Monday, October 3, 2011

New Treasures

I admit it.  Etsy has become my downfall.  I'm pretty good about not just buying for buying's sake, whether it's clothes or whatever, but sometimes it's just a little too tempting to be on there for something as innocent as posting feedback and then before I know it, I'm in some sort of eye candy wonderland looking at priceless things I can't live without.  I've gotten to be pretty good about keeping myself in check (book).........after all, I'm trying hard to declutter and scale down my collection of things.  But every once in awhile, something makes it to my favorite list, and the next thing I know I'm looking at it again, and again, and again.......until I come up with a simple reason why I should just go on and welcome it into the family.  Here is one such pretty I just couldn't live without:



This is I believe what is known as a Bride's basket.........I had never really seen one before and wasn't familiar with the custom of it........I have read where small cakes were placed upon it, but I'm still in the dark about the custom or popularity of it.  All I know is I fell hard for the detail of this little sweetie............



Hmmm....Father and Mother.........and then, look at the date!



Obviously a 50th wedding anniversary gift from a child or children to their parents............way, WAY long ago!  I'm a sucker for rare and one of a kind pieces like this, dated from a different era.  Not only is it unique, but the details are amazing and beautiful.  I believe those are little cherubs dancing around on the plate?



And the designs around the rim, just so pretty......




My idea is to use it as a sort of candle holder or display piece.........here's a look at it holding a strand of vintage pearls that was another treasure I found the other day at an antique store-



I love the old jewelry pieces, look at the clasp on the pearls.....







Although not an Etsy find, I saw this beautiful silver cream and sugar set at an antique store near me the other day......



Normally I'm not to drawn to silver service pieces like this......but there was something about the sugar container that reminded me of a little loving cup



Again, I'm a sucker for details........I just love the little rim engravings on the set





Gotta stay off Etsy and out of the shops, I think!!


On a different note, I was finally able to do a little rearranging yesterday with the help of my husband.......a couple of years ago my sister in law from New York State sold her house and told anyone who cared to come up with a U-Haul was free to pick whatever they wanted.   Even though we lived a good 1000 miles from her at the time, I didn't have to persuade Mr. Ironstone to drive up there and take advantage of such a generous offer.  He knew as well as I did that she had some amazing pieces she was happy to share with her family since she was scaling down and moving to the city.  He brought back a beautiful pine farm table (used for many of my pictures here on the blog, like above with the Bride basket)  And also this gorgeous old English Pine Hutch.  Believe it or not the hutch has been sitting in my garage with a protective cloth over it ever since he brought it back.  We just never really had the time or desire to rearrange things and bring it into the house.  Now, though, I'm ready to do some painting and make some changes in time for the holidays.  I decided (with some sadness) to take out my mother's inlaid mahogany sideboard (don't worry, it's going into storage for now, not to the auction block) and bring the hutch into the dining room.



The red walls may or may not stay up through Christmastime.......I'm ready to lighten up my colors, but I admit the red is a great background at the holidays........in the meantime I'm happy with the switch, and hope to eventually get the other dark pieces out of the room.....





I guess it's only fair to show the other half of the room while all this was going on........don't want anyone to think I'm not capable of a real mess.......this all came out of the sideboard that was taken out (it's mostly my mom's crystal that was kept in there).....



and pictures off the walls........




(yes, that is an English saddle on it's end.....mine when I was 11.........I'm still trying to figure out how it got in here but I think my daughter must've had something to do with it :)  )



Finally, I would love to say thank you again to Maura of Lilac Lane Cottage for the lovely house sign I won in her giveaway a few months ago from Ramsign






Thank you Maura!  The sign is beautiful and is only temporarily on the fence post until I can get it hung over the front door!!






       Thank you everyone for catching back up with me, I appreciate your visit and comments so much!!


                                                                         devon :)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Back at it

Well, that only took 4 weeks!! FINALLY, finally got the camera back and am trying to get back in the swing of posting.  Only thing is that during my time off I got very busy......packed up and moved a mountain house full of stuff and committed to opening a booth set-up at an antique mall 30 miles from here.  So since I didn't have a creative outlet with my camera, I took to the fun side of making things from my stash of odds and ends...
























I've had the best time combing thrift shops and prowling Etsy........but with a garage full of lake-related stuff I'm going to have to put the creative-feminine urge aside and focus on tagging and moving things into my new booth.   I'll be sure to get some pictures up, hoping to start moving things in either Thursday or Friday



So glad to be posting again......... hope all you peeps are doing well and will stop by for another visit now that I'm back at it!!!


                                                                Have a fantastic day!
                                                                        devon :)

Friday, August 19, 2011

Camera Withdrawal

It's been a long week.  Not so much because of any earth shattering issues (although my daughter did have to put a beloved pet guinea pig to sleep yesterday, which was pretty sad), but I have been without a camera since last Sunday.  See, while up at the lake last weekend, my darling Mr. decided to go out in the canoe to take some pictures of the boathouse from the water..........and in the process of getting in the canoe lost his balance and said camera fell into the water.


                                                                  No kidding.


                                     
                              I have not been a happy camper without my camera.........



I had all these creative ideas to get started on once school began............
and now the camera is somewhere in the Canon warehouse, with a tag on it
 that someone will eventually, someday, take a look at


No Siree, not a happy camper.............


        Finally I couldn't take it anymore (I know, I know, such blog drama), I had to post something.........
  So thank goodness for saved files............I can dig back into better camera days and post some oldies.....

                                                         So that's what I did..........








                                                                  To get my fix........



                                                                          O.K............



                                                                   

                                                                          one more




                                                                     I feel better now.......




                           Hopefully I will be back with camera in hand soon.......please come back again and visit!



   





                                                                  Have a wonderful weekend!!
                                                                              devon :)

Monday, August 8, 2011

I'm on Etsy!

I finally got around to opening an Etsy shop today..........summer was too busy and I wasn't home much, but school started in Georgia today so it's back to work!

                              It's a little bit of this and that I've collected 
                                  over the years of flea marketing...
                                           
                                                                            Vases...




Vintage Quilts




Chenille


Bowls









And a few cute things for a child's room....

prints







and room accents






Even a retro parrot planter!



This is something new for me, I've got a lot of things I've collected
and am ready to part with....I'd love for you to
come visit me at Livin' in the Past on Etsy!!




until next time, have a great Monday!!

devon :)




Monday, August 1, 2011

Hey Baby!!!

Recently I got into using antique pictures of babies and children around my house..........this of course is nothing new, the vintage crowd discovered a long time ago how wonderful the sepia and black and white photos looked with the off white shadowy style of decorating......






I wonder what it was like to take your children to get their pictures
taken way back when......were they good, did they squirm??








I really like the ones with animals....
like this one with the horse (of course)




and this dear sweet child with her beautiful kitty...




if you're fortunate you're blessed with lots of vintage
photos of family, and those of course become favorites


my mom and my aunt around 1930



my guess is that even back then having a photo portrait 
of your child or children taken was pretty much like it is today....
the moms would fuss over the hair
 and the clothes, small bracelets and necklaces were common, 
and many a parent probably had to deal with a fussy baby... and hope that in a split second an endearing image would live on forever


Here's looking at you kid!!




Have a wonderful day friends!!!

devon :)