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.  

 

Roses of June

Today is my 30th birthday!  My husband and I took the day off and got a couples massage and went out to dinner.   Originally, my husband had planned a sunset hot air balloon ride, which would have been amazing if it had not rained!  We rescheduled for July, I can't wait!

I also shared a birthday month with my late Grandmother.   She passed down to me two "June" items, a beautiful Royal Albert china teacup and saucer, and a rose painted on a piece of slate.   Both feature the flower of the month, roses (which also happen to my favorite flower - next to lilacs and peonies).

A few of the roses in my garden.   

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."

-  L. M. Montgomery

Salvation Army Desk - Before and After

A few months ago we bought a desk for only $39 at a Salvation Army store.   We have finally finished sanding and staining the desk.   The stain is Misson Oak by Minxax and we love how the darker finish makes the desk look more modern.

We added the porcelain knobs we bought at Brimfield!   We are debating keeping it (we really liked how it came out) or selling it.

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.  

1st Yard Sale Finds of the 2012 Season

Last weekend my husband and I were running some errands when we drove by a yard sale.  The vintage toy peddle cards caught his attention and we turned around to stop by.

The person had a lot of great vintage toys and smalls.   We didn't ended up buying one of the peddle cars but left with a couple of new treasures:

A sweet little brass bird paperweight was only $5 and my favorite find.   There are no marks on it so I'm not sure how old it is or where it may have come from.

Two cast iron train passenger cars were $10 each.  One has 402 and the other 403.   I have found similar ones on ebay but not sure who makes the train set yet.  

My husband loved this vintage wooden Great American Flying Machine ride on plane for $20.   

Another one of my husband's finds a cast iron golf coin bank for $20.  The man thought it might be a re-production but still from mid-century.   I'll have to do more research on this one.

Anyways pretty great finds for a yard sale we happened to stumble on.  

Lovely Lilacs

It is one of my favorite times of the year right now,  when the Lilacs are in bloom!   I absolutely love the smell of lilacs (still hunting for a lilac scented perfume!).   We have a few lilacs we have planted in our yard but they are still young and don't really produce any flowers yet.   Our neighbors, however, have huge lilac bushes whose branches reach over the fence into our yard.   Each spring I always go out and secretly clip a few of the flowers.   The neighbor actually mentioned to my husband that they want to cut the bushes down,  to which he said we would gladly take them.   Hopefully we can replant them in our yard so I can enjoy them even more.    One of their bushes even has the deep purple lilacs that you don't see as often!