Bathing Beauties

I've written many times about my long-time-friend, Sandy, who lives at the beach year round.

We just returned from a family beach vacation, and I always manage to spend at least one vacation day vintage shopping with her.  Sandy has an incredible sense of style and a talent for display.  Of course, since she's my friend, she also has a vintage shop where she sells her treasures.  Her space reflects the beach location and is filled with her signature seashore find---vintage bathing suits.  

I thought you'd enjoy seeing her space and its beachy vibe.  

Vintage bathing suits for children and adults are tucked throughout her booth.

It's not just bathing suits.

Vintage Beach Toys

Shells, Oil Painting, Covered Bottles, Map

Child's Sailor Suit

Sailors' Shell Art

Fishing Creel

If you happen to be in Lewes, Delaware, please visit her space located in

Heritage Antiques

16168 Coastal Hwy

Lewes, DE 19958

302 645-2309

You can also stalk her at

Emporium Antiques

 112 East Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 20701

301 662-7099

If you'd like to see her home, go here and  here. 

For Sale------Layered

One thing you'll always see in my designs is layering.   I make no exception to that rule when I'm selling my vintage finds.  Layering adds depth, texture, and of course interest.  

These vintage snippets are from this month's sale at Sweet Clover.

Boho Jewelry on Lamp Shade

Additional images on my FB business page here.

The Bradford Pear

Recently we decided to remove the large Bradford Pear from our front yard.  It was our shade and also the back drop for all the first-day-of-school pictures. We watched that tree grow along with our son and it will be interesting to see that photo this September without it.  Our other dilemma will be how to show the year.  How do you hold up eleven fingers?  How did he get so big so fast?

First Day of School Grade 7

  It was the main feature in the garden, but it was very unstable and too close to the house. We had it cabled for support several times, but its huge branches snapped off in storms.  It was the last tree to drop its leaves.  It knew when it was Thanksgiving weekend and filled our yard and gutters like clock work.  In the Spring it's white flowers fell and covered the walkway and floated into the house with the wind or on the bottoms of shoes.  Its tiny berries stuck like cement to our vehicles.

So, it wasn't our favorite tree, but we also had a very hard time deciding to remove it.
   I was able to find these images of it and the shady garden it protected.

Rhododendrons Protected by the Pear Tree's Shade 

Rhododendrens in Bloom

Buddha in the Shade of the Pear Tree

 We feared for damage to our home.  After many years of back and forth, we knew it had to come down.  This is about half way through the removal.  If you look closely you can see the cabled workman and his chain saw near the top of the tree.  You can also see how close it was to the roof.

We're in the process of making some big landscape changes, but right now my yard looks like a war zone.  My lamp post also had a mishap.  It was knocked over by a falling tree branch and the support pole snapped off.  Then we discovered that there was no power when we reassembled it.
The stump grinder had ground the electrical wire supplying the lamp post.
Do your projects always get complicated?

 My rhododendrons are cooking in the sun and the leaves on my hostas are curling up and drying.  We're not sure if the rhodies will survive a transplant but we'll give it a try.  I know I can relocate and save the hostas.   I'll be updating the landscaping when it's done.  We don't want to start until it cools down a bit.  It will be a big change from a shady space to full sun.