A Trip Around the World/Blue Monday

UPDATE: A few inquired as to what I paid for the thrift store find. The 11" "robin's egg blue" ceramic plate retails for $14.00 over at Raised Cotton. I paid $2.20 for my "harvest gold" 11" ceramic plate with the same raised pattern. Since it was my first thrift store adventure I wasn't sure if I overpaid or not. I think it was a good deal.

Happy Blue Monday! Many thanks to Sally over at Smiling Sally for hosting our weekly "blues" party!

Last week I went on a "virtual" trip around the world only to discover a great new store close to home!

I "left" Kansas City via the Internet and arrived in Illinois for a quick stop at Anne Marie's NaDa Farm. While catching up on some posts, I saw these lovely candles that she created, inspired by a delightful website called Jeanne d' Arc Living. Sounded intriguing and very French...oooh la la!

So I parked the car in "virtual long-term parking" and boarded a plane for Europe. Imagine my surprise when we touched down in Denmark! Yes, Jeanne d' Arc Living is a website created by two Danish women who love to decorate in the Nordic-country style with a bit of inspiration from the French! As I was navigating their site, trying to figure out pricing/shipping/freight/etc. I scrolled down toward the bottom to see a list of European country locations that carried Jeanne d' Arc products. A bit further down, I discovered that there are a handful of American shops that also carry their products.

And that's when I saw it...out of five or six locations listed around the country...Raised in Cotton...Kansas City, Missouri. WHAT?!!! You've got to be kidding me?!!! Can it be true...could there really be a location, not only in the Midwest, but in my HOMETOWN that carries these fine and beautiful Jeanne d' Arc Living products? My heart began to beat faster and I quickly clicked on the link provided.

The next thing I know, I'm flying back over that giant pond of the Atlantic and chartering a small commuter plane to land in Raymore, Missouri (a rural community on the outskirts of Kansas City). I have yet to take a "field trip" to Raised in Cotton (as I left my "car" at Anne Marie's back in Illinois), but plan to do so soon! Their website has lots of lovely blue hydrangeas gracing the home page. But what intrigued me most was when I clicked on their "Home Goods" and "Tabletops" links and saw this...



described as a "lovely robin's egg blue ceramic 11" dinner plate". I am in love with all of the different pieces that go with the set. But here is the crazy part...two weeks ago I went on my first thrift store run. While looking for blue and white or blue and yellow china plates I ran across this:




I couldn't pass it up...the beautiful scalloped design caught my eye and even though it wasn't in the color scheme I was looking for, I knew I could incorporate it elsewhere in my home. The only thing better than the price would've been if it had been in "lovely robin's egg blue"! (Notice my beautiful blue kitchen countertops! I never tire of looking at them.)

So, in the words of Walt Disney, it truly is a, "small, small world!" Looking forward to where my travels will take me as I visit all of you on this "Blue Monday". Blessings to you all from Kansas! Valerie