Decorations and Stuff Like That

Recently my attention has gone to 

home decorating and stuff like that:

The Bed Spread

About 20 or more years ago, I bought a crocheted bed spread at an antique store. It was a bit pricey for me, $60.00, but I really loved it. When I got it home and spread it out there were two places that were worn out. So my use of it was limited but I've always loved it anyway.

Fast forward past moves over seas, and across the US and we are to this summer. I still have the bed spread, but stopped useing it.

A young woman from church and her husband began coming up the mountain, where we live, and stopping by when we were home. We have similar interests, crafts, art and photography to name a few. The photography brought her husband up here, so he could take pictures of the scenery.

She and I bartered - I said I would reframe a nice print she had and she would try to fix my bed spread.

I didn't realize my young friend only worked in thick yarns! From what she said, I don't think she had even seen crochet hooks small enough for the thread needed to mend the spread. But she did research and practiced and asked other ladies at church for help. They gave her advice, books, and etc. One of the ladies was my sister-in-law, who also crochets, but it hadn't accrued to me to ask her for help with my spread!

All turned out well. This young lady is nothing if not determined. She learned what she needed to know and mended the spread! I was so excited to get it back. When I picked it up I was very surprised to learn she had mended 14 places!

She was happy with her newly framed print, with it's new dark blue double matt, new glass, and my freshening of the frame with a wash of golden brown acrylic paint over the original dark brown.
As for myself, I am very, very happy with the mending job on my bed spread.

And now, I use it on a queen sized bed in the front bedroom!

All I need now - 

lace on the pillow cases 

OR, crocheted shams!

********************************************

The Little Table

One day it seemed to me that a small table next to one of the beds in the back bed room would be nice. So I did what I usually do when I need furniture, and especially small little pieces, I visited the local thrift, home decor and antique stores.

I found the perfect size table in an antique store. It had one corner that looked like someone's doggie might have thought the table looked like a snack! There was another space around one corner where some trim had broken off and was gone. Those little things meant a low price. It was marked $15.00.

I snatched it up, surprising the store owner. But the table does have a charm. Around the top it has some interesting wood work and the some cut away work. When the owner seemed to wonder why I'd buy the little table I told him, it only has to hold a little lamp and a coaster for water, and well, maybe the TV remote! Just a simple doily would take attention from the dings; especially after I darkened the dings to match the rest of the piece.

When I got it home I did just what I told that store owner and it looked fine. No one noticed it's boo boos.

Being me, it wasn't long before I moved something around. A rocker entered the room, and it needed a table. The slightly scared one was the perfect size, and there was now room for a larger table to sit next to the bed. Next to the rocker, the small table's dings showed more.

So that's when I took my cheap find back to my garage/studio. I used wood putty to fill in the eaten corner, and to make some trim. It's not a good fill job, but it's a camo' fill. Next it seemed a fun idea to paint the top a bright, happy peachy pink! So, I sanded, and then cleaned, and painted the top of the table. I had a little doily almost the same color as the table in my drawer of doilies. I dug it out and placed it on the newly enlivened table! I like it, alot. My husband thought I painted the doily on. Probably he thought that because I have been known to do similar things, but this time, it's not a painting.

Here is the sweet table saved 
to live another life time.

You can see bottom of the table and the 

interesting legs and the cut outs 

just under the table top.

Here are the "camouflaged" corners. 
I admit, not perfect work, 
but quite adequate.
Maybe one day I will go to the trouble 
of making a mold to form perfect 
replacements, but right now, it's not 
important and unless I show my quests, 
I doubt anyone will notice, or care!

 

**********************************************

An Addition to My Winged Creature Collection

In thrift and antique stores I often see dolls that I find so appealing I have to adopt them! I've been trying to resist dolls, but now I'm finding angel and cherob dolls! Well, of course I have to give them a home with my other winged creatures!

My most recent adoption was of a red headed angle. She's called a primative. She was made to look old and worn, and in fact may have been made of older cloth. The apron actually looks like an old doily. Her hair is long and a bit messy. To me she is beautiful.

Here she is my newest angel.

Other winged creatures.

Now, let me tell you, this most recent addition made me aware of something I hadn't thought of before. There are many, many angel dolls, figurines, images etc. with red or redish hair! I googled this and found no explanations but lots of beautiful images of red headed angels and people! You should do that, type in red headed angels and look at the images! Some of the prettiest, most appealing pictures ever! A fun little distraction from the everyday - just like most artsy things!

**********************************************

Other dolls collected from thrift 
and antique stores. 

Of course this isn't all of them. 

******************************************************************

The images below are of several pieces of furniture I have purchased in thirst and antique stores. Most I painted. And as with the dolls, this isn't the entire collection. Just love this was of furnishing our home with items I believe are beautiful, and at the same time are less costly than new furniture.

I've begun to collect gold framed mirrors.

This was the last mirror I purchased. 

The rose picture, jewelry chest,

small bench and chair are all other 

antique and thrift store finds.

Just placed this mirror in the bathroom. 

Not sure why I didn't do that sooner.

It makes the room look larger. 

Reflected in it you can see another gold 

framed mirror on the opposite wall.

This little mirror just makes me smile. 

Well, until I check out my hair in it.

Painted this little cabinet inside 
and out with craft paint, 

the kind you can get at the 
discount store for a dollar or less. 

I've had this chest, which we always 

use for napkins and table cloths etc., 

for years. Bought it at a garage sale 

in Arizona for $8.00. No matter where 

we have lived it's always been useful.

This strange little cabinet is storing 

my computer paper and the printer

 is on top of it.

The shelves are other treasures 

I've found in antique stores,

as are some of the plates 

you can see here. 

This chest I've recently purchased. 

It's quite sturdy and has lots of drawers. 

After shopping with my sister-in-law in Washington DC for new furniture, I came back home and couldn't with to get to the store where I'd seen this chest. It was a fourth of the sale price on those I saw at the furniture stores, ON SALE!

Even though I do artwork, which covers most of my walls (I do sell some pieces) I also sometimes fall in love with older prints. This one was falling out of the frame and had gotten wet at some time, as there was a line and some discoloring on the bottom of the print. 

I used my pencils, and gently colored over the water line and sort of feathered the color between the stained section and the unstained, so with the glass on top, the water damage is not visible at all. 

I like the frame as well and did some touch up painting on it as well. 

Since I not only do art work but also had a frame shop in Arizona for a few years, and still have the matt cutters, it was quite simple to tuck the print back into position. I used watercolor paper as what's called barrier paper. It is an acid free layer that keeps the backing board that has an acid content away from the print, and therefore prevents damage to the print. 

Acid in the backing board and paper causes yellowing and deterioration. You may have found old prints with little holes in them, while some may be due to insects they are also caused by the acidic materials placed next to the images.

*************************************************

Until the next time let's all do what we love, as much as life will let us, and enjoy all the beauty in this world, natural and man's creations! Just like the Bible tells us, think on all that's good and pure!

Love 'n' prayers.
Janet Toney