Vintage Inspired Memories

It is Friday, and a Vintage Inspiration Friday, at that!  I haven't played along in awhile.  Crazy times of late....adjusting to new schedules and such.  However, I was going through some old photos in my computer hoping for something to inspire me and thought I would plug them in and play along.  I know you've seen them before, but I just couldn't help myself.

They are all from the Country Living Fair I went to this past October in Stone Mountain Park, Georgia.  They are coming back this coming October as well.  I'll get the 3-day pass this time so I can relax, take my time, enjoy it at a slower pace, shop, shop, and shop some more!

Spring wishes to you all! 

VIF, Early Birthday Present, Little Changes to Come

I received an early birthday present from my husband last Sunday when he said to me, "I think I'm going to make your potting bench today."  I said, "Really???"  He said, "Yes!"  I said, "Okay!  My only request is that we only use material we have on-hand and not buy anything."  Off to work we went....

I stumbled across an old iron country kitchen sink a while back.  And when I say "stumbled across" I mean I saw one in someone's trash pile, made a quick u-turn, and asked my strapping son of 23 to "Quick...throw that in the back of the truck!"  Okay.....I'm not proud!!  The owner of the house in which we raided her trash pile even gave her blessing!!  So off I ran with a very cool sink. 

A day or two of hearing "What are you going to do with that thing?" from my son and husband had me envisioning a lovely potting bench. Truth be said, I never even got a good look at it. My son put it face down in my truck. It went face-down in a cart in the backyard by the shop. It went face-down in the yard while my husband and I worked on bench. Little did I know that it needed a good scrubbing. Of course it did....why wouldn't it?

Okay....back to Sunday. Here are pictures:

One can't get started without the proper
foreman.  My Kloe-Angel was really the
one in charge!

Scrap wood from building the chicken coops,
hen houses, and sunroom was used.

I had to stop Mr. Handy Hubby before
he got too far so I could paint!

Leftover exterior house paint. 
Brushes already on-hand.

One of two cast iron brackets/corbels.
I've had these for a few years now.
I.love.them.
My husband does not as they each
EASILY weigh 150 pounds!
What in the world could they have been
originally used for??
(Did I tell you I.love.them???)

This is my worst-off stained glass window....
(did that make sense??)
one I would not be too upset over seeing it age
some more being out in the weather.  Plus I liked
the green panes with the green paint.
I did put some clear poly on it to seal it a bit though.

It had to be moved into its new position
before we could tackle adding the brackets and
sink.  That cool backsplash is actually the
footboard of a bed I bought during my first
trip to Maine several years ago.  I use the
headboard in my son's room, but have had
this out in the garden.  I happened to walk by it
while we were out there and said, "Hey...I have a
great idea!"  It is absolutely perfect!!!

Sink in place and looking exactly as I had
hoped.  Gracie is giving it a once-over.
We had to make one purchase....the metal
bands that are holding up the brackets.
Not bad!

And here she is....
my beautiful New/Old/Vintage Potting Bench.

Some lovelies from the garden....roses, rosemary in bloom,
marjoram, and a jalapeno pepper.

Every night I go out there just to gaze at this lovely creation.  I can't wait for this weekend to start so I can continue tweeking it.  I want to add more old brass hose nozzles (as I collect more over time) to the top shelf and collect old watering cans (to join the lovely plastic one) to add to the bottom.  I have another storage container that is housing still more pots and supplies.  That will all be added as well.  Then at some point, I will actually put a stopper in the sink, pour a bag of potting soil in it, and pot something!  How cool will that be???

And with that....I am linking to Debra's Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday!!  Please stop in to see her beautiful Valentine's Day inspired porch.  I am in love with the bulbs in the red/white transferware.

As for the little changes to come....I'm making a few changes to my blog page with the help of Karen Valentine.  I've been wanting to make some changes here and there now that I've lived here in this room for a little while.  That's what we designers do, right....rearrange and then rearrange again?  Who better to give this tech-challenged blogger some pointers than Karen, who did my page design in the first place.  So I've started cleaning house a bit to make some room.  Please let me know your thoughts as you start seeing the changes.  I value your opinion!
Wonderful weekend wishes to you!!

Late to the Party!

I hope I'm not too late!  This day has truly gotten away from me. I knew if I didn't stop everything right now and get this post out, it would not happen today.  I've been really enjoying linking up to Debra's Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday.  I love seeing everyone's inspiration and have met many new friends as a result.  And this evening I'm experiencing some computer....well, let's call them "challenges" as I keep losing my connection.  So really....I hope I'm not too late.....

I found this old secretary top a few years ago and initally planned to sell it.  Uhhhh...that won't be happening now.  (Tell me I'm not the only one who does this!!) It is truly one of my favorite pieces.  I am pleased to finally have found a place where I can really enjoy it.  When we enclosed our back porch last summer and made it the sunroom, the perfect spot opened up.  I don't know how old it is, but I do know that it is old.  She came complete with this old chippy painted iron fish tank stand (that I really should spray with a clear coat).  I think they make a perfect match.

Here she is...in her own special corner.
I love the leaded glass windows as a
complement.

There are a few more things stuffed
into this basket by now.

It is home to my art supplies.
That sound funny to me.
I have never thought of myself as someone
who has art supplies, but
here they are, nonetheless.

This is what I found once I started sanding.
It was just what I had wanted to add so I did nothing
but a little more cleaning and sanding.
I love it!

This is truly my favorite spot in the house.

I've shared these pics in an old post, but they spoke to me again today as vintage inspiration.  My sunroom has really evolved with the addition of a small vintage kitchen work table as my little desk and lots more "art supplies."  I'm thinking of adding it to the new Gypsy Brocante porch party.  Have you visited Jill before?  Love her style so much!  I so wish I could get away with wearing her style, which is so my style as well, every day.  How would the women in their business suits at my work react to that????  I have been told that I have a "style" before.  I say, "Really?"  Hmmmm....interesting.  I'll have to ponder that some more.

Many wonderful weekend wishes, my dear bloggy friends!

Dish Love

I love dishes.  I could truly use a different set of dishes every day.  I find myself always looking for little pieces to add to collections that I love.  For years I have collected pink Depression glass.  My mom has a extensive collection of green Depression glass in the apple blossom pattern.  Personally, I love to mix-and-match all the pink patterns.  Loving green as I do though, I would like to start adding a couple of green pieces here and there.  However, I really love green jadeite. (There is that word love again....I think I need to get the Thesaurus out!!) I am very proud of the few pieces I have collected.  All bowls so far....cereal, mixing and batter.  Love them!!  And to all of that, add my fondness of transferware....both brown and green.  These are just little ongoing collections that I like to mix in with my regular dishes.  I really do use my things.  I'm not one to just collect and gaze upon them.  Why buy it if you're not going to use it....I say.  That theory works for me, at least. 

I believe I got this adoration of dishes honestly.  My mother has quite a collection herself.  Books and dishes..two loves I have gotten from her.  OH....and shoes!!  (Don't get me started on those lovelies.)

So to join in with Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday, I proudly introduce to you (in no apparent order) just a few of my growing collections of dishes.

My lovely jadeite.  It is an expensive collection
to start, so I only get a piece or two a year, it seems.
And the little green glass juice pitcher is a favorite
of mine.  I don't know if it is truly Depression
glass, but it matters not to me.

Can you believe how beautiful this brown
transferware pitcher is?  My mother gave it to me
for Christmas this year.  It is safe and sound
living on my chest of drawers in my room.

Brown transferware plates....also a gift from
my mother.  Beautiful!

I've shared this bargain green transferware platter
in a previous post.  Love it so much, it had to
be repeated.

A smattering of my pink Depression glass of
random patterns.

And some more.....just a sampling.
I use these pieces extensively.

For years I admired this pattern at
Williams-Sonoma.  Finally, one year it
went on clearance.  I bought this lovely veggie dish,
four dinner plates, and four salad plates.
Little did I know that it was on clearance because
they were dropping the pattern.  Bummer!
No worries though....I'll just mix it with other
patterns as I collect them.  I like that look better anyway.

So yes....it kind of looks like I have collectoritis.  Where to put it all in this little cottage?  Much of it is stored in this lovely vintage piece. 

I love, love, love this pantry!!

Thank you, Debra, for hosting your 21st Vintage Inspiration Friday.  I'm so happy to play along.

I send my best wishes to all for a great upcoming weekend.  There is an art show at City Place this weekend that I want to take in, a yoga day at the ampitheatre that I'd like to walk through, an appointment with a client and the tile/granite installer to start going over plans for her new bathroom (much more on that very soon....what an awesome project I am working on!), and I'm sure my family would like to see me stay home and do some laundry!  Maybe I can morph into Wonder Woman and get to do it all!