New Treasures! {Vintage Silver Pitcher and Aqua Mason Jar}

Despite there being far fewer vendors than normal due to the holiday, our recent excursion to the flea market turned up a couple of darling little treasures:

Hello, love.  You are gorgeous in every way.  Perfect coloring.  Pristine condition for your age.  You downright flirted your way into my heart.  I had to have you.  And so I do.  

We couldn't be happier together.

I honestly don't know if I've ever come across a vintage mason jar in such excellent condition--not to mention it's my favorite, favorite shade of aqua.  I love it.  I'm not certain what I'll do with it yet besides staring longingly across the room... but I'm thinking a sunny, cottage kitchen windowsill filled with a constant rotation of fresh cut flowers may very well be its destiny.  I like the idea of water and aqua-colored glass catching the morning sunlight and dancing it across the counter tops...  It kind of reminds me of a Tiffany jewelry box except, well, quite honestly I'd rather have this cheap flea market jar over all their expensive pretties any day! Who knew an old jar could make a girl so happy?  Please take a moment to remind my husband just how lucky he is.  ;-)

(random fact: Speaking of expensive, did you know that vintage mason jars have been known to sell for upwards of $10,000?! Yeah.  We snagged this beauty for $7.  And had it not been for the condition I would have considered that even a bit high.  We were at a flea market, after all.) 

Then just around the corner, at the back of a several tables of dusty old dishes, knick knacks and plain ole junk, I spotted this guy:

If you read this post last summer, you may be experiencing deja vu.  Remember when I stumbled upon a very similar version of this vintage silver pitcher at an estate sale?  Well of course when I laid eyes on this guy I knew he was meant for her, my first love.  

I took him home and immediately introduced them.  He seemed a bit shy at first, probably because she's taller than him.  Can't blame him for being a little intimidated though, she's a beauty.  Just look at those legs!

*sigh*  I think they look stunning together.  A perfect couple.

(Btw-Josh negotiated his $10 price tag down to $5 with ease.  I never cease to be amazed by my husband's mad negotiation skills.  He's like a snake charmer.  Half the time people just give him stuff.  I'm so not kidding.  It's fascinating, almost like he mesmerizes people with his smile or something.  Whatever his secret, I'm not complaining.  He's the perfect companion for, well, everything in my book!  But particularly flea market, garage sale, and thrift store shopping where bargaining is both welcome and expected.  Where as I'm a little hesitant, he's downright fearless!  It never fails to pay off.  And Craigslist sellers, watch out!  He'll nearly rob you blind.) 

And wait just a second.  Hmm.  Did I just become a collector of vintage silver pitchers??  I think I might have.  Crap.  I don't aspire to be a collector of anything.  Except maybe books.  And vintage suitcases.  And wicker baskets.  And I'd like a few antique chandeliers.  Ah, crap!  I'm a collector, aren't I!?  Ugh.  I so don't want to be.  Unfortunately, I think it's in my blood.  There's just no way around it.

So anyway, there ya have it!  Another successful treasure-hunting excursion.  Tomorrow we're off for an early stroll thru a gorgeous little farmer's market, followed by another hunt at a different flea market.  I told you I have a flea market on the books for every single weekend between now and end of November.  I wasn't kidding.

I'll keep ya posted if I find anything worth reporting ;-)

Have you found any fun treasures lately???

Our First Mother's Day

There was treasure hunting, a blissfully quiet drive with my husband, time with my Moma just being together.  There was endless smiling at a proud 12-year-old Aunt Tirzah toting around her "she has no idea how much I love her" niece.  There was laughing with and at the overall brothers (that'd be my dad and uncle in case you aren't aware) as they sifted thru piles of flea market junk like women a shoe sale at the department store.  There was joke telling, sweet tea, and shameless adoring of a smiley baby girl over a barbecue lunch.  There was a tear provoking card from my husband, a gorgeous arrangement of peonies filling a ceramic pitcher, conversations laced with fun plans for the future: projects, trips, a new home.  There was a long afternoon nap, just me, my love, and my tiny girl.  There was a quiet evening made so much sweeter by a baby sleeping on my chest...

 Today was absolutely lovely. Filled with all the things that matter most in life.  It was a beautiful, simple day.  It was exactly what I wanted.  And though it was full of people and places and things that thrill me, what trumps all else and fills this new moma's heart to the brim...

...is her.

What did you do for mother's day??

Finding Inspiration {Chihuly, Cold Brewed Tea, Tiny Cottage}

A few bits of the beautiful and the inspiring from my week...

How's this for cottage inspiration?  So darling.  I found it tucked away in a quiet corner at the Arboretum recently.

It even has an adorable little bridge and lily pad covered pond.

Cold-brewed tea.  A new warm weather favorite.  I'm loving it.  So easy, so nice to have on hand, so yummy.

Why have I never tried this before?   You literally put tea bags and water in a container and stick it in the fridge.  The next day: perfectly smooth, ice-cold tea.  It's like magic.  Easy magic.  The kind even a toddler could do.  Add a splash of almond or coconut milk, a little cinnamon and stevia, YUM.  It's like dessert.  (You can do the same with coffee for a silky cup of joe.  Josh is obsessed with iced coffee lately.  He says this method makes it super smooth.)

Art.  From my sweet god babies, Tyler and Abby.  Definitely inspiring.  I look forward to many more years or refrigerator exhibits, opening the first day my sweet baby girl can hold a crayon. 

And speaking of exhibits...

The Chihuly Exhibit is currently going on at the Dallas Arboretum, and it's stunning.

So brilliantly vibrant on their own, but apparently each blown-glass sculpture lights up at night for an even more vivid display.

I can't even imagine the work that went into one of them, and they were everywhere!

So fun, right?

Some of them are several stories high.  Unbelievable.

So there's my inspiration for the week.  What's yours??

Cuteness Overload

What's cuter than a baby in a ridiculously over-the-top tutu??

TWO babies in ridiculous over-the-top tutus!!  

Okay, maybe Ev had a bit more volume than Roe... but Roe also had a bit more shirt than Ev seeing that Everyn's mother (that'd be me) seems to prefer half naked babies in ridiculously cute over-the-top tutus.  It's something my own mom taught me to be imperative in a baby's life.  They need to be naked.  As often as possible.  Especially when it's even slightly warm out.  It's healthy.  And they like it.  Truth be told I have full on naked photos of Ev as well, taken just moments before these were snapped... but some might consider those inappropriate so I'll try and refrain from posting.  And she might appreciate that later in life as well... ;-)

Anywho.  I took half naked photos of my ridiculously cute daughter in her ridiculously cute tutu with her ridiculously cute BFF today.  

What'd you do for fun??

***Cuteness courtesy of Auntie Lyndsey who snagged this getup the moment she laid eyes on it, and in celebration of Auntie Brittany's birthday (that'd be Monroe's Moma).  Cause that's what everyone should wear to a birthday picnic.  A hot pink tutu.  End of story.***

Moments To Live For

Given my last post it's obvious how smitten my husband is with our tiny little girl.  No explanation necessary, it's written all over his face.  But did I mention how much she adores him in return?  Nah.  I didn't.  Truth is I'm the tiniest bit jealous. ;-)  

Certainly there are many days she doesn't want anyone but her Moma.  Certainly there are moments no one can calm or soothe her but me.  Certainly I can see it in her eyes when someone new is holding her but she's frantically scanning the room for me alone.  But oh man, she so adores her Daddy...  She giggles and smiles more for him in the first 5 minutes he walks in the door in the evening, than she does for me ALL DAY.  Yet despite that tiny tinge of jealousy, I have to admit I love it more than I can express.  It's beautiful.  Breaks my heart and fills it to capacity all in the same instant.  Every.  Single.  Time.

Point and case:  Yesterday I met up with our friend/realtor to walk thru the house we've been looking at.  Josh planned to meet us there.  Everyn was cranky as ever, just griping about nothing in particular.  I'd walked and bounced and fed, run thru every tool in my arsenal to try and make her happy.  Nothing did the trick.  Josh pulls up, walks up to me all smiles and grabs her, and this is her immediate response...

She snuggled into his chest all smiles and endless giggles.

*sigh*

Yep.  She adores her Daddy.  And he adores her.  And I, well, I hopelessly adore them both.

This Father's Love

I always knew he'd be an amazing daddy.  But I have to confess, reality is even better than I dreamed...