Baseballs and Ballet Slippers

A bowl of vintage baseballs and softballs makes for a fun display in front of  a Lake painting from 1924 (only $25!)

I find inspiration in many places. One place that never fails me is the Sacramento Antique Faire. There are so many talented merchandisers who have a knack for reinterpreting something old into something fresh. These purveyors of the past can sometimes turn nostalgia into one-of-a-kind displays of wit that make me rethink my own collections as well as those of my clients.

This time, I found everything from baseballs to ballet slippers, French canning jars and European flour sacks, Wicker Bee Skeps and wicker basketed demi-johns etched Coca Cola bottles, etched Coca Cola bottles and persimmons in wire baskets........     

French picking basket filled with ballet slippers

A collection of French canning jars

Flour sacks from German, France and Belgium....the stripes represent the signature of the owner . After the grain is milled, the miller returns the flour to the proper owner based on the identity striping.


We have seen so many uses for flour sacks....I still like them covering chairs and pillows
A collection of bee skeps
Wicker Demijohns and flour sack pillows

The pictures of the Flour Sacks, Bee Skeps, Ballet Slippers and canning jars above all came from the space put together by Dustin and Chris of Uber Chic Home. Check them out if you have a sec!

Vintage Coca Cola bottles look so pretty with the glass worn down like beach glass.
This minimal chaise was artfully draped and adorned with persimmons in such a way that reminded me of something Jane Austin.

More persimmons in Ironstone mugs

And there are always more surprises that stop me in my tracks, even as I am leaving the Faire with arms laden with yet more antler branches and boxes of shells......

The holidays are close at hand, and new inspiration for decorating is always welcome!



This display with the wicker sleigh filled with paper lanterns, the vintage Christmas boxes, and Japanese bust and concrete garden pagoda has given me ideas!
What brings you inspiration?