Vintage Hanky Sachet Tutorial

I've been making these sachets for a couple of years now. Not too many ladies use pretty hankies any more,  preferring the cleanliness of a throw away tissue. But I love the charm of these dainty linens and decided to repurpose them into lovely lavender filled sachets.They are a favorite of many of  the customers in my antique store so I thought I'd share with you how I make them.

I find that a small to medium sized handkerchief  works best. Iron it smooth.

 Fold over two opposite corners so they overlap slightly, roughly into thirds. Press.

 Fold up the bottom corner and press, then fold up the bottom again 1/3 of the way. Press.

 Now you have an envelope shaped packet.

 Sometimes I stitch the sides closed, but even easier is to insert a strip of "Stitch Witchery" along each side and press and fuse the sides together. That way there are no stitches showing.

I buy French lavender buds from a wholesale source.  they have such a lovely soothing fragrance!

I make a separate pouch out of muslin the same size as my envelope , fill it with the lavender and insert it into the hankie envelope. This keeps the lavender from spilling out.

Lastly, I fold the top down and sew it closed with a pretty button or ribbon.  

These make lovely gifts for bridesmaids, housewarming, etc. Be sure to make one or two for yourself!

If interested I sell them for $8 each. Just email me at chateau.interiors@gmail.com.

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Beautiful Brown Transferware

My mother's favorite color is brown. Growing up, my bedroom was decorated in browns and golds. Pretty unusual for a little girl and I did not like it. My favorite color was blue. It took me years to appreciate the warmth and richness in browns. Recently I started collecting brown transferware. I don't have much yet and the pieces are all different patterns. I literally have cupboards full of  blue and white transferware, which will always be my first love. But now I think that brown is lovely too!

P.S. I found all of these goodies at thrift stores, not more than a few dollars each!
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Painted Table

When  Kathy invited me to a garage sale a couple of weeks ago I found a pair of these charming end tables. As you can see  the finish was in pretty bad shape but the tables were solid and sturdy, definitely worth saving. I have to admit, I'm not completely sold on the idea of the painted furniture craze that is going on. If a piece has a beautiful finish I'd leave it alone. I've stripped and refinished many a poorly painted piece of furniture over the years! However, if the furniture is in really bad shape or was inexpensive go ahead and have some fun. I only paid $17 for this. 

 My local Ace Hardware store was having it's annual free paint day. Did you know they do that? It's awesome! Print out a coupon and you get a free quart of interior paint in the color of your choice. I got up early on Saturday morning so I could be one of the first in line. I chose a soft turquoise called Coventry Gardens.

 One coat of paint and little distressing and it's already looking better.

 I also did a little antiquing with some Minwax stain and then added a French graphic from The Graphics Fairy. I never get tired of browsing her blog for ideas!

Lastly, I sealed it all with a clear matte spray  finish.

Very sweet, don't you think?

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Shopping Out of Season

When shopping for produce we are always advised to purchase fruits and vegetables that are fresh and in season. We should buy strawberries in the Spring and pumpkins in the Fall. However, when it comes to thrift shopping and antiquing I often find the opposite to be true.  Look for items that have been pushed aside and may be overlooked by shoppers because they are "not fresh". These are a few items I found last weekend on an Easter excursion to California. The most I paid for any single item was $3.00.

While the shop windows had displays of bunnies and Spring flowers I managed to find turkeys and pumpkins! Plus a lovely Burberry throw, two transferware creamers in earth tones, a bread peel and a pewter plate.

Loving this glass turkey candy dish!

I'll put my treasures away until Autumn and enjoy them when the weather changes. What have you bought out of season?

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Lovely Linens

March is my favorite month here in Arizona. The mornings are warming up but not yet hot and in my neighborhood the orange blossoms are just coming out and perfuming the morning and evening air. On Friday mornings my friend Kathy and I go walking, not too far, just 3 or 4 miles. But Kathy called and said there was a garage sale we shouldn't miss that morning. Now, Kathy is the queen of garage sales so when she says don't miss it, I listen. Boy, was she right!  There were lots and lots of vintage items but what I loved most were the linens.

 There were dozens of charming retro tablecloths in bright, happy patterns,

 old embroidered and hand crocheted napkins, dishtowels and table runners.

 It was so hard to choose, but I brought several pieces home with me.

 Look at the dainty stitching on these linen hand towels!

 And I love the natural color of these table runners. 

 Linen has been used since ancient times for  garments and for fabrics in the home. It comes from the flax plant and has a lovely natural sheen to it. The fibers have a slight nub distinguishing it from cotton. It is very strong and light weight and has excellent wicking properties which is why it is so comfortable in the summertime. Linen irons beautifully however it does wrinkle easily. It is perfect for drying china and glassware because it is so absorbent and has little lint.

Notice the griffin and shield woven into the lace. 

 This gorgeous pillow was meant for my wing chair!

 I paid only $2-4  for each of my treasures. Don't be afraid to purchase vintage linens from flea markets and estate sales. They are a small but affordable luxury. 

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Easy Marbled Easter Eggs

We love coloring Easter eggs at our house and every year I try a different method. This is one of my favorite ways of dying eggs and it is very easy!

All you need are 3 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, vegetable oil, vinegar and liquid food coloring. Oh, and eggs! Start by hard boiling your eggs.

Next, add 1/4 teaspoon of oil, 1/4 teaspoon vinegar and one or two drops of food coloring into a small bowl. Use a separate bowl for each color. I did experiment with two colors per bowl but more than that and the colors get a bit muddy.

Roll the egg around with a spoon  until it is well covered with color.

Then wipe it dry with a paper towel. Yes, your paper towel will get very messy, and your fingers a bit too! Actually, I found that the oil kept the color from sticking to my fingers too badly. It washed right off.

Aren't they beautiful? I was able to color a dozen eggs using only a few drops of each ingredient.

This a great activity sure to please your kids. Plus you'll have the prettiest eggs ever! 

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Flower Crates

I have had such fun turning these old boxes and drawers into vintage looking flower and herb crates. I thought I'd make a few for Spring in soft robin's egg blue. I have one on my dining room table but they would look great on a porch, patio or in the garden!

I have several available in my antique store

 Merchant Square, booth #20. Come see what's new for Spring!

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