A Corner of My Living Room

As I go about my cleaning today, I'm trying to do a bit of fall decorating. I'm being held back some by the fact that my tub of fall decorations is SOMEWHERE in my attic. Apparently, UNDER tubs of Christmas decorations.

But, I found a few postcards, and added a few silk leaves left over from my cards.

I'm wonderfully happy that orange and rust tones no longer have to fight with pink carpet.

Hooray for progress!

Bowl of Apples, in Four Parts

More Shadows

This shadow appeared on my living room wall Sunday night.

I cannot resist a good shadow.

The old leaded glass window adds a bit more charm, I think.

Fun Times

I found such a cute little wooden shelf at the thrift store today. I think it is just absolutely charming, and I have been playing around with it for about an hour now. Knowing myself as well as I do, I will probably be playing with it for the rest of my life. The minute I laid eyes on it, I knew it would look great holding my mini collection of mini books!

I'm very pleased with how it is coming together!

It also has a drawer for the bottom, but I liked it better as a shelf.

So, now I have a little drawer to turn into a shadow box! Oh, so many possibilities abound, if one just has a wee bit of imagination! And a little bit of money doesn't hurt, either. Three dollars for the shelf. What a deal.

How's This?

I found a book of museum 'cat art' postcards a month or so ago. For a mere 10 cents.

The color seemed to work with the room, so I've decided to hang them on my card holder.

This morning I found the bags of leaves I bought to attach to some fall cards I'm making.

It still needs something. Maybe a gold bead garland or some tinsel.

My Bedroom Reading Corner

This is the chair, now happily upstairs in our bedroom, where it matches.

And, in an effort to not annoy THGGM, I am reading in this chair at night, instead of reading in bed.

It seems to be working.

Oh. And I haven't yet thought of what to put on the card hanger, which is empty at the moment.

Any ideas?

I Lit Up My Bird Cage!

I get all excited about really strange things. If you've read my blog regularly, you already know this.

While looking at my glass block with the lights in it, I got to thinking how nice my bird cage would look all lit up.

It seemed like an easy thing to do, since the bottom comes out of the cage. Hmm. Things aren't always as easy as they would seem.

But, I got it in there, and I really like how it looks!

I'm sure I'll think of something else to put in it. I have a small tree I think I could get in there for Christmas.

I Finally Found Them!

Well. It took me months to get around to it, but I finally found the proper extension cords for plugging in my lamps.

I LOVE the light they shed in this room!

It is SO peaceful.

It's a deceiving peace though, as THGGM just walked by and made a rude comment about me blogging while I still have work to do.

I'm working, I say!

Oh, and see that square of light by the base of the lamp on the left? It is one of those window blocks with white lights in it. It was nicely done for Christmas when I bought it at the thrift store for $1.49, but I tend to enjoy 're-doing' my finds, so I'm looking for something with which to do that. I'm SURE I have something around here...let me look...

Also, notice the absense of the orange flowered chair! It's in the bedroom now, where it matches nicely.

I took some pictures of that, but good grief, it's amazing how some pictures just scream at you to make changes! That one sure did. So, once I get the loft fixed up, I'll start in on that.

Sorry, But I Will Shamelessly Post My Hat Heads Any Chance I Get!

The wire-beaded black purse was one of my antique store finds from the weekend. It has a nice little tag in it, telling me it was made in India.

I doubt that it is old, but I don't mind, it's pretty and it was cheap!

The small black thing at the bottom of the picture is a tiny black change purse. It refused to stand. I'm sure it would if there was change in it, but I spent all of that to buy it!

The Wooden Box

THGGM found this small wooden box at one of the antique malls we visited this weekend.

Works perfectly as a coffee table!

THGGM collects wooden boxes, so he was very happy.

Of course, he is rearranging the entire room around this new piece, so I have to go. I get to help.

Old/New Things

$40.00 Thirft chair with ottoman.

It still doesn't match the pink carpet.

What can I say?
$40.00 Thrift loveseat.

Different Thrift store.
This has already met the approval of Youngest Son and Barb the Cat, who both appear to find it to be comfortable.

Well, Actually, It's Barb's Home

Just one lit lamp makes any corner look cozy.

I rarely sit there, because I like to LOOK at it.
Of course, I must always contend with Barb, who thinks that he should be in ALL my pictures.

Notice how he struck a pose for this one, as if saying -

"I am Barb, ruler of this kingdom, occasional killer of mice, and all around nice guy. I haven't opposible thumbs with which to open cans. SO FEED ME!"

My Home

Removing the Known Dangers

This shelf came down today.

Soon, Baby Boy will be pulling on things.

I'm spending my day removing things that are wobbly, and this qualified!

I'm not sure where I'll put it for now, but it won't be within his grasp.

I love the look of these little angels. They were on clearance after Christmas a few years back. 75% off. I had three, but, not TRULY being angels, one lost it's head.

I'm not an angel either. Occasionally, I too lose my head.

The Kitchen

Welcome to my kitchen!

I do not entertain in my kitchen, it doesn't even have a table. When we first moved here we had one, and somehow all five of us fit around it. But, no matter how hard I think about it, I cannot remember how!

THGGM found the wallpaper at the flea market for $1.oo a roll.

The white cabinet and the white dresser were thrift store finds that he painted.

The old wooden cabinet he found outside at an antique mall. I thought he would paint it white also, but he likes the 'old' look of it.

I use it like a shadow box and move things around in there all the time. Presently it is a hodge-podge of old stuff that I like.

Boy do these cupboards ever need a scrubbin'!

THGGM painstakingly painted them two summer's ago.

This kind of paint (which smelled awful!) nicely covered the dark wood cabinets which I could no longer get clean.

These wipe up great. Trust me.
I really like my new flat top electric stove! Sometimes, I even use it.

My everyday dishes are Yorktown. I still like them! The added benefit to still liking them as that a lot of people have stopped liking them, and I am picking it up for very cheap!

I actually have four creamers.
To the right of the bread box is the refrigerator. It's a side by side with a water and ice dispenser. I can't get back far enough to get a picture of all of it. THGGM bought it when we moved in. Now, it seems SO big!

It has a picnic basket on top which holds cereal boxes. And, it has an old black lunch pail. I just cannot stand to see a refrigerator without one, as that is where my dad's sat when I was a kid.

Hmmm. I never noticed before how odd the tiles look. They need some sprucing up!

(blogspot is causing me much grief in this post and the next. sorry.)

Bathroom Views

I found the white shelf at the thrift store for $5.oo. I didn't buy it right away. I thought about it, and went back for it the next day. By then it was down to $3.00. I got it home, and couldn't find a place to put it! So, today, I hit on the idea to tuck it into a corner in the bathroom.














This is the mirror that used to hang in the dining room at THGGM's grandparent's house long ago.

I cannot use mirrors that hang over counters, as I am nearly blind without my glasses.

This mirror is always covered with nose prints from me.

Not that you wanted to know this.
I moved most of my cobalt blue stuff to the back porch/laundry room were the rest of the cobalt blue now resides.

So, I found a few more of my pastel planters to add to the mix.

We're sort of stuck with a blue theme, as the sink is blue.

Blue is my favorite color, so I'm okay with that.




THGGM found these three prints in an antique mall in Lake Odessa a few years ago. He bought them right off the wall of their bathroom.

The curtain rod branch was a prop for a sermon illustration from a few years ago.

You know me, can't stand to throw away good stuff. I'd actually thought we'd burn it, but it does make a nice rod. Which I believe is what it was. Moses' rod.

It's now not only holding up the crewel embroidery 'valance', but is holding the white shelf in place.

"Baby" Stuff

I'm crazy about stuff that says "Baby" on it.

Who would have thought?

I found the spoon some time ago.

Today while thrift shopping with my sister, I found the silver baby cup.

It's really worn, but I think it is great. It was 99 cents.

My Shaker Tassels

Obviously, I have a fondness for Dutch stuff.
The Dutch shakers are my favorites! The pair hangs from a cabinet in my kitchen, and the single blue one hangs on my back porch/laundry room, which also houses my cobalt blue collection.



This green and lavendar shaker is part of a pair, which hang together on a metal shelf in my living room. What, you don't see the other one?

Well, they had gotten dusty, so I vacuumed them!

I lost the fringe on one of them.

This pair is only about the size of my thumb. I think they are charming!
I don't know anybody who likes this yellow head.

Except for me.

I think she is wonderful!

I'd love to find her a 'man'.

I recently saw a pair of these in a local antique mall, but they were brightly colored and expensive!

Mine was not.
This one hangs on another cabinet in my kitchen. The doors are both usually open, so I don't really see it much.

This one has a chip in it, but it's on the other side.

I would really like to find some dog shakers, and I'm always on the look out for more Dutch shakers.

They are really easy to make. The only hard part is threading the thin wire through the shaker holes and out the bottom.

Try it sometime!

My Second Favorite ME Magazine

I must admit to loving ALL of the February/March Home Companion magazines. I'm crazy about the annual tour of art studios!


In this issue, I was also crazy about the tassels made from salt and pepper shakers.

They are SO cute!

My Aunt drew my attention to them, and we both set out to make some.

I do believe that since this issue appeared, truly vintage salt and pepper shakers have become harder to find!
I really like these dog shakers, especially the one on the right that looks like a Westie!

I haven't been able to find ANY dog shakers, and I have been looking for almost five years now.

Although, that hardly seems like a hardship, when you think about it.

Another of My Favorite Things

I love these things!

I wish I knew what they're called.

Poor Decore

My dining room needs help.

It's turning into a mish-mash of poor-decore.

I love the Goodwill table which has two very big leaves.

I'm happy that the six matching chairs were free (THGGM wants to paint them black).

It bugs me that I can't ever seem to figure out a way to center everything in this room.
Like the light fixture and the stuff on the far wall.

I'm trying to find something to unify the room, which also holds a port-a-crib and a baby seat - which I find particularly charming!

I want a more forties vintage-y look. THGGM likes a more formal look.

I want the milky whites of stoneware and the pinkish roses of old china.

He wants the dining room chairs painted black and their seats covered with fabric.

But, he is out of town this week, so I have to work fast!

Carl Larsson Thrift Store Find

Found this charming Carl Larsson print at the thrift store this morning.

THGGM thinks we might have a better frame for it around here somewhere.

I'm thinking it will look nice in our bedroom, which is painted a similiar color to her dress.

And, long ago, we had a little girl with long blonde hair who lived with us!

Happy Birthday, USA!

I found this for under a dollar at the thrift
store last week.

I wasn't ever 'in to' country painting.

But I really like this!