shabby chic – French Ethereal

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Posies and Picket Fences

While out west visiting my friend Kathy who lives

just north of Santa Barbara and Ventura in the rural

coastal city of Nipomo,

she took me to two really neat shops…

The first shop we visited once I had arrived after driving

several hours {from Ranch Cucamonga/Ontario where my hotel was} to

meet up with Kathy for lunch was to

Picket Fences

1588 Mission Drive

Solvang, CA 93463

805-688-6559

in the Danish-inspired city of Solvang, a city

founded by a “group of Danes who traveled west to

establish a Danish colony far from the

cold midwestern winters.”*

Just off the main road coming into town, Picket Fences has

lots of unique mercury glass candlesticks, candleholders and

urns which are so lovely to use for decorating.

{This is where you might want to stop

a sec and grab a cup of coffee or tea

and a bite to eat…

This post is a lengthy one today!}

Look at all this lovely poor man’s silver ~ mercury glass is really pretty en masse!

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After drooling over all these lovely silvery

stoppered decanters and perfume bottles and browsing

the candles and candlesticks and linen-covered lamps

that were on this table and on the buffet to the left

I fell in love with all the

heart-inspired pieces there in the shop and brought home

three small heart-shaped ring holders ~ one for myself and

two to send to my

d.i.love and daughter for Valentine’s.

I posted mine on Instagram if you’d like to see it!

Sadly, I didn’t take any photos of the other two.

🙁

I really like stores which carry “smalls” as they

are easy to pack when you are traveling plus often

these items are a little easier on the wallet.

Each of these hearts above are only $4.95 a piece ~

perfect for saving for gift giving!

Of course being that we were in Solvang sweet

Danish mementos were in every shop and window!

These are such lovely reminders with their blue and white

ladies in traditional Dutch costumes and clogs

windmills and farm scenes gracing pieces of china

tile or on lace for your kitchen windows.

This was a special time for me personally too as I had

spent a weekend with my German host family in

Alkmaar, Holland

back during the summer of 1981 when I was 19 years old.

{Ja, ich kann die Deutsch sprechen und die

Niederländisch ein bisschen lessen!}

Aren’t these brassy hearts really neat?

They open up so that you can add little notes or sweets

or anything you’d like to place inside.

Perhaps a place to store love notes from your

sweetheart or hubby?

Wouldn’t these be a perfect addition also to a

bridal shower table?

Hearts in many forms are pretty much perfect for

Valentine’s or any holiday celebrations really.

🙂

Then there is the large iron heart just in front of them

which just calling out to go home to my yard…

sigh!

Okay, moving onward.

😉

A bit dark I thought I’d share a few photographs

of the whole shop for you.

I had forgotten about the black and white pillows

plus the lanterns on top of the right hand cupboard.

Black and white never goes out of style and I am finding

that though I’m not usually big on black in my decor

I am being drawn to it this year.

As you can see the black really stands out with all

the other neutral whites and rusty iron decor ~

I’m loving the look and maybe

you do too!

Still can’t wait until we have a house again and I can

either make some fun farmhouse signs like the one spelling

out “farmhouse” up on the high shelf.

I’d like to hang a few signs around our walls.

Soooo cute and on trend!

And I’m not usually a trend person as I like what I like

but word signs are pretty cool!

And then there is a favorite beaded chandelier which

just whispered to me like a few favorite toys did long ago,

“Take me home.”

😉

One last look at this sweet shop which was also just

up the street from a bakery which Kathy wanted us to visit

but which was closed ~ it was getting new flooring.

Next time!

Love the Dutch doors!

Did you ever wonder how they

got their name?

Apparently they were invented to keep critters from

wandering into Dutch homes and kitchens since screen doors

weren’t yet invented and though they were created in Holland

they were really a bit hit here in America.

Here’s a neat article on Dutch doors for you to check out.

Solvang is a great little town that after you’ve parked

you can pretty much walk everywhere to dine and shop.

Here Kathy is leading us on a quick tour around to see

a few other shops.

Oh, and there are a number bed’n’breakfast

places and hotels in Solvang to stay at, too.

From here we drove back to Kathy’s lovely home but

before we go here are a few last photos of Solvang and one

on the way driving through an ethereal allée of trees!!!

***

Our headline photograph from above, again ~ here you can see the lovely ethereal blouses
and some of their beautiful white on white antiques and vintage goods displayed

The next day afters spending the late afternoon having

tea and cherry scones for a snack instead of dinner

{We were still full from lunch, really.} and then talking until

late in the evening about decorating and all the

things Kathy and her husband Ken have been updating

in their new home.

Oh, and touring her garden ~ which I’ll be sharing both

with you in more detail soon.

We drove up to Arroyo Grande, California

and waited patiently for this shop…

Posies in the Village

106 West Branch Street

Arroyo Grande, California 93420

805-481-0404

http://www.posiesinthevillage.com

…to open it’s doors and let us in!

Okay, we weren’t too patient but we did manage to visit

a few antiques shops which had opened their doors at 9:00am

plus we visited with the local chickens!

Chickens are something Arroyo Grande is famous for

and they have always roamed free.

They even wander into shops sometimes

as one shop owner told us

to escape the cold or hot weather.

Cute!

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Posies is on the opposite side of the street from

where the chickens are so they don’t often get in here.

But if they did…

They’d find three beautiful shops in one…

Eclectic and fun there’s a mixture of gift items and

antiques up in the front of the store and upstairs.

Then here in the middle is a display of vintage record albums

which I promptly snapped a photo and sent to my son

who thought the place was cool.

For me it was chandelier heaven! Each was unique and

other than this next really large one ($995 on sale) and

another really beautiful French chandelier

most were in the range of $120 – $350 or so.

Colorful candles, mugs, pretty jewelry, curated clothing
and unique chandeliers all for sale along with spoon rings ~
Posies has something for everyone who
comes through their doors for a visit.

🙂