Monday, June 8, 2009

The ad read..."One HUGE Kenosha Estate Sale"

If you've been around the block a few times...as I have...you get to be like "I'll believe it when I see it" about HUGE Estate Sales. I had seen the pictures on the web, however, so I had faith. My policy was shop close to home first so we had already been to two local sales and been home to unload twice before we took the 30 minute drive to Kenosha, Wisconsin.



I'm in one of the THREE garages now after buying from the front porch, yard, and all three floors of the Victorian house out front. My husband is taking my picture after his third trip to the car. He's trying out his new $15 garage sale camera.



Here's the nice Estate Sale conductor's husband waiting...



for me to put him to work. He's getting down my favorite purchase...a little white cabinet made with cheese box drawers (it is Wisconsin, after all) with bright red plastic knobs...



Laurie, the BOSS, is telling me that this is one of THREE houses that this guy owns full of stuff. That he had a store, it all got too much for him, and he got "behind the curve".



Winding down, paid up (No, that's not my husband. He is behind the camera.), and chatting about "How could this happen?'' All of us there know how...

" Okay, whatever, what did you buy?"
I hear you impatiently asking. I bought a midcentury metal porch chair, white Christmas tree, funky vintage desk lamp, alabaster lamp, pair of black 1950's folding chairs, the cheese box chest, white handmade child's stepback cupboard, 6 giant deco hinges, vintage Christmas ornaments, wire basket, vintage rosaries, outside faucet handles, big ironstone bowl, black metal candleholders, white industrial stool, heavy iron acorn thing, some cool 1940's plastic flowerpots, birdcage, bottles...I think that's it. I told my husband that it was too bad we didn't have the big truck. His response, a big moan...and a sigh of relief!

Out of clutter
find simplicity.

Out of discord
find harmony.

In the middle of difficulty
lies
opportunity.

{albert einstein}

Thursday, June 4, 2009

French Caged Glory... A Wire Cloche

We girls can take care of ourselves and get WHAT WE WANT...even if times are a little tough!



Like me, you have probably seen those neat French wire cages around blogland.




This is my low cost interpretation. I took an old wire end cap from a round gutter. Theresa from time worn interiors had to
tell me what it was, and...




added an interesting vintage lamp finial and old clay saucer. I put together a small still life to feature inside. Then I had my own very personal "French Cage" centerpiece.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Simply Lovely...



I picked these about a week ago as buds, and they have taken their own sweet time to open!



Can't you just smell their distinctive fragrance, and see that tiny touch of red?



Part of my love for them is that they are so fleeting. One heavy rain, they are beaten down, and gone until the next year.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Dress Form Stripper

In her past life (even with her old black/gold fabric covering) she happily took part in a 50th high school reunion.



Then last Saturday morning I came into her life...



In a flash (almost, it did involve some tugging and pulling) off came her ugly outer layer...revealing her true inner beauty...





Now she's ready for a new simple, natural, striped down life.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Peaceful studies of cream with black.



Closeup of the base of a nest assemblage I made...using a vintage tape measure for interest, contrast, and the element of the unexpected.



Detail of the c.1892 carved house gable hanging over my mantle.




My favorite shell against the texture of an old dictionary that long ago lost its cover.




A stack of old sheet music, some of it dating to the late 1800's, acquired when a local music school closed.

Friday, May 15, 2009

I liked her then.










I like her even more now. I found this dress form a week or so ago. I liked her...but I wasn't too wild about her color so I stripped off her cover yesterday. Now I LOVE her!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Romantic Homes and my Flower Frogs



Some of these were in an article about my flower frogs in Romantic Homes Magazine, Sept, 2001.