historically, january has been a successful month for piddlin’ fun.
in january 2019 we found a couple of very unique, vintage garage doors, one of which we now use in our bedroom. looking back we probably should have bought the pair, because look at the authentic, chippy charm this piece can bring to any room.
the following year, we found a beautifully chippy old kitchen table, which felt like such a moment for ryan + i who had been looking for this exact table just before moving in 2016. in reality, no one admires the table more for the memories we made that day with our two littles. they hold naming rights to what we all now fondly call, “mom’s piddlin’ table”.
this year it’s been more of a slow start for many obvious reasons, but don’t mistake slow for lackluster! wednesday, i took the solo trip before the month got away, for a few moments of browsing “among the goodness” as a favorite dealer of mine likes to say. I was on the hunt for gathering baskets for the garden. having something special to look for, in this case for a friend, elevates the piddlin’ game.
have a look at this trip’s piddlin’ finds:
I have long admired blue willow china from afar + find even the smallest pieces bring an effortless dash of style to any space. I am loving it currently as a key dish in the pencil + ink studio.
what else; let’s see…
at christmas time I remember envisioning a pretty vintage red transferware dish to leave our cookies on for the big guy, because I’m a believer in utilizing the tiniest touches where possible in any + every moment.
while the kids may not immediately remember every particular from their childhood memories the same way I will, there are those moments in adulthood when glimmers of some of those details will most certainly begin to return to their minds, “remember how we always had that dish for santa…?”. speaking from experience, it’s at those times, when you realize just how much all the little thoughtful specifics can make the difference in a life well spent. they aren’t everything, but they do leave a kind of blueprint of how we cared for one another, even long after we’re gone.
we’ll likely need a larger dish for the christmas cookies, but this one will be just the thing for those small treats around christmas + valentine’s day. i’ll be using this next month for a chocolate brownie that i’ll share with my little one after her morning at preschool, or perhaps an after-supper sweet shared one sunday with my hubby.
this pink willow dish is almost a twin to the other in size + pattern + again so perfect for that little rosy touch for any spot at this time of year. take a moment to try placing one or two cookies on a special dish -in a color or pattern that appeals to you + your tastes- then, notice how it transforms the whole experience of enjoying even the smallest of sweets. it can be a few pink + red m+ms or a handful of mixed nuts on the bar for snacking before dinner; the contents don’t matter, it’s the intentional gesture that counts.
the more time we spend outside in the garden, the more flowers we have started to grow in our yard. the girls are always observing + admiring the pretties with me + asking if they might clip a few + take them inside. in this season of raising girls, these little glass jars are my weakness because I know how much they will love a teeny place to prop up the smallest little flowers, clovers + such that they will be enjoying again in a few short months.
who can remember finding beauty in the little flowers of the weeds among the grassy fields of our youth? only in these earliest of years can we fully imagine the magical world of fairies in our own yards + neighborhood forests. our girls love it deeply + I am here to encourage that behavior as long as life will allow.
this split oak market basket was the second one I laid eyes on + despite it’s obvious flaws, it’s going to make a great addition in our potting shed; particularly for those impromptu summer night strolls at dusk around + through the garden blooms + among the bumble bees wrapping up their long day’s work. also hoping to have a few more varieties of flowers growing around the garden this year that will allow a few more opportunities for making foraged arrangements that I so enjoyed last summer.
it was a surprise to see how many baskets were on display on my outing, but this little gem came into view as I was making my way down the last aisle + the moment i saw it, i knew it was just the thing i came for. surely one of my readers here knows more about this little beauty than i, but from my quick research, it looks like this is an amish wicker melon or egg basket. i love the handmade attention to detail + the overall look + feel of this charming little basket- what a find! I can just imagine my friend + her daughter carrying this outside to their vegetable garden to collect the day’s harvest- what simple joy I pray that task will bring to their day-to-day lives.
all these little treasures of course are just things, but used with a pinch of intention, they can often help lift our minds to a place of gratitude + beyond!
enjoy your weekend!
piddlin' 