I received a request to post on my collection of transfer ware. I have three different patterns, a collection that started when I inherited my Grandmother's red transfer ware.
They were her everyday dishes that I grew up with. She lost many of the original plates in the California earth quakes. However, it was a pattern that continued to be made, so she was able to order replacements.
This is the mark on the back.
I display the red after Thanksgiving as they're part of my Christmas decorations. They stay up until spring, when it's time to display my teal blue transfer ware.
I bought these at an antique store in Washington state. They were on clearance and I almost passed them up thinking that although they were so beautiful, what would I everdo with them? That is the day I thought of putting up my different collections by season — and that is how I rationalized buying them!
This is the mark on the back.
This was taken last spring....which was the first spring I displayed them on the shelves.
The brown transfer ware goes up in fall. I came upon my brown transfer ware at Marshall's department store, and thought they would be perfect dishes to use for Thanksgiving.
This is the mark on the back of the plate.
If we didn't have the open shelves in the kitchen, I don't think I would have started collecting the other two patterns. But the open shelves are like a blank canvas, and can create a completely new look for the kitchen depending on what I put on them. Soon I will be taking down the red transfer ware and putting up the teal blue bird transfer ware. This time, I'm going to try something different and attempt to create less of a kitchen feel and more of a 'room' feel. Jennifer at The Newlywed Diaries posted on this look here and I really love it! So we'll see how I do — suggestions always welcome!
I t's funny how collections can sometimes begin. You purchase something because perhaps you got a good deal, or perhaps it's just that you're in a particular mood. Then suddenly, you're out and about again and see another one of similar nature but beautifully different....and your collection begins. The above marble lamp was the first piece of my new collection. It had been at this particular antique store for awhile and finally, when it was marked down to $36, I thought perhaps I'd give it a try. And so my collection began...
It sits on the dresser in my office and has a wonderful three way light that is able to illuminate the small room. I love its skirted detail.
With this lamp, my collection grew to two. The tag in the antique store said it was marble but it could possibly be alabaster, I can't tell. It rests on the old writing desk in the den, which required a lamp base that was small enough to sit on the folded desk top.
I love the sweet carved detail and its wonderful creamy color.
Marble and alabaster lamps can be hard to find in good shape. I see a lot of them with broken necks that have been glued back together and/or badly chipped bases. Even with damage, prices are usually between $95 to $169.
This one sits on our bedroom dresser upstairs. I like the contrast between the white marble body with the veined marble base.
This one is the latest addition to my collection. It is by far the heaviest, and the tallest. It's waiting for a lamp shade, something I'll need to drive into the city to get. It could also use a good rewire -" Joan, help!!" Or should I say, " Dan, help!" So what collection did you stumble upon? Pray tell.
Our basement laundry room moonlights as extra storage for odds and ends.
Before the contractors showed up for the second half of the house renovation (when porch, dormer and dining room were added), I came upon the above cabinet on one of my excursions into the city. I mention this because despite being in construction mode, I couldn't maintain the will power to abstain from decorating-mode. I thought the old country cabinet would be perfect for the laundry room as it would add some nice old-fashioned character as well as provide some extra storage for my collections of transfer ware, flower vases and all our extra Martha Stewart white ware pieces (our everyday dishes).
I like having something that is enclosed so that dust is kept to a minimum and there are no critters lurking about when I need to retrieve something....this includes the ocassional field mouse, lizard, frog, salamander or eek, spiders....all of which have been sighted at one time or another. But really, it's the spiders, as I am one of those people who abhor spiders, yet can't bare to hurt them.
The cabinet also provides extra drawer space for items I don't use frequently.
At some point, we'll completely enclose the laundry room from the rest of the basement and perhaps add some heat so that doing laundry this time of year doesn't require wearing a hat or gloves. We also need to fix some parts of the old drop ceiling as it was disturbed when the electricians and the plumbers swept through with their updates. To give the laundry room a more comfortable cozy look, I got a nice chunky jute rug for the floor. It was also a really cheap option I found at Home Goods — only $30. For its size, I thought it was a lot more charming than the synthetic rugs you get at Home Depot or Lowe's. xoTrina
T he talented photographer, designer and author Monica Rich Kosann recently shared her newly published book with me. As with any house design book, I was ever so delighted to sit down for a thorough read. Living With What You Love is beautiful and completely captures all that make a house a home. Whether it is a special collection of seashells, fine art or a menagerie of family photos, Monica expresses how these endearing items offer our homes warmth, character and most of all, soul. The book's celebration of photographs especially inspired me. I was moved to dust off those antique photo frames I've been collecting through the years, and finally fill them with the people and family I love.
I needed a large space so I decided to display them on our bedroom dresser. Joan of Arc is surrounded by the generations of family that have known her (my Great Great Grandmother originally purchased her).
Older generations are mixed in with the new. Pictures of Hubby, as both a little boy and a man, stand next to a picture of my Grandmother on the patio of her California hills home.
The photographs span four generations....my brother and I, my parents, my Grandmother and Great Grandmother.
I've picked up these frames as bargains over the past several years, ranging from $5 to $40. The sweet old pearl frame is one I came across for $5.
This is one of my favorite photos of my mom holding me as a baby.
I love this sweet little miniature Rococo frame holding a picture of my Grandmother as a child.
Here are my brother and I as children in Sequoia National Park, California.
In order to fit the photographs in non-standard size frames, I scanned them onto my computer and then re-sized them to fit each frame. I want to thank Monica for sharing her beautiful book with me. My framing project would not have come about if it weren't for the inspiration I found through her examples that celebrate those items which lend soul to home....in collections, in heirlooms, and in photographs. It's truly nurturing to see the faces of my life, past and present, standing close to each other in heart and home. Go here to read Acanthus and Acorn's review. Also, visit Monica's website to learn more about her, her passionate work and her new book, Living With What You Love.
St. Petersburg, former Leningrad, was founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on May 27, 1703. It was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years, until the Russian Revolution in 1917.
The city is considered to be the most Western inspired of Russia and by the Russians often referred to as The Northern Capital.
St. Petersburg is home to The Hermitage, the largest art museum in the world, featuring interiors of the former imperial residence and a vast collection of art. It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and open to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise nearly 3 million items,including the largest collection of paintings in the world.
Other famous cultural sites are The Mariinsky Opera, The Ballet Theatre and The Imperial palace and park ensemble at Peterhof.
There are several gardens to see in St. Petersburg. Here's some of them.
The Alexander Garden was laid out in 1872-1874 over what had been Admiralty Square, to a design by the landscape gardener Eduard Regel, as part of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Peter the Great. The Garden was formally opened in 1874 in the presence of Alexander II, who agreed to having the Garden named after him.
The Botanical Garden is one of the oldest Botanical Gardens in the country. The Garden was founded in 1714 by order of Peter the Great as the Apothecary's Garden, and soon became a centre for horticultural research that was the equal of any other in Europe in terms of the importance and size of its collection. Originally the Apothecary's Garden focused mainly on growing medicinal herbs, but soon people began bringing saplings and seeds of rare and exotic plants — for which a greenhouse was specially built.
The Catherine Garden is the unofficial name for the public garden in front of the Alexandriinsky Theater, between the Theater and Nevsky Prospect. The Garden was laid out in the 1820s to a design by Carlo Rossi, and the statue of Catherine the Great which dominates it and from which it takes its name was erected in 1873. From late spring to early fall — and sometimes into winter — local artists sit on the sidewalk outside the Catherine Garden exhibiting and selling their work and offering to draw portraits of passers-by.
The Summer Garden is located where the Fontanka River flows out of the Neva River. It was founded in 1704 by order of Peter the Great, who was personally involved in planning it, and is laid out according to strict geometrical principles. The Summer Garden is home to marble statues acquired from Europe especially for Russia's new capital, and also to rare flowers and plants, as well as fountains. It was a traditional location for courtly life outside the palace, and balls were held here by the nobility, who also enjoyed simply taking the air in the Garden.
Moscow Victory Park is located in the south of St. Petersburg on Moskovsky Prospect. It was founded in 1945 to mark the Allied victory in World War II over Nazi Germany. The Park, which spreads over 68 hectares, is home to more than 100 types of tree and bush, and includes elements of formal and landscape planning, being decorated with ponds, canals, avenues, and flower gardens.
The Tauride Garden was laid out in 1783-1789 on the estate of Grigory Potemkin behind the Tauride Palace from which it took its name. Potemkin was one of Catherine the Great's favourites (and lover, allegedly), and the Empress gave Potemkin the land and the title of Prince of Tauridia for his services in conquering ancient Tauridia (now the Crimean Peninsula). The Tauride Garden was landscaped in true Romantic style, designed to imitate nature, with ponds and canals and picturesque rolling landscape. Trees and shrubs were brought in especially from England.
And just for the fun of it, here are a few more photos of St. Petersburg.
A couple of weekends ago, I tore apart my office. It wasn't something I had on my 'to do' list but it had been bothering me for awhile. The issues I had with my office were that I didn't have enough drawer space to organize my odds and ends and it was feeling a bit stagnant and dreary. You can go here to see the original remodel. So my goal was to brighten it up while also finding ways to improve organization. I stole the dresser from the guest house (one of the first antiques I bought when I lived in Maine) because the desk drawers alone weren't enough to hold office supplies, stationary, telephone books, all my inspiration photos from magazines, my various three-ring binders, etc. The extra drawer space has completely transformed the function of the office!
I converted this antique picture frame into a mirror to help brighten up this corner of the room. That little door you see in the reflection of the mirror is a small closet where I keep our old, and very ugly, filing cabinet.
I made two purchases: the sisal rug and another slip covered armchair from IKEA. I like this armchair because it's easy to pick up and move, which makes working on the computer with Hubby a lot easier to do.
I stole the Matisse nude (which doesn't show up very well in this photo) from the salon wall in the den!
I also finally found a place for this little Eastlake wall cubby. I picked this up years ago but never really figured out what to do with it. Now I have it by the door for outgoing mail.
In effort to make this space feel brighter, I gathered up all my marble collections (the lamps and the bird baths), as well as this old alabaster ash tray. I'll use it as a holder for thumb tacts. So that's what I've done! No big changes really, I mostly just recycled items we already had. Oh, and one of my favorite new changes to my office, is having the horse painting on my desk. It's one of my most beloved paintings and I just love the companionship those four beautiful horses offer.
While looking for fun, free art for my new gallery wall, I discovered a few great places to print beautiful art, typography and even maps! And I just couldn't keep all the goods from you, so get your pen and paper ready (oh, wait, does anybody do that anymore? Get your Pinterest pinner ready, then!), for some awesome, free stuff! 1. Sprik Space
I mentioned that I printed off these two adorable prints from Sprik Space for my gallery wall, but these aren't the only ones Aimee has! Be sure to go on over and take a look at her super cute printables- and tell her we sent you. 2. The Graphics Fairy
Ok, admittedly, you have to do some digging on this site to find the hidden gems like this vintage french label, or this gorgeous peacock print. But luckily, all the printables are categorized, so if you know what you're looking for, you're in luck! 3. Feed Your Soul: The Free Art Project
I think this site is my favorite yet for free printable art. Don't ask me why I put it third on my list- it's late and I'm tired, so leave me alone.; ) The art is quirky and clever and definitely a touch modern. They have a few prints that would be perfect for a nursery or children's room, but I would put a whole bunch of them up in my house. Listen to what Jane says her reason for starting this site is: "I love art and I know you do too. I also know that when people start to tighten up the purse strings they tend not spend money on things that aren’t necessary for survival, things like books, magazines and art. But, art is important for your soul. It helps rejuvenate, it’s thought-provoking, offers inspiration and can generally brighten an otherwise dreary day among other things." Well said, Jane, and we thank you from the bottom of our art-loving hearts. 4. New York City Public Library
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Did you know that the New York Public Library has a digital gallery of over 700,000 images taken from their vast collections? I found this old print of Pennsylvania from 1830 with just a simple search.Browse to your heart's content and I'm sure you'll find a inspiration for art. 5. Leanne's Printable Quotes
This is not a site that regularly features free printables (at least not to my knowledge), but in this post there are several simple designs that would make great cards (for Valentine's Day, maybe?), art prints, or anything else you can think of. Where's your favorite place to get free printables? I shared mine with you- now it's your turn!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I can't stop looking at the Hymn & Folk Song collection by Red Letter Words! Today I'm smitten with this:
I sing this regularly to my kids and so it these prints make me happy. I love the set of three prints- something a bit different than the norm!
