll share with you, as soon as I figure out the best way to photograph it. So stay tuned!

Susan

A Spring Weekend on Cape Cod

We had the pleasure of spending the weekend in Eastham, one of the many lovely towns on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Ours friends, Steve and Sue Ellen, invited us up to their beautiful home and showed us all the beauty Cape Cod has to offer.

From its beaches and glorious ocean views . . .

. . .  to its architecture, like this ornate house that sits atop Fort Hill. It was built in 1868 for whaling captain Edward Penniman.

On the other end of the architecture spectrum are these tiny beach shacks along the sea in Truro.

Don't they look just like a row of Monopoly houses?

A trip to the Cape wouldn't be complete without traveling to the outermost tip, Provincetown. While there, we had a delicious lunch at the Lobster Pot restaurant.

We also browsed Ptown's many shops. One of them sells these dazzling mosaic lanterns and hand painted boots from Turkey.

We also witnessed a picture perfect sunset at First Encounter Beach. This is the actual site of the very first encounter between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans.

Our weekend away was perfect— the weather was mild, Sue Ellen and Steve were gracious hosts, and I even found some wonderful vintage treasures that I'll share with you in my next post. 

Susan

A Few More Minutes with Andy Rooney

Being a fan of the news program 60 Minutes, I was saddened to hear of the death of Mike Wallace last week. And just a few months ago, another 60 Minutes icon passed away — Andy Rooney. Mr. Rooney happened to be a resident of my town. He resided here with his wife and four children since 1951 and called Rowayton "a great, unpretentious hometown." When I moved here in the mid-80s, I lived just down the street from Andy and every now and then, I'd see him walking home from the nearby train station. Even though he kept to himself, he was Rowayton's one and only celebrity and will surely be missed.

A few weeks ago, the Rooney house was open to the public for an estate sale. After reading the ad in a local paper, I knew I wanted to go. It stated:

Wonderful old Victorian home in Rowayton has been home to the Rooney family for 60 years — chock full of Americana, modern art and memorabilia from Andy Rooney’s incredible career in journalism and television. Period antiques and an amazing collection of American early 20th century prints and oils create a sale full of surprises and an opportunity to shop for a piece of history. 

Special offering: Andy’s antique Underwood typewriter, his vintage desk chair, pieces of furniture he made, many autographed books, vintage press & WWII memorabilia.

Although the home was lovely, I was most intrigued with the basement where Mr. Rooney had set up a home office with an unusual U-shaped walnut desk. And in the adjoining room, there was an impressive woodworking workshop with serious tools and large, unused pieces of cherry wood, pine and mahogany.

I could picture Andy sitting at this desk and clicking away on his classic Underwood typewriter, hunting and pecking at the keys. Once I remember him sharing on 60 Minutes that he only used two fingers to type — something we both have in common. By the way, silent bids were taken on this gem of a typewriter. At the end of the estate sale, it sold for a whopping $3,000! 

Just yesterday, the Rooney house went on the market. The 2,474-square-foot, four-bedroom home was built in 1882 and is situated atop a hill, within walking distance of the village and train station. Priced at $749,500, it seems like a bargain to me.

I started watching 60 Minutes in earnest while at college. After spending the day studying, my friends and I would emerge from the library and gather around a television in a local eatery to watch the show. Three decades later, I'm still watching most Sundays.

I always looked forward to the few last minutes of 60 Minutes with Mr. Rooney, even though I didn't always agree with his often curmudgeon-y views. However, I truly admired his wit and wisdom — especially this quote: "I didn't get old on purpose, it just happened. If you're lucky, it could happen to you."

Susan

Greetings from Charm City

This weekend, John and I are down in Maryland celebrating Hannah's birthday. We picked up Jacob in Delaware on our way and the four of us have had a fun time exploring Baltimore once again. I'm going to miss this city. It's hard to believe that Hannah will be graduating from Johns Hopkins next month. Seems like just yesterday that I was blogging about her going off to college.

It looks like another beautiful spring morning. We are heading to breakfast now and then back to Connecticut.

Whether you are celebrating Easter today or are in the midst of Passover, have a wonderful holiday!

Susan

A Day of Blissful Inspiration

I am still basking in the glow of the Etsy Success Symposium last Friday. What a fabulous event!

Just across the East River from Manhattan, Etsy is located in a section of Brooklyn called Dumbo, which stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass." Their headquarters are in an industrial building with a loft-like vibe. 

I was thrilled to be one of the 100 Esty sellers invited to attend the Symposium. I met people from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Toronto, Massachusetts, Missouri, Australia, and even someone from Cleveland who went to my high school! Most of the attendees were crafty types who create handmade goods. Only four other people who sell vintage items like myself were there. 

The Symposium's "Get Found" theme covered topics such as catching the eye of a curator, blogger, magazine editor or potential buyer; how to write better listings with a nod to an item's back story; the ins and outs of Pinterest; and so much more. I was treated to a one-on-one critique of my Esty shop and also had the pleasure of chatting with a literary agent to discuss a book I've been working on. She was very encouraging and asked me to send her my book proposal. Yay!

The Symposium was truly awesome — so chock full of inspiration! Now I know just what to do to take my Etsy shop to the next level. 

What impressed me most about the day was the dedication and creativity of Etsy's employees. They are forever tweaking and improving Esty to ensure it will always meet the needs of its sellers. I must say, I am proud to be one of them.

Susan

Etsy Success Symposium

I'm so excited! Today I'll be attending the Etsy Success Symposium in Brooklyn! I can't wait to see Etsy's headquarters, meet other Etsy sellers, and partake in the inspiring workshops being offered.

The theme of this year's Symposium is "Get Found" and it offers these six workshops —

Get Featured: Learn How to Grab the Eye of a Curator
Get Noticed: How to Romance Blog and Magazine Editors
Get Storied: Behind Every Product is a Story
Get Pinned: Build your Community and Brand with Pinterest
Get Out There: Using Craft Shows to Support Your Small Business
Get Found: Conquering Searches on Etsy and the Web.

For those Etsy sellers who can't make it to NYC, all workshops at the Symposium will stream live in Etsy's Online Labs for free, so anyone can participate, anywhere!

I'll share my thoughts, feedback and Symposium tidbits with you next week. Now I'm off to Brooklyn . . .

Susan

A Place Where Time Has Stood Still

Where, oh where have all the variety stores gone? I suppose they have been replaced by Dollar Stores, those junk-filled shops that can't compare to Woolworth's or Scott's, the local Cleveland 5-and-10 up the street from the house in which I grew up. These establishments were general stores that stocked a little bit of everything — kitchenware, records, notions, sewing patterns, hardware, toiletries, school supplies, toys, and small pets like hamsters and fish. Allowance in hand, my friends and I would spend a good part of a Saturday morning browsing around. Often times, I would look through the McCalls or Simplicity pattern books to select a new dress that my mom would sew for me. I particularly loved the photo booth that my pals and I would all pile inside, pose, and then eagerly await the strip of four black and white pictures that would eventually emerge from a slot in the front. Then we would head to the luncheonette counter, sit on the tall stools, and down grilled cheese sandwiches before continuing to peruse the vast array of affordable wares. 

A couple of months ago, while poking around the historic New York village of Rhinebeck with John, I was thrilled to come across A.L. Stickle, a truly vintage variety store. They call themselves "a place where time has stood still," and it most certainly has. In 1946, Alfred Lee Stickle came home from serving his country in WWII and purchased the Ben Franklin Store in Rhinebeck that he renamed "A.L. Stickle." A few years later, he bought a property on East Market Street and built a new building to house his business. 

Over 50 years later in 1998, Mr. Stickle offered the business to his grandson Matt who, to this day, still operates the store the way his grandfather did. Everything is priced by hand, orders are written in simple spiral notebooks, and you always can count on a friendly hello when you walk in the door. 

The store, with its original fixtures and checkerboard tile floor, is chock full of new and old stock. You'll also find vintage toys and other relics displayed on a shelf just above arm's reach around the store. And in the back is the "Knitting Garage," a spot for crafty types to congregate.

How wonderful that A.L. Stickle is still around after all these years. It was a brilliant move when Mr. Stickle bought land and built his own building, because a shop like his could have never survived this long if it had to pay rent. I attribute the demise of this country's "mom and pop" stores (and my tea room, as well) to greedy landlords who care more about charging high rents than allowing small businesses to thrive. (I'll stop now and not rant on about this topic, as it makes my blood boil.)

So if you ever find yourself in lovely Rhinebeck, New York, make sure to stop by A.L. Stickle at 13 East Market Street.

Susan

Morning Sky

On Monday, I shared a few lovely sunrises from my morning walk. But the very next day after writing that post, I witnessed one that topped them all. Mother Nature reached into her bag of tricks and came up with this . . . 

Breathtaking! The sky was covered with rows of rippled clouds creating a most spectacular effect. Isn't it amazing?

It's 6:30 a.m. and I'm heading out the door to walk once again. We'll see what the morning sky has in store for me today.

Susan

Sunrise Serenade

I wake up way too early. Maybe it's because I'm hungry, maybe menopause is kicking in, or maybe I just have too much on my mind. I actually don't mind rising at the crack of dawn. I head downstairs, cook up some steel cut oats, and then I'm out the door for my morning walk. But I have no complaints, especially with views like these along my way.

If I were to sleep in, just look what I'd be missing! I am so glad I'm a morning person. 

Susan

Sunrise on a New Year

For most of us today, it is back to work, back to school, back to some semblance of routine after the holidays. I started out my day as I always do — with a very brisk early morning walk. Here in Connecticut, the temperature is very brisk, as well. But despite the frigid cold, I bundled up, headed out, and was rewarded with a glorious sunrise.

I took this photo mid-stride with my iPhone. Although it is probably best not to shoot a picture while moving, I was too cold to stop or to take off my heavy gloves. The result is a shot that is soft and completely out of focus. To me, this happy accident resembles an Impressionist painting. Click on the photo to view it larger. Isn't is beautiful?

Time to get to work on the mound of paperwork on my desk. I'll spend the day catching up in my studio, where it's warm and cozy, with a hot cup of tea by my side.

Wishing you a wonderfully warm, productive and enjoyable day!

Susan

A Little Bit of Paris in Philadelphia

A you know, in late October, I tagged along on John's business trip to Philly. One morning, while he walked the isles of a trade show, I walked the streets around Rittenhouse Square, a most lovely and fashionable neighborhood with a pretty park at its center. 

As lunchtime rolled around, I found myself in front of  Parc, an oh-so-French brasserie. 

This bistro pays tribute to French café culture. Along the sidewalk are dainty round tables with rattan chairs that are lined up along the windows, making them prime spots for people watching. But since the weather was a bit chilly, I chose to eat inside. 

As I entered, I felt like I hopped across the Atlantic and stepped back in time. This place has the look and feel of a 1930s Paris café. What a treat! 

After a delicious meal, I chatted with one of the restaurant's managers, telling him how impressed I was with both the food and the decor. My mouth dropped open when he told me that Parc has only been around for three years!

Usually I'm not one to embrace the "vintage-inspired" trend of new things made to look old. However, this place won me over. From floor to ceiling, it feels absolutely authentic. 

Parc uses an inspiring mix of antique and new elements. Old light fixtures hang from a ceiling covered with a hand-stenciled design. Even the big, round air conditioning vents are retro.

The newly tiled floor has a delicate mosaic pattern that looks like it has been around forever.

French lace frames many of the windows. Below, the coat check window is also adorned with lace. I was told that it was once a ticket booth from a French circus.

Parc's baguettes and breads are made in-house and you'll find them casually stacked on sideboards.

Background music, provided by a classic Wurlitzer jukebox, comes out of vintage wooden speakers on the walls. The walls are also adorned in gorgeous tiles.

Even the exit sign has a French feel.

As I walked out and headed down the street to meet John, I noticed one last thing.

The ten-digit telephone number on the awning is split up to look like a Paris number. That kind of attention to detail is impressive!

Susan

A Weekend Away in Rhinebeck, New York

Last weekend, with the kids not yet home for winter break, John and I headed to a truly wonderful place for a little R&R — the Olde Rhinebeck Inn. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this structure was built around 1745. From the beautifully furnished rooms to the sumptuous gourmet breakfast, this Early American bed and breakfast is first rate. Innkeeper Jonna Paolella has done a spectacular job creating a relaxing and most inspiring place.

We stayed in the Plow and Harrow room, a spacious upstairs suite with a separate sitting room, a queen size pencil post bed, gas fireplace, large windows, bathroom with converted primitive dry sink, a two-person shower and antique claw-footed tub. Perfection!

Doesn't my laptop, above, look out of place in this rustic setting?

Click here for more views of the Olde Rhinebeck Inn.

John and I had fun exploring Rhinebeck and its surrounding Hudson River Valley towns. So many charming restaurants and shops! I even found a few vintage treasures for my Etsy shop.

Before we had children, one of our favorite pastimes was traveling to cozy country inns along the East Coast. Now that we are empty-nesters, it's nice to have the time to do it again. 

Susan

Stepping Into the 1940s

In October, John and I attended parent's weekend at Jacob's college, located in a quintessential college town. While there, we came across this little gem…

It's not often that you find a shop that looks just as it did when it opened 65 years ago. But Bing's Bakery does.

From the slanted front windows to the aqua color scheme and original cases filled with luscious baked goods, entering this store is like stepping into the 1940s. 

Bing's has somehow resisted the urge to renovate and update. Thank goodness! I think it's perfect just as it is.

When I was little, I used to accompany my mom to a neighborhood bakery. It was located right next to the butcher and we would stop in both shops every week for sweets and meats. At the bakery, I could always rely on being given a free melt-in-your-mouth butter cookie with chocolate sprinkles on top. So scrumptious.

Bing's Bakery reminded me of that hometown shop which sadly closed several decades ago. 

How wonderful that Bing's has survived all these years. Are you hungry yet?

Susan

Retail Inspiration on Rittenhouse Square

Every so often, I come across a retail store that is ultra-inspiring. And the Anthropologie store I visited while in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago is just that.

I'm usually a "mom & pop" shop advocate. However, I can't help but admire how this chain of stores adapts so beautifully to different, unique locations. Anthropologie is know to seek out unusual buildings, and none is more lovely than their flagship store on Rittenhouse Square, a lively upscale neighborhood right in the heart of Philly.

This ornate building, a Beaux Arts mansion, was once the Drexel family home. How often do you see carved ceilings and a stunning stained glass rotunda inside a retail store!

With three large floors, this Anthro location is chock full of inspiration. Check out the awesome room, below.

This room's majestic ceiling, at least twenty feet high, is covered in painted "ancestor" portraits. How cool is that?

What I love most is how Anthro's visual specialists incorporate salvaged materials and vintage objects into their displays, like the old skyway cable car, above.

Here is some more retail inspiration . . .

Even though this is a retail shop, I didn't feel compelled to purchase anything. Filled with so many creative ideas for the home, just walking around and soaking in the inspiring displays was enough for me. 

If you ever find yourself in Philadelphia, make sure to stop by Rittenhouse Square's Anthropologie, located at 1801 Walnut Street.

Susan

Just Add Pumpkins

I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the color orange. But at this time of year, there is no avoiding it. It's not easy to decorate with orange. However, I came across some autumn inspiration at Bella Cucina, a beautiful food shop I found while in Atlanta last week. 

Bella Cucina is clean and elegant, in a rustic sort of way. 

The proprietors use lots of pumpkins all around their store, but in an understated fashion that doesn't overpower their wares. 

Most everything at Bella Cucina is neutral in color, so the pops of orange are lively and fun.

Doesn't this old farm table look great with a simple row of pumpkins down the center? Perfect!

Not only does Bella Cucina sell artful food, they definitely have an eye for display, as well.

Yes, you'll find orange pumpkins everywhere these days — except on our front stoop. You see, for the past three days, John and I have been in Philadelphia (once again, business for John, tagging along and pure fun for me). So with two trips recently, we haven't even had a chance to buy a pumpkin, let alone carve one.

We'll be driving home later today, hopefully arriving in time to hand out candy to the throngs of trick-or-treaters that come through our neighborhood. Until then, I'm off to explore Philly!

Susan

Just Peachy

One of the benefits of empty nesting is that now I can be more spontaneous. So you may be surprised to learn that I'm writing this post from The Big Peach. John has a trade show in Atlanta and I decided to tag along. I've never been here before and I'm having a wonderful time so far. 

We headed to the High Museum of Art yesterday to view an exhibit called "Picasso to Warhol, Fourteen Modern Masters." 

Here is a peek at a few of the more than 100 works, all of which are on loan from The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Next we strolled through the beautiful Atlanta Botanical Garden where we spotted amazing orchids, tropical plants, roses, and more.

Today, I went on a fun tour of Atlanta in an electric car. Tomorrow I'll be touring CNN and Coca-Cola. What a great city! 

Time for us to head out to dinner. I'll share more of my peachy trip to Atlanta with you soon.

Susan

Fondant and Friends: Making a Birthday Cake for Jeff

Our good friend Jeff turned fifty a couple of days ago. His wife Keri threw him a fabulous party, complete with this homemade fondant covered creation . . .

This is the third cake that I've decorated with my friend Sherri. Remember John's fish cake from his 50th? Or how about Hannah's flower cake a couple of years ago? This time we teamed up with Keri, too, and had lots of fun making a cake that celebrated one of Jeff's hobbies — gardening.

Keri baked four cakes so that we could layer them into a tower. Sherri whipped up butter-cream icing to go between each layer while Keri and I worked on the faux vegetables.

We formed the veggies out of Rice Krispy treats. Then we covered them in fondant.

Sherri rolled out fondant to cover the sides of the cake tower and applied more frosting to fill in any gaps. She cut the fondant into strips and placed them around the sides to resemble a bushel basket. Then she scooped out a bit of chocolate cake from the top to make room for the vegetables. 

Here is what Keri and I made — an ear of corn, cukes, an eggplant, tomatoes, a carrot and pea pods.

And here is Sherri's bushel basket masterpiece . . .

We placed the veggies in and around the basket. The finishing touch was a sign just like the one Jeff has in his real garden.

The cake took about four hours to complete and we were all very pleased with how it turned out. Jeff loved it. And it was a hit at the party, too!

Susan

Butterflies and Apples

I passed this beautiful Monarch butterfly on my walk this morning.

This lovely specimen is probably heading south to Mexico for the winter. With over 2,000 miles to go, it was taking a rest on some Nantucket Daisies, one of the last blooming flowers of the season. 

On a different note . . . Because of my background in graphic design, I jumped on the Mac bandwagon very early and have been an Apple computer user and fan for over 23 years. I am so sad to hear about the death of Steve Jobs. The world will be a little less brilliant without him. My heart goes out to his wife and children. 

Susan

Brimfield Bonanza: Part Three

Here's one last look at what came home with me from Brimfield . . .

 . . . the sweetest vintage toy laundry set

 . . . a pretty tray with butterflies and flowers

 . . . a stash of birthday candle holders just like the ones we used when I was a kid

 . . . a pair of handmade floral pot holders

 . . . another pretty tray with a flowering tree and bluebirds

 . . . and two whimsical wooden ducklings.

Now that I finally have everything photographed, I'll be spending the rest of the week listing my Brimfield finds on Etsy. Lots to do!

Susan

Brimfield Bonanza: Part Two

This next installment of Brimfield discoveries is of the textile variety. As you may know, I adore old fabric. And with so many creative sewists out there, I like to offer interesting vintage textiles in my Etsy shop. I always try to imagine what these remnants may become — throw pillows, slipcovers, tote bags, eyeglass cases, tea cozies, make-up bags, aprons, dresses and more. 

So wacky, these patterned drapery panels are from the 1950s. Great as curtains, I can also picture them as throw pillows sitting on a distressed brown leather sofa.

Perfect for a colorful kitchen, these curtain panels have a Mexican motif. They'd make fun napkins and would look especially good alongside vintage Fiesta ware.

I love the faded look of this floral pillowslip. In the right hands, it could be transformed into a charming throw pillow.

I think this flowery fabric would make a lovely tote or handbag.

These remnants have the same orderly leaf pattern in three different colorways. They are perfect for small projects like eyeglass cases or make-up bags.

These drapes are in a vintage Waverly fabric called "Danish Abstract." They are super cool and could be made into a whole host of things, to numerous to mention.

Aren't these fabrics fabulous? I wonder who will discover them. A while back, I sold several yards of lovely floral cotton to Louise Hedley for her shop called sohomode. She makes the prettiest retro-inspired bridesmaid's dresses. So you just never know what these textile beauties may someday become!

Susan

Brimfield Bonanza: Part One

Here is a peek at what came home with me last Sunday. Frankly, I could have gone crazy at the Brimfield Antiques Show. There was so much great stuff! But I used restraint and only purchased things that I love and were reasonably priced. I will say that Brimfield is not the place to go if you are looking for incredible bargains. Even though we were there on the last day of the last show of the season, the prices were a bit high, especially for someone like me who is looking for treasures to resell. 

I found a stash of wonderful old children's books. Filled with vintage illustrations, these two 1939 primers are super charming.

Always a favorite of mine, this book is the classic tale of the industrious red hen and the lazy cat, duck and pig from 1953.

This 1923 version of The Gingerbread Boy by Laura Rountree Smith has eleven additional children's stories inside.

Another classic, this 1954 book tells a similar tale of that mischievous cookie on the go.

Cinder is the 1934 story of Sue and Toby, a sister and brother in search of their kitten named Cinder.

The best loved nursery rhymes can be found in this 1945 book. It is filled with lovely illustrations by Louise Altson, the renowned portrait artist who passed away last year at the age of 100.

As soon as I have a chance to finish the listings, these books are destined for my Etsy shop.

I have more Brimfield treasures to share with you. I'll be spending the day photographing them, so stay tuned for part two and part three, coming soon!

Susan

Adventures in Brimfield

Yesterday morning, John and I got up at the crack of dawn and drove two hours north to the largest outdoor antiques show in New England. Taking place three times a year, the Brimfield Antiques Show has over 5,000 dealers from all over the country selling fine antiques, plain old junk, and everything in between. 

Only our second time in this tiny Massachusetts town, our first trip to Brimfield was 25 years ago, before we were married. But now that our kids are both at college, we can be a little more impulsive. We had fun spending the day walking the treasure-filled fields on the half-mile stretch of Main Street. The weather was pleasant, the dealers were friendly, and the traffic was light. All in all, it was an enjoyable spur-of-the-moment adventure.

I'll share my Brimfield finds with you in my next post. Until then...

Susan

After the Storm

As expected, Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on our low-lying neighborhood. Lots of flooding, downed trees, and many folks without power. How did we fare? Our yard is a salty, soggy mess, we have no phone service, and our crawl space is in the midst of being pumped out. However, we feel fortunate. Thankfully, we didn't get a drop of water in our house and we still have power. 

We've spent all morning cleaning up after that messy Irene. Later today, we'll be off to take Jacob to college. So bittersweet: I'll miss him dearly yet I'm very excited for him.

Our nest is looking mighty empty!

Susan

Vintage clip art courtesy of The Graphics Fairy.

Keeping an Eye on Irene

I have only one good thing to say about the upcoming hurricane scheduled to slam into the eastern seaboard tomorrow. It has given John and me an opportunity to spend a little more time with our son. The move-in and opening weekend festivities at Jacob's mid-atlantic college have been postponed until further notice.

Original artwork by Briana LaBonte.

I truly enjoy living near Long Island Sound — except when a hurricane is looming. And unfortunately, we may be in for some major flooding this time. Living here for twenty years, we've witnessed several floods, but it has been a while since we've had a really bad one. So now it's time to batten down the hatches. 

My first introduction to hurricanes occurred in September of 1985, less than three months after I moved into my first house. It was a sweet little cottage on the banks of a peaceful stream, one that Hurricane Gloria transformed into a raging river. We lost power, my sump pump couldn't work, and my basement quickly filled with water. However, this story has a silver lining. I got to meet all of my new neighbors when they graciously came over to help me bail out the basement.

The last bad flood in our current neighborhood was during a nor'easter back in December of 1992. Hannah was two years old and I was six months pregnant with Jacob. When the tide came in, it just kept on coming. Before we knew it, we were unable to leave the house and John couldn't get home until the tide turned. But luckily, our house is at the apex of the street and we stayed high and dry. We can only hope for the same once Irene comes to town tomorrow.

Susan

Why I Love Where I Live

I spent my first 22 years in the Midwest. I grew up in Cleveland and went to college in St. Louis. However, after I graduated, I heard the New York City sirens calling me eastward. Eventually, I found my way to the coast of Connecticut, and for the past 30 years, I've enjoyed the best of both worlds. 

This lovely beach on the shores of Long Island Sound is a short walk from our house. Or for a change of pace, I hop on a commuter train and arrive at Grand Central Terminal in under an hour.

If I want fresh fish, I bike down the road for the daily catch.

If I desire hustle and bustle, I roam the midtown Manhattan streets.

I am treated to serene views on my morning walk.

I enjoy the range of architectural styles the city offers.

I can peek between columns on a seaside porch . . .

 . . . or walk between stately marble columns to enter the New York Public Library.

In the 1980s, I spent seven years working in New York and I still have a great fondness for Manhattan. A day in the city is always fun and inspiring for me. 

And then I come home to views like this.

Susan

Bloom Where You're Seated

As we approach mid-August, my antique chair-turned-planter is just about in its glory. Have a look . . .

Located on my shady front stoop, I usually fill this piece with predictable Impatiens or Pansies, as shown in summers past, below. 

This season, I was slightly more adventurous and potted it up a little differently. Even though the Coleus has taken over, I'm happy with the result. 

Hankering for a project this weekend? If you'd like to make a chair planter of your own, check out my tutorial here.

Enjoy!

Susan