Charming Antiques

"Every once in a while, a girl has to indulge herself" those are the words of the character Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City.  I tend to agree with Carrie so last Saturday I set out for Concord, Massachusetts for a little retail therapy.

I knew in advance the two shops I was going to hit. One was Nesting on Main and the other was Jack and Toba. These are my favorite shops in the area.

Years ago, when I would go out shopping it would be for clothes.  I still enjoy fashion but clothes shopping has lost it's lustre. I think it is mainly because of two things: one, I am older now and two, I have gained weight and it's harder to buy clothes off the rack and they don't look as good as they did when I was thinner.

I gravitate towards stores that sell items for the home. Since I bought my condo I am more interested in home decor. I get inspired by reading blogs and then I want to redo all the rooms in my home. So off to Concord I went and my first stop was of course Nesting on Main. I've posted about Nesting before and on Saturday they did not disappoint.

The price tag listed this as a planter but to me it has pot rack written all over it! It was a cool chippy green.  Loved it but it would be too big for my kitchen.

Ooh, vintage cameras! Tempting to add one more to my collection but no.

I do like old signs but red is not in my color scheme and this is a big sign. I do like this lamp and it would go with my decor but I didn't need it.

I thought about this rack with hooks.  It is old and it would be perfect for the hallway outside my door. There are holes in the wall of my hallway courtesy of the previous owner.  I think I might need to go back to Nesting.

Time to stop by the next shop. Goodbye to Nesting for now. I love your displays and product selection, a mix of old and new.

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On to Jack + Toba, an eclectic selection of furniture, housewares, gifts and clothing. If you buy something at this shop you will feel that it is a one of a kind item.

Wouldn't this entrance peak your interest? Love the vintage clothing the coats.

And how come I didn't notice that necklace until I was leaving?  That's a smart outfit too!

These bottles look pretty in the window.  Not sure if they were cooking oils or bath products.

Artful displays are everywhere in this store. Owner Suzy has a real knack for finding unique items and setting up interesting vignettes.

I love bath and laundry products. If I hadn't just restocked my laundry detergent and fabric softeners, I would have tried this line. I just bought the Beach Days product from Good Home Company and I love the scent!

More cleaning and bath products. The line is Laundress and it smells heavenly! Next time.

I do love this sideboard and it's such a pretty color.  It would be perfect in the dining room.

I did buy something here. Something for me and something for you. I am going to have a blog giveaway soon and it will be revealed. I also bought something for my new home office and when it comes together you will see it.

At Nesting, I got a burlap market bag which I have already used for groceries and a vintage beaded lampshade. I have the perfect base for the lampshade, wait till you see it!

Whenever I drive to Concord I look for Drummer, the horse I saw almost two years ago at Christmas time. Drummer was rescued by some kind people and he is living at their Concord farm.  He was alone two years ago but now he has a companion and I am sure he is happy.

Antique Old House

I did not take a Summer vacation this year. Since I started my new job in June, I haven't earned any days off yet. I missed being able to take a few dsys off to go to the Cape or Maine.

Luckily my friends once again rented a cottage in York, Maine and my sister and I were invited up for the day on Sunday of this weekend.

The weather was cool when we first got to York, Maine but later on it warmed up. The clouds were amazing all day. We relaxed at the cottage for a while and had a lunch of frittata and sour dough bread with dipping sauce. It was made by our friend Mary and it was delicious.  This is the view from the cottage. I could sit here for houts and look at the lighthouse.

I did not bring my tripod down on the rocks but this guy did.  In fact, we used my friend Don's tripod for the night time shots.

I think this is the location of many Christmas card photo shoots. We saw a lot of families posing in front of the lighthouse.

We had to take our annual photo in front of the lighthouse too! It was mighty windy and
we all have that wind blown look.  We were wearing jackets and it's still Summer!

I wanted to sit in one of those chairs but the sign was not welcoming. They must have a lot of trespassers during the Summer season.

The scene at the lighthouse changes hour by hour.  The sky was blue and then gray and it rained briefly. No matter what the weather, Nubble Light is always breathtaking.

The cottages are so adorable.  Each one is a little different. I think they all have two bedrooms and one bath and a fantastic deck for lighthouse viewing.

The sun came out and it got warm. We didn't need our jackets anymore and we headed back to the cottage for a snack of sweet potato chips.

Here is our view as we ate our snack. I would love to spend a week or two here in thias cottage.. How relaxing would that be?

Mary prepared our dinner. Such a sweet little kitchen.  You don't really need more than that.

This little guy came by for a meal but he was disappointed. He settled for eating just grass.

After dinner, we waited to see the sunset and the colors of the sky changed again. We waited a long time for the moonrise. We thought we might not see it becausec of the cloud cover but eventually it did appear.

Here's the front of the cottage. It was a little chilly to sit on the deck. Some years it is too hot to sit there but we've been lucky over the years. The weather is usually perfect. 

All the lanterns and the candles are lit for the evening. It gets pretty dark here as there are not many outside light. The sky is filled with stars. Gorgeous!

Don had the tripod all set up for some moonrise shots. We decided to take the tripod down to the lighthouse and I got a lesson in nighttime photography.

My first attempt photographing the moon and the lighthouse in one shot. Don told me to play around with the timer and the white balance settings.  It's hard to compose the shot when everything is pitch black around you.

A different setting and an eerie effect from some car headlights on the rocks. A car pulled up right as I hit the shutter.  Oh well, I still like the shot.

The last shot before calling it a day.  Can you see the stars? We went back to the cottage and my sister and I headed home. We had a nice long day in York.  Sometimes it only takes ome day by the ocean to make you feel as if you've had a vacation.

Antique Design Old House

I was listening to the song, Home, on the car radio today. I was driving home from meeting some borrowers who wanted to be preapproved for a mortgage. The situation is complicated.  I had met them once before and now at the second meeting I uncovered more pieces to the puzzle.

They might have to lower their expectations on the home they can afford and make a few other sacrifices but I will make it work and they will be approved for a loan and they will buy a home.  At the first meeting they were nervous but even though I had to give them some cold, hard facts today, they were calm. They were willing to make changes so they would get approved.

Sometimes it's just about finding the right pieces to the puzzle and gathering all the info and facts to make it work. And having borrowers who listen and learn is a bonus!

The song lyrics seemed apropos after my meeting today. "Settle down it'll all be clear, don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear, the trouble it might get you down, if you get lost you can always be found, just know you're not alone, cuz I'm gonna make this place your home".

An Impromptu Photo Shoot

I am always looking to hone my photography skills. So when I came home from work yesterday and saw my neighbor Emily sitting on the back steps with her adorable baby girl, Natalie, I just had to spring into action.

Emily was a willing model and assistant as she engaged Natalie so we could get some cute expressions from her.  She is such a happy baby and she put up with me snapping away in her face. It was obviously not her first photo shoot... nor her last!

Don't you just want to squeeze her? Emily was lamenting that Natalie is growing so fast and she is. It's good to capture these little moments when you can.

Look at all that hair, so curly and wild.  It stands up like a mohawk and is so soft and fun to play with.

And if that isn't a cherubic face I don't know what is. Her gaze is intent.  I wonder what she's thinking? Probably crazy lady behind the camera!

What is more endearing than a baby's smile? Wish I knew what she found so amusing.

Oh I see, Mommy's hand is the source of contentment. Mother/daughter shots are the best aren't they?

Standing isn't her forte yet, she needs a little help. But she's working on it.

She does however, have the happy dance down pat. Future ballerina, perhaps?

We were joined by another family member.  Meet Murphy, the family dog.

Murphy is quite the handsome guy. I love his name because I had a dog named Murphy when I was young too.  Murphy is a sweetie.

Murphy gives Natalie a little nuzzle. She doesn't mnd at all.

And then Natalie reciprocates with a hug and a kiss. Murphy is content just to sit and protect his family. He is the man of the house when Dad is at work.

Natalie is getting shy and/or tired. I can tell the photo shoot is coming to an end.

Just one last parting shot and a smile from Mom and daughter. An obvious bond between the two.

Goodbye sweet girl, don't grow up too fast. I want another photo shoot! I am definitely going to need another Natalie fix.