Speaking of flowers, birthdays and beauty . . .

Last month, with last year's birthday money in hand, my daughters and I spent a day in the vintage district nearby. I have a couple of favorite shops there. Favorites, because of their displays, mostly. They take ordinary vintage items and show them off in new ways. I always come away with fresh ideas for my own home.

One of the shops, in particular, carries such a lovely assortment of items that I could easily move it all into my home and be all smiles. And their pricing is quite good, too.

I don't go into these shops with a laundry list of things I'm looking for. But instead, I go with an open mind, looking for beautiful things. I figure that if I find something that I really love, it will find the perfect place in my home.

At first, it was just one of these prints that caught my eye. Then I realized that it was one of a pair -- a pair of prints, both in excellent conditions, with frames still intact, is a find. I instantly loved them both, but went about the day shopping, and thinking on them.

While the price wasn't as low as a thrift shop find, it was far, far lower than buying items new. And it has that instant appeal of looking like it's always been here.

Now, to decide where to hang these.

Do you like to vintage shop? Is there an area nearby that has a selection of vintage stores? What's been your favorite "find" at second-hand shops?

Flowers from the garden on my birthday

I believe that if I don't do nice things for my own enjoyment, then I have no right to complain when no one else does them for me. My grandmother was fond of bringing flowers in from the garden. She would say, "we need to feed ourselves with the beauty around us. If we don't, the beauty that is inside of us will wither and die."

One of the nice little things that I like to do for myself on my birthday, is cut flowers for the house. The selection is different every year, as spring unfolds differently each year.

This year, I found grape hyacinths,

violets,

camellias,

and cherry blossoms.

Feeding my spirit with the beauty from the gardens.