Christmas Luncheon

Thanks to C. & L. for meeting me on such short notice. You're the best !

I watched the most delightful movie this dreary rainy morning on TCM. Snuggled under a favorite blanket with my little furry companion, I lost myself in the world of The Bishop's Wife. This movie will most certainly be added to my "favorite" Christmas Movie List.  An endearing classic storyline unfolds with the most beautiful Loretta Young, handsome Carey Grant, and gracious David Niven.  Perfect!

Today was a busy day.  I was like a woman on a mission. My only day not working in the shop, this week,  meant it was time to "power shop" for my loved ones.  Yes, I actually did make a list.  I peaked at it a few times but for the most part I focused on the task at hand and found some pretty amazing gifts all within the time limit I gave myself.  Next I was off to an evening affair with local merchants where we sipped wine, ate nibblies, and just enjoyed each other's company.  All in all, it was a pretty nice day ~ but it definitely is time to put my feet up ~ and  r e l a x !

~ Our Shop Is All Decked Out In It's Finery ~

fwLots & Lots Of Pretty Unique Gift Ideas !

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Will Even Gift Wrap Your Purchase !

                

 

Poem By Alice Lilley Graham (my Grandmother) 1887 ~ 1974

The little birds are skipping

In the trees......

The little dogs are gathering

On the corner......

The sun dancing as it shines

Cans of milk are jostling

One another......

Doors fly open ~greet the morning sun

Life on our street has begun !

I have wonderful memories from when I was a teenager, visiting my delightful Auntie at her truly lovely Tudor-style mansion in Victoria.  The house, built over 100 years ago, stands majestically surrounded by her colorful English garden.  My Auntie introduced me to the simple pleasures of treasuring beautiful old things.  The house is adorned with stained glass windows, claw foot bathtubs, bay windows dressed with Priscilla lace curtains, and carved wood panelling throughout.  Now in her 97 year, she has lived a life of creativity, from being a wife, mother, florist,  painter, seamstress, and a gardener.  It was on one of my summer visits, I was first introduced to Victoria Magazine (I was 17 at the time). At first I thought it was  simply a magazine about the City of Victoria but I soon realized it was so much more than that, it was a treasure-trove of inspirational photographs and articles celebrating the simpler side of life.  Before long, I found myself immersed in the splendid vignettes that were displayed upon the pages. Quite simply ~ I was hooked !   The Magazine has always been a showcase for women entrepreneurs, and I too, dreamed of one day having a lovely little shop.  At The Button Box, I have my regular list of ladies who I promptly telephone just as soon as the new issue of Victoria arrives ~ and like always, we share our delight in what the pages will unfold !

My little buddy and I spent a lazy day relaxing and doing a fair bit of cuddling ~ quite perfect !

Mother and Daughter spending some time together trying to get that perfect "shot".   It's hard to do when we are laughing so hard and bumping into each other we are practically falling over !

Rainy Days

~ You should not be sad when it rains but raise an umbrella that points towards the sky. While walking with tip-tap steps through the puddle you imagine all the flowers blooming in the rain !

Lovely Antique Maple Vanity

Restored Antique Oak Sideboard

Pretty Gift Ideas For Someone Special !

Some Sparkle and Shine ~ So Pretty !

Time To Shine

We are busy bees decorating The Button Box for this very special season.   Thank heavens for "angel" girlfriends who are lending a helping hand creating a bit of sparkle and a bit of glam !   I will share some pic's soon !

Millinery Delight

One would never know by looking at these photo's that my daughter and I went into fits of laughter in- between "takes" !   She has this amazing new camera with a huge lens and most of the time I have no idea what I am doing which makes us laugh even more.   It was a cold rainy day, we found the perfect background (a cement brick wall behind my store)  selected some cute hats and "voila" !    I am lucky she is so patient, giving up her time on a Sunday,  to act silly with her Mom !

Nothing is sweeter than a pretty collection of vintage compacts ~

~Crystal Trinket Jars ~ Boot hooks, Nail buffers, beautiful porcelain vases~

                                                            Treasures on your antique Vanity

A perfect Fall day

A beautiful Fall day at the barn

Flowers still in bloom

Winter is an etching, Spring is a watercolor, Summer is an oil painting, & Autumn a mosaic of them all !

Pumpkins almost ready for the picking !

                                                     

Memories

I found myself at that difficult time of life when I was presented with the harrowing task of sorting and packing my Mother's lifetime of personal belongings.  Sadly, she was about to be admitted to a Nursing Home.  Day to day living had become such a struggle, owing to the fact that she was stricken with Alzheimer's Disease, which was wrecking havoc with her mind.

Opening her dresser drawer, I lovingly packed each item carefully knowing full well that these were her most precious items.  Reaching deep into the drawer, much to my delight, I came upon a treasure so dear to my heart, it brought tears to my eyes.  I asked myself  " how on earth could I have forgotten about such a treasure" when time and time again, throughout my childhood, it brought me so much pleasure.  The Button Box with all of it's glory lay before me waiting to unleash the exquisite array of colors, shapes, and textures.

I have such wonderful memories of this rather shabby but undeniably elegant tin box.  This was particularly so, when I was home from school with the sniffles, as my Mother would offer this special box, as a way to keep me occupied while I was recuperating.  Slowly lifting the lid, my little fingers would gather the contents, and if by magic, I would imagine they were sparkling jewels.  Of course, one always had the option of sorting the buttons into categories or simply "swishing" them about creating the most wonderful sound.  From shiny to fabric covered,  from smooth to rough textured, with a bevy of colors galore.  The beauty of each button was a treasure to behold, but more importantly, the simplicity  of the task , filled a little girl's heart with joy.

***  To my Mother for teaching about the simple pleasures in life.

                                     So Thankful So Many Things.....
My Family ~ So Many Wonderful Friends ~ My Little Dog Skooter ~My House that isn't fancy but sure has been cozy and comfortable ~ My Morning Cup Of Coffee ~ My Love Of Beautiful Things ~ My favorite jeans ~ the changing seasons ~ I've had the chance to live my dream !

Hooray for lucky me !  My husband loves to cook and often times he experiments and comes up with something pretty spectacular.  Here is a photo of the marinated chicken breast & pasta salad  ~  nice presentation ~ fantastic flavor.  YUM !

Friendship

One of life's many treasures is our friendship that has lasted 40 years (but who is counting) ?!  We survived the often turbulent teen years, love affairs, heartbreak, marriage, babies, divorce, travel, careers, illness, joy and sorrow.  Through it all, we changed with the times from mini skirts to bell~bottoms, long hair to short hair,  now dyed hair, pedicures, and wrinkles.  We faced our toughest challenge last year when we lost one of our "dears" to the dreaded C.  Through it all, we rallied together and did the absolute best we could for our most darling friend as she slowly slipped away.  We are after all, friends together, forever, and never apart (our motto).     P.S.  We love you Susie and we visited your favorite shops today.   ~J.~

Moment

I love the early morning when I am the first one up and about.  Slipping into my cozy housecoat and my soft pink slippers,  I gather my little dog in my arms and we head outdoors for a quick breath of morning air.  I can hear the sputtering coffee maker as it brews my much anticipated morning cup of hot coffee. It's a comforting feeling knowing my loved ones are still nestled in their beds while I sit quietly, gather my thoughts, for yet another busy day.   ~J.~

A

 A Tisket a Tasket I found a lovely little basket ~ these are the nicest little shopping baskets !   While you are walking the grocery aisles you can fill your stylish basket with lots of things avoiding the use of those awful plastic bags !   Oh yes, and if it is raining and your basket gets wet ~ it's waterproof ! 
~ Simply lovely~

~ A Love Affair ~

My youngest daughter started riding lessons 4 years ago.  It all started simply enough, school had ended, the prospect of warm summer days lay ahead, and knowing she always dreamed of riding a horse we signed her up for a few lessons.  Upon recommendation, we were put in touch with a very nice lady who taught English riding lessons at a barn just around the corner from where we live.  It seemed quite perfect. When we arrived at the barn, April was introduced to a very pretty white Arabian Pony named "Gabby".  Who would have thought a love affair at that very moment would blossom?  Sure enough, with April's determination and Gabby's love of getting attention, a very special bond grew.  Twice a week April attended her lessons working tirelessly at learning all the many maneuvers it takes to be a rider.  She learned to groom that horse along with learning Gabby's favorite treats were most definitely carrots. As her mom, I have spent hours taking pictures of her with Gabby and filming her lessons so she could make video's (put to music) of her cantering around the arena.  These latest pictures are of her sitting on Gabby bareback.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do ~ there is nothing sweeter than a girl and her pony.

H

I want to share some of my vintage treasures with you. I love the "pincushion doll" and even though the beautiful French coffee pot has the tiniest chip in the lid, I couldn't resist it.  A dear friend gave me the vintage hatbox and my collection of old suitcases hold many unique little treasures.  The circa 1900 Wedding dress I found in the vintage clothing store where my daughter works. Finally, one of the many hats in my hat collection.

Welcome

I am officially laying out the welcome mat to all of you who have chosen to be a part of my Blog.  I have to admit, I have resisted temptation to write a Blog, but I have been encouraged to follow through and give it a try.  I am looking forward to networking,  meeting new friends, and bringing a bit of inspiration to my page as well !  A big thank you to Katie for the design concept, and my personal photographer April, who has a gift when working behind the lens.    ~J.~