If you lean in you may be able to smell the beautiful Lilac.
Isn't it wonderful?

This beautiful Lilac was plucked from the biggest Lilac bush over at Portobello Road.

I want to share a little shopping trip I took.
Last Friday I took the afternoon, (which turned into the entire day) and had a Antiquing Road trip to beautiful
Historic Leesburg Virginia.

http://www.leesburgva.com/visitors/

http://www.leesburgva.gov/about/History/

http://www.oatlands.org/

First I must share this wonderful farm with a field of purple. I don't know what is growing, but this caught my eye and I had to pull over and take a picture.

Ahhh, spring in Virginia, I just love it.

Leesburg is a 4hr drive from where I am. It is just north of DC. The day was beautiful and sunny, the first of many more to come this Spring here in Virginia.

OK, now ready to shop?
One first shops I visited was,
"the cottage"
http://thecottagegals.blogspot.com/
This shop is the reason I decided to make the trip again. Last time I was in Leesburg, I looked all over for their shop but could never find it. I know I was close, but had no luck. So when I heard they moved, and I knew I would find it this time, I just had to go take a look at their beautiful shop. And they were the nicest people too. Makes shopping so much more fun.

From there I went on to a few more places in the little downtown are. Next was
"four shabby chicks"

http://www.fourshabbychicks.blogspot.com/
You must go check out their blog they have much nicer pictures. This sweet shop in inside a great antique mall.

Oh how I wish I had room for this house...

From there I headed out of town hoping to miss busy D.C. Traffic. That didn't happen, So I made the best of it and headed to Lucketts. However, on my way there I stopped at a few other places that caused me to whip my steering wheel to a quick right turn to...

"On A Whim"

http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?attrID=38440

But wait, there is more. I finally got to

"Lucketts" http://www.lucketstore.com/home.htm

This place was wonderful and over whelming Everything and anything vintage you can think of this place has it. And there were more shops with in this place. The building is very old, and it was 3 stories high, all filled with vintage treasures. I believe it is made up of about 30 vender's.

Urn anyone?

I hope you all enjoyed my little shopping trip. I for one am exhausted.

Oh wait, one last thing. What did I buy?

Just a few treasures.

Lori over at Faerie Window,http://faeriewindow.blogspot.com/ is hosting this lovely Dollie show and tell today. I can't tell you how excited the girls are about it. They loved getting their picture taken for this fanciful event.

Even though most of them have already been introduced, they just couldn't wait.

They all insisted on trying on everything in the closet, even though they knew not all the dresses wouldn't fit.

Dress Closet

Some of you my remember Baby Janie.

Next is a Dollie given to me by my Sister-in Law,

Her name is Miss Belgium. She was the only one who could fit in this tiny dress.

See it here, below on the right next to the regular size Dollie dress...

And Sweet Nessie
This one here is "Baby LUNA"She insisted on being photographed in all all 3 outfits. One being Sweet Nessie's slip dress.

On the right here is Abigail, She's the shy one of the bunch. But a very sweet Dollie.

And on the left is Ella, I call her "Ella Bella" cause she is just so pretty.

This is my very special Dollie, Marie from a fun swap I was in some time ago. She is the tiniest of dollies. Sometimes at night I think I hear the rustling of her skirt, I figure she is at the computer checking in on her Creator, Mica at http://garboodles.typepad.com/

I just adore her.

And here are a few more from all around the house...

My Folk art angel, My Retro Bride, and my kitchen angel I made myself about 16 years.

My three sophisticated gals.

I almost forgot, Paper and Parts. The paper doll is a gift from Sweet Mica too.

WOW! this took a long time. Now I get to go take a look-see at all the other dollies.

Oh, Happy Joy!

Did you ever go rummaging through your own "antique shop" , the one in your basement or closets or garage, and find the real treasures. The treasure of your own days gone by. Looking through old photos of strangers is fun. Wondering who these people are and where they are from, I get lost in day dreams during my trips to antique and vintage shops. It's when you find your own photos, of the people you know and the history you are familiar with, that is when you really feel like your truly found a treasure.

I did just that. I found these old pictures I have had on my mind lately. I knew I had some vintage photos of my own and last night I went treasure hunting.

This is my Mother, Martha Ella, oh so long ago,well before I was born.
Pretty right?

Here they are on their wedding day, 

in Germany some years earlier before they came to the U.S.

And here are a couple of my brothers.