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

Italian Mirror

We hung our large  Italian mirror over the buffet. 

I am quite proud we got around to this task as we are covered up in Darling Mini Wee's and our Cindy Lou kitten.  Not two foot from this buffet the house is a bonified wreck but you will never see it.

The often seen funeral baskets have pride of place there in the center, Joe's mother's foot stool is on the left with a newly acquired bust from the Peach 23 sale. I obtained the vintage glove mold from that sale as well.

I wish all of you a lovely Sunday. 

We are taking the Wee's to church then having a birthday lunch for Joe.

In other good news CC has been accepted at the Korean University and we are in a flurry of activity obtaining insurance, a visa, and a plane ticket. 

She is thrilled. 

joy and peace

Olive

Hydrangeas Arranged Three Ways

 Nikko Blue Hydrangeas are resplendent on the kitchen island in a vintage pitcher I picked up at an estate sale.

For this arrangement I used a flower frog to hold the blooms in an ironstone tureen.

These hydrangeas are in a vintage Magoon's Creamery milk crate {the light in the dining room is awful y'all}. I found this crate at the Magnolia Ridge Farm Sale  in Ridge Spring, South Carolina. There is about two inches of water in high ball glasses in the divided sections of the crate.

 I also have two inches of water in the other containers.

 The flowers will dry in the water and that helps them maintain their color.

Linking@Be Inspired

joy and peace

Olive

Vintage Easter Basket Two

This my second vintage Easter basket. Don't tell CC but this basket is for her. She is coming home tomorrow for spring break. I went with hot pinks because I also have this vintage tablecloth that has wonderful spring colors in it.

I had no idea what to do with all that pink filler so I piled it into the glass hurricanes.

This sweet bunny had to come home with me from a garage sale. Lest you think I keep everything much I buy thrifting is sold. By the way the chocolate in CC's basket came from Aldi's on the cheap. I go there weekly to buy fruit and vegetables.

Linking@Be Inspired

Happy Easter

He Is Risen

Olive

Forsythia Arranged

Good morning friends. I trust you had a good weekend. Joe and I have been relaxing at our yellow house where our forsythia is now blooming. We braved the rain or were idiots {depending on your view} and went to estate sales on Saturday. We bought a rug which has created an enormous snowball effect that I will share later.

The buffet was the logical location for this tall twiggy forsythia. The rusty yet elegant vase was a gift from a stranger at a garage sale.

 Joe is making lemon pancakes and bacon for brunch. Yes, I am spoiled rotten.

Anybody else stunned at Downton Abbey's season finale?

 I could pinch Julian Fellowes but I suppose that is the reaction he is going for.

Linking@Tweak It Tuesday

joy and peace

Olive

Vintage Postcard

"None but the brave deserve the fair"

Says my lone vintage Valentine's postcard. 

She is giving him the eye and he looks startled. 

The postcard is dated 1959.

It is centered on the dining room table surrounded by hurricanes filled with red candles.

Do tell, any big plans for tonight?

happy valentine's day

Olive

Italian Tole

Italian tole candle sticks found at Goodwill. 

They are old and chipped.  

The yellow color compliments our butter yellow walls.

The stacked ironstone mixed with the tole is a soft neutral look for the buffet.

Linking@Be Inspired

joy and peace

Olive

Meyer Lemon Centerpiece

Meyer Lemons and grapes in a basket urn in the center of the table. These lemons are not easy to find in the south but I love them. Am I baking a scrumptious lemon confection with them?

 Sadly no.

I am in recovery from December where incidentally no baking occurred either. I enjoyed having CC home for a month. It was bittersweet because she will be in South Korea next year for nine months. I do not like to fly. My doctor says she will medicate me, a lot if necessary, to get me there to see my kiddo. We shall see.

Linking@Be Inspired

joy and peace

Olive

Cat Puppy

 Good morning friends. 

I hope you had a beautiful Christmas day. 

We did.

 I scaled back the festivities to brunch for four. 

It was a relaxed and lovely meal.

Sheldon Cooper Shepherd Puppy is now over 80 pounds

 and we are never bored. 

That is why Clovis is on the dining table (where he in not supposed to be). 

I still call them the Fight Club with Clovis being the aggressor. 

Shelley wants to play.

This is my normal shot of Shelley and why you do not see him often. 

He is a large motion machine.

We had grits casserole, hash brown casserole, and biscuits for brunch.

Followed by mimosas. 

Then we all, including Shelley, took a nap. 

CC wanted to see Les Miserables. 

I read Victor Hugo's classic in my twenties (loved it). 

This movie adaptation of the Broadway musical was pretty good.

 Be warned it is long. 

They gave us the senior citizen and child discount.

 CC is not a child and I am not a senior citizen

 (Joe does qualify).

Grey hair strikes again. 

Tell me about your holiday.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

joy and peace

Olive

Living Room Christmas Details

The yellow house living room has gone red and white for Christmas. 

The toile pillow cover and bottle brush tree are perfect together.

A detail of one of a pair of red tasseled pillows I picked up at an estate sale.

Silver ornaments in a favorite glass dish.

Reindeer prancing beside a chippy wood piece. 

All gentle reminders of the blessed season.

Full living room and Christmas tree in next post.

Linking@A Favorite Thing Saturday

Wow Us Wednesday's

Happy Christmas

Olive

Vintage Santa Mugs

A vintage Santa with new stag mugs. 

The patina of the Santa mug is hard for me to resist.
I like that crazing.

Notice how small he is compared to the stag mugs.

This Santa is winking at us. 

I have been slowing pulling Christmas dishes out of the cabinets. 

Nothing is finished but I shall give you a sneak peak of the buffet. 

It's too linear.

I need to shake it up.

I am searching for a china cabinet or Welch cupboard for this space.
I would like to display my china in it the way many of you do.

Linking@Tweak It Tuesday
Table Top Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday

joy and peace

Olive

Chalkboard Mirror

This is a problem wall in a high traffic area. 

The chalkboard cut out mirror solves that problem. 

It does not stick out from the wall and we don't run into it.

 See that green chest on the right? 

We run into it all the time and it has got to go.

Now we can write messages to each other or write menus on our new chalkboard. 

I ordered it from Groupon. 

I must stay away from there.

♦♦♦

In Olive Out news we cut down two trees yesterday. 

By we I mean Joe and his brother cut the trees and Sue and I went shopping. Today marks a year that I have been visiting the Cancer Center at the University I retired from. I have not shared that with you before. They were concerned about some precancerous cells. The good news is that I do not have cancer and they do not want to see me again until next year. Last fall was a rocky time. We are thankful I am healthy and well.  And as the mirror says CC is coming home this week. 

Yay.

joy and peace

Olive

Plumber's Toolbox Tablescape

I could not resist pairing the old plumber's toolbox with ironstone

 and the Old Britain Castles china. 

Add a couple of cake pedestals and an easy

 and fast tablescape is complete. 

The fruit is from the 1960's and is an estate sale find. 

The nandina berries are from our nandina shrubs. 

I have fussed about that shrub being ugly and here I am using the berries.

Transferware plays so well with ironstone. 

I am  thrilled with this pattern of china. 

I only wish I had purchased more of it at that estate sale. 

There were about three hundred pieces of it for sale. 

Olive does have a budget.

I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner and this china is what I will use.

CC and I are planning the menu. 

We are ready to have her home.

Linking@Tweak It Tuesday

Table Top Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday's

joy and peace

Olive