It all began with my return to the area of my youth, the central coast of California, people would see my on the street , come up , speak my name, my old name.. Lynda Flynn.. is that you.. and then they would share with me something I had said to them years ago, something I taught in a class, a nudge I had given them to act on something that was perhaps a bit frightening. I was being thanked, praised..remembered, it felt both wonderful and a bit over whelming to hear all this, and to hear it repeatably… it had been 20 years after all since I had been here, since I had a store in town, since I had taught these “wardrobe planning” classes… People quoted what I had said to them 20 years ago.. and I was amazed, that they would remember, and take to heart what I had to say about anything…. but I realized I have been given a gift.. a precious gift that was meant to be shared… I some how am able to invoke confiadence in people, I cause them to think of things in a new way, with a brighter light… I only share what I so believe myself.. “thoughts become things, choose the good ones.”.. think the best, expect the best… act the best,try the best…. do the best.. the best that you can be today.. two years ago I attended a seminar, one of many on such things over the period of my life.. since the 70′s really. (Yes I am one of those new age people) I was reminded of things I had learned so long ago… and it began the move back to CA… I had loved being in Texas, but missed the fellowship I find here in the place of my youth. I knew that if I put a plan into motion, if I thought clear, pure purposeful thoughts it would come to pass.. and here we are.

Now that I am here, things are unfolding in the most remarkable way, I have begun teaching the “wardrobe” class I taught so long ago.. 4 of the ladies had taken it 25 yrs ago, and signed up again.. we are all enjoying it so very much.. and I am so grateful for the support I am feeling from so many around me..

I am working with Dawn, from A feathered Nest.. a very big presence on fb.. and etsy.. she is designing a new card for me.. it will be a card with just my name.. and I am going to add the old name, so it will say, Linda Flynn Marcov….a way of life….. I realize in all that I do, all that I believe, my work, the way I live, the things I say, and the things I teach are about a way to live.. a way to think, and be… after searching for words and descriptions to put on the card it came to me today on a rainy morning drive along the coast.. I don’t have any clear idea, what 2013 will bring, I am saying yes to many new things, new plans, new shows, new ideas, new approaches, new ideas, a new life… that affirms all that I have been, and am yet to be.

You may ask, where is Ludmil in all this, and I will tell you, right beside me as he has always been. He has always looked to me to be the planter of seeds, in our garden.. I am the one who spins the dreams, makes the big leaps of faith that we will thrive.. we will grow.. we will root..anywhere we plant ourselves….and grow and thrive we have, thanks to all that follow us, support us, engage us in theirs life.. look to us for beauty, for creation, for inspiration.. thank-you.. bless you… and I am truly humbled to be reminded how I have made a difference in the lives of others . As I have said over and over, I am a very wealthy , rich woman.. I have so very much , such good things, such a good life… I am grateful for all. Happy New Year, on the 24 of January.. may each day, each moment, each thought bring you all you dream of.

The  planning and placing has begun here at Willow Nest, you see here Ludmil’s drawings, and his ideas for pieces he is developing.. You also see the little vignettes that I am assembling, we have a return to nature feeling for fall, some taxidermy birds from France,and a dried hydrangeas we brought back from California, please enjoy these lovely photos that sweet Heidi took… from the Nesting CO. here in Burton.

A wee shoe collage. I used old drawers,  a feed bag, and shoes from the turn of the century. I love making these assemblies .I think they look charming in a child’s room.. or a guest room. Nothing says nostalgia like looking at children’ s worn shoes.

old millinery , silver and pink Christmas babbles, I am passing on my own personal collection of “Christmas Pink” hope you will enjoy seeing it in silver punch bowls,  set upon silver trays,places in little silver compotes,  all that sparkle spells Christmas!

little gift boxes adorned with millinery… the box is as special as the gift inside..come see us in Tent A space 5a, for Marburger Farms antique show, OCT.. 2 bright and early for the best choices, much more to show you, see you soon. Love, Peace & Grace,Lina

I became aware as we were making this plan for our summer, that I was planing a trip HOME…it came to me slowly, I saw and felt a smile spread on my face each time I thought about it. I found myself as excited to get here, a place I know well, as excited as I was last year going to France, a place that I know not at all… a place I had dreamed of spending more of my life in… and now though I love France and plan to return as soon as I am able .. I realize that I have a place to call home, and it is here in the central coast a place of my youth, a place I discovered my love for old things, and a place I met that sweet dear man from Bulgaria that has held the “home of my heart”  for these past years.

We will return to Texas, we will work in Texas, we will break bread with all our Texas/show friends again and again… we will love when the winter sun warms our faces, when it is cold and windy elsewhere in the world.. and we will count our blessings that we have the privilege to live, and work in the best of two worlds…. if this is our golden years.. I say bring it on… it does not get much better than this. The photos are in our living room with my niece and nephew.

Here you see the wire baskets to hold your notes, letters, bills, journals, and yes the journals are also a great idea for the aforesaid gift’s that pop up this time of year… I always have a small journal tucked into my purse, and am forever writing down ideas, places to go, movies to rent, books to read, people to call…. you get the drift.. I simply can not remember all the things that I want to remember at the end of the day, so a journal is forever by my side. Love these when we travel, when we get home I tuck them away with the photos,etc.. and it is fun to get them out years later and re-read.

You will enjoy this selection. Come early as I am sure I will sell out.

I have the best selection of the wonderful European linen towels, some with monograms, some made with huck my favorite fabric for towels, some more refined, some really long that can be used as runners. We use these every day, they get better and better as they are  laundered. Treat your self and some one else, to this luxury, you will come back for more..

The wire baskets are always a favorite, we have brought lot’s of small cabinets, some with drawers, some great wire birdcages… a wonderful old European goat cart, metal very unique. A pair of wire chairs, again patterned after a French design.. the booth will be packed with goodies, it is a great show with talented vendors. A real treat.

I have brought some of my art work to share, it seems at the Country Living fairs in Ohio and Atlanta , that my pieces were much appreciated, so I made some special items just for Austin.. Ludmil and I are setting up in the next two days, and we are looking forward to this first show here in Austin, the weather promises to be wonderful, and the Country Living designers do an amazing job in creating the magic that surrounds their shows. See you soon Love Linda

a beautiful arbor, designed by Ludmil using old gates from Tunisa.

a garden house, when you see it perfectly set up with a chandler, table and chairs, you are sure to want this lovely structure in your garden…. or it could be a very elegant chicken coop, it is a 7x7ft structure, come see it in our space at Marburger, tent A space 5a 

a lovely alter for ST. Francis, always a favorite, note the dove at his feet, this structure is about 31/2 ft tall.

a bird feeder, a delight in any garden if you like seeing the birds flock to your yard… this is sure to invite them.

an old birdcage from England, perfect color and great roof line.. I love these atop a table just as  a sculpture would be placed for the eye to enjoy, this  is art for me.

beautiful Madonna,I am never without a box of vintage beauties like this, but in an old primitive wood box with worn paint and rough edges, be still my heart.

a bride and groom, puppet…

this deer head is from the wilds of France, enhanced by a wreath of hydrangeas from the garden of a friend in the North West, lovely….never enough note pads, and inspiration books to satisfy me, these will wait and go to the Country Living show in Austin, April 28, be sure to plan on coming , sure to be a beautiful show,as only Country Living does…

A huge thank-you to my sweet dear friend and neighbor, Heidi, from the Nesting CO. here in Burton who took all these lovely photos. We are so lucky to have such good friends, it has been such fun these past days with people dropping in headed to the fields. We appreciate all the faithful folks that inspire us to continue doing what we so love. See you soon, should I say again, Marburger Farm April 3 through the 7tn… Tent A…. Love Love and Peace, Linda

This trip is especially meaningful as we had a bump in the road last year ,with one another, this happens to mothers and daughters. It never causes the love to be less, or the desire for closeness, or time together. Like all good healthy friendships, you need to clean house once in a while, remove any old dust lingering in the air, rid your heart of any cobwebs, sweep out any debris, open up the doors, and let in the fresh air. This weekend will provide a time for us to do just that, not to mention the eating, shopping,and talking….

Kristi is a very unique, loving special person, always putting her family first, a giant support to her friends, does not engage in gossip, a very loyal, devoted person…. I am proud of her every day of her life. I adore her.

This is a perfect time for me, as in the next few weeks, our life here at Willow Nest will be filled with all the preparations of  selecting just the right items to take to Marburger Farms, the Country Living show in Austin,( a first for Texas,) and for our May show in Houston, with Urban Market. Can you tell I am a planner? I have three staging areas in the showroom all set up for each of these shows.. then it is on to California for our first time at Remnants of the Past show, with Judy Watkins, a very old friend, who has brought magic to the Central Coast.. we have an exciting spring ahead of us.. keep in touch, enjoy your days, and make a point of coming to say hello to us,we love seeing old friends, and making new friends… have a wonderful day! much love Linda Marcov

Happy New year to all. It has been far to long since I have posted on our blog, my apologies, it is a new year,with a new resolve. Heidi our sweet neighbor in Burton, has graciously offered to assist me in posting more often, she will take and post photos, and I can add the text.. sounds like a plan. Our web designer Christie also will be a part of this team,but as she lives miles away,her availability is less. These young talented women are a gift to me, and I appreciate all that they do helping Ludmil and I with our work.This first photos is a signature piece from Ludmil, followed by a Martin House… a bird condo. Ludmil only makes about 3 a yr. as they are time consuming, they make a wonderful focal point in the garden. For winter it adds an impressive detail.These birdhouses will be showcased at our spring shows in Houston, Urban Market Feb. 11/12 and some will head to Marburger in late March.. but I will post about that closer to the time. You are always welcome to drive by our place here in Burton to view these works, or to purchase if you simply fall in love at first site… if our cars are here we are “open”.

This amazing cabinet is one Ludmil built for me years ago to house my collection of wedding vases, as you see here. I took the vases to our first show here in Texas wanting to bring my best , a lady named Marcie bought several from me at that time, years later when our trip to France was being planned, the most amazing thing happened, Marcie, was referred to me by a friend to contact about renting her house in France while she was here in the U.S. when I contacted her, she told me the story of the purchased vases and how it started her love affair for them as well, soooo while we were in France this year I re-purchased a new collection, and here they are. I have decided to also sell the treasured cabinet. As those of you who know us, we are constantly changing our surroundings, swapping out this for that… it has wonderful trim that we bought on another trip years ago to France, and molding.. it’s a beauty, as all of Ludmils pieces are.  

The restored French aviary is such a stately piece….. it speaks for itself  , lots of detail, rebuilt to last a lifetime, a treasure for any ones home or garden. We had one client use an aviary in a sun room for finches, can you imagine waking up to the sound of those sweet chirps..ooh my favorite little collection, pink silk shoes, perfect little silk and cotton dresses for lasses..ribbons of all sizes, slips and cotton chemise’s all gathered in France at the brocante. Such pretties.. makes me smile.  Thank you for stopping by our blog, and for always supporting us no matter where we show up, California, Seattle, Ohio, Arkansas, and good ‘ole Texas…. I look forward always to seeing old friends and meeting new ones in our travels. We are so very blessed to do what we love, to find treasures all along the way, to travel. For Ludmil and I , this year has been one of the most enriching,exciting, fun, rewarding years of our life together, we have many to thank for that, if you are reading this you are one. till next time…. Much love and affection, Linda..

A precious doll dress under glass,again a token of friendship, a treasure of mine , this and the friends, Kaci Luanne,Angie.  but what ever is that #5… oh yes a sweet reminder of my 5 grandchildren, all reflected in a glitter mirror in my room for me to enjoy each day. there are special little cupboards here and there, so full that they have to house things on the outside, or is it that the things on the outside are just to dear to tuck inside. Yes that’s what it is, just too dear, like a little shadow box someone received for her 65th birthday, by dear friend Feliciacome sit awhile with me and I will show you all my treasures.we won’t worry about the time, it always passes too quickly when you are sharing it with friends.

this has been fun dear friends, we will do it again sometime.In the mean time as my Christie says, Peace &Grace , be yours today and always. Love Linda..p.s. thanks Christie…your the best!

one who speaks ever so softly, and another who is ever so talented. One who likes to play hide and go seek with a rabbit named Binkley, and one who helps me figure out all that I do not know about the world of computers.  Christie and Juliana were here yesterday and we had great fun, taking photos, eating lunch, watching the cows, giving the doves a bath. These are the things that make our lives rich and abundant, rich in laughter, rich in play, rich in love… I adore these two girls, one small and one tall.

Christie will be putting many photos on for you to see, and I will also come back and comment . In the mean time I will leave you with a photo that she showed me how to pull off my phone. Yes now supposedly I will be able to upload from my phone bear with me while I make this attempt… these photos are just ramdom. I also discovered I had been making videos, who knew… I was just pressing a button for all I knew. We had some great shots of dirt, feet, fingers, sky, you get the idea. This is little Julliana from her time here last summer, and she asked about this dress when she got here. Thank you both for coming to lunch and into my life. Love Linda

For those of you who check in now and again, here are some of my thoughts today.

I am having a growth spurt.. thank goodness it is not in my hips…. more in my soul, my heart.

Over 30 years ago I was counseled to learn to LET GO… I remember twisting in my chair, and saying to myself, ” what the hell is he talking about” more and more of the time now I know exactly what HE, was talking about….. let go of expectations, let go of judgements, let go of fear, let go of your children who are no longer children, they are adults. This has been a 30 year journey, and I am still on the same path. It is o.k. to be on the same path, it means you are still putting one foot in front of the other. You are still keeping on with keeping on. You are not out there wandering around looking for answers, you have them, you know them, you are the answer, it is simply a matter of applying what you know. True, really simple when you stop fighting your own knowingness.

I like this part of my journey, with it has come peace,and clarity. Years ago, I was described by a friend as being a rose, a new budding rose, with a tight perfect head, the rose opens and the petals unfold revealing their inside colors, some paler than others, some surprisingly intense, but all  beautiful ,  the rose  then fades and the petals fall to the ground,  preparing a soft place for you to walk.. What is left ,I asked  alarmed that , there would be nothing left of “the me”, the rose,  my friend said, ” the strong sturdy stem, the part that has always been there, the core of you, the strength, the fiberous substance of you, that can not be easily broken .

I have always reffered to that story, when I feel a little frightened, sad or alone… and it has always lifted my spirits,  I know myself to be strong. Much of my strength these past few months has come from my husband,and my friends, the people I consider my family. I have very little “blood” family, but I have an amazing extended family. If you are feeling a wee bit fragile, or blue…… please remember my ROSE story, as it applies to each of us.

Today I am happy, relaxed, and writing this first post of many to come, on my new Mac Book…. thank-you for checking in.

Peace and grace… as my sweet friend Christie closes her notes to me with…. borrowing that Christie.. it is perfect