New arrivals for summer living

So many new goodies arrived this week (and last). We're loving the swirly, organic recycled glass trays and bowls, indoor/outdoor rugs and placemats, ikat or bamboo runners and placemats, wonky ceramic servers and glassware...

Dining al fresco... every day.

Isn't it wonderful to be able to eat dinner (and breakfast) outside these days? We are enjoying every minute of it. We set the table with some of our new placemats and napkins from the shop, and it feels like we're eating out in Provence. Add a little music from Carla Bruni or Ana Moura, and you almost could be in France (or Portugal). Without the expense...

Flea Market photos: July 6, 2013

Ohhhh, we had another fun flea market on July 6... with the fabulous addition of Barrio, who had their new food cart set up in our garden. Normally on flea market days we eat a sort of pitiful lunch of yogurt, apple and a slice of cheese or something... but that day we tasted everything, from fabulous pork tacos to a wonderfully spiced skewer dish with savory corn salad... so good. And the flea market was great; lots of good finds to be had. Another coming up on August 3, and it's going to be full of vendors!

Another fabulous French Flea Market (Saturday, July 6)

So excited about tomorrow's flea market. The stars are lined up for a great day: weather should be perfect (chance of rain: 0%), we have so many wonderful vendors coming in with unknown quantities of fabulous goodies (cannot wait to see what they have), and, drum roll please... the folks at Barrio Bend are coming to set up with their new food cart. We had some of their super delicious tacos (and more) at the recent Bite of Bend event, and are so happy they're joining us at the flea market!

Preparation notes for the flea market:

• Come hungry, because you're going to want to sample everything from Barrio!
• Bring cash. Some of our vendors can now take credit cards via mobile device, but cash still is king. Hint: want to negotiate a deal on something? You will get much better results if you offer cash (because, you know, then they don't have to pay that 3% to the bank).
• Bring a market tote with some bubble wrap in case you find some smalls. 
• Clear out the back of your vehicle, in case you find some larger things.
• Bring garden hat for the sun.
• Get there a bit early. Not too early, or things will still be packed up. Some of the antique dealers who frequent our shows get there at 9:45 or so. On the other hand, if you come later, you'll find some treasures that may have been overlooked earlier. It's all good!

See you tomorrow!    

The garden glows at night

You might know how obsessed we are with our Soji solar lanterns. We just love them, and keep bringing in to the shop new styles and colors (another big shipment is on its way). Such a brilliant idea: a little solar cell at the top of the lantern collects light during the day, then powers a rechargeable battery which then turns on an LED light inside the lantern; comes on at dusk, off at dawn. The lanterns are so pretty during the day, and emit a soft glow at night. It's a beautiful way to gently light up the garden. We leave ours out all year (the sturdy poly fabric stands up to sprinklers and snow). Here are a few tips for setting up your Soji lanterns (and a few photos of new styles in stock):

They come with a wire bale handle, and can simply slip over a branch, hook, or shepard's hook. If you're worried about wind, you can tie a little twine or ribbon around the handle, or attach it to a branch with a clip-style curtain ring or even shower curtain ring. Or use a long plant hook to hang it higher in the tree. The string lights (also solar) are wonderful on a trellis, deck overhang, or as a garland in branches of a tree. They have a long lead from the first light to the small solar panel, so you can place that panel in a good, sunny spot, even if the string lights are in shade.

You can easily place any of the lanterns in a sunny spot during the day, then move them to a canopy in the evening, if your outdoor table is tented. They'll glow all night!

The tea lights (shown below) are hand-blown glass with the same little solar panel at the top. Those can sit on outdoor tables, or hang from a branch. We leave ours outside on a side table, then move them to our covered dining area when we sit down for dinner. Lovely.