Meet Mr. Pea

My Texan daughter called the other day and said, "Let's go shopping at Canton next month!" After a quick scramble to find a flight deal online, our rendezvous was on! Oo-la-la, so much to do and see in Texas! Flea markets, the Dallas Trade Mart, the Design District---enough shopping to fill an entire week! To boot, my daughter will have her guest bedroom with the padded headboard put together in time for my stay and a mini photo shoot. How exciting!

I also have some new blogging friends that I would love to meet face to face while I am in Canton!

Some tastey treasures found here in Escalon

Back here at the home front, I have an important person to introduce you to. I'm embarrassed that I have not introduced this person to you sooner, as he has been instrumental in the very existence of The Green Pea. He has labored on the building everyday for two years until its grand opening, and has been my go-to handyman ever since. When I tell you that he is multi-talented, this is an understatement. This man has been my electrician and my plumber. He has installed my floors and has opened up and reinforced my basement. He has threaded a vacuum system through these century-old walls. He has preserved the integrity of this old building and has done so obligingly. Even more amazing is that he willingly has taken all this direction out of his sentiments for me---his wife.

Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Pea.

Mr. Pea assessing the door and archway he built

You are bound to find Mr. Pea staying busy around the store someplace. Here he is checking out the custom door he constructed. The doorway was so large he had to brick it in to make it a smaller opening. This area was once a livery stable and this doorway was wide enough to lead a horse through! (Poor Mr. Pea; he was once a golfer and look now what I have him doing!!)

More of Mr. Pea's handiwork

Currently Mr. Pea is laying down bricks in different rooms. He is even bricking the floor beneath the staircase that is now closet space. These bricks have yet to be grouted. I will update you with more pictures as he finishes. Hurry, Mr. Pea, I have some other projects I haven't told you about yet!! (Stay tuned for those too.)

Blessings,
Sandi

Almond Blossoms

March is always a beautiful time of year here in the Valley. Many orchards are in bloom: almond, cherry, apple, peach and many more. Escalon is known for its agricultural dairy farms and orchards.

Almond trees

With the inspiration of spring in full bloom outside, I have decorated The Green Pea with a few seasonal items.

Here are some Easter decorations. See that wonderful, old, turquoise-painted tray? That tray and a few of those decorations just left me to go live with that little cubby that I sold about a month ago. Leslie is the fortunate lady that bought my favorite cubby. Just this last weekend she brought in some pictures for me to see of the cubby and its new, perfect home. It looks even prettier there and I was so delighted that she was kind enough to show me. Thank you, Leslie!!

Easter Decorations

Now this is a beautiful, old, handmade quilt. I really love the color combination and it has a such a wonderful "feel" to it too. It reminds me of the one that my grandmother made for me when I was a little girl.

Handmade Quilt

Update on painted table and hutch

Back in February I posted about this dining set that I was in the process of painting:

Before picture of hutch

Before picture of chairs

Here are the table, chairs and hutch that I have painted a soft green. The top of the table is a formica wood grain so I did not paint it. The set is around 35 years old. It is amazing the transformation a little paint can do!

Table and chairs

Hutch with white ironstone pieces

Cute hutch with the Captain's chair

It has been so cold, windy or rainy that I haven't been able to paint much. Spring is here and I can hardly wait to start some new projects. This week I plan on working on about six new things to bring into the store. Stay tuned!!

The Green Pea Boutique Gets Press on Design Bitz

I was so excited when a talented designer and fellow blogger asked if she could "interview" me and use The Green Pea Boutique for her blog! What a compliment! And so I wanted to introduce my cute friend Michele Beatty and her blog Design Bitz. Check out our interview here!

Michele Beatty of Design Bitz

I met Michele when she wandered into my store one day. She struck up a conversation and we talked about her interior design work. She has a penchant for eclecticism, mixing up conversation antique pieces with contemporary design. She told me that she is very conscientious about choosing design elements that are affordable for her clients. She struck me as very authentic and very in tune to her clients' needs, and I like what she says on her website, "Our homes are very important to us; it is where we tell our story."

Thank you, Michele, for your wonderful article! I hope to see you soon! And readers, please check the link and post comments!! We love comments!!

There goes my favorite cubby

The cubby above was one of the cutest pieces in the store. It has already found a good new home. The young lady that bought it could hardly wait to take it home.......On her way out she spotted another real nice work table for her patio. I will take a picture this week and post it soon. It is hers too now!!! I hope her hubby is as happy as she was.










This was a good week at the store. I just brought these chairs in and before I could put the price on them, a customer asked how much they were and bought them. Great, that is always fun.....







Here is my wonderful partner and Grand-daughter Madison working on her space. She just loves the color pink. She is also doing very well in selling her pretties too.

Why I have been away from my blog

This is one of my many projects that need a little help. I am painting it a soft light green, looks real good.... It will be in the store in a few days.


These are the chairs that go with the table and I also have a hutch. I think they are from the 1960's.


The picture above is the bottom half of the hutch. I am taking the amber glass out of the doors and replacing it with clear glass. Thanks to my friend Wilma for calling me, so that I could save these pieces from the big junk truck!!!

I am still trying to figure out this blogging thing and moving pictures around my posts. I am a little scared.........thanks to my daughter for her help over the phone. I hope I can remember how I did this today. She told me that she was going to be checking up on my next few posts..........Love you, Sweetheart.