Aunt May's Cottage

Update........

2012-02-09T19:54:00.003-05:00

The old house and Aunt May's Cottage are for sale!

See it here......

http://virginiagard.point2agent.com/Listing/VirtualTour.ashx?listingid=1151596138

We have moved on to our next project.......The Forever House.

That blog will start soon and I can't wait to see you there!

No Words.........

2011-06-27T19:55:00.007-04:00

God is good...........

Forgiven.............

2010-05-18T20:28:00.002-04:00

My beautiful son, Michael Scott, was taken to be with our Lord today.........................

Spring in Lower Michigan

2010-04-16T08:31:00.007-04:00

Spring has finally arrived and I've been soaking it all in like a sponge!

Please join me in a little walk around Aunt May's Cottage.....(click on any photo to enlarge)

Believe it or not, this is a tulip... I don't know the name, but it opens rather flat and not the usual cupped shape.

Also comes in red which looks a lot like a poppy to me...

Leopard's Bane (DORONICUM)...

Daffodil (NARCISSUS)...

These mini Tulips are only about 2 1/2" across, in a bed of Lemon Balm. I use Lemon Balm a lot in summer lemonade and iced tea. Mmmmm....

Hyacinths in a bed of black raspberries. I'll make some yummy preserves from those in late June...

The west end of the cottage is filled with Windflower (ANOEMONE) in various shades of blues, purples and a little white......

Hmmm....looks like this fence needs a whitewash job. I kinda like it all chippy like that, though. What do you think? More Windflower......

More tulips peeking around the cottage corner....

Here, we come upon a large bed of daffodils under the big Maple tree. You can almost see the cottage in the background behind the honeysuckle bushes and vines that crawl up the potting shed walls. This bed is edged with big rocks that I picked up in the yard the first year we lived here. When the daffodils die down, several other species of perennials will take their place.

Thanks for joining me on a little botanical tour of the cottage gardens. We must do this again in the summer as it will be totally different then....

Second Issue of Victorian Etc.

2010-04-05T18:35:00.005-04:00

Again, I have been asked to write for the newest historical on-line magazine, Victorian Etc. What an honor this is for me and a delightful way to express my love for this enchanting time in our history. My article is on the use of fabrics in Victorian room decorating. I hope you enjoy it and all of the other entries in this wonderful publication.

This second issue is filled with Steampunk fashions and ideas. Actually, I didn't know until I read this issue exactly what Steampunk was! If you too, are in the dark, come on over and be enlightened as I was.

Grab a cuppa and click on this photo or on the one in the sidebar for a delightful read.

Happy Easter. HE IS RISEN!!

2010-04-02T19:07:00.002-04:00

Reflections of Past Post

2010-03-09T10:34:00.006-05:00

Follow the ways of your ancestors...

This title is an old Irish proverb and very valued in the Irish community. I have traced my father's family back to Wales, but I understand that there is a strong connection with Ireland. I've yet to uncover proof of that, but I know from my own freckles and BG (before gray) auburn highlighted hair, it must be true. One of my sons is a redhead and so are all of my cousins on my Dad's side.

Do any of your relatives come from Ireland? This would come as no surprise as over 40 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. On March 17th, that number increases considerably when we all celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

The earliest recorded American observance of the day honoring St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was in Boston in 1737. But, the Irish as an ethnic group did not begin to make their presence felt in America until their numbers began to swell during the Nineteenth century.

St. Patrick’s Day became the day the new immigrants remembered their strong ties to the “auld sod” with parades and banquets. By the turn of the century, the celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day had become a distinctly American custom, with everyone, no matter what his nationality, wearing a bit of the green.

Curiously, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland has evolved into a high-spirited holiday only in the past thirty years. Since the day was (and still is) a Holy day, people attended a Mass and all the pubs were closed. An authentic St Patrick’s Day observance with music, dance, food and liquid refreshment had to take place at home.

A ceilidh (Gaelic for “dance” and pronounced kali) is a gathering of family and friends to hear traditional Irish music, do a bit of step dancing, eat thick slices of soda bread slathered with butter, drink cups of strong tea or other liquid refreshments and engage in the Irish indoor sport of conversation.

But at the heart of any ceilidh is the Irish music, of which there are two distinct types: energetic dance tunes or lamentful narrative songs, usually ballads. In Irish reels, the main melody is repeated over and over again until it leads into another similar tune. The listener, who is unfamiliar with its unique circular structure, frequently comes away with the impression that he has been tapping his feet to one long Irish jig for over two hours.

Excerpts from Sarah Bainbridge

What's New at the Cottage??

2010-03-04T08:42:00.003-05:00

Easter Post Cards - just like they used a hundred years ago. I'm going to glitter and embellish mine and send them out just like they did back in that day. I love the old traditions and am so happy that the materials are available to copy them. These have the divided backing with lettering that is a replica of 1901. How sweet it would be to receive one of these in the mail!!

No, this is not life sized...it is American Girl sized. I covered this sweet chair in today's fabrics for your bookshelf or doll cabinet. Doesn't this just look good enough to curl up with a book in?

Made from a vintage bridal gown train, this beauty is a one-of-a-kind window treatment. Visualize this over your bed.......WOW.

Speaking of beds.........this is the yummiest covering you could ever wish for on your skin. This beauty is made of soft 4oo ct Egyptian cotton with French Lace ruffles on the top sheet and pillow slips. Dreamy.......

Another To-Die-For window treatment. This lovely has over 7 yards of quadruple (4) layered ruffles and lace. If you are a ruffle queen, this is the treasure for you. It's also dotted with lace appliques throughout.

Well, that's all I've been up to for the past week. To see more detail on the above treasures for your home, please join me for a cup of tea and browse to your heart's content at Aunt May's Cottage.

Hey, Wasn't That US??

2010-02-10T09:05:00.003-05:00

I received this from a friend recently and needed to share it with my blog friends. Even without graphics, this poem says it all............

A little house with three bedrooms, one bath, one car on the street.
A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat.

In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone,
And no need for recording things, someone was always home.

We only had a living room where we would congregate
unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen where we ate.

We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine.
When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine.

We only had one TV set, and channels, maybe two
But always there was one of them with something worth the view.

For snacks we had potato chips that tasted like a chip,
And if you wanted flavor, there was Lipton's onion dip.

Store-bought snacks were rare because my mother liked to cook.
And nothing can compare to snacks in Betty Crocker's book.

Weekends were for family trips or staying home to play,
We all did things together- even go to church to pray.

We did our weekend trips depending on the weather,
No one stayed at home because we liked to be together.

Sometimes we would seperate to do things on our own,
But we knew where the others were without our own cell phone.

Then there were the movies with your favorite movie star,
And nothing can compare to watching movies in your car.

Then there were the picnics at the peak of summer season,
Pack a lunch and find some trees and never need a reason.

Get a baseball game together with all the friends you know,
Have a real action playing ball - and no game video.

Remember when the doctor used to be the family friend,
And didn't need insurance or a lawyer to defend?

The way that he took care of you or what he had to do,
Because he took an oath and strived to do the best for you.

Remember going to the store and shopping casually,
And when you went to pay for it, you used your own money?

Nothing that you had to swipe or punch in some amount.
Remember when the cashier person had to really count?

The milkman used to go from door to door,
And it was just a few cents more than going to the store.

There was a time when mailed letters came right to your door.
Without a lot of junk mail ads sent out by every store.

The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent.
There were not loads of mail addressed to "Present Occupant".

There was a time when just one glance was all that it would take.
And you would know the kind of car, the model and the make.

They didn't look like turtles trying to squeeze out every mile.
They were streamlined, white walls, fins and really had some style.

One time the music that you played whenever you would jive,
Was from a vinyl, big-holed record called a forty-five.

The record player had a post to keep them all in line,
And then the records would drop down and play one at a time.

Oh sure, we had our problems then, just like we do today,
And always we were striving trying for a better way.

Oh, the simple life we lived still seems like so much fun,
How can you teach about a game, just kick the can and run.

And why would boys put baseball cards between bicycle spokes,
And for a nickel red machines had little bottled Cokes?

This life seemed so much easier and slower in some ways,
I love the new technology, but I sure miss those days.

So time moves on and so do we, and nothing stays the same,
But, I sure love to reminisce and walk down memory lane.

Victorian Etc.

2010-01-30T19:56:00.005-05:00

I feel very privileged to be a featured writer in the newest on-line Victorian magazine, Victorian Etc. Like me, I suppose every author has spent years in pursuit of Victorian perfection in their particular field.

Grab that cup of morning tea and please take a moment to go on over and peruse this wonderful publication. I know you will find it truly inspiring.

Let me know how you liked it in the comments section of this post. Thanks!

An Offer Too Good to Refuse

2010-01-05T14:08:00.008-05:00

Thanks to all of you that posted comments on my Victorian Christmas Decoration series. If you enjoyed the photos and wish to have some of these copies of your own, Aunt May's Cottage is now selling past issues of my favorite magazine, Victorian Decorating and Lifestyles. Many of the gorgeous Christmas photos came from that magazine.

Sadly, it is no longer published but I have been collecting these vintage treasures for the past few years. Sometimes, I must buy more issues than I need in order to get the ones (or one) that I am missing. I still have a few that I've not been able to locate, but that's part of the fun of a collection ....the hunt.

I'm willing to let duplicate issues of this fine publication go to folks that also feel they have been born about a hundred years later then their heart and soul.

If you love the old Romantic magazines, this is a publication you will want to have on your bookshelves for future reference. Timeless in it's decor ideas, there are also lots of articles on the lifestyles of our Victorian ancestors.

Stop on over to the cottage and check out "The Library" for the issues offered. Wonderful price of only $4.00 each!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day 23

2009-12-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day 22

2009-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Victorian Christmas at the Morgan's

2009-12-21T10:36:00.007-05:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to insert a few photos of our home during Christmas.

I've not shown the entire house as it would take too many photos to show, but here are some of the highlights....

First, we will stop in the dining room. This is the old carriage room attached to the house. It is four steps down from the kitchen on the East side of our home and gets wonderful sun in the mornings.

Close up of the tea cart in the corner.

Buffet loaded with goodies..

View from the head chair.

I'm lucky to have 20 place settings of this china.

The elves are still busy decorating the top of my china hutch.

The "children's" table in the kitchen. They get real china and real silver at grandma's house, too.

I don't decorate much in the living room as that is used to watch Christmas movies after dinner. This is the stairs that lead to the bedroom floor. I also have a sitting room up there (although I very seldom use it).

I do have a nice Angel collection that are scattered throughout the living room. This year I will be making more of them in lighter colors.

Moving on to the parlor. I painted the Santas quite a few years ago. There were 8 of them from different countries but, over the years, the rest have broken. Whatever pottery they are made of, seems to turn to chalk after 20 or so years. The ink drawing was done over 25 years ago.

This is my most precious Christmas decoration. It was painted by my father and stepmother and given to me a few pieces every year until the Christmas of 1984. My Dad died the following month.

Some of my Santa collection sits on the pump organ.

And some on the fireplace mantel. There are 26 Santas in this room.

I put the tree in the corner of the parlor this year. It usually sits in front of the big window.

I'd like to wish you all a
very Merry Christmas
and the
Happiest of New Years!

Day 21

2009-12-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day 20

2009-12-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day 19

2009-12-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day 18

2009-12-18T09:00:00.005-05:00

If you are enjoying these photos, please comment and let me know your favorites. Thanks!

Day 17

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Day 16

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Day 15

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Day Fourteen

2009-12-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Thirteen

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Day Twelve

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Day Eleven

2009-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Ten

2009-12-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Nine

2009-12-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Eight

2009-12-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Seven

2009-12-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Day Six

2009-12-06T09:00:00.003-05:00

Day Five

2009-12-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

Day Four

2009-12-04T09:31:00.001-05:00

Day Three

2009-12-03T09:27:00.002-05:00

Day Two

2009-12-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

It's the First of December!

2009-12-01T08:29:00.007-05:00

Join me in the countdown to our Lord's Birthday.

As my gift to you, each day until Christmas, I will post some lovely Victorian Christmas rooms for your enjoyment and inspiration. Most of these photos are from magazines that I have collected over the past 25 years.

Please note that I give full credit to Victoria, Veranda, Victorian Homes, Victorian Lifestyles and Decor, Country Victorian, Victorian Decorating and Old House Journal for these photos.

Enjoy....

Just click to enlarge any photo, but please don't copy. Thanks!

November Wrap-up...

2009-11-29T19:33:00.009-05:00

In my quest to visit as many small, quaint, historical towns in the Midwest as possible, hubby and I went to Paris, KY over Thanksgiving. What a friendly, clean little town! I loved it there. Unlike most of America, this looks to be a very active downtown area as many of the stores were being renovated and seemed to have new owners.

Smack dab in the middle of town was this sweet little park with a fountain. It was turned off for the winter, but I imagine it's quite beautiful in the summer months.

Paris has the most unusual Doors! These are a few of my favorites...

This building was in renovation.

Wonder what the Robneel was???

And these doors were well over 15 feet tall!!

I quickly found my favorite store....

Some other interesting buildings....

I peeked in the windows of this wonderful old drugstore and OH did I fall in love with this!! All of the renovations seemed to have these tin ceilings and wonderful wood floors.

Their courthouse is beautiful. It has a copper cupola and wonderful architectural features. I don't think I'd like to climb those stairs every day for work, though.

If you love old towns like I do and are ever in the Paris, KY neighborhood, you MUST stop by this lovely little heaven on earth. I can promise you won't regret it! I think we may go back again in the summer and say "Hey" to all of the friends we made there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can hardly believe it's the end of November already. Where did the year go?? We've only got the Christmas Season upon us now, being the last holiday in 2009. In celebration of that season, I'd like to share some of my favorite rooms decorated for the Holidays.

Many of you know how much I love the Victorian decorating magazines and have collected several publications for many years. When I'm thinking of decorating, I devour those for hours and have quite a stash of photos stored for future reference.

I'm sure you will enjoy some of these photos as much as I do and it may prompt you to expand your Holiday decorating as it does mine. So, starting December 1st, I will begin posting some of my favorites every day. There are almost 200 photos, so be sure to visit every day that you can during December.

Until next time..........

I WON, I WON!!

2009-11-17T11:50:00.003-05:00

I am so blessed to have won a give away by Lorena at Rose Chic Friends! Man, when she says "a give away", she means a GIVE AWAY!!

Look what I received in the mail yesterday!!

Gosh, I feel so spoiled! I'll be proud to wear that pin on my coat during the holidays!!

Just look at this lovely with the hand made clay roses....

Lorena makes the best roses! Isn't this plaque just darling?

This ornie will look perfect on my pink tree.....rose perfection! I wish you could see the sparkle on this beauty!

She even painted one of her shabby, fluffy roses on the back side!

I am the lucky owner of several of Lorena's painted pieces which I display proudly in my Victorian home.

I certainly can make good use of the trims and Victorian ornaments during the upcoming Holidays (LOVE those birds!!). I've already got some ideas so watch to see what I do with them. Yummy scent in the shower gel and lotion, too.

These treasures thrilled me beyond words! Lest you think me selfish, YOU can have goodies like this by going to see Lorena at her etsy store, Bonanzle and eBay.

Victorian Lamp Shades

2009-11-09T09:18:00.008-05:00

I've found a new passion...............Victorian Lamp Shades.

These beauties are very unique in that no two hand-made ones are exactly alike. Back in the day, you would employ a lampshade maker to fashion one specifically for your lamp and it would be a true work of art. There are very few lampshade makers left today as, sadly, it is another of the Victorian Arts that are rapidly passing away.

The Victorian Parlor really needed a couple of lamp shades that befitted its turn of the century demeanor. After seeing the price of having one made (WOW), I decided to try my hand at it. Well........

.....here is the result.

This particular shade has eight petals and eight of those diamond shaped inserts. I chose the same damask fabric that covers the footstool and side table for the petals, but they seemed too bright so I put a silk chiffon over four of the petals to soften them a bit. The diamonds are lined with black silk and covered in lace rosettes.

Side view.........

Can you see the rosettes? This is finished off with yards and yards of gimp and some glass beaded fringe. Here it is lit up. It really matches the wall color quite well, even when lighted.

This table lamp shade was my first attempt. It is made from the bodice of a vintage bridal gown and is a hand embroidered and beaded ivory satin. I dyed the gimp and fringe (which I LOVE) to match the outline thread on the embroidery. This is a six petal shade and is adorned with acrylic beads, too.

It is on the vintage lamp that sits on my desk. If you look back at the original Parlor photos, you will see this once had a lace shade on it. I like this better and the embroidery shows very well when lit up, too. The soft glow of the shade is due to the silk lining. Without the lining, you would see the outline of the bulb.

After completing these two shades, I decided that those who hand sew these (as they should be) earn every cent of the hundreds of dollars that they are forced to charge for them. They are very labor intensive!!

First, the entire shade frame must be wrapped in ribbon. Then, it took me over 16 hours of hand stitching to do the floor lamp shade and about 12 hours for the desk lamp shade. Each shade is made from several layers of fabrics all hand stitched individually. In the floor lamp, there are 25 fabric panels to sew on one at a time.

I hope you enjoyed hearing about my new passion. Now I'm looking at every lamp in a different light (pun intended) to see if it needs a Victorian Shade.

Click to enlarge any photo but please do not copy without permission. I gladly give it for a good reason. Thanks!

The Winner....

2009-11-09T08:21:00.003-05:00

.... of the magazine subscription to Old House Journal is....

Shirl of Shirl's Rose Cottage.

I know that Shirl will enjoy this as she, too, lives in an old farmhouse.

I'll be having lots of giveaways in the future so be sure to check back often.

Once in a Lifetime Offer......

2009-11-03T09:56:00.003-05:00

Wouldn't you love to live here???

I have subscribed to this magazine for a long time now. It has wonderful articles on the "bones" of old homes and has been a valuable resource in our restoration of this circa 1848 house and the cottage. This particular issue shows how to rebuild your old stained glass windows and even shows how to make the glass look old.

Over the years, I have used many of the articles to help me fix horsehair plaster, repair a window sill that has rotted over time, seal an old door from the weather, fix a wood floor that had fire damage and repair copper gutters.

I am offering a free one-year subscription to one person that comments on this post. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please post your interest in the comments section.

Until next time.........

We Have a WINNER!!!

2009-11-02T11:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday my granddaughter pulled a name from the hat (bowl) and the winner is..........

KIM of the Victorian Parlor!!!

I think Kim visited every Parlor post!

Congratulations, KIM!! Please send me your mailing address so I can ship these treasures off to you immediately.

Thanks to all of you that entered my Parlor Post give away! This was such fun that I think I'll have a few more in the future.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for more posts on Victorian living and decorating inspirations. I have big plans for the living room sometime this winter, but you never know what I will be sharing next.

Love this place!!! Don't you??

A Victorian Give Away...

2009-10-28T12:50:00.004-04:00

I thought I'd give you one more chance to sign up and closer photos of the Victorian gifts for the drawing on November 1st.

The cute little shade is from Aunt May's Cottage and is ivory lined in white.

I didn't want anyone to think that you had to have MY ancestors, so I've chosen one of my favorite graphics of a sweet young lady in a pale pink dress for the soft gold 5 X 7 Victorian frame.

It was a very big deal to have your photo taken back then and many folks were lucky to have had one sitting in their entire lifetime. After the turn of the century, photography was not such a science and there were more opportunities for photo shoots as cameras became easier (and safer) to use.

The Victorian ladies loved to craft something wonderful out of every photo that they could get their hands on, so I've included a Shadow Box frame.

This particular shadowbox is not very deep, but there is enough room for a small painting, a little golden gimp braid around the edge and a piece of red velvet to duplicate the shawl worn by the regal looking lady in the painting. Note the small piece of vintage jewelry also inside the frame. The winner can, of course, remove all of these visuals inside the frames and substitute their ancestors instead.

More on Victorian decorating in the next post......

What's Under There??

2009-10-24T08:50:00.009-04:00

All of the beautiful Victorian homes that you see in the magazines are staged to look the best that they can. Most times you will see items that are put there for "show" only and not part of the everyday living of the owners. We LIVE in our home, so this parlor is in use every day by a real family and their cat. Even though we were not of this age, we use the old toys, games and books in this room and are happy to share the stories that they evoke with our grandchildren.

Sometimes things are not what they seem and this post is to show you a few ways that you can "cheat" and get the look you want without the price that you don't.

I've already shown you a couple of those with the footstool and the fern stand. Here are a couple more..

This beautiful corner covered table has been my largest display surface in the parlor. It holds my teacup while I read, it holds the cat while she looks out the window and it changes with the seasons and my moods. I don't know what I would do without it.

Lest you think it is a valuable family heirloom, here's a look under the lovely coverings. It's a $10.00 plastic yard table! I bought this about 9 years ago to use on my patio. It served its purpose there for many years and has now moved (stains and all) into my favorite room in the house. It also hides Fraidy Cat's toy box and occasionally Fraidy herself if she is in the mood to play her hide-and-jump-out-to-scare-the-pants-off-you game.

Here's another cute table that Fraidy often uses for her games. It's a great place to hide when someone comes to the house that she doesn't know. She can keep an eye on their feet to see when they leave.

It's one of those three legged cheapos that you can find in your nearest dollar store.

Tables are for more than hiding things. Sometimes I like to put something sheer over one so you can almost see a wonderful surprise under there. Here is one of those. Sidebar: the lamp on this table was purchased at a local antique store. The shade is not a replica, but a true Victorian antique....all hand stitched with beautiful trims. The cherub base is plaster.

A little closer look....

Under here is a darling vintage Moss Rose children's tea set resting on an antique wedding hanky. I'm proud to have two of these sets and will give one each to my great grandgirls when they are old enough to not use them for weapons of mass destruction.

Now, here's what you've been waiting for. The treasures on my large round table are shown below. There are white lines around the items that are in the give away. You can start your own Vintage Vignette with them. Just comment under any of the parlor posts and your name will go in the drawing dish. The more times you comment, the more times your name is in the pot. Drawing is November 1st!

I hope you have enjoyed this tour of my 1848 Victorian Parlor and that you have come away with some wonderful ideas to decorate your own home. Thanks for stopping by...........

More Parlor Details.........

2009-10-15T10:50:00.007-04:00

Wow!! I can't believe that I've been gone for almost a month!!

Vacation in Eureka Springs was wonderful. We also stopped at a few unique and historic towns on the way home. Then, I needed to concentrate on our annual church bazaar and creating items for that. Those will have to be detailed in other posts as I want to get back to the parlor and our give away! Continue with those comments as all will be counted as one entry each for the prize.

We are focusing on Victorian details in decorating. Always present is the glass covered floral arrangement. This most often contained a bird or some type of stuffed animal (yuck). I've chosen instead a beautiful porcelain pitcher from Germany and an antique crochet doily.

One of my favorite collections is lace collars from the 1800s. I have about 50 in my collection now and have chosen to showcase a few in this antique Apothecary jar. I change them often with ones that are stored away and take them out at least once a week to just look at the tatting and beautiful handwork on them. Humbles me a great deal...

Another of my collections is pin cushion dolls. This one was acquired at a flea market for $6.00. They did not know what they had as I would have paid ten times that for this beauty. The silk on her skirt is a bit tattered, but I love her just that way and could not change her a bit. Just look at that lace! I do have many busts without the skirts (pincushions) and intent to duplicate this one using one of those.

The Vics loved their clocks. As clocks were always hand crafted and very expensive, the more afluent Victorians displayed them as a collection showing off their personal status in the community. I don't love them that much, but every once in a while, I will run across one that tickles my fancy. This is one of those. I found this at an estate sale that was mostly made up of boxes to sort through. Another of those that were done by the "unknowing and uncaring" grandchildren. They had no thought of keeping anything of their grandparents as they were now sucessfull attornys themselves. With little regard to the treasures that they posessed, I asked how much for the little clock. They said $2.00 and snickered under their breath as to what a fool I was to buy it for even that. So sad. After a little cleaning, this is what surfaced.

This is another of my not-so-perfect finds. This little pitcher was purchased at a garage sale and was only 50 cents because it has a small chip out of the rim on the back side. I love the softness and color of the roses and no one even knows there is a tiny chip in it. It goes perfectly on the mantle in here with some ivy in it.

Hubby and I love to travel to historic towns and other places of interest. This is my spoon rack with souviniers from each of the places we have visited over the past six years. I'm having to double up so need to find another rack soon as we are off to Cape May next year. I can't wait!!

This little Eastlake chair was purchased, as is, at a local auction for (don't hit me) $7.50. Now, the upholstry is not original, of course. It's not even period, but I plan to recover this little cutie sometime this winter. The color is OK for now and it serves very well as a desk chair. So sorry that the gorgeous carving on the headstead does not show very well in this photo.

I found this lovely tassel to adorn the back of the chair. Victorians LOVED tassels and used them everywhere! This one has beautiful beading on it and I think I got it at TJ Maxx.

I finally got the portrait to put in the empty frame. Alas, it did not fit very well as the painted part was not quite wide enough. With a little imagination, I painted the sides of the canvas black and hand dyed a piece of beaded lace to cover the the black which make it wide enough for my stretcher. I like it even better!

I've shown all of these details to impress upon one and all that you don't have to spend a fortune in order to create a warm, inviting, interesting, romantic room. Just use your imagination and display what you love. Add a little whimsy. You will never tire of it and will always feel right at HOME.

Click on any photo for an enlargement. Please do not copy without my permission. I'll gladly give it for a good reason.

Stay tuned. Next time I'm featuring a post called "What's under there?" and I'll also reveal the treasures for the giveaway.

Don't forget to comment..........

Stay Tuned.......

2009-09-16T07:38:00.003-04:00

I really meant to put another Parlor post on here before our vacation. I'm sure you all understand how time gets away from you and me.

We will be gone until the end of the month. As soon as we return, I will be posting more details and makeovers from this room along with a special post called "What's Under There?".

Don't forget to leave a comment for the give away in October. Remember, it's for an item displayed in this very room.

HINT: It is NOT the settee!

More Details

2009-08-31T09:25:00.017-04:00

This is the fourth in a series of the Parlor Makeover in our 1848 home. If you've been a regular follower, you may remember when I purchased this settee. I've never been sorry and have loved just seeing in my home. In reality, it's not very comfortable unless you put your back in the corners of it and put your feet up on the seat. However, its original intent was not for comfort, but for sitting upon with your bum on the very edge and holding a cuppa tea. Ladies, back then, did not lean back in a chair or settee during a visit and would lounge on a chaise only at home.

Let's look at some details in this photo. Notice the underskirt on the corner table next to the settee on our right. Its pattern is not the same as the settee, but it goes very well because it has the same color family and background color. The table on the left is covered in the same light weight netting as the header scarf on the window above. Because the settee is high off the floor, I wanted something more grounded on each side of it.

Pillow details. I've talked before about how important pillows were/are in Victorian decorating. This was one of the ways that the ladies of the house could showcase her stitching talents. Here, I'm practicing to make the rosettes on the Victorian Lamp shades. I love how this turned out on the pillow. The under fabric is an ivory Dupioni silk and, as the Victorian's would do, I've made this a sham so I can change it out often with something new to showcase.

This little beauty is an antique find. It is made from a very fine netting with pieces of lace hand-stitched over it. It has a beautiful lace ruffle and an embroidered rose medallion. I suppose this to be from the 20s or 30s because of the machined lace. This is also a sham. I made a Dupioni Silk pillow to fit the sham. Back in the day, it would have been done the other way around.

Let's look in the corner to the right. The Victorians loved to decorate with plants so I've put a tall tree in the corner to draw the eye up to the ceiling and that wonderful crown molding. To the right, notice the empty frame. It is waiting for a canvas that I ordered and won't be here for about a month. The portrait is of a lovely woman in a black dress arranging flowers in a vase and duplicates many of the same colors in this room.

The lamp on this table was an antique store find for $20.00. I rarely spend that much on anything, but I just HAD to have this lamp! On this table, covered with a silk velvet burnout piano scarf, I've put some family photos. The Victorians LOVED to show off their ancestors in wonderful, ornate frames. These frame are available in Aunt May's Cottage, too. From left to right are my grandmother (and namesake) and grandfather Pease, his father, his mother-in-law (my great-great-grandmother) and his wife with her second husband. According to my cousin who has researched my family back to 1170 AD, my great-grandfather was "a bit of a scalawag, preferring adventure to fatherhood". Other items on the table include, a musical bronze egg, two silver boxes, a StereoViewer marked 1898, my grandmother's glasses and a popular woman's magazine dated 1896.

This is the fine net with embroidered roses scarf swag over the settee. In the center, I have fashioned a rosette that was popular in the 80s, made with a rubber band and some poking. This adds a little color at the ceiling and ties in with the covering on the little square table to the left of the settee and its pillow. This will be the summer window treatment for this room. The winter one will be much heavier and is still on my drawing board.

As I said earlier, the Vics loved their photos. If you have a current photo that you would like to showcase in your period room, just run it through your printer on a sepia tone or take out almost all of the color in the photo as I have done here with my great-grand girls.

This little corner cabinet was purchased at an antique store in Saint Joseph, MI for less than $25.00. Shown on the bottom shelf is a tiny tea set I purchased on eBay over an ivory, fringed piano scarf.

This painting is by my favorite rose painter of all time....Igor Levashov. There are two of his paintings in this room.

I purchased this little musical jewelery box at a porch sale in town recently. The graphic on the top is in silk and it plays "Somewhere My Love" (Laura's Theme). I use it on my desk to hold some hand painted stationary, note cards and my favorite pens. I won't tell you what I paid for it 'cause you might hit me........Oh well, OK....two bucks!

Don't forget to leave a comment for the drawing. Just a hint.......it will be for something in this room!! Every time you comment on this series, your name will go in the hat.

Stay tuned for more..........

It's All In The Details...

2009-08-28T13:48:00.011-04:00

This third post in my series will show you some of the details in the parlor. Be sure to catch all of the photos in this series.

This antique pump organ was purchased at a barn sale. I was leaning on it while my friend was paying for her items when a gentleman asked me if I would be interested in buying it. Thinking he was joking, I told him that I was sure that I could not afford such a fine piece of history. He asked me how much I thought it was worth. After a little more conversation he said, "If you can get this out of here today, you can have it for a hundred bucks". What???!! I told him that I'd be right back with the truck. Wouldn't you??

Detail of the crown molding and corner crown blocks. These make it easy to do the corners if you have walls that are over 100 years old and are not square. They are worth their weight in gold for the headaches they prevent.

This stack of little books are treasures that I have picked up since we bought our home. They are all copyrighted in 1848 and are a delight to read. One is written in German, so I have no idea what it says, but it's nice to have items from the year our house was built in it. The exception is the book on the top. It is a Bible written in 1846 that my great-great-great-grandfather carried with him during the Civil War. Inside is a piece of red silk that I believe to be from his sword sash.

Below is an old clock case. I bought it this way from an antique dealer in town that had a box of stuff in his back room to sort through. Being a long time customer and after my weekly purchase, he let me go through it and pick out anything I wanted for $5.00. This was my choice. Inside is the first bouquet given to me by my hubby while we were dating and a couple of lace collars that were my great-grandmothers.

This is my collection of Hall's China. Hall, I understand, was given as a premium by the Jewel Tea Man on his weekly routes to deliver and take orders for food, spices and household items. There were many Hall patterns to choose from and this is the Silhouette pattern. I have this particular pattern because a small set of about 5 pieces were given to me by my grandmother in 1968 when she moved into a nursing home from her long time residence. I have been collecting them ever since and now have accumulated over 40 pieces.

This little vignette is comprised of a re-vamped thrift store find on the top left, the tea pot that goes to my set of vintage Stetson china, a Battenburg lace fan, a photo of hubby and me on our first trip to Branson and the last bouquet given to me by hubby. I always display items in groups of odd numbers. For some reason, it's more pleasing to the eye and mind.

Looking up again to the ceiling medallion. The chandelier had to be moved to the center of the room but it left a huge hole in the ceiling that I could not patch with my still recovering right arm, so I opted for the Victorian's way of hiding things......under something beautiful. Now, my plan is to complete the ceiling with some type of border around the edge, but that will have to wait for a fully recovered right arm.

The chandelier was a purchase that I made after my friend, Connie, got one. I love hers so much that I had to have one, too. Soon this will be a makeover as I am in the process of making shades for it.

That's all for today. Stay tuned for more details in the next post and don't forget to leave a comment for the upcoming drawing. More about that later....

Reveals and Makeovers #2

2009-08-25T09:12:00.010-04:00

This is the second post in my series of closer looks at the items in the parlor of my circa 1848 home.

I've had this stand since our first trip to Charleston. I bought it because I loved the shape and the fact that it's one solid piece of wood, made from one tree. You can see the growth lines on the bottom of it. It started out life as a candle stand and, for many years, I've had this displayed with a large candle atop it. I needed a fern stand for this room. All Victorian parlors had a fern stand!! Instead of a fern, I chose a gilded cherub urn and floral arrangement . I've had lots of ferns, but they always seem to "shed" for me and create a big mess.

The lovely lace doily looks old, doesn't it. It's not! It is brand new and was created with a few old elements. I took a piece of lace from my stash and added an old Battenburg doily to the center. Then, sewed on a row of narrow lace, some Venice lace on the edge and dipped the entire thing in a tea dye to age it a bit.

Closer look at the top....

Now, the big reveal...

In order to make this stand top large enough to sit my urn on it, I had to make some modifications. I could have cut a piece of wood to make the circle top, but I was in a hurry to take photos so decided to make a temporary "fix" instead. A couple of washers and a long screw to attach this to the center worked like a charm.

View from underneath. Yup, it's a Santa Platter!! Shhhh..don't tell anyone.....

I may just leave it like this forever!!

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A little hint about floral arrangements..... I always fill my arrangements with fresh baby's breath. It adds a wonderful fragrance to the room and is an inexpensive way of adding a freshness to your silks. When they dry, they still look great for about 6 months! You can usually buy a nice set of sprigs at your local grocery chain for about $5.00.

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If you are enjoying this series, please leave me a comment and let me know. I'm going to have a drawing and will include all comments from this series. More about that later.

Stay tuned...........

Reveals and Makeover #1.....

2009-08-23T14:39:00.008-04:00

This is the first post in a series of closer looks at the parlor.

This first makeover was on the easy side. Most of you can do this at home on a rainy, Saturday afternoon. This is the finished footstool or tuffet as the Victorian's would have called it. It is actually more the color of the walls on the base of the fabric with the damask print in a pale rose. It has box pleated corners and a straight skirt with ivory chenille fringe.

The fabric started out life as a tablecloth that I purchased at Burlington's on sale for $9.99. It was large enough for this foot stool, a table cover and two chair seats.

This is how that footstool began....

The cover opens for storage....

It came from Big Lots for a whopping....

I bought the fringe on eBay for a song. How's that for an easy afternoon project.....a lovely Victorian tuffet for less than $25.00.

If you'd like directions for this project, just email me. I'd be happy to share.

Before & After or Come Into My Parlor....

2009-08-18T20:19:00.015-04:00

....said the spider to the fly.

I believe that we never really have a house but that we are it's caretakers for the short time that we inhabit it. Every house has a character of its own and this old place has seen many, many inhabitants. Some that cared about her and, sadly, some that didn't. When I saw her, I knew she needed someone that cared enough to give her back her youthful beauty. After all, she was showing her age at 156 years old.

(click on any picture to enlarge)

Then....

Testing the paint color on the wall at left.

Wall of books.

What was I thinking??

Fireplace awaiting the gas insert.

Now......

Coming in the front door from the foyer

Looking to the left.

Straight ahead at the big window.

Around the corner to the right.

From the other side of the room.

Fireplace detail

Looking back at the front door. That's the foyer beyond.

Changes in this room are..... new crown molding, paint on walls, ceiling and trim, new trim around doorways, fireplace and floor, refinished floor, new bookcase, new lighting and chandelier, fireplace insert, mirror above fireplace, new carpet, old furniture and new artwork.

We did all of the work ourselves, so this room cost remarkably little to complete from Before to After.

This room was the original dining room but, since you couldn't burn the fireplace with a table sitting in front of it, we moved the dining room to the old carriage room on the other side of the kitchen. This room has had a couple of different looks since the "before" shown here. It was more of a library then. We have a computer room that has a wall of bookshelves that we use to store most of our books now as we never sat in here anyway. I think I like this look for this room the best. What do you think?

Stay tuned as I discuss in more detail several parts of this room in posts to follow. I'll also show several before and after make-overs in here that you can do for a few minutes and few dollars. You'll also see some secrets to this room that will surprise you.

Isn't she pretty now?? Not bad for 161 years old, huh?

I've added this post to Hooked on Houses Friday. Come see other fabulous homes and things bloggers are hooked on.... HERE!!

Broken Promises....

2009-08-09T18:10:00.010-04:00

Gee, I'm so sorry I did not keep my word about posting more often. I can't believe how the time has flown by this summer!

I've been really busy the last couple of weeks remodeling the Parlor in this old 1848 house. Photos to follow when I finish (or get closer to finishing. Are we EVER finished??).

Meantime, here are some wonderful old parlors from my Inspiration Journal.

Enjoy.........

I have this fireplace screen.

Don't you just love the details of these beauties?

Flea Market Finds

2009-07-13T12:27:00.005-04:00

Just had to share what I found at the flea market this weekend. From only one lady's booth!! AND, she had even more!! BLING!!!

I just love old costume jewelery, don't you? I remember playing with some of these pieces from my mother's jewelery box way back in the 50s.

You'll probably see some of these beauties on a few new items in the cottage in the next few weeks.

Back to the sewing room! I'm creating Victorian Window Treatments this week. What fun!! Here's one that I finished yesterday...

I took the inspiration from a photo that I got inside an historic home in Charleston a couple of years ago. I'm going through my scrapbook from that trip and duplicating several of the window treatments we saw on our many historic tours. Just LOVE that town!!

I'm going to try to post more often. I'm such a bad blogger as I can't seem to get in here very often during the summer months.

I've got some wonderful vignettes to post for you next time.

New at Aunt May's Cottage This Week

2009-07-10T16:54:00.002-04:00

I've been busy working on Victorian Sachets this week. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm kinda sick of the smell of Lavender right now. After filling 13 sachets with almost a cup of Lavender each, I really want to breathe some fresh air.

I've also listed a couple more of my Vintage Wedding Gowns. These are some of my absolute favorites!! You'll also find a couple of Vintage Prom Dresses from my collection, at very reasonable prices, I might add.

Next week I'll be working on Decorative Beaded Hangers. I love doing those!! Have a wonderful weekend........

We Have a LOT to Celebrate!

2009-07-02T11:43:00.007-04:00

I ran across something interesting recently. Did you know there really was an Uncle Sam?

It seems that after serving as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, Sam Wilson began a meatpacking business in Troy, NY. Known for his honesty, common sense and friendliness, everyone in town called him Uncle Sam. When the War of 1812 broke out, Sam became a supplier of meat to the Army.

One day, a reporter writing about the war efforts visited the Wilson butchery. There he noticed that all the barrels of beef were stamped with the initials "US". When he inquired as to what the initials stood for, a clerk told him, "Why, that's for Uncle Sam, of course".

Very soon, the story of the army's "Uncle Sam" began appearing in newspapers all across the country and the association caught on as everything the army used, from cannonballs to blankets, was referred to as "Uncle Sam's".

One of the most satisfying elements about celebrating the Fourth of July as a family holiday is that even if our personal experience varies - if we are barbecuing on the beach or the patio of an apartment building or enjoying a brass band concert in front of a village bandstand - it doesn't really matter.

We think this is because when, as a nation of individuals, we come together with family and friends to celebrate Independence Day, it's more than the birthday of a country. For what we really celebrate in our hearts is the birthday of an idea and, like our forefathers, a deeply personal vision of contentment.

We really do have a great deal to celebrate, don't you agree? For where else is there a nation that sets aside one day a year to exalt life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

How do you celebrate the Fourth of July?

excerpts taken from Sarah Ben Breathnach's Traditions

It's My Birthday!!

2009-06-30T11:50:00.006-04:00

.....and you get the presents!! I'm having a

50% off sale at Aunt May's Cottage
today only!!

Come on over and find a treasure or two at some really great prices!

Help...Master Gardener Needed!!

2009-06-07T20:06:00.017-04:00

This weekend I've been busy in the gardens trying to get the last minute pretties planted. Here in Michigan our growing season is not very long so we have to hurry and get things out when we can between the storms.

We have several old horticultural wonders that I did not plant, but were residents when we moved here. I don't know what they are. Perhaps you can help me?

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

Plant #1....This plant grows outside our back door. This is only one plant mixed in with the trumpet vine. This is about 40 inches high, blooms three times a year with the foliage dying back to the ground after each bloom. It grows very fast.

The little flowers. The hummingbirds love them.

Here are the leaves. They are very hairy and filled with water if you pinch them.
UPDATE: Identified as a Beardtongue by Katie. Thanks, Kates!!

Plant #2......I know this is a clematis..

But, what kind gets blossoms this BIG?

Plant #3......This vine was "planted" by the birds about three years ago. I put the trellis here for the trumpet vine, but this took over. This is the side that I trimmed about three weeks ago.

This is the side I didn't get trimmed yet. It is a prolific grower to say the least. Last year I hacked off all of the runners, believe it or not. It winds around itself and has no tendrils or sticky feet. Where it has nowhere to go up, it just grows across the ground until it reaches something to climb on. The stems are very woody, almost like a tree.

Right now it has these tiny little flowers. They are followed by some really hard little berries that the birds love...especially Cedar Waxwings.

The leaves look very like a pear tree. Thick and waxy. Could it be a relative?

Plant #4......Someone told me this was a Porcelain Vine. It has tiny yellow flowers in late June followed by a white berry that turns purple in the fall. The birds also like this. It winds itself around everything and grows about a foot a week over the summer. It has a sticky, hairy stem. I have to hack this a lot, too.

Now, keep in mind that I don't do ANYTHING to these plants to make them grow. I don't even water them. They all are growing in the sunlight except the clematis and it is under the pine tree and NEVER gets any sun.

I have searched several gardening books and have tried to find these on the internet, but to no avail. So, all of you wonderful gardeners out there, can you help me?

New at the Cottage

2009-06-04T17:07:00.001-04:00

New Product at Aunt May's Cottage

2009-05-26T09:47:00.007-04:00

I've been dreaming of these for a long time and finally figured out how to do them. I love the way these mirrors hold a faint image and still reflect as they should. I will be trying several versions of these picture mirrors in the next couple of weeks and they will be available for you in the Cottage soon.

I REALLY love this one and may make one just for me.

See? You can still see the reflected image. It's just a little muted where the other image is.

I like this one a lot, but it gave me goosebumps when I first saw it. It's so real looking, that it's kind of spooky at first glance.

What do you think?

June's Window at Aunt May's Cottage

2009-05-22T08:48:00.005-04:00

Yes Virginia, There REALLY is a Cottage

2009-05-14T16:52:00.023-04:00

Let's take a look as you enter the showroom.... (click to enlarge any photo)

To the left.........

And to the right....(hmm.....daybed needs more pillows). That's my desk in the back corner. I do my inventory there and wrap up orders.

A peek from the other side. To the left........

And to the right....

Past the front hall that still needs lots of work.....All of the walls and the cathedral ceiling in the workroom are also this wood siding stuff. Dark, dark, dark...

Into the work room (that also needs lots of work). This is the stainless steel bench where I make floral wreaths, swags and arrangements for my home. I love this workbench because you can glue to your heart's content and just scrape it off of the bench. Overhead on the beams, I hang the dried florals and baskets. I hope to get this room painted a light color with white cabinets sometime before winter this year. It's a dark room but has lots of natural light, as you can see.

The other side of the workroom. This is the table where I paint and craft. You can see how the sun streams throught this big picture window. Back on the buffet are some arrangements I did for a wedding recently, and my funny little bear that sings, "When I'm 64", gift from a friend for my birthday. Sometimes I have a little TV on and will take a break to watch some DIY or craft shows. I know, I know, it's a little overkill with the TV, but hubby wanted a flat screen for our home viewing and this doesn't fit in the bedroom cabinet.

Still in the workroom, a place for the silks in an old cradle. In the background some lamps that need work and a few supplies. I have four of those tall dressers with supplies in them. I don't know how I could do without them!

I love this old stacked cabinet. It was in hubby's garage for years with tools in it before I met him. He wanted to throw it out and I wouldn't let him. Someday I will clean it up and paint it ivory. It has no glass or doors on the bottom, but isn't that what FABRIC is for??

More florals.....

Into the kitchen. Remember back when we re-did this? That door came from the main house and we made it into a pocket door here. It leads to the bathroom. I left the old hardware on it because I like it. Inexpensive ceramic tile on the floor and I still need to paint the cabinets white. The cabinets came from Restore for $50.00 and the dishwasher and stainless sink came from the main house, too.

Still in the kitchen looking at the rest of the counter area with the Fridge. See?, I have one cabinet partially painted. It's a different kind from the others but still looks pretty good. We bought the stove and fridge when a local appliance store went out of business (very cheap). These windows are sliders and look out over a little wooded area between the main house and the cottage. Birds abound out there and I always hang a hummingbird feeder outside the sink window so I can watch them while cleaning my brushes.

Looking from the pocket door toward the back door. It's so chippy and old that it makes me smile every time I see it. I almost hate to paint it because it's so charming (and original to the cottage). See the ceiling? Well.........we had a leak in the roof from so much snow this past winter and will need to replace that part of the ceiling when we find out if the leak is fixed. I was just sick, let me tell you. There are no built-ins on the right side of this kitchen. Instead, I chose to use a large cabinet with shelves that came from an old schoolhouse (I painted a gazebo scene on it), an old radio cabinet that the microwave sits on, a Hoosier that someone painted white (not me) and an old aqua cabinet that had scary clowns on it. It's really chippy, but I sanded the clowns off as they scared my granddaughter. I don't know why they put such pictures on children's furniture.

Walking out the back door, we can stop by the pink honeysuckle bushes that are now blooming. What a heavenly smell!!

Thanks for stopping by and please come to visit me at the cottage again.

My Favorite Holiday!

2009-05-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy May Day!!

2009-05-01T11:52:00.002-04:00

Oh, let's leave a basket of flowers today
For the little old lady who lives down our way!
We'll heap it with violets white and blue,
With Jack-in-the-pulpit and wildflowers, too.
We'll make it of paper and line it with ferns,
Then hide - and we'll watch her surprise when she turns,
And opens her door and looks out to see
Who in the world it could possibly be!

-Virginia S Miner

April's Cottage Window

2009-04-21T10:44:00.005-04:00

Here is the cottage window for the month of April. I know I'm a little late and will try to get May's done sooner.

You can see in the reflection of the mirror how the grass and garden herbs are greening up in the April showers (and snow) that we have had. You can also see how much the fence needs whitewashing. I'll have to hope the weather dries up as the vines cover that fence very quickly.

Sorry for the reflection, but the trees are not out yet. Click on photo to enlarge.

Everything in this window is for sale at Aunt May's Cottage. We have added lots of luscious Victorian frames this week, too. Some in the lighter colors for you shabby lovers.

All of the trim on the cottage is the same color as the siding. I'd like to paint the trim white and I'm thinking of painting this window white. What do you think?

New Items at Aunt May's Cottage

2009-04-15T10:21:00.005-04:00

These are a few of the new listings this week at the cottage.

The frame is also available in shabby ivory.

What's New??

2009-04-09T18:00:00.010-04:00

What's new, you ask?? Well, this is not new, just a new idea to me. I'm so overwhelmed with "stuff" I can hardly breathe...........so, I've decided to let go of some of my vintage wedding gowns. These are all new, clean and never worn, stored in garment bags in a closet in my smoke free home. They just don't make them like they used to! These will all have wonderful hand beading, tons of appliques and lace in abundance. I just love looking at them and I will keep my favorites, but I have wayyyy tooo many and need to share their beauty.

Now, I know many of you still have your lovely gown stored away somewhere. But! What about that dress form or mannequin? What is she going to wear? What would you hang on that favorite decorated hanger (hopefully, purchased from Aunt May's Cottage)?

Here it is!! My goal is to list three a week in at the cottage. I will have no more than a dozen on there at a time. Check them out! You may find one that is just what you NEED for your lovely home. Psssttt....they are wearable, too.

The back of the dress shown above.....

Here's another beauty

The back of the dress shown above......

Where is your wedding gown??

Ahhhhhhh, Spring..............

2009-04-07T08:06:00.005-04:00

Wait!! This doesn't look like spring, does it? This is what we woke up to yesterday. And it's spitting snow again this morning. Will it NEVER stop??

Although beautiful, I'd like to see green grass, which is also beautiful! I'd like to be able to see the daffodils blooming without having to dig them out of the snow! I'd love to take a photo of the crocus in the cottage garden, but you can't see them right now under all of that white stuff.

Maybe next week (sigh)................

Note: this is NOT a black and white photo. This is exactly how it looks.

Porches

2009-03-10T08:26:00.008-04:00

I LOVE porches!! While riding on our Sunday drives, I notice porches and windows before anything else on a house. To me, a porch makes a house a home. Every home I've lived in has had a porch. Living here for the past five years, I have been fortunate to have many porches. Every one of our five out-buildings except the barn has at least one. The cottage has two and our home has two.

If you've been a faithful reader of this blog, you will remember my post about enclosing the back porch. I really liked the open "farm" porch that was here when we moved in, but I LOVE the enclosed porch. On a blustry winter day the temps may hover around zero to ten degrees in Michigan. If the sun shines, the temperature on our enclosed south-facing porch can rise to 70 degrees. It has been my salvation this winter!

I've decorated our many porches over the years and, last year, decided to share them on Shabby Lane Shops where they have a Porch of the Month contest. I am pleased to say that Aunt May's Cottage has won this distinguished honor many times (see side bar).

I hope you like my entry for March...........

Some Details.........

Many items shown in photos are available in Aunt May's Cottage.......

After two months of physical therapy, I am now able to sew on the sewing machines, but still cannot do much hand sewing. For some reason my right hand has decided to swell like a balloon when working with it. If I am idle, it seems OK. WELL, I'm not an idle person, so most of the time it's a chore to do any intricate work with it. The doc says it will all come in time, so I'm trying to be patient (not my strongest trait). I'm so lucky to have a wonderful physical therapist that is relentless. Because of her and the hours of "homework" she gives me, I think the arm will be back to about 80% the first part of April.

Hello Again!!

2009-01-02T11:29:00.002-05:00

Bet you all thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth! I almost felt as if I had.

Two days after my last post, I fell down the stairs and broke my right arm just below the shoulder. I was in an immobilizing brace for eight weeks and could not move my arm from my side or use my right hand at all. Because of that, my shoulder, elbow and wrist have all frozen and I will require many weeks of Physical Therapy to get the use of my right arm and hand back.

I am right handed and have been unable to type, write, eat, craft, sew or paint with that hand. Left-handed, I can now get a spoonful of soup to my mouth without it half spilling into my lap. I can make numbers with my left hand, but my writing is legible only to myself. I can type left handed now, but it take ten times as long.

The PT has helped a bit with the pain in my shoulder, but I still have a long way to go so will only be able to post as I progress. Long hours on the computer are no longer possible as the weight of my own arm on my shoulder creates a numbness after about 10 minutes and I have to go back to my recliner to rest it. Perhaps I need to invest in a laptop?

Hope everyone is happy and well and had a great Holiday!

Happy New Year to you all!!

Busy, Busy, Busy....

2008-10-24T07:27:00.010-04:00

I don't know how I get so busy!! I've been meaning to post on here for almost a month and it has not gotten crossed off my daily list; just moved to the next day. Not that I'm putting it off (or am I??), but I never seem to get to that, or making an appointment to get my glasses changed, or going to the Social Security office, or getting my hair cut!!

Do you have those things on your list? Things that just keep getting moved to the next day (everyday)?

I suppose we get wrapped up in the everyday events that happen that aren't on our list. Like lunch, bathroom breaks, phone calls or everyday problems that just happen.

I think I'll have to start blocking out a couple of hours just for the unforeseen.

I have been busy in the crafting room! Look what I've done for my little cottage.

I just LOVE this teacups and roses fabric from Shabby Fabrics!!

Pretty Pumpkins

2008-09-29T12:52:00.004-04:00

Remember these? I made them last year for a give away. I also sold quite a few on my web site and gave some away as gifts to my customers when they bought something from me. They were so much fun to create.

So, I decided to do a few for eBay this year. I've done these a little different as they are not the stuffed kind, but a more solid one that will hold its shape year after year. I've made several of these over the years that I still use in my Fall decorating as they are so different and unusual.

Placed with other fall items, these add a little romance to an otherwise quite dark season.

I know there are those of you that love the oranges, rusts, yellows and browns of this coming season, but I much prefer the burgandy, ivory, dusty rose and sage greens. Colors with just a hint of blue in them seem a little more soothing to me than all the colors with yellows in them this time of year.

How about you? Are you a cool color person or a hot color one? Along about February or March I'm ready for the warmer colors, though. I just love a pale yellow in the spring!!

Those Were the Good Old Days....

2008-09-17T18:30:00.007-04:00

While at an antique show a few weeks ago, I ran across a wonderful booth that had a lot of wedding items in it. I was drawn by a beautiful satin dress in champagne with rosepointe lace. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that it had rust spots all over it and the lace almost fell apart when I touched it. It could not have been cleaned as it would have disintegrated.

The vendor assured me that all of the items in that box went with the dress. There was a lovely cloche and veil, tiny shoes, an engraved announcement, what was left of the brides bouquet and a newspaper with the write-up of the wedding that took place with the bride wearing this very dress.

I was commenting to the vendor about how sad I felt that the family of this lovely bride did not want to keep and cherish these items. She said she bought it from the bride's grandchildren and had asked them time and again if they did not want to hold onto that memory of their grandmother. They told her that they had no room to store "old junk". Sad to say, this the fate of a good many of the antiques I run across. They are discards from family members that do not know how cherish their ancestor's memories.

Most of you won't have any memory of when this newspaper was on the stands. You won't remember when you could buy a pair of shoes for $1.99, or when a really nice dress was $7.99; When a kitchen sink came with it's own metal cabinet or when every woman wore a hat.

There are a lot of things you probably won't remember from 1952. Harry Truman was President and "Ike" was thinking about running for President on the Republican ticket (if he were nominated).

I can remember a few of these things as I was in grade school at that time. Without dating myself, I do remember when Eisenhower came to our town, on a train, to campaign for his Presidency and I remember reading Mary Worth in the comics section of the paper. You could go to the movies for a quarter and popcorn or a candy bar cost a nickel.

I'd love to hear if some of you also remember these wonderful times.

I've briefly skimmed over this newspaper and have had a good chuckle at the prices mostly.

You can buy these memories and this newspaper in my listings on eBay. Just search "Vintage Newspaper".

Shameless.....

2008-09-08T10:41:00.009-04:00

Yup, that's me and I'm going to shamelessly plug some of my friends' selling sites. Hang on because you will be blown away.

My dear friend, Vickie, has just started her own website. Vickie loves Victorian things about as much as I do and her home is a wonderful showcase of her splendid good taste.

I know she shops with a keen eye toward offering the most unique items for her customers. Check out Visuals by Vickie for some wonderful treasures for the Victorian lover as well as some great gifts at reasonable prices and great shipping rates.

I love shopping here! She's a sweet Southern lady, too. Here's a sampling....

Another of my favorites is Glory's House. If you're into BLING like I am, this is the place for you! I have to almost wear a bib when I go to this site as the appilques are soooooo georgous, I'm drooling the the entire time I'm on there. Get ready for lots of oooooos and aaaaaahhhs.

This is one of my favorite sites from which to purchase. Anita is such a lovely lady and her offerings are very unusual; not like the run-of-the-mill embellishments you find everywhere else. Glory's House has had a successful store on eBay for a number of years, but I like Antia's web site more.

For those of you that have purchased from Aunt May's Cottage, you know I only use the best and highest quality embellishments on the market. Glory's House has those!! Here are the favorites of my latest purchase from Anita. OOooooo, AAAhhhhh!!

My sweet PRH sister, Katie, has just started a selling blog. She does some of the most beautiful ribbonwork and ribbon embroidery you have ever seen! Items with that talent are offered on her selling site, but what I'm most excited about right now are her new TEA ROSES. Lest you think these are just for show, you need to visit her site, A Petal Apart, to see their real purpose.

When you visit these magnificent sites, please go to the comments section and leave a comment about how you liked the site and tell them Bertie sent you.

Better yet, reach into that Pay Pal account and buy something for yourself or that someone special on your Christmas list. It's not too early, you know.

First Friday Sales

2008-09-01T12:45:00.004-04:00

My dear friend, Rhea, is hosting a First Friday Sales event. Here's how it works....those of us that are interested in participating in this event will post some fabulous items for sale and at very reasonable prices, I might add.

These items may be listed on their web site, their blog or a selling blog. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting event, please go see Miss Rhea for details and to be added to the list of wonderful vendors.

Now, those of you that want to shop (who doesn't??)....Just come to any site with the logo above or start at Miss Rhea's blog and you will find a list of all of the participants in this fun shopping experience. It promises to be easy on your wallet and you'll find some great treasures. It's never too early to shop for Christmas, you know.

On my Web Store, you will find the First Friday items in a catagory of its own. I will also be adding a new sale catagory with items all UNDER $5.00!!

A couple of my First Friday items are....

Click Here for this sweet frame.

Click Here for this cute little Friendship pillow!!

See you on Friday!!

Books.....

2008-08-11T16:56:00.014-04:00

Anyone that knows me well, knows about my love of BOOKS!! How else can you take an afternoon and look through the eyes of a scholor, stand next to someone famous, solve a mystery, be transported to a foreign land, live in history, fall hopelessly in love or learn more than you can ever remember about anything your heart desires?

I have so many books that I decided there was a need to find a way to keep them all in one place. I was reciting this plight to a dear friend at lunch one day. The next time we met, she brought me yet another book called At Home with Books. I found this to be a novel idea (pun intended)....a book about books!

This is a collection of wonderful photos on where to put books.

In the art gallery....

In the den......

In the bedroom......

In the living room.......

In the kitchen.....

Some of my favorites.....

Now, I don't see many books in here, but I sure do LOVE this room!!

Honestly, a lot of our books are in yet another room in our home. I looked and looked, but could not find ONE bathroom in this book. Can you imagine?

Where do you keep your books?

Gee, I wish I had more time.....

2008-07-25T10:27:00.004-04:00

...to post on this blog!! But, being OCD, I only allow myself three hours a day on the computer. Otherwise, I would get NOTHING done!! That time has been spent listing new items for my web store. I have about two more days to go until I am finished!! We have about 30 new items listed this week.

Did stop long enough to get this photo on my way to pick up some sewing supplies earlier this week. I just LOVE rainbows!!

Don't forget.....we still have free shipping at Aunt May's Cottage until the end of July!! Hop on over and look at some our new listings.

I have something in mind for my next post that will promise to be a more interesting read.

Gotta run!!

What did YOU do over the Fourth???

2008-07-09T10:46:00.010-04:00

Here's what we did......

We dug and pulled vines from the cottage gardens. If you've been with me since the beginning, you will know from my past posts, that this cottage and garden were abandoned for more than a decade. During that time, the vines (honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, trumpet vine and poison ivy) had taken over, not only the cottage, but the gardens, too.

I've fought them for four years now and decided that they were NOT going to win!! Soooo....out they came. With shovels, picks, saws, hatchets and axes, they have been controlled for now.

We also lowered the gardens by about 18 inches of dirt. The constant movement of those vines had mounded up the soil so that watering became impossible. Every rain or sprinkling by hose ran off and did little good to the plants. Watering also moved so much soil into the paths that they had to be reclaimed each spring. What a chore that was!

I was able to save a few plants and lots of bulbs, so those will be replanted. Sadly, some of the herbs were lost, but will be replanted next year. There are still plenty of herbs left in the other portion of the garden that has not been so invaded with vines.

Here you will see the portion of the garden that we left. It is full of lavender, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, bee balm, Russian sage, obedient plant, milk weed (for the butterflies), black eyed susans, purple, pink and white coneflowers, delphinium and sweet william.

As you can see, the bee balm is just beginning to bloom. Believe it or not, it's taller than I am! Most of the herbs bloom in late summer and fall. Next spring, I will move many of these plants to the lower portion of the garden so we can redo this, too. I would miss the blooms by moving them now. It's just too hot here in Michigan right now to guarantee a successful transplanting.

It's amazing what two old people can accomplish, if they set their mind to it! You can click on any photo to enlarge. Thanks for visiting!!

Oh, and don't forget that the Cottage is giving FREE SHIPPING for every purchase in July. Your purchase will help replenish these gardens.

Yesterday Was My Birthday.....

2008-07-01T11:16:00.006-04:00

...and I started out feeling a little low about it. I thought about it for the better part of the day then, it came to me.

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy neck, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio.

I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

And, I shall eat chocolate every single day if I feel like it.

Better Than A Sale.....

2008-06-30T09:24:00.004-04:00

During the month of July, Aunt May's Cottage is offering FREE SHIPPING for every purchase you make! (limited to continental US postage only and non-sale items)

June's Cottage Window

2008-06-21T15:39:00.009-04:00

Every month I try to put a different vignette in the display window at the cottage. I have a few on-line friends that have seen this window and have encouraged me to post it every month. If my blogger friends like it too, I'll continue to share this each month. This is the window done for the month of June.

The photo was taken at night as the reflection on the window during the day overshadows the inside of the window.

In July, I'll put some red, white and blue and a few really sparkly items in there....stay tuned.

Click to enlarge so you can see everything in there. It's pretty full!!

Oh, You Beautiful Doll.....

2008-06-18T10:42:00.014-04:00

Some of Aunt May's Cottage listings this week...

Just look at this face.....

And this face!!!

The costumes on both of these beautiful dolls are impeccably detailed!! They have all of the last century underclothes, too. The pantaloons and slips have lace on them and the camisoles have tiny pearl buttons, more lace and ribbons.

I just LOVE these beautiful porcelain dolls from Jan Hollebrands!

Do you have a favorite collectable doll?

I've been tagged....

2008-06-11T07:43:00.004-04:00

...by Stephanie of Angelic Accents. She's such a sweetie and a lovely friend!

It's a "Getting To Know You" tag and here's how it works....... I need to answer five questions and pass this on to five friends. Steph's questions are:

Where have you traveled? In my career, I did a lot of traveling to the mid-America states and I've visited nearly every state on the East Coast and California. I've also been to Canada a couple of times.

Where would you like to live? I'm very happy living in Michigan except during the winter. Ideally, I think Tennessee would be perfect for weather year around. I don't mind a little cold; It's the snow and ice, I don't like much.

What is your decorating style? I love the Victorian style! The furniture, the window dressings, the wall hangings, the fabrics, the lace, the linens, the clothes, the romance and the gentler times of that era are deep in my very soul. I prefer to tweak it a bit to lighten the colors and lessen the displayed collections. Living in a 160 year old home and researching it's roots, I've found that many styles of that time period appeal to me. I also like the Old World style of the French, English and Italian influences. I really like all styles except "Mid-Century Yuck" and "Modern Simplicity".

How many times have you been married? Three times. The first two were practice.

Favorite color? Depends upon my mood, but I always like Old Rose.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Raising four children.

What would we be absolutely shocked to learn about you? Most people don't know that I sing with a Gospel Quartet, and have for almost 30 years. The shocking part is that I am barely 5 feet tall and sing in a true Bass voice.

OK, I tag . . . . . . .

Ele, Dolly, Lillian, Susan, Judy

You can use the same questions or make up some new ones if you'd rather.

I just realized that Stephanie passed on more than five questions to me.

Hey, Steph.......

Guess What I Bought......

2008-06-02T08:38:00.003-04:00

This Victorian Settee!!

Hubby and I went antiquing over the Memorial Day weekend and found this lovely in an out of the way antique mall. Much to my surprise, it was on SALE (one of my favorite words)! I put on the please-please-I’ll-eat-all-my-broccoli face to hubby and he said “OK, we’ll go get the truck”

I must say, in all honesty, that I have wanted one of these for over 30 years. They have been either the cost of my first born child or in less than repairable condition.

Now, the dilemma…..where to put it??? Anyone who buys something new for their home either has a spot already picked or has to remodel the entire house to accommodate that “find” that they can’t live without. My problem was the latter.

I decided that the parlor, which had been done in a maritime theme because Hubby is retired Navy, needed a change. Soooooo...............out with the Eastlake Parlor set, out with the models of boats and ships, out with the big boat wheel, out with the maritime oil paintings and nets and buoys and IN with the new settee.

We aren’t done with this room yet. I need a new carpet in a lighter color. I need to put up the crown molding and paint some kind of a border on the ceiling. I’ll need to make new draperies in several layers. We’ll need to put shelves in the old window opening to make a book case. Hubby will need to move the wiring box to the center of the room, get a medallion and hang the new crystal chandelier.

I only need one more thing: A center table befitting a room of this splendor. And, I’ll probably be hunting another 30 years for that!

This is the antique pump organ I purchased at an estate sale for $100.00. It's solid walnut.

I always have a bouquet drying on the fireplace. This one is roses from Mother's Day. Hey, there's Fraidy Cat!!

Need a bigger mirror over the mantle.....
Here's where the built-in bookcase goes.......
The door to the front foyer......

And look in the doorway at how thick our walls are. Almost 20"!! That all needs trim.
Thanks for joining me on a little tour of our 1848 home's front parlor. Stay tuned for the improvements to complete it.

Memorial Day Sale!!

2008-05-23T09:33:00.003-04:00

In honor of Memorial Day, Aunt May's Cottage Web Store is having a SALE!!

Purchases of any regularly priced item will receive a 15% discount. My cart will not take the discount code, so I will return the 15% in the form of a credit to your Pay Pal account.

This sale will end on June 1st, so hurry while supplies last!!

Please have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Guess what I did this weekend......

2008-05-19T13:19:00.005-04:00

....besides walk an hour for Relay for Life and weed two flower gardens, I made some sachets. I really needed to find a sit-down job after all that bending, pulling, raking and walking. It was also very windy and cold yesterday in Michigan.

All of these are filled with 1/2 cup of French lavender buds.

If you look back in my archives, you will find a post telling how our Victorian ancestors might have used these. All are available in my webstore, Aunt May's Cottage.

Which one is your favorite?

Brother and Me

2008-05-14T19:45:00.004-04:00

While looking for a baby picture of me today, I ran across a couple of cuties of my brother and me.

He lives in California now, so sadly, I don't see much of him. I think it's been almost three years since we were together. We do talk on the phone a couple of times a month, though.

I'm really missing him right now. Think I'll go call.........

Drew and me.....

I really love this one.......

Happy Mother's Day.......

2008-05-10T12:45:00.003-04:00

................to all my blog friends!!

National Day of Prayer.........

2008-04-30T06:34:00.003-04:00

May Day......

2008-04-16T10:11:00.011-04:00

One of the most beloved of all books about life in the Victorian English countryside was Flora Thompson's trilogy Lark Rise to Candleford, a precious legacy from a way of life now lost forever. Here are Ms Thompson's memories of May Day:

On the last morning of April, the children would come to school with bunches, baskets, arms and pinafores full of flowers – every blossom they could find in the fields and hedges or beg from parents and neighbors. On the previous Sunday some of the bigger boys would have walked six or eight miles to a distant wood where primroses grew. These, with violets from the hedgerows, cowslips from the meadows, and wallflowers, oxlips and sprays of pale red flowering currant from the cottage gardens formed the main supply. A sweetbriar hedge in the schoolmistress’s garden furnished unlimited greenery.

Piled on desks, table, and floor, this supply appeared inexhaustible, but the garland was large and as the work of dressing it proceeded, it became plain that the present stock would “hardly go nowhere,” as the children said. So, foraging parties were sent out, on to the Rectory, another to the Squire’s and others to outlying farm houses and cottages. All returned loaded, for even the most miserly and garden-proud gave liberally to the garland. In time the wooden frame was covered, even if there had to be solid greenery to fill up at the back, out of sight. Then, the Top-Knot consisting of a bunch of crown imperial, yellow and brown, was added to crown the whole and the fragrant bowery structure was sprinkled with water and set aside for the night.

On May Day the children would sing….

All hail gentle spring with thy sunshine and showers
And welcome the sweet buds
That burst in the bowers:
Again we rejoice as thy light step and free
Brings leaves to the woodland and flowers to the bee,
Bounding, bounding, bounding, bounding
Joyful and gay,
Light and airy, like a fairy,
Come away, come away.
Come see our new garland so green and so gay
‘Tis the first fruits of spring and the glory of May
Here are they cowslips and daisies and hyacinths blue,
Here are the buttercups bright and anemones, too

…….Flora Thompson, 1878 – 1947

Here’s one of my favorite May Day poems….

Oh, let’s leave a basket of flowers today
For the little old lady who lives down our way.
We’ll heap it with violets white and blue,
With Jack-in-the-pulpit and wildflowers, too.
We’ll make it of paper and line it with ferns
Then hide, and we’ll watch her surprise when she turns,

And opens her door and looks out to see
Who in the world, it could possibly be!

.......Virginia Scott Miner

What are your plans for May Day??