The Lady Of Lilburn Garden Statue Comes Home To My Yard

This lovely lady stood outside my shop in Old Town, Lilburn, Georgia and was named The Lady Of Lilburn by Hugh Wilkerson, Antiques In Old Town. She made the move to the historic downtown Lawrenceville square with me when I moved my shop. Now that my shop has closed (you can find me at Davis Street Antiques, The Cotton Depot, and Hodge Podge in charming Monroe, Ga) the Lady has finally come home to my back yard.

'Time In a Garden Jewelry'.Wearable Garden Art All Year Long!

A dreary rainy day in January and I have a cold. What better way to brighten up the afternoon than to work on jewelry. My jewelry is garden inspired with vintage, new, and recycled parts, a small watch face for a bit of steampunk, all put together for whimiscal fun. I am working on small ladies in the garden sculptures from vintage cracked old porcelin pieces filling in with old pins, jewles, and watch faces. Look for them soon. You can find my jewlery at my shop in historic downtown Lawrenceville, The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques and in the gift shop at the Atlanta Botanical Garden!

Pieces below are currently available. Contact The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques for information! E-mail or call 404-326-7306.

Small china ladies and bugs at the Atlanta Botanical gift show last Spring. More on the way!

Today I Am Thinking Picket Fences

Which is your favorite?

“I can envision a small cottage somewhere, with a lot of writing paper, and a dog, and a fireplace and maybe enough money to give myself some Irish coffee now and then and entertain my two friends.”

                                                             Lt Richard Van de Geer

Dreaming of Hydrangeas

My front yard is dreary! It is deep, full of tall loblolly pines and patches where the grass refuses to grow. Add into the mix, my split rail fence has started to rot and the posts have tipped, causing the rails to fall to the ground. What's a gal to do? I want the house to look softer. I need some work on my fence. I want a cottage garden in my front yard!

I thought about painting my red brick house a soft cottage yellow. Well, that won't happen. Not in my budget.

Maybe I could replace the split rail with a white picket fence. Oh, how I want a cottage look. But my yard it too large and a white fence would look silly with my late forties/early fifties brick ranch, sitting oh so far back from the street.

Then the magic word appeared: hydrangeas!

It was not my word, but the word of a landscape professional working across the street. I always ask for free advice.

"Mulch in the area where the grass doesn't grow and fill it with hydrangea bushes."

Suddenly I can see my ranch become the cottage I long for. Now I am dreaming of hydrangeas and wondering how soon can I make my dream come true!

Could this be me?

Perhaps I could hide the split rail fence entirely!

I could give garden parties on my front lawn!

Pink

or

Blue?

It doesn't matter. I am dreaming of hydrangeas. And now my dreams are expanding. Perhaps a cottage by the sea..... It is fun to dream a lovely dream!

Pleasant Dreams To You!

Romantic Hollyhocks For Your Garden

My Love Of Hollyhocks!

My garden grows wild, unkept by me. I finally realized a few years back that my garden grows on its own. The stronger plants survive and visit me each season without any help from me. The large beds have been established for over 25 years. The plants that come back each spring vary and I am always anxious to see what blooms.

My last attempt at planting flowers was a total disaster. The first week my potted plants looked amazingly lovely. Then the drought, taking care of dogs, and writing, distracted me, and I forgot to water. I walked out on my deck to little brown stubs, that once had been pink flowers. Yet looking out into the yard the greenery was growning tall, my rose bush was flourishing, with its long arms extending every which way. I was sad again last summer that my hollyhocks were gone. They bloomed tall and hardy the first years in my house, then they disappeared, strangled out by nearby butterfly bushes. My butterfly bushes have taken over most of the yard. But how bad can that be? I can see butterflies dancing from bush to bush when I visit the yard.

To my surprise and delight I have a new visitor this spring.  Last week I walked the yard with a gardener, who was there to prune back some tree limbs. I noticed a 6 ft tall stalk with buds starting to open. A Hollyhock had found its way back through the other bushes. I am watching it daily in anticipation of full bloom.

I love Hollyhocks as much as I love roses. Both to me are the most romantic of flowers.

Enjoy a few vintage postcards with pictures that will delight you! These are from my collection of antique garden postcards. If only my yard looked like these...!

I like to think this is my in my garden. The gal in the lower corner with her dark hair, my vision of how I would look gardening in Victorian times!

A dream of life in a garden!

The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques "Secret Garden" and Mother's Day Big Sale

View my secret garden and celebrate Mother's Day with a 30% shop wide sale! This Thurs/Fri/Sat.

The Lady of Lilburn stands between the two shop spaces and keeps watch over Main Street in Old Town, Lilburn.

The back deck at the shop is truly my Secret Garden! The deck is elevated about eight feet off the ground. There are no steps, just a lovely wood guard rail to enclose the 9 x 14 space to make you feel safe and cozy! The only way to enter is through the door off the second room in the shop. On lovely days it is a grand place to sit and watch city hall, folks playing tennis and the comings and goings on Railroad Street.It is truly my room with a view, as I can hide away on it, and watch all that Old Town has to offer on its park side!  My Secret Garden has charming and whimiscal items for sale - you are welcome to come shop in it - or just sit in one of the big cozy wood adirondack chairs and share a cup of coffee or sparkling water and dream with me!

A peek at the garden shop as you look out the back door.

My charming hand painted sign by Becky Kidd, Snellville artist!

The best view of the city park and tennis courts, yet tucked 8 feet high about ground!

Small live plants and garden pots for sale. Live plants until my brown thumb takes over, that is!

A bit of whimsy - my metal garden dogs!

My favorite garden wreath!

 Check the top of my blog for my latest You Tube video on all The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques has to offer! There are charming rooms to rent at The Event Center, 96 Main, at reasonable prices for your special event. It is also where we now hold our book signings and soon, art and writing classes. The shelves are packed with treasures for sale, while the larger pieces are for events, and have to stay put for a short while. Come in and say hello!

Special Mother's Day sale this week (Thurs/Fri/Sat) 30% off on selected items. If you see something you like in the shop, tell me! That item will be one of those "selected" sale items!

Happy Mother's Day and Happy Spring!

Pre-Opening Sale for Shop Addition! Savings For All

While I am waiting for my prince I think I'll shop!

The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques has expanded to include the little grey house 96 Main Street in Lilburn.

Check out my shop blog for details on my 20% off pre-opening sale.

Remember the Lilburn Community Garage Sale Saturday morning. Visit me at 94 Main Street and meet Peggy Sullens, Lilburn artist. She will be painting plen air on the street!

Sneak peek at the beginning of my parlor at shop!