Tole Trays

Tole trays have been on my list of favorite collectibles for about 15 years. I've bought and sold many over the years and I thought I would share some of my favorites today.

 What is a tole tray?  Tole painting dates to the 18th century and is thought to have begun in Scandinavia. Traditionally tole trays are metal and painted matte black and then painted with colorful flowers and fruit. They also have a strong folk art influence and sometimes depict birds and animals.

 The trays are made in a variety of shapes including rectangular,

 oval, round, and scalloped or Chippendale.

My favorites have a pierced border.

 Gilding is also frequently used on the edges or in the body of the design. 

 I've never seen another tray like this with it's charming colonial horseback rider.
Doesn't he look jaunty with his sword, horn and bright blue cap?

 This tray isn't an authentic tole piece because it's not handpainted, 

but I still think it's gorgeous! 

 I use trays in virtually every room of the house. I love the way they anchor a vignette.

 I also use them as wall art, because they are truly works of art!

I keep this one on the coffee table in my family room as a catch all.

You can find tole trays in many antique stores at very reasonable prices.

Happy hunting!


I'll be joining
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Fall Open House Party
Show and Tell Friday
Potpourri Friday
Share the Love Wednesday 
Wow Us Wednesday
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Open House Party
Time Travel Thursday
Tabletop Thursday

Before and After Silver Chest

I found this old silverware chest at a thrift shop this week. Yuk! But for only $1 I thought it was worth experimenting with.

 I applied an undercoat of leftover cream colored paint  then a second coat of one of Martha Stewart's paint samples in Wheat. The little sample pots are only about $3 and come with a paint brush on the lid - like nail polish. 
They are great for experimenting with.

 Next, a little distressing and application of one of the Graphic Fairies images. I like the technique of printing onto a sheet of leftover address label paper. In other words, once you've used up all of the labels you're left with a sheet of waxy paper.Print your image onto that with your inkject printer (reverse it if there is lettering.) then dry the ink with a blow dryer. Tape your paper ink side down on the surface and rub on with a bone folder or  credit card, then carefully lift off. I then spray the surface with a clearcoat sealer.

It made for a nice little trash to treasure project!


I'll be joining
Today's Creative Blog
Masterpiece Monday
Brag Monday at the Graphics Fairy

Turkey Time?

I know it's too early to get out the turkeys, but this is what I found thrifting today! My mom and I were just discussing Thanksgiving and how she and my sisters-in-law have turkey plates. I was so excited to see this on the shelf at the Goodwill! It's made by Johnson Brothers, one of my favorite English china companies. This pattern is called 
Wild Turkeys and has been retired. It's quite large measuring a full 20" across. I found several  on the web selling for upwards of $100, but I got mine for $16! 

 Isn't this a fun pumpkin with it's carved harvest message? I've seen  these at some of the nicer boutiques and they can be a bit pricey. I paid $3.50 and it still had a price tag on the bottom for $29!

 I honestly don't do much Halloween decorating preferring to stick to Autumn and Harvest themes. But this cute little witch spoke to me and for $2.50 HAD to come home with me!

I thought this honey jar was charming. I used a design from The Graphics Fairy and an application technique that I learned from Lauren over at My Wonderfully Made to decorate the lid.  So easy!

I scored a few nice vintage linens today too, but I'll share those another time. 

Happy thrift shopping!


I'll be joining the following parties
Wow Us Wednesday
Under the Table and Dreaming
Tabletop Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Seasonal Sundays
Time Travel Thursday
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Flea Market Finds

Fall Flea Market

I had a great weekend browsing at the Merchant Square Flea Market and a couple of thrift shops. On Friday I visited my favorite thrift stores where I always find something special.

Saturday was a beautiful Fall morning with early morning temps in the 80's. That means getting an early start because it warms up fast here in AZ! My friend Kathy started out bright and early at 6:30 for some garage sales. Then she and I headed down to my favorite flea market hosted by Merchant Square Antiques. These are just some of the treasures I found!

 I found eight of these Italian dinner plates made by Vietri at the Goodwill for $1.50 each!

 If you know me, you know I can't resist an ironstone tureen!

 I found 6 napkins embroidered with a "C" for Cannon.

 And 8 brand new silver napkin rings for only $1.50.

 I fell in love with these English silver salt shakers. They are clearly part of a set as they have #'s 5,6 and 8 on the bottom. I wonder what happened to #'s 1,2,3,4 and 7? 

Hopefully someone else is enjoying them.

 These are a pair of Italian serving dishes for which  I paid only $2 each. I know they will get a lot of use!

 I also found a couple of transferware bowls made by Copeland/Spode. This pattern is called Rural Scenes and depicts farmers loading up the hay wagon. So charming!

This lovely silver serving tray was only $3!

Kathy knows I collect sets of old silverware and spied this set for me. It consists of 128 pieces plus this fun silverware caddy. All of it for $10! Good eye Kathy!

Lastly I couldn't resist this sweet set of 8 spreaders with  grape cluster handles. Only $1 for the whole set.

As you can see I had a fun weekend, what did you do?


I'm joining the following parties!
Show and Tell Friday
Inspiration Friday
Potpourri Friday
Time Travel Thursday
Open House Party
Share the Love Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesday 
Masterpiece Monday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Penny Worthy Project
Under the Table and Dreaming
Flea Market Finds

Fall Friends

My good friend JoMarie called me this morning with a last minute lunch invitation. She hosted a bridal shower for her grand-daughter last night and had oodles of leftovers! So she called a few of her neighbors to share  an informal mid-day meal.

 Now let me just say that JoMarie doesn't really do anything informally. She and I belong to the same women's service club and our unofficial motto is

"Anything worth doing is worth overdoing!"

 So I thought I'd share her lovely Fall tablescape. Don't you love how she elevated small pumpkins on silver and crystal candlesticks? I did something similar last year with brass candlesticks-I guess great minds think alike!

Jo loves haunting antique and thrift stores. She said she picked up this set of Czechoslovakian porcelain dinner plates for $1 a piece! Wow, gorgeous! But then to add a touch of whimsy she layered them on these chocolate brown polka dot chargers.

The table runner is burlap bordered with black velvet. Aren't we all loving how chic burlap has become? For a finishing touch she scattered candy corn down the middle of the table. Thanks JoMarie! There's nothing like spending time with good food and good friends!


I'm joining the following parties!
Tabletop Tuesday
Open House Party
Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday

Nifty Thrifty Napkins

I always have a list of things that I'm looking for when I go thrift shopping. Lately I've been on the lookout for some linen napkins to use for the Christmas table setting I'm doing for my charity show house. Sometimes it takes awhile, but once you really start zeroing in on something, you're sure to find it! 

 These  are some of the sets of napkins I've been lucky enough to find in just the past few weeks! I never pay more than 50 cents apiece.

I did find a set of 12 embroidered white napkins that I'll use for my Holiday table setting, so I've bundled the rest up to take into my antique store.

I think that cloth napkins are like jewelry, in other words, accessories for the table. You can use cheap throw away stuff, but for special occasions it's nice to use the "real thing". 

 My daughter gave me this book a couple of years ago with all kinds of ways to fold napkins. It's been fun to play around with!

This is the French Laundry Fold.

Let me share with you my favorite napkin fold that I learned when I was in high school.
 I was working at the local department store and one day when things were slow I was given  box of napkins to fold for the tea room. You remember those nice little restaurants where ladies could go and have a bit of lunch with their friends? The Tiffin Room was the name of this dining spot, so for want of a better name I'll call this the "Tiffin Room Fold". (I'm sure it must have another name, I just don't know what it is!)

1-fold your napkin in half into a triangle.

 2-Bring the outside corners into the center to meet with the top point.

 3-Fold the napkin in half again by taking the bottom half and folding it under the top half.

4- Now fold the right side in half over the left side.

 Now the napkin will stand up by itself and looks very regal in the center of your plate. this works best with napkins that have a bit of body to them .

This fold is also perfect for displaying individual menus or placecards.

Beautiful linens are just one simple yet inexpensive way to accessorize your table! Have fun! 


I'll be joining


Tabletop Tuesday
Debbie's Newbie Party
Wow Us Wednesday
Share the Love Wednesday
Creative Things Thursdays
Time Travel Thursday
Potpourri Friday at 2805
Show and Tell Friday

Apple Butter Pound Cake

Today's post is a two-for-one, a table setting and a recipe!

 As I was browsing at the Goodwill last week I spied some random pieces of English transferware, two earred cereal bowls, a small platter and a vegetable bowl. Hmm, kind of an odd mix, but I loved the design.This is the Pomona pattern made by Johnson Brothers and features a basket of fruit and flowers in rich autumnal colors.They were only a couple of dollars each so I bought them.

 Then when I went back this week looking for picture frames, imagine my joy when I found two dinner plates to match!

This is a simple everyday table setting, perfect for a couple of empty nesters or young marrieds. No fuss, just pretty plates, pewter flatware, and chunky amber goblets

 Now for the recipe.

 I found on the back of my pantry shelf a jar of apple butter that I had canned several years ago. My mother-in-law makes a delicious apple cake using fresh apples. I thought I would try to duplicate it using the apple butter instead.

The directions are basic: Cream the butter and sugar, 

 add the eggs,

alternately add the buttermilk and flour/spice mixture.

 Lastly I added the apple butter and poured the batter into my favorite silicone

 mini loaf pan.

 They came out a lovely rich brown color, but a little deflated in the centers. Nothing a bit of cream cheese frosting can't hide!

Voila! This cake is very moist and rich. Enjoy!

I have doubled the recipe because I like to make enough to freeze, so if you'd rather, cut the recipe in half.

Apple Butter Pound Cake

3 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl


1 1/2 cups butter 
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup apple butter


Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until creamy. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Add apple butter. Pour into 3-4 large or 6-8 mini loaf pans. (Loaf pans seem to vary in size so you may have some variance here.) Bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes depending on your pan size. If desired, frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting or glaze.




I will be joining:
Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Through Life
Flea Market Finds
Wow Us Wednesdays
Open House Party Thursday
Time Travel Thursday
At the Picket Fence
Potpourri Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Show and Tell Friday