Time for Fall in the Holiday Cupboard

We've had a few cooler days and nights and it's really got me going for fall. I know it will warm up again and maybe have a few 80's until the end of October, but it's so wonderful to know that fall is truly on it's way.

Holiday Cupboard for Fall...

I've had a little owl fetish going on this Fall. Last year it was crows, this year it's the ever-mysterious, dark-of-night, can-be-a little-creepy, Barn-ibus Hoot-icus.

And some of them have come to live in my

Holiday Cupboard.

(pay no attention to the old-school, 10 year old attempt at covering a large French door when there were no other options and I'm too cheap right now to try to find something else, curtains.)

For those of you "hoo" ve been hanging around for awhile

you know that this is my "married" cupboard downstairs,

that changes out each Holiday or Season;

hence the name "Holiday Cupboard".

I thought I'd group some of my old cameras and alarm clocks,

found at local fleas for just a few dollars,

 together with this black, neutral, and orange theme.

Love this guy's silhouette and slightly ominous eyes.
(found last weekend at Inspirational Home)

These are two very old Children's Encyclopedias.

These were a dollar each at our local swap meet.

what a deal. love the graphics.

And it's just not Fall without some Birdies and Squirrels

If you'd like to see last year's Fall Holiday Cupboard, which was a runner up in the Fall Cottages and Bungalow's Contest, then just click here. Hope you're having a great weekend, lot's more "Fabulous Fall Fun" coming up!

I'll be joining these parties this week:

Thrifty Treasures at  Southern Hospitality
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Make it Pretty Monday at the Dedicated House
Tweak it Tuesday The Cozy Little House
Table Top Tuesday at a Stroll Thru Life
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Debbiedoo's Pin Party

xoxo,

Decorating a Fall Cupboard

I just love Fall!

and part of my Fall decorating ritual,

 besides re-doing the sunroom,

is redecorating my favorite little chippy white cupboard

 downstairs in our lower level sitting area.

Several years ago I bought the separate pieces

for a hundred dollars total...

and then they "got married" with a little paint.

This is a great spot to bring in all my great vintage pieces

for an eclectic Fall display.

I like to use a variety of things that I've collected

and then showcase a few Fall Projects.

I wanted to have some fun with some graphics

so I printed out this snazzy black crow image from

the Graphics Fairy.

I mounted it on an old brittle page,

from Websters Unabridged Dictionary, 1879.

Then digging through my stash of old frames,

I found one to fit.

Here's a little ironstone soup tureen

setting on top of a couple of black and orange vintage books.

I love using old books to give something more "oomph".

A great old bottle with a stopper I found last weekend;

it even has the liquid measured scale.

I found the seed packet graphic from the Graphic's Fairy and glued it on

for instant Fall inspiration.

Wonderful Aesthetic brown transferware Kenilworth plate from England

I also wanted to share this great old children's book'

The Children's Natural History at Home

teaching book from the late 1800's.

It's full of the most wonderful bookplates of animals.

I thought this page suited our Fall theme.

One of my vintage collection, 

this black large dial alarm clock.

and one of my Lefton Chipmunks from my studio collection.

One of the best ideas I've had is to paint these vintage suitcases white,

using plain old latex interior house paint.

(please disregard the old school drapery headers over the French doors.

I bought them eight years ago when options were limited.)

Is that a good excuse...?

Hope you had fun visiting the Holiday Cupboard,

I'm updating this post for Whisperwood Cottage

Fall Decor and Project Party.

Thanks so much for coming by,

New Year's Tree

One of my favorite posts was my New Year's Tree from last year.

Since I have my new camera I wanted to take some new pics of it

setting in my foyer.

Instead of reposting it and just changing out the photos

I'm inviting you to click here to take a moment to experience my thoughts on

The Gift of Time.

 

My life has changed in this last 18 months of blogging;

thank you for your dear friendships and fellowship.

Sending Blessings and God's Love for 2011!

Debra

Silver Sunday, I wish these were mine...

I really love these little silver clocks

made of teapots and other silver "accoutrements"

(Debbie are you reading this?)

 Sorry to say they aren't mine,

 but folks,

 my exciting silver items are running thin,

so here are a couple of images of my silver "wants".

(Romantic Homes)

Oh yes, and this gorgeous silver trophy cup.

(Country Living)

aaahhhh...

Oh, excuse me, now back to reality.

I hadn't really been "into" silver

before our 25th "Silver Wedding Anniversary".

Our children bought this silver tea set

 for us to celebrate appropriately.

Here are some flea market finds of silver bud vases

and one of my many random silver teapots.

This antique silver-plate monogrammed ladies inkwell set

was given to me by my brother,

for my Birthday about 7 years ago.

I love the detail of the roses.

silver flea market candle holders.

Now, please disregard any and all dust that may have

inadvertently been shown in the taking of these photos,

and do not check back to see me

 in my pink thermal pajamas.

 Thankyou.

(the management)

Run on over to Gypsy Fish Journal
to see the rest of the fabuloso silver goodies!

Have a great Silver Sunday!

Debra

Vintage Black Friday: From the Male Perspective

Vintage Black Friday ...

is here once again, and lest anyone think I am alone

in my vintage obsessions in this family,

 I will show you evidence

that it's a "couple's thing" going on around here.

We have two levels in our house. The main level is the Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, the Master Bedroom, my "studio", and an extra bedroom that we will not discuss at this time.(Let's just say it contains exercise equiment and an abnormal amount of dust) The lower level or "walkout basement", as we call it here in the Midwest, is for all of us people who live in "tornado alley". It is a place for "family areas", the bar, a "John Deere" room (drive your mower in, storage, and workshop). And we have a guest bedroom for our St. Louis crew, bath, and my husband's office. Yes, he has one too, top to bottom, vintage guy fun! 

My husband is a collector as well, he started selling on ebay about five years ago after my Dad and Brother had both passed away. Mom had a lot of books from my Brother's interest in the history of the Civil War. Springfield, is home to a lot of rich history, as the Battle of Wilson's Creek was fought just a few miles from town.

My husband, who had not previously been interested in historical items, began finding he enjoyed the hunt with me. This is a desk in our family room that has ended up as a catch all place for a "few" of his "collectibles". (sorry, I don't dust this stuff!)

Below is a case that holds my Father-in-Law's WWII medals and dog tags. My husband treasures this, and rightly so. His Dad was in the Air Force at 20, and was a POW in Yugoslavia and Germany.

I have a few vintage cameras in a bookcase in this area; also vintage Bible Expositories, clocks, photos and memorabilia from the family.

This is a photo of my husband's maternal grandfather,

who was born at the turn of the century.

This camera from the turn of the century is in really poor condition, but I love the thought of what it might have been used for...family photos, newspaper photos...what the lens must have captured.

And this is an "Enrollment Book" for an early Ford payment plan. Cars on credit, it was a new and novel idea. It is also a bank. Ironic in today's thinking.

My husband loves antique photo frames from the late 1800's; also engravings, cabinet cards, tin types, daguerreotypes, and historical photos. At one point I was on overload and started stashing them in various places throughout our basement's many cubbies, drawers and closets. Be careful what you open. This is another subject that I won't go into detail over. Let's just say he'll be a hundred before he figures out what to do with them all.

So now I have proof to show that I'm not alone.

I have a partner in crime.

Hope you enjoyed a peek at the masculine view.

More vintage goods are available for your perusal

over at Jill's Place, Gyspy Brocante.

Have a great weekend,
 and embrace your masculine side.

Debra