Antique Washbowl & Pitcher

I am linking today's post to Smiling Sally's Blue Monday.


 This is one of two washbowl and pitcher sets that I have. I love them, but have limited myself to two. This one was made by the Bennett company Which was located in Baltimore Maryland in the 1890's.

  I love blue so of course this was a must have. I have it in my bathroom and usually have flowers in it, but did not have any for this post. I love the combination of the blue flowers and the fruit. The colbalt blue is my favorite color blue. Of course we have to have a lovely crochet edge handtowel to dry off. This pitcher came with a lid. I would think that was to keep the water hot from the wood stove to the bedroom where most of these were used in their early life. I had a washstand with a harp back where I displayed this, but have sent it on to live with my daughter. I had used the stand as changing table when she was born. Was the perfect piece for that. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Sally for Blue Monday.

Grace and Peace to You

Ironstone Roses and Funnel Cake

     I really do like the look of roses in ironstone. The simplicity of ironstone gives the roses or any other flower space to shine. This white ironstone pitcher and bowl is one of two sets I have. The other one is a blue and white transfer piece. I really do like pitchers and bowls, but have limited my collection to 2. There is just to much else I like to collect.

     I also like anything with chippy paint and you have seen and will see this old screen many times in my post. The pitcher is setting upon one of 4 pedestals I have. I normally have a plant on this one. I love pedestals for display.

     And to end my White Wednesday post you will see at the bottom my indulgence for the evening, Funnel Cake.  Who wouldn't love a treat that brings back memories of carnivals and county fairs. Growing up my children looked forward to this treat for breakfast when they were home on snow days.

     Be sure and stop by Faded Charm for White Wednesday and see all the other wonderful whites for today!!! I am also linking this to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

For the LOVE of Rocks

I am linking todays post to Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday and Smiling Sally for Blue Monday. Also linking to Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday. And of course linking to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

     I admit it, I love rocks. I have loved rocks ever since I was a little girl. I would collect rocks and keep them in a box under my bed. I really love anything that is of nature and not man made. Rocks, seashells, limbs of trees and driftwood. I will sometime share some of my Grandmothers collection of driftwood. You will not beleive it.

     I went to an estate sale a couple of weeks ago. They had listed old books and that was my main attraction. When I got there placed thru out the sale were rocks. Most were not so special, but the blue one jumped right in my hands. Yes really!!! I love blue and rocks and I beleive the rock knew that. There were many rooms in the house and as I carried my blue rock around I looked thru some books and other items around the house. Then what caught my eye was the match to the blue rock I was carrying. The blue rock in my hand started shaking. Yes really!!! When I picked up it's match it stopped. They were together again. Nothing was priced and I had asked the lady in the first room how much the rocks were. She said $2.00 each. So I was able to reunite these two for $4.00. Don't you just love "LOVE" stories like that.

     I did find some old books I liked and I bought quite a few for $2.00 each. But my true love was the blue rock bookends. Here they are in their new home. Together at last!!!

SIMPLE ELEGANCE FOR WHITE WEDNESDAY

I am linking today's post to Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday.  I am also joining Suzanne at Colorado lady for Thrifty Thingies Thursday.  Linking also to Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday. I am also sharing with Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

     I have a passion for rustic, natural items with a touch of elegance added in.  This is a small part of what I collect.
     I love baskets and this little one belonged to my Grandmother. Some call it a one egg buttocks basket and some say it is a saleman's sample. This little basket is perfect and from the late 1800's. I beleive it was painted or coated with milk paint in it's early life as there are traces of white on it.  I have a large collection of old baskets. Many belonged to my Grandmother and others have been gathered at auctions, estate sales and yardsales. I love going to auctions where there are longaberger baskets and antique ones. Every one comes for the longaberger baskets and I can get the antique ones for a song.
     I have grouped this one with some of my other loves like the deer antlers, shells, old boxes with the picture frame top, organic items like the wasp nest and a little touch of bling with the tabletop chandy. All are gathered on a basket rim mirrored tray setting atop my stack of vintage tweed suitcases.
     In the last picture is a photo of my Grandmother in the early 1900's who owned the little basket. She was dressed in her sisters prom dress for this photo. She was a very special lady and it was from her love of old items and love of doing flower arrangments which made me appreciate the old, the natural and my love for doing flower arrangements. It was her love of the last that encouraged me to become a florist.
     This is decorating on the cheap as everything was found except the basket given to me by my Grandmother, the chandy was a $1.00 yardsale purchase and was black and I painted white and the picture frame box was $2.00 at a yardsale. So this vignette cost $3.00!!!
     Thanks for joining me for White Wednesday. ~~Sherry~~

HAPPY VALENTINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thrifty Shadow Box Project

I am linking this post to Tales of Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday .

     These shadow box frames are for my someday project. Have you seen the prices of shawdow box frames new? They are way out of my price range for the project I am planning.

     So everywhere I go I am looking for shadow box frames. I do not care what is on the inside, if it is cheap and can be opened up, I buy it.

     Recently I found the first three at a thrift shop for $1.00 each.  I could not beleive these nice wood shadow box frames with paper red roses were that cheap.  On the back of each one of them is the price tag of $12.99 and they had come from target. I am going to keep them with the roses until after Valentines.

     The other ones I have purchased mostly from yardsales and the most I spent was $3.00 for the large blue one with the bathroom scene. Most of the others were $1.00 including the 2 matching ones that came from ikea and are still wrapped in the shrink wrap. I do not know what the original price was, but I would not think they were cheap.

     My some day project is to take them apart, paint each one white and chippy them up a bit, line with burlap and place some of my shells in them.  I am really excited about this except for the part of trying to make them all into a grouping on one wall.  That intimidates me a little. I think if they were all one size and shape it would be easier, but we will see. This will be a very thrifty wall displaly because I paid so very little for the frames and have collected some nice shells from yardsales, thrift stores and auctions. I will be putting one special shell in each frame. Thanks for stopping by and hope the weather is better in you neck of the woods than in ours!!! ~~Sherry~~