Weathered and Worn

Like a busy little bee...

I've been buzzing around the farm, diligently tending the garden, and, ever so

gradually, clearing out the barns and outbuildings.

I start each day—in the wee hours of the morn—

with a good bit of energy and high hopes that I will finally eliminate the

clutter I've lived with...

 way too long.

But..

before the day is done, something begins to happen.

By midday, my energy begins to wane, and the hope that had prodded me toward

the task at hand, now seems but a distant friend.

I feel quite sure the intense heat—that is almost suffocating the South—

is, to a great degree, the master of my misery.

By the end of each day, the energy supply that I'd begun the day with is all but

drained completely.

And like this old vintage tool caddy...

I'm left feeling rather weathered and worn!

Thankfully...

I realize that tomorrow is a new day and with a good night's sleep and

the Lord's blessing...

I will awaken to beautiful blue skies, cheerful chirping songbirds...

and a totally renewed perspective!   ; )

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to

an end; they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

Joining SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party, Carrie's Amaze Me Monday,

Kristin's Tuesday's Treasures, Rebekah's Anything Related,

Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday,

 LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday, Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday,

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday, Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink,

and Bev's Pink Saturday.

An Open and Shut Case

I thought you might be interested in seeing some more of the stuff pulled out

of the barns and outbuildings—to be "dealt" with, during the

BIG purge.



I had quite a stash of vintage trunks, suitcases, and assorted

storage bins to sift through. 

And you would think that by now, I would

automatically grab the camera for before and after pics.

Unfortunately, I was so caught up in just "getting it done," I forgot to

take a before photo of the rather large stack of
stashed storage containers.

So far, I've eliminated an antique humpback trunk, several vintage suitcases,

a vintage skate case, two antique shoe-salesman cases,

and several old crates.

WHEW!!!

The four pieces you see, in the second image above, are the four I've decided

to keep.  Well, actually, there's a fifth one that sweet son has

expressed an interest in, so I'm not counting it.

I found the pumpkin-colored suitcase at a thrift store, years ago, for a mere $2.00. 

It's a piece of Maxonite Maximillion luggage

 from the very early sixties. 

This vintage piece is from the Samson line—the predecessor to

the very familiar Samsonite luggage line.  I only paid $2.00 for it, as well—

at yet another thrift store.

I really like how the patina has darkened

in certain places, over the years, to a rich blackish-brown. 

This vintage file box—record album sorter—is one of my favorite pieces

of all time.  Both the exterior and interior of it are covered in,

what appears to be, some type of oilcloth.

Its time-weathered patina was perfect when I found it,

but...

the incredible vintage details of this piece were what sold me on it.

I've had this old beauty for so long, I can't even remember exactly how long I've owned it. 

But, I do remember that I found it at one of my favorite

flea markets and only paid $3.00 for it—marked down from $5.00. 

This is the inside of the old trunk you see in the second image above.  It was a more

 recent purchase than the other three—picked up just a few years ago.

The Yankee and I were out one Saturday morning and drove past

a local barn sale.

 

I convinced him to turn around so we could check it out,

and was so glad he consented to do so.

This charming relic of antiquity was tucked under a table,

 fairly obscured by all sorts of junk—and not the good kind either.  

The Yankee retrieved it from

its hiding place and inquired as to my thoughts about it. 

I was more than a little surprised that he even had to ask.

Of course, I wanted it!

And for a whopping $1.00, it was mine.   ; )

Now that I've rediscovered it, I'm considering the various possibilities

of what can be stored in it.

It's loaded with neat little cubbies on both sides—which make it perfect

for storing bits and pieces and tiny treasures.

But now I need to figure out the best things to store in it!  Decisions, decisions!!!

How would you use it?

Well, at least I've whittled down one collection

 and can call this one an open and shut case...

I think!   ; )

Joining SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party, Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday,

Carrie's Amaze Me Monday, Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,

Diane's 2nd Time Around, Rebekah's Anything Related, Kristin's Tuesday's Treasures, 

Tammy's Anything Goes, Susan's Outdoor Wednesdays, Kim's Wow Us Wednesdays,

Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Leigh's Thrifty Thursdays,

Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday, LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday,

Debras' Vintage Inspiration Friday.

A Glass Act

I'm still busily sorting through my stashes of stuff and trying to decide what to keep

and what to pass on.

The problem is...

when the time comes to put something in the "this must go" bin,

I hedge.  Afterall, I bought the stuff because I liked it!

Case in point...

my little brass and glass display boxes.

I've had many of them for a very long time, and though they had the most wonderful

timeworn patina when I purchased them, it has become even

richer, warmer, and more fabulous over the years.

See what I mean!

Because each of these little dandies is at a different stage of the aging process, the

varied hues of the brass makes them all the more interesting, when grouped

 together in decorative vignettes.

Currently, four of them house a delightful assortment of found objects

from around the farm—like the bird's nest, egg, moss, lichen, snail shells, butterfly and

 twigs, in the three cases above.

One of the things I love about them is how they seem to elevate the most common

object—like this wasp nest—to a more

regal status.

What is it about putting something under glass that makes it appear more special?

I could take the exact same lovely elements from nature and set them on

this table without the brass and glass display pieces, and

they would instantly lose their appeal.

Perhaps that's why we love cloches so much.  They make the ordinary seem

extraordinary!

Unfortunately, it's this very line of reasoning that keeps me in a constant quandry!

How can I part with something that makes something else

I own look so good?   ; )

So what do you think?

Should they stay or should they go?

Joining Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Cindy's Show and Tell Friday,

Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday, Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink,

and Tammy's Anything Goes.

Parlez-vous français?

Perhaps it is because I love to read that I'm so drawn to books.  And if they're of a

vintage nature, all the more so.  Needless to say, when I discovered these

French beauties at a flea market some time ago,

I was more than a tad thrilled.

They were buried beneath a mound of completely unrelated items, in a tattered

old box—one of several, I was determined to rummage through. 

Being the treasure hunter that I am,

searching through boxes of disorganized clutter—gone unnoticed

by many—is a challenge I heartily welcome.

The pretty lilac-hued covers of these little readers—softened by the most wonderful

timeworn patina—was the first thing to catch my eye.  But the detail

of the vintage graphics was an even bigger draw.

Though every word, from cover to cover, was in French, many of the titles and

 authors were quite familiar to me.

Beauty is beauty, no matter the country of origin, so without hesitation, I decided

these tiny teasures were destined to come home with me.

When it came time to pay the vendor, he informed me that there were more

"little French books" somewhere in his booth. 

Fabulous!!!  That would mean more treasure hunting.   ; )

I was able to locate a total of thirty of the CLASSIQUES LAROUSSE, thirteen of an

entirely different series, and three other miscellaneous French booklets—

all for a song.

Many of these dainty little gems date back to the early 1930s and span

almost thirty years—to the early 60s.

As is true of everything vintage that I own, I've oftened wondered as to their origins. 
What might the person have been like, who collected these jewels
for thirty years? 

Was she someone who thoroughly enjoyed the written word, as I myself do? 
Did she experience the pull of their beauty, even before she read the first word—
as I did? 

Was she fluent in French? 

These are but a few of the many questions I've pondered, as I've carefully perused their

delicate pages. 

The intrigue of their mysterious history has made my decision to part

with these sweet treasures all the more difficult.  But the Yankee and I have committed

to paring down our collections this year,

and so part with them I must.

Why part with these particular lovelies, you might ask?  The answer is quite simple. 

Je ne parle pas français!

Linking to Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Mary's Share the Love Wednesday,
Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday, Leigh's Thrifty Thursdays,
Cindy's Show and Tell Friday, Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday, 
Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink and SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party,
Tammy's Anything Goes.

Serving Up Serenity

If you recall, last week I took you on a little shopping excursion
with me to one of my favorite stores—Marshalls.

Remember all those wonderful Valentine's dishes?

Well…
it just so happened that the day I was there,
I didn't make a single purchase.

But, a day or so later, I decided to go back and buy
several place settings and a number of serving pieces.

When I returned, there would still be plenty of pieces to choose from—right? 
After all, the display had been overflowing with goodies.

 


But...
when I returned, the entire display was missing.
Oh, no! Where did everything go?

I searched the store, thinking that perhaps
they had just shuffled things around. And, indeed,
they had moved those dishes—at least the handful that were left.

 

I went to three stores—yes, three—and could only come up with
 a fraction of the pieces I had intended to go home with.

Armed with those few pieces, I scurried back to the cottage to mull over
how I was going to use them.  Then inspiration hit!

I love to dine al fresco. There's just something about being
out in the open air that makes food taste so much better.

But, there's a difference between just eating outdoors—at a barbeque
or picnic—and having a genuine dining experience.

So…
I ventured outside the cottage
to look for that special place to create just such an "experience."

Unfortunately, it’s the dead of winter here.
Consequently, things are looking rather dismal.

The only color in the landscape at present is...
 brown, brown, and more brown—except for the lively green of the pines.
Thank goodness for the pines!

As I surveyed my surroundings, I thought of how pretty, prissy, 

and feminine those dishes were and how rustic and primitive

the landscape appeared at present.

As a matter of fact, the only color to be

found anywhere, other than the pines,

was the white blooms of my camellias—if you consider that color. 

And I'm sorry to say…they had been kissed one too

many times by Mr. Jack Frost!

As I stood in one of the fields behind the cottage,

 something occurred to me. The Yankee and I have such divergent tastes that I'm constantly

challenged to strike a balance between the rustic and the refined.

Hmmm!  Rustic surroundings, refined tableware—

I could just blend the two...

as always!

I gathered a table and some chairs from one of the barns, gave

everything a thorough cleaning, and proceeded with my plan of attack.

I chose a rather large piece of lace from my stash to cover the table,

 some simple lace-trimmed napkins, and several old lace curtain panels

to toss over the backs of the chairs.

I knew I would have to soften things up a bit for those dishes to shine.

My goal was to create a light-reflecting, colorful table setting
that would nicely contrast with the somewhat stark countryside. I decided that
a splash of vibrant color would complement the dishware
 from Marshalls quite well.

So, I brought my favorite vintage ruby red goblets into play.

Though I dared not use anything with a flame in this environment,
I absolutely had to display the incredibly ornate candlesticks
that I found at—you guessed it—Marshalls.

Their beautiful sparkling crystals would be the perfect accompaniment
to my assortment of vintage crystal and clear-glass accessories. 

The shimmering sunlight reflecting from all those gleaming glass surfaces
would present a nice alternative to the absence of candlelight.

To bring yet more color to the setting, I assembled

some pink silk roses, Queen Anne's lace, and silk greenery to make

 floral arrangements to place atop the candlesticks.

While I was at it, I fashioned four simple napkin rings
from other silk flowers I had on hand.
 

I really love the instant character that vintage

and antique items contribute to any setting.

And, I prefer to mix and match my pieces—especially silver flatware.

In this particular tablescape, I used three different patterns of vintage silver.

I also delight in uniqueness.

 For that reason, I dispensed with protocol,

reversed the normal layout of the flatware, and placed the knives and spoons to barely peek

 from the lacy opening of the napkins—which were placed at an angle.

For a touch of whimsy, I decided to incorporate these cute,
 inexpensive glass votive holders from the Dollar Store—two for a dollar.

They made simply charming salt cellars, and since they were
 heart-shaped, they tied in perfectly to the Valentine's theme.

Notice how sweetly they repeat

the hearts splashed all over the plates and bowls?

Though the field where I was hosting this little Valentine's soirée

was a bit drab and lacking in color, the serenity that enveloped you there would

certainly make a wonderful dining experience.

When all is said and done...

I think rustic and refined play pretty well together.   ; )