Robin's Vintage Suitcase

Short of you being here in person, there is just no way to share how beautiful this shop really is. When you step inside the door you are transported to a place of unique style and elegance. You may remember last Fall I shared several posts of Robin's Fall and Christmas Open House, which at that time was being held temporarily in the carriage house on her wonderful turn of the century estate.

Robin is now opening her new year round shopping venue, which is just a block away from her property, Humbolt Place, here in Springfield. Three areas in one store,  The Vintage Suitcase most resembles her Carriage House venue; then a new area, The Garden District that has the flavor of an Old World Conservatory. (I'll share this part of the shop tomorrow)  The Vintage Veranda is an elegant French furnished party room that can be rented for parties, showers, and wedding rehearsal dinners. (photos coming this weekend)

These are just a few photos to invite you to the Grand Opening taking place this weekend. Hope you can come and be a part of the excitement. Join Robin for hors d'oeuvres, dessert, and a toast to the new shops!

This is a link to Robin's website and blog

and you'll also find a link

 by clicking on her button on my sidebar.

for Gallery Photos click here.

 Hope to see you there,

xoxo,

Playing "Paper Birds"

One of my favorite pastimes when I was a little girl was playing "paper dolls". Do they even have paper dolls anymore? I could spend hours with a new set, cutting out the latest fashions whether it be Betsy McCall or some sort of glamorous Hollywood starlet. Well, I may not play with those anymore, but give me some little scissors and I still want to cut something out!

I made these last Spring and put them in old vintage album pages. That was a lot of fun, but this year I'm just using one of my old windows. Once I get started on these I don't want to quit, and there were scraps of paper and old dictionary pages strewn all over my studio.

Someone else is interested in birds. Miss Jenkins is my little shadow and sticks pretty close. Problem is she wants to walk all over my papers and then smell the musty old pages. yummmm... She found some old pressed flowers in the pages of the dictionary and while I was working I could hear crunch...crunch...crunch". yuck, I was just waiting for them to come back up.

anyway, sometimes I just need a "hands on" paper project.

I'm backing these with brown craft paper to give them some sturdiness, 

otherwise they can be too fragile without it.

I love the old bird prints from the 40's. I recently "unearthed" a set that I'd had stashed in the garage "sell" pile, but I think they'll be used in my "Holiday Cupboard" downstairs soon.

So here it is put together, 

I may hang on to it for a little while and enjoy my fine feathered friends.

The outside birdies are busy nesting around here. Robins tend to be messy nest makers and I had a couple of nests laying on my potting bench from last Fall. They have destroyed them, looting twigs and grass for new nests. 

I'm itching to get my potting area cleaned up and all the furniture out from under the deck. That usually has to wait until we open the pool, which will be early this year, hopefully. Potting some geraniums is on my "agenda" for the day. I'm not a gardener, but I do love me some containers of posies!

If you haven't visited Monday Marketplace, remember it runs all week. You can link up your Etsy and Online Boutique items, and then do a little browsing. Just scroll down to the next post.

Be sure and come back tomorrow because I'm editing the photos that I took at The Vintage Suitcase, a new shop opening this weekend. They'll be tomorrow's post, and let me tell you this place is wonderful!

I'll be linking up to these party places:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Knick of Time Tuesday

Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff at Primp

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Rooted in Thyme

Jennifer Rizzo

Hope you're having a good week,

xoxo,

Monday Marketplace # 8

Hey Everyone, Monday's here again, hope you're off to a good start. We had rain and storms all weekend. Living here in Southwest Missouri we are located in what is known as "tornado alley". Spring storms that usually start in NW Texas and Oklahoma seem to head on a NE path toward us on a regular basis. Today is supposed to be sunny, so I'm hoping that a good day is in store. 

I'm heading out this morning to take photos of a new store opening in town this Friday evening. Robin Gilmore's Vintage Suitcase is having a Grand Opening and I'll be sharing some of the fun this week. 

Here are some photos and links from last week's line up
at Monday Marketplace

Thanks everyone, that comes to link up!

Hand Painted Vintage Wood Caddy from Rosemary at Villabarnes.

If you don't know Rosemary then hop on over to her blog by the same name and check out all the great things that Rosemary creates and "re-creates". This girl has more paint finishes and techniques than you can imagine, and sells not only on Etsy but some of the great venues around the Chicago Area.

Gorgeous Vintage Rose Wallpaper sold by the yard,
from Judy at French Laundry.

Fairest Lord Jesus Pillow from Hymns and Verses

Vintage Cherub Wall Decor by Embellishments by SLR

Vintage Lace Doily Necklace from Love You More Designs

Vintage Pharmacy Boxes from Linda at Itsy Bits and Pieces

And take a look at the one-of-a-kind pillow made from an

 antique German grain sack from Judy at Elegant Farmhouse

Hand Crocheted Baby Blanket

from Marianne at Leisure Lane.

Thanks so much for the shout out for Monday Marketplace!

If you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique

please feel free to link up to three items.

and if you don't, well then please come back during the week,

and check out all the fun links!

Monday Marketplace is live all week so stop back by.

Thanks for not only linking up, 

but for also promoting and supporting Monday Marketplace!

(Please, only links that are a link to a selling site)

If you link up please be a follower of Common Ground, 

and I' love for you to grab the button to the right for

someplace on your blog, this helps spread the word!

xoxo,

Inspirational Home Spring Open House

Like I said, 

this week is full of local shop openings and Open Houses,

and I'm the designated community bulletin board...te he!

So just a note to all you local gals,

Inspirational Home is having a Spring Open House 

this week starting Thursday morning at 10am.

An indoors and outdoors gathering of vintage finds

and fresh and fun garden goods.

See this adorable chair slip?

I've ordered some custom ones for my dining room chairs...

can't wait to get them!

A local nursery will be there selling live plants and flowers on the lawn.

Hope you can drop by 

for some wonderful Spring decor and gift shopping.

Bellina's Bungalow

Locally, we have several bits of news coming this week.

Today I want to introduce a new shop to you,

 Bellina's Bungalow.

Located at 601 Pickwick at the corner of Cherry Street, 

Midtown, Springfield.

oh this vintage birdcage, so sweet!!

and just look at the detail on this dresser,

that could easily be used as a dining room buffet.

Clock face painted on a metal table top

so many pretty feminine things...

It's a small shop, but full of great antiques,

 fun junque, and vintage goods.

Drop by Wednesday thru Saturday

 for some wonderful inspiration and fun finds.

xoxo,