Gather in Ivoryton and Taken For Granite in Stony Creek

One of the things I fell in love with when we went into

 Gather in Ivoryton

 was this sweet and simple little blue and white cup with a paperwhite bulb and a gorgeous blue ribbon tied to the handle.

  That was the first of several  gifts I found at

 Deanna's wonderful shop! 

This "so much fun to go to" shop is filled with new gift items,

 handmade things, children's gifts, books, delicious chocolates, yummy caramels, greeting cards,

 antique consignments and her own flea market finds.

 Truly something for everyone....and a lot for Laura! :)

Do you see those very pale pink...

...very fragile antique ornaments on the second tier of the stand?

They're now mine!

  I will show you what I did with them later on in the week :)

This is just a tease of all the goodness to be found here...

...if you are anywhere in the area you really should get to

Gather.

The inventory is always changing and there is so much to see!

Next, we drove to Stony Creek, a charming  picturesque Connecticut town on the shorefront of the Long Island Sound

We were excited to be on our way to shop and be inspired at

Taken For Granite.

Just look at this!

To get a closer peek, click to enlarge...then zoom in.

Michelle, the owner of this incredible shop has an amazing eye for both selecting and displaying lovely gifts, home goods, jewelry, interesting and beautiful clothing, flowers and eclectic antiques.

...and of course there are always plenty of seashells and beach themed items in this shop by the water.

I offered to tag along with Michelle on her 

European antique buying trips...

...told her I would blog for her from the road...

She laughed and agreed that it sounded fun.

Do you think she knew I was serious?

This unusual and beautiful mirror caught my eye.

This jewelry display was too cool!

Paula and I loved this piece...

...filled with candles and ivy... for indoors or out!

  

Everywhere you look...

...there is something beautiful and inspirational to see.

 Don't you just love the skirt on this table?

Sigh...

Do you see why Taken For Granite

 is a must do when I come to visit the girls?

Of course, I found the perfect gift for a special friend.

Isn't this the most beautiful gift wrap?

Every detail....perfection!

We're not done yet!

Tomorrow, I will share with you our trip to Chester where we visited Dina Varano...

...a longtime favorite boutique filled with Dina's exquisite jewelry,

 art pieces and an eclectic array of unusual gifts.

Are you getting tired yet?

Shop 'til you drop!

or so they say... 

:)

Thank you for all your kind comments on Paula's beautiful home and

 Carole's Christmas shop at Maynard Greenhouse.

I will try to show more pictures as requested after I finish sharing photos

 of the other shops we visited on Friday.

  Golly! We sure did a lot in one day!

:)

Gather in Ivoryton, CT

Whenever I visit my good friend Paula in Connecticut, I love to stop in and see our friend Deanna at Gather, her charming shop in Ivoryton.



I have posted about it before but couldn't resist taking a few more pictures to share.
It is the kind of shop that is visited daily by the neighborhood kids who stop in for soda pop and candy....
...Yet, you can always find a lovely and unique gift here...no matter who you are shopping for.



Folks are always bringing in things to sell on consignment....
...you just never know what you will find!























Deanna, her family members and staff are all so welcoming and friendly...
If you are anywhere near the area this summer, be sure to include a stop at Gather!

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the fact that you stop by and often leave a comment to let me know you were here. Please know that even if you don't hear back from me, I am grateful for your visit and your kind words.

Our family has several wonderful milestones and celebrations this spring...
...we are so proud of our son Dan who will be graduating from Buffalo Law School this Saturday and two of our nephews, Joseph and James are celebrating graduations too.

But, like every family, there are also concerns and recently we have become aware of a serious health concern for my lovely mother. I would be most grateful if you would keep her in your prayers.

Have a good night and a great day tomorrow....the weekend is almost here!
:)

Gather

Gather is a wonderful shop located at 104 Main Street in the charming village of Ivoryton, Ct.. Our friend Deanna had a vision...she wanted to create a place where the people in her community could come together... where they could meet, sit and chat over coffee and pastries, hold meetings, work on crafts together and shop for antiques, a card or gifts.



The space is wide open, painted a cheery and welcoming yellow with high ceilings and wonderful architectural elements. The building was originally built by the Comstock and Cheney company and was their factory store and then later on a grocery store. It is filled with antiques, consignment items and handmade gifts of all kinds. In the rear of the store, behind the antique brass cash register, there is a huge table surrounded by chairs. There are comfortable sofas with newspapers for reading and a bowl of old buttons set out on the coffee table to sort through...The library is near by and children stop in daily to buy candy and sometimes just to say hi.



Here is a counter of seasonal items, ribbons, handmade cards and tags ... check out the Cathy Pendleton snowmen...
Do you see that wonderful picture on the left? Paula fell in love with it ....it has all the creams and browns and greens that go so well with her palette...
We took it home with us and it now resides comfortably in her farmhouse as if it always belonged there....perfect!



There are antique linens galore displayed in this lovely cupboard...



This little village is steeped in history...
It was known for its production of pianos in the early 20th century and the village name, Ivoryton comes from that industry and the importation of the ivory tusks used to cover the piano and organ keys produced here.



Locally handmade items and wonderful antiques and treasures are brought in to sell on consignment. You never know what you will find at Gather...









You really need to click on the pictures to see the details!









These Mason "Vista" transfer-ware dishes match the set that I inherited from my great aunts, Nani, Fifi and Mimi (Anna, Freida and Wilhelmina).



















Everyone is welcome here...it is a gathering place for all ages....
...of course there is a "kid's corner"!
...and a pet's corner too!









Delicious chocolates...



Beautiful tags...









Deanna makes everything look wonderful....her attention to detail, her flair for decorating and her beautiful and welcoming smile for each and every person that walks in the door makes Gather truly a destination not to be missed!



These are a few of the treasures I "gathered" and took home with me!



Deanna, her husband, their family members and friends have created something special here at Gather. They advertise it as a store for making friends, memories, laughs and traditions....
I love their concept and it all works perfectly in this charming New England village.
For directions you may call them at the shop...(860) 767-7816.
...Pictures of Essex and the holiday tour tomorrow!
:) Good night!