Antique Mall Find

I bought one of my styrofoam heads a collar at the antique mall on Saturday.

I can tell by the look on her face that she just LOVES it!

Now the other heads are a wee bit jealous.

I will have to look for more collars...which reminds me...I think I HAVE one here...somewhere...excuse me while I go look for it...

Norman

Hmmm. I've moved the Norman Rockwell Mother's Day plates back into the living room. I'm not at all a fan of the decorative plate, but I am a fan of Norman. So, they stay.

Since I am incumbered with a headache, I have had ample opportunity today to look around my house from the vantage point of my couch.

So, I expect that once I am up and moving around I'll be up and moving things around.

Again.

Still.

It's what I do.

The Painted Pair of Chairs

THGGM spent the weekend spray painting these. The one that he hadn't already spray painted 'mushroom' came out nicer, but really, they both look pretty good in my humble opinion. I will let you know if for some reason I discover a drawback to painted chairs. Really, we had nothing to lose. They were thrift store finds on clearance.

He didn't even use fabric paint. This is just Krylon satin. The only weird thing was that THGGM went to church this morning with finger nails the color of the chairs. We've since located the polish remover.

I Can't Leave Well-Enough Alone

Surprise!

I've already changed it.

Good-bye Norman Rockwell Mother's Day Plates (i'm just relocating them).

I found a plate this afternoon, which sort of matched my thrift store find from a few weeks back.

And, I remembered about the battery candles left from Daughter and Son-in-law's wedding.
I really like how it looks in the candle light.

I'm glad I have a lot of rechargables batteries!

Something New (something old)

THGGM found this cabinet last week when he was on vacation. I hemmed and hawed and dragged my feet about it. But, it was his vacation and he was the one with the bonus! So, we went back last week to pick it up. But, it didn't fit into our car. So, early this morning THGGM rented (for free, he still has some free rentals left) a Chevy TrailBlazer and hauled it on home.

The price was excellent. I'm sure this is because you can tell it was ripped out of a house. It has 'pillar' marks on the top, and the right side has been patched with a piece of paneling - but it doesn't show!

Anyway, they had it labeled as a jelly cupboard at the antique mall, be we know it's not.

So, this afternoon we loaded our "Grandma's Kitchen" Pfaltzgraff into it.

I love it! It works! Hurray to THGGM!


He is fabulous at finding bargains.

It helps that we aren't particular about condition. When everything you own has something not quite right with it, it all works well together!

Of course, there is something not quite right with the two of us, but, we don't actually WORK all that well together. We PLAY together just fine. Yes.., just fine.

What a fun day.

My Final Answer

I have settled on this!

The picture still needs to be hung.

The lamps need to be plugged in and given a floor switch, as I cannot with ease reach the switches on the lamps.

I'm sure I'll continue to tweek it here and there, but for the most part, I like it.

Still Not Exactly Sure if I Like This

Okay now. I'm going to try living with this for a few days and see if I like it. The picture needs to be hung yet, so that will give some more height. I need to hide the cords if I choose to leave the lamps here. And, I think the stuff in front of the little windows will need to go.

I can't decide if I want stubby little candles in the holder or not. And, I can see that it needs to be moved to the other side of the picture to balance with the kitty.

I have black button shoes like the ones in the picture, but very small. I also threw some black gloves up there, but they are to big. So.., I'll see what I think in a few days.

Please tell me, what do YOU think?

Maybe This? I Don't Know.

This is what I've come up with so far. It still needs a lot of work. I broke a very old clock that THGGM really really liked. I didn't mean to. See that white tower just to the left of the fireplace? It's two pieces. I didn't know that. I picked it up and the top pulled off and broke the glass dome to the clock. Urrgghhh...

A New Look

THGGM and I have a new picture. He found the print on sale a while back. Then, we found a frame. Just this week we got a double mat for it. Last night he put it all together and propped it up on the mantle.

Tonight my job is to update the things on the mantle to fit with the picture.

It will be a challenge.

I hope I'm up for it.

If I come up with anything, I will post it.

Spoons.

If just for fun you want to start collecting something, start with spoons!

I bought this spoon rack in a little shop in Long Grove, IL when I was in high school.

I remember paying $8.95 for it. It was very dark, and the spoons didn't show up very well so I spray painted it white. Now the spoons show up VERY well.

The third spoon from the right in the top row is my baby spoon. It has a picture of the Gerber baby on it, presently hanging upside down, which looks somewhat sad. I saw an identical spoon at an antique mall Saturday for $9.95.

I remember sneaking this spoon out of the drawer when I was a very very little girl and using it to eat dirt next to my house. The dirt were the myrtle grew, I remember, was the best. I even remember what it tasted like. And, my mother's horror at finding me doing this.

I've no idea why I am tell this story. I just remembered it when I saw that spoon on Saturday. Not when I see my spoon everyday hanging next to the washing machine on the back porch.

In My Own Little Corner

Everyone should have a little corner in which to sew.

Even if you do not sew.

I do not sew, much.

But, it's a nice little corner full of baskets of yarn and shelves of scrap material and boxes of colored thread and patterns.

This room is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. But, if by chance the weather is ever perfect, you might find me sitting in this very hard chair sewing some yo-yo pins. Or felt pins.

I MIGHT. You don't KNOW that I won't.

Whittier's Poems Embossed with Roses

I love it when a book has an embossed cover.

This one is so pretty!

If I had ten of them, I could find places to display them.

I move this one all around, because it just looks good everywhere.

She Needs Her Rest

Isn't this a great picture? I found it while antique shopping today.

Yes. Antique shopping. AGAIN!

This has been a lovely vacation.

I have three Dutch pictures now with images of mother's and children. I am crazy about them.

Since most of the Dutch pictures I have seen have three children, I'm just going to assume that the mother in this picture is pregnant. The other children would be just about the right age for her to be me.

Mini Plate Holder

I found this miniature plate holder at the Wooden Shoe Antique Mall in Holland yesterday. I have a large one in my living room, which I painted white. Although, I think I might paint it black again.

I'm trying different things on this one. So far, I like it best with the children's cups and saucers on it.

It will be moved to a more stable spot if I decide to keep it this way.

I love it whenever I can stack stuff up!

Spray Painted Upholstery

I am really impressed with the spray painted fabric! The chair started out rust. THGGM spray painted it 'mushroom'. In the picture it still isn't quite dry yet. I like it!

We're not sure yet if we will keep it this color, but if it were up to me, I would.

THGGM has seen this done on one of the TLC home improvement type shows.

It sure looks better against the pink carpet!

Scenes from the Back Porch

I'm working on the back porch.

Not sure if I like this yet.

I'm trying to find a spot to put all of my Dutch plaques out here.

Spoons and Linens

Five soup spoons and a dresser scarf, at the antique mall on Saturday.

Five iced tea spoons and a mini table runner, at an antique mall today.

I just love vacation!

A Change of Hats

I changed the hats on my heads today.

No more fur. Of course, these in no way resemble Easter bonnets, but, I have no spring hats.

Both of these hats belonged to THGGM's grandmother. Somewhere, we have a picture of her wearing one of them.

I still have one more styrofoam head waiting for me to alter.

I can hardly wait...

You Can Never Have Too Many Dutch Children

I found this little plaque while antiquing on Saturday.

It happily joins my other Dutch plaques.

Someday I will find the perfect place to put them.

They seem to be gettng harder to find.

The other ones I have I found a few years back for $1.00 each. I paid more than that for this one.

I think the picture is precious!

The Music Cabinet

This is the music cabinet that THGGM fought while antique shopping on Saturday.

It took until Tuesday to actually get it here, and then we had to wait for the carpet to dry before we could move it in.

But, it's in now, and I really like it.

Inside the front doors are neat drawers for holding music, which shouldn't be too surprising, as it IS a music cabinet.

I do have quite a bit of music, but since I don't have a piano here, I think I will fill it up with interesting things for Baby Boy to discover.

Like board books.

THGGM is excellent at sniffing out bargains!

Creepy Baby?

This adorable picture belonged to THGGM's grandmother.

I think it is fabulous. I collect old baby bottles like the one in the picture.

The frame is beautiful!


Notice the detailed carving in the wooden frame.

Whenever I hang it up somewhere, someone moves the 'creepy baby'.

I'm thinking of hanging it over Baby Boy's crib in the dining room.

Vintage Baby pictures

I love these old pictures.

Notice the silhouette, shown in the detail.

Pictures like this are getting harder to find.

The yellow one has a bit of damage.


To me, they are charming!

I used to look at them when I was young. I thought they were pictures of my grandmothers.

They're not.

I'm thinking that I might hang them in my art room.

Cute Puppy

This adorable tiny rattle belonged to THGGM when he was a baby.

I am trying my hardest to get Baby Boy interested in it.

It makes ME happy to look at it. Some of the rattles out now are down right scary looking.

This little blue puppy is at least appealing!

I have a few vintage baby pictures that I would love to display, but everyone here as deemed them 'weird looking'.

Spode

This is my one and only piece of Spode.

It's tiny.

It's crazed.

It's tea stained.

I LOVE it.

It cost me $2.oo.

It wasn't tea stained when I bought it. Since I don't put out individual pats of butter, I used to for tea bags. As someone who has rubbed stain into the cracks on many things I've made, I was delighted to see this happen.

When in Doubt, Decorate with Books!

Old Plates

This is just a plain old unmarked plate, but I love it!

I found it at a thrift store on Saturday.

I think I'll keep collecting odd plates. They are inexpensive, don't take up much space and make a nice gift in a pinch.

Dutch Picture

I got this Dutch picture for my birthday several years back. I will always remember that we got it at the antique mall in Greenville. I walked through there with great fear and trepidation as once, when THGGM and I were in there, a high shelf collapsed sending irreplaceable treasures to the trash heap. And the sound of it all - unbelievable. THGGM moved this picture from our bedroom to the living room. I like it here. As far as Dutch pictures go, this one is a happy one. In some of them, it's so gloomy you just have to wonder why they didn't all just let the sea rush in.

Anyway...the frame has some damage. It had a little bit when I got it, but I was able to do some handy repairs to it. But, when handy repairs will no longer do, it's nice to drape some fake flowers over the worst spot. Well...I think it's nice.

Oh, and the top shot. Isn't that cool? I held up my handy-dandy digital camera until the flash hit directly on the spot in the picture where the sun is setting. Occasionally, I impress myself.

Will I Write Here? Will Guests Come?

I haven't gotten this room exactly how I want it yet, but I'm getting there. When it isn't in use as a guest room, I intend to write at this desk. Of course, I intend to do a lot of things, but this is on my list! I didn't mean to leave the rat puppet by the window, but look - there it is. (the rat puppet is NOT mine!)

Guest Room

This is one of a pair of vintage pillow cases I bought today. Oldest Son and Daughter-in-law are visiting soon, and the room needed a sprucing up.

Good and Bad

The best feature of this room is the wonderful view out the window. Of course, it is only wonderful from OUR prespective. To the left you can see the ice cream shop, and to the right, the coffee shop. It's the coffee shop I mooch wireless from. I DO have cable internet, but the wireless is a nice perk!
The not nice aspect of this room was the rainy day the ceiling cracked open and rained down on Oldest Son and Daughter-in-law when they were here for their college graduation. Since then, the roof has been replaced, for which we are immensely grateful. And, being the 'old house' sort of people that we are, wouldn't you say that the cracked ceiling adds characher? As long as no liquids pour out of the crack, I'm fine with it.