Dining In!

 

I have finally completed one room to my general satisfaction!!! Ack! There are still a few things that I could change of course and improve upon, but as it stands I am very happy, and relieved ha!

This was the table originally donated to me, by my coworker, Paula! Free!!! She has had this table for more than 10 years, and it has now passed on to me to live a lovely magical life! I most certainly felt very badly about painting the lovely color, but it just wouldn't fit in right without the makeover... 

These chairs I found at an antique store in Fredericksburg while shopping for christmas presents with my mom. They weren't exactly what I had been looking for, so we actually left the town that day without buying them at all! They kept nagging me though all through the night, and the next morning I asked if we could drive back, and she said yes! 

They were a bit pricey ($180.00) for four of them, which splits to $45.00 each. I had initially thought to find something for around $25.00 each, but craigslist failed me, and none of the stores I searched had anything interesting let alone a steal. So all in all, I am happy with them. 

I was going to paint them white and upholster them (which I still might do), but I have yet to discover how exactly to remove the leather backing lol.

My made over piano bench! I found this also at Fredericksburg, for $15.00!! Such a great find! It was originally dark dark brown with a brownish blue tratty old fabric covering. I painted, reupholstered and bought some green and white striped fabric (the green really is the same color as the walls and linens, I promise) and voila!

These are the linens I found at Marshalls! I also have the tablecloth, but only like to pull that out when my table is in danger hehe.

I love white porcelain!! Ack! Hehehe this I found at Marshalls as well.

I have been hunting and hunting for a suitable art piece for the large empty wall, and finally gave in to my night time crazy. I broke in my new paint brushes and got brush happy hehehe!

This was the little idea sketch I had going on, and I was thinking of attempting a great big oak tree, but decided in the end the result wouldn’t be worth the effort lol. Hence the more traditional border…

 

It's so fun to paint on your walls!!!

Winter Warmth

Now that I have almost completely finished painting my living room (3 woots!!) , I have been unpacking some of my decor accessories and finding them all homes. With the winter coming on, blankets and prepping my fireplace is of the utmost importance.

This little creature I found several months ago at Marshalls while shopping with my mom, and simply loved him!!! He's very vintage looking, but doesn't smell lol. I thought he would be positively comfortable in my blanket basket, and I think he is. His name... is Maurice. *grin*

Another true antique find is this old matchstick holder! I had seen a few different styles of this (black iron versus wood) and ended up buying this one for $10.00. I know anyone could easily make one, but I lack the necessary tools :/

Then I simply spray painted it white (of course lol) and mounted him in the corner of the mantle. I initially was going to put it above the mantle to the right, but as I have plans for an art piece above the mantle, I didn't want this piece to detract from the larger focal painting.

In the end I like it hidden away in this corner :D

I finally got to place all my picture frames above the mantle woot!! And now I actually have several more photos that are in the running, so I might be switching some things out, or they might qualify for the upholstered fabric board that I have yet to create... lol. Too many plans and ideas eeek!!

Ah I am still in love with the green and white. *le dreamy sigh*

The Cambridge Poets

While purusing the multiple aisles of Half Price, I meandered my way experimentally over to the vintage book section just to see if I could find anything inspirational. To my surprise, I did!!!

The most exciting find, although not asthetically, was William Wordsworth's Complete Poetic Collection. I was so excited because he is by far one of my top 5 favorites, and to find a complete anthologic collection, with his biography detailing his life's influence on his poems, was so special. And... its a 1904 publication!!! I was so happy.

Then I went out on a limb and purchased another poem collection by Riley. I honestly liked the binding and lettering and since it was only a $5.00 purchase, I decided it would be a worth while leap of faith.

Finally, I picked up an old English lady's poclet book of Madame Bovary! I already have this in a typical paperback but I couldn't pass up the surprising find... ah well hehehe.

Tea Time

Ok we all know I don't actually use tea pots for tea, but rather for coffee instead (my one true love)! I had found the tea cups and saucers at the Wimberly Market Days when I went with Mom in March, but the tea pot I fell upon while in... you guessed it... Ross hehe.

The price? $5.00!! I was just so shocked at the similar design and had to have it.


I would like to find a good display shelf for a lot of my porcelain, but for now I am forced to use my old media stand...

Copper

Even though I have dreamed of having a farm house white kitchen and creamy white granite counter tops, choosing the right cookware has been difficult.

The fact that copper is pretty much the ultimate... is rather tempting. I am still not sure if in the future I will display my copper cookware collection like now, or if I will keep it in hiding. I guess I can just go with the flow.

I found these at a little antique shop in Dripping Springs Texas. This shop seriously has amazingly wonderful deals!!! My mom and I found this whole set for only $15.00! Most copper cookware you find is blotchy and too damaged really to be useful or be what I want, but the condition of this was absolutley without fault! I almost dont want to use them!

Since my kitchen right now has black appliances, and a red black splash it really works with the current color scheme. Yay for great finds!!!

Tea Cups and Saucers, Oh My!

So we all know I am into the whole white porcelain serving ware. While shopping with my Mom at the amazingly huge and awesome Wimberly Antique Market, I stumbled across this perfect little tea set!

I don't drink tea or ever care too, so the fact that it only including the cups and saucers wasn't a problem for me. I got everything including the little golden plate stands for $10.00!

I just love the detailed filegree and design! Eventually I want to get some type of wall cupboard to house these and possibly a future collection! It would be fun to have several different ones... I might even bring color into the mix!

Classic Poetry

While rummaging around several of the antique stores in Fredericksburg, I came across one in particular that had a whole section of old published books. These two I found and simply couldn't leave behind...


The Victorian Age is a collection of acclaimed or influential British authors from that time period, with an introduction outlining the political views, industrial development, agriculture, and social change occuring at the time of these writers. This extra bonus feature really sold this book for me. Being able to appreciate poets like Robert Browning is one thing, but understanding the issues of the time period and the background of each writer opens huge windows into each piece!




This other poem collection is specific to Walt Whitman and is his famous Leaves of Grass. Besides the fact that I love him anyways, the detail of the book was so great that it outweighed the poor condition to me.

This embossed lettering is so rare a find!


I hunted for something of T. S. Eliott's but never found anything... there is always next time though!

I plan on adding slowly to my little collection until they are literally falling off the side of my TV stand lol. Isn't it ironic that I ended up placing one form of entertainment next to one so utterly different? I think it brings a softer hue to the cold temperament of technology. Maybe lol.