Petrossian Bakery and Cafe, NYC

On our first day in New York City, we decided to visit Central Park and on our way there, we came across this beautiful doorway. But what caught my eye first was this gorgeous garland of pink blooms...

Above the front door, the building has intricate carving, including these two interesting creatures.

And continuing to look up, you see these sweet little fellows.

And if you continue to look up even more, the building just continues to go up and up.  And the carving continues along with it. Imagine, all that work. Perhaps a person looking out a tall building from across the street will appreciate the details. But no one at street level can see it properly. What a different attitude than today, where cost so often trumps beauty and workmanship.

Appledore, the Pastel-Coloured Village

Appledore is a fishing village three miles north of Bideford, near the estuary of the Taw and Torridge Rivers. A Saxon settlement, it underwent a Viking raid in 878 AD and prospered in the Elizabethan period.

Home to England's last purely commercial shipbuilder, the village has a long winding road lined with pastel-coloured Georgian cottages.

 

I couldn't resist their charms, taking photo after photo.

Their colours ever changing.

This cottage, particularly narrow, looked like just like its name, The Doll House.

The doors, all in beautiful colours, were irresistible.

Vintage Find of the Week

Time once again to show you my "Vintage Find of the Week". How exciting to find this unusual wreath at a Salvation Army for $10.


The brass bells are a little rusted in places giving it a really lovely patina and vintage feel. Even though the bells look a little worn, they still make the loveliest gentle jingling sound when I give the wreath a little shake.

All that remained to do was hang it outside on the shed door.

The Green Door

Bucks Mills

Who's There?

As always, I find myself drawn to the doorways of buildings. Perhaps because that is the part that welcomes people to a dwelling. Some doors are old, some are new, some brightly coloured, some in need of paint, but each is interesting in its own way. The green door at the bottom has an amazing Pharaoh door knocker!

Knock, Knock

These door knockers are just a few examples of the wide variety you can find on doors all over England. I could have taken hundreds of photos. I spotted the Devon pixie in Clovelly, Devon.

Whispers of Spring

Long before the yellow stars of forsythia, the sweet scent of lilac or apple blossom clouds, pussy willows whisper of spring.

Cut and gathered into bunches tied with ribbon, they make a lovely way to proffer a taste of spring. Why not surprise someone with a bunch today?

Even More Swagging...

I was delighted to receive these photos showing how the swag D. made at my swag-making afternoon looks on her door. The fresh boughs are the perfect embellishment to her charming log home, once a one-room school house. Aren't they the perfect pair? I'd like to think that perhaps a hundred years ago, a schoolteacher cut a few evergreen boughs and hung them in a similar manner to celebrate the season. Thanks for sending the photos and for your permission to put them here, D.!

Second Annual Swag-making Afternoon

Yesterday I played host to a swag-making afternoon. This is the second year I've invited friends over to make holiday swags for their doorways, so I can now say it's an annual event. I had gathered together all sorts of ribbon, ornaments and dried plant material in anticipation and there was more than enough to go round, so I made one for a friend who was away and then hung it at her doorway so that it will waiting to welcome and surprise her upon her return (top photo). The swag looks right at home against the softly worn bricks and her beautiful old wooden door. The middle swag is the one I made for my shed door, and the bottom one is the lovely creation of L. who just happens to live across the street from me. Delighted to see her swag up this morning, I ran over to take a snap of it in all its golden elegance. These swags stay fresh all winter, long after the holidays have faded away, and add a little visual interest to your front entrance, or wherever you choose to hang them.

It's All In the Details

There's another church beside the church I mentioned yesterday. This lovely grey stone building was built in 1872 and it is filled with great English Gothic details. But is wasn't those stone details that drew my eye. It was the red doors with its iron ornamentation and the ivy-coloured window with the fancy grill work.

Etched With Time

What a thoroughly enjoyable day I had today, spending time with friend D. in her lovely log home. A portion of it was a one-room schoolhouse, many years ago. Every surface is etched with time's markings, lending every inch character and charm, speaking volumes about its history. Whichever direction you point a camera, a photo lies in wait, here are just a few.