Mistreating Vintage Linens

Welcome! Keep in mind that our house is 100 years old and was in sad shape when we acquired it nine years ago. Also keep in mind that we're about eight years behind in making the changes we want! So with that said -

Today is Show and Tell Sunday. We're supposed to show our vintage linens and tell about them. I really have some pretty linens but they definitely aren't pristine. My mother in law gave me this beautiful cotton petticoat bottom that was her mothers. So it's 100+ years old! For years I looked for some way to use it and one day I got brave......cut it in half and.......did a window mistreatment with it. I've done this for years to windows but never had a name and my blogging/decorating idol Nester has a real name for this. She is the queen of window mistreatments except hers look professionally mistreated. (I actually have real treatments at the top of the window but found that having nothing at the bottom of these 100 foot tall windows makes it look like a drive in movie from the outside!) Anyway definitely head over to her blog (click on post title) for great ideas on - well, all kinds of stuff! I also am trying to apply her advice "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!" The first thing I ever read on her blog was how to change the look of a buffet with scrapbook paper and she had this picture:Never once did she mention the fact that there was a kid in the middle of her table! I was hooked then and there. So in the spirit of IMperfection I'll share some pictures of how I use some of my vintage linens. The kitchen: warts and all! Here's a runner on a really shabby old wrought iron glass top coffee table I like in the living room in the summer. I just picked this piece up at Round Top and it sort of softens the look of this chair.
Okay I'll take a deep breath and head upstairs to a room that (remember it doesn't have to be perfect) is not painted yet and with the sloped walls and awkward ceiling I rigged this over the window temporarily. It's an old quilt top and...............

some crochet pieces tacked up to cover the top of the blind.
I'm thinking of upholstering this wall over the twin beds and that weird area over the window and then doing a better mistreatment! First I have to paint that god awful paneling.

My sister gave me these pillowcases and little pillow - love them. Aren't they the sweetest little embroidered birds?

This chair belongs to my friend Kathy who gave it to my friend Barbara who passed it on to me to use but it will always be Kathy's chair. On it is a little heart pillow made from vintage quilt pieces and old lace.
Notice all the pink??? As a mother of boys and grandsons I have years of pent up pink envy. (Lucky for me my husband is such a girl!) When this room is done they'll be plenty of pink! And if you don't like pink just remember.........

Be sure to read this inspiring post over at Nesting Place.

http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/2008/04/imperfectly-beautiful-philosophy-of.html

Thanks Cerri for hosting this weeks Show and Tell. I think this is the link that should take you to the other blogs showing off their linens.

http://www.littlepinkstudio.typepad.com/