Today was another perfect day

to wander by the beach. I actually didn’t take any pictures this time, but here are some from last weekend that I’ve been meaning to post.

Mmm. Don’t you just want to walk right in? It’s a little too cold for that, but it does seem so inviting.

T is for Teal (F is for Fig)

I’ve been obsessed with spring colors now, vibrant greens, luminescent yellows, ocean blues, rich purples, and most especially my very favorite color, teal.

I found color inspiration in an unlikely place, a little 2$ children’s book we bought for Miss P at one of the antique stores by the ocean. It has all the farmer’s market vegetables featured, (P is for Persimmon, didn’t you know?), in beautiful, rich hues. It was created in Mexico and published in San Diego. Local and inspirational–it makes me want to cook (or eat!) and to design outfits all at once.

F should always be for figs.

And then there is teal at the ocean, of course. I couldn’t believe the colors last Sunday. This is where we sat, pre heading to our favorite breakfast place for eggs benedict and bloody mary. And they don’t mind we have our little girl happily in tow! No bloody mary for her, of course!

Finally, as always, there’s Etsy. I just bought a necklace from MarloNoel‘s lovely shop. Mine is more a blue grey (another color I adore) than teal, but oh the beautiful teal on this aptly named Blair necklace.

It’s like staring into the waves.

a stolen moment

Today is a quiet day of work at home, with few moments out to nurse my little one and enjoy the view. Note the giraffes. Have I mentioned that every morning she gets up, eager to dance with her giraffes?

Afternoon tea

This afternoon, we had tea at our babysitter’s tea shop, while she watched after our little girl. They had a wonderful time playing in the chest of dress up vintage clothes and trying on garlands and garlands of necklaces. Meanwhile, we drank pots and pots of tea and enjoyed sandwiches, scones, and fresh fruit. Plus it was a little escape into the mountain air, in a nearby neighborhood we’ve never explored before. All in all, delightful and delicious.

brown and gold

brown and gold, originally uploaded by isaysweethearts.

I seem to have rapidly developed a love affair with vintage bags. It’s not surprising, given my long standing love for bags. But once I discovered the beautiful, wonderfully made vintage bags available on etsy and ebay… it was as if I had to make up for lost time. I now have *counts* um, I don’t want to say how many. But I have several beautiful ones, with one still coming to me, and a 1960s briefcase I bought recently on etsy to boot.

My father actually won this beautiful bag for me on ebay, as he was showing me how to bid on ebay. Is this a good or a dangerous skill? I’m not ready to say. But this bag was a steal. And it’s absolutely entrancing inside (I’m a sucker for the lining of a bag) with a coffee colored grossgrain lining, and then a cream inner lining within the pockets. The inside absolutely looks as if it has never been used. I don’t mind bags having a sense of history and a life before me, but there’s just something I adore about the delicious perfection of a pristine lining.

Oh beloved shoes

Aren’t they lovely? At first they hurt and I was devastated. That was the first day. One day later they felt lovely (with thicker socks, as pictured above, hence the slight lumpiness) and now, with just tights, they are perfect! I want to order them in all 4 colors but must restrain myself. But at least 1 more pair is in order, because it’s so hard for me to find shoes. So the question is: (navy) blue? I’m leaning toward blue. But they also come in black (practical) and brown. A conundrum. Black would be good for professional situations, but blue is so much more interesting…

Flowers and cacti and chocolates

My parents have been visiting, which makes for a bit of craziness and very little time for blogging, but plenty of picture opportunities. Today we went to a low water demonstration garden, which was simply beautiful in the perfect weather.

I bring you flowers (for Valentine’s day, of course).

Today I carried my first truly thrifted bag. It is shiny and pretty for Valentine’s day. It cost me three dollars at the thrift shop in our town center that I hardly ever get to because it closes at 3 PM.

Isn’t the bow detail fabulous?

My attempts at stylish Mama on Valentine’s day.

This evening, we’re actually having a babysitter over, so that we can go to the movies… with my parents. LOL. But it will still be a change of pace, to go to the movies! I am very much looking forward to it. And then I can come home to my little girl, who hopefully won’t have given her babysitter (my friend) too hard a time…

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Tea Time

The last few days were as rainy as I can remember since moving here. It was definitely the type of weather where you want to cuddle up inside with a full pot of tea. I did so, repeatedly. In the past couple of months, I’ve been doing right my british heritage, and making hard core tea. This was facilitated by two developments: we bought the perfect tea pot, and my babysitter hooked us up with some amazing tea because her mother owns a tea shop. (To own a teashop, what a dream!) The best teas that she supplies us with (I am so hooked now) are Ginger Peach and Apricot, both which are black teas enhanced by real pieces of dried fruit etc. There’s another one that actually has little bits of white chocolate in it. But as good as that is, I like my teas simple and comforting, and the Ginger Peach and Apricot have it hands down.

So Rain + Tea Pots.

What’s My Line Love

This was going to be a post about Danny Kaye, but I got distracted by the wonderful wealth that youtube offers, and fell into the vortex of Whats My Line videos. From Danny Kaye to Fred Astaire to Lauren Bacall, it is so magical to be able to see them–something about how they’re pretending not to be themselves, and yet are so themselves. And Lauren Bacall–what a presence, what style! I could not love these three more.

Thank you gameshow network and youtube.