I hope each of you finds a way to enjoy something beautiful in the quiet in between moments of the holiday season. The kind of moments that can make all the difference  Something that reconnects you with who you really are and what you really love the most. That is after all the best kind of gift one can share with others as well as oneself. Lots of love. See you in 2015!!

PHOX - Slow Motion / Blue and White - Audiotree Live

I just love this for so many many reasons....hope you enjoy it too. : )

Elite 16 Holiday Gift Guide

I just wanted to share the magnificent Elite 16 Holiday 2014 Gift Guide with you. I am honored to have a pair of my earrings included in this beautiful compilation which features a sampling of some of Etsy's best makers and shops. If you are still checking things off your holiday buying list, you will want to have a look through this catalog. It's a feast for the eyes! If you want to make the catalog larger just click on it to fill your screen and enjoy!

Welcome December

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I had no time to leave a post to wish everyone well, so I send you a belated hope that your holiday was filled with happiness and love. For me the time spent in the kitchen with my husband, preparing the feast is one of the highlights of the day. We don't often have time to cook together as life has us rushing most of the time. So prepping and cooking and baking really becomes a way for us to bond.  The special meal that follows gives our small family a beautiful opportunity to appreciate one another, to savor and give thanks for the positive things in our lives -- and most of all for each other. I couldn't be more grateful for such a lovely lovely day!

Above are a few December listings in 5gardenias-- an antique chemist's bottle, an antique silver filigree necklace, a 1939 edition of Pinocchio ( soon to be listed ), a 1920's Whiting & Davis mesh gate top purse, and a mid century woven reindeer wall hanging. The photo of the antique transferware plates and bowls were taken as I was preparing to set the Thanksgiving table- they are not available in the shop.

So Welcome to December - stay warm-- stay cozy!

 I've been slow in posting so I'm playing catch up in order to show you a group of lovely new pieces for the shop.
starting with a few vintage wooden spoons, a groups of vintage and antique lace trims ( will be listing soon ), an antique ironstone platter, a vintage cornflower blue enamel coffee pot , and a beautiful antique handmade lace border ( sorry- recently sold ).
Wishing each of you a happy Friday-- and a wonderful weekend ahead! Thanks for stopping by : )

oh to be a squirrel in Autumn when nuts are falling from the sky!

Hello there! I've been away a good long while. I took a break from blogging this past summer, and though I missed it I do believe that it's always important to take breaks- even from the creative and pleasant routines we have. In the space of time from when I last posted to now, so much has happened-- yet nothing of any great importance. The summer went by in a flash despite my attempts to enjoy every day of it. I hope you were able to grab some great summer moments for yourselves-- a little time to regroup, refresh, slow down, getaway, read, cook, garden, explore, bike, hike, play, create ....
I thought I'd start back up by posting a collage that combines a bit of summer with a bit of autumn. September always has that wonderful mix of warm and cool, with last remnants of summer still lingering-- tomatoes still ripening, summer fruit still fresh at the local markets, skies remaining somewhat light later in the day, trees just ever so slowly beginning to turn toward winter - but still green. Squirrels have been scrambling like mad, making nests and collecting nuts and seeds, joggers are out running with dogs. Clouds are still big and puffy, windows are still left open at night.... So much to love about this time of year. We spent a few last days of August in the mountains and Denver city visiting with family and hiking - so a few of the photos come from time spent surrounded by the beauty of Colorado. The rest are of home and the shops. Please stop by 5gardenias and my jewelry shop if you care to see what else is listed. Wishing you the best -- thanks for stopping by!

Well hellooooo there! It's been too long-- but such is life. Inconsistent at times despite the best of intentions. I've been meaning to make my way over here and post some pics-- now finally getting around to it. Summer is here- wow! So fast! My son's last day of school was on Friday and now we have a little extra time to sleep in on weekday mornings, just a teency bit- don't get jealous! One of my fave things about summer is getting a break from that early morning rush. Although a few day camp sessions will have us hopping soon enough. Another fave thing to do in summer is gardening- you can see from the top right photo that I've been repotting a few little fellows that desperately needed to spread their roots. I picked up some sweet little succulents and made some arrangements for the deck, and another pot of Evening Primrose which spreads like crazy, is very hardy and has the most beautiful pale pink cups/blooms. I'm thinking I'll add more all along the border of our fence because they make a great ground cover. I planted some Cosmos in the front bed, and Purple Cone Flower and Black Eyed Susan in the back by the deck. Yet to plant are the Hostas and Bee Balm-- they'll go in tomorrow. I'm trying to add flowers that bees and butterflies like. Hoping to offer them a non toxic, safe haven for the summer...
Also pictured is the lovely Lake Erie sparkling in the sun, and blooms from the Japanese Lilac tree that borders our yard. They are a little lighter and sweeter in fragrance than traditional purple Lilacs, and bloom a few weeks later. So wonderful to have them nearby.
...and naturally I've got a few photos of a few newly or soon to be listed items from 5gardenias. From top left: "today and tomorrow" vintage flash cards ( soon to be listed ), an antique framed print of a pair of Herons, an antique laundry basket, a vintage art pottery fish vase ( soon to be listed ), and another set of vintage flash cards that read "have a rest".
oh! and a double cherry-- I hemmed and hawed about eating it, but decided it would bring me good luck if I did--  and it was tasty !
If you want to catch up and get some sneak peeks of finds for 5gardenias, just look for me on instagram - user name is 5gardenias. I'm there almost every day posting photos of whatever moves me.
Wishing you a happy weekend-- thanks for stopping by! XO!

Mid May and the flowers are bursting and the leaves are nearly full now. It always seems to take forever for Spring to reach Buffalo, but when it does - it's magnificent. I've been inspired to take long walks with Fern and smell every flower ( oh the magnolias! ) and watch their progress from bud to bloom. The world is buzzing again with the sounds of lawn mowers, song birds, voices outside the windows that stay open now, cars driving by, dogs barking, kids playing. Spring's music. It's always so heartening to watch everything come alive again.
As for 5gardenias-- it's looking like a cozy cabin right now. I picked up quite a few rustic items at some recent estate sails. Here are a few of the sweet finds that are listed now.
a vintage bark canoe -- a souvenir from Niagara Falls Canada, a beautiful antique split willow fishing creel with stitched leather edging, a vintage wood trout fishing net and a lovely vintage Nemadji hanging planter ( just recently sold )
I hope the Spring is making you happy and I wish you a fine second half to your week!

A lovely old mid century Chimayo mat from New Mexico - just listed in 5gardenias this morning. I purchased it from an antique dealer who is selling his amazing post and beam cabin, sitting on 40 acres. Such a solid structure-- with a wrap around porch, hand hewn tree trunk columns supporting the porch roof, and inside a huge stone fireplace, and the entire railing winding up the stairs featured curly tree limbs as balustrades. Such a treat to visit -- along with viewing all of the fabulous things he'd collected over the years. I was happy to come away with just a few things-- I have some wonderful George Caitlan book plates that I'll be listing in the not too distant future. Prints of American Indian chiefs and daily life from the mid 1800's -- so lovely. I purchased a few fabulous pieces of petrified wood-- but they've found a place on my table for now - perfect perches for my carved animal friends.... : )
Happy Tuesday !

A few new post earrings recently listed in my jewelry shop.  Little Bellflower bouquets and Black Butterflies. Both made of sterling silver, delicate and lovely on the lobes.

Yes! --  I can feel it--- Spring is here at last. At least I think so. Eighty degrees this past weekend, then back down to 30 degrees and snow on Tuesday. Roller coaster weather, but I'm seeing signs of green growth everywhere. So I'm staying hopeful that the sun will shine more often and Buffalo flowers will soon begin to bloom as the temps reach higher levels, and doors and windows stay propped open.
Here are a few vintage home decor pieces recently listed in 5gardenias shop that sing of Spring.
A pair of vintage ceramic art pottery swans, a vintage make- do medicine bottle bud vase- wire wrapped with a handle, a fabulous antique hooked wool throw rug with a nautical theme, and a glorious antique Appalachian oak splint buttocks basket, which I can't help but feature again, because I love it so!

I wish you all a most beautiful weekend ahead-- with the hope you can get out and enjoy the sweet sunshine!

As promised..... a photo of dear Fernando - aka Fern, Fernie, Inferno. a most wonderful addition to our family. He's both sweet and fierce - a true little buddy. I can only wonder what happened-- why he was found as a stray, with no collar or chip? All I can say is it was a happy day when we brought him home to live with us!

I was so excited when I found signs of plants sprouting from the earth today on my walk with Fernando-- our new dog. I will post some pics of him soon- he's such a sweet heart! We rescued him from a local dog pound. He'd been found as a stray in the middle of the coldest of cold stretches this winter. Fernie is a chihuahau mini pin mix-- and he's a dear little fellow. We are all smitten with him-- and even the cats seem to be warming up to him. Walking has become a much more regular part of my days now-- and I love it!

So --back to being inspired by this inkling of green life -- these tiny buds and sprouts poking up from the ground. I found myself becoming increasingly excited as I found more and more plants beginning to stir.  No doubt most of you are feeling likewise about the change of seasons. Hasn't this seemed like a very long and very cold cold Winter? 

Once I came inside I had this strong inclination to go through some of my natural history books, and then I got out my camera-- plants, books, a few of my favorite wood carvings-- all things that I love dearly-- I just thought I'd share. . they speak of Spring to me... and the sweet antique splint basket is the only thing I'm letting go of-- I just listed it in 5gardenias vintage shop this morning.

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend ahead- hope it's filled with blossoms and sunshine!

Well-- I think it's been ages since I posted last. I'm chalking it up to the extremely cold winter we've had, with snow up to our frozen noses,  my healing torn foot ligaments - with weekly physical therapy visit. A new dog- Fernando- a chihauhau & mini pin mix, we rescued from a local shelter,  who is adorable and sweet. By necessity, I take him on several good walks each day ( great exercise and fresh air )  Our youngest child home for a week due to  a mild concussion -now all better, thank heavens- and good old tax time - which always throws me into a tailspin! I imagine everyone else has their own personal tax time "issues" as well as stories of just how extreme this year's winter has been, along with all the other day in day out challenges. No doubt each of you is as ready as I am for Spring!
So to celebrate finishing my taxes today, I'm ending the day with a nice glass of vino and a post of some new Spring baskets recently added to 5gardenias vintage. ( some fun work for nice contrast )
from left to right top row :
A vintage farm stand/produce basket-- great for gathering clippings from the garden or storing gardening tools. A sweet vintage pressed paper pulp Easter rabbit candy container, in a lovely shade of daffodil yellow. A fabulous mid century hanging wood planter, and a lovely lovely antique hand woven Appalachian splint oak buttocks or melon basket-- with wonderful character and workmanship. All reminders that Spring is imminent -- or for you lucky ones-- already in full tilt.
Wishing you sweet Spring tidings-- or if you're in the southern hemisphere-- well-- here's hoping you're moving toward some cooler temps ! Cheers : )

Already almost mid February and we've been snowed upon and snowed upon and feeling the freezing near 0 degrees for weeks now. So in turn I've made it a point to hibernate and drink lots and lots of hot tea...
In addition I've been getting around to stocking 5gardenias with some fresh vintage goodies.
here goes... clockwise from top left:
vintage celluloid ram figurines from the 40s, antique rustic wire bottle carrier, antique Persian hand woven wool throw rug, vintage hand made raku mug
Hope you are all staying warm and cozy-- preparing for spring in your minds and hearts... Happy February!

Some sweet charm from OhDearViolet-- new shop items. Happy Tuesday : )

Finally getting started on new jewelry work for 2014. I took a good break as I found myself feeling burned out. I decided for the new year to make limited runs of signature pieces like my 'Bellflower' earrings. No more made to order pieces. Not that I don't enjoy making pieces for people-- but after a time repeatedly making the same design over and over again can prevent one from moving forward and discovering new paths or new designs. So starting today I have 5 pairs of my bell flower earrings up for grabs. 2 pairs of 'Silver Bellflower' earrings in the brushed matte and burnished silver finish, 2 pairs of "La Nuit " bellflowers with blackened patina, and one pair of 'Golden Bellflower' with a hand applied fused 23kt gold leaf finish ( also known as keum boo ). In addition, I'm listing the other new earrings which are pictured above. A pair of blackened dangle 'Overlap' earrings,  two sets of 'Terra Blanca' oval post earrings-- very minimalist- but with fabulous textured irregular organic surfaces and a lovely white matte finish - And a pair of blackened 'Hive' earrings- inspired by honey combs. All will be listed over the course of the next day or two.
Thanks for stopping by for a sneak peek! Have a wonderful weekend : )

I hope the holidays treated everyone with kindness and time slowed down enough for true enjoyment with family and friends. I have to say I'm always left feeling a little out of breath by the time Christmas arrives, but I'm fortunate in that I had my beautiful boys all home to celebrate with. For me that is the essence of the holiday-- being together with the ones I love. Sharing some quality time with my family is always the best gift of all. Now that the flurry is all behind us, I'm able to focus back on work and re-stocking the shops.
I'm loving this winter so far, with it's grey light, soft white snowfall, deep and powdery, quieting the world outside -  perfect for bundling up, drinking hot tea and taking new photos of stock waiting to be listed. Here are a few recent additions to OhDearViolet:
clockwise from top left - a set of four antique cast bronze Corinthian column hardware feet, a Ruth Gibbs Godey Lady china doll, a Victorian era brass beaded locket and chain, and an antique Victorian mourning hat made of silk crepe.
Thanks for stopping by-- best wishes to you for a wonderful 2014 ahead!

P.S. I nearly forgot to tell you! I'm having a 20% sale off all items in 5gardenias vintage shop-- this will last through Jan. 5. Use coupon code: happy2014 at checkout to receive your discount.