I miss you "Country Home" magazine

 I started subscribing to Country Home magazine in 2001 and was hooked there after. I loved every single copy and to this day treasure them still. I guess all good things, really good, must come to an end:
DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 9, 2009) - Meredith Corp. said Thursday it will eliminate 250 jobs and close its Country Home magazine in March as it suffers from sharp declines in publishing and broadcasting advertising amid the recession.
 What, how is this possible? I have just resubscribed and payed for two more years. I was crushed. In its place they sent me....wait....drum roll....... Family Circle. Oh thanks alot, that makes us even...NOT.
 I'm missing one issue from each year so will continue my search to have a perfect collection. I had doubles of some of the magazines and thus put them out for sale at the flea market last year. One young woman was in and bought them all, she told me that her husband had thrown hers away. There were other ladies shopping in the area and must have heard her as there was a collective gasp of horror. I know, crazy you say, but that magazine was loved by many. As a tribute to the good old days, I'm displaying the covers from the month of April. Enjoy!!

For the Love of a Dinning Room

Time to redo my dinning room. Change the wall color, new curtains, new wall arrangements and new rug. The only thing that will stay is my old tall cabinet that holds all my dishes. But what direction do I go?

 So pretty but to white.

Love all the vintage elements.

 Love the wicker.

Maybe wallpaper?

 Or a chalkboard wall. Love it.

 If  I had a wall of windows this would be perfect.

Love the farmhouse table and all the white ironstone on display.

So homey.

Have to give this project some more thought, maybe find vintage chairs

 and a farmhouse table and then it will all fall into place.

Memory Lane

 My Mother & Fathers wedding picture.

 Mom taking Grandma to catch a train to Chicago.

 First born, brother Joe w/Grandma.

 Then came brother Mark.

 Dad, Joe & Mark Christmas Day.

[note the barkcloth curtains.]

 And then there were five. Anne, Matt & me w/big brothers.

 Now six, as little brother Clete was added to the mix.

 And last but not least, the baby, Mary. What a doll.

[my friend Polly was at the party too.]

Matt, Anne & Me.

A "snapshot" of my wonderful family growing up.

We didn't have alot but we had everything we needed.

Flea Market Finds

Now these are some clever ideas, re purposed from great Flea Market finds.

 A small cabinet turned on its side to store books.

 An antique mail sorter station from a Paris Flea Market.

 A turn of the century metal knife caddy as a bath organizer.

 An antique tool chest used to store silverware.

 An old chest with drawers removed and re purposed as a bar.

 An old chippy painted window with a box and bead board added. Love the pottery.

 A vintage heat vent. Perfect.

 A darling piece of fretwork turned into a wall hanger. Just add rod and hooks.

 Zinc chicken feeder on kitchen cabinet as spice storage.

Old bird cage as desk organizer.

Time to go on the hunt for everyday vintage items that you can bring back to life.

Happy Hunting!

Winter Wonderland!

When I woke up this morning it was still dark out but as the sun begin to peak over the horizon I looked out my kitchen window and I saw the beautiful sight of everything covered with a layer of  frost. I threw on my coat and slipped into my boots, grabbed my camera and headed outside to take these lovely shots.

Collections

Webster Dictionary describes a "collection" as: An accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison or exhibition or as a hobby. I would guess that most people have at least one collection with the majority of those collections being a hobby. Photographs of collections are a fave of mine, thus this post. Enjoy!

 Milk Glass

 Brown and White Trasferware

 White Ironstone

 Pyrex

 Antique Bottles

 Bakelite

 Tin Picnic Baskets

 Metal Figurines

 Wool Trade Blankets

 Chenille Coverlets

 Beaded Fruit

Weather Vanes