Friday, June 27, 2008

A RAINY THURSDAY.....

We had more than our fair share of rain yesterday, not a bad thing really, I sometimes need days like this to keep me out of the garden and allow me to concentrate on housework and ironing....... I do begrudge being indoors on warm sunny days.

I started at the top of the house, putting clean crisp white cotton sheets on the bed.... what a delicious experience it is to slip between the sheets of a freshly made up bed... don't you think!

My brother had recently given to me a pretty pine mirror fronted cupboard, I’d been wandering around the house wondering where to place it, but then decided that with the other pine furniture in our bedroom, it was best suited there..... so John obliged and hung it on the wall. It also matched a small set of pine drawers I’d found at our local charity shop this week for £5. Both were quite dirty and needed a good clean.... This done, I placed old lace on the shelves of the cupboard and made little drawer liners for the smaller piece from a sheet of pink vintage paper. I was so pleased with the results it sent me in search of my camera......




With camera in hand I looked around for other items that I’d recently acquired or re modelled.... Below is a set of shelves I found at a car boot sale. I liked the fancy edging that had been put on the front of the selves and thought they would be ideal stood on the dressing table in my dressing room. The dressing table is a Laura Ashley and I just happened to have a pot of matching paint. John, my ever faithful handyman put a backing on the shelves and fixed them into position.


This dresser in the conservatory is another one of my painted conversions. I wanted to show you this to see the pretty cottage design cups, saucers and tea plates that I bought at another car boots sale. They are hanging below the bottom shelf.... pity there isn’t the space to hang them all. You made need to click on the picture to see them in more detail. If you do that you’ll also see the pretty bird’s nest complete with eggs (I placed the bird in it) I bought it in America.... isn’t it so so cute! Some of the shells on the cake stand were collected from the beach at Amelia Island, Florida (I shall be return to posting about my time with Betty in due course.... I didn’t think it was appropriate whilst Edward has been so ill).

I do like this little set of drawers..... another charity shop find that I’ve painted. The front section in each drawer is glass, so I placed gingham paper behind them.
Hanging on this set of hooks are the lovely selection of gifts that I received from my dear blogging friend Sandy (Flip Flop Floozie). We had the great pleasure of meeting up when Betty and I visited Savannah last month. Please click on the picture to enable you to read the framed quote, see the detail in the exquisite glass sun catcher and the pretty coloured dish cloths. Thank you dear Sandy for your lovely gifts.

Something else I bought in America...... These silk roses. I have them placed on the marble topped wash stand in the hall and they certainly brighten a shady spot that ordinarily is unsuitable for a plant or flowers.
Not only useful, but pretty too..... This bent wire set of hooks I like because of the pink and green of the roses and leaves. It is ideal for hanging necklaces and bracelets. Goodness! I’ve just noticed that the price tag is still attached to it and its been hung in place for a couple of years or more. How remiss!
I’ll transport you now to this picture of ‘The Stag at Bay’ in the Scottish Highlands. Actually it was the small table/stand that the jug and bowl sit on that was meant to be the main object. Its another car boot find.... an old luggage rack that has been transformed by a coat of paint.

My lady in the hat..... Over the years the Jardiniere has lost its plant pot, so having a lady face white plant pot I combined the two. The hat is my mother’s old straw gardening hat. I’ve added the lace and a few flowers so, combining it all makes a nice display for a precious keep sake.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'll catch up with you all soon...... Marion

8 comments:

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

My, I need to send you presents more. Those were just little things but look what you did with them. i am quite impressed. I am sending that picture to My mother so she can see where one of her dishcloths made it too. You have beautiful things in your home. I am sure it is a very friendly and comfortable place to live. Sandy

Mountain Mama said...

You have found some wonderful treasures and you certainly know how to dress them up and display them.
I love the Highland Stag picture. What a wonderful find!
And your mother's gardening hat is just precious.

Betty said...

Dear friend Marion,
I had just a few minutes on the computer but I had to drop by just in case you had a new posting....Oh, I like everything...you have each keepsake placed to its best advantage.....what sweet memories...and your Mother's straw hat is precious.....the little case beside the stand is the sister to the one you brought me and I can actually touch it and know it was once in your home along with all the other beautiful gifts from you and John.....which I do plan to post about...maybe week after next.....Love you....Betty

Willow said...

Marion,
It looks like you have been so very busy on your rainy days! It all looks so lovely.

Willow

Willow said...

Marion,
It looks like you have been so very busy on your rainy days! It all looks so lovely.

Willow

Barbara said...

Totally agree, slipping between freshly laundered lined one of the precious moments in life.

I double clicked into your dressing room and thought Ihad entered a perfume store.

What fun it is to find something so nice to be able to clean up and put to such good use.
I am looking forward to your postings at Bettys

Rumour has it said...

Oh yes, I like your cupboard! Yesterday I discovered that one of my neighbours has the same china as you have. But hers is made in Romania. It's funny, but there're many different manufactories which used that same blue/white pattern: I've seen German, Dutch, Belgian and now that Romanian china. But I think the original pattern is from Royal Copenhagen.

Rumour has it said...

Forgot to say: you've very nice wallpapers in your house!