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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Charming Charleston


I took my first trip to Charleston, South Carolina last week and it was a delight. Charleston is a southern gem full of history, beautiful architecture, and good food. My daughter and her husband honeymooned here three years ago and were anxious to revisit so my husband and I joined them for a long weekend. We started out with a walking tour of the historic downtown.

Charleston is known as "The Holy City" due to the prevalence of the many churches that make up it skyline and it's religious tolerance during it's early years.












Charleston boasts one beautiful home after another, many of which offer tours.

This street is called Rainbow Row, for obvious reasons!














This "Wedding Cake" style house has a very unusual addition on it's rooftop - a small Arc de Triomphe!







The Dock Street Theater has been lovingly preserved and still is in use.




The downtown has an old slave market that  has been been saved and turned into a flea market  for local artists and artisans to sell their goods.





A favorite attraction with the guys was Patriot's Point where you can tour a decommission aircraft carrier, submarine, and destroyer from WWII.


And then there is the food! the Noisy Oyster is a local favorite  where we enjoyed a shrimp boil dinner.



We also had great seafood at Tommy Condon's.

Kilwin's is a candy shop that I was not familiar with. Let's just say I took advantage of the opportunity to get to know them!


And then there were the cupcakes!



 It's a beautiful city with lots to offer!

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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Darling Doilies


My friend Lynn has been doing some closet cleaning and when she came across a large box full of  vintage doilies, lace, and aprons she offered it to me and I happily accepted! I love the delicate lace patterns and soft whites,
 ecrus and ivory colors.


 Each piece is unique and must have taken hours to make.


Some look like flowers while others remind me of delicate snowflakes.



So, what to do with a box of vintage doilies?  A couple of years ago  I started making these charming lavender filled boudoir pillows which you can read about HERE. 
This has been one of my most popular posts so let me share again how easy these are to make.
First I take some linen or silk fabric and make a small pillow. I stuff it with fresh batting and French lavender buds. Then I hand stitch a doily onto the pillow cover.

Some of the doilies I'm able to tie around the pillow with a piece of ribbon.

 The pillows can be embellished with pretty buttons, silk flowers or ribbon.

These look and smell lovely in a bathroom, closet, nestled on a bed or comfy chair, or in your lingerie drawer 





I will be taking several to my booth at Merchant Square. Stop in for a visit!

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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Fostoria Jamestown Ruby Red

Oh my! A quick trip into the Goodwill looking for more milk glass (yes I found a few pieces),
 but here is what really got me excited!
 Twelve Fostoria Jamestown Ruby Red goblets all in perfect condition. I grew up drinking from Fostoria as my mother has a couple of sets of Jamestown in green and brown.  
Fostoria glass was founded in 1887 in West Virginia. They made many, many kinds of glassware for the table and other decorative pieces.  Jamestown was a popular pattern and it comes in several other colors including green , brown,  pink, amber, blue and clear.



 The glasses have a slightly flared trumpet shape and a curvaceous swirl.
 I believe these are actually the ice tea sized glass. They are slightly larger than the water goblet.

I'm excited to use my new red glassware in a variety of table settings. They will look fabulous with my red and white transferware, 



 and add some rich color to my Spode Christmas plates.


Red goes with so many holiday color schemes! 



It's fun to find something so beautiful that evokes fond memories and oh yes, cost only $2 apiece! 

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Friday, May 22, 2015

Marvelous Milk Glass

You know milk glass when you see it. It's that opaque, milky white glassware that is blown or pressed  into a wide assortment of shapes. There are vases, bud vases, candy dishes, drinking glasses, serving bowls, pitchers, plates etc.


Milk glass dates back to the 16th century where it was first made by those master glass makers the Venetians. It's popularity hit a high during the late 1800's and then again in the 1950's and 60's. I remember as a child having several pieces in our home.




My dear friend Jeannine who is a whiz with flowers will be helping with her nephew's wedding in a few weeks. She called to see if I had any milk glass vases that she could borrow. It's not something I usually collect but I have bought and sold a few pieces over the years.
 I told her I would keep my eye out for some while thrifting this week.
French Country Inspired Farm Wedding - milk glass table decor - Marie Antoinette wedding   Read more - http://www.stylemepretty.com/georgia-weddings/2013/08/01/french-country-inspired-farm-wedding-from-christopher-helm-photography/:


Her plan is to use an assortment of shapes filled with hot pink and tangerine colored blossoms.


Aren't these charming?
 Won't they be perfect for a wedding?



Without any trouble I found 5 vases at my local Goodwill and spent only $9.

I used these vintage hobnail milk glass vases for my wedding centerpieces. Found them at thrift stores.:

Jeannine loved this  this hobnail vase. Hobnail is glass ware covered in raised "polka dots". It reminds me of dotted swiss fabric.


So here's to vintage milk glass, as charming as ever!

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