A Southern Adventure

Hola, mi amours... I am posting remotely from the lovely
Inman Park, locale of the sweetest cluster of beautiful
Victorian homes of all sizes and colors -- big, beautiful,
multi-roomed, multi-colored Victorians. I'm visiting
my friend, Moni, and then on Thursday, I go with my
sis-in-law and niece to No. Carolina to stay for a few
days ... to relax, and spend time together. Can't wait.
This photo is actually from Flickr, but I took the exact
one just tonight on our way back from dinner, at a
wonderful restaurant called Parish Market. I have
so many pictures to post when I return. I've been
a regular shutterbug. :o) See you soon!

Note: I am using all the goofy carriage returns because
posting on a MacBook, well, it ain't so intuitive as
you would think. I am such a PC girl...

Buffet Happiness

It arrived! The buffet is here. It's actually been here a while. This picture is just not capturing its beauty though. :o) On top, at left, is a papier mache oyster from Bell'Occhio. On the right, also from Bell'Occhio, is a basket that I keep silver flatware in - on the web site they call it a hamper! Why a basket, when there is a silver box? I kinda hate silver boxes. To me, they can be really somber and dark. So, with this easy open basket, in goes the flatware where it remains accessible and ready to use for any old reason. Why save that stuff? Use it! Although, have you ever noticed that silver forks get tiny teeth indentions on them? I guess it is a soft-ish metal. Hm? Maybe dinners should start with some reminder that we don't bite our forks. Ha! Bon Apetite! Don't bite your fork!

And, a close up of these beautiful hot pink roses!!! They smelled great, too...

Happy 4th Everyone!

Hoo-ray! It's time to get your feet sandy at the beach or the lake, go visit a local monument (we're going here to walk around and enjoy the sun and sea), or wave a flag or light a sparkler! Or all of the above! I am going to get some sparklers - just because.

Hugs to everyone out there in blog land.

Happy 4th of July!,
Robin

Photo credit: here

Chicken & Pig Bonanza...and I Don't Mean BBQ

Smith & Hawken has some adorable tin roosters and pigs (with wings!) right now. Made from 100% reclaimed scrap metal. Pretty cute! They look a wee bit tipsy, like maybe they just went to a Mad Tea Party. :o) This picture is from the S&H catalog. Just so you know, this bevy o' chicks is not living at my house. But, if you want them at yours, you'll need to pay $259 for a big one, and $129 for the small one. Sqwaauuuk!

A Not-So-Mad Tea Party Afterall

Kate! Quick! Run to the window! What is that I hear? Are people coming? Is the Mad Tea Party going to happen after all?? I hear they are happening all over the world today!! I know we're late, but we can probably whip something up quick. It's only our neighbor friends. They know we pretty much have one looooooooong, continuous Mad Tea Party over here every day!















Do you hear that sound? The sound of a rabbit thumping on his drum? Oh, it's Barnaby Thrumpington from Thrumpton Hall. And he's all decked out and looking quite dandy with his drum! It's so very LOUD!!














And that looks like Mr. Bradford from around the corner! Oh, I love Ted Bradford. He always wears such cheerful colors. And that smile is constant!














Yay! Kitty and Scotty are here! Oh, it's getting nuttier by the minute! Scotty looks hungry! And a wee bit dusty!





Oh, amazing! Never in a million years did I think the monk from the Shinto Temple would join us! What a distance he had to travel! I bet he's famished! Hmm? They all must have met at the front gate!










Oh, that Mad Hattress is donning her pink Mary Jane's and stripey socks. I'm thinking she should get in the kitchen and see what's cooking!














Are these actual goodies, here in our dimension, or are they from another time entirely? If I bend the universe just a little, I think we can get them to our party for us! All of us!










Sometimes at Mad Tea Parties we actually just serve coffee and coconut macaroons from the French Gourmet!!!












Oh, and now it's time to visit the other tea parties! Just start at A Fanciful Twist where they are all listed. I hope to see you again soon!

Nike Needs a Neckerchief

James' Grandpa Paul was quite the bronze smith, always casting something: bullets or bowls, and even statues! Among his works, a bronze bust of Nike!
I am always dressing her up with various neck ribbons or hats.

So, recently, I bought a collection of sewing items at an estate sale and wedged among the goodies was a shortish length of black lace. I'm forever buying these hodge-podge boxes or bags of stuff! I don't know why exactly, but when I come across these little sewing bundles that obviously belonged to whatever lady of the house that has passed on, I just feel like I have to have it - to preserve it, to continue using it. Maybe it's because when she was sewing, she was happy, and these items feel drenched in good energy. I can't imagine ever feeling the least bit mad when I sew. I kind of go into this dreamlike state, and I feel so peaceful and calm.






Also among the goodies, tucked beneath one thing or another was this nifty, German thread holder.

So I sewed a seam around the top, and made our goddess a neckerchief. It took all of like 5 minutes, but I think at the minimum she looks warmer. :o)

#7 for the Hardys

Yesterday, June 15th, hubs and I celebrated 7 years married! We dated for a while, ahem, before we got married so we really have 11 years on the old tally sheet. We had a really nice day: lunch at Bloomingdale's, dinner at Hexagon, and a little afternoon nap in the middle of it all. A few friends even remembered our day with emails and calls, and our friend Sherri dropped off homemade chocolate chip cookies! So sweet in more ways than one!

We bought a piece of furniture yesterday to mark the date. It's a piece we've been needing - a buffet! - and it will take the place of a bookshelf that I have been cramming full of estate sale finds. Hellooooo, Etsy! I also got a Hatch Show Print from Anthropologie as a remembrance - it says June, the month we were married. I had never really known about the Hatch Show print craze until recently, but it was an easy transition. It's way cool. Grovvilicious video about them and their shop and processes here. They even have cats in residence at the shop!