Odor Removal From Old Furniture

My thrifted dish cabinet smelled of a musty old house and worst of all cigarettes. 

It was stained with nicotine inside and out.

Dawn soap, white vinegar, and coffee grounds

ODOR REMOVAL FROM OLD FURNITURE

1. Clean entire surface of wood with warm water and Dawn soap. Dawn is an excellent degreaser.
2. Go over entire surface of wood with warm water and vinegar. This may need to be done multiple times.
3. Place used coffee grounds in containers inside furniture in multiple places. Change coffee grounds frequently. The grounds absorb odors.

Charcoal briquets could be used in place of coffee grounds.

A reader of this blog also suggested crumpled up newspaper inside the cabinets.

 The back wall of the piece is particle board. 

and therefore almost impossible to wipe down.

Because of this I only removed about 75% of the odor but that is still a vast improvement.

 I could replace that board and remove a lot of odor.

 On a fine solid wood antique this process would be more effective.

It is almost impossible to remove mold and mildew odors from furniture. 

I do not buy furniture that smells like mildew or that has water stains.

The English roses I am allowing to dry inside the cabinet are leaving a lovely natural rose scent.

 So dry some scented flowers inside your malodorous furniture too.

joy and peace

Olive

Dish Cabinet

When I saw this tall painted cabinet in a junk shop I was immediately interested. 

Could it work in our dining room?

My friend Beth gave me those pretty Staffordshire knives.

It was not made to hold dishes. 

 Originally it was a gun cabinet. 

Someone built shelves in it.

It's narrow profile works in this walkway perfectly.

The whites, red transferware, and David Austin roses seem at home.

One huge negative to this cabinet was it smelled terrible. 

I have worked on this issue relentlessly. 

I might do a post on removing odors from cabinets if y'all are interested.

What do you think?

 Is it a keeper?

To see our kitchen island filled with transferware go here.

linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

joy and peace

Olive

Freedom

The American flag gives me a little catch in my throat.

It stands for life, death, victory, freedom, and so much more. 

For the brave men and women who gave everything. 

We remember.

Yes, we go all out with flags on Memorial Day. 

It is not enough. 

We think our veterans deserve the best and do not get much these days.

Joes's father was in the military.

 Joe has lived all over the world on military bases. 

Joe's brother served in Vietnam when he was a young man.

 Joe wrote to him every day he was in that war. 

Thankfully he came home.

 Joe would gladly have signed up but he is blind in one eye.

"The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed in her history in the blood of her patriots"Randy Vader

Olive

Sheldon

Sometimes one image is enough.

Olive

Pottery Barn Outlet

Pottery Barn Outlet has a blue beach theme this spring.

I have these bubble glasses in the goblet form and love them. 

They are about 20% less at the outlet.

Laundry hamper. 

We sold a vintage one in our booth last year for much less but they are difficult to find.

I bought a pair of Kelly Green Turkish towels for $9.97. 

I really like Pottery Barn towels but normally would not buy them at regular price.

Also I got Kelly Green bath rugs on clearance for $11.97 and $14.97.

 If you purchase an item that ends in .97 it is not returnable. 

I drive so far all my items are that way anyway.

All images are with my iPhone. 

Previous Pottery Barn posts, here, here, here, and here.

linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

joy and peace

Olive

Rose Quest

I am not a grower of roses. 

Truth be known I am a little afraid of growing them. 

But then here on many of your blogs I was introduced to

 and then encouraged to grow David Austin roses.

 David Austin is a British hybridizer of roses with a USA location in Texas.

First I ordered a catalog from the Austin farm in Texas.

 Then I mulled over it for one year.

Finally I placed an order, by phone, in January of this year. 

Three bare root Princess Alexandra of Kent roses arrived at the end of February. 

I soaked them in water and placed them in a bed I had prepared with my own compost. 

The roses are shipped at the time that is appropriate for your zone.

This rose has 160 petals per bloom. 

Amazing.

Each rose bush is covered in buds and the scent is exquisite. 

My rose quest was more than worth it.

Thanks to all of you who said I could grow David Austin roses.

Now I am hatching plans for places to put more roses next year.

 It is perhaps a good and beautiful kind of madness.

linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Olive

Home

Eight months in South Korea

One semester at Sogang University

An internship at Seoul City University

Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Tim and Korean Mom and Dad for extending your hospitality to her.

We are thrilled to have CC home. 

She is keeping me sweetly distracted.

Olive

Amaryllis Plus

Amaryllis are now in full bloom in the flower garden. 

All the amaryllis have been forced in past Decembers. 

Then I plant them outside in the flower garden.

The bulb is planted with half of it above the topsoil.

Lynne, my friend, at Irish Garden House mailed me a bulb 

from Michigan which is now growing in the garden.

It will bloom next spring. 

I will definitely photograph the Michigan bulb when it blooms.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea and Coreopsis 

Nasturtiums, in the large planters, will be blooming soon.

 I grew them from seed. 

If you want to try growing a flower from seed nasturtiums are easy.

This part of the garden is pretty wild right now because the primroses are blooming all over the place. I like them and let them wander throughout the other plants.

I have red flowers in many planters this year. 

Red flowers reflect badly in my camera lens but I love them anyways.

What's blooming at your house?

I want to send a big thanks to Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for featuring my Porch House post yesterday on WOW. I am glad so many like the big porch in Madison.

Thanks to Pam @House of Hawthornes who emailed me about the feature whilst I was out of town antiquing in North Georgia.

happy gardening

Olive

Shopping Madison Georgia

Madison, Georgia has numerous antique stores and flea markets to shop away the hours in. 

Also many restaurants and coffee shops are located downtown. 

I usually eat a fried green tomato sandwich at The Chop House.

These images are from The Madison Market and garden shop next door. 

They sell  mostly European antiques inside and have an upscale restaurant in back.

To see my first post on the Madison Market in October click here.

Happy Friday

Olive