Green With Envy - Yard Sale Treasures!

Big day for yard sales today. Several subdivisions had their annual yard sale events which my Husband and I love to attend. We both fell in love with this old desk, I liked it for the painted color and he liked it for the style. A match made in heaven when we can both agree totally on something for the house. If any of you have ever read my blog before you well know my limited space and commitment to not bring in anything else without taking something out. Haven't decided what's to be removed yet.

This is maple and very heavy, it came from New Hampshire and is a reminder of my own New England roots growing up in Vermont.




My addiction to vintage tole was satisfied today with this purchase. A bit tattered but it will have a loving home with us.



I know, I know it's cheesy but IT IS PINK and a perfume bottle so I couldn't just leave it sitting there all lonely when the tag said $1.

Flea Market Make Over

Who doesn't like a great bargain. Got this pedestal bowl on marble last week at the flea market for $2 and decided a little paint to keep my aqua theme going in the kitchen would be perfect.
Before

After


How about $1 for this lace tablecloth. I needed a replacement for the old tattered cloth I just couldn't keep on the table any longer. Found this one at a local yard sale, it has a few questionable spots but I'm sure it will do for another year or so. Just love a lace cloth in my kitchen...showing my age again.

Opera Glasses A Flea Market Jewel

We have a regular Wed. flea market in our town and I finally dragged my fanny out of bed in time to get out there this week. It was a perfect day, I found my long desired and much sought after treasure, a pair of mother of pearl opera glasses in excellent condition. Even my husband thought they were special which was so unexpected. Oh by the way He got to pull the cart full of treasures all through the market, not his favorite job...can you tell he loves me?

This must have been a mother of pearl week because last weekend I found this MOP covered box. I believe the box was originally a cigarette box.

I couldn't pass by this beautiful blessing, the colors are amazing in person, photos do no justice to it's beauty and just look at those sweet cherubs.


Well I have more treasure to share but Blogger won't let me load them for some reason, later in the week perhaps!

Baby It's Cold Out There!

Is this Central Florida? Breaking records this season for cold weather. The farmers are really feeling the pinch too so you can expect to pay higher prices for citrus, strawberries and tomatoes as those crops are all being damages by this never ending cold spell we have had this year.

Victorian Valentine Album an Altered Art Project!

I know I'm so bad at keeping up with this blog, please forgive me for my long absences.

I entered a Valentine swap this year and decided it was time to get my feet wet with an altered art project. This turned out to be more difficult than I imagined as I'm not one who can just let go and be free with my process. I need to control everything too tightly, I was one of those kids who NEVER colored outside of the lines. It really spoils things not to be free with the process and the end product didn't turn out as I had originally planned, it's a bit boring for the altered art enthusiast. I think it turned out a bit more like what a Victorian Valentine Album might have looked like, filled with keepsakes collected over the years.

Here's my starting point, a little board book from my little Luci's library. She's way outgrown this one anyway but still don't tell her it's missing or Grandma will hear about it for not asking first.

Cover with a label for the recipient.

Choosing papers that I liked for the pages wasn't hard. Finding images that went with those papers was hard...you know everything has to coordinate?? Where's that freeing spirit hiding, don't I get a dose today?


Tags tucked inside.


I know my swap partner is a real pink shabby gal but what's a valentine without a little red and one of my hand painted hearts?

So what's the verdict? Does this qualify for altered art?

Piano Shawls Are They For Decorating or Fashion

Many of you know I have been on a painting adventure, it started back in July when I went totally crazy and changed my dusty rose for a very pale aqua. That forced me to paint my antique mirror white and a small round antique mahogany table that was my Mother's. A momentary lapse in judgment made me think I wanted to change my decorating to Shabby Chic. Soon discovered I couldn't live with it and moved on to a new painting adventure, a pale cream....lived with it a few months now and HATE IT. Maybe it's just the shade I used, it's a luminous white base and it reflects light as you can see in the photos I took this evening. It looks like there is no color at all, somethings got to give because I need my color. I can't believe at my age I'm going to be painting again, my husband will probably have me hauled off for a thorough psychiatric examination when I mention the subject again so it might be a while. Anyway all this said because I took photos of the shawls I have out trying to bring color into my room.


I love something I can put to more than one use, for example my shawls. When not making a fashion statement I can use them on my furniture. I have always thought a beautiful silk scarf looks romantic covering a lampshade so why not have my shawls out where I can enjoy them every day. My shawl collecting started back in the 70s and hasn't stopped, just changed focus a bit. Now I find I'm more interested in the ornate and intricate woven wool Jamavar's and embroidered silk shawls, I'm rarely seen outside the home without one of my favorites.

Add A Little Romance

I know I'm a very lucky woman, I found a husband who understands romance and a woman's need for it. It started for me about thirty years ago when I started being drawn to elegant antiques, wanting to be surrounded by pretty things.

When Victoria magazine (I still have every single issue by the way) first came out back in the 80's I poured over every page looking at all the details and thinking how I could incorporate those ideas into my own life. I loved the vintage looking clothing featured in each issue and longed for a figure that could wear such wonderful creations. Dreamed of having the perfect dressing table to accommodate a collection of perfume bottles. Longed to own just one of those perfect vintage jeweled pieces with pearls, garnets or amythest...perhaps even a diamond to call my own.

Time has a way of passing without our notice but eventually after meeting and marrying my Beloved Husband all those longed for and dreamed about wishes came to pass except for the perfect slim figure after all it wouldn't be right for us to have everything. I decided to make it possible for every woman to add a little romance to her life by creating my hand painted hearts in a very vintage style.