Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Thoughts from Pamela: Spring has Sprung?

The last few days have made me feel like Spring has sprung!   It has been sunny and beautiful and little weeds are starting pop up in the garden already.  One of the projects I've been thinking about over the winter is making garden focal points out in the yard.  Wouldn't it be great to look out the dining room windows and see a nice vignette with beautiful flowers, plants and garden furniture?  That would be a vast improvement over my current view, which consists of a large blue trampoline.  I'm itching to do up some spring containers and place them so I can enjoy them from the windows.

We have great concrete urns in the shop that would be beautiful filled with a few boxwood and some bright colored tulips.  They'd also look great with a few daffodils and some pansies in your favorite color.  Add a wrought iron chair or old cafe table and you've got a great focal point.

I've recently moved my bird bath to outside my living room window and I've enjoyed watching the birds playing in the rain water.  I love this image with roses framing the bird bath.  President's Day is the traditional rose planting time in Portland, so if you didn't get to it this weekend get on it! Happy Spring!

Monday, February 15, 2010

What We Did In San Francisco

We made it! we drove into San Francisco at 6pm on a rainy Thursday night last week. Dawn arrived soon after we did via airplane.
The next morning was beautiful! we grabbed some pastries and searched for, "Nest", our first shop to visit on Filmore St.


Dawn and Laurie mapping out the next stop.

I wish we could grow succulents this big in Oregon, it was twice the size of my head.
One of the most creative window displays I saw was at Tail of the Yak. This was such a fantastic shop, a must see!
Street art.



Yummy food!
A nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one of our long walks around the city.

Dawn and I loved this shop called "Aria" on Grant Ave.We found some Great Findz, no pun intended, and we could have spent a lot of  hours digging through the eclectic blend of ephemera, linens and odds and ends. The shop patron was very nice.

Tail of the Yak, Bell'occhia and Castle in the Air were the top three on my list for shops you shouldn't miss.
Sandy, Thea and Lynne at  The Tattered House booth at the Alameda Flea Market.
At the Alameda Flea Market I saw every letter in every size color and style you could imagine, I did go a little crazy.
I didn't have much time to take pictures of all the great stuff I bought but I snapped a shot of these great chippy spindles I found.
Angela taking a break after a long day of shopping.
I would have bought this leather club chair if we could have fit it in the car.
The weather couldn't have been better for a day of shopping.  There had been a chance of rain but the antique gods were looking down on us with favor that day.
Lynne found several great fences that she will be selling at the Monticello garden show later in the year.
Angela pushing the last load!


I will post my favorites as soon as I finish unpacking!

Thea's Interiors

Monday, February 8, 2010

Thoughts for Mr. Valentine!

Are you trying to figure out what to get your husband, boyfriend or partner for Valentine's Day?  Well, come down to Thea's and take a look at all the great things we have that would be perfect for the man in your life.  

Thinking of something for his office?  We have antique leather books, large letter boxes with marbled sides and leather travel books.  Any or all of these would look great on his bookshelves or sitting on his desk.  Tired of looking at his golf tournament plaques everytime you pop in to his office to say hi!  How about a vintage trolley sign to jazz up the office walls.  We have large trolley banners with English townames on them or smaller banners with numbers on them.  Both of these have a sharp, clean and bold feeling to them.  Does he need a comfortable spot to read or go over papers?  How about pairing his favorite chair with an industrial feeling side table.  It's masculine lines would harmonize nicely with any office furniture.

Give him something that's unique this year.  After all, he's one of a kind!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Valentine's Day Gifts for Her!

Hoping for a great gift from your Valentine?  If he's anything like my husband, a few helpful hints to steer him in the right direction are always appreciated.  With that in mind, encourage him to swing by Thea's and check out some of the great new items we have in a the moment. 


We recently brought in two new jewelry artists.  The line, called Modernica is a great combination of natural materials such as wood and glass. Also new to the shop is Apoidea Project, her necklaces are created using vintage watch parts and are arranged in a fun and graphic way.  We also have some new pieces by Moss which combine beadwork with crocheting.  If you're looking for a great new piece to jazz up your wardrobe, Thea's is your place!

Speaking of jazzing things up, how about a new throw pillow for your bed.  Up the romance factor by making your bedroom a place of beauty by adding new pillows. We have a new shipment of Great Finds pillows in the shop!  Using vintage fabrics she's collected over time,  Dawn mixes them with linen, fills them with the highest quality of down and creates amazing new pillows.



Another way to bring beauty to your boudoir is by adding some art.  We have a great set of original watercolor paintings of Paris, by renowned artist Charles De Montfort.  Mr. De Montfort's pieces capture French scenes in the 50's and his work is owned by collectors around the world.  Add a little Joie de Vivre to your life with these pieces.
Hope to see you, or your special Valentine, in the shop soon!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Road trip with the girls

This has been a long time coming, a road trip with other antique enthusiasts and what a better place
 than San Francisco. So on the road we go on Thursday, bright and early, full of caffeine
 and excited for the change of city.
Lynne, Angela, Laurie and myself are driving down in a nice comfortable SUV, while Dawn is flying and will meet us there. We have made some plans and there are certain places on our agenda;  like the Alameda flea market, the San Francisco trade show, the adorable "Castle in the Air" shop in Berkley, Russian Hill, restaurants and more restaurants!!

I will keep you posted.

Thea


Monday, February 1, 2010

Time well spent

Happy first of February!
I was dumbstruck by the beauty of these little antique ladies' watches, reclaimed for a second life as a frame for a handpainted picture by artist Heather Shackelford with Apoidea Project. These charming pendants are unique and splendidly painted in particular detail that almost requires an eye glass.
Heather is a local artist who uses found-objects and antique design components to create her jewelry. She is inspired by William Morris whose philosophy of function and beauty are one.

What do you do with the insides of a watch? This is what you do, you make it into a little work of art and hang it from your neck for everyone to see.
An apple orchard is as serene and refreshing as the real apple!
When I first saw this mechanical wonders re-worked I couldn't stop admiring the care of detail the artist took with each piece.
All these works of art are availible at Thea's Interiors.


They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Andy Warhol



Thea's Interiors