Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A Beautiful Shop and a Winner!

A few weeks ago, I spent a Saturday with my dear friend, Bridgette. She and I love to go to antique stores together and explore little towns and the local shops that are in them.

We went to downtown Apex, NC and that is where we came upon Lilly's. BE STILL MY HEART!


Ok...so just the front entrance made me start to hyperventilate. Love the lights, love the greenery, love the wooden archway!


As soon as we entered, I knew I was going to need oxygen. Bunnies everywhere!!! Oh, and the fella on the right magically hopped into my arms and came home with me. Imagine that. ;)

I asked the two delightful, fun and charming fellas, working there (who I did not get a photo of, Duh!) if I could take photos to share with you. They said, "Sure!" with big smiles. Yes! Happy Bunny Dance!


The displays were absolutely incredible.

Check out that lamp.

I really, really, really wanted this chest of drawers. Like really! It would be so great when David asks me for the millionth time "Where's the so in so?" I could reply, "In number 5." Brilliant huh?



I loved how they tucked little lamps on shelves. The whole store felt so warm and welcoming with the soft glow of the lamps. I realize that fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient, but they are ugly and the light is cold, harsh and well, ugly. I shall miss the soft, warm, glow of incandescent light bulbs. I can't believe they are no longer making them. Poo!

A garden cart with birdhouses and bunnies. Sweet!

"Hey Bob, who's the lady with the camera?"
"I don't know, but I hope she gets my best side."

Love this cupboard, those lamps and the coffee sign.

                   "Hold me Mama! I'm scared of the paparazzi bunny lady!"




I have a thing for "Home" signs. Loved this one. Very clever.


And finally, I would like you to meet Calla and Lilly. Yes, they are real and they live in the shop! Lucky birds! Their cage is huge. It's hard to tell from this photo, but it is huge.


It was truly magical and fun here. Did you see anything you would want to take home? Do be sure and visit them if you are ever in Apex, NC. You won't be disappointed.

And now onto our Heart Winner.

The random number generator selected number 92 who is our lovely and dear friend,
Carolyn of Draffin Bears! Congratulations Carolyn! I have your address, so I'll post your prize to you right away.


The bunnies and I will see you right back here on Friday.

xx,
Michelle, Harrington and Hannah



38 comments:

Pokey said...

I want to go there, too! Such pretty visions, heart the bunnies and the great cabinet
with # drawers,
oh, my ~
:-}pokey

Sue said...

What a lovely place to visit, wish I lived nearer, Love your new bunny!

Christine M said...

What a wonderful shop Shell. No wonder you were hyperventilating!

Linda said...

What a great shop...I would be hyperventilating as well!!

De said...

What a lovely place to visit. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Briar Rose said...

What bliss to be able to pop into this wonderful shop,such a long way from Australia, but we can keep dreaming and who knows, maybe one day....

Anonymous said...

i am sure that is heaven Shell,its absolutely gorgeous,oh and congrats to your lucky winner.xx

Jeanette said...

What a wonderful store. I'm so envious that you got to go there. :) Hugs,xx.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

YAY CAROLYN! She is my sweetheart of a blog pal! GO GIRL!

OK, Michelle. I think I too would have needed oxygen upon entering into this shop! YOU WOULD HAVE FLIPPED out at a shop we discovered in Stillwater, Minnesota. We are only about 25 miles away and Ruben and I go there almost every weekend to cruise the St. Croix River AND ALL the antique shops on Main St. BUT the best one was one JUST LIKE THIS. However....get this.....where the cashier sits in the back, there is this window that overlooks a sort of small courtyard. GUESS WHAT is in that small courtyard? A BUNNY HOUSE! I mean, there were at least five rabbits living there! One of them, the MALE rabbit, sits on top of the house. The female at that time that we saw it, was being very mean to him. The owner said that he often would run up to the roof of the little house to find peace. The female would fight with him! We visited that shop every day in the summer just to go out to the little enclosed yard to pet the bunnies, but the shop was very similar to this.
I hope you went home with something special! I wish we could meet. I know we would have a blast.

Anita

Barb said...

I would have to go look at the drawers to be able to remember how they were number....would defeat the purpose.

Loved the store and contgrats tot he winner.

krislovesfabric said...

Congrats to your winner and I think you picked the best bunny in the store...adorable...a second choice would be that bunny and mama tho, lol!

Unknown said...

How did you NOT go home with Mama and Baby bunny? How did you manage to stick to buying just one bunny at all? And not sneak off with those beautiful sweet doves...

Shirley said...

Hi Shell, Awesome store. I can see why you would love it with all of your bunnies. I think of you every time I look at my bunny. We are below zero this morning with the wind chill. Have a great day. Hugs and Prayers from your Missouri Friend.

Sherri said...

Michele, what an absolutely beautiful shop!! I love all the bunnies and the way it was decorated! Just gorgeous! I giggled when I read the part about the draw-numbered chest! I love that, it is in No. 5!!!!

Little Miss Titch said...

That is such a lovely shop Shell,too bad we don't have shops like that where we live,Congrats to the winner,xxRachel

Unknown said...

I think I need to go to Apex!

Lilac Haven said...

I would have been broke after a trip to that store.

Starr White said...

I want to live there!

Anna said...

oh man...I was hyperventilating just looking at the photos! I can't believe you didn't bring home the mommy bunny holding her baby!!!

Unknown said...

I live in the next town over from there, Cary, so I go in that shop from time to time. It is always a grand place to visit.

Linda said...

Hi Michelle, greetings from Montreal, Canada. This place looks like such fun! What a beautiful setting! Thank you so much for sharing.

Natascha said...

Omg... You know I love the bunny stuff . Cha ching! Id be buying myself a few things for sure if that store was near me! :0)

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a lovely shop and congratulations to Carolyn!

Carrie P. said...

OH! yeah! I can see you spending lots of hours in that store. Lots of fun bunnies to look for in each corner of the store.

Faye said...

Apex is right up the highway from me.... I will definitely check out this darling shop.... It has your name written all over it!!!

Brenda said...

Thanks for sharing the shop! It is lovely and I could get lost in it for quite a while. Congrats to the winner!

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

I love those photos and just think cause you took the time to ask and they said 'yes' we can all window shop and I do think that we need to spend some time relooking at all those photos--there are many things to discover in each one--
I also love the momma bunny with the baby!!!
Hugs, and thanks di and miss gracie

RG said...

Congratulations to the winner.

And, isn't it great that there is this huge cadre of me and my friends who sneak out at night and do all the dusting and cleaning in those kinds of shops. It's just what we do ....

Kris said...

Congrats to your lucky winner and I wanna go to Lilly's too!!! What an absolutely fabulous shop!! Thank you paparazzi bunny lady for taking all the pictures!! I'll just take one of everything, thank you very much!! xoxoxox

Stephanie said...

I so look forward to your blog posts. You have such a keen eye and a wonderful soul! Thanks so much!

Judy1522 said...

Lilly's looks like the kind of shop that I love to browse through. Lots of treasures to find. I agree with you on the light bulbs and am avoiding them as much as possible but soon I know I will lose the battle.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

That's a darling shop. It sure looks like you!

Christina said...

Congrats to the winner. I see a ton of things I would like to take home. I love poking in shops like that and the doves are gorgeous. Such gentle birds.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Oh my what a gorgeous place. I had to wipe the drool off the keyboard. Mama bunny is so cute. I can understand why the other little bun hopped right in your bag. Congrats to Carolyn...sweet heart.

Sheila said...

Oh what a fun shop , I could spend hours browsing in there and so many adorable bunnies too :-)

Createology said...

Congratulations to Carolyn. What a lovely shop and how sweet to let you take photos to share with us. Blissful...

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Shell,

How did I miss this post - first of all let me say a big thank you and how very lucky I am winning one of your sweet hearts. Many thanks.
This shop is amazing and I just want to go there and I saw a lot of gorgeous things that I would like to take home with me.
Thanks dear friend for your kindness and friendship.

Hugs
Carolyn

Jillayne said...

Paparazzi Bunny Lady - that is just too hilarious!
I can understand why you didn't want to leave, and why one darling bunny wanted to follow you home - too bad you couldn't have adopted them all.... bunnies that live in stores need rescuing too, right????
It sounds like you had a wonderful day and so glad for you in your new treasure!

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