The Royal Wedding of Sussex

Since my invitation got lost in the mail, I decided to wear my outfit to work.

Don't forget to stop by and see us tomorrow for the Sidewalk Sale & Bug and Bud Festival!

Have a great weekend. It's going to be a good one.

Sidewalk Sales, Festivals, New Stuff

I know I have been quiet this week.

The combination of three kids, spring break and this weekend's triple threat have had my brain working to the max.

First Order of Business. Sidewalk Sale!!

This Saturday starting at 9am, anything you might have been looking at for a while, that we just happen to still have, might be going on sale!

Look for the big white tent with the pretty windows, that I have been told is a giant pain to put together. (I wouldn't know)

Same tent. Better sale. Different season. 

Second Order of Business. Bug and Bud Festival!!

The reason for the sale. 

Downtown Milford is expecting nearly 5,000 people and ladybugs this Saturday. 

Minorbird is expecting a customer or two (or a bajillion). 

Weather Channel says 70 degrees and sunny on Saturday.

 Perfect.

The Third Order of Business and maker of the Triple Threat. New Inventory!!

All that hard work sourcing new stuff for summer just paid off.

Lots of boxes are arriving tomorrow and they're full of SUMMER! 

Because seasons arrive in boxes around here. 

Tiny, little sneak peak...

Little Black Dress. Great necklace. Yes.

With a white t-shirt and a beach tote? 

Just plain love these earrings. 

Silver and Gold. Silver and Gold. With a twist. 

Not stopping at jewels...

Summer table linens from Couleur Nature...So pretty! 

Perfect excuse to buy a beach house. 

And there's more. But I don't have any more time today. 

I have to figure out where it's all going to go!

See you this weekend!

Takin' a Ride

Well, it's Spring Break.

I love being able to spend time with the kids I shuffle off to school every morning. Except when they act like children I don't even know.

We spent the morning at the beach making friends and collecting fish.

We also collected sand. In our bathing suits.

 Home we went, salty and tired. Sleep? No.

Ride bikes with friends? Oh yes.

Just like I remember it. 

Finally another girl to play with. 

Don't let his size fool you. 

You would think I asked him to run 3 miles. Barefoot. Uphill. 

Watch out for little curly-haired boys on Big Wheels. 

You might lose a shin. 

Yes, we have a bathroom in our house. 

No, I didn't catch him until he was already pulling his pants back up. 

What a great way to kick off the warm part of the spring. 

Scarves be gone!

Between the Sheets

Growing up I almost always got new sheets for Christmas from my grandmother. And they always had some sort of wintery, holiday, theme. And always flannel. 

They were good. I liked them. 

Not sure why, but I was 10 and didn't care.

Not long after the first wash, they would begin to feel a little scratchy. With little flannel balls. 

My snowman sheets seemed to be exfoliating my entire body. 

My sister still buys sheets like that. 

It must be for sentimental reasons.

Fast forward to grown-up-hood. Wedding registry.

I was 21 when I got married. Tell me, what in the world did I know about registering for all the stuff I supposedly needed to have a proper house? I had just graduated from college. Proper meant you had something to sit on. 

Ralph Lauren sheets seemed like a good choice. Pretty color, reputable brand name. Pricey, but you can't go wrong with Ralph, right? 

I would like to think, at the very least, my style had upgraded from the grandma's-sweatshirt-style snowmen. 

Fast forward to have-my-own-first baby-hood. Crib bedding. 

I lived in South Florida at the time. And I was still learning how to not feel Amish surrounded by Housewives of...(you can fill in the blank, they all apply). 

I wanted the prettiest baby nursery I could considering I didn't know if it was a girl or a boy. 

Ruffles were out. Neutrals were in. 

I walked into The Silly Goose, my most favorite little boutique in Downtown Delray Beach (and the inspiration for my store today) and my favorite store owner in the world, Beth, showed me a bedding line that changed everything I thought I knew. 

Bella Notte

Linen. Embroidered Linen. Silk. Velvet. Satin. Sateen. Lace. Crocheted lace. Oh my. 

Toto, we aren't in Kansas anymore. Or Delaware.

But for a baby? For my sweet, precious, unborn little baby. 

Why shouldn't he/she have the best? I mean, I had way higher standards for that tiny little person than I did for myself. 

I bought them. I trusted Beth knew what she was talking about. She promised I wouldn't regret it. 

It was a girl! 

I am happy to report, nearly 8 years later, that she is happy and healthy, smart and beautiful, and worth way more than I could ever give her. 

But those SHEETS! 

They survived 8 years and two more kids. And got better. 

The crib sheets feel like butter now. I'm telling you, like butter. 

Not that I sleep in butter, but you know what I mean. 

I didn't stop at crib sheets, of course. And let's just say, not only can I never go back to the snowman exfoliators, I can't even consider any Ralph-what's his name either. 

So there you have it. My thoughts on sheets. 

If you're up for more info on how they are made, garment-dyed, and how environmentally friendly, made here in the U.S.A. they are, click here. 

All-American Chaos

We've had a couple of warm days. Fresh cut grass smell is in the air. 

Oh right, the grass. Thanks Dad. 

It's also that time of year when all my friends start talking/posting about Opening Day and Go Phillies! or Yankees! Or whoever. Not being a huge baseball fan (you could replace the word baseball with just about any sport) I don't really know when things are happening until it's so everywhere you can't possibly miss it.

Until this year. 

My Older Boy is finally old enough to play T-Ball! 

I was the dancer. My sister was the athlete.  I have no clue what I am doing with two boys, but it's not like I can return them (nor would I want to!).

Photo courtesy of Milford Live at www.milfordlive.com

Milford loves a parade. We ALWAYS have parades. And Little League Opening Day is no exception. 

His first game was Saturday. I took a thousand pictures. 

What I should have taken a picture of was all the parents taking a thousand pictures. 

Yes, you run after you hit the ball. Yes, it's okay for you to run! GO!

Pretty sure all three of them are going to catch the same ball. 

Safe. Now all he has to do is pay attention. 

That's a lot harder than it looks. 

They still let me in the dugout. 

I'll get kicked out before Little Brother, I'm sure. 

Cameras flashing, kids running in all directions, lost helmets. 

But he (we) will never have a first-first game ever again. 

Happy Opening Day!

Local Artisan Series

Here at Minorbird, we get a lot of product/sales pitches. Sometimes, they're fun, and the person pitching has a great idea.

Other times, well, there are other times.

Fortunately, we have had a pretty good assortment of local artists with real talent!

So, in response, we are launching a Local Artisan Series.

Kicking off the series are two new artists (who are no stranger to Downtown Milford) and one of our long-term in house artists, whom I believe you will instantly recognize.

Let me Introduce...

Eul Lee

Born in South Korea, Eul moved to the United States in the 70’s with her family. She lived in Los Angeles for 18 years, then Long Island for 12 years before she moved to Delaware in 2005. She currently resides in Lewes. 

Her passion is designing practical and beautiful items for everyday life. She loves simplicity in design with a modern-vintage feel. 

Eul lives her life’s passion and it shows in each item she creates She hopes to pass that loving energy to those who wear and use her designs.

Let me Introduce...

AJ's Origami


AJ was born in Annapolis, MD on a vacation and raised in Delaware. At a young 21 years old, he has already been doing origami for 18 years. He began trying out origami when he was only 3 at the Boys and Girls Club.

In his last year of middle school he had his own origami business going!  At the age of 16 a teacher gave him $1,000 in $20 bills to turn them into a variety of flowers so she could give them as christmas gifts. 

AJ regularly patents and sells his designs. He creates origami jewelry, pinwheels, birds, or just about anything you can dream up! Stay tuned for more designs...

Let me Re-Introduce...

Rosemary Connelly

Rosemary studied fine art and graphic design at Arizona State University and worked for over 20 years as a graphic designer. She specializes in watercolor journal paintings of her travels (remember her from our watercolor journaling session here at Minorbird!), botanical studies, and watercolor journaling.

Rosemary and her husband Bob are transplanted New Yorkers who lived in Arizona for 30 years before packing up and moving to Italy to fulfill their dream to "Live Cheap and Make Art". You can read about and see the paintings and photographs from their two years in Italy on their blog.

Rosemary painted the Sweet Pea Collection that we carry as a regular staple here at the store.

We just love her!

This series will continue through the summer, with new artisans being added all the time! 

Family Jewels

Around here at the store, we are always getting ready for the next holiday, event, sale, etc. The list of things to do seems endless!

Mother's Day is sort of the next gift giving occasion on the calendar.

Yes, I know Easter is next week. But guess what? Mother's Day is a whole two weeks after that!
(Sunday, May 8)

There's a lot to choose from, both here at Minorbird, and all through Downtown Milford.

 I'm going to throw out one of my favorite-favorite things here just to get your mom on your mind.

La Vie Parisienne

One of my favorite jewelry lines of all time.

I ended up carrying the line in the store because so many people asked me where I got my earrings.

I wear their champagne colored crystal stud earring almost every day. It's all noticeable enough to wear formally but vintage enough to wear with jeans and a t-shirt.

All the designs are original from France from 1880 to 1920 and made with Swarovski crystals.

We've been carrying the line since December or so and it has proven to be super popular with all ages. You might buy a pair for your mom and end up "borrowing" them for an extended period!


Wait wait, that's not all. Some of us moms are young. And have young kids. So.....

Figs and Ginger

Super-cute husband and wife owned company.
Meet Elijah and Rondha, and their pink camper!

They make the nesting necklaces (in the picture above) that are just SO sweet.

Made by hand, each piece is sterling silver, with at least 50% of it recycled, and then the necklaces are given a blackened patina.

AND...baby birds can be added for each new addition to your nest!


While we may never have anything that the man in your life is just dying to buy, I think we might have a thing or two in the mix that the ladies tend to like. Happy Mother's Day from us to you!

Cowgirl with a Mullet

How does a girl who started her life with a mullet end up owning a downtown store that people seem to actually like?

Let's go on a trip.

Those jean jacket puff sleeves? They're coming back. 

I love my family. I really do.

My dad has a uniform. Polo shirt - in only one color - green. And khaki

And if you deviate from the polo shirt or cardigan sweater set, with some sort of tan-colored bottom, you get the eyebrow raise.

But then again, he also just started a new business: The Mow-It-All. Appropriately named.

He can attain lawn perfection.

 And is apparently both handsome and hilarious. 

(his words, not mine)

He also dresses to match this photo. Every day. 

That being said, can someone explain to me how my parents, in all their green and tan conservative glory, allowed a Dorothy Hamill haircut migrate into a mullet? 

Me, at about 3 years old, with a clear mullet

Dorothy Hamill in about the same year, with a very different haircut. 

If you thought it couldn't get worse, you were wrong. 

Me, third grade, circa 1989, which was the height of the mullet's popularity, according to Wikipedia

I know! I know. 

As bad as it was, I wouldn't change a thing. 

I wasn't always the prettiest. Or the smartest. Or the most talented. 

But I was willing to work hard and not give up on the things I wanted most in life. I am happy to report that my hair is looking much better these days, but I wouldn't be surprised if I do another look back in 30 years and wonder what I was thinking. And I won't even be able to blame my parents. 

We have all come a long way and, if lucky, have an even longer way to go. 

Enjoy it!

Ballerinas and Zombies

So, we all know I have three kids.

Today, I was thinking about the older two mostly. I thought I would share just how my mind works - and then maybe you can all understand what the impact a third child had on my brain and it's ability to function properly.

I start the morning downloading photos from my oldest's recent performance in Diamond Dance Company's version of Peter and the Wolf.

Butterflies, Ponds, and Flowers, oh my.

She takes her art form very seriously. 

Apparently even pulling a pretend cat's tail is entertaining.

I get to the pictures of her and her brother which remind me that I'm supposed to be winning levels of Plants vs. Zombies for him so he can use the coolest plants possible to fight the zombies. 

He plays it ALL THE TIME. 

So, now my mind has shifted to this:

And this:

Those zombies really stress me out. 

But I do it for my son. Because he asked and he loves the game. 

(and it might be mildly entertaining to me)

Then I snap out of it and realize that I have a million bajillion things I should be doing for the business. Things that have nothing to do with plants or zombies. 

I am working on the blog post that was supposed to be about ballet. 

There they are. The lovely ballerina and her zombie-fighting brother. 

Notice I haven't even mentioned child #3 and what he likes to do. 

Fortunately, he came with a healthy set of lungs. And he uses them. 

It's a good thing that little stinker is so cute.

Back to work! Enjoy your weekend!