April Markets...

Besides being a perfectly beautiful month...April is a wonderful month for markets...antiques & vintage...flower & farmers markets here on the west coast. We went to four different markets last week...all filled with fresh antique & vintage finds...beautiful flowers...locally grown fruits & local artisan breads. The antique & vintage markets were both lined with tents and were very crowded...almost every buyer seemed to have a cart or wagon to carry their finds, the aisles were very full...it's always fun & interesting to see everyone's choices...everything from lucite chairs to 18th c gilded mirrors. I was very lucky to find a pair of very large vintage architectural metal crowns at my first stop...I love them...they are perfect for a project I am working on this month....I was stopped several times on my way out by buyers wanting to purchase...:)) On my second stop, I found an antique wood horse that had been in a family for generations...it is a beautiful piece of folk art...I have fotos of both the crowns & the horse below as well as other finds. At the flower & farmers market, I purchased several large bouquets, as many as I could carry, of Snowball flowers in a vibrant green...they are definitely a statement flower especially when used en masse...they were the focal point for a wine & cheese tasting at Rue 27 Maison this weekend. Sharing with you a few glimpses into my week & wishing each of you a beautiful coming week...

Wine & Cheese at Rue 27 Maison

Snowball flowers in the courtyard

Market shopping...

Antiquing...Cali style

Market carts in all shapes & sizes

My first purchases...

Lots of industrial & architectural

Charming British finds

Beautiful beads & fabrics from Malawi

Antique silver processional crosses...

Italian florentine

Spring flowers

Market finds at Rue 27 Maison

Architectural Clock from market

This week at Rue 27 Maison

Cheers to a new week...until next time!

Spring....flowers...antiques & lemon meringue pie :)

Before I lived in southern Cali...I had heard of the fabulous weather & enjoyed many visits here witnessing the seemingly endless gorgeous days...now I must say even though this is my fifth Spring here...I am still amazed at the flawless, beautiful days....brilliant blue skies & the sweet smells of Spring!  Flowers and butterflies seem to be everywhere now...where I live in Cali...there are a definite four seasons...each one delightful...each one tempting you to say...this is my fave time of year. This week I shopped for flowers for Rue 27 Maison....and as I do most weeks I went antiquing...finding several cloches, new & vintage ones...I was also inspired by fresh locally grown Meyer lemons to bake a lemon meringue pie...the pie was delicious with lots of meringue, a fave of my hubby...it even had what we call in the South..."sugar beads" on the meringue...:) It was a beautiful Spring week here...I hope it was for you as well...Sharing with you a few faves this week...

Rue 27 Maison

Many new cloches in this week...

French cream roses & blue hydrangeas...

A fave always...Iris

Vintage & new cloches in several sizes...

The piece de resistance...Lemon meringue pie

Until next time....Cheers!

Easter

The celebration of Easter is only a week away...I love this time of year....love it when Easter comes early...the afternoons are warm now with cool evenings...perfect for having friends & family over for the hiding of the eggs & for delicious Spring vegetables...baked ham & a delicious Easter cake....Sharing with you a few faves from this week at Rue 27 Maison as we prepare for Easter weekend...Wishing each of you a beautiful & joyful Easter!

Rue 27 Maison

Table at Rue 27 Maison...

Easter menu...

Beautiful moss eggs...

Easter blue & white table at Rue 27 Maison...

Beautiful & simple Easter table...

Until next time...Cheers & Happy Easter!

All things...Irish

When I first visited Ireland...I fell in love with all things...Irish. Ireland is stunningly beautiful and very charming with a gentle and a feisty spirit at the same time.  Each part of Britain has a different feel and Ireland is definitely a country that dances to its own music...The thatched cottages...the pubs..the green beyond green rolling hills and the castles are all in abundance & will draw you in...as does the people of Ireland.  I always think of Ireland as the country of great poets, wonderful music...Celtic lads & lasses.. and of course the luck of the Blarney stone at Blarney castle. I love shopping for antiques in Ireland, the markets are not as large as other European ones but are always fun & full of beautiful finds. 
St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow...I will celebrate wearing green with my hubby at a local Irish pub...we have a wonderful & authentic Irish pub right here in southern Cali...I am part Irish, my husband is half Irish, he has that shamrock right there on his family crest...Sharing with you a few of my faves about this gorgeous & inspiring country and wishing each of you...Happy St. Paddy's Day 

Gorgeous & enchanting...Glendalough, Ireland

Traveling down an Irish lane...

Irish pub...

Charming tearoom in Ireland...

Antique Irish table & tea caddy at Rue 27 Maison...

Beautiful Irish linens...

Irish country cottage...

Beautiful dining with Irish Belleek China...

Blarney Castle...

Irish Lamb Stew...

Beautiful Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin

Dublin's Jamestown Distillery...

Ashford Castle...county Mayo...Ireland

Flower market...Grafton Street, Dublin  

Four leaf Clovers...

Celtic lass...

Ross Castle...county Kerry

Malin Head...County Donegal, Ireland

Until next time...may the luck of the Irish be with you...Cheers!

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand...