Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Easter Eggs on Parade

Easter, what a glorious time to celebrate our risen Savior! And what fun it is to decorate for that special day!
I have a thing for eggs, especially pretty eggs, so when Easter "rolls" around I get really happy because it is time to bring out the eggs!
Below is my collection of Victorian blown glass eggs, 1890-1900 or so. I took these photos outside on a warm day a couple of weeks ago...


and good thing I did because this is what it looks like out my window now! The snow just happened to fall on Palm Sunday, imagine that!  Not exactly the kind of weather I like leading up to Easter, but with the higher temps in the forecast for later this week I'm sure it will be gone by Easter Sunday.


So with the one nice day we had my camera and I had a blast!


I even got my little concrete lamb in on all the fun! This lamb belonged to a very dear elderly friend of mine so when she sold her home to move into an assisted living place I got him. (because I used to weed and tend to her flower beds where this little guy stayed).  The egg pictured in this photo is my favorite because of the scene painted on it, the others just have flowers painted on them. This one has a painted on little chick and a white bunny with eggs.


The four eggs below are the only embossed ones out of the collection. The yellow thing is a chick, isn't it cute? I think it's my second favorite.


The little blue basket, eggs and chick are all Hallmark from around 1986 or so.


Below are some tin candy containers that my kids get in their baskets every year and have since they were little...



and then there are these reproduction Victorian paper mache type candy containers. The cross is one my daughter made in Sunday School class when she was 5, it has a cute little styrofoam grass looking mound base with flowers glued on it that you can hardly see.


Now the Easter Egg parade will move inside on the dining room table in and around my satin glass bride's bowl/basket and will stay there through Easter...


and joining the eggs are these cute little silver plated chicks, the first one is a napkin ring. It has "Josie - 1899" engraved on it.


and then here's an egg holder. Both are attached to a wishbone.


In the living room you'll find more eggs, these are marble eggs in a basket on a pansy doily that my grandma made many years ago.


And then there's the Easter tree with plastic, decoupaged and real eggs...


placed on another doily that my grandma made and it has these cool daffodils around it!


That is it for my eggs BUT you know me, we couldn't possibly get through a post without seeing some of my tradecards and postcards. *winks*
I think this card is incredibly cute, it is a tailors card and it says "Order your Easter suit!" How cute is that?!
Look at the girl chick's hat she has a black bird wing on it!


The below postcard is really a neat one because of the peacock. Have you noticed that everything pictured in this post symbolizes something for Easter? The chick is a symbol of new life, like the egg, which is the chicken-to-be.The bunny is also a symbol of new life because of ALL the babies they have! The Easter Lily and daffodil grow from a bulb which stands for the tomb of Jesus, the blossom for his life after death. The cross symbolizing Jesus' victory over death. And as for the peacock, with its beautiful fan of green and blue feathers, becomes a new bird each Spring. Shedding its old feathers, it parades majestically in brilliant new ones.


And for me, the most important symbol of Easter is the lamb. Symbolizing Jesus, the Lamb of God and he also represents the Good Shepherd with mankind as his flock. Many pictures show Jesus with a shepherd's hook, carrying a little lamb just like the postcard below.


This Sunday let us celebrate that empty tomb and know that because of it we can have hope and new life beyond the grave. Have a Blessed Easter!!

I am joining these wonderful parties this week, I hope you will come see...
Home with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage
What's it Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants
SHARE YOUR CUP THURSDAY with Jann
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Happy Spring!

Ahhhh...Spring! What a time to be in awe of God's glorious creation. The weather doesn't seem to know that it is Spring but all of heaven and nature do know. And I am going to pretend that it is a warm beautiful Spring day today and bring out my Spring hat, teacups, antique ephemera and bird nests.


The hat is one that I made several years ago to wear for hat day at the Elementary School where I work.


I love the delicate look of the soft pinks with the shiny gold on these teacups.


I bought them at an auction a couple of weeks ago for $5, for both! They have a T & V Limoges, France/Handpainted mark on the bottom that dates them from 1892-1907.


Like I said above, all of heaven and nature know that it is Spring and a time of new life. The birds are singing sweetly for their mates...


and going about collecting anything they can that will make a nice nest for them to lay their first eggs of the season.


The Robin lays her beautiful blue eggs in her nest of dried mud, straw and twigs...


and the Cardinal lays her cute little speckled eggs in her nest of leaves, straw and twigs...


and soon the eggs will hatch and new life will abound, whether in bird form or human form, life will start for these precious little newborns...


and the daffodils will show off  their beauty and bright yellows that will remind us of the sunshine that will be shining bright and warm in just a few short months.


Happy Spring and may you have a blessed day!

I am joining the following parties...
TEATIME TUESDAY with Sandi
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Patti
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
TUESDAY CUPPA TEA with Ruth
 A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jillian
SHARE YOUR CUP THURSDAY with Jann





Saturday, March 9, 2013

Going Green!

March is here and outside the colors of green are slowly but surely popping up in the flower beds and on the trees. Inside the colors of Saint Patrick's Day are coming together for some very green vignettes. I just love that emerald green color and decided to "Go Green" for this post. I hope you enjoy it.

Out of my china cabinet came these Victorian art glass pieces...


a closer look at the enameling and gilt work...


the blingy gold coins are from Hobby Lobby...


the gilt work and fanciness on this vase just won't quit...so beautiful!


The faux shamrock plant came from Michael's Arts and Crafts...


can you tell by now that the vase is my favorite piece? I got it for $12 at an antique mall, I believe it is Moser glass. It gets the place of honor on the shamrock candy dish. The candy dish was purchased at Target several years ago, I used to put chocolate gold foiled coins in it, and they looked so nice but the dish would always end up empty so that's when I decided to use non edible gold pieces in it.


Below is my green jardiniere with a lion's head on both sides...


and the paint looking a little worn and chippy!


In the parlor you'll find some green on the peacock feathers adorning the mantle...



Upstairs in the bedroom are these lovely green stick pins and hat pins. I thought they looked pretty pictured with this gorgeous Irish lady postcard. She is my favorite St. Pat's card that I own. I pictured her in my St. Pat's post last year. If you would like to see last years green post click here.


Below are two more postcards and more green! I found them at two totally different places and they are the same couple. They were destined to be together...

   
The card on the left says "Meeting her at the stile one day he helps and escorts her on her way."
The card on the right says "With his witty conversation he then forms closer relations."

Well that is all the green for today. Will you "go green" at your house this month?
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and yours.

I am joining the following parties this week, please join us:

AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
Home with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marti
A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jill
VINTAGE INSPIRATION with Betsy and friends
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Paula and Patti
SHARE YOUR CUP THURSDAY with Jann
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
VINTAGE CHARM with Sharon, Cecilia and gals