Time Travel Thursday #47 - A Little Detour

Welcome to the 47th Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage!

Are you ready to do some traveling? Great; 'cause time never stands still!

While I was in town today, I thought I would take a fun little detour.

As you know, I live in a very small farming community, on the edge of a beautiful national forest.

And though the population of this quaint little place is quite small, there are still some rather charming spots for shopping—or to just while away the time. 

At first glance, one might mistakenly think this particular shop to be nothing more than a cozy little cottage—like so many others found around town—

save the fact, virtually every square inch of porch and yard space is loaded to the hilt with tempting treasures.

Does farmhouse style strike your fancy?  You'll find plenty of it here.

How about rustic and primitive?  There's quite an array of that, as well.

If you're like me, anything garden related draws you in like a moth to a flame.

And it just so happens THAT is the predominant theme here.

Being a true farm girl at heart, I love barns, outbuildings, and sheds of all types.

So the rustic charmers in the backyard of this sweet spot add to the overall enjoyment of the shopping experience.

And to think, all this is just a hint of what is OUTSIDE!

 Even more eye-catching delights await INSIDE.

The original architectural components of this old house-turned-shop—bead board walls, fireplaces enveloped by old wooden surrounds and mantels, paneled doors wearing vintage hardware, large paned windows, etc.—are still intact.

It's those nods to the past that help to make this such a delightful place to browse for treasure.

There's quite an assortment of goodies to choose from:  candles, metal wall art...

heavenly-scented diffuser oils...

and charming floral arrangements—to name but a few.

A wide array of decorating styles is represented here, as well:

country...

antique and vintage...

beachy, seaside...

and even shabby chic.

Not too bad for a town that's nothing more than a blip on a map, huh?

So, if for any reason you find yourself touring the tiny township of Denton, NC...

be sure to stop by Wall To Wall.

Hey, while you're here, maybe you and I can even "do lunch"!  ; )

Linking to Diane's for 2nd Time Around Tuesday, Susan's for Outdoor Wednesday, Mary's for Share the Love Wednesday, Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday, and Tracie's for Cottage Flora Thursdays.

IF YOU LINK TO THE PARTY, PLEASE BE SURE TO LINK BACK TO THE BRAMBLEBERRY COTTAGE ON YOUR BLOG.

Time Travel Thursday #16 - Just "Milling" Around

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE DETAILS FOR THE LINKY PARTY HERE!

Welcome to the sixteenth Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage.

Are you ready for our next trip back in time and into the future?

Good!  Here we go.

1910

I grew up in a textile town in the South.

1910

As a matter of fact, the textile mills–that dotted the landscape throughout the Piedmont region–made North Carolina famous for a season.

1922

Gibson Mills, depicted in the three vintage postcards above, was in a neighboring town to the one I lived in during my childhood.

And while the town where I grew up was actually created around a mill–that was the largest manufacturer of towels in the world, for a time–that mill is not the one I've chosen to focus on.

The mill above, now known as The Depot at Gibson Mills, no longer produces textiles, but it's very much a hub of activity again today.

It has been given new life through the businesses and shops that it now houses.

Boasting over 85,000 square feet and 460 dealer booths, its antique mall and design center has become one of my absolute favorite shopping destinations. 

This fun booth–loaded with fantastic primitives and just plain old cool junk–is the space of a friend of mine.

You could spend hours, right here in Tammy's "Refunked Junk" booth!

If you prefer country antiques and collectibles, you'll find them at The Depot, as well.

One of the things that makes this place such a delightful shopping experience is the great care the vendors take to make their spaces so inviting.

Have you seen anything yet you would love to have?  ; )

If your style leans more toward newer home decor, you won't be disappointed with the wonderful selection you find here.

Truly, there is something to satisfy everyone's taste at this incredible shopping venue.

But come prepared to spend the entire day, if you really want to see everything!

Sharing all this wonderful vintage goodness @ Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday.

One-stop Shopping for a Valentine's Tablescape

Recently, I was in one of my favorite retail stores–Marshalls. 

I had stopped in just to browse a bit with my daughter and fifteen-month-old granddaughter.

 (Can one actually browse with a fifteen-month-old in tow?! lol)

My intent was not to shop, merely to soak in all the

 delightful spring displays. In light of the incredibly cold weather we've

been experiencing, it was a breath of fresh air to see signs of spring somewhere!

As I rounded the corner, near the back of the store,

I was drawn to a wonderful group of holiday arrangements.

 But, the one that really got my attention was dedicated to Valentine's Day.

Let me preface what I 'm about to say with this confession...I'm a dish-aholic!
If there is anything that will pull me in like a magnet—at a flea market,
antique store, yard sale, retail shop, etc.—it's dishware.

And this lovely grouping reeled me in effortlessly!

I knew I just had to run back to the car to retrieve my camera!

With digital in hand—and without hesitation—I returned and began

 clicking away with quite a fervor.

After fifteen minutes or so, it occurred to me that I was receiving

some rather peculiar stares from passersby.

The looks on their faces told me, in no uncertain terms, that someone

snapping up pictures in a

department store is more than a little strange.

Did they think I was casing the place?

On more than one occasion, a stranger's look said,

"Who in their right mind takes a camera into a department store

and takes pictures of displays?"

Umm…let me see.

That would probably be just about

every woman who blogs, right?!!

So…I threw caution to the wind and kept right on clicking.   ; )

Of course, it's the wonderful multi-hued flowers

that take center stage on these beauties.

They just happen to be some of my favorites—pink peonies!

And the cute little extra flourishes—like the hearts and

the words Love and Amour—are just

icing on the plate…I mean cake!   ; )

Then there were the fabulous serving pieces…oh my!!!
There were so many, I dare say I probably missed a few.

What tablescape wouldn't look adorable with that cute little creamer and sugar bowl? 
The sugar bowl is practically hidden on the second shelf.

Now, take a look at these lovelies. Are they not totally charming?

There was a rectangular pink-handled tray, a ruffled square dish—it's in the back—a precious

heart-shaped plate, and large bowls decorated with pretty hearts on the inside.

And that doesn't include all the coordinating accent pieces

that were not even part of this actual set,

such as…

this trio of pretty heart bowls and...

this darling "Kiss Me" mug—for that special someone.

Wouldn't it be fun to dish up that delicious Valentine's fare

with these quaint serving spoons?

Can you guess who I thought of when I spotted this

sweet little heart-shaped ramekin?

None other than the delightful hostess of Tablescape Thursday, Susan.

You know how she adores using unique items as salt cellars.

Or...

perhaps she would prefer these cute round ones with

the Valentine's messages in the bottom.

As you can see—for an addict like me—this was pure dish heaven!
As a matter of fact, I've only shown you the tip of the iceberg.

Visit me again next week and I'll share my ideas for

the perfect Valentine's Day tablescape using some of the lovely pieces you've seen here.