OK--I HAVE AN EXCUSE!!

No, I did not drop off the face of the earth...I have a good excuse--really! My computer officially died, and we had an appropriate funeral at the store last week. Fortunately, the data was saved, and now I'm up and running again with a new hard drive, new flash drives to back-up...so high tech, I am!!

Since last we talked, I have done the Nipomo "Remnants of the Past" show, flown to Utah for a visit with my family there, spent a week recovering from the flu and then dealing with the computer fiasco! This week I'm all smiles, happy to be WELL and working on my Holiday Open House that will take place NEXT WEEK--Nov.7-8...can you believe it?! Blink and it's Halloween, blink again and it's Christmas--and somewhere in between we MUST take a moment and be thankful for all life's wonderful blessings!! So much to be thankful for: family, friends, loyal, faithful customers, a beautiful place to live and SOOO much more!

Hope to see you soon and hear what YOU are thankful for!
Bonnie

Beautiful craftsmanship...

Just had to share these with you! A beautiful woman named Kimberly (her Mom lives here in Cambria) purchased some old French flower molds and some vintage velvet fabric and millinery pieces and has created these lovely, one of a kind velvet flowers! Great for hats or to pin on your jacket...they are amazing!

This weekend I go to the SF Gift Show to see what new inspiration is there. The show itself is not all that inspiring, but the other stops in the city and along the way always get my creative juices flowing--and just in time with Halloween just around the corner!

Hope your weekend is relaxing and inspiring...and fun!

So many new toys...so little time!

Hi! Happy Friday to you!

What an exciting week! My family from Utah is visiting and Courtney and Tom's son, Isaac Russell performed in LA then next at the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield and then at the Midstate Fair in Paso Robles. I went to the Bakersfield performance and what a wonderful night! After a trip to finalize all of his contracts with Columbia Recording Co. and Sony we had a celebration dinner for Isaac and offer congratulations to this 17 year old talented boy! His current CD is RURU Elizabeth and there will be a new one out after the first of the year.

Unfortuantely, this CD is sold out, but you can still get songs from it on iTunes and on his website, which I cannot remember right now! Sorry--will add it later!

And--the other exciting thing that happend while they were here is that Tom helped me select an new laptop computer! We're busy now getting everything loaded onto it, and then of course, the kids said, "Grandma Bonnie--you must start a facebook page..." so now I'm blogging, facebooking, emailing and trying to keep up the website...now when am I going to shop for the store, work in it and keep the displays changing???! (And by the way, I didn't even know that these words were verbs!!)

Ah, technology...will it never end? I need a nap.

Hope your Summer is going well--come over here and cool off! It's LOVELY...

Happy day, Bonnie

This is SO Exciting!

The beautiful "Live Artfully Magazine" has a lovely feature article about Birds of a Feather in it's current issue! My personal thanks to Jenny Mallott for including my little store in her publication and I hope that you will have an opportunity to read it for yourself! You will find many articles about people and places on the Central Coast as well as recipes, featured artists--even a contest in this issue! I have some copies for sale at the store for $5.75 each and they are also available at other locations in and around SLO County. For more information, please visit Jenny's website: http://www.liveartfullymagazine.com/

Also included in this issue is a feature on my friend, Patti Erwin. What a gifted artist she is--and one of the nicest people you could know! We both started this blogging thing together and a visit to her blog is quite a treat: http://www.artfuldesign.blogspot.com/

Make yourself a cup of tea, stretch out on a cozy couch and savor every word in "Live Artfully!"

Wave your flag proudly!

What fun I had this last week adding a patriotic flair to my little store! I love what our flag represents and the reminder of how fortunate we are to be living in the USA! I love the colors of red white and blue, and I love all the great inspired momentos, art and folk art that have been made to celebrate our freedom! Here are a few photos to get you in the mood to sing "Yankee Doodle" or "Star Spangled Banner!"

Can you tell I'm thinking SEASHORE?! I had so much fun changing some of the displays in the store to reflect a trip to the beach--Cambria's beach, of course!!

I've been searching for vintage sand buckets and shovels and little boats and then the lifeguard suit was just an incredibly lucky find!! It is old, and wool, and itchy and ever so cute! The trunk in the window says, "Au Petit Bateau" so it is the perfect storage for your small boat! There "sand box" French wheelbarrow on the table and it is a tiny version of the one outside and holds more boats, shells, pails and seashore related finds. There will be more photos on the website soon, so if you are ready for a trip to the beach but just can't get away just now, drow by for a visit at www.2birdsofafeather.com and maybe it will fill the void until you can get here in person! Hope you all have a wonderful Summer filled with giggles, ice cream and watermelon!

April 30, 2009

Ok, Ok...I am So far behind and I am sorry! It has been a crazy last two weeks! I did an estate sale for a family here in Cambria, then the wonderful "Remnants of the Past" barn show on Sunday so I am just playing catch up this week! I will try to insert a couple of photos of the show in Nipomo at the Dana Powers Barn so that if you weren't able to attend you can get a little glimpse of what it was like. For those of you that did attend, thank you! The next one will be in October--not sure of the date yet, but I will keep you posted!

Now this is a funny shot! What is it about me and wheelbarrows? I unpacked one box from Alameda and what an assortment! A lovely old bisque doll (only her feet are showing!), a sterling handled ink blotter, a toy lawnmower, sand pails, a vase, and wheelbarrows!! I am preparing displays for the Barn Show in Nipomo on April 25th and, of course, new after Easter displays for the shop. Found some more wonderful old toys, great old books, lovely old linens (yes--I'll have lines out again soon--as soon as I spend a day or three ironing!) and some other garden items. Also found some wonderful old French baskets with French labels still intact. Yummy! Oh, and a darling OLD French tricycle...so cute! Would love to take a busload of you with me to Alameda...maybe some day we can do that.

Today I am off to Alameda for the flea market! Hooray! Tina is going to "shop sit" for me and I am SOOO excited! You just never know what you will find there...but there is so much stuff, that you will always find something! Will try to take a few pictures along the way to share with you when I return. Please check in again on Tuesday or so.



Also--some of you have asked, "Does your house look like this shop?" As I looked around for a vignette or two to snap for you, I discovered, well, yes, my home does reflect the shop (or is it the other way around?!) but with much, much less stuff. Sort of organized clutter you could call it. The picture added here today is a glimpse of some of my treasured little books. Love 'em!



OK--off to Alameda and parts between here and there! Can't wait to share my finds!

Bonnie

New Header!

A big THANK YOU! to my friend Jenny Malott for designing the header for my new blog! She is the ever so talented creator of "Live Artfully" magazine and has graciously helped me jazz up my little blog with this new art as well as taught me some new tricks: like adding a photo inside the text of my posting! This photo of her latest magazine (on sale at Birds of a Feather, by the way!) features wonderful recipes and happenings and people all from the Central Coast--only $5.75 per copy!

My friend, Patti Erwin of Cambria hosted us for a little "blog class" at her home and served such a delicious lunch--and tea and cookies! What fun to learn something in this delightful setting with two such sweet gals! Thank you to both of you!

Swanky Swigs

Aren't these a flash back? I remember using these at my Grandma's house for juice and, of course I have some in my cupboard for my grandkids to use too! This is a whole collection of all different patterns of Swanky Swigs...little glasses that once held Kraft cheese spread and now are awaiting adoption into your homes! I decided to price them all at $6.50 each rather than try to follow the price guides that list some as high as $20-25 and some as low as $5-7...so since I got them all at a good price, you should too! They are already flying out of the store...they sure are cute!

After the storm...
Hi! It's Monday after the big Spring/9th Anniversary Open House and I can't pass up this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you that attended the festivities and those who were here in spirit, but just couldn't make it to Cambria for the weekend! What a beautiful weekend it was...sunny (but a little chilly!) and, of course, I served a cold punch when a hot beverage would have been so much better! Now, last Fall for the Holiday Open House I served hot cider and lemonade would have been perfect! Guess I just can't seem to win on this choice, but our friend Virginia was just around the corner at Lily's with all kinds of teas and coffee drinks for those that needed a warm up from the inside out!

Someone asked me what were my favorite things in the store right now and that was a tough one! I love the yo yo quilt made of tiny handsewn yo yos lovingly created in the 30's-40's and the little chair with a patent date of 1878...so adorable and so beautifully made! (Sorry--didn't get a photo of it before it sold.) Spring is just such a happy time of year to me, and I love the flowers, pastel colors, the fuzzy chicks and bunnies...and there is just something about old molds...butter molds, cake molds, chocolate molds, cookie cutters...and if they have been used, that's even better! If you get a minute, check out the website for the latest photos...they should be posted sometime this week. It's http://www.2birdsofafeather.com/ .

As the season rolls along I plan to add a seaside display, an Oriental display, more natural history, summer TAFFY (no, it's not antique!) and more garden items. Somewhere along in there will be a big Patriotic influence and some great old toys in mid April.I'm going to try to add a couple of photos to this blog addition and, oh, MORE RIBBON...on the way and an amazing new series of bird ribbon from France...yippee!

Hope your week is an adventure and brings you joy and laughter and love!
Bonnie

11:24:00 AM
by Birds of a Feather

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Greetings! Well, my customers are telling me that I need a BLOG! Not totally sure why I need one, but they tell me it is like a journal entry instead of a full fledged newsletter. Just a quick update...a little more personal than the website, something that I don't need to send out to the email list--they will come to me. OK--let's give it a try! Now I am wondering just how you will find this...maybe I could put it on my website: www.2birdsofafeather.com or add it to my package hang-tags that go home on every purchase. I 'spose I could email a note to let folks know that it's here. And just when am I going to work on it? I guess there is that time from midnight until 4am that isn't tied up with anything but sleeping.

More personal...hmmm...like telling you about my trip down south Tuesday to deliver a purchase to one of my customers and trying to shop along the way home? Bought a grand total of 4 things! Not exactly what I had hoped for, but you have to kiss a few frogs along the way! Did have a nice visit with my customer who is recovering from a skiing accident with a broken pelvis! Yikes! Get well soon, Madeline! Also had a lovely lunch at at Greek restaurant in Ventura at the harbor!

The day before I had an appointment to purchase some things from the nicest friend in Arroyo Grande! Such lovely things and in wonderful condition--quite a treat! You will see some of them in the store for the Spring Open House (March 7-8) and some at the Remnants of the Past Show in Nipomo April 25th.

As I write this I am surrounded by bunnies and chicks and sooooo many cute Easter things! I'll post a photo as soon as I figure out how and take some!

I hope this note finds you well and happy and optimistic about a beautiful Spring filled with hugs and daffodils and long walks in the cool crisp breeze.

Warm regards,
Bonnie