Cottage Sweet Peas

I love sweet peas! These are from my little plant. I put them in 2 antique amethyst bottles and one old French perfume bottle on my windowsill in the kitchen.


I really don't have much luck starting them from seed. So I purchased this plant at the local nursery. As you can see the colors are beautiful but it has absolutely no scent! What is a sweet pea without a beautiful sweet smell? Honestly, I think these are wild sweet peas from the side of the road, but they are still so pretty.


I did have two short lived blossoms from the seeds I started this past winter. It's just too darn hot for young plants to thrive no matter how much they are babied. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

And if the outdoor pictures look a little fuzzy to you, it's becasue my camera lens fogged up when I went out in the heat! I guess a lot of things need babied during this heatwave!


Here's a pretty vintage tablecloth and napkin set loaded with beautiful sweet peas. It's available at The Pink Rose Cottage.

Beat the Heat ~ Root Beer Floats

Just about every where in the good ol' USA, it's HOT! Staying cool is tough and air conditioning is a blessing!

Need a little low cal pick-me-up during this hot weather? Try this light and cold root beer float:

Use a nice tall chilled glass
Add 3 generous scoops of frozen, fat free Cool Whip
Fill the glass with diet A & W Root Beer

That's it! Now you have a refreshing, low cal, low carb, yummy float!

How about other variations? Diet orange soda? I bet that tastes like an old fashioned creamsicle! Any other ideas?



These vintage iced tea or parfait spoons would be perfect with that good (healthier) old fashioned float! Cheerful Fiestaware colors too!

You can find the spoons at The Pink Rose Cottage!

Stay cool my friends!

Hollyhocks

I think I show my hollyhocks every year either here on my blog or on Facebook. But each year I'm amazed by their beauty!


Several years ago, my dear friend Denise of My Vintage Gardens sent me the seeds. I think of her every time I look at them. Denise says you're not suppose to thank someone for seeds. But they truly are the gift that keeps on giving!

Happy 4th of July!

My patriotic heart beats red, white, and blue.
~ Unknown



Have a very fun and safe 4th of July!
God Bless America

Holly

The BEST Little Antiques Sale Anywhere!

Today my mom and I went to Scotland Yards Antiques in the Yard and the Great Pillowcase Sale. It is by far the BEST little antiques sale anywhere! Features a small, hand selected group of antique boutiques, beautifully nestled in and around Scotland Yards Greenhouses.

The event is to raise money for the Edinboro Historical Society. This years theme is pillowcases. The historical society makes colorful pillowcases to sell. What isn't taken home by enthusiastic shoppers is donated to the food pantry to include in their Christmas baskets.




You would think that the first thing we noticed was all this gorgeousness around us, but the crowing of roosters distracted us. Those little guys were having a good old time running around potted plants, shrubs, and even cars!



They have a beautiful gift barn with unusual garden art.



Gorgeous architectural art on the inside of the barn.



Cute elf and fairy garden statues were nestled all over the yards.


So many flowers that I not familiar with. I know the name of this one starts with "holly" but the rest of it I can't remember. Wouldn't you think I would? But hey, I got the "holly" part!



I loved the deep purple of the leaves on this cheerful flower. Again, I don't remember the name! But I was excited to get to the antiques!


I am old enough to remember how cool these bikes were! To have a red, white, and blue one must have been extra cool!



More pretty flowers in the greenhouse.


Confetti-like hollyhocks ~ in pink!



This little kitty was the official greeter at the antiques section. I think she took her job very seriously but did take ear-scratching breaks.




This old fluffy dog did nothing but just lay around. She's move from one side of the path to the other (on stones no less) and enjoyed lots of love from the customers, but get up and do anything...nope not her!



Where to start, where to start??



The historical societies pillowcases were hung like colorful flags everywhere. And Poochie still didn't more.


And now my very favorite Shabby Chic booth!





Loving all this pinkness! How about the pink taffy too?


Love this vintage rose bathing cap. (Thinking of you Becky P.!) But I can't imagine pulling it over my hair. OUCH!


It's hard to believe but this wonderful greenhouse is so close to home yet I was completely unaware of it until I heard about the Antiques in the Yard. I look forward to shopping there in the future. You know I have to go back and visit that little kitty!

Lovin' My Pink Bush Rose!

About this time last year I told you about my new bush rose. I'm enjoying it so much. It peeks out of the garden fence.




It's a constant burst of pink!



And I'm even willing to share it with the daddy long legs. But it really is wonderfully bug resistant.



I think I'm going have to have another one soon!

Vintage Rose Girl

Vintage Lovers...we are a dedicated breed. We love to collect, we love to decorate, we love to talk about collecting and decorating...Doesn't matter what we collect, it expands and seeds another collection. For example, I collect vintage tablecloths, but don’t they just look wonderful with Fiestaware? So now I have to say I have a nice little collection of Fiesta. I also collect vintage powder compact…what came next? Vintage purses, vintage powder boxes, little vintage vanity items.

So where did this love of vintage come from? In my case, it probably first came from my grandmother (my dad’s mother). She was an avid collector and an antique dealer. I remember going with her on a few of her hunts when I was just a little girl. And mom most likely had a hand in it too. My mom can put a room together like no other. She can mix the old with the new and it will take your breath away. Her vignettes are amazing! She was Martha before Martha was Martha!

Now I may not be the collector or decorator my grandma was and my mother is, but I do have a deep love of vintage. Collecting to me is being able to hold and to touch a little piece of history. A connection to the women who have gone before me.

So this generational love of vintage, will it end with me? Yes. My beautiful daughters prefer a basketball to a vintage hanky, an IPod to a swan down powder puff. Nope, I did not pass the vintage gene to my girls. They are smart and fun and will blaze their own trail. I am grateful that they tolerate my “habit.”

So where am I going with this long story about collecting habits and genetics? Well, I think in the fast paced, changing world, vintage loving young ladies are rare. But I just happen to know one! Let me introduce you to Eliza.

Eliza is the daughter of my friend Tracie who I met though The Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club. She did inherit the vintage bug from her mom. (Although Tracie tells me her other daughter is not a vintage gal!)

Eliza has a love of girly vintage! (Oh be still my heart!) Her beautiful blog is Vintage Rose Girl. Visit her blog and you will see how Eliza intertwines vintage with the life of a modern day teen. She’s smart, talented, and oh so pretty too! Her blog is a reflection of the next generation of vintage lovers who will be the keepers our little piece of history!

Oh, and by the way…I still hold out a little – just a little – hope that someday one of my girls will get the vintage spark. If not, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a vintage loving daughter-in-law!

Visit Tracie at 3floridagirls on Etsy

Visit and follow Eliza’s blog at Vintage Rose Girl

Visit Tracie, me, and all the other members of The Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club