Mantles at the Old House

We have ten fireplaces in the old house which was built sometime prior to the Civil War.

The interior of our house is very dark which challenges my photography skills immensely.

Every mantle in the house is different and we have ten total.

We do not use the fireplaces for making fires as catching the house on fire is too great a risk because the house is made from fatlighter.

The first mantle is in our den.

I took the photos just as it usually is.

No staging or dusting for that matter.

Authentic chippiness.

If we were to restore the house we would not touch this mantle as I love it just  this way.

The second mantle , I soon realized, is not shown in the photos. Oops.

We do have a vintage wooden mirror and some transfer ware on the mantle.

The alabaster mortar and pestle was brought back with us from Tuscany.

You can see our plaster walls which are wicked to keep painted.

They peel and crack.

Let’s just call it patina!

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

grace surrounds us

Olive

The Potter

I am a vessel

Imperfect

Being molded every day

Sometimes placed in the fire

To my benefit

Gently, I am released

Revealed

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

grace surrounds us

Olive

A Wimp With Sparks

The electrical wiring in our old house is not for wimps. I am a wimp. I nearly caught the house on fire the other day. It was a freak accident. The house is made of fatlighter. One tiny fire and whoosh! It's gone. We don't use candles and such for this reason.
I read, type, watch TV in a large ugly recliner. A table is to my left and a stool to my right with books and whatever. On the floor is a four prong plug. This is where the phone, laptop and everything gets juice. On that eventful morning it was before eight am. It was early for fire. Not that one wants to scheduale it. I placed a many strand sterling silver necklace on the stool. I bought this necklace at Express in the mall. It's the only thing I would buy from that store. Not being a size 2 and all. I'm just saying. The Express necklace fell directly into the four prong plug. Sparks flew up. I saw fire. I tired to move fast. I had the precious internet in my lap. The electricity went out. It was quite dark. The plug ate my necklace. It has a burned bite mark on it. The outlet is burned. The breaker on the spider porch tripped. Dear Lord I was shaking . At that very moment Wonderful Husband walked in the door. He turned on the electricty and calmed me. That's how he got his name. Olive Out