Far Above Rubies

The pink washstand

2012-02-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

I am excited to finally be showing some photos of the antique washstand that I painted for my daughter!

If you remember, the girl's room was the worst room in the house. Mostly because they are crammed in there like sardines. I added an armoire, computer desk, painted and a few other things last summer but never got around to showing the room because it was never really finished. I started to strip this washstand because I wanted to refinish it in natural wood.

However, the wood was not that great and it didn't all match. There was veneer on the drawers, but the door was oak and not great. So I just left it alone trying to figure out what to do.

I really did love all these old colors that I found underneath the white. There was a blue/green and a peach/pink color--all of which I have found on different pieces of wood from the old house. Apparently those were big colors in the 1930s-1940s.

I decided that I would paint it pink since that was my grandmother's favorite color, and also my daughter, Evelyn's. BTW...it's pronounced the "English" way like "Eve" with a long E. She is actually named for my great grandmother, Emma Evelyn Edwards Knight.

So I went with pink and sanded it to let the old colors show through.

Then, I added a mocha glaze, which takes forever to dry. And I went crazy with the glaze. I really wanted it to look distressed.

Glass knobs...

And Evelyn got this for Christmas. She was really excited because she kept saying I had forgotten about it and was never going to finish it.

I found my grandmother's mirror in my parent's basement with the same shade of green/blue, and put that above the washstand. Oddly enough, that is the way it was hanging because that's how the hanging hardware is attached to the back. It also had to be that high so she can see into it. I found an old bottle lamp my grandmother had made and recycled that also for her. I added new electrical work, and a new shade which I added flowers and trim to. The rug also belonged to my grandmother.

When I originally put it in the room, the bunk beds were turned this way, but I have since moved them so the girls at least have a side to call their own!

I realize that it would stand out so much better if the walls were not also pink, but they are so we'll be living with it. She loves it anyway.

Finally, I painted a piece of furniture! I know. It's just that I grew up with white painted furniture, had white furniture all through the 1990s, and realized that I really like love beautiful wood. The darker the better. Maybe Evelyn will strip this one down to the bare wood one day.

Anita

I'll be joining

Pink Saturday

Furniture Feature Friday

Metamorphosis Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

A new blog...

2012-02-08T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...

I wanted to let you all know my niece, Rebekah, has started a blog. She is 18, and has some very serious health issues but is an amazing Christian young lady just trying to give hope and encourage others. Please go by and welcome her to blogging. I assure you she will be very inspirational, encouraging and a blessing to all of you.

http://www.rebekahhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Great Grandmother's table...

2012-02-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I recently refinished a table that belonged to my great grandmother. I have had this table for years and was using it in my girl's room, but needed a round table in the living room, so I decided to give it a facelift.

It was coated in something that looked like a plastic/paper veneer. Here is the top after we sanded it with really heavy duty sandpaper on the belt sander.

Lovely wood, but it was all covered by this sticky mess...

You can see it on this part. Not sure what it is and why they would have used it back then. It was hard to get off, but the belt sander worked with a little a lot of elbow grease.

I then used Minwax oil-based dark walnut stain.

I really loved the color but it was not quite as dark as the bottom and the legs.

After a couple days of drying, I coated it with Minwax dark oak polyurethane stain and finish, which made the color perfect.

I still wanted it to look old and have some imperfections. I also cut the legs off about 4 inches so it would be a better height for an end table, and it works really well.

I topped it with my grandfather's old books, and some photos of his mom, who owned the table.

I'm really happy with how it turned out. I love the dark wood, and now it can stand up to three kids, their cars, blocks, toy horses, etc., or a hot cup of tea.

I'm happier knowing that I'm still using something that both my great grandmothers used.

Thanks so much for stopping by! We have been busy getting music ready for different things we have coming up, plus the usual music we do every weekend. I have a bathroom facelift to show as I made a ruffled shower curtain similar to the one in the kitchen. We need to trim out the mirror, and because I always use reclaimed wood, it takes longer getting it straight, etc. At least that's what my husband tells me.

Anita

I'll be joining:

Home Sweet Home

Wow Us Wednesdays
Seasonal Sundays
Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home

Earl Grey Day...

2012-02-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

It is one of those days...

Gloomy, rainy, foggy. My favorite kind of day:-)

The perfect day for a steaming cup of Earl Grey and my grandfather's book of Shakespeare.

It reminds me so much of England. I would be perfectly happy there living in an old, dark, castle.

Really. There is just something about them that I love.

I am a "Knight" after all, so my ancestry reaches back to Merrie Olde England through my grandfather, George Knight. Such a gentleman, he was a teacher, well-read and so kind.

These days I enjoy reflecting and imagining him being here on the land we now live. Thankful I can pass that heritage on to my own children.

Now to enjoy his book of Shakespeare's Complete Works, given to him in 1911...

SONNET 55

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments

Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;

But you shall shine more bright in these contents

Than unswept stone besmear'd with time.

When wasteful war shall statues overturn,

And broils root out the work of masonry,

Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn

The living record of your memory.

'Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity

Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room

Even in the eyes of all posterity

That wear this world out to the ending doom.

So, till the judgment that yourself arise,

You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.

--William Shakespeare

I'll be joining Cielo at Show off your cottage Monday so drop by there!

English Cottage Attitude...

2012-01-31T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I have been in love with English cottage style for ever, but I really embraced it around Christmas as I had found some tartan fabric for window treatments. Since our house is really small, it works very well for us.

I have wanted to give my kitchen some vintage English flavor so I have added some fabric, painted a bit and brought out some more blue and white and painted ceramic accessories...

I have wanted a curtain under the sink for a while but could not decide on fabric. Then it dawned on me to make a tiered ruffle curtain and use a mix of fabrics. I am LOVING this! Too cute, and I can always put the doors back on. It took about two hours to make.

I used ticking, toile and a floral print. I love that with the striped rug.

I also painted the cabinet above the stove. You can see the burned up microwave is gone. We exchanged it for a $39 hood, then extended it with wood trim because it was too high. I'll show more of that later.

I also added this trim from my great grandfather's house to the bar so I can hang my cutting boards in easy reach.

On the other side I added a rod so I can hang towels, etc. The striped towel is one my mom made from a vintage flour sack.

This is the bar that I want to change into a rectangle shape when we can get to it. We really need more space, and it won't be that difficult a project since we pretty much have all the materials on hand. Remember, my dad collects wood leftover from building sights:-) The marble board came from my grandfather's store.

So the microwave that caught on fire was removed, and I liked the space there so I decided to add ceramic tile. I also painted the rest of the backsplash then glazed over top of that with mocha glaze. I just wanted it to look like a mixture of stone and tile that was added to over time.

I also took the doors with the glass panels off the pantry, and exchanged them for the ones next to the stove. They were the same size so they fit perfectly. I need to get another shelf for the inside, though.

How about a croissant with homemade strawberry jam? Sorry, but I did not have any scones made, although I do have a great recipe for them:-)

The "Romantic England" cups are hanging on the cup hooks, (I noticed hanging cups in several of the English cottage kitchens I saw) and the tray is American from 1956.

One thing I really love about English cottage kitchens is the mix of accessories that look as if they were collected from different places in Europe. I am still using some of my painted plates from Turkey and Spain as well as other things collected from different places.

I hope you enjoyed the kitchen makeover! I will go into detail about some of the little projects so you can see how I did everything in different posts. I used mostly things I already had, or were really inexpensive. I would still love to paint the bottom cabinets black, but it will have to be later. Also, I would love to change out the faucet to black, but that's not in the budget right now.

Sometimes the little changes can make a big difference and don't cost a thing. I'm all about that these days.

Here is a wonderful book with cozy, quirky English cottages to inspire you...

You can find it at Amazon and probably ebay.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by! I love your comments, and I am so inspired by all of you.

I'll be joining:

Anita

Bottles in a box...

2012-01-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share one of the many projects I have wanted to do but never seem to finish. I have been seeing old bottles everywhere, and I wanted to do something with the ones that I found in my grandfather's old garage. I really wanted to put them in the box, but was not sure that would work. After seeing an inspiration photo, I decided to do it.

They were really dirty, so I got out a galvanized tub and put the bottles in with oxy clean, which is *wonderful* for cleaning out the inside of things.

Here is the inspiration photo from Shanty 2 Chic:

Although this is a smaller box with smaller bottles, I worked with what I had. I am, however, planning on making having my husband make a smaller version.

Here is mine again...

I put one leyland cypress branch in every other bottle and a chunky candlestick in the others. I actually had cypress in each one, but I like to have candles on the table, so I took every other one out.

This wire was on each of the bottles and was holding them to a rod in the garage where they were hanging. I decided to leave some of them knowing my grandfather put them there. I like the added interest also.

So yet another idea for the box. This is also one I can change out with different stems/flowers as they come into season. I also have plenty of green bottles I'm going to try.

Thanks so very much for stopping by! I am still desperately trying to get back to comments from Christmas, so do not give up on me:-)

Also I decided a facebook page was much more manageable than the Far Above Rubies facebook account I have already, so I would love to have you go by HERE and join.

Anita

I'll be joining:

Chatty Chics Wild Wednesdays

A glass half full...

2012-01-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a wonderful blog by an incredibly inspiring person, Heather Von St. James.

Heather emailed me a little bit about her amazing story, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Heather was diagnosed with Mesothelioma; a type of cancer that kills 90-95% of those who have it when her beautiful daughter Lily was just 31/2 months old. Very risky surgery involved removing one of her lungs, but not only did she survive, she is stronger than ever.

"...So many people assume that having one lung would make life difficult, or would mean I was not as capable of doing so called “normal” things that other people do. But instead of seeing myself with “just one lung” or the glass half empty, I prefer to look at the other side, or as they say, glass half full. I only had cancer in one lung and nowhere else, so in taking the one lung, I’m going to live a lot longer. I think that is pretty awesome!"

Six years later she is still here and cancer free! "I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other parents can look to for guidance," she wrote.

Please go by Heather's blog and visit her HERE. You will be so inspired to make a difference in someone's life, but also to not take anything in your own life for granted.

We tend to get caught up in paint colors, and moving things around, or what color granite someone has when in actuality, none of that really matters at all in life. Making the most of what we do have then sharing that with others is so much more important. Heather is a survivor, and she has taken what she was dealt and has turned it into something positive for anyone who comes into contact with her.

I am so thankful she shared her story with me, and I know you will be blessed by reading it.

I'm going to link Heather's story up to Spiritual Sundays so please go by there.

Anita

"Your Glory" is out...

2012-01-09T05:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

In lieu of a tablescape or decor project, I am starting this Monday with some great news! Our contemporary Christian CD, "Your Glory" is now available on itunes here:

You can also listen to another song, "Be Near Me" on the tunecore player on the sidebar.

As many of you know this has been a long, difficult process for us, but we kept our faith and finally got it done. We are thankful that God saw us through it all. It is a testimony to our faith and our goal is only to glorify God and encourage others to Him. For more info, etc., you are invited to check out our website HERE and go to our facebook fan page.

Thank you to all of you who have been so supportive and encouraging. I have to say that this group of people here in "blogland" is the most encouraging and inspiring I have ever been around. I see everyday how you all encourage each other, and me, and that is just not the norm in this world. Every time I read a news website and see the negative and mean comments people leave on news articles, I am seriously discouraged for the future. But...one visit around here reading your positive and uplifting comments, and I know there is hope. Luis and I just want to offer hope and encouragement through this music. If one person's day is brighter because of it, then we have achieved what we set out to do.

Thanks for stopping by, and we hope you are blessed!!

Anita

At least it was a small fire...

2012-01-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We got an unexpected surprise this morning when my husband put a cup of coffee in the microwave, and smoke started pouring out of it. Luckily, it was just smoke and the smell of chemicals/plastic burning. And thankfully it is a little warmer this morning than it has been because I had to open the windows. I cannot tell you how awful it smells.

Now what to do. This microwave is only about 3 1/2 years old. I had no idea how expensive the built -in kind is.

In any case, it has to come out. So I'm thinking this is a great opportunity to look at other (less expensive) options. Maybe just put a vent hood over the range and the microwave somewhere else?? Since I want to reconfigure the island eventually, we could put the microwave in there as I have seen people do that. It will be a while before we can do that, though. Funny thing is, just last night I was looking at that cabinet thinking I would love for it to go all the way to the ceiling, but thought it would be too much work to take it out. I guess we will find out now.

I'm just thankful that is all it was and not a bigger fire. I have always been petrified of house fires. Thankfully, we can fix it ourselves.

In the meantime, Luis is taking out the microwave, and I'm taking down Christmas decorations. We celebrated "Los Tres Reyes Magos" last night with pork roast, rice and beans, Puerto Rican-style. The children left boxes with grass for the kings' camels, and in return, each child got a small gift.

Happy Friday everyone!

Anita

Mother's Franciscan "Apple" for Christmas...

2012-01-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

As the Christmas holidays start to wind down this week with the celebration of "Three King's Day" or "Los Tres Reyes Magos," I wanted to share one more Christmas table from my mom's dinner with her brothers and sister. I was flattered when she requested that I make a centerpiece and do the table for her.

She wanted a centerpiece based on one I did for a Christpher Radko "Holiday Celebrations" HERE. We also decided that instead of one of several of her Christmas patterns, her Franciscan "Apple" would be perfect.

These arrangements already had apples and berries. I pruned some of her shrubbery and added lots of white pine, cedar, boxwood and something I'm not sure of the name but it has a waxy leaf. No, it was not poison oak! I love, love, love how it came out!

Only a dinner plate for the buffet dinner, and I should have gotten a photo of the beautiful ruby glass compotes they used for dessert, but didn't. No charger, just the woven round placemat, which takes up so little space. Honestly, I do not like to see an empty charger on the table while people are filling their plates so we opted not to use them.

I really need to borrow some of this from her because she has an extensive collection and it is so beautiful on a table.

So there you have the last of the Christmas tables! We will be celebrating "Los Tres Reyes Magos" Puerto Rican style with pork roast, rice and beans to end the holiday. The kids will leave boxes with grass under their beds tomorrow night to feed the three king's camels. In return, the three kings will leave gifts. I LOVE this tradition because it focuses on the birth of the Christ-child and not Santa. Plus, it extends the Christmas holidays just a little longer.

Thanks so much for stopping by:-)

Anita

I'll be joining:

Tablescape Thursday

Feed sack lamp shade...

2012-01-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope you are warm inside in this chilly weather!

I wanted to share a lamp shade I made from feed sacks...

This lamp is one of two that came from Family Dollar and cost $10. The original shade was more ornate. I thought it looked way too formal with the old wood box.

So I took it all apart and used the old shade as a pattern.

I made a ruffle for the bottom by cutting a length of fabric and doubling it. I then ran two parallel gathering stitches with the sewing machine.

To make really nice and even gathers, run two stitches with a very loose tension, then pull the two bottom threads to gather. You can even the stitches out as you pull the bottom threads. There is no shortcut for this that will come out as nice, so it's definitely worth it to take the time and do two stitches.

I then pinned the ruffle onto the shade and sewed from the inside between the two parallel stitches.

After attaching the ruffle, pull out the gathering threads so they do not show. To make it look nicer, I ran the serger along the edge.

I used the serger on all the seams so it would be neater. Remember, lamp shades will show any mistakes when the lights are turned on. I attached it to the original frame exactly like the old shade was attached with hot glue...

I first had it turned this way so the print shows...

Then I decided to turn it around. It can go either way.

I also exchanged the Moroccan mirror for two vintage bird prints my mother let me have. I am loving these, and I know they will be great as Spring approaches.

I took away the crock with greenery and brought out a silver tray with candy... my dad loves these spice drops and they are always here when he drops by for a visit. The storage jars came from my parents' basement, and the pretty cut crystal one was passed down from a family member.

I'm really enjoying my little feed sack shade! I have made several things from these feed sacks my grandfather saved, so I'll be sharing some more projects soon.

We still have Three Kings Day to celebrate Friday, then I can start taking Christmas stuff down this weekend. I always hate to see it go, but I'm anxious to play with my toile and tartan look for winter.

Thanks SO much for stopping by!!

Anita

I'll be joining:

Twice Owned Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesdays

Home Sweet Home

Christmas table...

2011-12-28T13:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

I know you are probably tired of seeing "the box" but I am still really enjoying using it in different ways. Here is the table setting we had for Christmas...

Once again I used the J & G Meakin "Romantic England" with a Mikasa "Italian Countryside" charger, and Wallace "Louvre" sterling flatware. I added the Noritake "Perspective" water glasses and compotes my mom gave me. We used the compote for a delicious fruit trifle dessert.

I changed out the greenery in the box and opted for sparkly fruit, pine cones, and sprigs of cedar, white pine and boxwood tucked in. I also added some cinnamon sticks. I actually lowered all the candles. There were two layers of styrofoam inside, so I took one out for this arrangement.

I have really enjoyed it this way, and it can stay like this for a while during the winter. It will be very easy to tuck in fresh greenery as needed.

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Day with services at church, then dinner here with my parents. My brother and sister-in-law came Monday and spent a couple days here, so my parents had everyone here. We had a light snow last night, so that really topped off a nice holiday.

We are still enjoying Christmas and look forward to "Three Kings Day" January 6th.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Anita

I'll be joining

"Tablescape Thursday"

Finally, a little snow!

2011-12-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

We have been a little warm this year here in the WNC mountains, but are finally getting a light dusting of snow...

Still enjoying time with family and celebrating Christmas, which of course, lasts until Jan. 6:-)

Hoping you are enjoying this wonderful season!!

Anita

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

I want to say thank you to all of my readers!! Thank you all so much for all your wonderful comments, and for sticking by me when there were no posts for weeks at a time. Thank you for being *extremely* patient in my getting around to visit because with three kids, a ministry, and a husband, things just take time!

I hope I have inspired you to not only make your home a little cozier with things you already have or can make, but that I inspire you to give to others--especially those in need.

Last week I posted a 1993 (I was 12, lol) version of "O Holy Night" that I put on youtube for my mom. This year, I recorded a Christmas CD for my dad, so I have included a newer version of "O Holy Night" for you all and a jazzy "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." The house in "O Holy Night" is the one my dad grew up in, so that is why I used it for him.

This is such a wonderful community of people and I am so very thankful for each and every one of you!! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!

Anita

I'll be joining At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday...

A Balsam Christmas...

2011-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I was so hoping for a little bit of snow before I took outdoor photos, but this year it feels more like a tropical Christmas! My husband is perfectly happy with this weather. I want to share one of our porches and the most beautiful evergreens my mom brought me!

I remember my grandmother always making swags of Balsam pine and white pine tied with a very effortless-looking red ribbon, so I use those a lot myself, although I am not as good at the ribbon tying!

I have used a sled my grandfather made many years ago along with a garden basket filled with fresh greenery. The lantern is a vintage Southern railroad lantern one of two found here on the property. Balsam is 3,315 feet above sea level, and the highest standard gauge railway east of the Rocky Mountains crosses here. The Asheville to Murphy branch of the Southern Railway was constructed through Balsam Gap in the mid-1880s.

The plaid coat was my grandmother's and I wear it frequently.

Notice in the background the little guest house...

The sign was on my great grandfather's house I featured Friday...

This beautiful candy cane was made by a dear friend of my mom in Mountain City, Tennessee at Forge Creek Farm! This is just one of several that she brought back.

I am loving the red doors this season! These wreaths are just some faux ones I bought several years ago. I hang wreaths on all the windows.

Here are evergreens in the shape of a cross from Forge Creek Farm. I saw this on their facebook page first and fell in love with it. I have never seen anything like this! It is so beautiful and lush in person. I will post contact info for them at the end.

The cross inspired me to put a nativity underneath...

I also tucked bunches of fresh greenery in the candle sconces.

A few night pics...

These were taken before I finished with the red ribbon and the greenery on the sconces.

A few random shots...

I cannot be here at Christmas without thinking about and missing my "Granddaddy and Isabelle Knight." I am surrounded with things that belonged to them, and they bring back so many precious memories. Knowing that I am walking where they walked, enjoying the land and things they loved is such a blessing and brings so much joy to me.

Thank so much for letting me share those memories with you:-)

Please go by and check out Forge Creek Farm and more beautiful wreaths at their facebook page:

Forge Creek Farm

Thanks for stopping by!!

Anita

I'll be joining:

and

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty, Thrifty Tuesday

Italian Countryside for Christmas...

2011-12-14T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! First, I want to say thank you to all of you who left comments last week in my marathon of posts! I am getting around to visit, although very slowly.

Today, I wanted to share a Christmas table with Mikasa "Italian Countryside" using a lot of the same elements from last week's table.

Mikasa "Italian Countryside" flatware and dinnerware combined with vintage Noritake "Perspective" glassware my mom gave me, and the Walmart woven chargers I stained with dark walnut stain.

My mom loves vintage glassware, and is an expert in collecting it. She has gifted me with several different patterns, but this Noritake "Perspective" is one of my favorite.

These are napkins I made, and I just tucked boxwood, cedar and holly into the napkin ring.

I kept the runner I made, the box filled with greenery, and the woven chargers from last week and changed everything else. I am always trying to make the most of what I have and stretch things as far as I can!

Thanks for stopping by this week!! I'm hoping to have some outdoor porch photos up tomorrow with some incredible wreaths my mom gave me so be sure to stop back by. I was hoping for snow in the photos, but this year has not been white!

In the meantime, we are still busy with Christmas musical programs at church and in the community. Luis and I will be playing again Monday night at a homeless veterans shelter, so we are looking forward to sharing with them. Thankful for opportunities to serve...

Anita

I'll be joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday.

Boscov's for Christmas shopping...

2011-12-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!! I wanted to share a discovery I made last week while looking for affordable flannel sheets...

Boscov's Department Store! I was looking online for flannel sheets, but inexpensive ones. I use down comforters for all the beds because our house is so cold in the winter, and wanted to add the warmth of cotton flannel. After searching amazon, ebay, google, etc., I stumbled onto Boscov's site. I found these Ashley Cooper striped sheets for $19.99 for any size!

They arrived in a couple days, and I could not be happier. So happy, that I went back to try to find some for the kids beds, and discovered they have everything from Estee Lauder and Noritake to Barbie and all at great discounted prices. Shipping over $25 is free the rest of this week.

I had never heard of this store and was so happy to find it, I just wanted to pass it along.

Anita

Vintage Treasures...

2011-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope you are not tired of the overload of posts from me:-) I wanted to share some vintage treasures that mean so much to me.

I write about things that have come from my great grandfather's house quite a lot here, so I wanted to share more about that. Here is the house in winter...

I never saw the house as it was torn down and replaced with a new brick rancher before I was born. My dad has told me so much about it as they lived there until he was in high school. The little guest house that I have featured, was behind this house.

This house was filled with beautiful *never-painted* wormy chestnut woodwork that my grandfather carefully removed and bundled, then stored. If you have visited here much, you have seen us reuse and repurpose that wood.

Luis started building a corner china cabinet a couple years ago from a walnut tree my dad had cut in the 1970s. We are finishing it with the wormy chestnut trim from the old house, but have yet to get the doors done. They will be made using the eight-inch baseboard mouldings.

Since it is really large and doorless, I have accessorized it to remind me of the old store, which my grandfather owned here, with things from the store and the old house.

The cathedral photo belonged to my great grandmother who lived in Washington D.C., for a time, but I don't know what it is. I'm pretty sure it's not the Washington Cathedral, but maybe another Washington church since it came from there. I also lived there, so it is special to me. All the books are from the late 1800s/early 1900s and belonged to my grandfather or his mother. All are inscribed with my great grandmother's handwriting.

This old, electric iron of my grandmother's is so heavy I cannot imagine using it.

The box came from the old garage that is on the property here.

You all go to antique markets...I go here:-)

The trim moulding here on top was in the house, I found the coffee can in the smokehouse, and the photo is my late great grandmother with her children and sister.

My mom let me "borrow" the scales just for the photo. The date on these is 1912.

Here are the same scales (top) in the old house, with my grandfather at the sink. Notice the window is the same as I have hanging by my piano.

I thought the storage jars would be nice here with the balsam pine sachet my grandmother made for me...

We will eventually get the doors made--solid wood at the bottom, and seeded glass on the top.

Thanks so much for stopping by!! You all know how much I love anything that belonged to my family, so I appreciate your bearing with me as I share it all. Most people would just throw away a lot of these things, but even the tiniest, most worn out item is so special to me.

I'll be joining Courtney for Holiday Vignettes

Debra for Vintage Inspiration Friday

and

so be sure to stop by!!

Anita

O Holy Night...

2011-12-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share this video I made for my mom. She loves this version of "O Holy Night" that I did with one of the Air Force Bands so I made a "video" of sorts so she could share it with her friends. If you have visited here, you will no doubt recognize the photos, lol! This was my first attempt at imovie.

Hope you like it!

Christmas Kitchen...

2011-12-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I wanted to share a little Christmas cheer in the kitchen! We spend a lot of family time here, and really enjoy it.

I have used a mix of old and new--just things I love.

I painted the backsplash. I am NOT a painter at all, but I got the idea from a mosaic tile backsplash, and thought I could achieve the look with paint. I actually layered joint compound on, textured it, then painted the red. After painting all the leaves and vines, I put mocha and a lighter cream glaze on top.

These little angel candleholders and the candy cane were my grandmother's and she always had them on the dining room window sill. The candles are wood. The hanging lantern is one of three I bought in Turkey.

The marble slab came from my grandfather's store. I'm hoping to have a larger piece of it cut for my mom's counter for Christmas. She loves to cook, and could really use it for breads and such. We are planning on tearing out the bar and reshaping it as a rectangle and one level, but have not gotten around to it. It's great, but really wastes some space that we need. The wrought iron basket came from Turkey also.

Thanks for stopping by my Christmas kitchen!! It's a family place we love to be together in.

I'll be joining At the Picket Fence for the Christmas Blogger Block Party, so be sure to go by there.

Luis and I are off to play at a Christmas luncheon, then a rehearsal this afternoon with one of my piano students and my 12-year old who plays flute...

Anita

Romantic England for Christmas

2011-12-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I know I am in post overload, as I am way over my 'once a month if I'm lucky' quota, but there are so many great blogger parties going on I wanted to link up to!

Today we are dining with the J & G Meakin "Romantic England" red transferware. It goes so nicely with the English country cottage style I am embracing this season.

Oh how I love this pattern!! I mentioned back when I got it that both my dad and my husband love it also. I never thought about using it for Christmas, but it really is just perfect.

I am mixing the rustic and organic elements with silver and crystal I do so frequently, including the walnut-stained woven chargers, the bamboo napkin rings, the Durand Cristal D'arques "Longchamp" crystal, and the Wallace and Sons "Louvre" sterling flatware from 1893.

I filled the box we made for Thanksgiving with a layer of florist foam, then small pots of floral oasis filled with fresh Balsam, white pine, arborvitae, cedar, boxwood and pine cones. I added faux red berries along with the holly.

A little background on the pieces I am using from this pattern...

The bowl features the 16th century mansion, "Chequers" in Buckinghamshire, England, which has been the official country residence of British Prime Ministers since 1921.

The plates feature "Haddon Hall" in Derbyshire...

The cups feature "Ann Hathaway's cottage" Shottery...

...while the saucer features the "Holy Trinity Church" Stratford-on-Avon.

I carried the tartan window treatments in here and added a toile shade trimmed in a striped taffeta, which I'll show in more detail later.

Some night pics...

I hope you have enjoyed a little Christmas trip through "Romantic England!" We are certainly enjoying this pattern.

The most important thing for us is to sit for meals together, whether it's at the breakfast bar or at the table. We are always reminded, however, that not everyone has that opportunity and make it a priority to help out where we can with meals, food or volunteering. Share what you have and receive a blessing this Christmas season:-)

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am, as usual way behind in getting around to visit, but I will get there eventually. I so appreciate your very kind comments.

Anita

I'll be joining:

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

and

No Minimalist Here for Holiday Dining

A Christmas gift from Paris...

2011-12-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

Today is December 7. To some, it's just another day. To Americans in 1944 it was the day that brought the realities of World War II into their lives and forever changed the fabric of this nation.

My mother's family was like so many others. My grandfather soon left for training in the Army, and eventually was one of the many soldiers who fought their way so bravely onto the shores at Normandy. He would spend the next few years in France, Belgium and the Rhineland as Allied troops fought to defeat the Nazis.

Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Chandler in 1943

He left a week-old baby girl here in America, and did not see her again until she was three. She was on his mind, though, and he wrote letters when he could although many arrived with portions censored.

Christmas of 1944 he managed to get a sergeant in his unit to buy a doll in Paris to send back home to his baby girl.

She always kept it carefully wrapped and put away. I only remember seeing it a few times.

This Christmas, my mother gave it to me.

A treasure that not only brings back so many wonderful memories of my "Pappaw" Chandler, but also honors the sacrifice so many have made for the cause of freedom.

A precious gift that is truly priceless...

My beautiful mother and grandmother

Remember this season so many who have sacrificed through the years so that we can freely celebrate Christmas. Let us take the responsibilities that come with freedom seriously. Let us never forget.

Anita

Toile and Tartan for Christmas!

2011-12-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share my English-inspired "Toile and Tartan" Christmas decor! I normally don't have a theme for Christmas as I just love to use things that I have collected over the years along with lots of natural elements.

This year, however, I was inspired by some photos I had seen and my "Romantic England" transferware, which you will see later this week.

These next two inspiration photos are from Charles Edwards lighting in the UK, which you can visit HERE.

I love the colors in these, particularly the persian rug and the dark furniture. Also, the wall color and accessories really spoke to me, I also love to mix old and new. Dreaming of the chandelier:-)

This photo was from a 1995 issue of Country Living, and I really loved the tartan window treatments, so that was the jumping off point for me.

I lucked into this fabric, which is so similar to the inspiration photo, on ebay, and there was just enough for four generous panels.

I made pillow slipcovers with remnants of the Waverly "Sweet Pastimes" toile in Spice that I had leftover from a runner project.

I also added vintage quilts and afghans that were made by my great grandmother and family friends as inspired by another book I love, Perfect English Cottage, available HERE at Amazon.

So here is my English cottage Christmas...

I wanted a really comfortable family area that we could gather in and enjoy...

I also draped the tree with more toile and lots of tartan bows.

...a few night pics

A cozy spot for reading the Christmas story...

Having seen antlers everywhere in decor lately, I begged and pleaded with my parents for this set over the buffet, and my dad finally let me have them. These are from a hunting trip he took when he was just 14 years old...his very first deer.

"Romantic England" red transferware plates by J & G Meakin were part of the inspiration for the English cottage style.

Now a closer look at the tree...my 5-year-old loves to rearrange things on the tree:-)

I used a lot of handmade, crocheted ornaments along with others I have collected over the years on trips to Germany and Italy. The gold ball ornaments are from Sacile, Italy.

Home is a very special place for us, and I work really hard to make it that way for my family. We cherish the time we spend together and make that a priority. Our house is very small, but I really try to make the most of it in creative ways. We are so thankful for what we have, and we make every effort to share with others as opportunities arise.

A cause near and dear to our hearts is the plight of homeless veterans. We regularly volunteer at a local shelter dedicated to their needs, and we are the ones being blessed by them. A wonderful thing to do during this season is to give a gift in honor of someone to a charity that will help someone in need. Also, please take the time to volunteer at a shelter, or simply take food or necessities to someone. There are so many opportunities to give, just take one. We could so change the world if we all did that:-)

Merry Christmas

Anita

I'll be joining Kim for Wow Us Wednesdays

Welcoming Christmas with music...

2011-12-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!! I have definitely been a busy little elf! This is the busiest season of the year in my music ministry, so I have been hard at work getting things done at home so we can enjoy the family time we love and cherish so much.

I thought I would start with a peek at the piano since music is a big part of Christmas at our house.

I simply used a rustic basket of greenery along with chunky candlesticks.

I love this wire sleigh, and I thought this might be the safest place for it to be away from the children.

I have made a lot of changes around here due to some 'shopping' at my great grandmother's little guest house, my parent's house and 100-year-old garage.

I have added a window from my great grandfather's house here with a bunch of fresh boxwood and cedar.

The square wooden piece is one of three that I found from the same house. The print belonged to my grandmother and I rescued it from my mom's attic. It actually inspired the English cottage elements I have added in the room I'll show later.

Just a little peek at the tree...

...and another peek at the tree which should give you a big hint as to why I am calling this year's Christmas decor, "Tartan and Toile!" Can't wait to show the rest!

I hope as you are busy buying gifts and celebrating, that you think of others around you who are in need of basic necessities. Please do not let this season go by without donating your time to a shelter, taking food to someone, donating coats, etc. I can tell you that will be not only the best gift you give, but also the best gift you receive.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

I'll be joining:

Metamorphosis Monday

and

Tabletop Tuesday

Anita

Organic Thanksgiving...

2011-11-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

What would have been the exact same Thanksgiving table as last year totally took a different turn thanks to a photo on Pinterest! If you did not see the whole inspiration process, you can see it HERE.

It all started with this box my husband made for me...

...and it turned into this:

I combined rustic wood with sterling silver and lots of outdoor elements to create a table that celebrates nature's best at Thanksgiving...

I used a Mikasa "Italian Countryside" dinnerplate with a Myott Churchill "Thanksgiving Turkey" salad plate. I really do love this turkey pattern best -- probably because of the soft, muted colors.

The crystal is Durand Cris D'Arques "Longchamp" and I have filled the sherbet glass with different natural elements including arborvitae, azalea leaves, berries, acorns, pinecones and moss.

I paired a vintage crochet edge napkin with a taffeta napkin and bamboo napkin rings wrapped with raffia and accented with greenery.

I love the way the sterling silver flatware looks next to the bamboo charger and the rustic wood of the table. This is an antique pattern by R.S. Wallace and Sons from 1893 called, "Louvre."

I really wanted dark chargers, so I took the light ones I had from Walmart and stained them with Minwax "dark walnut" stain. I love, love how they turned out! The stain did, however take several days to dry. I cannot seem to find water-based stain in dark walnut here, but that would have been my first choice. Here is how they looked before:

Love the darker color especially with the medium tone of the table and the creamy matelasse runner.

Here is the box this table was created around...

I added some azalea branches to the box because I loved the colors the leaves have all turned now.

I know it's the middle of the afternoon, but we will have the candles lit during our Thanksgiving meal, which is usually early afternoon.

So there you have it -- my 'new' Thanksgiving table using everything old.

I hope I have inspired you to gather what you have inside and outside the house and reuse in a different way. Everything on this table was something I had here or repurposed in some way.

I really do appreciate your stopping by! And a heartfelt welcome goes out to my new followers:-) I'm getting around to everyone slowly but surely.

Anita

I'll be joining:

Tablescape Thursday