Treasures...

Golly, another 3 months have gone by.  I truly thought it had been only one and a bit...

Once again, busy busy bee........ I continue to post daily on FB, Instagram and Twitter but my dear sweet blog, where it all started, I have been so neglectful......

I have just returned from the Fall Round Top 2012 Antique Show. Lots of treasures although they hid themselves from me a little more than usual.

More than anything what I love about  these particular flea markets, is the palette, patina and pretty paint.....
some pieces are embellished and repainted, years ago or maybe more recently. But no where in the world is it more exciting to watch my pile of treasures grow and see the colours flow into each other, truly like a symphony.

Function and beauty is my criteria as I search thru the fields. over the course of the 2 weeks that I shop, I sometimes see the same things, and what initially appeared to me to be junk on a few days becomes a treasure.....

I often smile when two very different treasures seem to just find each other.....and create poetry of sorts.

Amongst the large flakey painted cabinetry, its always a nice change of pace to fumble thru boxes of little things.......once upon a time someone else's treasure.....and now for a while at least, mine.




Sometime treasures are already sold by the time I find them, and that's just a bummer

But sometimes also I come home, and pieces haunt me and I wish I had bought them. Sometimes in the context of the fleamarket something might seem to expensive, or just not quite "something" but once home I wish I had gone with my instinct. 

The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell is now in its second year and taking on a dreamlike quality. Sooooo much to do there always. What with searching for treasures from sunrise to sunset.

AND 

(still working on Memoirs too)

AND

 

AND 

AND

Danny worked his magic to transform our former tool shed into a suite fit for a princess (or ME!)

AND 

Another masterpiece of Danny's. For weddings and other celebrations in life. Many a time on my last visit I would just go quietly sit to absorb the true wonderment of this building. A true example of something AWESOME.

This little greenhouse hasn't yet found its true function on the Prairie yet, but it certainly was the show stopper this visit, having allowed itself to be draped in the most beautiful vine with teeny purple flowers......

Jake and I went on a little long road trip  through up state New York and Vermont, seeking beautiful vintage fabrics. He and I have a similar comfort with silence but value conversation when the time arises....we traveled hundreds of miles, popped on some ferries........heirlooms for others, memories for he and I.

A few days prior to my excursion with Jake was fashion week in NY.......Lily gave a little sneak peek in NY of her long awaited Holiday 2012 apparel collection. (November launch) As with my world, it was her vision from beginning to end, but she too found a village to support her.

 

Even though my uniform of jeans and white (sometimes grey) t shirts, have had little contribution to Lily's inspiration, my obsessive attention to details, authenticity, quality and substance is certainly evident in her work. Every stitch is sewn locally so her standards are achieved, vintage laces and buttons help tell her story........so similar to  the values of her mama, her prices are higher than some other, but her pieces are forever to keep both in quality and aesthetics....so priceless. www.lilyashwell.com

A little California beach cottage that I recently renovated with the recipe of vintage wallpaper, fabrics and tiles was the backdrop for Lily's photo shoot.........a little house with quite a presence.

Lovely print on the dress and pattern on the floor.

I have stolen moments in Malibu over the last three months... I can always count on all that Malibu has fed me over the past 25 years.......fuel, peace, inspiration....ahhhhhhhhs.

A very metaphoric experience for me..... trust and breathe......

Found  little moments of playtime with friends and family. remembering to TRY and be playful. Not always so easy for me.....
 

Dad and Me.....

We are nearly 5 months into his transition from independent London living to restricted LA life.

Alzheimers is a journey for all involved......but I am relieved, proud and humbled to say, during this process I have found a treasure in my dad, that I never knew was there....his forgetfulness and confusion causes for frustrations but he also forgets that he didn't ever show his feelings..... until now, and now he shows them, from time to time.

I find when I return from a trip, he is at the top of my list, because I want to see him.......that's a treasure and a WOW for me......

 

PS: oh and then Jaimee, Tait and Finn, welcomed little OTIS......its been a busy 3 months.......