Happy Spring and New Furnishings

I always love when daffodils are for sale at the beginning of spring.   They are so bright and sunny!   We had a very long, cold, snowy winter here in New England so it's so nice to start to see some signs of spring.

We also have added some new furniture pieces to our dining room.   Previously, we only had the dining room table Nick built, but it's a large room and it was feeling very empty.   Plus, I really needed storage in there.   I had been keeping all my linens, runners and napkins upstairs in the guest room, which really wasn't convenient when setting the table for guests.   

We had been searching on craigslist and at the Habit for Humanity Restore for a few months without much luck.  We eventually found a vendor who had 10,000 sq. of vintage and antique furniture.  Surely, we would find something there!  And boy did we!  We almost bought a different hutch but when Nick went to pick up the furniture the next day the vendor had just got in a matching mahogany hutch and buffet.  Both were in amazing shape and we immediately switch to buy both pieces.   The hutch was exactly what we were looking for, something with enough display space and not too ornate.  The buffet provided the perfect amount of storage.   The mahogany was just so beautiful, hardly a single scratch.   I think they are from the 1940's or 50's based on similar pieces I found online.  Unfortunately, neither piece had a markers mark.   

In the buffet the silverware drawers, lined with velvet, were the perfect size for my napkin rings!

We still have to sand and assemble our church pew seating, hopefully we will finish that in the next few weeks.   I also want to find a rug to break up all the wood.   Between the furniture, floors and molding, it's a little too much.   At least the daffodils are providing some much needed color for now!

Fall Vintage Finds

Unfortunately, due to selling our old house and getting moved in our new one we didn't make it to Todd Farm as much as we wanted this year.   However, we did cram in one visit in October after we moved in.

My favorite purchase was two owl andirons.   As soon as I saw them I was obsessed!  They are from the 1920's and made by the Rostand Manufacturing Company of Milford, CT.    Unlike many of their counterparts, ours are missing their glass eyes (which glow when the fire light hits them).   That was ok with us because I think they look almost more haunting eyeless.   We were able to snatch them up for $55 which seems like a pretty good deal since I have found many online for $250-1,000.   Even with the lack of eyes I think they are likely worth at least double what we paid.

We also found a beautiful handmade quilt.  After some research online, I believe it's a Cathedral Window pattern.  Best part was it was only $50.  It's amazing to think of the time it must have took to cut out and sew on each individual diamond shape.    Based on the fabric colors and patterns I think it would date from the 1960's but I'm not sure.    Since we have two rambunctious dogs who like to sleep on beds, we decided it would be best to display it on the wall in our 2nd guest room (future nursery one day) to keep it safe.    All we did was put up an extra long curtain rod and draped the quilt over it.   Now we just need new bedding for the bed. 

We also found a set of Pyrex Primary Color mixing bowls.   My mom has a set and I have always loved them (actually I pretty much love anything that is Pyrex).   The set was in great condition with no chips or major scratches.    The bowls are not numbered on the bottom which from what I have read may mean they are an earlier set from the 1940's.   We got them for $40 which I thought was bargain.

Lastly, we snatched up a $10 blue and white wool blanket and $25 cast iron Christmas tree stand (it came in handy with our two trees this year).   Counting down until it's flea market season again!

Winding up the light

Since we renovated our kitchen we have wanted to update the lighting.   When we first moved into our house we did remove the old 90's style canister track light and replaced it with a brushed nickel and glass light.    It served us fine but we wanted something more unique.   Originally, we were planning to make a light out of ball mason jars, yet when we came across this item at a local junk store it screamed "make me into a light fixture".    It is an antique yarn winder,  I'm guessing industrial because to be honest I haven't found anything that looks close to it on the internet.  It might not even be a yarn winder, that is just what the dealer thought.  The best part, it was only $25.

My husband was able to remove the iron rod that went through each of the winders to add the wiring, light socket and bulb.   He has become quite handy with these types of projects.  

I love how it came out, especially the interesting shadow it casts!

Buy now, no regrets later...

Read a sign at Todd's Farm this past weekend.   I wish I had followed it.  There were two Witney Point wool blankets, a mint green and pink one, in excellent condition.  I saw them as soon as we drove in and knew I had to stop to  see how much they were.   The woman was selling them for $125 for the pair (she wouldn't split them up, "they belong together" as she put it).   My husband didn't quite understand why I was so obsessed with the blankets and didn't think it was worth spending the money.   Until later when I was showing him Witney Point blankets online for $150-200 a piece.   By the time we were ready to leave I had convinced him we should buy them... and sadly they had sold.    So here I sit regretting not buying the blankets.

Here is the same pink one for sale on ebay...sigh.

The day wasn't completely filled with regrets.  We did find buy a few items inspired by a bird bath we bought at a craft fair over the weekend.  Here is a little preview of our project.    

Nick had bought some vintage car advertisements from LIFE and LOOK magazine as well as a very cool Christmas themed Master Charge ad.

We also bought an oil painting by an artist named Jacallo, all I can find on him is that he was a German Expressionist painter.   I loved it and my husband thought it was "cool".  He told me that it reminded him of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, which I'm not sure is good or bad.  Its a little dark but I really like the colors in it and the subject matter.  We saw it originally the day before but decided to think about it.  Luckily it was still there today (I really need to learn my lesson to "buy now").   We might hang it in our foyer or in the hallway heading into the "man cave". 

Sunday Morning Antiquing - July 15th

Last Sunday we went over to Todd Farm, in hopes of finding two more dining room chairs.   We left empty handed as far as chairs but did find this mint green shabby chic shelf with two ornate cast iron brackets.   I actually found the same brackets on ebay for five times what we paid for the shelf so I think I got a pretty good deal.

After Todd Farm we stopped at another nearby flea market/ antique store.  One of the vendors was having a 40% moving sale in the antique store so we scored two great finds.    We also saw a chair there that would have been perfect for our dining room table, it almost matched the style of the other chairs we have purchased - plus it was only $8 on sale!  Unfortunately, there was only one not two so we passed.   

My husband really loved this metal and glass lantern.  Not sure where we can put it yet, we were thinking of taking the outdoors in and hanging it in our guest bedroom.

Lastly, we purchased this sweet little rocking horse wooden hanging.  I think it would be so charming in a nursery someday.  I was even thinking you could paint the baby's name on it.

Four Chairs Down... Two More to Go.

Ever since we found the white distressed dining room table at Brimfield we have been on the hunt for chairs.   A few weeks ago as my husband was returning from a day of fishing in Newburyport when he spotted 4 vintage chairs at a yard sale.  The chairs were exactly what we were looking for.   They were not too ornate or to large (we have a very small dining room).   The best part was the claw and ball front legs!

I had just received my June issue of Country Living and the cover image became our inspiration.   We wanted to bring some color into the room so we decided to go with a slate blue similar to the one on the cover.   We still need to find two end chairs, which we plan on spray painting yellow.    I have also been looking at fabric to reupholster.    

via Country Living

The table we purchased at Brimfield.

Weekend Laundry and Cooking

A few weeks ago I went home to see my parents for Father's Day weekend.    My mom and I of course had to do some shopping.   She took me to this adorable consignment store in town.  The whole store is set up as if it was a living room/ dining room with items laid out on coffee tables and end tables. There were couches with pillows and blankets and hutches filled with dishes and vases.   It was so fun to look around because everything almost blended in so you wanted to make sure you didn't miss anything.

As soon as I saw this antique laundry drying rack I loved it.    I actually wasn't quite sure at first what it was.  It was in excellent condition and has this very ornate detail on the hinge and brass caps at the end of each wood rod.    I have looked on ebay and esty and found similar ones that were not as ornate or in as good of shape.   I'm thinking of putting it in my laundry room once we refinish it or my dad suggested it would look nice in our bathroom.

The drying rack is stamped with a patent date of Sept. 12 1871.     I looked into the patent further,  it was filled by Osgood Plummer of Worchester, Mass. as an improvement to the towel rack.    Below is the patent drawing and description.  

On our way out I noticed this mint green enamel dutch oven and I just had to have it as well.   My mom mentioned it looked like something either a relative on my dad or her side had but she couldn't remember who.    We soon got the answer when I got back to my parent's house, where above their cabinets was a tea kettle from the same maker in blue from my father's grandmother.   My dad said I could have the tea kettle since it went with the dutch oven.     I researched a bit more and found both are Dru Holland enamelware, made in Holland.    The company went out of business in the 1970's.    Yellow Dru Holland is the oldest, from the 1930's, and considered more rare.   The blue is from the 1950's.    I'm guessing the mint green is from the 1940's or 60's but haven't been able to confirm yet.   I will definitely have to make a trip back to the store next time I am in town.  

 

Brimfield Antique Show 2012

I have been wanting to go to Brimfield the last few years (ever since I found out it existed),  unfortunately in past years we have always had prior commitments on the weeks it was held.   This year I was bound and determined to go.    We took off 2 days of work but was disappointed when I saw the forecast of torrential rain for Tuesday.    We decided to stay inside and work on our upstairs bathroom renovation (before and afters coming soon!) and go see the Avengers (which I actually really liked, except for when the 3-D effects made me a bit motion sick!).     I kept my fingers crossed that Wednesday it would clear up.   The next morning it was overcast but the percent chance of rain was down.   We headed off with extra clothes and umbrellas packed.

It worked out perfectly going during the week on a rainy day because it was probably far less packed then it would have been if it was a beautiful sunny day.    I was completely overwhelmed by how much amazing stuff was at the show.   It was probably a good thing since it stopped me from spending a ton of money.    I kept wanting to see more before I made any decisions,  what if there was something every more exciting at the next vendor?

We did manage to come away with a few things:

This really cool square glass jar lamp which we will be putting up over our sink in our kitchen

The metal buckets actually have a hook on the back so you can hang them over a fence post.  Can't wait to find some beautiful overhanging flowers to put in them.  

Porcelain drawer knobs for the desk we are refinishing.  We bought 2 of each color (green, blue and cream) since each drawer on the desk has 2 spots for the knobs.   The blue one is my favorite.  The best part was they were only $5 for all 6.  

A new dining room table!   We do love our current table and its only a few years old, the problem is its height.   It is a pub table and we have noticed how difficult the chairs are to get into for our older relatives.   Plus normal size chairs are too low so we can never have more than 6 people at the table at any given time (there is a hidden leaf so it gets much bigger than in the image below).  

We really loved the white distressed look of the new table and the detail on the base.  Plus it has 2 leaves instead of 1 so we should be able to fit 8 or more people easily.   Now we just need to find some chairs... a lot of chairs.