Pudding Basins

 With sunshine streaming through the windows now, it's hard to believe my last post was on our snow day.  The weather since warmed up and we've been enjoying plenty of time outdoors in the sunshine.  All of us had a major case of cabin fever - Justus and I so much that we immediately embarked on a spring project: putting in a fence around our garden!  The fence is a  time-consuming job but is essential this year with our chickens foraging around the yard during the day. 

Now you're probably wondering what a fence has to do with pudding basins... but since the fence is not presentable at the moment, I thought I'd share a recent favorite purchase.

As you know, I have a love for anything old, but occasionally something new will draw my eye too.  Such was the case with these Mason Cash pudding basins.  Although new, these are the traditional white basins, the design said to be unchanged for over a hundred years. 

 When I first saw them, I knew they would make perfect mixing bowls.  (The thought did cross my mind... A pudding basin?  What's that?)  After a little research I discovered that the bowls are called pudding basins as their original and intended purpose was, in fact, to be used to steam puddings with, the rim itself even being useful.

 I justified this purchase in my mind by listing all the reasons this would be a very functional purchase.

But, in all honestly, I was really just picturing how pretty the bowls would look lined up on my open shelves, their simplicity and classic design a perfect fit in my mind. (wink)

Have a wonderful week!  

In the Dining Room Hutch

If I had to choose one original feature to our home that was my favorite, it would probably be the built-in hutch in our dining room.  I love the huge cabinet doors and the original wavy glass.  Half the time it doesn't shut properly, but I never mind. 

 The only change I've made was giving it a fresh coat of white paint when we did our dining room remodel.  I did paint the interior planks a soft blue to give a little contrast... the color reminded me of the southern tradition of painting a porch ceiling "haint blue".  

While we have two hutches in our dining room, I tend to keep our vintage dishes in this one, including my favorite set by Homer Laughlin.  This pattern is called Shakespeare Country and may have been my best find ever.  I went into a local antique shop one day with some friends of ours mentioning that I was "only looking", only to discover this eight-piece set plus serving pieces buried under a table in a cardboard box with the price tag of $40 for everything.  I grabbed the box as fast as I could!

 I love the charming scenes depicted on each dish.  I'm really not sure how old they are, but periodically I see a piece sold here and there (although always at a much higher price than I paid!). 

 I use the dishes often when we have guests over for a meal... they're special enough to me to save for a fun occasion, and yet not too valuable to use.   

Beside the hutch is a little telephone nook.  I've never really known what to display there, but vintage Ball jars have found a home there for some time now. 

As with anything old, I love to think of its history and imagine what it would have looked like one day.  Maybe that's why the hutch is my favorite... I can almost picture these doors opening and closing and holding another family's dishes long ago... I'm glad it's still here for us to use today.

Thank you, friends, for reading.  It means so much to me!  Hope you have a great week.

Old Crocks and Silverware

Antique silverware in our kitchen is a simple pleasure I never tire of.  Displayed or in use, I find it beautiful.  Like anything old, I often wonder where it has been and in what homes it once belonged. 

I've shown you our set of matching antique silver plate flatware we use on a daily basis (here) but I also have a couple sets of mismatched antique silverware.  

 I keep both sets in small vintage crocks.  This set of silverware is unfortunately only for display and you may have noticed it before displayed on my kitchen cupboard.  I purchased this crock at an old hardware store (which also has some antiques for sale).  It was a little pricier than what I normally would pay, but I instantly fell in love with the original label still displayed and knew I would regret leaving it behind.

 The pieces inside are stunningly beautiful... I had actually forgotten about some of the intricate patterns and enjoyed taking them out again for these photos.  The majority have lovely floral patterns but sadly they are chipped in places. 

 Of course I knew this piece would come home with me when I saw the monogrammed "A" (smile). 

 My second crock I keep on our kitchen countertop and I might quickly grab a spoon when I make a cup of tea in the morning or need a fork for a snack.  This crock I purchased at a local antique store for less than ten dollars.  I knew the blue stripe would be just perfect for our kitchen.

 It's always nice to have extra serving spoons and forks and these get used often.  I never mind that they might not match my other serving utensils.  (Looking at these now, I suppose I probably should have polished them before taking photos!) 

 But my favorite pieces in this collection are two small spoons and two small forks.  I'm not sure why they are so much smaller than what you would normally see, but they are just the perfect size for a toddler that is learning how to use utensils. 

As you can imagine, these pieces I simply refer to as Rosetta's (smile).

Warm weather is in our forecast for the weekend and I am hoping the rain will stay away long enough for us to spend the majority of our Saturday outdoors, particularly as we finally beat the flu bug out of our house!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sharing at Savvy Southern Style

An Old Cabinet

 Yesterday I finally rearranged the furniture in our living room.  An old cabinet I had in there no longer fit, so I decided to put it in the dining room temporarily until I found the right spot for it. 

 But after filling the bare corner in the dining room I often talk about, I ended up loving the way it looked (although let's face it, anything would have looked better on this large wall than a short white toy box!). 

 The truth of the matter is, when it comes to decorating, I really don't feel like I have a clue what I'm doing.  I gravitate towards simple and only use things I love or that are meaningful to me.  My vignettes usually consist of setting a few of my favorite things together and hoping it looks okay. 

 The only thing I have hanging on this side of the wall right now is this painting that was done by a friend.  She painted it specifically for our dining room and I love it. 

 I purchased this old cabinet a couple years ago before Rosetta was born.  At the time I needed a small cabinet for baby odds and ends that would easily fit in our bedroom.  I do believe there was some laughter when I dragged this cabinet home, but I'm always drawn to old furniture, peeling paint and all.  I put a couple coats of poly on and called it good.  I love the old latch. 

  This old piano stool is one of my favorite things and always has a place in our dining room.  My father-in-law brought it over to our house several years ago when we had our first piano... I believe it was his grandfather's.  I'm not sure if we're the technical owners, but I keep hoping nobody will ask for it back (smile).  Jillian always drags this stool over to the dining table... I guess now I think of it as hers. 

I'm not exactly sure what the right piece would be for the wall yet... maybe an old clock?  Or hanging plates? I'm sure I won't mind being on the hunt for something (wink). 

It's hard to believe Christmas is around the corner... I've been busy making lists and trying to get some things accomplished.  I can't wait.  I hope you are having a wonderful week so far!

Sharing at Miss Mustard Seed

A Barn Sale

I hope you have had a nice weekend!  With all that we have had going on lately, I realized this week that I forgot to post pictures from my first barn sale experience.  

Last month I saw an ad in a magazine for the Bella Rustica barn sale at a farm fairly close to us.  My mom and I made plans to go, marked it on our calendars and that very night Donna from Funky Junk Interiors wrote a post that she would be there as their guest.  After that I started hearing about Bella Rustica all over the web, so we were really looking forward to it.

 The farm was beautiful and it was a gorgeous day out.  The minute we drove up and saw the entrance, we knew it was going to be a blast.  (I will say that the entrance did not look like this when we arrived though... it was a traffic jam on an old country road!)

Vendors selling all kinds of fabulous goods filled up the inside of the barn.  There was so much to look at even beyond everything that was for sale... this is just a little picture of how creative some of the displays were.

 There were also booths outside the barn on the grass and under a tent.  It was a warm day so it felt good to be outside of the dusty, hot barn, especially with two little girls along (smile). 

Everywhere I looked I saw awesome fall displays...  I think this one was my favorite. 

 My highlight of the day though?  Getting to meet Donna from Funky Junk.  I have read her blog for a long time, so it was a lot of fun to meet her in person.  We knew she would be there but weren't sure if we would have the opportunity to meet her.  But we saw her within the first 15 minutes of being there, and fortunately I did not inherit my shyness from my mom... she had no problem introducing us right away, whereas it would have taken me much longer to work up my nerve. 

(I didn't notice until I downloaded these photos that there was a little hand reaching for her phone... phew, was I relieved that she didn't actually pick it up!)

 Not only did we have a chance to meet, but Donna also sat with us during lunch.  It was so neat to visit under a huge old shady tree eating barbecue.  I always knew Donna was talented and creative, but I also found out that she's incredibly sweet, warm and friendly too. 

 And I hope she doesn't mind that I'm borrowing a photo she took of us all on her phone. Not the best photo, but I'll never forget laughing as we all tried to cram in together.  

I've only had the chance to meet two bloggers in person, but what I've noticed is that their posts become extra special to read because you feel like you're visiting an old friend. 

 While I could have brought home just about everything I saw, I only came home with one treasure (yes, sadly, I went with a budget and actually stuck to it).  I asked my mom to be my model so you could see just how huge this basket is. I knew the minute I saw it that it would be a perfect laundry basket.

 Hopefully I'll see you next year, Bella Rustica!

Vintage Enamelware

 Do you collect vintage items because they are popular or pretty?  Or do you collect them because they evoke a memory or a feeling?  More and more, my eyes are drawn to enamelware pieces when I'm out and about.  My mom started a collection of enamelware years ago, mostly because the pieces brought back memories of her life at home and her mom who always had a colorful enamelware bowl by the back door to pick veggies in (and still does).  When I see enamelware, I think of the families who would have used it... it would have been an everyday household item.  It came in many different colors and patterns, but I find that I'm most drawn to the simple white with a colorful trim.

This beautiful enamelware pitcher and basin was a recent gift from my sweet sister-in-law who purchased it for me all the way from Colorado.  It wouldn't fit in her suitcase when it was time for her to return home, so she left it behind and didn't mention anything about it.  But then her gracious sister-in-law shipped it to her and she surprised me with it recently.  Such a thoughtful gift. 

Items that show their wear only appeal to me more.  To think of the places this pitcher has been... and all that it has survived. 

 For now the pitcher and basin has a place on top of a cabinet in my laundry room and I think it will stay there.

A couple months ago I bought this old enamelware pail.  I loved that it still had its matching lid and it seemed a bargain under $20.

 I'm not exactly sure how old these pieces are, but I imagine this pail is pretty old since it has a wooden handle. 

More tomatoes to can?  What was I thinking!  (smile)

  The other day my mom left some tomatoes on my porch for me.  When I went outside to get them they were in this gorgeous enamelware bowl.  Which prompted me to get out the camera because they looked so pretty out there. Whenever I see this pattern, I think of my mom and it displayed in the home I grew up in. 

I was hoping she wouldn't remember she left it here, but it was picked up this morning.  (smile)

I've always been fascinated by times of the past... I never get tired of looking at old photos or hearing stories.  I love touring old homes, walking through old stores, looking at old items.  I guess that's why I love our old house so much. 

And I can't help but wish that when I went to the store, instead of seeing rows of plastic, I saw rows of enamelware.

What about you... do you have something vintage that brings back memories every time you see it?

A Missing Piece

Hi all!  I hope you've had a wonderful week and 4th of July!  We sure did... this week we've made fun memories with family and friends.  For the 4th of July, we went with my family to Sewanee, TN after reading about their 4th of July celebration in Southern Living.  What fun!  It's a small town, home of the University of the South, full of amazing architecture and some beautiful homes.  This picture I wanted to share with you... it was my favorite home off the main road that we walked by several times... I just loved the simplicity of the old flag hanging on the porch.

Today we were gone all day, spending time with my husband's family and going to a birthday party.  When I came home I had a present waiting for me from my sweet mom.  Several years ago she gave me a set of Pyrex dishes for my birthday.  They are the familiar Butterprint pattern (I believe it was originally introduced around 1957) and since then I have used the dishes every single day.

The set included a couple refrigerator dishes...

A butter dish...

And my favorite, three mixing bowls.   I use all three, but I tend to use the largest bowl most frequently.  Originally, there was also a larger nesting bowl that my mom was unable to find at the time.

So you can imagine my excitement when I opened her sweet out-of-the-blue present and found the largest bowl. 

Oh, I love these dishes.  I love the sweet country pattern and especially that these dishes seem virtually indestructible... they go through the dishwasher and have survived many "bumps and scratches" in my kitchen! 

A bowl set complete...

And my new large bowl is already in use... filled with sweet blueberries from my mother-in-law and father-in-law's farm.  

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend!  This morning we just finished our latest outdoor project and I'm anxious to take pictures and share it!