The light was so pretty in here this afternoon that I took the opportunity to photograph a few more of our Spring tableaux. I just can't resist good light. And so...
(above) These handpainted Moroccan glasses from France are meant for drinking tea. The boho chic hipster in us really grooves on an idea like that, but if you're not feeling that fancy, each glass takes a tealight perfectly. Its tiny flame will light up the sweet handpainted flowers with a warm glow.
(above) One or two of our mossy green lions could stand sentinel at your gate. What a romantic idea. Your very own sentinel!
(above) These lucky cast iron birdies peck at our new chocolate covered sunflower seeds by The Cocoa Room. By the way, it's been a few strong women and far between who have made it out of here without sampling some. I meant what I said in the last blog about a box of these and my day off.
(above) Farmhouse meets chic.
(above) A starfish looks so refreshing to the eye right now, doesn't it? Not only for summertime, marine-inspired accents add a touch of relief for the sun-starved psyche any time of year.
(above) We get more questions about our bendy candles than almost anything else. Every day, people want to know "what we do" to get them that way, or if they can buy them that way. The truth is, hot air rises and does the job for us, as most of our candelabra tend to be up near the ceiling. We like the funky effect and leave them that way. They make our customers smile.
(above) I always seem to find a way to spy on this Art Nouveau lady through my lens. She's just such an interesting subject, don't you think?
(above) A grouping of night owls is watched over by a femme fatale.
(above) Our Raja Market Scale is full-on flea market chic...except it's brand new. In bold cobalt blue, this would be a formidable (pronounced the French way) accent in your kitchen, bathroom, or craft room.
(above) There's something so charming about unpolished silver. You'd never ever have to polish our silverplated coffee spoons.
(above) I am a huge sucker for a retro-style tea towel. I mean, I once decorated my entire kitchen around a really amazing one I found at my favorite shop. [sigh] If you can relate, you might like our pink Swirly Bird towels, or maybe our Rooster Blue or Yellow ones. With crocheted or pom-pom trim, how can a vintage-loving gal resist?
Thanks for indulging my sunlight-inspired photo promenade.
(above) A bird's eye view over the middle of the store.
(above) I have a 'thing' for anything with numbers on it. When we first opened the shop in this location, I purchased a necklace that has an antique Argentinian casino chip, mother of pearl or abalone (who can keep track of these things?), with the letter '5' engraved on each side dangling from a whisper thin sterling silver chain. Five is a symbolic number for me in more ways than one. What's your number? If it happens to be one through six, take it home or to work on one of our hip numbered mugs.
(above) Take a peek at our colorful new Harem Glasses and serving trays by Tracy Porter.
(above) We love the classic French styling of these nested kitchen canisters, which are also available in blue. Our handstitched quilted placemats come in either red or blue, as well. I enjoy the fact that France shares her national colors--red, white, and blue--with us.
(above) A restyled entryway for Spring.
(above) What a find! We love these antique seltzer bottles, which pair nicely with our Fleur de Lys goblets and tall tumblers. This glassware has been on our bestseller list since our Barn days. This season, we're offering the glasses in Clear, Light Blue, Light Green, and Strawberry. If you love tabletop as much as we do, then you've got to come in and see our Richelieu Water Goblets and Wine Glasses. Richelieu sets the industry standard in French glassware. Our sturdy goblets and glasses can be found in bistros and cafes throughout la France. [wink]
(above) Oh yes, we have bird's nests. And handcarved wooden folk birds. And sweet little eggs, which we can't seem to keep in stock. More are on the way, I promise!
(above) Our Cottage Style Single Candlesticks and Multi-Paneled Glass Cloches are a different take on decorating for the garden. I have to confess: I haven't spent much time with my hands in the soil. I would like to, but never having owned a home yet, I haven't had the inclination to put down roots (pun intended--I AM a former English teacher!). 
(above) So chic: our mercury glass lamp bases paired with our burnout velvet or beaded and embroidered lampshades.
(above) Okay, okay, I saved the sweetest for last. Here's our new collection of goodies by The Cocoa Room. Each package contains an assortment of chocolate covered sunflower seeds, nuts, fruits, etc. Crunchy and sweet and oh so addictive, these are tempting to the eye and to the palette--trust me, you can't stop at just one pinchful! In fact, on my next day off I may just merrily eat my way through an entire box! Add these to an Easter basket or take along with you for a great snack at the movies.
Finally, finally, we're home. After months of anticipation and navigating the rough waters of the river Snafu, we've got permanent signage! It's a very special sign. The only thing is, it doesn't light up adequately at night. It's lit from within with tiny LED lights that are dotted throughout each painstakingly formed letter. At night, the sign exudes a very subtle cherry red glow. Subtle, as in, you really have to look twice. Our 'The' lights up quite nicely, though. As my mom put it, "It looks like our store is called 'The'." Well, we can't have that, can we? I have a call in to my advertising agency, who has a call in to the sign company. We shall get a fix for this. By hook or by crook. Still, with our name hung in cherry red above our door, I finally feel legit.
