Preparing the Winter Garden

The garden is beginning to get that feel. You know, the feeling that it's slowing down, yawning and anxious to fall asleep. Or is that the feeling I have? Sitting in the gazebo, I'm noticing small things that are still lovely despite the shorter sunny days and cooler nights.

I cut some Endless Summer hydrangeas yesterday. Their bright blue flowers have turned to that spectacular green with tinges of dusky pink. They will dry in the house over the next few months, changing colors and gaining that wonderful vintage look.

A small posy to brighten a garden corner. I'm planning to plant more Spring blooming bulbs later in November when the earth has cooled.

As we know.........a garden is never finished.

Pink Saturday

The sweetest pink chandelier is hanging at SuzAnna's Antiques this week. Hurry over if you are anywhere near Raleigh, North Carolina!


I almost wish I had a little girl's room to redecorate. The chandelier has pink arms, pink and green roses and even pink ribbons, all delightfully illuminated by bunches of sparkling crystal beads.



Visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound, our Pink Saturday hostess..................plenty of pink posts will be listed and awaiting your visit. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Cushy cushions.............

Sometimes a little lazy, other times a tad disorganized. Me. I put this sewing job off far too long. Last year I bought this gold and brown fabric, 'Zoo Toile'. Printed with monkeys and elephants in vintage zoo cages, trees in the background, thought it would look good on the porch wicker chairs, and stashed it away in hopes the sewing machine would soon be cranked up. Somehow, along the way, the birds discovered my cushions and pecked their way through to the stuffing, pulling out pieces to line their nests in the early Spring. I really didn't mind though, I love having feathered friends visit the porch.

Surprise...............today the cushions are looking so smart and crisp dressed in their toile covers at last! I hired my wonderful friend Vanessa to sew for me. She's so handy when it comes to creating pretty things for the home. Perhaps I will have to hide them away come Spring when the nesting instinct takes over again!

When Vanessa delivered the cushions this morning we gulped down a quick coffee, a fresh-baked Trader Joe's croissant, and headed out to a couple of Raleigh's finest............Pirate's Chest and Revival Antiques for some treasure hunting. More on that another time.

October Morning

Today, no cockerel crowed to start my day, but I did awake to a clear, cooler, sunny morning. The newly seeded grass is soaking up the night time dew.......and the little sprinkling I gave it last evening. The brilliant green of tiny new blades, so beautiful. The new coolness in the air refreshes the spirit and energizes the body. Soon the mosquitoes will disappear and I can get out and work in the garden again. Lots of work ahead........Autumn is a busy season. Aren't they all in their own way?

Welcome beautiful October. Month of my birth. Time of the year I enjoy most. This October will mark my forty seventh year in this amazing country. I will celebrate by heading to the North Carolina mountains soon, where I'll meet some special blogging friends, and just enjoy the beauty of Nature dressed for Autumn.

Illustration by Edith Holden from 'The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady'.

Don't you love tassels?

My lovely friend Vanessa knows exactly what I like........and what will look perfect in my home. Last week she handed me a pretty gift bag holding a bottle of sweet smelling linen spray and this beautiful French blue tassel. Thank you so much Vanessa.

I knew where it would look great at home. Off came the dowdy beige tassel which had been dangling from the nickel and crystal knob. You can see this blue one is quite elegant here on the sideboard in the dining room.

Tassels can be used in so many ways around your home, visit here for some great ideas.

The beauty of burlap!

I'm sure you've noticed that natural fibers have become extremely popular for home decor lately. I've had an ongoing love of linen fabrics since I started sewing as a teen.......a million years ago! Linen has now been joined by hemp, burlap, and hessian which is made from hemp and jute.

Hemp is the gorgeous one - the one the French grain sacks were made from, the sacks we all swoon over when made into cushion covers or used as upholstery for chairs and sofas......the most expensive one of course, but it's soft, non-scratchy and washable.

Natural burlap generously shared by friend Vanessa.

But don't pass up burlap. Very inexpensive, even comes in colors although I prefer the natural shade. The softer version is being used now for drapes. Small sewing projects such as table runners and place mats are easy - very Autumnal with pumpkins and gourds - you can even glue the edges if you don't sew. One of my weekend projects was recovering one of the dining room chair seats with natural burlap - love the country French look.
One important tip, don't ever try laundering burlap in your washing machine as Vanessa did! Like her, YOU will be picking tiny fibers out of your clothes for a long, long time! I'm considering trying hand-washing a piece...............anyone know if that works?

No pitcher, but what a bowl..........

Isn't this a delightful old bowl? Creamy white decorated with pale blue-gray dandelions. Even weeds can look beautiful on china! One small crack, a little crazing, just perfect!

If you collect antique or vintage china you may well have an old washbowl and pitcher set. I've never considered collecting these as they are large............don't forget, my home is a small cottage! My largest pieces were the collection of white soup tureens that fit perfectly on my shelves. However, last week when treasure hunting with my Brazilian friend, Vanessa, my heart thumped when I spied this bowl, without a pitcher, in one of those somewhat redundant second hand furniture shops. Among some ugly plaid sofas and blond wood frame futons, there were a few really nice treasures tucked away in china cabinets or sitting on fifties style tables. Old silver, a couple of framed French music sheets, sets of dinnerware and this lovely old wash bowl. Marked $15 but actually 'on sale' for just $12, what a great find!

My bowl fits in well on the dining room table.

One never knows what treasure will show up in an unexpected place. No identifying marks on the base so cannot date it - my guess would be early 1900's as the design is a single color transfer. Any ideas as to age would be welcomed.