Nella Miller Design

06/30/2024

I hope you are having the best Canada Day weekend.. I was able to take a quick shot of the last piece of fresh strawberry pie today… the whipping cream is a little lazy looking.. it is a family recipe .. passed down from my Dad’s side of the family..It’s the perfect colour to celebrate Canada Day.. celebrating the True North, strong and free, my home that I love! ❤️🇨🇦❤️

For the recipe leave the word recipe in the comments
🇨🇦 🇨🇦♥️🤍♥️🤍🇨🇦

06/19/2024

Hydrangeas coming on strong… share soon! Have a lovely day! Keep cool, another hot, humid day!

06/18/2024

The story behind this lovely vintage fabric… years ago when I started Acorn Lane Vintage Living, I was on the hunt for beautiful fabric to reupholster pieces that I sold in the shop.. a beautiful store that I frequented often in the Buffalo area, was Victorian Romance.. it was a jewel owned by Kathy Curatola , a jewel herself. Kathy has since left us, but her beautiful memory lives on in all of us that knew her. We became friends and she shopped my store and became a loyal customer. These gorgeous vintage curtains, in perfect condition from the 40’s, found their way into my store and home and heart.. in the next few weeks, more yardage like this will be curated and sold in the booth@antiquesoncreek… have a lovely day my friends… the sun will be shining again soon!

06/03/2024

June additions to the booth… white, beautiful faux blossoms and delphiniums and vintage lamps to light up any corner of your spaces.. as well as fresh linens and vintage crystal and china.. this week!

06/02/2024

It’s Italian Heritage Month… proud of my heritage and everything it entails.. the people, the food, the music, the stories of growing up Italian, and the zest for life and conviviality! Happiness and love to everyone Italian!

05/23/2024

Early afternoon today from the lower terrace.. the temps dropped about 10 degrees and the garden is loving it too!

05/22/2024

Severe thunderstorm watch…
All day we had high winds and hot temps and a thunderstorm watch in effect till 8pm. So far nothing yet.. we have 2 hours to go to see if the forecast holds true! These lavender topiaries had toppled over at least half a dozen times.. in the wind.. the skimpy, short metal supports were barely able to support a small twig! So the Ralpher found some lovely, mossy branches in the woods for them to lean on! I will underplant them with a trailing vine tomorrow and share! Have a lovely evening my friends!

05/16/2024

Garden Center distraction… it’s not hard for me to do… but I was captivated today by Pink Celery… it was so pretty with its pale pink stalks and almost chartreuse leaves, that I had to bring it home! We have a small area of full sun in the garden, not enough to grow anything to eat, except rhubarb or a few herbs, so this is a stretch for me to succeed !! I thought it would look lovely, in a planter on the lower terrace table.. till we eat it… for more information on this beautiful thing, go to…specialty foods.com to learn more about it! I have to admit, this is the first time any vegetable has preempted a flower… to bring home from the garden center!! I also bought herbs, two small Emerald Cedars to put in urns, and two ornamental lavender standards… which need sun…but sucked me in! Stay tuned!! Happy gardening! 💚

05/16/2024

Pruning… can’t do it! This morning, the blooms of the cornus dogwood and Snowball dwarf crabapple trees are in full bloom.. the first blooms after the wild cherry trees bloom in the woods..I cannot cut anything that I grow.. it’s like cutting off an appendage. I know.. I need help! To see more , go to stories! I’m off to the garden Center….Have a lovely day my friends!

05/08/2024

Delphinium… defying real as opposed to faux…🤍🤍🤍

In the booth this weekend… DM for details....🤍

05/05/2024

A cloche elevates everything to grandeur…I love a cloche, big or small, and my eye is always drawn to anything with a k**b on top, or feet to raise it.. this cloche is quite large and I decided to store the candles from Christmas under it, rather than put them away….they smell divine from , then I added a sweet bronze of a boy with a gathering basket, from my friends booth@bevmunkley . The tassel on the k**b, is the Open sign, I made, that was on the door of my store, Acorn Lane… a gentle reminder of a time in my life, that I loved, and where I met so many beautiful people…some became friends…like minded hearts. This is Mother’s Day week coming up.. look for new items going to the booth for sale..💗

04/25/2024

Tarnished vintage silver… yes or no? Today I had time to spend a few hours organizing things that had been piling up in the kitchen… from cleaning and collating things to sell in my booth to just a quick organizing! I had loved this vintage tray for years, and have used it for so many occasions. I’ve always wanted to hang it up, where it’s patina and gentle scrolls and engravings could be truly appreciated. I finally got it done. What do you think about using tarnished silver in your decor? I would love to know! Have a lovely day… the sun is shining, but still too chilly to garden yet!

04/18/2024

I forgot the bunnies!!

I’ve been busy the last few weeks, setting up the booth. The bunnies are out sprouting greenery.. I love baby tears and maidenhair ferns, and couldn’t pass up a few small 3” pots at the garden center last week. In all my haste and busyness could not drive without a look! How about you? I’m putting the bunnies away next week and will be busy in the spring garden again..can’t wait! Hope you will stop by this weekend and explore all the wonderful vendors who exhibit there. The antique co-op is open 7 days a week from 10 to 5 .

04/16/2024

This Saturday… booth opening!!!!
Take a ride to beautiful Niagara on the Lake ..a peek at the Laughlin porcelain trio for sale … have a lovely week!

04/06/2024

04/06/2024

IT’S OFFICIAL…I’ve been waiting for a booth space and the date has been established..opening weekend is April 18 and 19th! I’m very excited to offer beautiful antique and vintage goods again! Acorn Lane has adopted a new format, for a new chapter in my life…Hope you will be as excited as I am to take a look! Stay tuned! Showing a bit of what I have been curating and preparing…🌳🌳🌳

03/31/2024

Alleluia! He has risen! 🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️

03/15/2024

Collections…
A quick little share of the kitchen island after we renovated… it’s been 10 years since then.. it’s received more embellishments since then… do you find your spaces get more things you love added to them? I love a collected home… it speaks of the people who live there and tells a story.. your home is your story..this space looks totally different every season.. it has become a canvas of my interests and creative pursuits, big or small , little simple things or big collections.. a space for creativity! Have a beautiful day my friends! 💚

03/14/2024

I know it’s a little early, but bunnies reign supreme right now ! This vintage mask has become a favourite of mine.. I have 2, they are stock left over from when I owned my shop Acorn Lane Vintage Living… I plan on using them in a wreath for our front entrance doors in the coming week… stay tuned.. meanwhile enjoy the unseasonal warm temperatures!

03/08/2024

Happy International Woman’s Day! A day I celebrate my beautiful mother, my grandmothers and aunts who have inspired me all my life.. leaving their country to come , with little money, education or means and create a life for themselves and their families with courage and resolve , imparting a work ethic and love of family and life itself, to me and my sister.. they are my heroes, now and growing up … I am so grateful to all of the beautiful and creative women, here on IG who feed my soul with their expressions of beauty and support! Love to all of you! 💞💫

03/04/2024

Happy Monday dear friends…feelings of spring, and a new renewal of projects to tackle indoors and out! Do you have any new projects simmering on that back burner? I always share this very beautiful piece of French faience this time of year.. in anticipation of spring and Easter to come! Have a beautiful day!💞

02/21/2024

The lower terrace in the early Spring…the wild cherry blossoms framing the garden from the woods, gets me every time…it’s going to be another unseasonably warm, sunny day in the low 50’s… I feel Spring in the air…wishing you the loveliest day my friends! 💚

02/17/2024

Channeling Springtime… it’s a chilly, damp day in Niagara today.. sharing a view of June blossoms, rhododendrons and kawartzia florets framing a portion of our front porch in June…wishing you a lovely, warm Saturday wherever you may be!

02/14/2024

Have a LOVEly day….and week.. a perfect time to wish all of my followers love and gratitude for the 🩷they show me here on my IG account… I appreciate every single expression that you take the time to show me… it keeps me creative and motivated to share as much beauty as you share with me! An incredible source of beautiful energy created here, for all of us to enjoy!

02/06/2024

Last Spring view…. Lighting up another gloomy Monday..have a lovely day!

02/02/2024

Yes, a garden post… found this pic of our lower terrace garden pit from 2017… nothing has changed … still prefer caladiums, maidenhair ferns and ivies… let’s move on and stop overthinking everything Virgo ….happy Friday start to the weekend.. 📷

01/28/2024

UPDATE… We will be on winter break soon and I wanted to share the progress for Home at Acorn Lane…besides an on line presence I will be selling at a lovely antique co-op as soon as a space opens up for me..
I’m really hoping it will be sometime in April..so for the time being I’m curating, refurbishing and listing vintage and antique finds to offer for sale…china, linens, silver, vintage papers and all sorts of frivolous necessities! I promise not to disappoint… it’s just been a few hiccups and bumps in the road!! Have a lovely Sunday!

01/22/2024

Books, a saving grace in the middle of winter…
What are you reading these days my lovelies? I’m reading The Well Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart Smith… at night when I’m readying for bed..it’s interesting enough but not stimulating, so that I can’t fall asleep when I put it down…
Today is another typical January day, cold and grey and full of things I can get into…I decided to organize a guest room after it was the repository of Christmas cleanup…
My collection of coffee table design, gardening books, art and lifestyle books are getting out of hand…
I moved them to the sitting area in the kitchen hoping I will open them more often… January musings… have a perfectly lovely day!!

01/14/2024

Crafting is back.. what is old is new again..
Several years ago I took a class at a lovely quilt shop in our village called Stitch… It was a needlekeep or pin cushion… the shape was that of a pear, and you could let your imagination run wild, with fabric and adornments to personalize it and make it your own.. I used an old silver locket, velvet ribbons and leaves and other things that meant something to me… the photo in the locket is of me as a child, just before we left Italy..the words, in French, but the same in Italian.. Pensare a me… think of me… words I’m sure my grandmothers whispered in my ear before I left..these gentle arts are no more…. but always ready to be revived.. have you noticed this trend and desire to craft again? What do you think it means? Have a beautiful Sunday my lovelies!

01/01/2024

2024.. Day 1… what is your wish for this year? As I move into another year of unknowns, I wish for peace in the world and tranquility…both seem so illusive and unattainable… I will endeavour to be more present in each moment ….finding the way forward by focusing on the beauty around me, whether in the garden or in others in my life… my family , friends at hand or here on IG…gratitude at Acorn Lane..💖💫✨ #2024