Family Milestones & Memories

Well, this is truly a milestone, my last baby is off to elementary school. Can you believe it? Those are our 3 precious girls getting ready to leave for their first day of school yesterday. Victoria started Middle School, Jacqueline, Kindergarten & Spanish immersion no less where she will learn in Spanish half the day, and Valerie Jane, sweet as pie, a seasoned pro going into the 3rd grade! It was a tough morning for Mom & Jacqueline....

Thank God for big sisters who hug and console their little sisters who are very nervous and are not "too good" to be seen at elementary school with their little sisters on the first day...what a blessing!
Valerie Jane gets right to work!
This is my stunning cousin Heidi & my gorgeous uncle Bernard. Heidi got married this past weekend in Seattle. I took Victoria & we had an amazing mother-daughter tip. Our family is very close and I could not imagine not being there to see Heidi get married, so I thought I would share some photos with you. It wound up pouring at the time of her photos and they had to reschedule the wedding from Magnolia Park which is breathtaking, to the site of their reception, The Fairmont Omni Hotel, which was to die for amazing! Heidi never fussed and you would never had known that it was pouring rain, she was just beaming the entire time!
These are Heidi's sisters Tanya & Simone & my Aunt Marilyn. I think that they are just all stunning!
Another wonderful part of the trip was that we got to spend so much quality time with my cousins, & since we stayed at Simone's home we were able to spend a lot of time with her daughter Presley as well who just ADORED Victoria and pretty much followed her everywhere she went. It was so precious and sweet, it melted my heart!

This a the beach on the Puget Sound where we went to play for a while one day.
Simone & Victoria at the Seattle Center Park on the Log Ride...
Victoria & I at the Rock & Roll Museum & Sci-Fi Museum at the Seattle Center
Yep, we went up in the Space Needle & the view is below...

It was magnificent, and so hard to choose just one photo. We loved our trip to Seattle so much, we will have to take the whole family for a vacation next time, but these are milestones & moments we will surely never forget!

I hope you enjoyed them!

Sanya

Breakfast, Beautifully......

I don't know about the rest of you, but our home is practically a hotel during the summer. We are always having family and friends stay with us this time of year, which is such a treat, and since they take the time to visit us, I like to make our loved ones feel special and appreciated. One of the ways that I do this is by serving delicious foods and creating an atmosphere that is not something they would have everyday. I thought you might enjoy seeing some photos that I took of one of my special breakfasts. Since it is summer, I love eat outdoors as often as possible, and mornings are perfect since the weather is generally pure perfection that time of day.
I love going all out for my out town guests and using my silver flatware and making unique flower arrangements in unexpected containers.

I also love bringing some of the indoors outside like pretty pillows & rugs, it makes your space look like an extension of your home, which only makes your loved ones feel even more special. I also like to use other things like this bench to hold the extras that we may be using during our meal, it adds a relaxed feeling to the environment, especially when you are using so many pretty things that others may think are too nice to use for a breakfast....

I hope that you have enjoyed these photos and that maybe they have inspired you to do something special sometime soon.

Sanya

Wedding Bliss

No, this is not a model from a bridal magazine, this is Heather Foley, and I had the honor of creating all of the flowers for her & Shane's wedding, which was such a joy. Not only is Heather stunning, but she is extremely intelligent and sweet as the day is long. She and her family were amazing to work with over this past year, and I just felt so blessed to be able to contribute to their day of joy. I hope that you enjoy looking at some of the photos from their wedding!
This is one view of Heather's bouquet. I used peonies, roses and wax flower with gold wire ribbon woven underneath for a more formal look...
I also surprised Heather with this antique brooch as an extra embellishment. It is something that she can use and treasure for the rest of her life and possibly hand down to one of their children for their wedding day.
Here Heather shows Shane the brooch on her bouquet. I was so touched when I saw this photo. I knew that she was thrilled when she first saw the bouquet, but it made me so happy to know that she loved it this much!
This is Heather's mother Linda who is just as sweet and loving as Heather, and is the epitome of southern sweet and a true lady. I made small bouquets of pink & white spray roses, freesia, wax flowers and greens, for the mother of the bride and groom to carry instead of the traditional corsage and they both thought that it was very special.
The bridesmaids bouquets were made of pink spray roses with pink lisianthus and were wrapped with gold ribbon...
The flower girl carried a basket filled with fresh pink spray roses, wax flowers and greens.

The pews down the center aisle of the church were adorned with bouquets of pink and white roses, pink lisianthus and variegated ivy trails and plump white ribbon and tulle bouquets.
The altar was decorated with large bouquets of baby's breath and a centerpiece created in a large vintage milk glass bowl filled with pink & white lisianthus, pink and white roses, and lots of pretty greens. It was given to Linda, the mother of the bride, after the wedding as a gift.
The unity candelabrum flowers were a larger version of the aisle bouquets...
Heather wanted low centerpieces so that all of their 200+ guests could speak to one another without anything in the way. It truly was an elegant room! The cake, as you can see, was quite elegant with simple flower bouquets and sprinkled rose petals. All in all, the evening was amazing from start to finish, and I do feel truly blessed to have been able to contribute to such a special day in two such incredible people's lives.

I hope that you enjoyed these photos! If you have any questions, just send me an email to sanya@inthepinkantiques.com, or just leave me a message on the blog!

Sanya

What's Been Going On......

Well the month of June pretty much just FLEW by, so I thought I would let you know why I have not been a very good blogger this month. First, Valerie Jane had her tonsils removed at the beginning of the month, so the first 10 days were rough to say the least, bless her heart. In the mean time, Victoria was working on getting her yellow belt ...

Which she did get, hurray for Victoria! All while also going to...
Drama camp at the University of KY every day from 10am to 3pm.
Meanwhile, I have been refereeing a lot of this that you see above, as well as going to swim lessons M-F and still running a business all at the same time. HELP ME!!!
Valerie Jane turned 8 on the 21st and had a really fun cheer leading themed party with her closest girl fiends and...

real cheerleaders from Henry Clay High School here in Lexington. They taught the girls cheers and they did stunts as well. They liked doing the stunts more than anything!

With the exception of the daily minor cat fights that 3 sisters are bound to get into at some point or another, I feel extremely blessed. These girls are my life and I thank God every day that I get to take them to the pool and see the joy on their faces when we are in the water together, or the trepidation in little Jacqueline's eyes as the teacher is letting go and she has to try and swim on her own. Watching Victoria in her play yesterday was awesome and Friday nights VBS performance was amazing as well. I know I will never get this time back, so when I am weary and starting to get crabby with the million requests that are being thrown my way from these little miracles, I try to remember that that is truly what they are, miracles, and I could not imagine a better way to spend the summer.

I hope you are all enjoying yours as well.

XO~

Sanya

A First For Me

I am honored to have received my fist award from the blogging community and it is even more special because it comes from someone that I truly admire, Melissa Seley of Charm School Jewels, who by the way has a blog that you MUST check out, Charmed Life. Okay, back to the award. It is the Arte Y Pico Award, which is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity". You can find out more about it by going to http://arteypico.blogspot.com/ and scrolling down and you can see the explanation and instructions in English, otherwise the blog is in Spanish. I am really quite thrilled, also because I get to nominate 5 other people that inspire me, so here I go....

1. Elizabeth Maxson, Elizabeth House Designs - Elizabeth is a whirlwind of inspiration and when you meet her in person, she exudes so much positive energy and creativity. I love pouring over her blog and reading each word she writes, it is a true joy, as is she.

2. Holly Abston, Holly Doodle Designs - Okay, if you have never visited this blog, you will FLIP when you see Holly's creations! I am lucky to own one of Holly's crown creations which I keep on a shelf above the desk where I work in my office. ALL of Holly's designs are unique and I see them as heirloom pieces that I will one day hand down to my daughters.

3. Jo-Anne Colletti , Vintage Rose Collection - Jo-Anne inspires me on sooo many different levels!!! I love her artwork, her home decorating, and her writings, but mostly I love her honesty and integrity. I love that she is REAL and that I can talk to her girlfriend to girlfriend! On Jo's blog she has so many inspiring stories, poems etc., it is a must visit, you will be addicted!

4. Holly Snelling, Pink Grapefriut Style - Where do I begin??? I LOVE Holly S.' blog with it's vibrant colors, gorgeous photography, and fabulous STYLE!!! Holly is always baking something tasty or cooking a healthy and delicious meal that she shares her recipes for as well as providing lots of upbeat inspiration with her blog posts. Whenever we have gloomy days, Holly's blog is the first place I go for a bit of sunshine!

5.Shawn Ostrowski, Eclectic Whimsy, Auntie Pea - Shawn is the incredible artist that helped me create my blog and my pretty banner that I love so much. She was very patient with me ans listened to my every need and whim. Shawn has a wonderful blog, Auntie Pea, that is a must read where she offers lots of inspiration and great music picks. Her talents are endless.

Again, I say thank you Melissa, and to all of you who take the time to stop by and say hello or not say hello and just read and explore!

Enjoy your day!

XO~

Sanya

And The Winner Is..........

BunnyB, is the winner of my first In The Pink Antiques Blog give-a-way. I want to thank all of you for participating & I hope to do many more in the future! In case any of you are wondering, I went on to Random.org to get my randomly generated number. I really was tempted to have the girls pick a number out of a bowl, but I thought this might be the best way to go!

I truly adore all of my blogging friends and I hope that you keep the comments coming!
Congratulations BunnyB!
XO~
Sanya

Fabulous Pink Give Away!

Okay Ladies, and the occasional gentleman, I am having my very first blog give away and I am so excited! All you need to do is post a message on the blog and next Monday, June 9th, I will choose a randomly generated number and that post will win all of the loot in these photos, which together value at over $140.00, so make sure that you leave me a message on the blog!
These pretty garden wrens are sold on my website www.inthepinkantiques.com and I just love how sweet they are. The silver mica is perfect for any craft project to add some pizazz and sparkle and the vintage double circle heart will look fabulous on your spring coat!
The English cup and saucer set is the prettiest shade of pale pink with gorgeous plump pink roses that are to die for. I found this pretty silver footed dish with a print inside at a flea market and it makes a wonderful holder for this gorgeous carved soap of a other & child.
These last 5 pieces are my most favorite! The Hip Chick Clip Board will make anything you are working on seem much more fun with its pretty star pattern, and it makes an incredible gift as well. The Set of 25 Chic Place Mats in the Belle pattern will be perfect for your next summer party, and if you are having a baby shower or birthday party for your girls, then the Vintage Inspired Garland will be the perfect finishing touch. You will also love the Iron Rose Easel and the journal, both so lovely!

I hope that whoever wins this treasure trove will enjoy them or give them away as gifts for others to enjoy as well. More than anything, I will enjoy reading your comments and wishing you all good luck!

XO~

Sanya

It's All Coming Up Roses

My mother in law emailed me the photos above and below of her glorious roses in front of their home, so I just had to share them with you. California has so much warmth and sunshine that roses bloom for long periods of time and profusely as well! The roses in their front yard are beyond gorgeous, and even more stunning in person.
More gorgeous roses!

This is a climbing roses in our back yard. For a climbing rose, the flowers are huge and look stunning in an arrangement, as you can see in the photo below. I am hoping that in a few years, this plant will be large and full like one of Bette's, but I won't hold my breath!
This is a bouquet I made today from flowers in my garden. I could not help but snip that peony right off the bush (my first that opened this year) and get it into a vase. The bachelor buttons look so pretty with the large yellow roses from my trellis and the delicate white iceberg roses, and the plump peony. There is just something magical about being able to create something so pretty from your own yard.
This is one of my favorite roses, it has so many layers!
More peony's getting ready to open...
This rose reminds me of my Nana's lipstick when I was a little girl, "hot orange" is the only way to describe it.

I hope that you have enjoyed this little garden tour. I don't know when I will blog next because our oldest daughter Victoria will be graduating from grade school on Friday and then Valerie Jane will be getting her tonsills and adenoids removed on Monday, so I will be busy celebrating the right of passage of one, and then happily nursing the other back to health.

I wish you a very happy end of May and happy beginning of June!

Love & Blessings,

Sanya

Therapy

I don't know if any of you other mom's with kids still in the home suffer from this too, but there are days that I just can't take it. It seems as if the moment everything is back where it is supposed to be, it just gets messed up, and walked away from without the slightest thought. The once orderly and ever so pretty home no longer exists. Seeing the mess downstairs today just hit me harder than normal and I knew that I needed to do something to get myself motivated to organize my own things before giving the lecture when the girls get home and have to pick up their stuff and fix the messes they have made. I decided to do a little bit of "self help therapy" and reorganize my ribbons. As you can see, they were a mess, although I did try to organize them, the baskets I had were the wrong size, so when I happened upon some pretty new ones, I knew that they would be perfect for the task, so I turned on the TV to AMC and listened to an old western with Donna Reed while I worked, and then another with a young & quite sexy Clint Eastwood. It was great!
cozy blankets on the floor and area rug mushed up.....
Play Station & games left out on floor with random artwork & Jacqueline's vanilla milk cup from the morning....
my spring & Easter decorations are still out, help!
kitchen table is a total mess, I won't even show you the dining room table, it is too embarrassing!
Finished ribbon organization! Hurray!
I got this idea to use this shabby old tool box for my ribbon remnants from my friend Holly over at HollyDoodleDesigns.com and I LOVE it!
This basket tray is shallow, so it was perfect for my smaller rolls of ribbons
I use this box for the ribbons I use most when gift wrapping, the other larger basket I used for my thick rolls of specialty ribbons and the medium basket I used for all my rolls of tulle that I use mostly for wedding flowers. I really felt great when I was done, and I was able to get the kitchen table cleaned up and the dining room table is almost done. Lord only know when I will get to the "spring" decorations with this week and next being the last of the school year, but I know its not going anywhere, and hopefully, neither am I!

By the way, it worked, I feel better!

Ciao,
Sanya

Sweet Surprise

This morning I packed up my orders and when I got back home from running my errands there was a box on our porch for me and this is what was inside.....
A gorgeous antique luster tea cup, yummy butter cookies, a pretty pink antique soap dish filled with tea and sugar with the sweetest Mother's Day card from my friend Becky. I was so taken aback because I love to give gifts, but I don't generally expect to get them out of the blue like this, and I must say that it really made me feel so special. Truly the greatest blessing that has come from having this business has been making friends with incredible women that I have never even met in person. Becky is one of those women that I bonded with right away. Her husband Rod is in the military and has already been to Iraq and will be going back again soon. Becky and Rod are so sweet and love to use their antiques daily because they know that each day is special. I will treasure this gesture as well as the beautiful treasures Becky has bestowed upon me and each day when I see them in my kitchen I will think of her and her thoughtfulness and say a prayer of thanks for her love & friendship.

I will be working hard for the next few days with a large wedding on Saturday and lots of flower orders for Mother's Day, so I will not be posting any new Flea Market Finds until next Monday, and hopefully I will have some good wedding photos for the blog.

Happy Mother's Day to you all!
Love,
Sanya