Tresor Trouve

Princess and the Pea

Sometimes I feel like the 'Princess and the Pea', my favorite fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.  I can relate to her!  Can't sleep on a crumpled bed, I toss and turn and I'm out of sorts when the television is too loud and I'm not watching it. I could go on...                                           I adore French illustrator Edmund Dulac's watercolor titled 'The Real Princess'.  Twenty delightful mattresses and fluffy feather beds in glorious colors and patterns plopped on a four poster bed frame with a lined deep purple canopy.  Will she be able to get a good night rest with a tiny pea underneath all those mattresses, or will she bruise and be cranky?  She passed the princess test and was unable to sleep a wink! Look at the tapestry on the walls and the candelabra~~~take me there or HERE to this fashionable set!  How cool is that? And check out the sweet 'Princess and the Pea' under glass that Madai from Wren Cottage created.  How clever!

While one dear friend relates to the crazy antics of Lucy Arnez and another to a heroine in a Jane Austin novel, for me it is this fussy Princess. Carol Burnett became famous as Princess Winifred in the Broadway play 'Once Upon a Mattress' in 1959. I can only imagine how hilarious she must have been~or Tracey Ullman in a later version as they thrashed about unable to fall asleep!                                                                          C'mon girls, fess up! Which fairy tale or story character do you relate to?  I wanna know!

Ruffles and Roses in Chatham, MA

Take a peek into Ruffles and Roses!  I visited Lorraine at her Cape Cod boutique after seeing the article of her lovely shop in the latest issue of Romantic Homes.  I was so excited for her when I opened up the magazine that I called and left a message, emailed her AND left a comment on http://www.urbangardenstextiles.com/gallery/  You must understand girls, shops like these are very few and far between around here and certainly worth the hour ride in the pouring rain.  Although Lucky was very patient, you know how it is when the guys are around...I could have lingered for hours and chatted with this Material Girl!  There was so much to see and only one word to describe her vintage linens; HEAVENLY.  Sheets, pillow cases, aprons, gorgeous hand made pillows by Vintage Lizzie, barkcloth, shoebags, hankies, you name it! Lorraine is a lucky girl who has a friend in England who ships them to her. I'm hoping that heaven is something like this...beautiful vintage linens everywhere.  It'll be better, I know, but I just can't imagine it I guess.

Okay GentleWomen,  Martha, Carla, Carol, Chris (Tutti) and Jo (Vintage Rose Collection).  Before the traffic gets crazy on the Cape, hop into your cars, start your engines and head out on Saturday or Sunday as these are the only days she is open presently.  Leave plenty of room for the pretty bags she ties with a torn strip of fabric!  I love that idea Lorraine!

While in Chatham, one of the prettiest places on Earth, check out Mermaids on Main  in town.   Sheer fun!  And speaking of mermaids, check out Joan Peters shop too.  Stop and see her in Osterville on your way home. I have a yard of her Beach Sand Mermaid Toile for my next kitchen window curtain project. I'll probably sew a trim of shells on it too. Thanks Carla, I love it!

I'll leave you with a few more pics of Ruffles and Roses to get you itching to visit! Thanks Lorraine!  p.s. The little vintage covered wallaper chest came home with me!

 

Curtain Envy

Had a rare entire afternoon to myself on Sunday!  Lucky had gone to watch the grandboys play baseball and Carol 'womaned' the boutique for me.  I hauled out my faithful Bernina that I've had for 30+ years and reworked some fabulous floral lined panels that I found the day before at my friend Julie's booth at the antique mart.  Julie's a fabric fanatic as am I and I couldn't miss the wonderful 'Open House Tea' that she hosted.  I thought I would just wash and hang them but it's never as easy at that!  They needed a tunnel stitched at the top and apparently the fabric was not PREwashed so everything bunched when I took them out of the dryer.  I took the scissors and cut the lining loose and free at the sides, stitched the tunnel and finshed off the raw edges of the frayed lining with a zigzag stitch.   Then I ironed and hung them on either side of the vintage French sheet that hangs in the bedroom French doors in the summer.  That was washed and ironed as well and I am so pleased at the outcome.  I simply flipped the beautiful edge over and stitched a tunnel to use as a curtain as well as these other vintage linens throughout the cottage. I can still see the sunrise in the morning through the linen sheet and the bedroom has come to life. 

Uptown Girls!

 Take 3600 sq. ft. of floor space, add seven women and a man with an eye for vintage chic decor and you have the fabulous UPTOWN MARKET in Wilmington, NC.

I tripped upon this antique mart filled with luscious vintage furnishings and accessories the first time in NC so I made it a point to visit again.  (This is where I found the French sap pots that caused me to lose sleep) The kind of place that you wish would go on forever with a surprise around every corner.  The barkcloth pillows were priced fairly so you may want to give the Southern Uptown Girls a call if you fall in love with one of them. Look at the blue buffet with the mirrored top that I flipped over! How very cool is this?  I love it and will do this on a future curvy piece that calls for it. It would have been lovely for a challenging space in my kitchen, but I didn't have the truck this time!  And check out the spin the modern lighting brings to the vintage decor!  This was an eye opener for me and although I'm not quite ready to introduce it, a statement is made that cannot be ignored!  I'd be interested to hear what your thoughts are on the subject.......

Wilmington is a colorful coastal town with lots of big beach houses and I noticed while talking with Marsha that the men seemed to feel comfortable shopping since it's not over the top fufu!  Most of the guys that step into Enchanted Treasures don't last very long.  They usually end up on the pink bench outside waiting for their honeys! 

    

I walked away inspired and happy and I hope you've enjoyed the field trip. If you simply must have something in these pics call one of the Uptown Gals (and guy) at 910-686-0930.  Just tell Maranda, Mary James, Joanne, Stacie, Carol, Marsha, Angie or Kenny that I sent you and I had a blast!

Home Sweet Home

Just in from North Carolina.  Had a wonderful week with the bebe' and his beautiful mom Sarah!  We actually braved it and went out for lunch...As sad as I was to leave the little one, it's comforting to be back at the 'Enchanted Cottage'.  If only I could move my place to the Carolina shore!  We did manage to find this charming 'pajama pink' gem while taking a detour. Though not smack on the water it's a tad bigger than my place and is listed for a half million bucks!

After being immersed in sunshine and blooming flowers all week, I made a mental note (after the captain announced 48 degrees and cloudy in Boston) to stop at the market for a bouquet before turning the key.  Lucky treated me to a bunch of pink Ranunculus, a favorite, right up there with roses, peonies and hydrangeas. They are perched on the sill in my office with a sunny card and a cherished lamp.  I love it so much that I've moved it around from room to room and it's perfect in every spot!  Even have a backup shade should anything happen to this delicate soft teal pleated paper one.  Two other highlights of the last seven days...a walk on the beach and an outing to my favorite antique shop Uptown Market in Wilmington.  BUT, more on that soon.  It's a darned good thing I didn't have my car this time! 

Baby Grand Boy

Here I am in North Carolina with baby Silas.  I promise I won't bore you to tears with cute baby pictures but I had to share just a few!!!  After all, he's my first and it's a Bella's job.   The weather is so beautiful that I like to think I'd walk every day if I lived here. The warm sunshine feels sooo good and I am in need of fresh air and excercise!  It's Azalea week in Wilmington and all the trees are in bloom.! I am eyeing an apartment across the way on a quiet cul-de-sac that would make a nice winter nest.  hmmm

Tatie Autumn works in Oregon with environmentally friendly Baby G diapers so Silas is hooked up!  The bright colors are great fashion accent too.

Every new Papa needs this informative book for boyhood adventures with his son and

Sarah loves the Moby Wrap she found at her favorite baby boutique 'You are My Sunshine' in Wilmington.  (Yup, the baby is wrapped in five yards of organic cotton).  

Uncle Mark is from Great Britain so naturally Silas is styling with his new sneakers and outfits from England!  Fun!  Auntie B and Uncle Mark arrived just in time for the birth.  Jacob was flying from San Francisco, so Bethany was a stand in for her brother who arrived an hour after Silas was born. She also cut the U cord and video taped the birth for Jake.

And since Jake is a Captain, Silas has to have a little sailor outfit that I could not resist from Beautiful Things.   The one item I wished was around when I was nursing is the Boppy.    Every new mom needs one of these so if you are going to a baby shower this is a must!  He sleeps so comfortably propped up on it too.       Here's the proud Papa and lastly me and my beautiful baby boy.  I am in my glories!               

Brick 'N Mortar

Brick 'N Mortar: A storefront to greet happy customers face to face and an awesome window to create magical displays!

  We change our window a few times a year and I am ecstatic about this beauty!  In the past we created beautiful window vignettes using furnishings from the boutique, but we've changed that concept up a bit and are now using props in addition to products from the boutique to create a theme. The only rule here is to adhere to a budget of fifty dollars.... hmmm...and that's where the creativity kicks in!  

The theme this time is 'April in Paris'.  Yes, we have Paris on our minds...

I've had a vintage blue Schwinn leaning against a tree in my backyard for a couple of years now and Carol mentioned it in the middle of a cold snap as she was thinking ahead for the spring window.  Not only did she THINK it, she maneuvered it down her cellar stairs, PAINTED the bicycle ivory, and lugged it up and into her car to bring to the shop!  It's sooo heavy I could barely get it out of my car to drop it off at her house.  How did we ever ride those bikes as kids?  I hope she doesn't have a tally sheet because I'll never be able to pay up!       Merci Carol.

Look at the very cool roses she made from kraft paper lining the front of the window!  We draped the 'Toto' basket with a tea towel and filled it with faux flowers and a baguette. OhhLaLa!  The look is so darned cute I can hardly stand it!  Check out the umbrella with the rose fabric lining!!!  Can you see the French Crystals hanging to look like raindrops? Just looking at this window makes me happy!!  I drove by on my (gloomy) day off just to observe it as a passerby and I was impressed!  It's so bright and sunny and cheery that I wish you could ALL see it. 

www.enchantedtreasures.com 

SweetPea

Family News!  A beautiful brand new baby boy named Silas born to my son Jake and his bride Sarah.  Although I haven't gazed into his eyes or held him, I'm already in love!  I'll be flying to NC to visit on Jake's birthday in April to stay for a week and they've already been warned to 'give him up'. As I look at his sweet angel face I search for traces of Jacob, but with his deep brown eyes and very light hair the only feature that looks familiar are his full lips, a family trait.  Funny how Jake's father felt he knew this baby's face as soon as he saw the pics.  I had the opposite reaction, like "who is this little guy?" 

He seems tinier than my three infants and more wide awake than they were but maybe time has a way of doing that to us.  My new name isn't Nana or MeMe or Grammie (although I like that one). I will be 'Bella'. 

Both of his parents have the most beautiful green eyes and I knew for sure that he would too, but I'm surprised.  Silas may even be a little redhead since his other grandmother and uncle have red hair.  He'll be his own little person.  The perfect combination of two beautiful people who are crazy about one another and the teeny newborn in their lives.  Truly a miracle and blessing from God!  I love you Silas!  Bella~

French Gray

It's been creeping up on me slowly over the past few months (years actually) but I'm finally realizing my new love affair with the color 'French Gray'; the color of vintage sap pots, galvanized buckets and gray salt. It all began with a distressed gray chair that I brought home from the shop a couple of years ago that I now use in my office.  The color of the walls are 'Morning Mist', a very pale teal w/ tinges of gray depending on the time of day.  In Brimfield one year I gathered up this pretty vintage fabric with gray in it and recently 'found' this very cool 'Crown' jar w/ a galvanized cap complete w/ a crown embossed glass insert!  The dealer promises to go back to Quebec to find more for me for all my envious friends! The weathered children statue is one of my favorite things, adorned of course! The most recent treasure found was in NC while on vacation, French sap pots that I actually lost sleep over because I didn't pick them up when I was there and called for them to be shipped!  These are what put me over the edge in my quest for all things French Gray!   Now that I've garnered enough of these wonderful hued finds, I'll begin to put it all together. A big bonus to this fabulous neutral color is that it compliments PINK purrfectly!  The dining room is calling out for a French vintage look! 

Love is in the Air!

Love is in the air and two of my children were married in 2007 just to prove it!

         In December Jake and Sarah surprised us and were married on the beach on Sanibel Island.  Just the two of them and the minister.  I planned my wedding exactly like this 35 years ago in San Francisco but the pastor didn't want to get his Florsheims wet so I didn't get my way. (should have gotten a different minister!) These pictures tell such a beautiful story and I am so happy for them!  I adore my new daughter-in-law Sarah.  She is beautiful inside and out and a perfect mate for my son!                                                               

 

 Bethany and Mark were married in September by the Westport River in MA. Most of the guests were from California and Great Britain as Mark is English and they live on the west coast.  Combined family and friends had a fabulous week of festivities getting to know one another! From the welcome brunch, to the Trousseau Tea and the guys boating party mixed in with a few visits to local pubs, to a wonderful wedding day, it was all about family love and laughter. So here is where I get to brag about my new son-in-law who is a Master Animitronics Engineer!  He worked on one of the Harry Potter films and is in Paris presently preparing for Paris Fashion Week! He's sweet and funny and I adore him.   

     What a Blessed Mom am I!

Pretty Dish Liquid Containers

Okay, so it takes me a while!   Very late into the night while going way back into the archives of one of my favorite blogs, www.curioussofa.blogspot.com  Deb mentioned that one of her pet peeves was a generic plastic dish liquid container by the kitchen sink.....Ooh!  The light bulb went on as I realized I've been 'guilty' of this for years!  Maybe I just never thought of looking for the perfect vessel, but as I began to take a mental survey of friend's kitchen sinks, I realized that some hid it under the sink but few had pretty enough bottles that made me sit up and take notice.                                       Upon discussing Deb's fabulous blog with a friend the next day, she made it a mission to find the perfect bottle for my dilemma.  While out shopping together she spotted an Eiffel Tower with green lava lamp blobs in it which would have deterred me, but not her.  She bought it for me, dug the awful looking stuff out with a surgical tool and filled it to the brim with clear dish liquid!   Well, I've gotta tell you...I love my Eiffel tower and it does make the chore just a tad bit easier.

Lipstick!

It has been stated that the average woman consumes four pounds of lipstick over a lifetime.  Well, since I'm not average in my lipstick consumption, I would think by the time it's the death of me, I'll have consumed 24 pounds!  The reds are most guilty of recent lead content findings and fortunately for me I only wear this brazen color on rare occasions.

Shipwreck me with Johnny Depp but don't forget the trunk full of lipstick.  A crazy fetish formed as a mere girl snooping into my diva aunt's lipstick and nail polish drawer most likely.

I found a tube of my new favorite color in my stocking from Santa this year.  L'Oreal, number 165, Tickled Pink!  That's one I've never tried but I love it!  How did he know?  Perfect color for Valentine's Day.

If you haven't been to a Mac cosmetics counter lately you must treat yourself!  Carol and I went and had a blast one girls night out!  FUN!      I adore the Mac website with it's trendy colors.  Eye shadows in Aquadisiac, DaBling, Passionate, Hepcat and Sushi Flower!  Lipglass in Pink Poodle, Viva Glam, Love Child, Prrr and Entice just to name a few.  What would Marie have worn? Don't get me started!

Check out the pretty ivory Lip Bag with the 'crown motif' that I gave to my sweet girly girlfriend Annie for her birthday too.  She raves that it looks so chic on her vintage vanity and adores the lipstick! A girl's best friend!                

                     

Or could it be when I was only three?  (thanks mom...)                                                                    XOXO  Roberta

                                                                                                                                                                                     

p.s. lipstick trivia test...   http://www.bellasugar.com/650778                                         I scored only 1 correctly out of 6!

Learn something new every day!

Learn something new every day... The French celebrate le Chandeleur Day on February 2nd and eat lots of crepes.   I should have thought of making a holiday out of that! Actually, it's a religious holiday. http://french.about.com/od/culture/a/chandeleur.htm?nl=1    

When I was a girl growing up on the beach, we had family who lived on 'the farm'.  It was a working farm in the country and Uncle Joe was a French dairy farmer who delivered milk to our house every week.   It was a rare treat and seemed such a very long ride to visit our family on the farm, but I have fond memories of the old grey farmhouse and crepes in the morning after begging to sleep over.  Crepes for breakfast and sometimes for dinner too! There was rhubarb in the garden and always clothes blowing on the line. My cousins and I would run off down the lane behind the barn and play in the field for hours free of cares.                                                               Willa Cather said in 'My Antonia', "In the course of twenty crowded years one parts with many illusions.  I did not wish to lose the early ones.  Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again."                              Auntie Lyd is still living in the old farmhouse and making crepes for her great grandchildren now.                                                                   I'm grateful for being reminded of these romantique childhood memories and will begin celebrating le Chandeleur Day by making a batch of crepes right now!

Marie!

As Carol and I sat chatting and sipping our mocha cappuccinos at Cafe Vittorio in the North End, we began to think about our next window display.  Having recently watched Sofia Coppola's lighthearted rendition of 'Marie Antoinette', she had been the topic of many of our recent conversations.  The stunning dresses, shoes, decor, dogs, gilded carriages and outrageous hair!  Oh my!  Suddenly Carol drew a quick sketch on a cocktail napkin and danced in her seat as she excitedly shared her window design.  "Perfect" I whispered, "but what about the fifty dollar 'b-u-d-g-e-t'?"    Now here's a gal who makes gigantic snowflakes from white paper bags!                     Two days and 300 coffee filters later she introduced me to Marie!  How can one person be so darned talented???  With a borrowed wicker mannequin, a pair of three dollar thrift store shoes, recycled teal ribbon and two bags of white fluffy stuff (also recycled from our Christmas window) for her hair, Marie was ready to make her debute.  A trip to Micheal's for the gold letters and poster board for 'Let them eat cake' and we began to glue the faux flowers on the shoes and create our marquee.   After hanging the French chandelier and dramatic gold frame in the window, we placed a vintage cane bed and made a crown from an old light fixture and screwed it to the wall with netting flowing gracefully.  Off to the market we scurried for the delectables.  The three C's! Chocolate, cake and Champagne! (all the while indulging!!! )   And now you ask....did you make budget?  Of course!  Many thanks to Carol the window tallied in at $42.69 and the fun in the creation? Priceless!  Now we're talking of having a Marie party complete with masks for everyone champagne and cake!   Of course my little French boyfriend Willy is invited to keep all the girls happy!

Market

It was a fabulous and frenzied week of shopping at the Atlanta Mart!   As soon as our feet were on terra firma in Atlanta, Madeleine and I dropped our bags at the hotel and hopped on the shuttle to the Mart. Knowing that we wouldn't be able to cover all three buildings in three days, each with 20 floors, we determined to concentrate on Buildings one and two, Home Furnishings and Gifts.  As soon as I saw this display in the lobby, all my plans went down the tubes and up to the twentieth floor we flew!  Christmas!  Crowns, glitter and magic everywhere!    I was pretty excited to meet Teena Flanders and see her beautiful original work in person.  She has a cute snow couple in pink accessories that I covet! Teena is such a sweetie and it was a pleasure to chat with her. Thanks Teena!  After placing some holiday orders, Madeleine and I stopped for a bite, then went our separate ways.  I skipped down to floor ten where Cody Foster was, but his booth was soooo jammed with people that I decided to wait a day to place my order.  He has a new cottage for 2008 that I simply adore, but that's all I can say!  You'll have to wait a while..... and as soon as I get them I'll let you know!   Some of the showrooms had such awesome vintage props and displays that made it really tough to concentrate on the goods!  I found myself attracted to the earthy, vintage vignettes and I've come away inspired. On the very last day as I was flitting around trying to find the 'bridge' to meet Madeleine in building two for our afternoon latte, I happened to spot a pretty booth down an isle that stopped me in my tracks.... You can imagine my surprise and feeling of great satisfaction as I approached Pom Pom!  Hilde and her adorable husband were both so very pleasant to chat with as I ooohed and aaahed her new linen collection destined to be heirlooms.  Bedding and curtains all soooo very soft and the colors are dreamy!  I may have to bathe my entire home in these linens!  Having visited Pom Pom at their two locations in LA while visiting Bethany a couple of years ago, I am in awe at what these two people do. It is all so very breathtaking!   As always, it's good to get away to see what's going on in the world of retail and the creativity of the designers and it's good to be back home!

Glamour Girl Mantel

As I began to decorate my Christmas mantel, nothing was coming together!  The only item that remained constant was the glass urn filled with my favorite vintage pink balls!  For nearly two weeks I played...  adding this, removing that... ho hum...                                                                                      It wasn't until I placed my December Vogue poster of Sophia Loren that I really became excited!  The glamour girl in me was just clamoring to come out!  The bling, tiara, feathers and mercury adorned the mantel in celebration of beauty!                                                            I adore Sophia!  While at a church bizarre the summer I turned sweet sixteen, a cute boy called out 'Hey Sophia!'  We became high school sweethearts and I was his Sophia for three years!  We graduated and went our separate ways but I'll always thank him for making me feel so beautiful with that one shout!                                                                                                             At the age of 72 in 2007, Sophia posed for the coveted Pirelli Calendar famed for it's celebration of feminine beauty. I've preordered my copy of 'The Perelli Calendar'  The Complete Works 1964-2007, to be released in spring of 2008 from Overstock.   

Thank you Sophia for being such an inspiration to me!

"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes."

http://www.sophialoren.com/about/photos/color/photo19.htm

Stormy Monday

It's all a distant memory now but a few weeks ago I had an entire day off, no appointments or commitments~and it was raining!  A perfect Monday!  Does it get any better than that?  So naturally, I stayed in my comfy pj's all day and worked and played, or was it played and worked, I forget.... Instead of feeling guilty I put on a kettle of water and enjoyed a steaming cuppa 'ginger snappish' tea in my ME 'SNAP OUT OF IT' tea cup. Voila!  No more guilt.....The perfect Stormy Monday....enough to keep me going for a few more weeks.  (for one of my very funky wire domes, check out the website)  http://www.enchantedtreasures.com/store/products/details/?product=565

7th Annual Holiday Open House!

After preparing for days, we finally took the brown paper off the windows and revealed our new look!  The cocktail reception was on Thursday evening with a full house, wonderful food and plenty of wine! Just look at the hor'dourves that Carol from Champagne Press made! Yum! (she also decorated the window!) After a fun and successful weekend I'm off to buy more glittery holiday decor!  

Attic Treasures

What is this fascination with attics?  When I was a kid, I loved to go up into the crawl space of our attic and forage around in an old trunk where my mother kept family pictures and dishes from my two grandmothers.  Depression and pressed glass mostly.  I now have those pieces tucked away safely in my attic in an old trunk.  I take them out on special occasions and they were recently used for my daughter's Troussea Bridal Tea.  A few months ago when my children were home visiting Gram, they went up there in anticipation to find hidden treasures to take back home with them.  They were not disappointed as they found some vintage Barry Manilow tee shirts that my sister wore when she was a teenager.  My friend Cindy sweetly acquiesced my request to go up into the attic of her beautiful Victorian home in the country to take pictures recently.  Mind you she is an artist with vision!  After seeing her space, I'm going to hang a little chandelier, a couple of vintage frames and perhaps a birdcage and an old picture from the rafters in the crawl space of my attic to enjoy when I am up there.  Another space to decorate!    And who knows, it may even encourage me to tidy it up a bit!  Thank you Cindy!

p.s. check out Cindy's studio http://www.enchantedtreasures.com/dynamic/?page=3

Hidden Treasures Found

Well, it's official!  I'm blogging and I adore my dreamy new banner, thanks to glamour girl Tracy at www.junk2jewelsboutique.com .  She was one patient cookie and so sweet to work with!