8.31.2011

Vintage French White Shoe

Hi Everyone
Happy Wednesday

This Little White French  iron shoe is the culprit
When I bought it in Paris little did I know that more
little vintage shoes were going to be coming home with me

It has such adorable details 
{Love}
the chippy shabby condition
I walked by and asked how much it was{ trying to figure out the dollar exchange in my head} then put it down and walked away a few minutes later I walked back searching for it I was so happy it was still there 

Yes there are more 
Our children's baby shoes
{sigh}
Can you see the difference between our sons huge bronze shoe and our daughters little
bronze shoe
a sentimental treasure
so grateful we captured a moment in time 

This Children's wooden shoe form
says Mommoth Spring, Arkansas
you'll never guess where I found it
{the perfect souvenir}

A green celluloid  child's shoe form it is
the prettiest color 
My Wonderful Husband found it for me
The little child size forms are hard to find

Its fun to see them all grouped together
they almost look like they might march right off the table
 One little white vintage shoe started a brand new passion

linking for

romantic saying for today
"You hooked my heart and made me so grateful to be caught by your love"
Arlene Levine

Pam

8.29.2011

Halloween Decorating

Hi Everyone
Happy Monday

 Holiday decorating  seems to start earlier and earlier every year
There are Halloween decorations already in the stores
I even spotted a few Christmas items.
Yikes
Time to get busy....

This is a picture of our mantel from last years Halloween
 {Love}
to decorate with white pumpkins and vintage treasures   

Are you like me having a difficult time with the idea that
summer is over
and fall is almost here


The leaves are starting to change on the big tree in our front yard

It looks like fall  but it still  feels like summer here today it will be warm and 85 degrees
perfect beach weather


{Love}
this beautiful tree



Our Tree  knows its time for fall


This is just the beginning of the leaves on the lawn
soon there will be piles of leaves to play with


 It's Time to get the decorations down from the rafters
Feeling Blessed and Grateful
for the weather here in California
and sending prayers for friends and family on the East coast
Be sure and check back to see how I decorate the house this year with white for Halloween

linking for
Show off your Cottage Monday

romantic saying for today

"May you hold hands, hearts and laugh with delight"
Benita Glickman


Pam

8.27.2011

The Mermaids Mercantile

Hi Everyone
Happy Weekend

I am joining some amazing friends  this Sunday August 28 at the
~Mermaids Mercantile~
selling vintage treasures
from 10-5
It is held at Out of the Blue in Solana Beach
315 South Cedros Avenue
Solana Beach, Ca 92075

Hope to see you there
come join in all of the fun


romantic saying for today
"Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day in the year"
Ralph Waldo Emerson


Pam

8.25.2011

Vintage Tin Molds

Hi Everyone
Happy Friday
I had a few friends over for tea  yesterday
♥ 

 I wanted to keep the cream cold so
I put this large vintage tin mold in the freezer and just before everyone arrived
I grabbed it and set the cream pitcher in the tin mold
It worked so well keeping the cream very cold

 I have to admit I have a passion for sugar cubes
They are so cute and of coarse my favorite color
white


 I put a few 
sugar cubes 
in the smaller tin mold
and tea bags in the other tin mold



 The vintage tin molds were a big hit




{Love}
that the mold kept the cream so cold

It is fun to have friends over and catch up
now that the kids are back at school
 and
fun to have tea in beautiful vintage tea cups and saucers too

romantic saying for today
"Love must be as much a light as it is a flame"
Henry David Thoreau


Pam

8.24.2011

White Bedroom



 Hi Everyone
Happy Wednesday

This is our daughters room in Texas.
She is renting a wonderful old house with 3
friends for her Junior year of College.

 We had one week 
to furnish her room.
Bed, mattress, desk, chairs
everything
The shopping was fast and furious We found this vintage tin top table at the antique mall
We both fell in
{Love}
with the wonderful green patina and the one slightly bowed leg
The house has the most beautiful original hard wood floors
and look at this fun detail
a special spot for the phone
too cute
Old Houses are so interesting!!!

Her room turned out just like her beautiful, fun, feminine and full of
{Love}


Her bed is white fluffy and comfy
There is one small closet for all of her stuff
Really Did they not have clothes in those days?


Here is the cute little Texas house
amazing that the grass is green with 
over 40 days of over 100 degree temperatures

{Love}
the vintage tile in the bathroom


 Here I am a self portrait to show you that
this California girl has been bitten by the Texas bug
I am still wearing my Texas cowgirl boots




Self portraits are difficult
This was my first try with my daughter on the phone giving me instructions
Kids can do this so well
I actually thought I was getting the boots in the picture
and I managed to get the messy closet instead Yikes

I am so happy she is happy and doing great
a part of my heart is still in Texas 
Y"All


linking for White Wednesday
and Wayfaring Wednesday
and Home Decor and Organizing 
Wow us Wednesday


romantic saying for today
"She soars on her own wings"
Socrates



Pam

8.23.2011

Vintage White Ironstone Mark

Hi Everyone
Happy Tuesday

The mark on a vintage treasure is an important
way to find out who, when and where a piece was made

Two Wonderful followers have asked me
  if the
~Ironstone~
  they found are true vintage treasures
 If you look closely at the two marks above
you will see a difference
although at first glance they look  very similar

The first mark tells you
It is Royal Ironstone China
Made by Johnston Brothers in England
early 1883
The second mark 
 is Royal Ironstone China
Made by Alfred Meakin in England 
it is from 
1883-1913 
Both pieces have the mark of a valuable vintage treasure

This mark is ironstone
by Staffordshire made in England
from 1890

This is  Mason  Ironstone ware company Mark
from 1815


White Ironstone was first patented in July 1813 by Charles Mason
{Love}
the description
"as hard and durable as iron"



These marks are just some of the many marks found  on White Ironstone
and sometimes the mark has worn off completely
So my advice is don't be afraid to buy Vintage White Ironstone but if you can check the mark on the base
 you may have found a real vintage treasure too
I have been collecting White Ironstone for so long 
and I still get excited when I find a new piece 
 Love the old and the new 
White Ironstone
here is a mark of new Ironstone


romantic saying for today

"You have bewitched me body and soul and I Love you"
Jane Austen



Pam

8.22.2011

Thank You HGTV.com

Hi Everyone
Happy Monday

Do you know what these are called
They are
~cupolas~

A great way to add a cottage feel to a home 

 Cupolas come in many shapes and sizes
 {Love}
the look
a great topper for a house
This one is similar to our cupola
simple and pretty
I was surprised to find out that they are not just ornamental
It looks so cute sitting on
top of our house
the birds have discovered it too and love sitting on it
do you see our dog Finley in the window


Cupolas are a wonderful  cottage design addition
they also serve a purpose
providing air circulation to help release heat in the warm summer months
and prevent mildew as well
{Love}
our vintage cupola is a favorite treasure
they are hard to find



A Big Thank You  to HGTV.com for including
White Ironstone Cottage
in their  Shabby Chic style guide
you can visit the site
~click here~
so grateful 



romantic saying for today
"Love seeks to make happy rather than to be happy"
Ralph Connor



Pam

8.20.2011

Simple Kitchen

 Hi Everyone
Happy Weekend

  Excited to show you the amazing treasures I found in Texas
Look at  this large white enamelware milk carrier 
I  couldn't wait to put it in the kitchen with roses
Friends are coming over tonight for a Party
It's the perfect container for a dozen roses


   Pink roses look great in the vintage white milk carrier
{Love}
the wooden handle and the  top
 When I spotted this enamel piece I knew it would look great with flowers in it
 it holds a lot of water for thirsty roses !!
It is large and has just the perfect amount of
vintage chippy rusty charm to it

 The rusty tin top


Our simple kitchen has a big window over the sink
here is the view


Hot air balloons
floating across the sky


Pretty and so  peaceful
{Love}
our simple kitchen

romantic saying for today

"Joys are most truly experienced when they are fully shared"
 Leland Wood

Pam

8.18.2011

Our Bed

Hi Everyone
Happy Thursday

A few months ago My wonderful Husband said
we could get a new bed
We have had the same bed frame since our wedding day
25 years ago
I started shopping for the perfect  new one
 {Love}
the gray  headboard in the photo above
{Love}
the shape of this white headboard
{Love}
this bed look at the heart on the headboard
So after looking at all of these and shopping like crazy I found a bed that I really loved
and I ordered it
I bought new mattresses, sheets , bedspread and a bed skirt
I was excited but there was something sad about it too
I wasn't as happy or excited about the new bed like I thought I would be
In fact I started thinking about our bed and all of the memories that are attached to it old and new 
I started mourning the loss of our old bed!!!!!
Really?
I know it sounds ridiculous


The day came when the new bed arrived 
It was pretty , it was simple, it was white, it was a king size bed
old bed is queen size

You are going to think I am crazy but we decided to send the new bed back
We still
{Love}
our old bed it may not be as beautiful as the beds above
or the new bed we ordered but it is full of love and memories that are precious
So I am happy and grateful and I am sure you are all thinking I am nuts !!
It's funny how something so simple can mean so much
 I am so Happy
My Husband is happy too He said he likes me close to him at night and
the king sized bed  had too much room and made us too far apart from each other!!!
sigh 
I Love that man

 I am a romantic at heart 
romantic saying for today
"Heaven on Earth is  perfect unconditional Love for another"
unknown


Pam