The Birds and the Bees...

It's Spring and you know what that means...

Brand new poster wrap designs from Cavallini!  Just in...this incredibly sweet Bees & Honey poster featuring a collection of vintage labels and technical drawings.

Also, procured is - an obvious choice for me and the shop - this gorgeous French bird chart!  One is already been pinched for my home!

And just a sneak peek for my stitching customers...these thread organizers are on their way to the shop:

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Feeling Indigo...

We've been invaded by little blue jewels that drop from the trees and devour every bit of seed in fluttering flocks.  Hello to our migrating Indigo Buntings!  These are the second of the two tropical buntings we see from Mexico and beyond.  Our elusive Painting Bunting has not returned...yet...but fingers are crossed.

All of Easter weekend, while most were hunting painted eggs in grassy lawns, our eyes were in the trees...oh look at that one!   Our regulars at the feeders seemed a bit put out by these insistent tiny blue flocks...particularly the male cardinal.  He's not used to having competition for food as well as his stand out color.

Oh, if we could just have a Goldfinch stop by then we'd have a real color wheel happening here.

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Berry Rough

Whoa...this weekend was Strawberry Festival and I still have not quite recovered.  The shop was packed all of Saturday and most of Sunday, unfortunately it was the worst crowd I've encountered in 7 years.  I say that, giving a lot of leeway to past festival behavior...we all know people are super casual, a little tipsy...whatever, right?  it's a carnival atmosphere.  This year was different.  I've not encountered so many people that were just flippin' entitled and rude.  From scowling at us when we would greet them at the door to the lady that snuck back in our bathroom and dropped the poo bomb (and didn't buy one thing).  There were people continually parking and blocking the driveways, a man that entirely lathered himself in sunscreen immediately adjacent to all of the baby clothes, and someone in the night took it upon themselves to kick over the planters I had just potted with new plants.  I can tolerate a lot, especially if I am making some money...but we didn't make any.  C says I must move on and stop talking about it...oh bother, I guess I can bitch again about in 52 weeks.

Anywho, I did buy a tremendous amount of stock for the festival...would you like to see it?  It's all still here!

new scarves

Blue Crab Earrings

Bella Rose Purse with a super cute polka dot lining

Reversible Messenger Totes

Owl Necklace Sets

The good news is...I think we're ready for Mother's Day!  Oh retail...you are such a gamble!

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Strawberry Eve...

Starting tomorrow evening an estimated 300,000 people are set to descend on our small town of less than 7,000.  It's called the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and it generally occurs the second weekend of April...give or take an Easter falling here and there.  Statistically, we're also told it's the largest free festival in the State of Louisiana right after Mardi Gras.

This week, every local I pass,
"you ready for this weekend?" 
"I guess...how about you?"
*shrugs*

How does anyone really prepare for that volume of people?  This morning I weeded the front flower beds of the shop, planted geraniums and million bells.  In the distance, I could hear a marching band playing over and over a piece that no doubt will be featured in the parade Saturday.  I saw a bluebird dive for something on the sidewalk, right here on Main Street; the second day in a row and wondered if he would move on when the crowd arrives.

It's time for our sleepy little town to wake up...

If you would like to visit our shop this special weekend, we will have extended hours on Saturday and Sunday with parking adjacent to the building.  We are located at 380 E. Pine St. in the Old Nehi Building.

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Nonpareil

Monday, I thought I saw a strange cardinal.  On second glance, I realized I was not seeing a cardinal at all...but something I've waited for over twenty years now...a painted bunting.

The French call them "nonpareil," meaning "without compare."  And they are truly just that with red, blue and a shocking citron plumage.  It made my day, month, and year!

Vintage Bunting Print

Beyond staring out the window...I have been working.  We have our annual Strawberry Festival this weekend (a bit more on that later), but it's been a constant churn to make, merchandise, and stock those shelves.  My online venues have been waning a bit as the focus is so heavily on our brick and mortar...but I was able to list these two Thimble Necklaces:

I wish I could make this with a bit more regularity (and I wish I would make one for myself!).  But I just have to be in the right mindset. 

I like to imagine kindred souls wearing these as they cut a pattern out of a pink calico print or gently guide a new baby quilt, whilst the machine makes a happy whirling sound, or even in the quiet moments of hand embroidery...taking each stitch with a thought of someone special.

And I should give a special thank you to Craft Gossip for featuring my Orange is the New Black Cross Stitch Pattern last week too!

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Vintage Vibe

Foot traffic is brisk today in the shop, so just popping in for a moment to highlight a few new listings this week. 

Two cast iron cobbler shoe molds

A silk blend pillow I created with vintage remnants

A beautiful out of print fabric - Downtonesque isn't it?

Cobalt blue salt and pepper shaker set from Eales

--Lisa LeBlanc

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Our Secret Garden...

We timed a visit to Windrush Gardens in Baton Rouge just perfectly this past weekend.  The azaleas blooms were tremendous and so plentiful that you could not walk through walls of pinks and violets without an emotional tug.  This is my most favorite garden of any I have been to partially because it's nearly deserted each and every time I wander thru and it feels like mine alone.  It's part of the LSU Rural Life Museum, which is also great but easy to miss unless you know to follow the winding road to the back of the somewhat utilitarian LSU Burden Ag Center.  Adjacent and with no fanfare is a double gate from right outside the museum leading right into this gem.  The day we went it was actually locked; they had had a party the night before and I think forgot to reopen the garden...so we actually used a side entrance and snuck our way in...deviants we are!

The garden is reminiscent of European gardens with statues that anchor and frame the spaces, but semi-formal enough to know your definitely in Louisiana with a piney forest to explore. 

We met this guy ever so briefly.

There are a few houses on the property; this property and garden belong to Steele Burden and this cute house was his garden shed and art studio.  I've always been ever so enamored with it.

Venus with a bird nest.  Always, always when we visit the little studio we find a bird nest like a small offering.

If you would like to discover Windrush Gardens, here is the best info I have found online.

--Lisa LeBlanc

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