It's that time of the year once again....my birthday (that I determined to quit counting several years ago) rolled along inevitably yesterday. And, as usual, my sweet, darling family made it very special for me. My husband had bought some old-fashioned shingle making tools off e-bay (that's a whole other topic unto itself) and it turned out that the person he bought them from was in Ellsworth...not too far from here...along the coast on Hwy 1...which also happens to be a beautiful drive!

We went through Bucksport and over their newly constructed bridge. And, yes, you can even climb up to the top of the tower and take in an incredible view....that I can only imagine how incredible it is since we didn't actually go up there this time.

But we did go over the bridge...which the children thought was a great thrill anyway! Bucksport is actually an innovative little town on this big river. It has a huge paper plant and the local residents are assertively looking into fully creating and providing their own energy for the entire town...exclusively from this river. Pretty neat, huh! I just love little towns with big ideas!

And talk about BIG ideas...or at least BIG on chickens...on the way back we stopped in at the Chicken Barn that our friends have raved about and we had yet to discover for ourselves. As you can see this place was an old chicken barn...and is also absolutely massive!

The above photo is one half...and the other half is in the bottom photo. Can we spell B-I-G...??!! The first floor is crammed full of antiques and collectibles of every variety imaginable...and the upstairs is stocked to the rafters with used and rare books, magazines, posters, you name it. If it's used and printed on paper, it's bound to be in this place!

We were a little late getting back home but I did breeze in for my final sewing class that I signed up for this Fall. We loved it so much that we begged our instructor to teach another session in January...and she has sweetly consented! So my wonderfully delicious sewing days are not over for good! Yay!

Daddy and the kiddos picked me up after my class then we proceeded to dive into the most decadent of chocolate chocolate cakes that my children could manage to scrounge up for me! What are birthdays for after all...??

Yippee!! It's my turn to spill the beans on all the fun, photos, and finds from our Tuesday excursion down south for the girls!We began our true creative quest with a shot of the Maine Cottage Furniture showroom. We all ADORE Maine Cottage stuff (although none of us can afford much of it)! But Oh my! what a happy place that is--and my very first time to see it! Beats the catalog photos any day! They don't allow any cameras in the showroom so you'll just have to take my word for it--or pop in for a visit yourself! It's SO worth it--even if it is a bit tricky to get to!

Jennifer's blog and gorgeous photos yesterday captures one of our new favorites, Ornament, and its lovely, vastly creative shop owner, Gayle Hunt--who manages to cull and culminate the most dreamy, enticing mix of products you can possibly imagine!

from anything and everything that says cottage blooms and gardens...

to these fun and frilly fabrics, bags, and aprons...

I also adored the beautiful images on these Home Life greeting cards packaged in clever little metal boxes...


And this intricate oval seashell mirror...what a lovely statement it makes!

You con locate Ornaments just around the corner from Main at 11 Centre St. (207.442.6630). Tell Gayle we said Hi! and can't wait to get back!

While we were also in Bath, we strolled along Main Street where flower boxes spilled onto the sidewalks and all the outdoor stuff is coming outside where it belongs...ready for summertime fun and sun!

One of the "Must Have" things we took from this shop were some vintage 1940's dish towels from the Netherlands--which we plan to reinvent into some sort of pillow cover creation. Please stay tuned for more on that venture!

Traditions Antiques--better known as 'that antiques place over in Corinna'--is a real favorite for just about anybody who knows about it!  They're open every day except Tuesday and their prices are just super! Southern Maine can keep the hoity-toity expensive antiques down there--we'll just keep our best-kept-secrets tucked away up here in north country!

So what did we happen to find this time--that we just couldn't live without!

Well, I had to pass up the great metal patio chars and the wonderful wooden ironing board...

And I also passed on the great wicker chairs and the adorable fold-down wooden children's desk....

While I passed up these cool pale blue retro mugs....

I just had to have these cute little mugs--the perfect size for small hands and hot cocoa! And I loved the farm-y motifs!


I also couldn't pass up this sweet set of napkins that I'm not sure what I want to do with...but I'll come up with somethin' fun (since they were only $2)!

And finally! I found a basket to hang on a hook for flip-flops...Yay!! (And all for a whoppin' dollar)!

This is where we also found the very cool lawn mower contraption--that our son now sleeps, eats, and walks with!


Now before you look at the following photo, please keep in mind that we had been looking at logs ALL DAY LONG--which means dusty sawmills and in the woods with lots of flying biting insects...so just look at what I'm holding please...because my daughter asked very sweetly to take this shot (and would be very hurt if I didn't put it on my blog)...so I didn't have the heart to say no and assuage my vanity...or the energy to assuage my vanity...

And I was absolutely euphoric to have finally landed a gorgeous, in perfect condition wicker picnic hamper--romantic summer outings here we come!


Here's a MUCH better picture of it...taken by my photo-stylist daughter (it must be in the genes!)...

Our youngest still had some birthday money and has been asking for a wagon or wheel barrow "just my size"...well, guess what! We found one "just her size"...

And she's already puttin' it to great use!

My husband also bought a couple of scythes--but that's a WHOLE other topic. He's gotten way into the scythe thing--and it's very cool! I'll be showin' him in rare scything form very soon!

And then we had to leave because they had to close up and go home--otherwise we would probably still be there as I speak! But we'll be back--you betcha!