Saturday, March 24, 2012

Holy Cats!

I actually *won* the giveaway @ Villa Barnes!

I'm gonna buy lottery tickets tomorrow for *sure*!

Lookit all the neat-o, keen-o stuff I won:


I can't wait!

xoxox, Rosemary - you're an amazing inspiration!



Thursday, March 22, 2012

Changes to the dining room, too!

Daffodils from the garden


Vintage cut-work linen tablecloth 
from my mother's wedding trousseau


I love pears, and they work well with the colors
on the table runner and in the leaves of the "ranunculus"



I've always thought the pulls on my buffet/china cabinet
were kinda blah...


...so, one visit to HomeGoods, and 2 packages later...



...voila!

I really like how they look

Some things I'll be working with in the dining room:

Meakin "Tobacco Leaf" ironstone tea service


a what-not shelf I'm going to re-paint...
...this is too "meh".


a mustache cup!


an antique biscuit jar



antique Limoges chocolate pot

Meakin tureen


the wine rack/table



Again - forgive the photo quality.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spring brings changes

...and daffodils from the garden.

vintage cut-work tablecloth from my mother's 
wedding trousseau.  Flowers are in an antique footed vase

A wonderfully kind-hearted fella helped me switch out sofas this past weekend.  I also "shopped in my own home" and moved some other furniture around.  Here are some before & afters (comments and suggestions are always welcomed):


BEFORE
very bulky - beyond-hope upholstery stains

AFTER
my mother's vintage Duncan Phyfe-style sofa (circa at least 1948)
reupholstered in early 70s (petit point roses on cream background)


BEFORE
wood coffee table and end tables that I have never liked

AFTER
I'm retaining the loveseat & will use a cream linen slip cover
the tea table is temporary - I would like a large ottoman/table


eventually, I'll move this tea table elsewhere
in the living room


BEFORE
glass demi-lune table used behind the sofa
(this restricted the walkway through the living room)

AFTER
demi-lune as bar/drinks area against wall
I plan on a mirror over this set-up


bar area detail


bar area detail


BEFORE
chair is now in my bedroom - see below for 
antique chair in its place

AFTER
illusion of more room


birdcage & antique chair/footstool


marble-topped end tables
(marble has a pink vein to it)

Waterford lamps - one of my mom's
prized acquisitions

shades are cream natural silk

escritoire


mantel


mantel detail

center of mantel

mantel detail


my mother's wedding portrait


There is a lot more I want to do to this room.  I may paint the walls a pale hue; I haven't decided yet.  Since I have a lot of cream/white/pale pink, I am afraid of the room being perceived as "colorless".  

I want to paint the birdcage and the antique chair, and perhaps re-upholster the chair.  The footstool will definitely get a slipcover of its own.  I may paint the sofa - I'm still undecided at this point.

I am fortunate that I have a lot of beautiful items that were chosen either by my mother or by myself.  We must have had the same mantra - only buy things you love and things that make you happy.

As the Dave Edmunds said - from small things big things one day come.

PS - I apologize for the photo quality.  My former camera is shot and I'm learning to work with a new one - hopefully my skills will improve.




Monday, March 19, 2012

Villa Barnes Giveaway!

Nifty neat-o, keen-o giveaway at one of my favorite blogs - Villa Barnes!



Go on...what are you waiting for?  :)