Due our extra long and very snowy winter, today is my first day working in the yard. There is much work to be done. The front yard flower border that was still under snow last week.
Even though I work at a furniture store and receive an employee discount, I don't purchase many home accents or accessories at work mostly because I like to go vintage. This iron rooster is a recent purchase from the store.
Shirley Temple Black was 85 years old on April 23rd. I saw this on the news and remembered I had these paper dolls. When my Mom was downsizing she sent these paper dolls over in a bag of memorabilia and collectibles. These paper dolls are not really that old. Copyright 1988. I think these are the only paper dolls I have right now.
Here's what I have found thrifting and junking lately... An old breadboard with a great vintage patina for $2. The sales lady said to me, " I wouldn't cut bread on it ". I won't either but great for display!
The red Christmas pew is now Dover White. It's a Valspar paint mix of a Sherwin Williams color. I am so sick of looking at dirty snow, (melting waaaayyyy too slowly this year) that I am leaving it pristine white for now. No distressing or antiquing.
I love Laura's blog Finding Home. She has the coolest antiques scattered all over her beautiful home, and the best gallery walls . If you haven't taken the home tour on Laura's blog, I highly suggest it. I collect vintage kitchen utensils, (among other things!). I display them in the kitchen. In a pitcher. Or in an old wooden box.
Even if I haven't been able to enjoy the outdoors yet due to the all the snow here in Minnesota, I sure have had fun thrifting and shopping lately. I found the old sink potting bench last week, and the old toaster and manual wringer last weekend. This week my Mom was bringing this into a consignment shop to sell, but I stopped her. She was going to sell it for $25. I took it home with me. It is a Kogol children's reversible easel chalkboard. My Mom bought some things to re-sell from a local lady who was downsizing. The lady told her it was 70 years old.
A couple months ago I under watered my Baby's Tears houseplant, and killed it. I found this very healthy and bigger Baby's Tears down town, and bought it.
Over ten years ago, maybe even fifteen, I wanted a potting bench. Most of the potting benches that I looked at in catalogs were over $250. This just was not in my family of five budget. I saw a pine workbench kit in the local Menard's flyer. My husband wasn't on board with the idea from the beginning, but the price was great at $39. I stained it with deck stain after it was assembled. The boards in the kit had some seconds but that just added to the charm of my workbench/potting bench. This was my potting bench early summer 2010.
The snow is really lingering here in northern Minnesota... Cold temps keep the snow cover in place, while new snowstorms continue to roll across the north land dumping new snowfall. It's hard not to be a little or a lot depressed. I want to get out to my flower beds (or at least see them). It has been a long winter, and a cold and snow filled winter. We need some heat. We need some green. In an attempt to "think" spring, I put together a springy non-Easter vignette in my kitchen.
This photo was taken this afternoon at my house. The temperatures have been so cold that our snow cover is taking forever to melt. And, it has been snowing very lightly on and off all day. I'm hoping for the best!
I am in love with chairs. Big ones, small ones, old ones, ornate ones, shabby ones and unusual ones. I love to use them both inside and out as decorations, and not for sitting! Using a chair can be a simple as adding a potted plant...
I have shared a couple of posts from our bedroom recently, so you know that we have a hunting and fishing theme in the master. Come on in and see the whole room... This photo is taken from the doorway into the bedroom. You can see the painted chest and our double closets.