My Pictures of China (Not the country, silly!)

It's Show and Tell Sunday again. Already! Where did last week go???? China is on the agenda today and as we all know - repeat after me - You can never have too many dishes!!!!!!

This set is Gefle Vinranka. I found this set in a little town in South Texas. It's a huge set with tons of serving dishes and service for 10. Am I going to drag the whole set out? NOOOOOOO. But here's a few pieces.I think the pattern is called Grape Leaf. I put it on layaway as soon as the lady told me the price - $100. When I got home and told my hubby about it he said "Are you crazy?" and I thought oh buhruhther....he's going to gripe at me after all that fishing stuff he buys but no......he thought I was nuts for leaving the set there on layaway! She might change her mind.So two days later on Valentines Day, he brought me breakfast in bed on this china! He went back and paid the balance and brought it home.
Now isn't that sooo sweet?!?

Here's my Woods and Sons set. I really love this.....
...... This teapot was a Christmas gift from Jeff. Guess who used to buy more china that me???????Guess who used to call on hospitals and was done by 3p.m.?????and scoured antique stores in three states. Wasn't me.
Speaking of Christmas - just one little addition and I'm there!

This is some unfine china but I love it. I think they were from Marshalls.
How about this bathing beauty perched on top of a china cupcake???
Would you believe I have a lawn sprinkler just like her?
Anyway, we just use the heck out of them in the summer.

This is some really pretty Limoges - only about 20 years old
Actually I mix two patterns of this.
And here's more Haviland Limoges that's really old.
It's so delicate looking but surprisingly not as fragile as you might think.

A soup cup - I'm not even sure how to use this. It is a soup cup, isn't it? You know I'm not really sure!
Oops - some teapots but don't go any closer - it's really dusty up here. I wondered where that little glass vase hiding in the back was!
Of course I have more but I'm beginning to think maybe enough is enough so I'll leave you with a verse on a sweet little plate.
Hope you have a day to rest your heart! Nancy

Thank you Analise for hosting today. Be sure and visit her to see all the blogs showing off their fabulous china collections.

http://leesiebella.typepad.com/leesiebella/

Bird's and Bonnets

Beth and Karla......Karla and Beth - just count on those two to come up with some fun art project. Create four panels using a new collection of wallpaper and birds and bonnets images from TheVintageWorkshop which they would give you for participating.....free. No downside to that so I jumped right in - I sent my four panels in along with 300 others and I'll get four different panels back made by four different artists. I saw some of these on Flickr and they are just amazing. I had forgotten it was also a contest and found out today that I won a $25 gift certificate to buy some of their collections. A win/win for me for sure!

Here's four of my panels

Love these bird images - I added some flocking to the brown one and Ms. Yellow Bird was so prissy with her added feathers she decided she needed a collar added!Can't seem to get enough of this guy! I used him on some memory rings for Mother's Day!
Lots of covered chipboard and dug out some of my old Melissa Neufield stickers!
This gal got some hat embellismentsI had to leave room on each side for the holes and binder ring so things got a little smooshed up!

A pockets page works perfectly don't you think? The bluebird must be flying over with materials for the lady's hat embellishment! Too late - she's done!
What a fun project this was. Thanks for hosting Beth and Karla - it was so "tweet" of you! Nancy

New Blog Name - NOT!

Are you just totally sick of me dragging out my picture albums every time you come over??? NO??? Great - because today is a milestone. My grandson just became a TEENAGER!!!!!!! Yikes - I should never admit that on here because I'll have to change my blog name to My Crafty Little World's Oldest Blogger - A Cozy Little Place To Discuss Decorating Your Assisted Living Home but.......whatever. I just can't stop myself. Besides, he's one of my most faithful readers (not by choice but if he reads my blog then I let him play games even though it screws up my computer). So I just have to wish him a Happy Birthday today. And tell him what an absolute joy he's been to us and how much we love him for taking our life in a different direction than we thought it would go. And what pleasure it gives me to see your dad get a little "teen" payback.....he soooo has these teen years coming!!!! Love you - Nanny

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/

Bless the Mothers

Bless the beasts and the children and all the mother's who keep them safe and warm. Mothers who are no longer here, old mothers, young mothers and inbetween mothers. To the mothers not of children but dogs and cats, bless you. To my daughter in law and daughter in law to be and my grandson's mother bless you and thank you for my grandchildren. To my son who mothered his son solo for so many years, bless you. To my friends who share their daughters with a daughterless mother, bless you. To my husband's sisters who keep family traditions and memories alive, bless you. To my soul sisters who take care of each other, bless you. To my blogging friends who share their children's pictures and stories, bless you. I wish you a wonderful mother's day. Celebrate all the mother's in your life and celebrate yourself for the ones you have kept safe and warm and a job well done. 

Very Important Mother Pictures of:

Moms before they were moms, old moms, brand new moms,grandmoms, aunt moms, cousin moms, crazy hat moms, moms of dogs, yaya moms, best friend moms, moms at showers, dads who had to BE moms, sons of moms, moms that are gone, sister moms, me and mom........love you all. Nancy