flea market-ing...

see our newest treasures here!

delicious recipes: homemade mac 'n cheese

umm...heaven. when i was searching the martha stewart site today for fun halloween ideas, i instantly became distracted when i came across this recipe. i think i will need to make this now that the weather is getting chillier! there is nothing like a delish homemade mac 'n cheese to warm you up!

back to my halloween searching...

rainy mondays

I don't know about you, but rain on a Monday makes it so hard to get out of bed in the morning! Good thing I have a pair of these to make the rain tolerable ;)

on the list this month: pick your own zinnias!

Part of my adventures last weekend, while discovering Baltimore, was to find a local farm stand. My favorite thing to do this time of year {it seriously goes on the list every September} is to pick my own fruits & veggies. {I have my apple-picking trip already planned for a few weeks from now!} There is something about being out there with nature, picking the items you may use later in a pie you've been wanting to make...well, it's just lovely, and extremely inspiring to me.

So I was absolutely thrilled to pass Huber's Farm, and see a big sign that said "Pick Your Own Zinnias!"
I immediately pulled over and had my sister and my dear friend Tyler wait for me while I climbed through the muddy fields and clipped the beautiful bouquet you see above! And the best part...I got 20 of them for $1! Ah! Mission accomplished.

What fun {& inspiring} activities do you usually have planned for September?!

shoe shopping with {poppy & stella}

This past weekend I did a little exploring in Maryland. I can't wait to tell you about all the inspiring things I found...but, to start...on Saturday I decided to check out the Fells Point neighborhood of downtown Baltimore.

Having been away from Maryland for a while now, I had no idea about all of the amazing things happening here! There are so many new shops, and restaurants to visit. One of these being Poppy & Stella, a handbag, shoe, & accessories boutique opened by a fellow James Madison University alum! And, get this...her shop was rated Best of Baltimore 2009! How exciting! Congrats to Kelley on your beautiful store!

The next time you are in Baltimore, definitely check it out!

P.S. They carry Frye boots! Happiness!

d.i.y. projects for the home: wall decals

How fantastic is this dressed up table?! Placing a wall decal on a tabletop creates an instant upgrade to your old furniture. Craft idea {& photo above} via Sweet Paul. Decal from Harmonie Interieure.

blog press: primed4design

Thanks so much to Jen & Chrys at Primed 4 Design {a design blog based out of Washington D.C.} for their post about the shop yesterday! Check it out here!

cake, on the brain...

I think I may have cake on the brain this week, due to yesterday's post...because today I have been day-dreaming about this one particular bakery my friend Erin & I came across on one of my recent trips to Philly to visit her.

Cake, located in quaint Chestnut Hill, right outside Philly, PA, is a bakery/restaurant housed in a local florist's glassed-in conservatory. {see Cake picture above!}

What an atmosphere...So open and bright! The perfect spot for brunch, and of course, a special treat! {cupcakes, anyone?} I just love that they used the greenhouse for a restaurant. It's so creative. I can't wait to try it out the next time I visit her...definitely going on the list!

why i love etsy {jenny's bake shop}

On an etsy search for happy prints for my new office, I came across Jenny's Bake Shop. How delicious is this little print! I don't think you could ever have a stressful day with this hanging in front of your desk. What an adorable play on the popular "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters that have been in the spotlight lately. I must purchase immediately!

Oh dear...now I am suddenly craving a vanilla cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting from magnolia bakery...

happy labor day!

photo courtesy of frolic!

I hope you are enjoying a day off and this amazing weather! Anyone fancy a bikeride?!

unexpected packages

Yesterday I came home to a package sitting on my doorstep. Now, as a boutique owner, it is not necessarily uncommon for me to have packages delivered...but, this particular package was extremely special, as it was a present from my dear friend Jenna (and completely unexpected)!

I excitedly opened it at once and inside were these adorable "B" monogram folders {shown above} by Galison New York, that she found at Anthropologie.

This seriously made my day! Jenna, thanks so much for the lovely gift...I can't wait to use my folders for all sorts of things!

Oh how a simple gesture means so much! I am going to be sure to send some unexpected gifts this month, to make someone else's day...and you should to!

vintage typewriters

photo courtesy of ritzy bee blog

Lately, on my antiquing & flea-marketing travels, I have been noticing old typewriters. It's like they are calling to me to buy them! I think if I saw this vintage pink one above, I might not be able to say no to her...She could just sit on my desk and keep me & my pink laptop company while we work. :)

do it yourself party favors...homemade jam!

photo courtesy of 100 layer cake

One of my favorite blogs to find inspiration is 100 Layer Cake. Predominantly a blog focusing on wedding planning, they have wonderful ideas & unique "how-tos"...things universal for any party. One "how-to" they posted that I am dying to try {once I hit the farmers market this weekend!} is DIY homemade blueberry jam, packaged as a party favors! Between the jam & the packaging, it looks simply delicious! The full tutorial is located here...but definitely check out their whole blog too, I know you'll just love it.

back to school!

Did you know that we have a children's section?! It is located under {celebrations}!

Order these vintage A B C flashcards for your little one so they can learn the alphabet the fun way. Oh, and impress Teacher of course!

oh beautiful september

My beautiful & talented sister Julie is on tour in the musical A Chorus Line. While on tour, she gets to live in so many great cities, and check out all of their amazing shops & boutiques. Ah, can you imagine?! I would seriously not be able to resist the shopping! But lucky for me, my sister can't either, and so she spoils me with gifts... ;)

One gift {pictured above} is the most adorable desk calendar by Driscoll Design of Seattle. I think it may just be the definition of the word "whimsical!" Every month is a treat to look at. I just switched it over to September, and fell in love. I can't wait to get a look at the 2010 edition...I will definitely be ordering that as soon as it's up!