Dallying with Doilies

Hey, everyone, how's it going? I'm drinking coffee, gearing up for a busy day featuring laundry and errands. If the latter are successful, a project will be finished up and make it possible to take pictures for another blog post. Meanwhile, here is a gift made for a friend's birthday this week. It started with these:

All during this year I picked up single doilies at thrift stores whenever they showed up. Eventually I sewed them together lengthwise to get this:

It's a long runner for my friend to use on her dining room  table. Her table is longer than mine, which is why it's laid out this way for the photograph. A few weeks ago her adult daughter was visiting, so I took advantage to e-mail and ask for her to measure the length. She did and let me know, so I was able to calculate how many doilies to use. They were laid out in a variety of configurations to find the most pleasing order, then safety pinned  till they could be hand sewn together. 

Flossie had to give it her seal of approval before it was finished and wrapped to mail. Tricia has all sorts of dishes, mats, vases and other items to set beautiful tables, which she does often, and chronicles in her blog, The Dull and the Dutiful, found http://thtolbert.blogspot.com/ here. Happy Birthday, Tricia! 

Do you make gifts often, or seldom? Have any of your handmade items been extremely successful, or less so? Sometimes the idea seems like a perfect fit for the recipient, but that's not always the case. Are there high points in your memories of  handmade gifts you've made or been given? 

Have a wonderful day!

Michele

 

Inspiration Books

Do you all have favorite books you get craft and decorating inspiration from? That's probably a silly question; you've got stacks and piles of well-thumbed tomes. Here are a few of my best beloveds.

This is the most recent home decor book in my library, a gift from my dear friend Tricia.It's different, because it doesn't have photographs, instead, the illustrations are painted. However, the text is wonderfully written and informative.

An old friend to many folks is:

 

I like it all right, although it doesn't exactly match my own style, but I love:

I have adapted many ideas of gifts to give from this book, as well as imaginative wrapping.

Because we've mostly lived in small houses, this is a great resource:

This is another used as a resource more than once:

And now to my all-time faves:

 

These by Mary Randolph Carter are re-read frequently. Something about their attitude and expression speaks to me; there are many rooms in both volumes I could move into with delight, never wanting to change a thing. 

These are mostly old, not current in the world of decor, but I don't buy coffee table books often. Mostly the library gets my business, then note is made of ones that are special enough to own and I ask for them as gifts. My adult children love to be able to order a book for me from Amazon that's sure to be a winner. 

What are your favorites in this genre? Do you find them soothing to flip through when life has been hectic or scary, the ultimate comfort books? Will you be giving or asking for home books this holiday season? 

Take care,

Michele

 

A Friday Few

Hello, all. Last week got away from me when we suddenly couldn't connect to the internet for the better part of three days before  the problem was finally fixed. What to do when you can't check e-mail or read blogs online? The only thing that springs to mind is get out of the house and shop to forget. Here are a few recent finds:

Here you see  Flossie seemingly unimpressed with my booty. There is a new package of travel related scrapbook pages, half a dozen books, a candle, some Taylor and Ng mugs, a little French hook and a large tin box. The box will be used for snack mix to give over the holidays. Its colors of brown, orange and cream may not seem December-ish, but it has a couple of good points. First, it's large, so suitable for either the folks at the post office or the library to share; secondly, on the inside of the lid is the word: "Enjoy" which delivers  exactly the right message. 

Here is a close up of the candle. It's got a pattern like brown gingham checks on it  with the head of a deer, which makes it a perfect fit for the brass deer holder picked up last year.

Also found a new box of Fossil post cards in a vintage style and a variety of places.

At a sale at a neighborhood church last Saturday I picked up a bunch of Hallmark Vera the Mouse boxes and candle holders. They are pretty cute. The boxes have a rubber stamp inside the lids.

This Starbucks mug says Inspire on the side. Flossie seems to be looking to see if that's located on the bottom.

Lastly, among several other scarves picked up recently is this long one that says Hermes on the label. I know nothing at all about these and suspect it's not genuine, but it was still fun to stumble upon.

Other recent highlights include finding a delicious recipe while visiting Susan's blog party, Met Monday and at least making a start at cleaning in this room, beginning with the table where the laptop is and the area around it. There's still tons to do, but something is better than nothing. Several boxes of books donated to the neighborhood branch library sale held last week help, too.

Are you starting to think about removing clutter as the cooler months approach? It seems to me  a good idea to shift out things this time of the year, when we'll be indoors more, so I've been working on that lately a few minutes at a time.

When AIT gets fifty followers there will be my first giveaway, so I'm busy trying to figure out a fun surprise for one lucky reader. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Michele

A Few Finds and A Cat

Hello, everyone, how is your week chugging along? Good, I hope. I thought I'd show you a few modest scores found recently:

This is a nice fall rug from last year,  before the blog began; since I just remembered to put it out Monday, it didn't make the pictures in the earlier autumn decor post.

The three small dishes in the middle were found today  at Manna for $1 each to add to my modest red pyrex collection.

Flossie checked them out for me first thing.

So far this is the only turquoise one I've found.

 

This is my favorite purchase today. It is made of wood and cost $1.50. No marks or labels on it, so I don't know what it is, but I really like it!

 

These two scarves are in very good condition and were .50 cents each.

Flossie never shirks her duty. The scarves got a thorough inspection, too.

This little pink mat with dainty crocheted edging was a quarter. Otherwise all I've found lately has been a few books, both for us and to resell, and a few tee shirts on discount day Tuesday.

I'm hoping for a  burst of energy to follow through on a few small painting, before-and- after projects. In the early morning it's not too hot and the back of the house is shady then. I'll keep my fingers crossed to have something to show you soon.

Have you ever bought a mystery object? Did you like it anyway, despite not knowing its true function?

Till next time,
Michele

A few of my favorite things

Hello, friends! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying October so far. Today I thought I'd share some of my favorite thrift shop finds of all times. 

This Daher tray is 17 inches across. It is hung on part of an artist's easel on the wall by the front door. 

It amazes me that this chest of drawers was made by my grandfather with hand tools. 

I've always liked wooden nesting dolls and have found several sets and partial sets for very little in different thrift shops over the past twenty years.

This old bread box is my favorite red:

 

An old doll's dresser was less than a dollar. A couple of savvy looking pickers followed me around the store and asked me if I was sure I wanted it. The answer was YES!

 

I found this wheeled basket at the Sand Dollar for around $7.00. It had an aluminum handle, but I found wicker twisty wire and covered it, so it looks much better now.

 

It stays in the corner behind the front door filled with umbrellas and walking sticks. 

Of course, none of these things are as precious as others, like Trixie

or Flossie, or

Butterball and Junior and the rest of the furry residents here.

That table is 33 inches across. Junior, even with his tail curled is nearly as wide as it is. The smudge on his nose makes it look bigger than it really is. Sometimes we  call him Junior Durante. 

I hope you're  all enjoying these first golden days of October as much as I am. What are your special treasures, whether they're elegant and fancy or old and battered?

Till next time,

Michele

How did it get to be Friday?

Hello, everyone. We're all fine here, with nothing exciting to report. The week has included a little thrifting and even a project, of the cleaning variety, that is. Let us draw a veil over the horror that is our utility room and where the cats have their food, water and litter boxes. Suffice to say it is not to be tackled by the faint hearted or anyone easily shocked. Keep moving, nothing to see there.

However, there is this modest haul to report:

a mug to resell, paper mache pumpkin, old bird print, Mardi Gras beads, paperback mystery, hydrangea wreath and little bench that seemed like it might want to hang out with my small chairs after it has a paint job. There are four different views in the box of note cards, all featuring butterflies, stamps and flowers so it seemed they might be  good to use for decoupage. 

Also  this week the coffee table is fixed for fall, although it's nothing all that great. For some reason, inspiration has been totally absent when it comes to this particular area and so far this is as good as it gets:

Flossie doesn't  seem impressed either. The tray, candlestick and pillar candle were all from thrift shops. The squirrel was from a neighborhood nursery after Christmas last year, and the Autumn leaf candle bought at Pier I several years ago. Oh, well, it's not completely bare, there's nothing for the cats to eat or drag away and it doesn't get in the way of Mr. B watching tv. Sometimes ho hum is all there is.

I hope everyone has a pleasant weekend ahead. Fall festivals and events start soon. Next week the neighborhood branch library has its annual sale, so that will be fun, with a couple more at the beginning of November, as well as the second sale of the year at Bering Methodist Church. Ah, the thrill of the hunt!

Take care,

Michele

More fall, Y'all

Hello, Friends, how are you this fine September day? We have lost our cool from last week, but it was enough of a boost to keep spirits up in hope of more. There are a few more small additions to our decor, like this:

It started out a while back, when I found the gourd first:

 

It was .50 cents at the rummage sale at Bering Methodist Church in the spring. Paired with these:

We now have  this:

In the living room, on the desk has been added a small pie pumpkin and a little raffia in an urn for more seasonal color:

It looks as if Inspector Flossie approves, always an essential step in the decorating process. Maybe I'm fickle or have ADD or something. I like the cool, aqua and white decor of summer with its beachy theme, but was more than ready to flip to the darker, richer shades of autumn by the middle of September. Or perhaps it's a sign of sloth. One thing that makes me very happy is using the well in our Chambers range as a slow cooker for easy and delicious meals, which I don't do much in the spring or summer months. Most of all, the onset of fall means we survived another Texas summer, always a good thing and sometimes a surprise. 2011 was brutal, but now we're coasting towards relief! Do I hear an Amen?

How is your life affected by the change of seasons? 

Later,

Michele