Sunday, October 30, 2016

A Whatnot in the Parlor

Hello everyone, in my last post I told you I would show you my antique Victorian Whatnot Shelf in a different post later. Well later is now, and here it is, in a much clearer photo!



It took me a while to figure out what to put on the What-not shelf, sometimes called an etegere. Although etegeres usually are much more grander and fancier with a mirror and marble shelf on the bottom.


This one is made of rosewood and probably dates to the 1850's or 60's is my guess. Could be later, any thoughts?

Starting at the top of the whatnot is a beautiful fretwork piece and nice finials. I moved the lamp over a bit so you could see it all but the lamp is normally in the center of the shelf with a Staffordshire dog on either side (see above photo)


Moving on down to the second shelf is a small collection of Victorian velvet photo frames. The lady in the center red frame is my 2nd great Grandma Viola May. On the far right are my kids when they were small. :)



On the third shelf I have my pink bristol glass vases, hummingbird dome, small Staffordshire Pug and the sweet boy and girl pair.


Aren't they just darling? I think they are Staffordshire as well. 



On the fourth shelf I have a pair of "Old Paris" fan vases, an iron lady who sits upon my mantle clock, which is at the clock shop so for the time being sits here, and in front of her is an ink well with mother of pearl pen.


For the final and fifth shelf, I have my bisque boy and girl pair, an 1893 shell art piece and a pair of hand held face screens, or maybe just fans?


They are pretty neat, on the one side is a flower pattern...



and on the other side is kind of like a persian scene maybe, one with an elephant and the other with a camel. Sort of a paper mache and handpainted design on a thin piece of wood.



And lastly, this whatnot even has a hidden drawer! I haven't decided what will go in there yet though.



So there it is, I hope you enjoyed seeing it and thank you so much for your visit! Have a blessed week!

I am joining the following parties with this post, please come and catch some inspiration!

AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jillian
SHARE YOUR CUP with Jann
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
VINTAGE CHARM with Cecilia, Sharon and the gals
SIMPLE AND SWEET FRIDAYS with Jody

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Decorating for Halloween!

Hello everyone, it's me! Wow, what a busy 3 months it has been! Hard to believe I haven't posted for that long. Our sales have slowed down now and I will have more time for blogging.

Today I did some Halloween decorating and thought I would share it with you. I am trying to show mostly new estate sale finds.

We'll start in the living room. I always have fun decorating the mantel. I left the mantel clock there and the kids pictures but take away all else.



This year I covered the mirror with a panel of muslin, I guess that is what you call the stuff. And I made a banner to hang. Well actually I bought the supplies for it at Target and then put it together.



I hung it over the spiderweb black lace mantel scarf which is hung over the burgundy velvet tasseled mantel scarf that always stays there. :)



I thought the newspaper print pattern was cute, kind of nostalgic looking.



For my son's side of the mantel I decorate with pumpkins...



and on my daughter's side are the black cats...



and on the floor is this metal gold tree (estate sale find) topped with a blackbird. His mate is perched on top of the mantel clock watching over all.



Moving back to the parlor area I put together a vignette on the marble top table.



Black lace over the lampshade, my skeleton bird dome and the jack-o-lantern all aglow make for a spooky scene!




But turn on the lights and it's not so spooky after all! 



At the estate sale I have been working at this week, I bought the adorable handkerchief and the Fortune Telling playing cards. I thought they were cute and Victorian's loved that mysterious kind of thing! 


Changing out the vignette on the Parlor table with a few more latest finds...oh, speaking of latest finds, the 1860's rosewood etegere/whatnot shelf in the background was bought last Friday at an antiques auction. (I will show it more clearly in a later post)



So anyway, the "Old Paris" teapot (or is it a coffee pot?) was bought a couple of months ago when Bernideen, Janice (Curtains in my tree) and I went antiquing. And so was the gilt porcelain base/riser, a bowl sat on that base at some point in time. But not in my time. :)



I bought the Royal Albert "October" teacup at a sale. No one in my family has an October birthday but is mine and hubby's anniversary month.






On the Library table is this fun candle, lighting the way for you to enter the kitchen



where I pay tribute to the yummy "Candy Corn"! It has its place of honor in the antique "3 faces" compote. The candy corn beanbag I bought at a Hallmark store back in the early 80's when I was in Junior High! lol



Over in the dining room I have the table dressed in a burgundy cloth and crocheted cloth over it...(estate sale find)



and a estate sale find centerpiece...



I liked the witch's shoe, and so does the black bird!



And then there's the paper mache acorns, also an estate sale find...



and for a good laugh, here are hubby and I dressed up as Kim Kardashian and Kanye West! We won first place out of fifty or so couples!! It was a marriage conference at our church. ( I even have a look-a-like diamond ring on that was stolen from Kim in Paris when she was robbed, and our dressing up event happened before the robbery did!)




Have a spooktacular Halloween and thank you so much for your visit!

I am joining the following parties with this post, please come and join in the fun!
FRIENDS SHARING TEA with Bernideen
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
SNICKERDOODLE CREATE, BAKE AND MAKE with Sharon
TEACUP TUESDAY with Martha
TUESDAY CUPPA TEA with Ruth
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jillian
SIMPLE AND SWEET FRIDAYS with Jody
SHARE YOUR CUP THURSDAY with Jann
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
VINTAGE CHARM with Cecilia and the gals
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry