Spring Into Easter

The weather has been beautiful here in PA and it is time to Spring into Easter!  I waited until the day after St. Patrick's Day to take down my Shamrock wreath - and bring out the bunny.  A simple grapevine wreath, bunny, eggs, and tulips all from Dollar Tree. Now that we are in an apartment I love that my wreaths do not fade...our last house got sun all day and often I had to replace items/ribbons on the wreaths.

Once you enter another bunny, some tulips, and eggs welcome you...

On the wall near the coat closet I placed a birdhouse and one of these little bunnies.  You will see them all over my home...I found them several years ago at Dollar Tree and I am sorry I did not purchase more of them.  They are SO cute!

A bright green umbrella holds more tulips...

Dining table gets more tulips ( have to laugh...I found these potted tulips at Bath and Bodyworks many years ago...they were selling the spring display items and I got them of $1.00 each.  They come out of storage and fluff up beautifully each year...

Another view...with a nest of eggs and yellow chick salt and pepper shakers...

This little bunny is observing the scene...

The little bunny plate was found at our community "Cash and Carry" tag sale...one of many things I stuck into a bag on Dollar Bag Day!

Some eggs and another chick liven up the kitchen plant...

The new greenery hanging from the cabinet is a recent Ikea purchase.   The caulking was cracking where the cabinet meets the wall ( it has been very dry here even with a humidifier running) and this little plant makes it look so much better.

Here is another one of those bunnies...SO cute!

I used to place this plate in the window over my kitchen sink...now it stays near the windows in the living area to catch the light.

For the past few weeks I had only sticks and pussy willows in this vase...added the forsythia for Spring...

And more to the mantel...along with a bunny and some more of those potted tulips.

Always love putting out the Ukrainian Easter Eggs ( Pysanky) that belonged to my mother-in-law. These are made of wood  - which I love - because they have been with us since our marriage and survived many moves in 44 years!

I always like to have napkins out for the season...

The weather has been so nice that I could not resist getting some pansies for the porch...it is still a little too cool to sit out there and I have not given the porch a good "Spring Cleaning"...but I love when I glance out to see the smiling faces of the flowers.

The little bunny pedestal was a find in the Target Dollar Zone for only $3.00

And changed the notepad by the phone to reflect the season...as well as the carrot/bunny pen!

Another view of the kitchen with the bunny pedestal, a bunny cookie cutter, and another one of those little bunnies!

Do you decorate for Easter ?  Or Spring ?  How long do you keep the decorations out?  These will stay out until the end of April...then I will start with May lilacs and morph into Memorial Day patriotic items.   Do you change decor with the seasons?  Let me know what you do - please leave a comment.  I love to hear from you!  Thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista!

 

We'll Always Have Paris

Paris!  I love it.   I love novels set in Paris, movies about Paris, and Paris!  I have been blessed to visit the City of Light several times.   My husband John and I love to travel, and Paris is one of our favorite cities.  My first visit was in high school...and was just a taste for a short time that left me wanting more.  On a school trip from my high school, we had only two days in Paris - one day was taken up with a change of hotels and medical issues of my friend, the second was "May Day" and we were urged not to leave our hotel because of demonstrations.  The only thing I really remember was a visit to the Louvre - and the desire to return.   John and I returned for our 25th Anniversary, and then...my favorite visit.  When I turned 50 I did not want a big party...I wanted to turn 50 on the Eiffel Tower.  My wonderful husband flew me to Paris for the weekend...March in Paris...snow, cold, magic.   Such a special trip.  Then a visit for a week in April a few years later, then a few days in the city before or after a river cruise.  Always something new to see...always magical.  

SO....when building a home a few years ago, we toured a model home that had a Paris shower curtain in one of the bathrooms.  I loved it...tracked it down on Ebay, and purchased it for the guest bath of the home we were building.

It picture a Paris street scene of shops and restaurants...and we started calling that guest bath "Paris".  As in "do we have anymore toothpaste? Yes, check in Paris!"  Over the years I slowly accumulated items that made that bathroom more Parisian.  When we downsized a few years ago and moved to a wonderful apartment in a senior living community I thought maybe I should get rid of the shower curtain and go in a different direction.  I could not give up Paris!  I am still adding items with a French/Paris theme...and I know we will always have Paris!

This print of the Eiffel Tower was a piece of wrapping paper I held on to for years.  The current guest bath is much larger than our old one and I was able to find a frame and place it over the toilet.

A smaller print of the Moulin Rouge hangs over the towel rack and I found a guest towel that mimics the scene on the shower curtain.

Since the bathroom is so spacious I was able to find this cute unit that holds all the extra toiletries that we store "in Paris".

The little Arc de Triomphe was a gift from a friend this past Christams.  She is my dear friend and knows how much I miss traveling, and what a difficult year this has been with John's recovery from a heart attack.  She sent this ornament as a reminder that better days are ahead.  I had it on the Christmas Tree but decided not to store it with the ornaments - it is perfect in Paris.

I was able to find a body wash that keeps the Paris theme...

and a French inspired Poo-Pourri, too.  This little table made the move from our living room to Paris.  It hold extra paper, Poo La La, and a clock I can see from the tub so I know when it is time to get out.  Our new home features a wonderful walk in shower in the owner's bath - but I still like a long soak and use this tub for my bubble baths.  Bubble Baths in Paris!

Found this print of the famous Shakespeare and Company book store in Paris...and the Paris letters - both in Ross a few years ago.   When we were in Paris for my 50th birthday we visited the famed bookstore near Notre Dame.  I purchased a book of poetry by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and the owner invited us to tea in his apartment on the top floor of the building.  There were people there from all over the world...it is a great memory.

Recently found this brush holder at At Home...and it followed me home.

The bath and toilet area is separated from the vanity area by a pocket door...I continued the Paris theme in the vanity area, too.

This soap dispenser came from a little gift shop in Niagara On The Lake while we were on vacation there...

The hand towel mimics the shower curtain, the clock has a Paris theme, and the print is from an artist we found in Nice...a beautiful watercolor of the Cote d Azur and our visit there.

Close up of the clock - found at Joann Fabrics several years ago...

The little Paris tray is a catch all that I found at Ross...

The waste basket was from our local BonTon store before it closed...I could not resist...

At the other end of the vanity area is a door which leads to a walk in closet...I found this canvas print at my local grocery store!!!

Now that this bath is connected to the guest room, Paris has been seeping out into the rest of the area...Eiffel Tower sheets... 

A little pillow on the bed...

The room also doubles as our office, so a Parisian pen and a faux book about Paris...

And lastly, this Hallmark card that I had to buy and frame...

I hope you enjoyed this little visit to Paris !  Do you have a favorite place that you bring into your decorating.   Do you have any themes for your rooms?  I am sure I will always be on the look out for things French and Parisian....until I get back to Paris!

Thank you so much for stopping by Our New Vista .  Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!  Bonjour!