Make room for some white space! That’s what I always say! Morning MUSICA! I have a little story I wanted to share with you: Back before most of us even met, way back when, just after my first book 
(Heart of the Home) came out, I had the most interesting thing happen. Most of it, actually, wasn’t good, even though it definitely started out good, and ended up okay, I think, overall I could have done without it. Out of the blue I was contacted on the phone by the New York ad agency that represented Pepperidge Farm ~ they said really nice things about my new book, and asked me if I would like to design an ad for Pepperidge Farm using my handwriting and watercolors. I was very flattered, as you can imagine. Leaping and jumping occurred, calling of parents happened. I traveled to New York to meet with the agency, and gave my new book to the all the Pepperidge Farm executives at the meeting (to take home to their wives), and said I’d love to. But something happened, I never quite understood what, but it all short-circuited, and even though it never made any sense to me, for some unknown reason I stopped hearing from them. Disappointing and kind of embarrassing, but for all I knew, this was normal in big-ad-New-York-world. I put everything I’d done for them in a shopping bag and pushed it under my desk. A year later, when I saw my own handwriting and my favorite wooden spoon (among other things) watercolored in a New York Times Magazine double-page ad for Pepperidge Farm,
and then People Magazine too, my heart fell. My own personal spoon. Really, the nerve of some people’s children. Apparently what happened is that they sent my book to another artist in New Jersey and paid her to copy my work and do the ads. And because I was just beginning my career and very naive, and I thought this was so wrong on all levels since this book felt like my baby, I found a lawyer 
and took them to court. Talk about David and Goliath. As you might guess, I didn’t fare all that well, mostly because, unbeknownst to me until the very end, there was a limit of $10,000 that could be awarded and that’s only if you WIN the case, which I did, thank goodness! It took two years for it to get to court, but by the time we were finished I’d easily spent that $10,000 on the legal retainer, postage, Mary Tyler Moore city clothes for court, travel and the hotel room in New York where I had to go for a whole week for the “trial.” It could have been way worse I found out later, they could have made me pay the lawyer the $250,000 bill it took to do this, but instead, thank goodness, they made the other side pay it. (Moral of the story, unless you are a lawyer try to stay out of court.) For a few days, I thought I’d have to pay the lawyers myself, tears came out of my eyes horizontally when I first heard about it, but luckily when the ad agency appealed, the judge made the lawyers settle and let me go. Whew! Anyway, one fascinating thing came out of it, my “style” was defined by an expert (and, as it turned out in the end, it was protected by the law 😊). The ad agency brought in all kinds of evidence, that I didn’t own “my style,” I didn’t own hearts, they said, I didn’t own handwriting or wooden spoons (I said, “Even with the little lines?”); they darkened the 
court room and showed an old black and white movie of the venerable foreverness of Pepperidge Farm, they would have brought in Margaret Rudkin in a coonskin cap and calico apron if they could have, to try and show that perhaps it was me that had copied them! But one person they did bring was an art expert from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Very impressive to me since I’d never had an art lesson and at the time, didn’t know I had a “style.” She was supposed to analyze my art (on the stand) and tell the jury if it had special properties that should be protected. She showed everyone the wide white borders and a few pages with almost nothing on them. And SHE said, the expert said, pointing and holding up my book, that I was, and I quote, “A master of the white space.” HA! A master! Of the white space! I almost fell out of my chair. So there. And I have lived off that bit of information for the last 30 years.
And there’s really no doubt it was true ~ I probably never would have seen it on my own, but it’s so obvious, what shows off splotches of glorious color better than white space?
Even in the bubbles . . .
Even in my first painting, I’ve always liked the paper as much as what I put on it and left a lot of it blank.
A little white space, especially in the pages of a book, gives the eye a rest . . . just like quiet listening during a conversation, gives gravitas and meaning to the words . . .
This is one of the pages the art expert held up to the jury to make her point. Who knew? But I’ll tell you, it means a LOT when someone from a museum says something like that to you.💝 After all she was under oath. Made it all worthwhile. 😜
When I look back at what has inspired me, what I’ve surrounded myself with, such as these embroidered tea towels, it all makes sense, I see how good those little stitches look against the white.
I particularly enjoyed designing a line of white quilting fabrics . . . What is an old quilt without white? I don’t know!
White gives flavor to everything . . .
. . . and more white . . .
. . . in every shape . . . that blue would be nothing without the white! Subconsciously, it was probably quilts that turned me into a “master of the white space.” Perhaps “mistress” would be better. Inspiration comes from everywhere!
White makes the perfect background . . .
It has such freshness . . .
and perks up and softens any room . . .
White lightens hearts, smooths away troubles and makes black and white kitties the perfect decorating accent.
And something else about white, it makes a room like a movie set. Change the pillows to black floral needlepoint, put in a brown and red quilt, and you’re ready for winter. Add a Christmas tree or a basket of spring flowers to the room, glass candlesticks and a bowl of oranges in the spring, brass and wood candlesticks in the winter, and you get a complete change with very little work. Not that this is the only way to go, some think white is hard to keep clean . . . but,
Maybe that’s why so many New England houses are painted white, because the seasons change, and there is never any color clash since white goes with everything, looks fabulous with snow, beautiful with colorful falling leaves, excellent with forsythia. This is our backyard yesterday morning. Spring has sprung! Tomorrow is May! Rabbit-rabbit!
And palest pink, almost white flowers, look luv-lee against the green . . .
Mix and match old vintage white yard furniture does too!
Everything shows up better with a white frame . . .
This was the table for a wedding shower I did for one of my girlfriends. Nowadays white space has a much broader meaning for me, it’s a kind of emptiness and space, whether it’s in decorating, or in open places left free for dreaming. Quiet mornings are perfect for white space. Reading a good book is white space with a story. A massage is black-out white space.
Like bubble baths and birdsong. It’s downtime. The nonthinking thing. Ommmmm. Know what I mean? Like 1864, when there were only ticking-clock noises, the sound of the turning of a page, the flicker of a candle, the scratch of a pen, the purring of a cat, the soft snoring of a dog, the rustle of fabric. These are my favorite sounds and always hardest to hear. The chick-chick-chick of the lawn sprinkler going round and round on a warm summer day. But it doesn’t just happen, not in this wild world of ours, like everything else, if you want it, you have to make it yourself.
Take note: even Downton Abbey knew the power of white . . . that table just would not be the same in green.
Perhaps not quite the same in grandeur, but pretty good considering the serious and bewildering lack of a downstairs staff!
So that’s what I’ve been doing to my own little home sweet home … since we got back 
from California, I’m my own downstairs staff, putting my house back together, smoothing things out, making space. I’ve been writing books, designing cups and calendars, and traveling so much, my home, my first love, got out of hand with clutter. Spring cleaning was number one on my list of things to do when we got home, I want my house back! I have a long way to go, but here I begin, by clearing everything off the kitchen table (a feat in and of itself) and oiling the wood top, so there’s more contrast between the cute white legs and the wood floor, and the wood table and the white wainscoting.
I oiled both the table and the wood counter top ~ because we have our furnace on all winter, the color gets dried right out of the wood . . .
You can see how it works here on the handles of my pans ~ I can’t believe they got this bad, they practically have splinters! A little mineral oil makes such a difference! You just brush it on your wood boards, spoons, whatever you have, and leave it to sink in to bring back the mellow colors of the natural wood.
Here you can see the table when the oil is about halfway soaked in. Takes a few days.
This is me ⬇️
While I was working in the kitchen, I would step out into the salty cold spring air, to take Joe a cup of tea while he was de-thatching and reseeding the lawn (and give him brilliant advice, lucky man) and gaze at the tulips and daffodils blooming . . . note how good they look with a white picket fence!
And we put a new roof on the house, because the rain was coming into my sewing room!
And birds were landing and frolicking in the birdbath . . .
And I put bright spring flowers in my little vases . . .
I washed all the dishes in my open cupboards in several dishwasher loads . . .
But anything hand-painted, or gold edged I washed by hand . . .
And dried . . .
And put away on my shiny clean shelves above my luv-lee oiled counter . . . the dishes and glassware sparkly and colorful against the white space . . .
ready for garden tea parties.
And then there was a joint April birthday party for myself and two of my best girlfriends! Which was wonderful of course! But, what I wanted to mention, as you can see by my outfit, I seem to have a new thing about the color blue.
I’m normally such a pink person, and now, all of a sudden, this yearning for blue. Kind of like 
all the years I couldn’t stand blue cheese dressing, and suddenly now I can’t get enough of it! I’m so happy new things keep happening! And I’ve learned, the only way to it is through it, so, hello blue, here I come! I kept thinking about changing the look of my newly clean and spacified kitchen . . . so finally, I went on line thinking, “rugs” ~ and sent away for some rag-rug samples . . . Something cool and fresh for the long hot summer . . . something, to be specific, blue.
I asked Jack, “Choose the one you like best.” And so, being the brilliant cat that he is, he did. I got out some dishtowels to see how they would look, and my new imaginary world began …
I thought, I wonder how Jack’s choice will look with fall colors?
Okay I said, how will it look with my new cups . . .
Within two weeks, and for about $300, I went to the Dash and Albert website and got three new rugs (there’s another of those lighter, windowpane rugs just out of sight on this side of the kitchen table) . . . I took all the little magnets and pictures off my fridge, and gave myself more white space and took a big deep breath of the clean emptiness. If anyone dares so much as set a newspaper down in here, I will have a fit. I’m warning me!
I shopped my house for other blue things . . . I changed the red-checked kitchen-table lampshade to one from the guest room that had bluebirds on it . . . the red checks will come back in the fall, when the seasons change again and all hearts turn to “cozy” . . .
I put away the red and pink potholders and pulled out the yellow and blue crocheted vintage potholders for the top of my stove . . .
And hunted through the dishtowel pile for some blue and yellow ones that showed up very nicely on the oven-door handles for which they were made . . .
I thought my little blue-flowered cup would be darling on top of my stove . . . with the miniature white chair as background.
Away goes the red-heart teapot, and out comes the blue one . . .
I lined up some of my favorite blue mugs . . .
And remembered the paper mockup of the blue-bird cup and thought I’d try it here . . . and decided this is a must-do mug, and so the real thing, lovely bone china from England will be coming into our web store hopefully by August! Oh the power! To be able to design a cup to match my kitchen! What a world!
And here it is, peaceful, calm, and plain, don’t you think? Almost Amish. Possibly Swedish. Definitely hyggeish. And the perfect backdrop to a summer filled with flowers, watch that vase on the kitchen table! I’m thinking perhaps next I need some new chair pads . . . perhaps in white . . . ?
I get to turn my calendar to May tomorrow, I peeked ahead and I was so happy to see it’s blue! Perfect timing!
My Beatrix Potter People have lived through years of my decorating transitions (transgressions!), but they are as they are forever, color matters not at all when it comes to them.
Blue schmoo. I love you just the way you are. 😘
Other than that . . . I’ve been getting the garden ready . . . the strawberries are doing really well, and there’s a fresh new layer of compost over everything. Spring rains are working their magic . . .
And I’ve been designing new dishes, interesting casual little things for serving and displaying . . . I love this little teapot plate! It’s whiteness is the perfect background for art, and for lemon cake or cookies too! I’ll do three different designs, this one and two with center art, so that they could either be used on the table or hung on the kitchen wall. I’ve been designing cat dishes too, and some other things . . . but not to put the cart before the horse and get us too excited, first we have to make sure this is all do-able before it is written in stone.
These, on the other hand . . .
are written
in stone . . .
. . . and ready to ship from England on May 4th!!! I’m so excited. Did I tell you how strong 
fine bone china is? An English gentleman named Jon, from the manufacturer in England, came to visit us today (I gave him tea in my new Love cup in my plain but gorgeous new kitchen) and he almost gave me a heart attack with a little surprise demonstration of slamming the cup on the table edge! It didn’t break, neither the cup, nor the table! He was very proud. And now, so am I. Quality is so rare. And another thing, bone china is so dense it holds the heat really well. I already knew this ~ I could 
tell from drinking from them, but he confirmed it. I gave away two of the only samples I had to my birthday girlfriends, so I am waiting just as hard for them as the rest of you! Soon girlfriends, soon. And, btw, they are almost all gone! Which is good/bad, but I think everyone who wanted one has it by now, I hope so. Those designs will be retired. 
They are all yours. And I’m in the studio again, designing three maybe four more cups, including my bluebird, and this Santa Claus ~ all new designs, for fall, and tea, and the holiday season ~ Jon brought me some other sizes to choose from too. I love hearing your ideas, about what art you’d like to see on a cup, I wish we could afford to do all we’d like to do because there are SO many wonderful ways to go! One day at a time! 
So, this is where I’ll be on the Thursday before Mother’s Day! The perfect thing to do to celebrate my favorite holiday, raise money for children in need . . . If you’re in the neighborhood, put on your Easter bonnet, and please bring your mom, your sister, or your best friend and join us for this luv-lee Tea Party, mom-celebration, and book talk and signing in Massachusetts . . . for tickets and more information go HERE . . .
One more thing, speaking of white, have you all seen The White Queen? There are ten episodes, followed by eight more of the White Princess. Wonderful! Joe and I just started the White Princess, but the Queen was great! Look for it . . . it’s on Starz now, we get it by talking into our remote. Which makes me wonder, was talking into a remote really necessary? Anyway, that’s how we get it.
Last but not least, something else wonderful and new: you know how they call different generations by different names? How they slot us by age into our little Baby Boomer, Gen-X, Millennial, or Centennial boxes? Well, I just heard about a new one this morning ~ a 
group they are calling “Perennials.” Just the name made me want to join! And this label has nothing to do with date of birth, it’s for all ages, people from every generation are welcome. It’s for anyone who manages to weather the winter storms and survive, for those who stay current with the world, with technology (accepting talking remotes with grace), are passionate, creative and compassionate truth seekers . . . who keep curious about the world and stay involved. Those are the Perennials. So us. Ever-blooming. No more generation segregation! Don’t you love it!? I hope this spreads like wildfire.
And I decided to try something new . . . just to see if I like it. I’ve been meaning to for quite a while . . . Instagram! So I finally did it about a week ago, I’ve been over there introducing myself, and it’s been really fun meeting new people. If you want to see, here’s a link to my page . . . I don’t have it all figured out, but apparently it’s something that can only be done from your phone.
Sun’s coming up, the bottom of the sky is palest pink going up to lavender, then periwinkle blue, a gorgeous beginning to the day, trees black against the dawning light. Yesterday we took the first storm windows off, so this morning my studio is filled with bird song. And me? I just had a bowl of the biggest juiciest red ripe strawberries. And now I’m off to clean out the sideboard in the dining room! Bye Girlfriends, 💞 have a wonderful day! 
Love your new blue and white decor. I have collected blue and white dishes, linens, etc for 50 years. When I think of you though it will always be your red and white decor. 😁
i wanted to print out the rooster bookmark for a friend but can’t find it. Will you help me? 😔
I’m not sure where it is either, write to [email protected]/~susanbs3/susanbranch/ ~ the cups just came in yesterday, so it may take her a bit to get back to you!
We did it! Because of you, we took a three day train trip in a sleeper car for the first time, and you’re absolutely right. It’s a great, civilized way to travel. But hubby asked me, “If SB jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?” Hmmmm. Susan, pleeeeez don’t jump off a cliff.
LOL. Do not worry! You know I have chicken bones in me, we are safe! I’m so glad you enjoyed the trip.👏 The more of us that know about it, the better chance it has of surviving and it’s such a wonderful way to go!
Susan,
I wanted to purchase your In Love with Nature mug but I am not seeing where I can purchase it. It will only allow me to add it to my wish list. Thoughts??
Thanks a bunch,
Melissa
They may be gone, check with [email protected]/~susanbs3/susanbranch/ ~ maybe they sent us a few extra, we hope. They came in yesterday btw!
I love your new love
for BLUE! I have always
loved it, but then looked
around my house only to
realize that I wasn’t
surrounded by it. So,
only about a month ago,
I also made the switcheroo : )
What a heart lifter!
Thank you for sharing a
slice of your sweet (and
tidy!) life. Perennials!
xo Suzanne
Dear Susan,
So luv-lee to have a refreshment of space in the Springtime. Love the new blue too. I also make “wood-food” for my spoons and things with beeswax and oils. It is so fun to see them soak it up.
I am glad you were vindicated in the downright loathsome hijacking of your talent by those rascals. Totally rude. 🙁 But good for you for sticking up for yourself!!!
Looking forward to the new china goodies- they are so darling and it’s kind of like a whole new creativity chest opening up. Yay!
xoxo
Gabi
Hi Susan, Well it has been a long time since I replied since we decided to move back closer to family from Fl. We just missed our children and grandchildren too much. They came to visit but not nearly often enough. We are now building a house in New Bern, NC. Anyway, I enjoyed everything in your blog but my favorite thing is that little white plate that looks like a teapot. I love all the white space. I wish I knew what the dimensions will be. They are too cute. I could use them to hang on the wall and also for tea and cookies. I will be watching for them. Glad you and Joe and doing well too. Fondly, Gail Buss
I think it’s about 8 inches across. It’s my favorite too. Can’t wait to see what it turns out like!
8 inches is a good size……so it can hold a cup of tea and a muffin or danish with it. I will be watching and waiting! Hugs, Gail
Welcome to my world. Blue. I guess it was because I was born with blue eyes, but from the time I was born everything around me and on me has been blue. Just because I was a girl my mother saw no need to dress me in pink. Just look at those gorgeous blue eyes everyone would say. So blue it was. My childhood room was blue. My first bicycle, a Schwinn was blue and white. I fell in love with it. How could you not love the big blue sky with all those fluffy white clouds. Blue and white is a classic combination. My home has blue in every room. In the Spring blue looks good with white and yellow. In Summer I like to go patriotic with red, white and blue. In the Fall, for me, there is no better combination than blue with orange. At Christmas I love blue and white lights. I hope you grow to love blue as much as I do. Happy summer to you.
I had a blue and white Schwinn bike too! You are True Blue Sue!
ohh, I love the transformation of your house/kitchen! Love Dash and Albert rugs too. I own several outdoor rugs which are extremely durable. I really like the ones you chose.
Your cups are divine and I need to collect them!!!
I recently decluttered too when I had to move in roommates to keep up with my mortgage, lol. Hard to imagine 3 young middle eastern men living with a middle aged American cat lady but its working out beautifully for us all! Flowery blue wallpaper and all…
Its so refreshing to now see a pared down room with just pretty wallpaper and slipcovered furniture in old-fashioned floral linen fabrics.
And I am loving it! I design my own fabric and wallpaper and am redoing the entire house in blue and white, with some yellow.
Its super addicting!
I think if I was alone I would move in roommates too! It’s nice to hear the pitter patter of other feet! xoxo
I am so sad to hear the story about Pepperidge Farm and stealing your art. That happened to my son. A very well-known, well-established woolen mill in our state hired him to design a vintage map of our city, which he did and they wove it into an all-wool lap throw. They were so pleased they hired him to do another city and another. He received royalties off each throw sold. Well, you can guess where I’m going with this. After providing a map of New York City, they hired someone to copy his design and have been using his work to weave these throws. Of course they cut him out of the royalties. Shame on them. I thought they were a reputable business just like Pepperidge Farm. My son, while deeply disappointed, has moved on and I’m glad you have too. The best revenge is success!
Terrible. You have to wonder how anyone would think that’s okay? Glad to hear your son is okay . . . you just never know!
Will we b able to order the mugs featured in this post? I tried to but was unable. Would love to order them! Thank you Susan!
I think they may be gone…write to [email protected]/~susanbs3/susanbranch/ and see what she says, there may be one or two left. I’ve just designed four new ones, we will put them up for presale the end of May or early June . . . Thank you for asking Kathryn!
I loved reading this post! Your Spring cleaning looks amazing . . . and I am so happy that you took Jack’s advice in your kitchen! LOL! So very sorry to hear what PF did and that you had to go to court. Wow. What a world we live in. Not a good way to find out that you have a special style. You could have told the judge that we all can define your style and would know it anywhere!!!!!
LOL, well, it was a long time ago, and everything seems to have turned out okay! Thank you Sharon 💞
Recipes…..If my house were on fire, the first thing I’d grab is the family (both sides) recipes. I saved my mother-in-law’s box with all her notes from going in the trash. No one else wanted them. I have enjoyed trying out those old recipes from her grandmother brought from Bohemia. I’m the one the cousins on my mother’s side call to get “Josephine’s cheese straws” or “Miss Winnie’s date loaf”. Tom now makes the cookies he remembers from his childhood. He puts them in tins and mails them to his son in Maine. Some of the handwriting is so faded, but I can’t bring myself to trash them. And I have all the old, well seasoned cast iron skillets. They may be cumbersome, can’t be washed as usual, but they are tried and true, and Keepers of the Memories……at least for me. Sadly, there is no one who wants any of this. At least that I have found so far…..We’re scattered to the far corners of the Earth, and most are too busy to really cook. Aren’t we lucky to have the luxury of having that time and desire?!!!
I just pulled out all the very best ones, the ones my Grandma signed, the ones with notes from my mom, letters with recipes from my Great Grandmother. Not all, but a good envelope full. So that is what I am leaving behind. Something all ready to go, and not cumbersome. I think cumbersome would all get thrown away, and that would be a terrible loss. I’m a good decider as to what is most important with these treasures, so better me than anyone else.
Not sure on which blog to post… White or England. Oh well.
Thank you for that lovely, watery picture of your walk to the sea. I got my last shots in the shoulders and hoping for departure for that blessed cool damp place in the woods. The shots will enable me to use my Leki sticks to walk the rough road and some of the shorter trails in our area. Yea! Of course I’ll be carrying the Canadian, heavy duty bear spray, as they will be coming out of hibernation, hungry and some mamas with cubs. Psssst Mama Bear, I’m not a berry!!! I’ve had them literally try to break down the door in May. Not kidding. Bingo the Baby Bear (neighborhood name for the now super sized guy) tore through our porch screen. As we eat out there every night and many lunches, I suppose he smells food. Must be more careful.
We’ve tried many things to repel them, but the best seems to be Bitter Apple Spray you get at the pet store to keep your dogs from eating the furniture…..or piddling in a certain place inside. Cayenne pepper keeps the skunks away, I swear my it. And a little cayenne on the seeds sends the squirrels away cursing!!! We do leave one just for them. 😉
I’m so excited to finally be in less pain and Really looking forward to our little place in the Great State O’ Maine.
Love you, Miss Sue,
Debbie in Tampa for 4 more days.
So happy you are feeling better . . . but bears! Oh my! Take care Debbie 🐻 and have a WONDERFUL time!!!!
Love this time of year, your yard and Flowers are beautiful. Love, love the mugs. Haven’t caught up with all my chores yet, hopefully finish by June.💐💐💐
I love white space too and try often to de-clutter. Our dining room table is frequently our desk with 2 laptops and the latest mail scattered about…sigh…
Us too. Like a magnet, all the scraps of the day gathers there, drawn to it. I fight for the kitchen table.
Dear Mrs. Branch,
Oh my goodness…my wonderful set of books arrived today (a present for myself just because.) I bought all three of your fabulous books…The Fairy Tale Girl, Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams and A Fine Romance! I can’t wait to read them all! Visiting Martha’s Vineyard has been on my bucket list for over 20 years and I am finally coming in July! Will you be doing any book signings on MV the week of the 4th of July? I’d so love to get my books autographed. I am American and my husband is British and I can’t decide which book to read first. I love all things English and will be visiting England again in September. Thank you for all the lovely things you share with your fans. I adore reading your blog and your home is beautiful and your sweet cat is just precious! Is there a good place for Tea on the Island? Kind regards, Susan of Rose Cottage
Thank you so much Susan! There used to be a tea room in Edgartown, but, unfortunately, I don’t think it’s there anymore. Which book did you decide to go with?
I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of my mugs—a birthday gift from my daughter. I have a thought—which I am sure you have already thought of but I will add my 2 cents worth—when my son-in-law visits he ALWAYS chooses the one bone china mug from a large collection of ordinary mugs. Have you thought of designing a “manly” bone china mug for the favorite guys in our lives?
GREAT idea. Manly. I can do that! I gave coffee to a friend of ours, a man, not Joe, in the bone china cup this morning and he complimented it!!! So, I think we are on the right track! (The cups started mailing out from the studio yesterday, you should have them, no doubt, praying, by the end of next week!)
thank you for sharing ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’. When my dad was stationed in Germany after the war, he would talk about seeing the white cliffs of Dover as they sailed past. I always thought of him and his leaving home for 2 years, homesick and alone when I would hear that term. But I never heard the song before. Now I’ve played it every day and it’s become one of my favorites. My dad died nearly 2 years ago.
Awwww, a touchstone. And a lovely one. xoxoxo
Will you be doing Book Signings on MV the Week of the 4th of July?
None are planned. But I do sign the books that are at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven.❤️
Thank You Susan. Your blog is a breath of fresh air in my day. I am in the mood for spring cleaning seeing what you did. I admire you for washing your older antique dishes in the dishwasher as I am afraid to do mine that way. What do you use for soap? Thanks and Peace Micky
Just Cascade. I don’t ever put anything with gold on it, or hand painted things, but so far, everything else goes just fine.
oh my dear Susan, you always have the best blog posts. Thank you! I needed my spirits lifted and you certainly did that. Bless you xo
And you, Pam. Thank you! xoxo
I got my mug today! The dainty (I LUV the word dainty!) feel of it made me doubt whether this should be a “daily-user”…you know…like a daily-driver car???
So I came here to find out just how careful should I be with my new mug which I really want to drink tea out of every.single.day. Imagine my surprise to discover that not only can it go in the microwave AND the dishwasher but it has survived MAN handling too!
Yay! Now I can use it with full confidence and fully enjoy it = )) And I can dream about adding to my collection with the wonderful things you’re designing! AND I am motivated to create white space in my house and my life because I’ve been feeling the same way…cluttered…too much…of everything…except Susan Branch stuff, of course = )))
Man handling! Amazing! xoxo
Dearest Susan…..just to let you know that my set of 3 mugs arrived today! 😄 I am having a higher pain day so am tucked into bed , when my daughter hurried into my room and opened them for me….what a delightful surprise ! She is 22 yrs old, and I almost had to pry them out of her hand because she loves them as much as I do. I ended up feeling selfish, and offered for her to keep one, but she decided we can share all of them…haha. They are magical! I think they are elegant-casual. You outdid yourself! Thank you for making these available. They are keepsakes. I am laying down most of the day, so I drink out of a non spill cup….but I set that inside of one of my new mugs! Lol. So cheery and whimsical…..just like their creator. Xoxoxo
I’m so happy your mugs arrived, Diane! I hope they are little joy talismans that protect you from pain. Take care, sending love, and thank you! xoxoxo
This is weirdly coincidental. I’ve never considered myself a “blue” person and yet recently, I kid you not, I seem to be drawn to……blue! I think it all started when I got a blue checked Dansk table cloth and I found myself feeling happy every time looked at it. I walked through my kitchen and started to swap out some of my warmer colors for touches of blue – just for the spring and summer. I’ll go back to my warms and reds in September but for now blue is speaking to me! Plus, summer food looks so pretty against a blue plate!
I know, happened just like that for me too . . . a strange new need for blue! Life is good!