Breadboards in Vintage Decor

Hello Friends and Welcome to the Lifestyle of Love bimonthly gathering where we share how we use vintage items in our décor. This month we have a fun topic of "Breadboards". These workhorse kitchen items of the past used to be plentiful at garage sales and flea markets but recently are becoming harder and harder to find. And those you can find have crazy high prices. So I'm sharing some old ones, some new ones, and reproduction pieces.

Easter on the Farmtable and Vintage Ephemera

Hi Friends, I thought I'd share a quick refresh for Easter out on the farmtable, and a sweet little vintage card that reminds me of Easter graphics from when I was little in the late 50's. Yes, truly vintage!

July 4th Farmtable in the Garden Room

Last month, I did a little DIY paint transformation with a breadboard to give it a more "subtle" look of gray-washed aging. That one little difference made a big impact on styling further tabletop centerpieces and tabletop tableaus out here in the Garden Room. I like to use more than one element in a tabletop grouping, but I don't want them scattered all around willy nilly. I like to corral those crazy knick knacks and vintage items!

Painted Breadboard

Have you ever done a little project and then at the end

 realize it needs a little more oomph? 

That's what happened with this bread/cutting board paint update 

Back in late January on a quick trip south of here to Branson for a doctor's appointment we stopped at a great new vintage market called 417 Market and Supply. I picked up a few fun pieces and one of them was this cutting/bread board. It was locally made and I searched through several of them to find  just "the right one". When I got it home and stacked with my other vintage and current cutting boards it just didn't blend in. The unpainted "before" board had a lot of variation in wood grain, so I realized I would probably need to paint it. I thought I'd taken a "before" picture of it, but after searching through all my photos I couldn't find one.

French Country Styling on the Baker's Rack

As we head towards August the color scheme sees some subtle changes around here. I like to bring in the deeper colors of golds and greens; more neutral tones. Sort of "harvest-y" colors. In the Spring and Summer the kitchen sitting area is all about bright fresh color and a garden feel; now I'm ready for something different.

Breadboards and Spode Transferware; Snacking in Style

Even though it's been awhile since I've hosted a big Holiday/Family dinner, I do like to have some snacks and drinks ready for the kids when they roll into town. They're usually ready to gnosh on something easy until we all get together to head out for dinner. Cheeses, sausages, breads, crackers, olives and some raw veggies; easy things that don't require seating. Actually we usually just grab a napkin or plate and stand around/and over the spread.

Summer Buffet Scape with Ticking Tablerunner and Sunflowers

A few weeks ago I shared some inspiration of one of my favorite Late Summer decor combos; Indigo Ticking Stripes with anything "Sunflowers". Ticking brings to mind lazy breezy summer afternoons on the porch swing, and Sunflowers are those wonderful happy faces that let us know that Fall isn't too far away. 

I have a cupboard full of mismatched ironstone and transferware, and that includes a stack of old platters that I use for cookouts. A good steak or Bar-B-Que requires something substantial so I put a few things together for an impromptu Summer gathering.

Ode to a small white table...

I've always had a "thing" for small white tables. 

I think it's something about having a clean white canvas...

a place to decorate that's not overwhelming.

It can be seasonal, Holiday, themed...

a small white table can be anything you want it to be.

Just what I need....

So here's my latest addition to the sitting area. A pitchfork...only to be used if the hubby starts getting smarty pants. Seriously, don't we all need a pitchfork in our kitchen? And don't you love that big crack that runs down the length of the side on the armoire? It will be on my "to paint"and repair list as soon as we find a house.

I've had a slight obsession with French Country Garden Goods, and I've been on the lookout for old gardening tools. With all the "stuff" hubbs and I have been dealing with since the end of last year, really... garden tools are the last thing I need.

Just ask him...

he'll let you know.

But I have this mental fantasy that I'll have a garden room again 

and that I can decorate it with all kinds of frenchy garden things.

I've realized it's important to keep some "dreaming" alive

even if it seems impossible at the moment.

Here's the French Inspired Garden Frame from my last post.

I have other old tools hanging out in our garage.

One that I found was an old bulb planter that I'll share later,

I plan on using it...

eventually.

Right now I need to just not be tripping over them,

or have them in a place where hubbs actually has to see or deal with them.

Why can't guys realize that sometimes we just have to go with our gut?

In hubby's defense, 

he was the one that had to pack box after box of my old garden junk.

when I was out of commission.

He's reached his limit, I'm pretty sure.

I found these breadboards at Antique Farmhouse.

And I've had some of you ask about my basket full of linens...

do my kitties nap there?

They are a lazy couple of cats,

but I've never seen them in there.

shhhh...don't tell them...

Here is a collage of pics from my French Garden Fantasy over at Pinterest.

Hope you're having a wonderful week. We're having a cool-down like a lot of you. Perfect for me, I'm not a fan of the heat. The older I get, the less I like to sweat.

Joining in on these great parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
It's a Party at DIY by Design

xoxo,

Late Summer Sideboard...

Now that it's the middle of August it was time to change up my Hallway Sideboard. I'm bringing in the colors of Nature's late Summer palette, in exchange for my little wheelbarrow full of garden produce. Golds and muted colors of late Summer are evident in the dried hydrangeas, breadboards, basket, and the little English Cottage tray. 

I've been collecting these rattan lunch hampers for the last several years. I've stacked them on an old white bench to add some height and balance to this long stretch of wall.

We hung this old window a couple of years ago, and I've enjoyed having it as a backdrop for my other wall decor. I love the look of layering vintage pieces, especially mirrors and prints. I found this great Sunflower botanical print last year at Robin's Vintage Suitcase.

My white antique French Ironstone tureen has been pretty much a staple here, finding it's way into whatever season it might be.

The little paper mache tray fit right in to the back of the hamper filled with old china.

Some dried hydrangeas with just a hint of lavender and green are sitting inside this old pottery canister. Anyone know what language this is and what it says?

This pedestal is Staffordshire, entitled "The Meet".

This other little pedestal plate is Johnson Brothers.

The big breadboard is from Antique Farmhouse

 and the smaller ones are vintage.

I think this ought to hold me until September. 

That's when the pumpkins come out...

...and for those of you that think I put things together like a breeze...

this little display took me three days and several renditions before

I finally settled on this one.

what can I say, the pumpkins were wanting to come out.

More birdies and presents to myself...

You all know how much I love me some birdies, and you've heard me sing the praises of the UK Edition of Country Living. Put them both together in this month's February Issue, and you have me looking forward to Spring more than ever.

Once you've experienced one of these gorgeous monthly magazine publications you'll be hooked. The UK Edition is true to it's name. It's all about life in rural Britain; farms, businesses, crafts, entrepreneurs, cooking, traditions, and lifestyle.

This month they featured bird and nest illustrations

 from the Natural History Museum, London.

The illustrations in the layout look like watercolor exhibits on faded papers,

with dimensional identification tags. a very vintage look.

This month's issue is still available at bookstores. 

And I have to share this wonderful breadboard that arrived in the mail this week. Being sick and delirious ;) I'd forgotten that I'd ordered it, and when my husband brought the monster box to me I was clueless. (That happens to me every once in awhile and it has nothing to do with a fever)

 It's a big boy breadboard, that I ordered from "Decor Steals" as my Valentine present to myself. When I ordered it I didn't have any idea where I'd put it, but I wasn't going to let it pass by. It's not as heavy or well made as the real thing, but it has the look of an old one, and the price was right.

And this interesting reproduction metal sign came from "Antique Farmhouse" before Christmas. The distressed creams and browns are really pretty....and it says "Paris"... what's not to love?

I think I like them together...

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I've been working on more Springification around here. The sunporch was Saturday's project...I'm just getting started. And please don't remind me that another snowstorm is scheduled for Tuesday!

I'm joining in at these parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,