A "Grown-Up" Snow Day

Well, it's another snow day here in New England.  My girls are still asleep so they haven't heard the news yet.  But, I know soon they will come shuffling down the stairs looking for me and then I'll be "on call". 

"Mom, I'm hungry!"
"Mom, can we watch a movie?"
"Mom, I'm hungry!"
"Mom, can we go sledding?" 
"Mom, I'm hungry!"
"Mom, she's bothering me!"

Hey, this is all good stuff and I'm not complaining.  I love being a mom, but sometimes I daydream about what I would do if I had an entire day to myself.  A snow day.  A day that I couldn't run any errands or do any housework.  What would I do? 

I'd start my day with a large mug of hot tea and sit myself on the sofa to read one of the 20 or so books that I have scattered throughout the house waiting to be read.  Then I'd make myself some homemade blueberry muffins with plenty of butter.  Maybe I'd actually have time to take a relaxing bath--I've heard about them but never actually experienced one.  Then I'd put a fire on and rent a mindless movie or a great thriller.  I'd order some pizza for lunch/dinner (You can have slash meals when your not responsible for others) and call it a day.  That's good enough for me.  A day to be completely lazy and self-absorbed.

But what's the fun in that.  Instead I'll make the muffins with my girls and clean up the resulting mess.  I definitely won't have time for the books, but I could put on that fire and watch a Disney movie.  There will be laundry and dishes and picking up and playing and probably sledding.  But, best of all, there will be hugs and kisses and snuggles.  I guess the books can wait a few more years.

Here's my virtual "Grown-Up" Snow Day:


Blueberry Muffins courtesy of Martha Stewart...

Ingredients

Makes 6 large or 12 small muffins

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 3/4 cups blueberries

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.butter large (3 3/4 inches) or small (2 3/4 inches) muffin tins, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolks, and vanilla; mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low; alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to mixer, beginning and ending with flour. Remove bowl from mixer; gently fold in berries by hand. Divide batter among muffin tins; sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake until light golden, about 45 minutes for large muffins, about 30 minutes for small muffins. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; transfer to wire rack, and let cool completely.


Book courtesy of Kristin Hannah...

Relaxing bath, courtesy of House Beautiful...

What's better than pizza you don't have to cook??

My Quest for the Perfect Handbag

I have had a thing for handbags since my first little purple Jordache bag in 4th grade.  I don't know why I find them so appealing.  Part of it could be the feeling that I can pack my life into a 12"x 15" x 6" space.  I always carry too much (part of the that is a hazzard of motherhood).  I have the standbys: wallet, keys, lipgloss, cell phone, a small calendar.  Then add the "mommy stuff": band-aids, Purrell, tissues, Epipen, inhaler.  But, you never know when you may need: extra cash in a smaller purse, 2 small moleskin notebooks, pens, emergency earrings (in case I forget to wear some), another lipstick, hand cream, a brace for my tennis elbow, gift cards, business cards, a checkbook, and a mini can of Lysol.  They're necessary, aren't they?

I know I carry too much.  I've accepted this about myself.  I haven't carried a tiny bag since that 4th grade Jordache bag. So in my quest to find the perfect bag, for starters it must be BIG.  It must be something with lots of pockets to handle my excess without creating a jumbled mess.  I'd like it to be fairly light-weight so I don't create back issues for myself. Oh, and it must look good--please nothing too practical!

Here's one from Piperlime.com, and it's a  "Rachel Zoe pick".  Hey, if it's good enough for Rachel, it's good enough for me...

You have to love that all of these are handmade by etsy sellers.  I'd love to own any or all of them! 

From arebycdesign...

From artoncrafts...

From otgam...

And if I didn't have to renovate my 1950s bathroom, or put my children through college, I'd get this bag from the Michael by Michael Kors collection at Saks...

The Titanic: More Than Just History

I had the opportunity to visit the Titanic Exhibit at Foxwoods Casino in CT on Monday.  This traveling exhibit contains actual artifacts recoverd from the Titanic and tells the story of the Titanic and the people aboard.  It was quite a moving experience seeing personal possessions and realizing that these were people with plans, hopes, and dreams that went unfulfilled. 
One artifact recovered was of a gentlemen's itinerary.  According to this itinerary, he was supposed to continue traveling through Europe and Africa.  Had he followed these plans, he would not have died aboard the Titanic. There were many stories of passengers that were not supposed to be aboard the ill-fated ship but were transferred at the last moment.  There were heroic stories of people sacrificing their lives for the greater good and cowardly stories of people only out for themselves.  It reminded me that under extreme cicumstances you see the best and worst of humanity.  I like to focus on the best. 
One story that struck me was of a crew member that continued to send out distress signals to ensure that the people on the lifeboats were saved.  He eventually made it to a lifeboat, but died of exhaustion and hypothermia.
This exhibit also reminded me of why it important to preserve the past.  These stories are all part of our common history.  They remind us that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves and that each part is important.  I think that's why I love antiques so much; they connect me to the past and I feel that by appreciating these "things" we are helping to preserve our history for future generations. 

Visit http://www.titanictix.com/ for more info about the exhibit...

Photos of the recovery effort...

Passengers aboard the Titanic...

Recovered artifacts...

The City of Love

On this day of love, I thought it only fitting that I write about the destination I have been dreaming of for the past few years...Paris.  I have yet to go to France, but I have been dreaming of walking along the River Seine, eating decadent pastries at a small bistro and, naturally, looking at the brilliant light of the Tour D'Eiffel under a star-filled sky. 
Of course, these are just my dreams.  In reality, in the nighttime in a large city like Paris, you probably can't see many stars.  And my stomach may not be ready for the heavy creams and butter of the French pastry, but still I am making it my mission to someday visit "The City of Love".
 The antiquer in me, has been picking the brains of all the francophiles I meet.   Forget about the boutiques and antique shops, I want to know where the junk shops are.  The best stuff is always found in the places only the locals know about.   I dream of  taking annual pilgrimages to the European countryside in pursuit of unique finds for my shop.
And, since this is my fantasy, after an afternoon at the Louvre, I might as well pretend that I have enough spare cash to buy myself a gorgeous Louis Vuitton bag. 

Come dream with me....

A French pastry from epicurious.com...

Sorry, no pictures of my Louis Vuitton bag, but you can visit http://www.louisvuitton.com/.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Spread Some Cheer

     The SUN!  It appeared this morning after about 30 hours of driving snow and wind.  I awoke to a peaceful snowcovered world, which meant...it was time to start digging out.  I spent about an hour shoveling the driveway, uncovering the mail box, and wiping down my car.  This is one of those tasks I usually delegate to my husband, but he was "stuck" in Georgia due to flight cancellations (I know I feel really bad for him-insert sarcasm here, please).
    I think the whole eastern seaboard could use a little pick-me-up.  So here are some spring-inspired items to get us all in cheerful mood.

Nate Berkus vintage inspired floral sheets from HSN.com:

Liberty of London will launch it's new line for Target in March--you know I will find a spot for that chair!

And now, my shameless plug for http://www.hydrangearow.etsy.com/ .  Add some cheer with these vintage snack trays..

Waiting on Spring

This feels like the longest part of the year to a New Englander.  The novelty of the cold and snow has long since worn off, yet the hopes of warmer temperatures are still months away.  This is about the time of year where my husband and I have our annual promise to each other that we are going to move away from New England to someplace with better weather...but where? 
The Carolinas always come to mind even though neither one of us has ever spent any real time there.  It's on the list.  Maybe Florida?  How about California?  Then I think, why stop there.  The Almafi Coast sounds nice... maybe a Greek Island...I do love the food.
We do this for 2 -3 months just until the daffodils begin to sprout their blooms and the grass turns green. It's right about this time that New England comes back to life and we remember why it is a vacation destination.  It's tough to give up access to beautiful coastlines, soaring mountains, history, culture, and the greatest sports teams in the world.  I guess I'll always be a New Englander.  Hey, if the Pilgrims could brave the winter without adequate food and shelter, I certainly can.  Italy sure does sound nice, though..

Ahhh...The Almafi coast (fodors.com)

Good old Cape Cod (tripadvisor.com).....

MISSION: Organization!

Most people start posting blogs about organizing the first week in January.  I started late, but I promise you I will get organized.  I'm taking it slowly, giving myself the rest of the year to organize my ENTIRE home including the overstuffed garage.  This weekend, I am starting with the main floor of my house.
 
Mission #1: My desk area.  I've begun to accumulate too many pieces of paper like: receipts, cards, letters, newspapers ( yes, they still exist), magazines...you get the idea.  I have a miriad of organizational tools including folders, filing cabinets, drawers, cubbies, notebooks, even a shredder, but I find I'm not using them the way I should.  So, today, I organized, labelled, tossed, filed, and shredded for 2 hours.  It's beginning to look as serene as a Martha Stewart magazine lay-out.  Note the word, beginning- please!   I would love to know if anyone actually functions in a completely organized world.  Is this a reasonable goal?  I'm giving a shot.

I promise not to give any advice on this topic.  I need advice.  Here are some pics that inspire me.... 

One from Martha...

A desk set from RetiredRecords.etsy.com...

A notebook with a constant reminder from twoguitars.etsy.com...

And, of course, one from my shop--the soon to be listed, Vintage Globe Desk Organizer from HydrangeaRow...

Valentine, Be Mine

Many feel that Valentine's Day has become a commercialized industry, manufactured to cause anxiety in the hearts of all attached men and to make anyone single feel depressed one day a year.  In many ways they are right.   After all, the day after Christmas, the stores begin rolling out the red in preparation for this day of love.  It can be a bit much; but I do love Valentine's Day.  The old sentimental collector in me loves the history of this holiday, and, of course, my small, personal collection of Valentines.
The first posted Valentine was from a sailor to his wife in 1806 in England.  Since then, tokens of love (and rejection) abound.  There are elaborate Valentines that are miniature pieces of art.   There are cutesy Valentines meant for children and exchanged in classrooms.  The soldiers in the Civil War even had Valentines made available for them to send home to their wives and families.  Then, of course, there is the homemade Valentine.  The ones made of paper and glitter and glue.  I'm sure that somewhere in every household there is at least one of these still hanging around kept out of sentiment.  Admit it.
So this year, let's embrace Valentine's Day.  You don't need to buy anything fancy, simple tokens are often more heartfelt and appreciated.


http://www.woolandwater.etsy.com/ has their own version of a Valentine...

A page showcasing Valentines from 1953 scrapbook listed in my shop...http://www.hydrangearow.etsy.com/

Preventing Collections from Becoming Clutter

This is an occupational hazzard for many antique dealers and collectors.  I know I can't pass up certain items, like the WWII medal, or the 60s enamel flower pin, or the gorgeous Roseville vase, but what do I do with it all?   For one, I sell them.  But I also derive great joy from my collections and from the thrill of hunting them down and acquiring them.
One of the best tips I've ever read was to put all pieces of your collection together.  When grouped together, they make a statement.  I recently bought a beautiful antique china cabinet with delicate, wavy glass and locking doors complete with a skeleton key.  This is now the home to my collection of Blue Willow and Flow Blue china. ( I also threw in the WWII cake toppers and some vintage shell art for good measure.)  Now I can see it daily and enjoy it.
 I also encourage everyone to use their things.  Many times, I go to estate sales only to find that there are boxes of unused china, pottery and glassware.  On one hand, I'm glad it is in such good condition, but how sad that it's former owners never used it.  Crystal stemware, fine china and the like are made to be used and enjoyed. 
On that note, another way to enjoy a collection is to repurpose them or use them as decoration.  The 60s enamel flower pins that I collect have become a very swanky lamp shade for my daughters' bedroom.  Some of my pottery I use to contain my kitchen utensils and mail.  Look around your house and see what practical pieces can be replaced by something that you collect.
My New Year's Resolution is to find new ways to enjoy all the interesting finds that I've acquired.  I'll keep you posted.


No one displays collections better than Martha Stewart.  Here a collection of transferware makes a stunning statement...

Even humble objects can look great when grouped together.  These types of collections are often my favorite.  Here are a couple from Country Living...

Here, from French Kissed Design, a tablescape with many repurposed items.  Notice, the old clock was made into a home for a bird's nest and the wine goblets contain her collection of silverware. 

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

With the East Coast expecting one whallop of a snowstorm it got me thinking back to my childhood.  There is nothing more exciting than a snowstorm when you are a child.  First, there's the prospect of school being cancelled, a free day off.  Then there are all the numerous opportunities to play.  Suddenly, your boring backyard becomes a fresh new playground with the only limitation being your imagination and the temperature.  There are snow angels to make, snow people to build, forts to construct, hills to sled down, and major snowball fights to be had.  Just about the time you can no longer feel your fingers and toes and everyone is breathless from all the fun, it is time to go inside.  The coats, hats, gloves, boots, and socks get peeled off one by one and the thaw begins.  Next is perhaps my favorite part.  Time to snuggle under blankets by the fire (or the tv) and sip fresh cups of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows.  Here are some images from Country Living Magazine to keep you cozy on this cold, winter day.  ENJOY!

Follow this link for a tasty hot cocoa recipe:www.countryliving.com/cooking/my-recipe-book/drink-recipes-0109?click=img_sr


Victorian Chocolate Set on Etsy....