The Simple Pleasure of Hydrangeas

One of my daughters has two beautiful hydrangea bushes. When the nights turned cool, she harvested a box full of blooms and brought them over.

With a salvaged straw wreath and some hot glue, I fashioned this wreath to enjoy till we see the new blooms next season. Simple pleasures.

From Silk Scraps To Lamp Shade

I needed a lamp shade for a lamp by my work table. I had this old wire shade frame that has seen several makeovers. I wanted something different. Affordable lampshades can be so boring. What to do that would be creative and playful?

My inspiration was this bag of silk scraps. It's the bag I reach into for little applique pieces, or to make little potpourri bags. It's all those little, wonderful pieces of fabric in yummy colors. What I did was: cover the wire frame with black satin ribbon. I just wrapped it around the wire and tied it leaving a tail hanging. Then I cut strips of fabric, on the bias about 1/2 to 3/4 wide and 5'' long. I used scissors, not the rotary cutter, and cut the strips a little crooked for interest. I attached the strips with a half hitch knot to the horizontal wires.

Finished shade. It's very funky. I think I'll get a different bulb. It looks a little haphazard, yet rich with the texture of silk.

Well, that was fun, I better get back to work. Enjoy your day!

Debbie

Reclaiming the Window Molding

No way would I part with this window header and the surrounding molding when we added onto our home, turning the window into a door. This is molding from when the house was built in 1892. Old by Northwest standards. I thought about putting doorknobs on it and turning it into a coat rack or just something fun to hang things from. I never found just the right place. Finally,......inspiration struck! It would make a fine black splash for the table holding the sink in the bathroom.

So I added some new paint, and quickly put it up.

I think it would look good if I added a little stenciling to blend with the stenciling already in the room. But that will have to wait.........I loaned my favorite collection of stencils, the stencils were lost "somewhere". I am truly bummed about that. So I will add that detail later.

The mirror is off center from the table, but is centered to other features in the room. There are so many quirky, irregular features in this room that you have to look at the whole to balance everything.

I think I'm liken' it.

Her are some other views of the bathroom.

I found the decanter at goodwill and filled it with lavender and rose bath salts that I made with botanical from my yard.

I enjoy the sun and shadow effect that plays on the walls.

The sweet Amish couple I made years ago now aromatically sit on the ledge, scenting the air with their spice filled bodies and cinnamon arms and legs.

The large cast iron tub, original to the house, is perfect for relaxing and planning the day, or contemplating life's twisting turns. Things hanging from the shaker pegs need a little revamping. Another project....

I have a large old open shelving piece for storage. The old sewing drawers hold make up, clips, etc. The picnic basket holds the hair dryer and curling irons, etc. Jars and boxes add interest and hold all necessities, such as pot pourri, lotions, salts, and bath herbs.

I enjoy this old room. It hasn't changed much since first made as a very modern bathroom of that age. Time has almost stood still here. I'm glad I was able to take from one part of the house and add that part here, keeping it a part of the whole. Moving, changing, slightly, slowly, going forward, living.

Debbie

Vintage Lighting

I'm thinking about light, because here in Oregon, it's raining again. Although the rest of the week will be warm and sunny, maybe into the 90's. I sound like a weather report. In the Northwest we look forward to the sun breaks. Well, as I was saying, I was thinking about lights, specifically the lighting in our home. Our home is old. We have lots of windows, but the porches shade some, and the rest face north. It can be rather dark. When we moved in the ceiling fixtures were the 70's style. I shuddered at the look, it just didn't go. One by one I've been replacing them. It's hard to find affordable vintage lighting fixtures around here, so that is what I'm on the lookout for whenever I take a trip back east.
Two fixtures I've found locally, the rest have been found on vacations and have wonderful memories of times with family. This is the first one a daughter and I found in upstate New York.
It is hanging in the kitchen.
This is a worn brass fixture, hanging in the living room. The light bulbs are called swirl lights, I purchase at Hippo Hardware in Portland.
A friend found this in her basement. Everything in her house is supper modern, and thought this fixture would fit out home.

One daughter found this fixture in New York. She gave it to me for Christmas. This was a sorry looking piece, all rusted. She knew it would be something I would enjoy, and I aways love a project. A little steel wool and new sealer gave it new life.


Both of these are in bedrooms. I've tarnished them up a little. I'm looking for the "right" shades.
I love the color in this. It's a little art deco. The lighting in the bedrooms still have the pull chain to turn them on.
I love the aura these fixtures give. I'm looking for more energy efficient light bulbs that will give the same aura with these fixtures.
I have a few vintage table and floor lamps also. One floor lamp I'm working on restoring now. I'll show that to you another time.

Finally Finished!

My friend found this chair on the sidewalk in her neighbourhood with a free sign in the seat. The upholstery was very worn, but the "bones" were in great shape. She started taking the old fabric off and decided it would be beyond her skill to redo the upholstery. I offered to help her, but she already decided not to keep the chair. I saved her the trouble of putting the chair on the sidewalk with a free sign, and told her I would take it home. Right away I started to recover it. My daughter's future mother-in-law was coming for a visit and I wanted it done before she arrived. I pulled ten thousand nails and staples from this chair, and nailed many more back in. I knew my hands would never be the same. I got the chair to the point of looking good from the front. I didn't think the future mother-in-law would be looking at the back of the chair since the back was next to a wall. I was getting tired of the project, and there were many other things to do. That was some time ago, longer than I care to admit to you. Finally, this week end, I could stand the gilt no longer. I pulled out that last back piece and put it on the chair. I put the dust cover on the bottom. Nailed the decorative nails. Made sure everything was pulled tight. I even made arm covers. It is Officially finished!!!
I'm happy with it.
Without that hanging over my head, I spent Sunday and Monday afternoon in the gardens weeding and transplanting. My kind of play.

Old and New

I found this old drying rack.
It was in a thrift store,
under some unidentified stuff
all dusty and forlorn. I loved the look of it,
all old worn wood. Now its hanging
in the upper corner of the sitting nook,
in the kitchen. Old tea towels from my grandmothers, with delicate embroidery, and laces. Hanging with dried flowers.
Much the same as they might have hung 100 years ago.


I'm sure you've noticed,
I tend to collect old things.
It's not to live in a museum. I like the time worn feel, the connection to people and the sustainable way of life they lived each day. I live with these old things that are useful, and do use them.
Not everything is old.
Sometimes, Gerry and I make something, like the step back cupboard in the right of the picture.

The corbels are salvaged with a newer piece of distressed wood for the shelf. The bowls were from Gerry's grandmother.

The lamp is above the sink. Sometimes in the early morning, I'll light it, and several others around, and fix the kids lunches and breakfast by lamplight.

One Christmas, Krista gave me this pewter.
I loved it! Where to put it????
I had seen shelves like this, but never the right size, or the right color. I wondered, "How hard can it be to make?"
Gerry had found these boards (already green) at the beach. They were just sitting "around".
So I figured our measurements, and made a pattern for the curves on the sides.
We had it cut out, put together, and on the wall above the stove that afternoon.

So I incorporate old and new, making a time worn look, but living in today's world.
How do your incorporate the old and new?

Instant Messageing

An old cupboard door,
some chalkboard paint,
add a little whimsical painting,
= instant message board.
I put it up next to the frig.
The natural meeting place on our home
(if not in my work room).
Do you instant message?

Repourposed Door - Weekend Project

For years I have really wanted a hall tree. You know one of those old things that would sit close to the front door, hold jackets, hats, gloves, and umbrellas. There is not a closet close to the front door, so this has been an ongoing problem. Well, getting a hall tree is still not happening. So with that in the back of mind, (as a make do person), I've been collecting a few hanging things for a while, not really sure what I was going to do.

This weekend I was going to do something. I walked around the house look for inspiration. I walked around the yard, maybe there was something I could use. I looked in the shed, where I have a small stash of old boards of many kinds. Hmmmm......

That's it!! In the yard, leaning against the fence,
was an old door. I had used it in a hard scape
in the garden, but it had fallen over in the wind this year.
I knew I would not be putting it back up this year.
The door was begging to be used again.

I brought it up on the porch and washed it off.
It's rather bright, but my home is shadowy, and can use bright spots.

Out come the tools. My husband has bought saws, drills, and sanders for me, knowing that they are almost as important as a sewing machine.

I called my sister to come over to help decide where to put the hangers and to hold things. Thanks Laura!


In a very short time, we had it together.

When Gerry came home, it was ready for hanging.
It's right behind the front door. It's a rather shadowed spot despite the window, so the red brightens things up some. The hooks and things don't show up well in the picture, but you get the idea. I'll put hats and wooden boxes on the shelf. Maybe add some fun molding to the edge. It's a fun piece.

Just in time for company coming with all their coats the weekend.