If Stones Could Talk... Coupled With Some Baby Talk: antiques

Showing posts with label antiques. Show all posts

Sunday, July 7, 2013

These are a Few of my Favorite Things...

Raindrops on roses, but definitely not whiskers on kittens...

It's odd the things you think of as some of your favorite things.

I am naturally drawn to people when I start thinking of things I treasure

but instead I offer you these things which serve to bring a smile to my face...

on a day when it is much needed.

Lily of the Valley

When we moved into our house twenty-seven years ago, it was August.
The next spring the flower bed beside my back door was filled with these dark green plants that shot up out of nowhere.
I had no clue what they were.
Around Mother's Day, I discovered what the plants were when the fragrance nearly bowled me over.
I was overcome with joy. I have always loved these exquisite bell-shaped flowers that hang on tiny stems.

White thick snow that coats the branches and bends the boughs to the earth.

The sound of running water

A wonderful soak in a bathtub

An antique find.

The smell of new mown grass on a spring day.

The first daffodils

Fireflies on a summer's night

Raindrops

Happy tears

Laughing so loud and so long that it hurts.

A shared sunset

The well-worn patina of vintage linens

A cold drink of water on a hot day

Crunchy ice.

A smooth stone

Pink peonies

Beautiful paper in a good book

Su Blackwell (www.sublackwell.co.uk) turns books into
art using painstaking skill, and a whole lot of imagination.

The color and feel of silk.

The smell of a new baby

The softness of old hands.

There, I feel better already. Don't you?

Sunday, June 2, 2013

To Keep or Not to Keep

My friend recently inherited a set of French Provincial furniture. If you were a little girl growing up in the 1950's or 60's you know exactly what I am talking about. Every little girl I knew wanted a canopy bed and white desk and dresser just like the one pictured below. I remember showing my own Momma this very same ad from the Sears catalogue, but she wasn't buying it. We had Ethan Allen furniture instead.

No offense to any of you who might still be enamored with this style of furniture, I am no longer nor is my friend. In fact this white, somewhat prissy furniture could not be further from my friend's personal style. However, she is in desperate need of some sturdy furniture to provide additional storage in her bedroom. So it's off to the web to search for solutions to her dilemma...all involving some repurposing of the said French Provincial bedroom furniture into something a little more up-to-date.

As you might well imagine, I found everything from exotic to moderately attractive to terribly tacky, so there's a wide range of ideas from which my friend can choose. Despite the way the pieces look at the moment, I am a complete advocate of keeping the furniture and applying different paint finishes to at least a couple of the pieces in order to break up the monotony and add some interest and variety to the room.

Here are some options for that oh-so-boring dresser of hers.

This is a before shot to give you an idea in case you forgot about any

of the features endemic to these stylistic gems...

How about this after? Not too bad in my book.

I confess I am a fan of this color combination

I also like this color palette that includes applying both a darkening stain to the original wood along with a paint treatment.

Check out this relatively simple two-color paint application, one that changes the character of the piece and gives it a different vibe. Note to painter: this definitely requires a steady hand.

If my friend decides to go with a pop of color, these are colors that pack a singular punch

And if she decides to bring a little pattern into the picture, this could work:

or this

or this available for purchase at this Etsy store.
Custom Painted Made to Order Vintage French Chest of Drawer Dresser

At least knowing my friend like I do, I know that she is NOT going to end up with
anything remotely resembling this! But as they say...to each her own!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Linen Lovelies: Preserving and Enjoying!

In addition to a collection of lovely silverplate, I will be featuring a beautiful assortment of vintage linens in my new booth at the Gaslamp Too. I have had such fun rounding them up from a wide range of places. From estate sales to thrift shops, these beauties have been calling out to me. In the process for getting ready for opening day, I have perfected my techniques for washing and removing stains and am delighted to share my tips with you:

Step one: carefully look over your linens in bright sunlight. Hold them up to the light. I am always surprised at what is revealed in a careful inspection. Sometimes I spy a moth hole or a frayed hem that is easily repaired. Other times, there are signs of age or stains that were never treated properly the first time.
I begin my age spot and stain treatment with a q-tip treatment of half bleach and half water mixed in the bleach container cap. I have learned the hard way not to have too much bleach anywhere near the linens so I use the cap and replenish it as needed. I take the q-tip and moisten the end slightly and then gently roll the q-tip over the darkened area(s). I do this next to my kitchen sink because as soon as the stain begins to lighten (keep rolling the q-tip over the affected area and wait patiently for a minute or two) immediately put the treated area under running water to retard the process. If you do not do this, the bleach will continue to act and can literally cause your most fragile linens to disintegrate (another thing I learned the hard way!)
After I have rinsed the bleach from the treated areas, I put the linens in a gentle overnight soak in in the sink with a mixture of Gain detergent or Cascade dishwasher detergent and Oxyclean. You will need to use about 1/5 of what you use in your washer or less. The key for me is that the cleaning solution should not feel slimy. If it feels slimy, you are using too much detergent!
I inspect the linens again in the morning, rinsing them clean and treating again using the process outlined above, if necessary. Gently squeeze as much moisture as you can from the linens but do not wring them dry.
Spread your linens out to air dry (preferably outside where they will naturally stiffen as they dry). Under NO circumstances should you use an automatic dryer as the rolling drum can damage your delicate items. I use the sunshine as a natural bleach, and if I still detect yellowing, I will sometimes squeeze a lemon over the linen as well to aid in the process.
To finish my linens, I steam iron them carefully and follow up with some heavy starch.

I also came across some great ideas for transforming your lovely little linens into something that will allow you to showcase their beauty. Take a look at what you can do.

These vintage linens make perfect little pillows