Black Eyed Susan's Kitchen

OPINIONS...PLEASE

          Making choices, usually comes very easily to me....except when I am choosing wall paint colors. You'd think that I was making life and death decisions. Here is the problem area...it is the hallway to the right of the entry foyer. We need to paint this hall, the foyer, the stairwell and the upstairs landing. If you go straight down the hall to the dark opening, that would be the living room. This is the color of the wall in the living room. It is a bamboo green, almost a chartreuse. This is the front door from inside the foyer..and, that is the cream color that the walls are now. Kind of cream and dark smudgy finger prints. This is the other side of the front door, and the color that I have decided on for it...and this is the front porch and the colors of the house and shutters right next to the front door. The bench is like a kazillion years old and everyone likes to sit on it. So, I am wanting to paint the front door and the bench this cheerful shade of red. I thought it would look good with the almond and black and the brick porch. The inside foyer is another story....what color????? I was thinking of a toffee, but my husband said it was like brown and didn't seem to care for it. I would like a more specific color than cream, beige, etc. I am not a big fan of peach or dusty colors. I like clear decisive color. I was thinking of perhaps this darker tan shade on the paint chips. I would like to keep my big old turquoise framed mirror in the foyer too. Please, if you have any opinion at all, I am all ears. Maybe you see something or know something about this that I don't, even a little feng shui advice on colors would be helpful. Thank you in advance :)

HYDRANGEA FEST

     They are saying (the weather people), that this is one of the ten best days of the year. Okay, low humidity,beautiful sunshine, not a cloud in the sky....I cannot disagree. I thought that I might saunter over to the garden in the back yard, and pick some broccoli for dinner. Since it is so sunny, on goes the hat. Is this hat cute? I bought it on ebay, many years ago, and it is just one of those little things in life that makes me smile. Out the back door to the garden, I notice that the red runner bean vines, have flowers. I don't think that I have actually ever eaten red runner beans, but I like green beans and so I will give them a try. You have to remember that the true gardener in this family is my husband and he is currently tending to the business of making money. That said, you would have to look toward the middle of the country to find him right now. I also notice the tomato's are looking like...well, tomato's. It is almost like a magic show. One day there is a seed and then, voila...food to eat. The grand tour would not be complete without the viewing of the hydrangea. This one grows in the backyard...wow, what color! This one is growing in the front garden, and again the colors are awesome. We also have these whited hydrangea growing in the front garden. The creamy white color with the green leaves is so soothing for the eyes. There is also one other hydrangea growing in the front garden. It might be one of my favorites... I believe, that it is called an oakleaf hydrangea (I could be totally wrong here), but it is just so unique with the longer spears of flowers in the the great cream, green and golden hay colors. There are so many other flowers growing in this garden right now, but for today, we will just leave it at the hydrangea fest.

    I changed the theme of the entry hall today, to display these two fabulous little papier mache sculptures..
They are favorite finds from ebay.You can find fabulous little sculptures like these at Papier People.

AND SO SHE WALKED....ALSO FAVORITE FLEA MARKET FIND

         First, I have to show you this picture..Yup, that's our girl, receiving her high school diploma...we are so happy and proud. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and from the top row of the bleachers, I managed to get this shot. Next stop...college!
           Heidi, at Birds of a Feather is taking on the task of  the show and tell Sunday listings. She has a terrific blog, so stop by, and also check out what everyone has to say about their favorite flea market find. I have had the best luck finding vintage linens at the flea markets. I always go out looking for hammered aluminum, rarely finding any, but often finding an unexpected tablecloth. The most exciting find was on a table chock full of vintage linens that were displayed in a big, messy heap. It was late in the day, but I thought that I would look through it anyway. Underneath all of the other cloths was this coffee time inspired cloth. It just reminded me of the comfort of a cup of coffee at the kitchen table, and the happy times spent chatting with family and friends. Not really an amazing find, but definitely my favorite. Next, I will be stopping by to see what everyone else has in their favorite finds post. 

NOW THIS WILL MAKE YOU SMILE...

         In the middle of graduation madness, it came to my attention that there is no room left in my linen closet. Graduation is this afternoon by the way...yikes! So, back to the linen closet. Our house is blessed with an incredible amount of closet space. I remember when we first looked at it, we kept mumbling about the amazing amount of big deep closets..it may have sold us on the place. One of the big closets in the main hallway (yes, there are two), has been equipped with shelves and is being used for linens. Kitchen towels, bathroom towels, and most importantly, vintage tablecloths. Many, vintage tablecloths. I decided to list a few of them on ebay today, and thought you might enjoy a sneak peek. This cloth is sooo Great Gatsby. I could just see Audrey Hepburn dancing under the stars in the movie Sabrina. The best part of this tablecloth, though, is the center.How cool are these lanterns? This whole cloth is just plain fun. I will also be listing a cloth with a very colorful fish and lobster theme. I love the coral and the bubbles on this tablecloth. I always thought it would be a fun one to use at a clambake. Most of the tablecloths I chose are the vibrant, colorful ones. Some with original tags and some that are souvenirs. I have bought and sold this Niagara Falls tablecloth several times now. It is such a romantic themed cloth and the Peace Bridge and Angel Falls are such wonderful concepts. One more to peek at, and then I really have to start preparing for the graduation today, and big family get together tomorrow. This simple little yellow and blue floral themed cloth always makes me smile. I think that when these textiles came out during the Great Depression, a simple little tablecloth like this might have been just the ticket to bring a smile to many women's faces. If you have the time, check on my listings on ebay. There are many more that I have not shown here today. Hopefully these colorful vintage cloths have brought a smile to you as well.    Okay, so I can't seem to get the link to work today...typepad is a little challenging. If you would like to view my ebay listings, just go to the column on the left titled sites for sore eyes and find Sueskitchen on ebay. That link will take you there:)

INSPIRATION, CREDIT AND KARMA

              There are many things in this world that I do not understand....just ask my kids. One of those things, seems to come up every now and then in the creative and crafty blogs. Someone will copy someone elses work. Not being a crafter or artist myself, I can only imagine how frustrating this can be. What I cannot understand is why they would not give the original artist credit for the inspiration. Is a creative persons ego different than that of an art appreciator? If it were me being inspired by someone else, I would shout it from the roof tops...This is where I got my idea, isn't it wonderful...and now, this is my interpretation of that same artist/craft person's idea. Pretty simple concept. So why would someone go out of her way to dedicate a post to the reasoning of where and why she is doing this work, instead of writing about how she was inspired by the original work and wanted to put her own spin on it? I applaud and respect the artist/ crafts person who can own up and give credit where it is due. I appreciate original ideas so much, that I based an entire store on the concept. Excellence deserves a standing ovation.... and to that, I would like to start a once a week post of people who inspire me, some will be creative bloggers, some will be obscure unknowns, and some will of course just be people who I adore.
              This week, I would like to start with my friend Beth, who writes the blog, Whimsies and words. She is a published author, and a crafter who had inspired me for years now. Her ideas are fresh and different and her take on the world is colorful, and fun. She knows how to take the kitsch and vintage and turn it into a work of art. She first posted phenomenal pin cushions on April 12th, 2007. They are so interesting, cool and fun that Romantic Homes magazine had one of her creations in a recent edition. I sold her bags in my store, and they flew off the shelves. The girls in the high school still carry her creations, so you know that they are appreciated. She inspires me constantly, and clearly her work has been an inspiration for others. Well done Beth...keep the brilliant ideas coming. I am giving you a standing ovation today!
               

A TINY NOCTURNAL VISITOR

                Peter Rabbit has always been a favorite storybook in my house. The stories of those naughty little bunnies and the trouble that they would get into..... well, look who came to visit our front porch last night. This little guy is only about 6 inches long.  I can't believe that he stood there and let me take this picture. Now, I wonder where his brothers and sisters are...perhaps he is the decoy, and they are in the backyard garden enjoying a dinner of lettuce and carrots. Hmmmm

TRASH TO TREASURE DAY....

It is trash to treasure day, and although I am a little tardy, I do have some things to share. In my defense though, I had a wonderful surprise last night. A knock on the door, and who should be standing there, but the wandering junketeers, aka, my oldest daughter and her husband. They have been traveling around the country since January, so you can imagine how tickled pink I was by this surprise.
   Now, on to the trash to treasure....being a yardsale enthusiast, I find quite a bit of fun and usable junk in that way, and sometimes, I will pick up something that has been left for the garbage men to pick up. These are a few of my favorite  items that have been repurposed and/or reused. Analise of sugar sugar blog is hosting this theme today. My first treasure is this old sewing basket that I found. Given a sky blue coat of paint and a spiffy new plant, it is a feature on the back porch. The next item, is a sign that I found on ebay, many years ago. It is an old piece of wood with the most romantic  painting on it. It hangs above our bed. This next trashy item, I found in the trunk of someones car. This chandelier was offered for sale when I had a booth  in an antiques mall.  It was crusted with dirt and grime. We cleaned it up, rewired it, and added crystals. The hand blown bauble was brought back from Switzerland by my travelin' husband.  The next little whimsy, I found at a  yard sale. It was in the bottom of a box of bits and pieces...I thought it was a treasure. When asked it's price? The answer was, oh thats just junk...you can take it. I just love junk!!! When you have the time, go to Analise's blog and check out the posts featuring the treasures. 

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS OR FIRSTS AND LASTS

        June always seems to be a month of endings and new beginnings. Many couples choose to marry in June, and there seem to be more birthdays around here in June. This month, actually today, my sister in law Elizabeth celebrates her birthday (Happy Birthday Beth), my brother in law Ralph, my nephew Simon, my daughter, Jenna, my niece Alexandra, my sister in law Sharon, and my new son in law DJ will all be celebrating their birthdays. Hope everyone gets the cake of their desires with many candles to blow out. So, what ends in June??? School! When you have a child graduating high school, every event is the last event....last night was the last concert...I want the school to know that I have enjoyed everyone of them. (yup, I am feeling a little emotional today...hope I make it to graduation)
         On to other new beginnings...we have a somewhat shady backyard garden area where things seem to bloom late. All of the peonies have pretty much come and gone, but this  unique, red, peony is still in progress. I did promise a few pictures of the new veggie garden in the backyard, and this is what is happening so far..the tomato's are on their way, and this is a picture of the carrot tops . They look like a tiny forest!  The lettuce is ready to be a salad, and the green beans have begun to climb their way to the top of the  garden. Pretty exciting!
        One last thing that I would like to share with you today, is this new cake set that I managed to snag on ebay. It fits a big layer cake, is covered with roses, and is the newest addition to my collection of hammered aluminum. Cake and my favorite collectible...life is good.

NATURES WAY TO A STRESSLESS MOMENT

          This is the place that I go to when things get so hectic that I need to destress.... The community garden is in full swing right now, and it is soooo peaceful at dusk. Everyone has their gardens planted, and if you walk through, you can see some  surprises. This is our garden this year. The netting is covering the green beans.  Last year, the deer thought that we planted a smorgasboard, just for them! Hopefully, this will deter them for a little while. We have many varieties of tomatos growing, squash and sunflowers. I will try to document this every few weeks. As I was walking through the garden last night, I came upon this little gem that brought a smile to my face...These two little chairs set in with someones marigolds...how whimsical and precious. The garden fairies must have left their furniture behind. The gardens in front of our house are in full bloom. These are my husbands favorite roses.  They are a lovely shade of lavender, and speaking of lavender, it is also in full bloom and so are many other flowers in the purple family...In addition to all of these gorgeous shades of lavender, lilac, and purple, the iris are in bloom and even the pansies are still blooming, probably due to the cooler weather. I have to say, that with all this beauty in front of the house, the one flower that always gets me is the crazy romantic pink rose.  They do not disappoint this year.Things will be a little hectic around here for a few more weeks, with graduation plans and a house full of company, but soon we will return to a more relaxed summer schedule...and then you will hear from me more often. I hope that you enjoyed a little peak at the two gardens. Next, I will catch you up on the veggie garden in the back yard.

MAKE MINE A LITTLE BIT CLOUDY

          The sky is a beautiful shade of blue today and the sun is shining. It is the perfect start to the Memorial Day weekend, which also kicks off the unofficial start of the summer season. Early this morning, we were up and out before the start of traffic . We drove over to the Highlands to pick up some seafood from the Lusty Lobster (a most wonderful place where the restaurants in the area buy their seafood), and then over to the Atlantic Highlands to take a few pictures. The view was fabulous, but as we all know....the camera battery will always die just as the perfect picture comes along. Just as I was adjusting my camera to view in closer, it died. What I wanted to show you was the edge along the horizon is New York City. I will try again soon. After a quick trip to the Flaky Tart....the very best bakery....ever, we worked our way home. The reason that I like my days a little cloudy is because I am allergic to the sun. I have lupus, and the sun just does not agree with me, so its a few minutes in the garden or in the shade, and then I am out of the sunshine. Big hats help, but every now and then I dream about what it used to be like to lie on the beach in the sunshine...you see, I grew up on the beach in the sun, so sometimes I really miss it. I do, however, love those cloudy days.
              Last night was Prom night, so we were up till the wee hours. The very adorable prom couple had a wonderful time. Their high school has an after prom party , which I think is brilliant. The kids have a great time and stay safe.They have mountains of good food, prizes galore, a hypnotist and other entertainment. After the "after prom party", around 3 A.M., they all went to the diner and then to the beach to watch the sunrise. Most attendees are at home snoozing now. Their parents are happy that they had a great time and were safe :) Laura...check out the necklace.
            When we arrived home from the Highlands, there was a box  waiting for me on the front porch. These pillows were in the big box...There is of course a little story that goes along with this purchase. When I decided to lighten up our bedroom decor for the summer, I wanted something soothing and easy on the eyes. The sage green actually went well with the pea green walls, and I was lucky enough to find a duvet and sham set on sale at Linens and things . When I was standing in line to pay for this, a woman behind me in line asked if I had a coupon (which I could see in my minds eye on my desk...at home) and I told her no. She then offered me one of hers, as she had an extra. I will be sure to pay that kindness forward. So, when I saw this pillow listed on ebay , made from vintage barkcloth, I got really excited. I watched it carefully and bid at the last minute to make sure that it would be mine, and wouldn't you know it, someone out bid me. I was sooo disappointed. Next morning, there is an email from Pat who is known as  Perfect Pie Lady on ebay. It is a second chance offer. Turns out she has just a little more fabric and would be happy to make me another pillow...I was ecstatic...but it gets better. I sent her an email saying thank you and would she have enough to make one more smaller pillow as well? She did, and as you can see from the pictures, the pillows are perfect with the new bedding. Sometimes life can be soooo sweet.  Miss Pixie, who just loves the new duvet is also approving of the pillows and will be guarding them today. I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day. Tomorrow and Monday will be for parades and services.