Mid Century Pottery

I mostly collect green and white, but a few other colors sometimes sneak in. 

And a new collection has started.....antique original water color paintings of

landscape, cottages and water.

Here's a peak at the green shelves in my studio.

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A Little Contest

I entered a contest from our local antique mall where you

post a picture of some of your purchases in your home.

If you'd like to vote for me or enter yourself,

click on the link below!

Antiques Village Contest

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Little Nature Library

I picked up these sweet old books at an auction

a few weeks ago.  The pretty covers caught my attention

and of course, the subject matter. 
They just look like something I would like, don't they?

It seems that 16 year old Frances Jones owned these

almost 100 years ago and pressed her leaf collection

in them.  I just love that.

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Random Thoughts

1. My spring cleaning job for the week was to clean/purge/organize the shelves in our family room.  Some things went to the thrift store, some to my etsy shop and everything got washed or dusted.   It had been a while since I removed everything from those shelves. The dust was like felt..well, maybe not that bad....but there was dust and cobwebs aplenty. haha.  Much better now and the fresh arrangement makes me happy.
2. If you're my friend on Instagram, you know that a couple of weeks ago I bought 50 pounds of Georgia peaches from The Peach Truck! We've been enjoying them all kinds of ways for most of our meals! We've eaten them fresh, biting into them with juice running down our arms and I've made them into lots of sweet and savory dishes. Fresh peach salsa on fried catfish was our favorite and the peach ice cream I made today was pretty good, too!  Now there are a nice variety of things in jars and in the freezer to enjoy this winter. Very fun and worth all the work!  I have about a dozen left to finish off in the next few days!
3. I got my veggie garden planted a couple of weeks ago!  It's just a little thing..just the right size to enjoy without it taking up all of my time.  Tomato, cherry tomato, zucchini, jalapeno, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, cucumber and bell peppers.  One plant of each does us just fine.  I also planted a few rows of rainbow carrots, radishes and sugar snap peas.  The blackberry and blueberry bushes are looking good for their second season and it looks like we'll be enjoying a pie or two, at least from the blackberry.  I've heard that the blueberries don't give you much for the first two years.  I think I see 4 blueberries in total. haha.  Hopefully next year!

What's been keeping you busy?

Hope you're having a good June so far!

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Mid Century White Matte Pottery

My spring cleaning project for this week was to

wash this pottery and give the shelves a fresh coat

of paint.  And I gathered a few more pieces from 

around the house so they would all be together!

The more the merrier, right?

I picked up the leaf shaped plate at an estate sale 

this week and it's the finishing touch!

The shelves used to be white and I'm liking the flat

black much better!  These shelves are above

my washer and dryer.  They make doing laundry

just a little bit more fun!

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Vintage Spring Brooches and Pins

I've shown you my little winter collection several times.

This little spring collection came together recently,

just in time for the new season.  I especially love that

little umbrella.  I might have to borrow it to wear on 

a sweater some time soon!

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Vintage Canning Jars

In working on my New Year's Resolution of 

"A place for everything and everything in its place", 

I wanted to find a place for my collection of old

canning jars.  They've been in a box in my studio for

a couple of years now and I knew I either needed to

display and enjoy them or let them go!

Knowing that they look best with light shining through them,

I decided to put the second shelf in my garden window that

I hadn't used yet.  I was afraid it would look too crowded,

but it looks pretty good!  And it gives me that spot for

the jars that I needed.  I think the remainder of my 

collection is going to be used in the pantry, so maybe

I won't have to let go of any just yet.

I'm liking the way they look with my vintage

planter collection, too!

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Almost Like Spring

Well, I didn't open any windows today.

It only got to 59F according to my outside thermometer!

But the sun played hide and seek with the clouds and it was

very pleasant.  I did get a little dusting done!

My plants are still loving my garden window!

I moved my rosemary plant here to enjoy the sun.  

The other herbs will probably follow suit as I have time.

I got the pot while antique shopping this week.

I looked it up when I got home....  It's a Ransbottom,

made in the 30's and sells for about $80.

Not bad for my $12 purchase!

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Displaying Colored Glass

I've seen several interior decorators display their

colored glass in a rainbow pattern lately.

It's very effective in drawing your attention to the

color groups so I thought I'd give it a try while I 

 dusted and cleaned inside my display cabinets.

It's not a strict ROYGBIV, so it might drive the scientific minded

a little crazy.  But for us artistic souls, it's just fine.

Besides, I didn't have any orange or purple. haha.

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Vintage Bottle Brush Trees

A little forest for my skiing snowman.

He was first put on the tree the year I was born.

Yeah, that means he's vintage!

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Movin' On Up

My little pot of succulents got an upgrade today.

I divided them and repotted them each in their own planter.

They're waiting here on a shelf until it's warm enough to

go outside for the next few seasons.

I think I heard some happy sighs and the stretching of

legs....er, um...roots.  :)

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Vintage Cookie Cutters

I couldn't resist these at an auction recently!

After a bath in the kitchen sink they were air dried

and they joined the others in my collection.

Can you have too many?

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The Land Of Misfit Lids

I guess if I were to name I gift that I have, it would be that

I love to rescue unwanted, needy and lonely things.

Yes, from cats to items at the auctions left for the trash,

I take pity on them and bring them home with me. haha.

I provide their needs, be it food and shelter or just

a run through the dishwasher (dishes, not cats!).

I have a little stash of pretty lids that I'd brought home

and when I find a jar or canister that it fits, I put them

together to create a pretty storage container.

I have more...maybe this will have to become an 

ongoing series of posts...lol....

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Marian Griginski Hand Painted Platter

I worked an auction yesterday!  Look what came home with me!

If you know me even a little bit, you'd know that I had to have it, 

right? haha.  Marian Griginski passed away earlier this year 

at the age of 93.  She lived in a neighboring town and was known

for her hand painted china and some pieces have ended up

in museums.  She taught china painting for years and it's easy

to see that she loved her work as well as being a master

at her craft.  How fun to own one of her pieces...and not

just any piece, but one she had kept for herself

and was auctioned as part of her estate.

I also got a beautiful stack of dessert plates

that belonged to her.  I'll share those soon.

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Vintage White Planters

I spent a little time this afternoon pampering some of

my indoor plants.  They've been put into new pots,

fed, watered and trimmed.  I think I heard a few

 little happy sighs when I was all done.  haha.

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Around Here, Lately

1. Captain Socks.
2. My new friend, Mr. Toad.  Marmalade was posing with him outside on the back porch and I thought it was a huge, dead mouse.  But it was this large toad, totally unharmed!  I moved him to the window well on the other side of the house where toads have lived for 27 years.  I checked on him the next day and he was still there!
3. Star and I watched a marathon of one of my favorite shows, Fixer Upper.
4. To celebrate summer...glittery polish and I spent a little creative time in the studio and made an anklet...blue polished stones and a sterling silver clasp.
5. A vintage piggy cutting board I brought home from the auction today.  Nobody wanted him, so I bid $1.  I'm going to sand him down and rub him with oil.  A greased pig...haha....
6. I purged my cookbooks down to the bare minimum but had to keep the set A Country Garden Cookbook....mainly for the awesome photography.  They are pretty enough to display.  I think I have 12 volumes of it.  This one makes me want to bake a lemon meringue pie!
7. Harry and the other guys have been enjoying quite a few Scooby Doo DVD's....still.  Nothing like waking up to villains like The Snow Ghost wailing down the hallway. ha. I think they have a crush on Daphne. 
8. A peak at the new front walk.  The sealant was applied yesterday!

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