I attended the wonderful Sticks ‘N Stones mini-flea market yesterday, which is held periodically at the home of Diane Stowe. Fellow vendors Jennifer Maxcy of Hoot n’ anny Home, and Debra Hall, owner of Debra Hall Lifestyle were also there selling their wares. The ladies did a gorgeous job of displaying their beautiful merchandise, and I was lucky enough to snatch up quite a few beautiful things.

I’m crazy about vintage French baskets. I love the history about them, knowing that they were once carried somewhere in the French countryside, and used for berry picking, picnics, laundry and travel. I’m also crazy about dried hydrangeas, so I was delighted to find this basket full of them.

I bought this beautiful basket from Debra Hall, and she happily gave me the beautiful dried hydrangeas that were displayed inside the basket. 

I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos.

I’ll have many french baskets at the Remnants of the Past show in a few weeks. I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to see you there. Have a great week.

xo Jennifer

  I’m in love with jess brown dolls and I know you are too. The winter dolls were a huge hit with all of you, and the spring dolls are on their way. If you’d like to reserve one, please email me and if you’d like a special order, I am happy to place one for you.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Have a great weekend.

I’m not usually one to fall in love with any house that doesn’t have an all white color scheme, but I  quickly changed my mind when I saw this beautiful estate, currently for sale in the gorgeous hills of Agoura, not far from the beaches of Malibu.  This beautiful French Country home has it all. Enter the home’s private gate and discover a 3 acre lot,  5,450 square feet of house plus a 500 square  ft. 11 seat free standing theatre & parking for 6 cars. Well, thank goodness.

The back of the property offers panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains, open space & its own nature preserve. A creek runs year round thru the property.

Don’t worry about ever missing your favorite TV shows because the home comes with 10 Plasma televisions. There are exquisite fireplaces throughout the home and 6 bathrooms. 

Let’s take a peek….

                                    I absolutely love that gorgeous sofa and the pair of French armchairs.

                                              The sisal rug creates the perfect Coastal California look.

                             I love this elegant chandelier paired with slipcovered chairs in the dining room.  

                                                                         Look at that gorgeous ceiling! 

                                               I love the black wood against the pure white of that gorgeous fireplace.

 In my next house, I definitely want to have floors like this. Aren’t they gorgeous? Love that sofa.

                                                           The whole color scheme is serene and tasteful.

                            An absolutely stunning kitchen. I love the cowhide chairs with the crystal chandelier.

Simply beautiful.

 I love the choice of high gloss white paint in the Master bedroom.

More chandelier envy. Love that marble!

                                                     Your own movie theater…..

After a long day, the perfect spot for a glass of wine as the sun sets.

The property is listed exclusively with Sigi & Pam of California Prudential Properties.

Listed at $3.295 million, the house is just a little out of my price range, and probably yours too, but  I really do hope they are considering a yard sale before they move.

Have a great week.

xo Jennifer

I remember being a little girl and every year the Easter bunny would find his way to our house, hiding the brightly colored eggs we had dyed the night before. My dad was in charge of hiding our baskets, which we always found after a few clues, and my Mom always  filled them to the brim with  marshmallow peeps, jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and green sparkly grass. The rest of the morning included heading to church in our Sunday best which for me always meant a new dress, one always a bit too lightweight for the March Long Island weather that was  just beginning to thaw, but I didn’t care. I would shiver in the back seat of our car and wrap my arms tight around my waist while admiring the patterns of tulips and leaves on the fabric. I’d pull my white knee socks up a bit higher and make sure my white patent leather mary janes looked perfect.

After church we always headed to one of three places: My Grandparent’s brownstone in Queens, my Aunt and Uncle’s house in Nassau County or to my cousins house which was just down the road from ours. The day was always filled with lots of food: platters of ham, deviled eggs, and trays of Italian lasagna and sausages. After many hours of loud chatter amongst the grownups, white bakery boxes from the local Italian bakeries would appear, and they would be filled with cannolis, and  various types of cookies covered in chocolate and sprinkles and candied cherries.

We would drive back home with our stomachs full and my Dad would turn on the radio and we’d listen to Cousin Brucie talk about the great hits of the 50′s and 60′s.

I have no family in Southern California so Easter feels very foreign to me without my New York roots to anchor me. It is an odd feeling.

So, with that in mind, I plan on heading out to the local grocery store to buy a PAAS Easter egg kit today. Eliza will get to dye her first set of eggs. I’m certain the Easter Bunny will make his way to California and hide them for us. He might even hide an Easter basket somewhere,  filled with pink grass and candy.

Eliza will find it and her blue eyes will widen.

She’ll smile that magical smile that all children do when they experience something new and wonderful.

I’ll take lots of pictures. We’ll laugh and share jellybeans together. She’ll tell me all of their colors, and her fingers will get sticky from too many treats and her hair will get tangled from running all day in the California sunshine.

I guess that is how memories get made, one little moment at a time.

Have a Happy Easter….