Olive Out

Chippy White Chair With Edits

2012-02-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Fiddling with the white chippy chair and Photoscape.

I used the Refection Filter and framed it in a too dark red.

Playing and learning.

Nothing fancy here.

I have worked out the watermark, Thank God.

I am two cups of coffee away from recalling what filter I used here. Dang.
By the way I found this funeral pot/wreath at an estate sale and am loving it.
I now have four.
The others are wicker.
Joe rolls his eyes at them.
He'll be fine.

This has an antique Filter on it (#5 I think).

Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage told me that Photoscape is not available for Mac users.
That is a definite negative as I will be buying a Mac next time.
I am still planning on checking out the BeFunky editing program.
I have not had time yet as sun and 72 degree weather draws me to the flower garden.
My muscles are sore today but I am fine and thank you all for your comments yesterday.

Please go visit Claudia and The Frugal Five (sounds like a cool gang) as they continue their Thrifty Living Series today.

may joy and peace surround you
Olive

Flinging Open The Doors

2012-02-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

It is 72 degrees outside and I know you, dear friends, are saying she has posted twice today.

Yes, yes I have.

I have been raking pine straw, weeding, and cutting back spirea shrubs.

I pulled so many weeds that my back is hurting so I fear for what tomorrow may hold so I am posting this right now.

The doors to the house are flung open.

This weekend I am cutting back all our monkey grass ( lilirope) with the lawn mower.

If you are in the Deep South February in the appropriate month for that.

Some of variegated monkey grass that I cannot get with the mower I trim with scissors.

Opening the front door warms the house tremendously.

I re-potted this ivy and I am constantly getting cuttings from him.

I think it is a male for some reason, with shaggy hair.

It came from Trader Joe's and I should have bought one more.

I was not thinking or I was more likely thinking of Stilton cheese with apricots.

On another unrelated subject, pain gives me flight of ideas, a friend gave me a kind of folksy oil painting yesterday.

It is painted on two wood boards and I really like it and for now it is in the kitchen in an odd place beside our command calendar which I must see daily.

I cannot use electronic calendars. I am archaic, just say it I know.

Oil paintings are far better for me because they have no glass and therefore no glare and glare is my enemy.

I rarely take a photo of the little kitchen as it is functional, white and kind of plain.

I am very grateful to have it and would not trade it for another.

Thanks bunches for listening to my pain induced ramblings.

Linking with: Open House Party

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Cat In Charge

2012-02-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

Clovis, our cat, is master of his known universe.

He certainly tells me what to do.

He took over my favorite foot stool without remorse

He lays in my neck while I attempt to read the newspaper.

He frequently lays his head on my right wrist while I type.

I use the hairdryer to blow cat hair out of the laptop.

He has had fourteen years to learn to behave like a two year old and he is very good at it.

Linking with: The Polohouse for It's Favorites on the 1st

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Muffins and Thank You

2012-01-31T09:09:00.000-05:00

All of you get a virtual muffin this morning.

For listening to me "carry on" yesterday.

Thank you.

Double chocolate muffins for all even if they are rather short...oops.

I would send each of you an ivy if it were possible.

I have been transplanting and rooting ivy like a fiend.

By the way all these images were edited in Photoscape and it is getting easier and it does have many features that are wonderful. I watched their tutorial last night and it is quite helpful. I have managed to watermark these images. Now I must learn to use the Batch Editor. That is my next goal.

I still have no access to my e-mail and am trying not to think about it.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Dried Roses and Monday Challenges

2012-01-30T15:05:00.000-05:00

Monday challenged I have been.

My Yahoo mail will not open. Period. It insists I change the resolution which I have done and it still will not open my e-mail. I am going to stab myself in the eye.

I have been trying various photo editing programs and that was elevating my blood pressure several mm of mercury. Photoscape has some cool features but I find it difficult to use. Stabbing the other other eye.

Picnik closing is very very bad.

Then while attempting to get these images into a new post here on Blogger my task bar for Olive Out stops working. Okay, GAME OVER, I said to myself and shut down the computer and went outside and cut grass with my push mower and potted some variegated ivy. Outside work clears my head and helps me solve problems and prevents self stabbing.

I returned to the computer and restored it to six days ago thereby deleting any programs I had installed and any virus that tagged along.

It worked.

Woot.

The dried roses above were given to me by my hairstylist, friend, and owner of the shop featured on the last post. She was given the roses from a client and I said I would love to dry them and here they are. I strip all the leaves and secure the roses in a bundle with a rubber band then use string to hang them upside down in a cool dry room, Joe's shop in this case.

Thanks bunches Judy.

Linking with: Table Top Tuesday

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Juxtaposition

2012-01-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

A postal scale from perhaps the 1970's on a chippy old ladder with doilies.

A fine juxtaposition of elements.

Brilliant.

The above vignette is from Cornerstone another lovely shop on our town square.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

The Rusty Gate

2012-01-27T16:41:00.000-05:00

I have spent the last several days at our old house.

I visited with the ladies who own and operate The Rusty Gate in our town square.

Jean, the visionary, who owns the shop was so wise to leave the chippy walls in the front windows. Tracy, her daughter designs the window displays beautifully.

The mink with Blue Boy behind it is stunning.

I will be quiet and let you look around now.

Some items pictured are mine and are sold on consignment.

Jean and Tracy allow me to indulge my hobby of shopping and treasure hunting without adding to the volume of my houses.

Partying here: Vintage Inspiration Friday

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Pottery Barn Win @ 2805

2012-01-25T17:18:00.000-05:00

This humongous wine and cheese board was purchased with my $100 gift card win at 2805.

Thanks bunches Honey.

You guys remember her fun Christmas tree party?

That was where I won this.

I was so excited to win.

I have ordered ten dollar hand towels and an ornament from Pottery Barn.

That's all.

You dear readers know I never spend one hundred dollars on one item.

The Anthropology butter dish came from one of the consignment stores I am affiliated with.

I never thought I would own anything from Anthropology or goodness gracious anything this large from Pottery Barn.

Thrilled and delighted I am.

This board is heavy and I can barely lift it.

It will help to fill the space in our equally enormous bar.

This little pitcher was purchased from one of the consignment stores I sell at and I am loving it will the bowl of oranges.

Here is the bar which I call the "autopsy table" in bad nursing humor.

You can see it will hold many dough bowls and the wine and cheese board easily.

All images above taken on a grey, grey, grey day because I planned not well.

Linking with:

Potpourri Friday

Open House Party

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Folding Canvas Stool

2012-01-24T17:36:00.001-05:00

I found a perfectly humble folding stool.

It was soaking wet when I bought it but I liked that it was canvas and folded.

I was confident of it's potential.

I have an affinity for stools of any sort be they humble or not.

I can always use a perch for my coffee, book, or laptop.

So what did I pay for my humble wet canvas stool?

Fifty cents.

Suffice to say that fits into my budget just fine and

fits well with the 1960's beach furniture we adore in the living room.

Linking with: Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Thrift'n On A Thursday

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Font Installation Stopped For Sun

2012-01-24T12:16:00.000-05:00

I have been attempting, in vain, to install a new font to Olive Out.

It was causing me to get anxious and I was getting a headache.

Then lo and behold the sun peaked out at 9:30AM and I had to grab the camera and take pictures.

I tell you I was about two days shy of needing Celexa and I am not kidding.

For those of you who do not know my last nursing job was a psych nurse for the Department of Corrections.

I know mental health medications after that.

The weather greatly effects my mood and the many days of grey, grey, and grey were a step too far.

These tall southern pine trees desperately needed the rain we received so I must stop my whining and be thankful for that rain and the grey skies.

We leave this feeder empty but feed the birds elsewhere.

Nandina berries are in abundance in the yard.

Lavender lantana is still blooming.

Quince, which is supposed to bloom in winter has enormous thorns and I tend not to want to prune it.

♥♥♥

I tried to comment on many blogs late last evening but Blogger was not being pretty or nice.

Just know I did try to visit many of you and FireFox is my browser.

I will get the man behind the blog, Joe, to assist with the font and I will continue with the artsy part.

I put my images back in X-Large format.

I think I like them better this way.

Let me know if they are too big please.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Vintage Shoe Horns:Pink

2012-01-23T11:32:00.002-05:00

Joe, with his intrepid self, suggested we visit the flea market yesterday after church.

What? I said.

It was a cold and a bitterly wet 47 degrees and I do not mind cold but rain is not my favorite weather condition.

It turned out, as always, to be an excellent idea.

I happened upon these shoe horns.

The patina is lovely.

The pink is so soft and chippy.

I cannot bear to sell them and they do not take much space.

I am convincing myself.

I purchased nothing else.

Joe bought tools because apparently we need more.

Don't we lovey?

Just like I need pink shoe horns.

One of the vendors at the flea whom we have befriended decided with me that they are ballerina slipper shoe horns.

He said he would have bought them had he seen them first.

They are quite flexible and could be made to fit any ballerina slipper.

I am linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life as it is her 100th Table Top Tuesday Party.

Marty is one of the most gracious of all the hosts in our circle.

Thanks Marty for taking the time to comment to me and everyone else.

Also linking with:

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

WHOA

2012-01-22T09:56:00.001-05:00

This sign exemplifies how I feel about the editing program Picnik closing in April.

I use Picnik nearly every day.

I bought the premium program and am glad the money will be refunded but would rather have the program.

Change, change, thy name is CRINGE.

My friend and header designer Diane at The Blue Ridge Gal has posted a list of alternatives that does not include the pricey Photoshop for us frugal ones.

Once again Diane is ahead of this awful curve.

I will let you know what I decide to use as editing is important and fun for me.

may joy and peace and good editing surround you

Olive

Saturday With Olive and Joe

2012-01-21T09:30:00.002-05:00

The cloche that has been posted here a squillion times but with a different object in it each time.

Joe and I are awake at o'dark thirty to garage sale and then I am cooking for friends tonight.

On the menu is faux grilled chicken tenders, broccoli with lemon and balsamic vinegar, and hash brown casserole filled with mushroom and red peppers.

I have whole wheat artisan rolls as well and our friends are bring dessert.

It is good to have food and conversation.

We are blessed.

What are your weekend plans?

This is set to Auto post and thanks to Pam and Claudia it should work.

Linking with:

Sunlit Sunday

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Porch With Roses

2012-01-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

I am thinking of spring.

Of roses

This is the courtyard of a local museum house taken in December.

We had an oddly warm December.

The rockers are not embedded in the roses I am tricking you with the camera.

I love this porch and have photographed it many times.

I hope you do not tire of it.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Vintage Handkerchiefs

2012-01-18T19:29:00.000-05:00

Vintage handkerchiefs

obtained at an estate sale, on Saturday, from the nicest family.

They also gave me free plants.

Notice the delicate cut work on this hankie.

The purple and green on this one is a charming combination.

The cream colored urn came from the same sale.

I am keeping it.

Yay

Linking with:

No Minimalist Here for Open House Party

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

2805 for Potpourri Friday

may joy and peace and good estate sales surround you

Olive

Perfume Bottles

2012-01-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

Joe and I have been shopping at thrift stores today.

This morning we priced and boxed items we are selling at three consignment stores near our old house.

Here are some perfume bottles I especially like.

This one is lead crystal and to the right of it is a vintage apothecary jar I found at the estate sale on Saturday.

The perfume bottle on the left was made in Czechoslovakia.

Sometimes when we are out thrifting a theme emerges and today was one of those days because at Habitat for Humanity ReStore we found perfume bottle stoppers.

They are adorable and if I am not mistaken I have two little perfume bottles sans stoppers at one of the consignment stores I sell at.

The wood tissue boxes in the background are from Italy.

The strange aspect about me liking perfume bottles is I detest perfume as it gives me a headache but the quality and beauty in these bottles is hard to deny.

I want to keep them all.

Can you blame me?

Linking with:

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

White Chair In A Horse Trade

2012-01-16T13:17:00.001-05:00

A chippy white chair.

I horse traded some items of mine and got this chair.

A Haeger pot found at Goodwill.

It was so dirty I was pleasantly surprised by it's lack of chips when cleaned.

The smaller pitcher is old ironstone bought for a dollar at a local flea market.

This is my shot for Sunlit Sunday.

A new party in town.

DO YOU HORSE TRADE?

Linking with:

Sunlit Sunday at My Little Home and Garden

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Faded Charm for White wednesday

may joy and peace and good horse trading surround you

Olive

Mansion Facade In Athens, Georgia

2012-01-15T15:05:00.000-05:00

I arise in the morning torn

between a desire to improve

the world and a desire to enjoy

the world. This makes it hard

to plan the day. - E.B. White

That fine quote sums up my attitude about planning posts.

Which, for the most part, are not planned at all.

This brings me back to the mansion in Athens, Georgia that I posted about last week.
I meant to share these images.

Here is the grand facade of the 1917 house on Prince Ave.

The porch is magnificent.

Many features are noteworthy.

Dental molding

Corbels

Columns

The front door is sort of plain but the columns are meant to stand out and not the door I imagine.

The house has been sold and the new owners are restoring it.

Thanks to all of you who visited me on this estate sale journey of mine.
I had several new visitors and many loyal friends came by as always.
You are the best.

may joy and peace surround you
Olive

Saturday My Way

2012-01-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

I am off to two estate sales.

Color me crazy.

It is below freezing and if these people have their wares on the lawn I am turning around.

The above small plates are marked Occupied Japan and were only a dollar at a local flea.

I am searching for a larger bowl marked the same for a customer.

That is going to be a long search I fear.

The Minerva bust is growing on me especially tarted up in pearls.

Joe and I will be having meatloaf for supper made with oatmeal to hold it together.

What are you doing on this fine Saturday?

I am setting this to auto post.

It is a test of sorts (for me).

Just call me FancyPants from now on.

I am trying to grow with this blog my peeps.

I am back and the post did not auto post.
Any ideas as to what I did wrong?
My mouse on the computer is hinky too.
Just call me NonFancy Imperfect Techno Olive.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Reply/Delete Tutorial and My Blog Makeover

2012-01-13T09:26:00.000-05:00

Olive Out has had a makeover this week.

Diane Cayton-Hakey from The Blue Ridge Gal blog made my new header which is so pretty and very me don't you think?

She blogs every day and has wonderful wit and her own view of the world that I like very much.

Thanks bunches Diane.

I have added a Subscription and Search features to the side bar should you like to use those.

I also researched how to add Threaded comments and added those.

That gets you the Reply and Delete after each comment which I wanted to have.

Go to the Dashboard then:

1. Click on Settings then under Site Feed make sure it is set to Full.

Be sure to Save that change.

2. While you are still in Settings go to Comments and choose Embedded and not full page and you will have the reply delete feature.

Be sure to hit Save after making making any changes on these pages.

Now you can reply to each comment if a question occurs or if want to carry on a conversation.

It is a very good feature to have.

may good blogging surround you

Olive

Visitors and Madness

2012-01-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

In a moment of what can only be called Costco Madness I purchased ten pounds of old fashioned oats at our newly constructed store.

So I will be having this for breakfast.

Every day until next Halloween.

Today has been fun and awful.

The fun part was my baby sister came over for lunch and I made salad with butter lettuce and grape tomatoes with grilled chicken.

It is lovely to have a home in close proximity to my little sis.

She looks like me and is sixteen years younger than me.

The awful part is when she was here I discovered that we have a mouse in my recently cleaned pantry.

I am sure it is after the oatmeal.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Vintage Blocks and Way Rite Scale Now Mine

2012-01-11T16:38:00.000-05:00

In the children's room at the estate sale in Athens, Georgia I could not resist the blocks.

They have a graphic time worn patina.

Here they are in a glass hurricane.

And in a mini cloche.

The tiny muffin pan was one of three in the box with the blocks.

The kids probably played with the little pans along with the miniature cast iron stove I saw at the sale.

The second item came from the kitchen and it is this Way Rite Scale.

I am happy to have finally found one.

The third item, also from the kitchen, is this wine bottle.

It is not terribly old, could be new, but I liked it.

The price for all three items was $11.50 which considering some of the prices I have quoted concerning this sale is beyond wonderful.

I behaved myself.

Click here for Part I of this estate sale

Click here for Part II

Click here for Part III

Linking with Sherry at No Minimalist Here for Open House Party.

Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Party.

may joy and peace and great estate sale surround you

Olive

Vintage Dresses and Toys

2012-01-11T09:41:00.001-05:00

Part three of the grand Athens, Georgia estate sale.

I think these dresses are bridesmaids dresses but they could be prom dresses.

The hats are what makes me think of bridesmaids dresses.

The soft pinks and yellow are beautiful.

I did not look at the prices.

I was in a hurry.

Forgive my blurry pictures please.

These dresses appear handmade to me.

My aunt made my mother's prom dress in 1960 and her dress looks like these.

I squealed with joy upon entering this room nearly filled with children's toys.
These are miniature furniture pieces.

There was a cast iron stove in miniature that I did not get a picture of for two hundred dollars and many tiny baking pans.

Oh how I wanted to scoop them up and take them all home.

Have I mentioned I had only forty dollars in cash with me for this expensive sale?

Yikes.

I can see a photographer using this stroller as a prop.

I bought one item from the children's room.

This is the mantle in the children's room and I loved the details on it.

For Part I about this estate sale click here.

For Part II about this estate sale click here.

Next post I will share my items purchased, I hope, if I get more sunshine.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Make An Offer, An Aggressive Offer

2012-01-09T09:39:00.000-05:00

The estate sale started with the agent saying "Make an offer, an aggressive offer."

In a very southern drawl.

He was a charming haggler.

Most items were fifty percent off the marked price.

At the turn of the century they had a china plate for every course and this is a large fish platter offered for one hundred and twenty five dollars. That is the reduced price. I would enjoy having it but not at that price. Maybe I should have aggressively offered twenty dollars? No that would have been tacky.

This sofa was in perfect condition.

I do not know what to say about that lamp except it is would work on the set of Downton Abbey.
The house was built in 1917.

There were many of these and candle holders too.

This cast metal clock is unique and not priced too badly at two hundred dollars.

Next post I will feature VINTAGE TOYS AND VINTAGE BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES FROM THIS SALE.

Please scroll down to the last post for the initial post about this beautiful house in Athens, Georgia.

Linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Estate Sale On the Way Home

2012-01-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

You peeps didn't think we would take CC to her university and not make any nearby field trips did you?

We squeezed in a night at Bob and Sue's house and an estate sale.

The house is in downtown Athens and is a mansion built in 1917 on Prince Ave.

From what we have determined it is part of the Talmadge family properties.

Those people at the end of the line are Joe, Sue, and Bob.

This was the second weekend of the sale so I can only imagine what had already been sold.

The chandelier was not for sale.

The new owners are restoring the house and kept the light fixtures.

I think that is wonderful for the house and for Athens.

This is the butler's pantry and I was told the cabinets were originally dark green.

Oh what I could do with this pantry.

I wanted every single item on this bed.

Look at those chippy pieces.

I took so many images I will write a couple of more posts,including photos of VINTAGE FISH PLATES, VINTAGE BRIDES MAIDS DRESSES, AND VINTAGE CHILDREN'S TOYS.

One entirely about the facade of the house.

I showed remarkable restraint and bought only three small items.

They have not been photographed and are packed in boxes and sitting around me right now at our old house.

I have so much to do but priority number one is to pet Clovis (the cat) and number two is drink coffee and then I will seize the day and visit you my dears.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Going Away In Her Own Way

2012-01-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

She is a Converse high top girl.

She does not dress preppy at all.

She obtained her Associates of Arts Degree, in December, from a junior college and is moving on to a larger university this Thursday.

This new university has been somewhat difficult so we shall see what happens.

CC will now be many hours away from us rather than just one hour away and I am happy and delighted and sad and terrified.

Conflicted I am.

She is indeed going away in her own way.

I will deal with it.

The two of us found these wonky high tops at a thrift store for....get ready....twenty cents....and bought new shoe laces.

She paid forty dollars for her last pair of Converse high tops but wore them until they were nearly without tread.

When she was a tiny toddler I had her in Converse high tops (pink and red) so this adoration of them is entirely my fault.

We will be traveling over the next week so I will catch up with all of you next Monday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Sweet, Her Not Me

2012-01-02T11:25:00.000-05:00

A new teapot centered on our dining table.

My sister-in-law, Sue, gave it to me.

She has a green one that I had admired.

I wanted to take it home with me.

So she bought me one.

Sweet.

Her not me.

I really like the curvy basket the teapot rests in, at the moment, and am not inclined to take it out quite yet.

We have a lot of items stored in the dining room as we moved a piano here the day after Christmas and the plants must come inside off the deck at some point.

Life is perfectly imperfect and we would not have it any other way.

We want a jute rug in this room one day to neutralize the floor.

Look at the detail on this vintage table scarf.

Blanket stitch used to be one of my favorite stitches.

Linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Joe Started the New Year

2012-01-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

Cat Wrestling

Clovis, while a cuddler, holds no love for being picked up.

He escaped.

Sometimes a post presents itself whether you have sun or not.

If cat wrestling occurs and the camera is handy I say snap, snap.

Clovis was not harmed by the way.

Happy New Year Dear Readers and Fellow Bloggers

Olive

Birds in 2011

2011-12-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

The bird images of 2011 were all taken in the garden of the yellow house.

They bring us much joy.

The hummingbirds steal the show, I realize, but all the birds are beautiful, special, and welcomed by us. Taking photos of the hummers builds character by the way, so if you need some more character just wait out some hummers and start snapping.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Flowers in 2011

2011-12-28T09:48:00.001-05:00

The year in flowers, most of which can be found in our garden at the yellow house. From the old house are the magnolia seed pod and the Lady Banks roses.

The above gardenia, after a morning rain, is my favorite.

Next post I will share my best bird images, many of which are hummingbirds.

Linking with: Wow us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Wacky Christmas People Pics

2011-12-26T18:20:00.000-05:00

We like silly pictures.

Our church recently took photos for us to download, for free, from Flickr.

They apparently support silliness as they provided props.

Joe, Olive, and CC.

This was not supposed to be the debut of my short grey hair but hey why not?

When you have only twelve hairs defy gravity and stand them up.
I do look different than the images in the sidebar, from two years ago, because of an immuno-suppressive medication (it's essentially chemotherapy in very low doses) I have to take now. It has wrecked my hair. On the plus side it is saving my joints and that is a very very important plus.

Me and our good friend and Journey Team Leader "Sweet T".

This and the next several images are shots I took off Flickr because I though they were especially cute.

This is our lead pastor and his family.

I think you can see we are a fun bunch.

I did edit our family photo with some snow just for giggles.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
We did and now we are resting and about to eat some leftovers.

All photos via Flickr account for True North Church

Linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.
She is having an open party tonight so these wacky pics are just fine for the party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Don't Sanitize the Story

2011-12-24T20:06:00.000-05:00

Born in a manger, in the humblest of conditions, amongst the straw and stink.

He is with us, still.

"If we sanitize the Christmas story-eliminating it's earthiness, pain and struggle, we miss the truth of a God who deeply loves us. The birth of Jesus is the moment God came to dwell in our midst, to join us in our struggle." -Author, Shaun Dyer

Merry Christmas

Olive

The Joy of Baking

2011-12-22T13:03:00.000-05:00

We are baking today.

Joe sliced the apples for this apple and cranberry crumble and prepared the topping.

This is the crumble not baked yet. The cranberries are so tart I put about a quarter cup of sugar over the fruit. I do not do that with other fruit. You can find crumble recipes online. This one pictured is a mini dish and I just threw it together sans recipe.

Next in line for the oven is a Sour Cream Pound Cake from a recipe I have used for about thirty years. There was panic at the disco this morning when I thought I misplaced the recipe.

I use the juice of a lemon and it's zest in the pound cake instead of lemon flavoring.

I did not stage this photo but saw the lemon and our JOY snoglobe and thought what a cute photo that would be.

Toffee Coffee Bars are cooling on the bar right now.

Our menu for Christmas Brunch:

Sausage Cheese Grits Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Baked Ham and Biscuits

Fresh Fruit Salad

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Toffee Coffee Bars

Wassail

Mimosa's

Coffee and Cookies too.

Gosh, I think I forgot something but there will be plenty for eight people or more if someone drops by.

Joe, CC, and I wish you JOY where ever you may find it today.

Happy Christmas

Olive

Buffet Part Two

2011-12-20T19:27:00.000-05:00

The buffet, in the dining room, has been re-vamped.

Just as all of you suggested.

I added a runner, elevated the urn, and added the cut holly.

I love this vintage oval print found in Athens, Georgia.

The swan may be the best dressed one in all of blog land.

Joe gave me this scarf on our honeymoon.

The vintage riding helmet came from the same sale in Athens.

Cuteness

The vintage tablecloth, hanging on the door of the buffet, was terribly stained but I rescued it with Oxyclean.

Thanks to all of you who helped me re-vamp the buffet.

The original post is here.

Linking with:

Wow Us Wednesday's at Savvy Southern Style

Happy Christmas

Olive

Making Memories Last

2011-12-19T09:24:00.000-05:00

When is an ornament more than the sum of it's parts?

When it's old and well loved is one answer.

When it's a vintage treasure is another.

Or when it's handmade from something so precious it is priceless to you.

That is the case with these ornaments CC and I made with sheet music last night.

Our Granny had asked me to donate our late Papa's music or keep some for CC.

I kept a book of songs Papa sang in church.

We loved sitting next to Papa and hearing him sing.

He often performed solos and had a strong low voice.

The music inside these plastic bulbs {the glass ones were sold out} holds wonderful memories of Papa's voice for us.

I know you may be shocked I crafted but I can rise to the occasion when necessary.

Thanks to the blogger

who thought of using sheet music this way.

Linking with:

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Happy Christmas

Olive

The Sleigh

2011-12-16T19:10:00.000-05:00

This enormous sleigh is to be found on this porch every Christmas.

I have met the owner of this house and admire her attention to detail.

I am so happy I stopped what I was doing today to take these pictures.

Look at the tiny package filled wagon and the dollhouse.

The chalkboard is another level of detail that is marvelous.

A Christmas tree reclines in the rear of the sleigh.

This is the view of the wide porch.

Not every one can put a big sleigh on their porch but I am glad she does and does it so well.

The Grinch lives across the street from the sleigh and a delightful couple lives in this house.

The wreath coordinates with The Grinch.

Good planning.

The entire time I was snapping these images Mr. Squirrel was making the loudest racket while eating this huge nut.

Linking here:

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Happy Christmas

Olive

Virtual Christmas Cards

2011-12-16T08:39:00.001-05:00

I have been making virtual cards.

Next year I will use a photo of mine for hard copy cards.

I ran out of time this year.

Joe and I believe in the personal touch of mailing actual cards.

These shots are all from my post about Christmas Celebrated on U.S. Highway 80 in Dublin, Georgia here.

I have an awful time getting the font color to match the ribbon...it's too pink or too red...ugh.

I also use the effect Cross Process in Picnik which gives the shots an old fashioned look I like.

This one is my favorite, font color issues aside, the rockers and wreath speak to me of simpler times and it is certainly a southern porch.

Now I am off to photograph a real sleigh on someone's front porch while I have morning light.

Thanks bunches for stopping by, I know it is a busy time.

Tidings and Joy

Olive

Mirror,Mirror

2011-12-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

Mirror mirror on the wall we love you best of all.

Joe and I have had a gold mirror here and various large prints but we think this is the best focal point so far. We really are searching for an old rusty gate but it escapes us.

Now you may ask how do we switch out so many objects up there?

Do we have a huge budget?

No, we are cheap.

Joe found this mirror last Saturday, covered in dirt, at a yard sale, and paid two dollars for it.

Yes $2.00.

That is our budget.

What is your best find?

Linking here:

Thrift'n On A Thursday with Joy at Savvy City Farmer

Tidings and Joy

Olive

Dining Room Table

2011-12-13T19:12:00.002-05:00

Our dining table is now ready for Christmas day.

I am inspired by all of you, my friends, who spend time setting china, placing flatware, choosing the perfect center piece, and then keeping it all straight for the camera.

I cannot do it.

I can do this.

The cut holly is from our garden.

Joe and I have been adding to our collection of glass ornaments.

The white dishes are from Gibson and we bought about forty pieces for four dollars at a garage sale and the white is the right white. Know what I mean?

The three wise men were found at a garage sale in the spring and we had forgotten about them and were pleasantly surprised when we opened the box.

I had these velvet wired ribbons made about seven years ago and they still look wonderful every year.

An astute reader asked what I was going to place in our folk frame. I do like it empty but when I found this chubby heart at Goodwill I knew it was going here.

That is my non-tablescape tablescape inspired by all you talented blogger friends.

We are cooking a casual brunch for six, for Christmas morning, that will be served buffet style.

The menu is still in the works.

I will be stacking my dishes on the bar, shocking it is not.

Scroll down to the last post for a free gift wrap idea

Linking here:

Mockingbird Hill Cottage Holiday Party

Wow Us Wednesday's with Savvy Southern Style

Scapes With Aimee at It's Overflowing

Tidings and Joy

Olive

~free gift wrap idea~

2011-12-13T13:59:00.000-05:00

Wine bottle paper bags as wrappings.

From Trader Joe's.

Joe and I visit Trader Joe's when we go to Athens, Georgia and at Thanksgiving I picked up these beautiful bags, free, with bottles of wine.

Ask for the wine not to be placed in the bags, at the check out counter, and keep the bags flat and pretty.

The wine at this store is reasonably priced too.

We do not exchange gifts with anyone, or buy gifts for that matter as we are blessed beyond measure, so this is sort of all made up but I had fun doing it.

The tissue is not tissue but that paper that stores (Goodwill in this case) use to wrap breakables.

We do buy toys for kids that our church directs to two local neighborhoods.

There you have a free gift wrap idea.

You can always put wine in the bag but why do the expected?

Linking with Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's.

Tidings and Joy

Olive

Christmas Celebrated On U.S. Hwy 80

2011-12-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

Grand old Southern mansions decorated for Christmas.

This is the Paige House in Dublin, Georgia.

It is a Bed and Breakfast that we have not stayed at but always enjoy driving by at Christmas.

This is the business next door to the Paige House.

These houses are located on U.S. highway 80 in the center of Dublin.

I have been making Christmas cards from some of the close up shots of the porch rockers on these two houses. It has been a fun learning experience for me.

This charming house is an eye doctor's office and is across the street from the other two.

The gingerbread trim is beautiful.

This large house is next to the doctor's office and has understated Christmas lights.

I love those porches.

I will share my Christmas cards later.

♥♥♥

I am sending a huge thank you to all my readers who left comments about our Christmas tree and CC coming home from college. You are the best readers ever and welcome to all new followers. Joe and I read and enjoy each and every comment.

{{{hugs}}}

Tidings and Joy

Olive

Bittersweet

2011-12-08T19:11:00.000-05:00

I brought our daughter home from college this afternoon.

It is a bittersweet day.

She has obtained her Associates Degree and is moving on to get her next degree at a larger University but she is terribly sad to be leaving her friends.

She thanked me for letting her stay in a dorm, an opportunity I did not have, and it assured me that paying for those dorm rooms might just be worth it after all.

She will be home for the holiday and able to read, bake, nap, loaf, and visit with our family.

She can enjoy the yellow house all decked out for Christmas and attend church which she adores.

♣♣♣

Joe and I went to a super duper moving sale and I found this old crock with flowers on it for one dollar and plopped a new bottle brush tree in it.

Joe bought a ladder. I will let you imagine that.

CC loves to go thrift'n too.

Train them early.

Linking with Joy at Savvy City Farmer for Thrift'n On A Thursday.

Tidings and Joy

Olive

The Tree

2011-12-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Tree at last.

The Theme?

Our theme is there is no theme.

Not one item was purchased for this tree this year.

No designer looks here. Not in the competition.

This is an overly large tree for this room so the chairs are snuggled up close to it.

The ribbon and angel tree topper were given to me by the sweet manager of a thrift store I frequent and are very special to me.

This tree has about fifty percent fewer ornaments than last year because I just stopped when decorating it and said enough and put the rest away and donated some boxes to a local charity that very day.

Linking with the mega Block Party via Honey at 2805 for Christmas Trees.

The link will work on 12/08/12.

So many parties I am dizzy.

Happy Christmas

Olive

Cloches Brightened

2011-12-04T20:43:00.000-05:00

The milk glass and cloches have not changed one iota on our three drawer chest.
The much beloved pineapple lamp stays in it's place as well.

Brightly colored ornaments were added.
Plus a live plant in an urn and a vintage bottle brush tree.

I keep teasing with this tree.

I did not show it last year.

I will this year.

Pinky swear.

I have not tired of the cloches and milk glass urns yet.

They are terribly easy to jazz up or down.

Saturday at the consignment shop was fun. I was running the cash register, much to my dismay but no disasters occurred that I am aware of yet. They asked me to do a live advertising spot on the radio and I said I can only learn one new skill a day and that was not the skill for the day.
Live radio? Dear Lord.

Linking at these parties:

Nita at Mod Vintage Life for Mod Mix Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Happy Christmas
Olive

Reflection

2011-12-02T18:40:00.000-05:00

Note the reflection of the tree in the ornament.

It was not planned but I am liking it.

I trained at one of the stores I consign at on the square today.

Just to help out on occasion and have fun in the process.

Surely if I used to administer morphine drips I can run a cash register.

That is what I keep telling myself.

I do know how to make change.

Many young people have no clue how to make change these days thanks to everything being digital.

On a completely different topic I managed to add PAGES (under the header) to this blog this week.
I surprised myself. If you slog through and read the novella ABOUT ME you are pretty.

Joe and I hope you have a terrific weekend.

Olive

The Buffet, A Work In Progress

2011-12-01T17:27:00.001-05:00

The buffet, at our yellow house, got tweaked after that moving sale we swooped upon last week. I do not consider it finished yet and we are currently at our old house but I plan to add holly greenery and pine cones from our yard.

We scored this vintage riding helmet at the sale for two dollars. Can you stand it?

I put it on the swan just for a lark and sort of liked it there and so it stays.

The oval print is old and chippy, just how I like them.

Also found on frat row in Athens, Georgia.

The Santa mugs are vintage and from our local consignment store that we sell at.

The ironstone teapot is from a local thrift store.

The ceramic cherub urn is from another moving sale last Saturday.

The small metal urn was one dollar at Goodwill.

The live topiary is from Trader Joe's.

The buffet needs something.

I think it's more greenery.

When we return to the yellow house I will work on it.

You, my peeps, are the experts give me some help with this buffet.

You cannot hurt my feelings, remember I used to run a clinic, as a RN, in a state prison.

Linking with Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Love Hurts

2011-12-01T11:08:00.000-05:00

Life lessons are hard.

Yesterday was one of those days for our daughter.

Tears were shed.

Tears of anger and frustration at a situation that was not in hers or our control.

I felt as if I had aged about ten years and maybe I did.

I encouraged her that in the big wide scope of the world in a few years all this drama will be very small.

I am not sure that helped.

Love hurts.

Olive

Impostor Santa

2011-11-29T19:02:00.000-05:00

Caught in the house.

Linking with: Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Weekend Wrap

2011-11-27T19:26:00.001-05:00

We are in recovery.

From eating, driving, and shopping.

Not regular shopping, not Black Friday shopping either.

If you read this blog you know it is not surprising we went to a moving sale on Friday, in Athens, where we were visiting.

It was on frat row near the University of Georgia in a lovely Tudor house.

The six of us descended on that moving sale like a family of vultures.

We are awful. But not shopping at midnight awful.

I bought two boxes of vintage items and my SIL, Sue, bought about the same amount of non vintage items. We are perfect thrifting partners as she buys newer items and I buy vintage.

The 1940's heavy glass bookends, pictured above, were acquired weekend before last at a yard sale and were made by the Federal Glass Company.

I am not keeping them and this table looks nothing like this today as we spent yesterday decorating the yellow house for Christmas and I changed my game plan for this table after the aforementioned moving sale.

I will be taking photos this week and next of our finds from that moving sale and sharing those with Christmas posts.

Linking with the darling Joy at Savvy City Farmer for Thrifting On A Thursday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving

from

Olive and Joe

We are thankful for you our blogging family

we wish for you a joyous holiday.

Olive

Now I have to run and clean my oven. A cake exploded (why I do not know) and it is not pretty.

Painting Badly

2011-11-21T08:33:00.000-05:00

How many members of the Olive Out staff does it take to paint the lid of a jar?

Two apparently.

Not that there is a staff. Just Joe and me.

I found the large jar at an estate sale.

It had an ugly brown lid.

It needed painting badly so I painted it badly.

I changed the nozzle on the spray paint can, made a squillion drips and Joe had to rescue the lid with his pocket knife and heavily distress it.

The ornaments seem to be old and I acquired them at an estate sale for nothing.

I think I stole them.

I did actually steal two lamps (we re-sell all these lamps) on Saturday from the nicest man.

I drove away and realized that I had not paid him and when I returned to his sale he said he could not remember so just take them.

I paid him.

I also painted a few Christmas items on Saturday that did not require Joe's assistance.

Maybe there is hope for me.

Linking: Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday's.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

The One Hundred Fiftieth Anniversary

2011-11-19T19:55:00.000-05:00

"The Civil War was really one of those watershed things.
There was a huge chasm between the beginning and the end of the war. The nation had come face-to-face with a dreadful tragedy... And yet that's what made us a nation. Before the war, people had a theoretical notion of having a country, but when the war was over, on both sides they knew they had a country. They'd been there. They had walked its hills and tramped its roads... They knew the effort that they had expended and their dead friends had expended to preserve it. It did that. The war made their country an actuality."
Shelby Foote

"What a war! Everything we are or will be goes right back to that period. It decided once and for all which way we were going, and we've gone"

Shelby Foote author of The Civil War

From Fort Sumter to Appomattox the war is not forgotten here in the Deep South. It changed America and ended the heinous practice of slavery across the entire country . It also changed the economy from being based in agriculture to a more industrialized one.

Joe and I live right in the path of General Sherman's "March to the Sea." We go to sleep to the sound of trains changing tracks almost every night at our old house. Those very tracks were pulled up, heated, and twisted into "bowties" by his troops in an effort to stop supplies getting to the Confederate troops.

"We cannot change the hearts of the people of the South, but we can make war so terrible that they will realize the fact that however brave and gallant and devoted to their country still they are mortal and should exhaust all peaceful remedies before they fly to war."
- William Tecumseh Sherman

General Sherman stayed at the Brown House, in Sandersville, and used it as his headquarters while he was in the county. When he left, after two days, he had the courthouse and jail burned. The county was fortunate in many ways as he burned much in his path. One reason why we have no records on our old house is because we believe they were burned in this Civil War fire.

Tremendous numbers of lives were lost in this war where brothers sometimes fought each other. Some five to six hundred thousand lives lost. Our cemeteries, in Georgia, are filled with Confederate graves like the first image above.

Joe and I firmly believe history must be studied and learned so that it is not repeated. We are still students of history.

"I can tell you who lost it — the South lost the war. But I'm not sure anybody won that war. It's a tragedy... On the face of it, the North won the war. But the bill for winning it was huge in human values, not to mention human lives.
I think that when the South was defeated to the extent that it was that the whole nation lost something when they lost that civilization, despite the enormous stain and sin of slavery". Shelby Foote

may joy and peace surround you
Olive

Sources: an essay on The Civil War on PBS and the New Georgia Encyclopedia

Plumbers Toolbox?

2011-11-17T15:53:00.000-05:00

The plumbers toolbox is a favorite find for both of us.

We have been calling it a plumbers toolbox anyway.

Correct us please.

Joe wants it for actual tools. No way is that happening lovey.

I enjoy piling platters in it or books.

I am beginning to think I need some sort of cloche intervention. I found this one Saturday and I really need to stop buying them.

I found the large Williams Sonoma platter at one of the stores I consign for.

Yet another cloche. I found three of the basket weave cloches at a yard sale for fifty cents each. You see why it is hard to stop?

Urn love.

I have it bad.

The one on the right is Italian.

We found that vintage frame on the far wall at a local flea market.

We are not having Thanksgiving at our house so the plumbers toolbox can stay here until the Christmas decor spills out happily.

♣♣♣

I will check back with you, my peeps, later today as I am going down to our town square to deliver some goods and shop a bit.

Linking with the delightful Debra of Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

~vintage linens and stain removal~

2011-11-16T09:10:00.001-05:00

I have been ironing vintage linens.

Enjoy.

It is not unusual to find single pillowcases.

I do not fret about that. I pair them with another one in similar tones.

These pillowcases are terribly soft and I have two or four on our bed at all times.

I sell matching pairs when I find them.

This little table scarf will be sold on consignment.

It is in perfect condition. I soak all my vintage linens in OxyClean and hot water.

Be patient when doing this, sometimes I soak them for twenty-four hours and change out the water and OxyClean. I use several scoops of Oxy depending on the amount of stain present.

This does not damage embroidery or fine fibers like Clorox does.

If I have a persistent stain I make a paste with OxyClean and put it directly on the stain. I already have a stain so what do I have to lose?

This large rectangular table cloth was stained a lot.

They are gone now but it does have some holes which is fine because that means I keep it.

I had a helper.

You can pick up stained vintage linens at tag sales, estate sales, and garage sales for a few dollars or less and turn them into beautiful accents for your bed or tables. If you have not tried the Oxyclean method I encourage you to do so and let me know how it worked for you.

Linking with Sherry at No Minimalist Here for Open House Party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Do you buy furniture with no idea of where it's going?

2011-11-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

It is a glorious fall day here.

I started off with a small fire in the wood stove and now I have the doors open.

I have been dusting and moving Joe's chair around I showed you on Saturday.

This room, despite it's windows, is dark so these photos are dark much to my dismay.

A reader remarked that she liked the chair but it wasn't her colors.

Same here lovey.

We have a faded cabbage rose sofa in green and pink in this very room.

One day we want a neutral cream colored sofa.

We paid all of twenty five dollars for each of the two sofas we have now.

Spending more than that is going to be difficult.

The chair does blend with our old crocks.

The butter churn was my mother's and the lamp was Joe's mother's.

We recently got the old pickle crock, beside the chair, at an estate sale.

The unframed oil painting, on the left, reminds us of our trip to Italy.

The art glass vase was a gift from one of my patients.

Please ignore my terrible hair but I adore this image of Joe.

I recently let my grey fly and will have some profile shots soon I hope.

This is my view of the fall leaves as I type.

I am still in a pickle as to where to put Joe's chair.

We will work it out.

We always do.

Do you buy furniture with no idea of where it is going in your house?

Linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Curvy Country Road

2011-11-13T10:15:00.001-05:00

Curvy road.

The crepe myrtles in our yard continue to show off and we have decided they have never looked this good before.

I realize I am jumping from fall to Christmas but I have made a commitment, to myself, to post photos in real time as often as I can. So if you are dizzy from this I certainly am too.

Take in beauty where you find it whenever you find it.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Sometimes Bundling Is Required

2011-11-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

Joe wanted this chair.

He wanted it for a certain price.

The lady who was holding the sale of antiques and vintage items, on her lawn, was trying to work with him. I had already bought an interesting pair of lamps from her the minute we got there.

The fabric is soft and might be linen. It is more yellow in the background than it appears.

Seems autumnal also.

When he decided to bundle the chair with this little round table they agreed on a lovely modest price.

The lamps have pink pine cones on them.

Pink pine cones?

The lamp bases are marble. It is awful to photograph a large tall lamp.

We had an enormous amount of fun going to estate and garage sales this weekend. I cannot begin to photograph everything we bought. One favorite item is a Rowenta iron for three dollars. I will spare you that image for sure. They are very expensive at around seventy dollars so I was delighted to find this one for ironing vintage linens which I buy and sell when I can part with them.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

B&W, Silver and ...

2011-11-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

Black, white, silver, and gold for Christmas.

I did not plan that reflection in the mirror but am glad I captured it.

This display was created by my friend, Bonnie, and I liked it so much I had to go home and grab my camera.

This is the same store that had the beautiful red velvet sofa from Sunday's post.

That table had contact paper on the top of it and when she pulled it off it revealed the black paint and she left it like that.

I am linking with Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Beauty is...

2011-11-09T09:06:00.000-05:00

...right outside our kitchen window.

Wishing you a brilliant day.

I am off to visit a neighbor, then have lunch with my sister.

See you later.

What are you doing today?

Olive

Flea Market Finds By Joe

2011-11-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

Joe's flea market finds this week are rusty and beautiful.

The toolbox.

The rusty bits.

Joe is going to use the toolbox for it's intended purpose but I could see it on a shelf in our den.
It came full of tools too and I can barely lift it.

The rusty things with hooks are scales and we have no idea what purpose the long handled tool has.
We just like it.

He paid about twenty dollars for all of this including the toolbox.
Joe is in his element when he finds tools to buy.

~~~~~~

I will be visiting you, my peeps, later tonight, because I traveled yesterday to Greenville, S.C. to have new tires put on my Mini and I am exhausted. Thank God I was in the Pottery Barn, in the mall, when the dealership called me about an additional issue and gave me the price.

If you are going to nearly swoon a Pottery Barn sofa is the place to do it.

Linking: Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday.

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Red Love Seat

2011-11-06T07:33:00.000-05:00

A nine foot tall live Christmas tree and a red love seat sets the scene for one of our local consignment stores near our old house.
The love seat sold as I was snapping these images so I am glad I took them even though the sun was in my eyes.

I consign a few items here (that Holidays book is one of mine) and enjoy the ladies who manage this store. I helped them a wee tiny bit to get ready for their ribbon cutting ceremony with the chamber of commerce. Joe and I are thrilled that our small southern town now has several businesses on the square. I consign at three of them and have a ball doing it. Joe is also a big help in this endeavour and by now you know we are all about the thrill of the hunt.

In my next post I will show a silver, black, and gold vignette, from this store, that is terribly pretty.

It made me turn around and get in my car and fetch my camera.

I am linking to The Tablescaper, for the very first time, for Seasonal Sundays.

may joy and peace surround you
Olive

B&B

2011-11-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I long for the mountains.

Joe and I were in the north Georgia mountains last fall and we stayed in an old farmhouse B&B.

The porch.

The mantlepiece.

A quilt hanging in the dining room.

Fall leaves, the colors of the leaves make me want to pack an overnight bag.

Could I talk Joe into a little trip?

Linking with Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Party.

Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

So You Like Antlers?

2011-11-02T17:25:00.000-04:00

How about having a mounted Longhorn on your wall?

Joe and I chased this truck on Sunday last, in our Mini Coop, and I snapped this image while we were both moving.

Craziness.

Needless to say the mounted Longhorn is wider than our Mini should it have been purchased by us. Heavens, it is wider than our stone fireplace.

We have some small deer antlers. Do you like antlers of any kind?

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

The Tall Tale Of The Rusty Bucket

2011-11-01T17:13:00.001-04:00

Joe and I went to a flea market on Saturday.

Ninety-eight percent of what was there was new junk from China.

Not our vintage kind of goodie. Until, about three rows down the flea, I saw some lighted chandeliers. I told Joe we must make our way over there and I could hear him thinking "Oh no, oh no, not chandeliers." The store and it was a a small store essentially was filled with white painted furniture, vintage furniture with original finishes, mirrors, books, urns, and much more. It was like finding a pearl in the trash. I was thrilled and you might be surprised at what I bought from the owner. I know Joe was.

I bought this old rusty bucket, with three holes in the bottom of it, for about a squilllion dollars. The shop owner said it is a well bucket and maybe it is. Joe had walked away and when he saw the price tag and confirmed that is what I paid he died a thousand deaths. He said "She probably picked that old thing up beside the road." I said " Maybe she did but I wanted it and it will look wonderful on our buffet. Trust me."

And so it does look wonderful on our buffet, filled with Black Eyed Susan seed heads. Joe agrees about the wonderful looking part now despite the financial issue.

I talked to the shop owner for a long time and encouraged her to explore the internet, blogs, and Etsy. She and her husband buy unclaimed storage units in Atlanta. That is a huge amount of work and keeps them busy. She has great style and I wish I had my camera with me.

That is the tall tale of the rusty bucket.

♣♣♣

For the purposes of this tall tale a squillion equals twenty dollars.

I am linking with Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's.

&
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for Open House Party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Fall Berries and Cloches

2011-10-31T12:10:00.001-04:00

The dogwood trees are full of red berries now and

the birds are enjoying the abundance of them in our yard.

Look in your yard or local park and decorate with some leaves or berries.

It is a lot of fun and it is free.

I enjoy the milk glass urns in the cloches and did not wish to change anything on the three drawer chest which you have seen many times here. I simply added fall berries which somehow look like Christmas to me too.

The little green berries came off an ornamental tree we have and I do not know what it is.

I am a font of garden information. Not.

Above you get a peek of an antique barrel trunk that is a whole other story for another day but I cannot get a good image of it and I have tried and tried.

I am linking to the font of cloche inspiration Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for the Fall Cloche Party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Halloween

2011-10-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

image by Olive taken in a neighbor's yard

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Mysteries and The Mail

2011-10-28T20:49:00.000-04:00

We drive by this little house often and why I like it is a mystery.

I have a fabulous amount of disdain for cobwebs as we have so many real ones at our old house.

It is cute...okay I said it.

Now we do not know about you but we can barely get our house decorated for Christmas so how these folks accomplished this is frankly amazing.

Amazing and very cute yet again.

The mail has been wonderfully exciting lately. This pin arrived from Jan at Gracie's Cottage just because she thought of me. That is so sweet.

These lovelies also arrived in the mail from Gail at Faithfulness Farm. I won her giveaway. She made the towels and they are long and generous in size.

Both these bloggers are friends of mine and I am proud to know them and follow their excellent blogs. Thanks bunches to both of you.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

~fog~

2011-10-20T13:55:00.000-04:00

The eerie quality of fog in the leafless tree canopy.

These images were taken last February off of a very tall deck.

At the time I remember thinking they were somewhat spooky.

I am rather fond of fog are you?

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Orange Heat For Halloween

2011-10-18T16:28:00.000-04:00

Halloween is in full force in the dining room.

Orange has turned up it's heat here.

In the living room all is white but not here.

The copper cauldron is from last year but everything else we found this summer and fall.

We bought the Hemingway Hurricanes by Southern Living at Home at a garage sale Saturday.

They were new in the box for ten dollars each.

I was happy to pay that price as I know how expensive they originally were.

I really should sell them but I am keeping them.

Could these candles be any cuter?

I do not think so.

The polka dot creatures are called Kiddo Jack and Kiddo Kat and came from the Tuesday Morning store. I like them a lot because I almost never buy holiday decor from non-thrift stores.

Everything else including the copper cauldron is from second hand stores or garage sales.

This is how the table looked before we found the glass hurricanes.

This is the other side of the cauldron and our pumpkin filled cloches.

Do you decorate with orange for fall and/or Halloween?

I am linking with:

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday's.

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home.

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday's.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Mr. Smirk

2011-10-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

I have decided to name my old concrete pumpkin.

He is now Mr. Smirk.

A fitting moniker don't you think?

I believe I showed him last year but he is worth another look and hey now he has a name.

He is a tad sinister.

Smirk,smirk.

Clovis the C-Cat had to get in the image.

Photo hog.

This is our yellow house for those new to the blog.

The side door wreath, all garage sale items.

There is a rusty jack o' lantern face in it that is difficult to see and we keep thinking there is someone at the door.

We do not have elaborate outside fall decorations but we do have fun as usual and we are thrifty.

The two wreaths cost less than six dollars for both. I have had Mr. Smirk for maybe twenty or more years.

Linking to Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday,

Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Gifted Antlers

2011-10-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

Antlers and white pumpkins.

A family member gave us these antlers and we admire their natural texture and form, much as we admire the cute little form of the pumpkin. This is kind of a masculine and feminine mix.

The family member was puzzled as to what we were going to with them. We will send him a link to our blog so he will be puzzled no more. Thanks bunches M.L.

Joe and I picked up the vintage clock two weeks ago at a garage sale for one dollar.

The color is just right.

The mini white pumpkins, in the cloches, are from the Tuesday Morning store this summer.

I am linking with:

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday.

Sherry at No Minimalist Here for Open House Party.

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Blue Daze

2011-10-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

The captivating quality of blue flowers is never lost on me.

This is a Blue Daze Evolvulus.

It is an annual that likes full morning sun and once it is established can take low water.

I like it for that too.

Rain being scarce and all.

Joe and I sometimes buy pine straw-nuts that we are.

This would be the un-swept and un-kept side of our deck.

The Blue Daze kind of sweeps over the terracotta pot.

This is the first time I have planted it.

It is blooming like this right now, for once I am posting in real time.

But I must catch the cat and go to our old house.

See y'all later.

Have you seen or planted Blue Daze?

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

A Fine Way To Start The Day

2011-09-29T16:49:00.000-04:00

The hummingbirds are on a feeding frenzy.

They are getting ready for their epic journey south.

Joe and I are enjoying this new window feeder.

I opened the blinds one morning and had a hummer greeting me.

That is a fine way to start the day.

This is the female that always perches in the crepe myrtle.

They are feeding on the lantana as well as other flowers in the garden.

They must add some grams of weight for their eighteen hour non-stop flight south.

They are predators also.

One quarter of their diet is protein in the form of insects, like mosquitoes.

Can you tell they fascinate me?

may joy and peace surround you

Olive

Mini White Pumpkins

2011-09-28T14:51:00.000-04:00

More little wonky white pumpkins.

I promised I would tell you a secret about these little darlings.

Guess what?

I bought them last year.

They have been in a bowl in the kitchen or dining room and have no sign of atrophy.

They were purchased from Publix 's produce department last fall.

The table was photographed last week but I can assure you they look just the same this week.

If you can you might try saving your mini whites for next year.

Saves money this way too!

Linking with Sherry at No Minimalist Here for her Open House Party.

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive

Joe and Cloches

2011-09-26T14:44:00.000-04:00

Joe and I converged on the lighting section of the Habitat For Humanity Re-Store at about the same time and then we saw the pendant light.

Joe asked, "Could it work as a cloche?"

I replied, smiling, "definitely."

Joe is about eighty-eight kinds of wonderful at any given moment.

He "gets" cloches.

The buffet is dressed for fall in white pumpkins.

The soup tureen is a recent thrifty find and was made in Italy.

The bell shape of the cloche works for us and our vintage cake stand.

Wonky little white pumpkins are so cute and they last a very long time (more about that later).

♥♥♥

A big thank you to my aunt and uncle for treating me to fish, grits, and hushpuppies on Friday night.

It was lovely to spend time with you and it means so much to me that you read and enjoy this blog.

Linking to Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive

Chippy Green Chair

2011-09-21T12:31:00.000-04:00

This is my favorite find from last weekend.

I was looking at this chippy chair in the dark, prior to sunrise, on someone's carport, and I could tell it had lovely patina.

I grabbed it!

It has not been cleaned or waxed yet in these images.

I have no idea where it's going to land in the yellow house but it's staying.

Would you have bought it for four dollars like I did?

Linking to Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive

McCoy?

2011-09-19T13:31:00.000-04:00

Our fifth piece of McCoy.

Perhaps.

We are not well versed in this pottery but we think this hand vase is a McCoy.

It is unmarked but the turquoise is spot on and we have a large turquoise McCoy bowl that is the same shade. I found it a a church sale for four dollars.

Our weekend was quiet but spent partly working and switching locations. We are at the old house now and I am dusting and cleaning and may not ever finish. Dusting at our old house is not for cowards because the plaster walls shed dust constantly. I am also making good old southern BBQ pork in the crockpot. It's been cooking all night and smells yummy. It is not low fat but we only have it once a year.

What are you up to today?

Linking to Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive

~red bird, mantid, succulent~

2011-09-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

Taking the camera outside.

I do not remember the brilliant blogger who told us about about safflower seed not being attractive to squirrels. But we thank you and so do our birds. Two days after we made the switch the squirrels were gone.

A praying mantis feeding in the White Indian Hawthorne.

A succulent trailing over the front steps rock.

It actually rained this evening and it's going to be in the low 70's all day tomorrow.

Woohoo

How is the weather where you are?

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive

A Before And After And McCoy

2011-09-12T16:37:00.000-04:00

I promised to show some of the McCoy we have lately bought, for next to nothing, and I have a before and after.

That flat matte white bowl on the left is a 1930's unmarked McCoy. We found it last weekend at a church garage sale for three dollars. It is not in the best condition but I still felt like I won the prize.

We also found a McCoy planter and a cookie jar sans lid on that day. This past Saturday I found a McCoy vase at another church sale. The church sales are working out really well.

Starting with the After shot.

This TV table made by Broyhill was also found last weekend for twenty-five dollars.

They had already painted it white which is good because it sits across from that massive dark buffet of ours. The large drawers are used to store table linens and I like that open pocket for books. Joe and I think this is a good re-use of a TV table.

The table works with our beachy rattan furniture.

Way over there in the window is the yellow McCoy planter.

I do not know why I didn't take a close up of it.

Before shot taken Christmas 2010.

This chest is fake wood and too small for that wall.

The Broyhill is solid wood.

If you are patient you will find what you are looking for by shopping the thrifty way.

Linking with:

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday

may joy and peace surround you always

Olive