Pull up a chair............soon.

Have you ever dreamed of living in another era? How about living in that era and in a far away place? I mentioned recently how I display a meaningful picture on my refrigerator, changing it seasonally or on a whim. This is my current display of what must be an old European kitchen. I love how it makes me think of living the simple life in a village where time stands still.

Walking through these narrow streets last Fall, I often heard voices in what must have been the kitchens of the French village houses. Most front directly onto the street, small gardens being in back. Perhaps these kitchens, simply furnished with a table and a few chairs, were where the family dined as well as prepared and cooked their meals.

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Because you've been patient and I've been slow, I decided to post a few photos of my chair re-do. Still a work in progress but coming along nicely.

The original plan was to paint all six chairs in the French blue-gray. After painting one arm chair I decided it would be just too much of the same color with the dresser and sideboard already two shades of grey. Instead, the four side chairs and the other arm chair are being painted a rich cream (2 coats) over a coat of dark midnight blue which just shows through on sanded edges and nicks to give an aged look. A final waxing with clear Briwax gives a mellow glow and smooth hard finish to the paint.

The seats will be recovered. I've ordered samples of grey velvets and linens, one of which will hopefully be perfect for the look I want. I'll show you these later.


Before pic of arm chair above. This is now the French grey color. It was also layered over the dark blue. I used the darker tinted wax to give an aged patina to the paint finish. This seat will be covered in a deeper color than the cream side chairs to 'anchor' it and to give it more the appearance of an occasional chair. I've also ordered a length of grey and ivory toile ~ pattern Turandot ~ and will make a pillow for it.




I think the chairs are turning out fine. They look more French country and definitely less formal with the painted finish. It's a lot of work...............but well worth the effort and aching shoulders!

Nature's Glitter

GLITTER ~ A sparkling or glistening light; showy, often superficial attractiveness; small pieces of reflective decorative material; to sparkle brilliantly; glisten.

Mother Nature certainly covered the many meanings of the word 'glitter' in a big way yesterday.

Spring is on hold for a few more days ~ it's very cold. Hope you enjoy more images from my garden, front porch and back deck. These will certainly be the last for this Winter.

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FYI ~ Do stop by tomorrow.................at long last, a preview of the dining room chair painting project!

Morning Wonder

The view from an upstairs window over my neighbor's rooftop at sunrise this morning was unusual, but not unexpected. We were told perhaps up to 5" of snow in the night, fortunately there's just an inch or so.......and it is beautiful. This is the South just prior to Spring! Three days ago I was admiring gardens full of daffodils gently blowing in a warm breeze, a magnificent tulip poplar just bursting at the seams as its dusty rose tinted blooms opened, and everywhere buds tinged with that new Spring green which is so lovely. Then the rains came and now the snow. Rain doesn't make pretty garden pictures, but snow, that's another story.

So please take a short walk around my garden this morning ~ enjoy the quiet beauty of Southern snow.

All images taken at 7:30 AM today.

Friendship

Friendship is a sheltering tree.

Don't you just love those words? When I first read them several years ago, I took them immediately to heart and have held them close ever since. How true they are. Life without friends would be very lonely.


This past week was certainly auspicious for meeting friends old and new.
On Wednesday I had a lovely time with Julia. We met for lunch and visited SuzAnna's Antiques and nearby Gresham Lake Antique Mall where Julia has a booth filled with lovely things. We first met in a local grocery store at Christmas, where she recognized me from my blog, which she kindly reads, although she doesn't have one of her own ~ yet. I hope we'll be spending more time together as I really enjoyed her company.


On Saturday, despite pouring rain and falling temps., I was back at SuzAnna's Antiques to meet Suzy of GeorgiaPeachez and her best friend Beth of Elizabeth Holcombe who were heading into Raleigh from Virginia. Those gals shopped for a long time finding SuzAnna's full of great things to haul back over the state line! It was great fun to meet them and see them swoon over the bounty on offer. Susie, Jenny and Linda were, as always, great hostesses. Dressed to the nines, they served hot apple cider and cookies which hit the spot on a cold afternoon. Even sweet Anna, Susie's former business partner, came by - she's always full of fun and it was was good to catch up on her news.

Meanwhile, over on Sam's Country Porch next to SuzAnna's, I met Mary Ann (also her friend Claire and other family members) who had set up her new and exciting venture, a tea room. She was serving coffee, tea and chocolate along with home baked goodies. Her biscotti are the best I've ever had - no jaw breakers here and great choc icing! Hopefully this will become a weekend happening which will be even more fun come Spring when the weather cooperates. Mary Ann is also a gardener and seamstress so you know we had plenty to chat about over hot raspberry chocolate........flowers and fabric really get me going........furniture too of course!


Before heading home I bumped into a fellow countrywoman, Sharon C. who grew up in Bedford, England. I detected her accent and she caught on to mine immediately - that always makes me happy because I think I've lost it! Sharon lives in Rocky Mount, NC and comes to Raleigh often so I'm hoping to meet up with her again. She admitted she loves garage/yard sales, thrift shops....................and even found a real French sofa at a Goodwill store!! I need to tag along with this gal who can unearth French treasures.

All the above beautiful handmade frames with vintage photos I saw for sale in a local shop. I loved the first 'Friends' one, and what about the last one where the groom is actually balancing the wedding cake while being photographed ~ that's too cute.

Here's to friendship ~ perhaps I'll be lucky enough to meet you under that sheltering tree some day.

Getting a handle on things.......

The three plain wooden drawer pulls on the dresser were the original and hardly French looking. I'd ventured out to look at metal pulls but all looked too new, were too expensive, or had to be special ordered. After picking up my lamp on Wednesday, I had to swing by SuzAnna's Antiques again as I'd left something behind. There, in the office, sitting in a box of newspaper, Stacey of Flotsam & Jetsam (who'd stopped by thanks Stacey), spied these pulls tied together with string. Literally, there at my feet, among some newly arrived items, were the perfect metal pulls.........and there were three of them, complete with their old screws...................for just $8 total. Now how serendipitous was that! I knew immediately they were the ones...........the color, worn finish, and the French look was perfect.

Guess what I was doing yesterday while taking a 'paint break' in the afternoon........measuring, drilling and installing these pulls of course.



You have to admit they really finish the piece off. Once again I found exactly what I was searching for, at a great bargain price, and at my favorite shop.




Hung a tassel, now feel this dresser looks just the way I hoped it would when I envisioned my French country dining room.

Chair Update: Have made some changes in the paint color...........no surprise right? Job going slowly as each chair requires three coats to get the desired effect ~ then will need 'aging' and a final waxing, and eventually new fabric on the seats ~ thinking vintage cotton velvet but hard to find in the color I'd love. One of the arm chairs will be a different color paint ~ it sits in a corner of the dining room and will be an accent piece with a really beautiful fabric on the seat. I love painting this furniture but it is going to take time...a lot of it!

Bright lights....good friends

Dear Susie & Jenny, find me a lamp, tiny, pretty, and dripping with crystals....please!!!!!!

That was my request last week when I realized the dark Graphite Grey newly painted entry hall needed *****sparkle*****. Having visionary friends, such as the gals at SuzAnna's Antiques, pays off big time. When you keep a wish list of formerly loved treasures you would like to find, they really look out for you. Before I had time to bat an eyelid, there she was at the shop door, Susie, 'the lady with the lamp'. Only thing was it was a fancy smancy candlestick, and I just knew that my DH would prefer to throw a switch for safety's sake!

It was so pretty, the perfect size for the small table, quite old, but still had all its dangly crystals plus sweet little crystal flowers. The brass base was covered with cut glass, and even the drip pans were cut glass, no plastic on this baby. Before I could bat the other eyelid, I was introduced to Ray, who has a booth at the shop, a magician who promised to wave his wand and, within a week, turn this beauty into an electric lamp. I bought it and sent it home with Ray!


Wednesday I went to collect the lamp, thrilled to see it had turned out fine. Fortunately consignor Sam was hanging out at SuzAnna's ~ it was originally his candlestick. Sam finds the best treasures, many he's shipped back from Europe. As we admired it and debated whether the candle bulbs should have shades, Sam handed me two tiny vintage ones, which fit perfectly, and gave them to me as a gift! Thanks Sam, you are such a generous and fun person.



So here it is, my wished for sparkly lamp in its new home. I'm thrilled with it. Many thanks to all at SuzAnna's Antiques who proved, once again, wishes do come true.

Double your luck!

Can you believe this? While debating whether to move this wonderful old chipped wood frame to the dining room from upstairs in the hallway, I took a few minutes to look through a folder of magazine tear sheets. I like to pick a sheet to stick up on the 'frig ~ changing it every month or so to something seasonal, pretty, or of interest to me at that time. There I found this collage sheet and realized the frame was almost exactly the same as mine! Question was, how to mount it in the frame to display?

Attached old wire to the back with a stapler, wrapped it together in front and 'hung' the page over leaving the ends of the wire twisted in front to hold it more securely. The picture displayed can be changed easily at any time for a new look. Works for me ~ what do you think?

Update on painting chairs ~ One done, five to go!!!