Don't Throw the Baby Out With the Bath Water

What an awful old expression!  But we do wonder why the French make such marvelous enamelware.  We have seen in the US many enamel pieces in white, blue, mossy green and red but leave it to the French to make useful things in pink with a white rim.

 This lovely tub was found at our local brocante early Easter morning before a horrific storm came blasting into the Bay Area.  We found many fun things which we will be adding to our shop as soon as we can photograph everything but we couldn't wait to show you this!  Can't you see it filled with ice for pick lemonade or chilled wines at your next soiree'.  Or perhaps you are giving a shower in the coming months.  You can put the gifts in here or the gift bags.  Of course it would be wonderful planted with flowers too!

Please see what other new things we have added to tempt you at Duchess and Bird!

xxoo-Bird

Little Orphan Houses

I have an urge to save homes. Period.  Maybe it is because I don't have a childhood home.  Perhaps I am longing to have a place of my family memories.  We moved all the time as children and even my parents last home was where none of us lived.  They bought it after we were all grown and gone from "home".  See what I mean? 

I started collecting these discarded needlepoint houses lovingly worked by hands at home.  I have many more that I need to finish.  I had them applied to scraps of fabrics I found in my travels.  Even the trims have meaning.  Most of them were found in Paris.  You know that little one crammed to the rafts with treasures in the very back corner in Clignancourt named Irma some came from her. 

Anyway,  the most special pillow of all is the little one in the front.  See the plaid fabric?  That was my Dad's favorite sportcoat. I just could not give that coat away after he was gone.  He wore it at my sister's rehearsal dinner, he wore it all the time.  This was a guy his children thought kept the old Abercrombie & Fitch and later Orvis in business.  He was the original preppy.  I could eke out just enough of the plaid to make this little memory.  It makes me smile every time I see it.

 What brings back memories to you?

 Warmly,

Bird

Easter Eggs

As I was putting away until next year all the eggs I've collected over the years, I saw these and instantly remembered another Sunday in Paris. 

Duchess and I were enjoying a stunning beautiful Sunday and decided to dash to San Chapelle knowing the light would be streaming through the glorious stain glass windows.  As we left the chapel and were heading across Ile de Cite to the Metro we found ourselves in the midst of the Bird Market!  As we wandered through the stalls I found the blue eggs.  On our next trip I picked up the single yellow and the following trip the brown ones. Now I remember those days and can't wait for our next trip to add to the memories.

What do you collect on your trips?