Neiman Marcus Look-a-Like For Holiday Bazaar

 I cannot wait for December 6th. I have made over 30 Christmas items for our local bazaar. Fun day with a parade and a bevy of crafters attend the local fund raiser for our local rescue squad.
     Here are two of the 15 wreaths I have made. The first is a copy of one I saw at Neiman Marcus. I love deer antlers and use a lot of them for my own personal decorating all year long. At Christmas I add them to my own wreaths and center pieces when I do a rustic woodland lodge theme that I think I will do this year. Antlers also look great just perched on the branches of trees.
     One year I did a white Christmas tree with blue and silver ornaments. It did not go over to well with my Grandson. When he came to see it, I asked him what he thought of it and he said "Meemaw, don't you know Christmas trees are suppose to be green." So much for an all white tree.
                                                                                    The next wreath is a hunt country theme. Since I live in horse country many of my clientele  have horse farms so many of my designs are geared towards them. Hope you enjoy and I hope to add some more of what I have been working on this week.                                                                

THE PEACE OF GOD

CHRISTMAS WITH VINTAGE BRASS

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO BEYOND THE PICKET FENCE FOR THE UNDER $100 LINKY PARTY and Show and Tell Friday a My Romantic Home.
  I am getting in the Christmas mode getting ready for our local Christmas Bazaar. It is really easy to find vintage brass in our area. No one seems to use it much anymore. It makes for a haven for me. Much of what you find does need a lot of polishing and in this fast paced era no one wants that extra work it takes to bring it back to it former beauty. 
  I found the candleholders and the compote at yardsales for $1.00 each.  The silks I was fortunate to find at a yardsale of a former Florist that was selling all of her unused silks and Christmas greens. The silks were all  25 cents each and all the new garlands and wreaths were 50 cents each. I was in florist heaven!!! I purchased the battery candlesticks at the dollar store, so you can see that this project was a steal to make. I love bargains like that so I can keep my prices down for the bazaar.
  The brass candlesticks I attached an o'daptor, which is a plastic attachment for candleholders to put fresh on silk flowers in. You can also just use a piece of sahara (the foam for silk flowers) to the top of the candleholder with hot glue. I first placed my candle in and worked the greens and silks around it. I also placed a piece of sahara in the compote with hot glue and just worked the greens and silks in it also to coordinate with the candleholders. Quick and easy.
   Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all of the other items at Beyond the Picket Fence.

I AM DREAMING OF SNOW PAINTING

I am linking this post to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.  I admit it, I LOVE SNOW,  I know I am in the minority here, but there is something about snow this time of year that just seems to refreshen everything. So until I have the real thing, I have started hanging my winter snow paintings. This one is I purchased on ebay many years ago before paintings started going crazy price wise in the art department. I fell in love at first site. It came from Canada and is my favorite of my snow paintings. The thick texture of the paint gives it dimention and depth. It is hard to tell by the photo's. The way the artist did the shadows from the trees is incredible. I cannot draw stick people, so this painting really impressed me. It is a very large painting and is over my sofa in my living room from fall til spring. I think when you have art that makes a statement in a room you and anyone else who enters does not see the flaws (or dust and clutter) as much when you have a bold painting as the first thing they see.  I have 3 more snow paintings and 2 of the three have horses. There is just something about horses and snow!!!  Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Cindy for the other wonderful Show and Tell post this week.

MY VINTAGE AMERICAN INDIAN THANKSGIVING

 I am linking this post  to Colorado lady Vintage Thingie Thursday.  I am also listing this to Cindy's My Romantic Homes Show and Tell Friday. My Thanksgiving decor always incorporates American Indian items. I am showing you some of what I incorporate into my displays. I love the old childrens books showing the early life of the American Indian. They are colorful and give such a warm look at their early life. The Indian stature I got on ebay many years ago and the basket came from a yardsale. The Indian chief is an antique tobacco jar that belonged to my Grandfather. Much of his den was decorated with Indian items. I was blessed to have gotten this jar that was in his den for as long as I can remember.  I will display these items in different settings with wheat and Indian corn. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the other wonderful things at Colorado lady!!!

My Collection of Ironstone

I am linking this post to Faded Charms White Wednesday. Be sure and go by and check out all the wonderful white post there today.

     I love anything white especially dishes. I have 3 sets of white dinnerware. The top picture is one and my very favorite. This set is a J & G Meakin set from England. It was complete as shown. It even came with the matching teapot. I got this several years ago at an auction and paid $15.00 for it.  There were quite a few other dinnerware sets there and most people were more interested in the ornate designed sets, so I was able to get this white set for very little. The other photo shows my other odd pieces that I have picked up in thrift stores and yardsales. I love the graduated size pitchers. I am still looking for the larger size ones to complete the set. I love the simplicity of them. Thanks for stopping by!!!

HOPE ~~~JOY~~~PEACE

GRANDMOTHERS DECORATED EGG

I AM LINKING THIS TO SMILING SALLY'S BLUE MONDAY.    I AM ALSO LINKING UP WITH MY ROMANTIC HOME FOR SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY.   MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A SELF TAUGHT ARTIST.  SHE COULD DO MOST ANYTHING.  HER FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS AND CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS WERE INCREDIBLE. MOST OF HER WORK WAS WITH NATURAL MATERIALS. SHE GREW UP IN A LOG CABIN AND SPENT MANY HOURS IN THE WOODS LOOKING AT NATURE WITH HER FATHER. AS A YOUNG CHILD NOT HAVING MANY STORE BOUGHT MATERIAL ITEMS, SHE LOOKED TO NATURE FOR HER PLEASURE. THIS IS A CHICKEN EGG THAT SHE PAINTED AND DECORATED WITH CARDBOARD BOW, BASE AND FLOWERS. THE CARDBOARD ITEMS SHE SPRAYED WHITE AND GLUED ON TINY PIECES OF CRUSHED EGG SHELLS. SHE WAS SO PARTICULAR ABOUT HER WORK, THAT THE FRONT AND BACK OF THIS EGG ARE IDENTICAL. SHE EVEN ADORNED THE CENTER OF THE FLOWERS AND THE BOW WITH A BLUE RHINESTONE. SHE MADE THIS IN THE 1970'S. I HAVE MANY OF HER EGGS AND MY MOM HAS HER SHOWCASE WITH MANY THAT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU LATER. SHE WAS SO WELL KNOWN FOR HER EGG DECORATING THAT THEY WERE DISPLAYED IN OUR COUNTY SEAT LIBRARY AT ONE TIME FOR ALL TO SEE. THEY ARE AMAZING. SOME WE HAVE HAS CUT OUT AND LITTLE SCENES INSIDE. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORIATES BECAUSE OF IT BEING MY FAVORITE COLOR BLUE. ALL FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE EGGS THAT SHE DECORATED FOR US AT CHRISTMAS. THANKS FOR STOPPING BY AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE OTHER LOVILIES AT BLUE MONDAY.                                                             

GIFTED

My Handmade crocheted blue throw

I am linking this post to Smiling Sally's Blue Monday.
Have I mentioned before that I love blue, white and brown. I think I have several times. This is an afghan that I crocheted in the 1970's. I had found the pattern for it from a Family Circle magazine and you had to order the pattern for it. I made me the blue and white one and a mauve and cream one for my Mother for Christmas. This was a very fun throw to make as you crocheted the strips and then sewed them together. I have been searching thru my files (which could take many months) because I would like to make one for my daughter and 2 daughter-in-laws for Christmas. By the time I find the pattern that might mean next Christmas. The way it is crocheted, it is very heavy.  I keep mine draped 
        over the bentwood rocking chair that belonged to my Grandfathers uncle.
          Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the other blue posts today at Smiling Sally's!!!

A HALF-HULL SHIP PAINTING

I am linking this to Smiling Sally's Blue Monday and Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

     This is a half hull painting that I got at auction many years ago. The auction was held one a Wednesday in the evening.  By the time they got to the art, there were only about 5 people left. They put this with 4 other paintings and I got them all for $5.00.  I kept this one and another very large one of a docked fishing boat and sold the rest. This is also a large painting, but unusual in that it is a painting with a 3-D half ship attached to the painting.  It is 36" by 24" and is signed Capt. Howe. I have not been able to find anything about the artist. This hangs center stage in my dining room. The ship has been carved of wood and the sails are fabric. I love my blues, browns and white as you can see from all my post.

PEACE

MY MOTHERS CRAB SHELL ANGELS

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO KATHLEENS' FADED CHARM COTTAGE AT http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ FOR WHITE WEDNESDAY.

 TODAY I AM SHARING MY MOMS CRABSHELL ANGELS. SHE HAS MADE ABOUT 40 THIS YEAR. SHE MADE QUITE A FEW LAST YEAR AND THEY WERE SUCH A BIG HIT THAT SHE MADE MORE TO SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I DO A CRAFT FAIR THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER AND SHE GAVE ME SOME TO SELL AND THEY WENT INSTANTLY. SHE PUTS A LOT OF TIME INTO THESE AND WE ALL TREASURE THEM.  I AM FREQUENTLY ASKED WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FOR THINGS. I AM SURE FROM MY MOM WHO IS VERY CRAFTY AND MY GRANDMOTHER WHO DECORATED REAL EGG SHELLS WHICH I WILL SHARE WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.

WE CAN SOAR LIKE THE EAGLES!!!

"THE LITTLE CAPTIVE" BY MAUD HUMPHREY

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO CINDY AT SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY AT http://romantichome.blogspot.com/. I AM ALSO LINKING THIS POST TO VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY AT http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/. BE SURE AND GO BY AND SEE ALL THE VINTAGE ITEMS POSTED THERE.  I LOVE PAINTINGS AND OLD ORIGINAL PRINTS. I LIKE MY ART TO BE THE FIRST THING I SEE WHEN I COME HOME. I AM NOT IN A POSITION WHERE I CAN GO TO A GALLERY OR HIGH END SHOP AND PURCHASED SAID ART, BUT HAVE BEEN BLESSED THAT WHAT I DO HAVE HAS BEEN PURCHASED FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AT YARDSALES AND AUCTIONS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PIECES THAT I GOT AT A YARDSALE THAT WAS INDOORS. A NEPHEW OF THE LADY THAT HAD PASSED AWAY WAS SELLING EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE. THINGS WERE ON TABLES AND THE PICTURES WERE STACKED AGAINST THE WALLS ON THE FLOOR. THERE SHE WAS. NO PRICE STICKER AND I HAD JUST GOTTEN TO SALE AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WOULD BE ASKING FOR ANYTHING. I PICKED HER UP AND WENT TO WHERE THEY HAD A TABLE WITH A CASH BOX AND ASKED HOW MUCH. "OH $1.00 WOULD BE FINE." YES I SAID THAT WOULD BE FINE. I PAID AND TOOK HER TO THE CAR BEFORE I LOOKED ANY FURTHER.  THIS PRINT IS A MAUD HUMPHREY ORIGINAL PRINT COPYRIGHT 1897 BY THE KNAPP CO. IT IS TITLED "THE LITTLE CAPTIVE." MAUD HUMPHREY WAS A NOTED ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR FROM THE LATE 1800'S INTO THE 1900'S. SHE STARTED DOING A LOT OF WATERCOLORS OF CHILDREN AND IN LATER YEARS DID FASHION ILLUSTRATIONS. BY THE EARLY 1900'S SHE WAS MAKING $50,000 A YEAR WHICH WAS A GREAT SALARY FOR A WOMAN IN THAT ERA. HER SON WAS HUMPHREY BOGART AND MANY OF THE FACES OF THE CHILDREN WERE DONE WITH HER SON AS A MODEL FOR HER WORKS. I LOVE THE GENTLE COLORS AND THE ANGELIC FACE OF THE LITTLE GIRL. JUST REMEMBER YOU CAN HAVE A COLLECTION OF FINE ART AND PRINTS, BUT JUST BE PATIENT AND YOU CAN HAVE A NICE COLLECTION WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK!!!

HAND VASES AND MOON PRINT

I love this old print with the full moon and the reflection in the water. I beleive it is from the 1910-1920 time frame. It is signed L. Goddard, but in reallity it was two artist that worked together,  Rudolph F. Ingerle & L.G. Woolfenden. Ingerle was a landscape artist and Woolfenden was a photographer. They combined their skills to make pictures. Many of their prints were used for calendars and advertising. The hand vases were my Granny's. I have been referring to her in many of my post as Grandmother, but she was Granny to us all. The hand vases are marked U.S.A. and are part of my white pottery collection. These are special because they were my Granny's. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the other wonderful post at Faded Charm.

I am linking this post to Kathleen at  http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com// for White Wednesday. I am also linking this up with Cindy at My Romantic Home at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

SAILING SHIP AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO SALLY FOR BLUE MONDAY AT http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ . THIS IS A PAINTING THAT HANGS OVER MY LIVING ROOM SOFA. IF YOU HAVE VISITED MY BLOG YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE BLUE WHITE AND BROWNS. THIS PAINTING HAS IT ALL. I AM NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE GOLD FRAME IT IS IN, BUT HAVE NOT FOUND THE PERFECT "THRIFTY" FRAME FOR IT YET. I HAVE HAD IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IT ALWAYS HANGS HERE IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER. IN THE FALL IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH MY CANADIAN LOGGING PAINTING. IT IS SIGNED M.S. DONOHUE AND IS DATED 3-81, SO IT IS ABOUT 29 YEARS OLD. I PURCHASED THIS AT AUCTION FOR ABOUT $20.00. IT DOES NOT FIT THE FRAME  EXACTLY AND I THINK THAT TURNED SOME PEOPLE OFF FROM BIDDING ON IT.  MUCH TO MY DELIGHT. THANKS FOR STOPPING BY AND BE SURE TO VISIT SALLY FOR MORE BLUE MONDAY TREASURES.

GRANDMOTHERS SILVER PURSES

THESE ARE SOME OF MY GRANDMOTHERS TREASURED SILVER PIECES THAT SHE GAVE ME MANY YEARS AGO.  THERE IS A FLAT SILVER PURSE WITH CHAIN WITH A MONOGRAM. THE INSIDE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS WITH A COIN HOLDER IN THE CENTER. THE SMALL COMPACT IS SILVER WITH AN OPENWORK BASKET DESIGN AND BEHIND THE DESIGN IS BLUE/GREEN GLASS THAT MAKES THE DESIGN SHOW UP. THE MESH PURSE IS VICTORIAN WITH A GORGEOUS EMBOSSED DESIGN. IT REMINDS ME OF THE LIDS ON THE OLD POWDER BOXES FROM THAT SAME ERA. I DISPLAY THEM IN A GLASS TOP TABLE TO PROTECT THEM.

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO SILVER SUNDAY AT http://thegypsyfish.blogspot.com/.

HE SHOWS ME THE WAY I SHOULD GO

MY GRANDPARENTS COUNTRY STORE

I AM LINKING THIS POST TO VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY AT http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/ AND SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY AT http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ AND GARAGE SALEN PARTY AT  http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/ BE SURE TO STOP BY AND SEE ALL THE  ITEMS THERE TODAY.

MY GRANDPARENTS MOVED TO WASHINGTON, DC DURING THE DEPRESSION SO MY GRANDFATHER COULD WORK IN A CONCRETE FACTORY. SHORTLY AFTER THE DEPRESSION THEY MOVED BACK TO THE AREA AND HE BUILT A LITTLE HOUSE WITH A DIRT FLOOR AND A SMALL STORE THAT HAD ONE GAS PUMP. IT WAS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN WHERE I LIVE AND THE COUNTY SEAT. REALLY IN NO WHERE LAND. THEY JUST SOLD THE ESSENTIALS LIKE BREAD, MILK, FLOUR, FEED AND OTHER SMALL ITEMS. THE STORE WAS NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN MOST PEOPLES OUTSIDE STORAGE SHEDS TODAY. THEY HAD THIS STORE IN THE 1930'S. MY GRANDMOTHER WORKED THE STORE WHILE MY GRANDFATHER DID HAULING. HE HAD SAVED MONEY TO BUY AN OLD DUMP TRUCK. IN THE LAST PHOTO IS A PICTURE OF A BASKET THAT SHE BOUGHT FROM A TRAVELING SALESMAN TO GIVE TO HER MOTHER FOR MOTHER'S DAY WHILE SHE WAS WORKING IN THE STORE.IT DATES TO THE 1930'S AND  IT IS STILL IN PRISTINE CONDITION. MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER MUST HAVE TREASURED IT SO THAT SHE DID NOT USE IT MUCH. THE OTHER ITEM THAT CAME FROM THE STORE IS AN OLD PLANTERS PEANUT JAR. AFTER THEY GAVE UP THE STORE MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD STORE HER SUGAR IN IT. WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2007, SHE WAS STILL KEEPING HER SUGAR IN IT.  THE LAST ITEM IS A WOODEN PEPSI CARRIER,  ALSO FROM THE STORE. SHE KEPT HER CLIPPERS, WIRE AND OTHER FLOWER RELATED ITEMS IN IT. IN THE 1950'S THRU THE 1970'S SHE ENTERED FLOWER SHOWS AND SHE KEPT EVERYTHING SHE NEEDED IN THAT LITTLE CARRIER. I TREASURE THESE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY MEANT SO MUCH TO HER. THANKS FOR STOPPING BY AND HAVE A WONDERFUL THRIFTY DAY!!!

WHITE WEDNESDAY WITH HAEGER AND USA POTTERY

I AM LINKING UP THIS POST WITH WHITE WEDNESDAY AT http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ .                                                             

I AM A FLORIST AND I LIKE TO COLLECT THE HAEGER AND USA POTTERY THAT WAS MADE FOR THE FLORIST INDUSTRY. MOST OF THE PIECES I HAVE ARE FROM THE 1940'S THRU THE 1960'S.  I LIKE VERY STREAMLINED SIMPLE PIECES, EXCEPT MY SWAN. I GOT "HER" BECAUSE SHE REALLY LOOKS GREAT WITH SEASHELLS. CHANGING OUT EACH SEASON AND ALWAYS USE NATURE ITEMS IN MY DISPLAYS. SUMMER IT IS SHELLS. FALL I USE MY EXTENSIVE ROCK COLLECTION. THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST COLLECTIONS I STARTED AS A LITTLE GIRL. I KEPT A BOX UNDER MY BED WITH PRETTY ROCKS THAT I WOULD FIND ON MY OUTINGS. YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THAT THIS FALL. WINTER I LIKE USING BERRIES AND ESPECIALLY PINE CONES. SPRING I USE FLOWERED BRANCHES. THE SIMPLE LINES OF THE USA POTTERY AND HAEGER LOOK GOOD NO MATTER WHAT I DISPLAY IN THEM. BE SURE TO GO TO FADED CHARM AND CHECK OUT ALL THE LOVELY WHITES THAT WILL BE POSTED TODAY. P.S. THE PRINT IN THE PICTURE IS AN A.AKINSON FOX PRINT. I SCORED BIG TIME ON THIS ORIGINAL PRINT IN ORIGINAL FRAME AT AN AUCTION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR $30. I BELEIVE THE TITLE OF THIS ONE IS "ALONG THE GARDEN PATH."

A TREASURED BLUE PLATTER

I AM LINKING THIS POST UP WITH SMILING SALLY'S BLUE MONDAY AT http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/2010/08/blue-monday-blue-note-cards.html. BE SURE AND GO VISIT ALL THE LOVELY BLUE POST THAT WILL BE THERE TODAY.

TODAY I AM SHARING WITH BLUE MONDAY MY TREASURED BLUE PLATTER THAT MY GRANDMOTHER GAVE ME MANY MANY YEARS AGO. IT IS A STAFFORDSHIRE PIECE AND THE TITLE IS "LADY OF THE LAKE". IT IS VERY LARGE AND VERY PRECIOUS TO ME. I HAD TO GO OUTSIDE AND GET THE STEPLADDER TO TAKE A PICTURE OF IT ON TOP OF MY CORNER CABINET. I RARELY TAKE IT DOWN BECAUSE I AM SO AFRAID OF BREAKING IT. I DID NOT MEASURE IT WHEN I WAS "UP THE LADDER", BUT IT IS A LARGE TURKEY SIZE PLATTER. SHE HAD GOTTEN IT AT AUCTION I THE 1950'S.