Peaceful

Is there anything quite like a sleeping cat to bring a look of peace to a home?

My cat has taken over a blanket I am crocheting for Baby Boy.

He caught a mouse yesterday, so I'm allowing him to rest here, for now.

"I Feel Llike a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World"

I found this sentiment while on a shopping trip with my mom and sisters.

I felt it sums me up pretty well.

So I keep it on a shelf in my bathroom, to remind me.

I really like the blues and yellows in here, and who knew that just a smattering of red would perk it up so?


I'm also crazy about the onesy salt shaker that's a peasant woman's head.

Can't quite pinpoint my fascination with heads, but I think she is a wonderful addition to my bathroom.

If nothing else, I look better in comparison.

Well, maybe I do.

Oh! And I found the plastic bead necklace on a trip to Door County. Not sure why they were locked up in a glass case, but they were.

I used to wear them. But, they embarrassed people I know. People who buy me jewelry that is both tasteful and meaningful. So, I've retired these.

Furniture Moving

My strong and able bodied guys moved this upstairs for me. I moved the books.

This is now in the guest room, which still houses Youngest Son. But he is moving into a different room.

This still needs work. I have all my writing books up here.

The three drawers below the desk are empty. I can't wait to organize this.

But first, Youngest Son and HIS books will have to go.

And, now we can have guests again!

I'm Working On It

Okay. I moved things around again.

This does seem to balance better over here.

Everyday I move something around. Which means that something isn't quite right.

But, I'm working on it!

P I N K

I've added some pink to the mix.

The carpet in our livingroom is pink.

The man who chose it insisted that it was raspberry, but he was mistaken.

It is PINK.

This limits what can be done, colorwise.

But, it sort of works with the greens, whites and woods.

It's hardly the challenge we had in our first apartment.

One of our rooms there had wallpaper that was orange, red and brown. Columns and vines with an eighteen inch repeat pattern which was bad enough, but it was hung upside down. If you didn't have a headache when you entered that room, you would when you left!

The VanChalkwares

This picture does not do them justice, but this teeny tiny chalkware singing Dutch couple are just too cute!

I'm sure those are Psalter Hymnals they are singing from, which only adds to their charm.

Don't they just look like people you would want to know?

I think they used to live across the street from me.

Spring, T'would Be a Lovely Season...

It's time to at least attempt to 'spring it up' in here.

I'm not really pleased with this attempt yet, but I'm getting close to what I have in mind.

Although, I never know what THAT is until I see it!

Where Have All the Strong Men Gone?

THGGM has been working hard to provide me with adequate space for all of my books.

He is kind to do this, as he really does not care much for books at all. But he does care for me.

So, he picked out this old bookcase and I have been having a grand old time filling it up. And emptying it out. And going with a different plan. And putting books in. And taking books out.

I feel like it needs something grander than what I have on hand. But, were I to buy more, it would totally defeat the purpose.

I'm working with what I have here.

And, by the looks of all the pictures I took tonight, I seem to have a terrible problem standing straight. I'm getting a wee bit whoozy looking at them.

If you wonder why the pictures are cropped so close, it's because all the stuff that used to be in that spot is just out of range. Really. It's frightful at the moment.

All the strong people have gone.

Close Ups

Sun Bonnet Girls on a glove box.

Padded leather copy of "In His Steps".

Ahhh.

Hmmmm....

...I think the large wooden thingy is overpowering everything else in this picture.

I did not notice this when I was photographing it, but now that I see it, I can see that something isn't right.

THGGM has a better eye for balance, so I shall wait to see what he has to say about it.

There Is No Such Thing as Too Many Bookcases

I found this child's sized bookcase at an antique mall a while back.

Saturday, it was still there.

It isn't any more.

It's here.

I'm not exactly sure where it will go, but it's light enough for me to drag around to different places until I find the right spot.

Moving Stuff Around

I moved this bookcase from around the corner. It seems to fit better here.

I love doing weird stuff with candle holders. This one is holding up three beautiful old wooden balls.

The picture was given to me one Christmas by THGGM, before we were married.

I have a 'thing' for old suitcases. It's amazing what you can fit inside those things!

The Green Room

THGGM put a lot of work into this room. He did the hard work of painting it. The bed is an old iron bed that had been left in the garage of a house we used to live in. THGGM found the wicker rocker at the flea market. I found the three plates for $1.00 each at a thrift store. Actually, the plates are what we 'built' the room around. The curtians used to hang from rods on the top window, but I lowered them and now have them pinned to rope with small clothes pins.

The best feature of this room is that you can lay in bed and look out the window at the ice cream shoppe across the street.

The down side is that it is very close to the bus stop, and you would not believe how many bus stop people scream, yell, swear and carry on unbelievably early in the morning.

Sewing Stuff for Sewing Stuff

Gather up a bunch of old sewing stuff. It's everywhere. Antique stores, thirft stores, your mom's.

Place it all together in a wicker sewing basket and enjoy!

The pin-cushion doll was given to me by my grandma when I was a teenager. I made a flannel cover for her, as I didn't like the color or the condition of the body. That changed when I grew to appreciated old things.
The pin-holder I found at an antique mall. I watched it for over a year, and when the mall was going out of business I gave in and bought it. It was $5.00. It seemed like a lot for a pin-holder, but I just LOVE the picture, and how the color matches so well with all the other stuff in the basket.

Buttons and Thread

Am I the only one who finds stoneware dishes filled with interesting things to be irresistable?

Well, even if I am, I'm still keeping them around.

Readers

I love this picture. I have two sisters, and although I can't remember that we ever sat around like this, we do all love to read.

That Space Between the Doorways

I like how the light plays off the china. There is sort of a rose theme going on here. Roses tied together with raffia on the mirror, roses and baby's breath in the larger of the pitchers, roses on the china bowls on the shelf, roses in the brides hands, and roses on the book of poems.

I started collecting the little pitchers - I thought they would be fun to have for syrup at each place setting. I did that once. I do use the large stoneware platters quite a bit. The pitchers in front of the mirror have cinnamon candles in them. Most of them were under a dollar at thrift stores. They are getting harder to find. I found the lace scarf for 25 cents at a thrift store that is usually over priced.

I also like how the mirror reflects my writing desk. Not that I write at it, but I COULD. Whenever I can, I like to draw something out of a picture. I like the chalkware 1940's bride and groom figurine, standing in front of Oldest Son's and Daughter-in-law's lovely wedding picture.

Children's China, Made in Finland

This is a piece of Arabia china, made in Finland. I have three others.

I love the design.

I love the colors.

I love the pictures.

Baby Boy will get to use this, someday.

Same WIndow, Different Season

I'm not sure exactly sure why I am so crazy about light shining through cobalt glass. I just am.

This is the back porch/laundry room, and also my dog Niki's bedroom.

I'm not exactly sure how much she appreciates the glass, but I do know that she likes the dryer, presently venting onto the porch, which keeps her very warm.

Great Find at the Thrift Store

I bought this doll cradle at the thrift store today. Yes. My grandson is a BOY. But, I do have my Three-Year-Old Friend to consider. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with it. I might use it to hold magazines, which could easily be removed by my TYO Friend so she can rock her dollies. I'm sure once I figure something out, I'll post it.

Angels and Other Things

I buy glass domes whenever I find them. Everything looks better under glass. The little sugar and creamer came from the Flat River Antique Mall, which is no longer. The angels were ornaments again found on clearance a few years back after Christmas. Odd elements pulled together by little white lights.

Random Things

The white swan came from a thrift store. So did the ice skates. My mother-in-law knitted the mittens, her mother crocheted the doily. She also made the rag ball, one of several that we have. The Husband God Gave Me found the green shoe-shine bench at an antique store. When he lost his job a few years back, he briefly thought of taking it to the streets.

For the Birds

This bird house used to be dark stained wood. The Husband God Gave Me can do remarkable things with a can of white spray paint.

The little white birds were Christmas ornaments I found on clearance a few years ago.

Inside is a pot of white roses.

Does it look as if it's floating? That's because it doesn't actually fit on the mantle. It's back legs are resting on the window sill, a candle holds up the front, and some greens hide that fact.

Broken Beauty

An old clock looks great if the lighting is right.

This old clock, which doesn't work, cost only a few dollars.

Even in it's broken state, it is still beautiful.

Still Life

White roses in a white pitcher.

Great Aunt Bea's baby shoes.

Tiny crocheted doilies pushed inside to look like anklets.

Old picnic basket painted white.

Pile it up and enjoy!

More Mantle

Pictures without the flash.

Everything looks so much better in this kind of light!

Mantle Draped with White Lights

This is what I looked at last night as I fell asleep. Nothing fancy here, but I like the calming effect of the white lights. I've been meaning to arrange them better, but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm beginning to like the loosely hanging there 'like they don't care' look.