I want to show you two of the shelves in my den. I've been collecting Ks for a long time. It's the first letter of my last name. When I first started, I found printer's type and children's blocks. I found the brass paperweight and the black and red Ks on eBay.



The little Ks on the first shelf are displayed in a wood box turned on it's side. I found that on eBay too! The printer's tray was one of my first antiques. I have another one on the third shelf. The little blue bowl holds some antique keys. The bell is one of my antique finds.


On the second shelf, a blue planter was a Hobby Lobby buy at half off. The blue and white apple was given to me by my friend Michelle. I love that little KLM house!

The molds are ones I used when I made baskets in Florida. I have the baskets sitting beside the molds. There is a little hand made box I received as a Christmas gift in 2006. Michelle's husband made it.

Dining Room Slipcovers

From Country Home Magazine!

http://www.countryhome.com/projects/decorating/slipcoveredining_1.html

Several slip covering projects like sideboard cover, chair slipcovers and table slipcover with runners. This would be a beautiful idea for summer if done in whites. Also, think about Christmas, Fourth of July, baby showers and other holidays/events!

This is the stairwell in my home. I made the quilt and hung it with an old rake displayed above it. I call the quilt The Dirt Quilt because we were building our house when I was piecing it. It reminded me of the red clay soil around our house.

This picture shows the "niche" in the stairwell. I really do not like this 'hole in the wall'. I had a hard time coming up with something to put in it. I made the gate from pickets bought at Lowe's. My Mom gave me the QUILTS sign. The watering can is an old one picked up at a nursery here in town. There is a little tool box and a couple of old garden tools. On top of the box is some red dirt a friend brought home from a trip to the southwest. She had seen T-shirts dyed with this dirt. She thought I might like to dye some fabric with the red dirt. I'm saving it though, my friend passed away a few years ago and it is a little reminder of her.


This old chair came from a garage sale back in Florida. It had no seat, so I stitched some old fabric to the seat and filled it with moss and ivy. The little quilt on the back of the chair is one I made a couple of years ago. The blocks are string pieced. The crocks are old, the little brown one probably held moonshine!

Goodness at the Goodwill!

Look at my goodies! Today was a great day! All this loot was under $20.00!

A vase, a lamp, a jar, 6 light blue Fiesta soup bowls and an old crackled dutch motif plate to hang on the wall. All this blue and white goodness to add to my collection.

A Santa bowl, 120 recipe cards and a frame for my friend Ty who decorates with a Texas theme.

Finally, 2 yards of fabric. A black and white Waverly decorator print and some black and white homespun (good enough to use in a quilt).

I love the Goodwill Super Store!!!

It's a New Year!

I'm showing you a little corner of my kitchen. One of my goals for 2008 is to have a bit of a makeover in my kitchen. I plan to paint the walls a deep rich blue (a change from the dark red). Change the knobs and handles out to black and change the lighting to black iron. The biggest change will be the counter tops. I'd like granite!



Of course, on my list again, I have to make window treatments. I have the fabric for some of the windows in the den, kitchen and breakfast area. I even have the style picked out. The floral in the picture is the fabric I'll use. It is Queensland from Kaufman. There actually is a bit of deep blue in the pattern. I'll have to find a fabric for the contrast. Just need the 'get-up-and-go'!

These are just some of the goals I've set for the new year. I've got a few other plans in mind, I'll save those for another post.

Here's wishing you a Happy New Year with success in all you aspire to accomplish in 2008!

The stockings were hung...

Merry Christmas! Our family's stockings are hanging on the mantle ready for Santa to fill. This year I dressed the mantle with pine, mini lights, red berry garland and plaid bows. (Woops! I forgot to hide the cord!)



Santa is made with an old quilt for his coat and hat, an antique linen napkin, with real wool for his beard and fur from an old coat for trim. His face is hand made from clay. He is carring an old spool with a bees wax candle to light his way. His garland is a length of pine covered with mini gingerbread men, apples, pinecones and an old cookie cutter.





Our stockings are a traditon that has lasted 52 years! My stocking was knitted when I was born. When I married, my husband recieved a hand knit stocking. The same was true for each of my children. All of these stockings were made by family members. When my daughter married there was no one to knit her husband's stocking. I finally found a lady on e-bay who knitted his! This year we had two new additions to our family...my first granddaughters! Once again, I turned to e-bay and found someone to make one for each of them. All the stockings have names and the year born on the cuff. They are hanging from brass letters that spell Santa.

What's on your coffee table?

Cindy at My Romantic Home asked to see our coffee tables! My coffee table in the living room is the first antique I ever bought, an old library table made of golden oak. It has a drawer with a porcelain knob (That is where we keep the remote to the stereo, which is hidden under a skirted table.)My husband cut the legs down to coffee table height many years ago.

Centered on the table is a battenburg lace napkin. On the right side there is a grouping of a very old postcard book, an old Emily Post Etiquette book that belonged to my grandmother, a crackled teapot filled with ivy and some lace gloves I wore to my husband's Air Force officer commissioning.

On the left are a little collection of candy jars. None of them are old or valuable but add just the sparkle I needed.

What's on your coffee table?