http://www.cookwithclaire.com/

My Grandaughter's Web Site

Hi Everyone. My sweet little Claire has her own cooking website, she's seven years old. Please visit; it is just toooo cute!!

Chippy White Swans and Satin

WOW !! It's been a long week and Spring has been playing hide and seek while I am ready for planting and warm, sunny days. Anyway that's enough complaining. The weekend, while not so warm has been great. My Grandson came for the night on Friday and his father spent the afternoon visiting on Saturday. It was a nice visit that I truly enjoyed and spending time with my grandson, now a young man of 16 was just wonderful. Early Saturday morning while the guys slept in in took off to find the few garage sales that were in the paper. It's was a cold morning but that was OK. I found these two wooden swans that I just love. One I will keep and maybe sell one. They have just enough chips and rust to make them perfect. I also found this satin crazy quilt that is so beautiful and nearly perfect. The back is lavendar but it looks blue in the picture. All of the fabrics are satin with a few silk pieces in the mix. They are all trimmed with lovely embroidery. I've got to get to work now, I hope everyone has a great week!!

From My Keeping Room

I got this old wooden crate at a garage sale for $2.00 on Sat. and Kirby hung it on the wall for me today and he put the peg rail underneath. I'm still experimenting with decorating it but I do love it.

From the House

Just a few pictures from my keeping room which is a work in progress. Little Estella

Josephine found a home over the mantle. (last picture) This mantle was painted by a dear, life long friend of mine, now deceased, that rented this house about 10 years ago. I'd given some thought to painting the room and I'm leaning towards a old dark destressed red but I use a lot of red in my decorating so I'm still pondering on the color choice. I can't bring myself to paint over this mantle. I'd love some suggestions.

The vintage folding bed tray and the lamp were also great finds. There's more to come but I'm off to do more spring cleaning and to find space for the new stuff. Please scroll down to see more pictures and all of the story. One day I'll get this blogging thing figured out.

Here's a wooden pipe box with pipes $2.00, a great old wooden bowl $1.00 and best of all an antique overshot coverlet in great condition $7.50 , no doubt the deal of the day!

I fell in love with this clock face, it was a bargin at $1.00. The long mink

trim will no doubt be worn by a large primitive santa or maybe snowman come winter. The two apothecary jars will go into my bathroom redo. They were a great find, $1.00 each.

I found these vintage chairs for $5.00 each. They will get new covers and maybe some soft cream paint.

I love this little antique stool and the snowman looked so lonely sitting all alone in the sun that I decided he could come too.

This Weeks Treasure Hunting

I can't believe what a great weekend it has been for treasure hunting! It has been in the 70's today. The sun has been shinning and just a trace of wind. I have white sheets shimmering on the line, I've done a bit of spring cleaning but that was after my treasure hunting this morning. I am posting pictures of some of my finds.

Miss Patti's Bird Bath

Well it has been a very unusual week here. The weather has been bone chilling and we even had snow on Monday.

Now Wed. morning it was a cool 14 degrees; at 7:00 AM I am getting ready for work and trust me this old house is not toasty. At 7:20 the doorbell rings. It's Brother; " you are not going to believe what I saw yesterday!! The city was cleaning the creek behind Miss Patti's house and I think they threw her old birdbath into the creek." Miss Patti has been gone for a long time. Her house is a fine Victorian house with most of it's lovely gingerbread trim still in place. It has been vacant now for a few years. I loved her gardens, I used to sit on the little stone wall over the creek, just a tiny stream but the bank is rather deep, and admire the beautiful flowers in her yard. She had just a small yard but there were several very neatly kept flower gardens there with the old birdbath and a few statues. I found it quite enchanting. The perfect place for daydreaming.

7:25 Am Brother and I are in my van heading around the corner to Miss Patti's creek. At first we saw nothing and I started to pull away (after all I had to be at work at 8:00) but just then Brother screams WAIT I SEE IT!!!

7:3 0 AM Brother is slidding down the side of the frosty, frozen bank of the little creek. He has to pry the top of the birdbath from the frozen grass and mud. The bottom was nowhere to be found. That's OK I have a base that has been waiting for a new top.

7:40 AM; the birdbath is in the back of my van. Brother has turned blue from the cold but we are both smiling, filled with warm summer memories of our childhood and Miss Patti's lovely garden.

8:00 AM, I'm all cleaned up and at at the office. It was nearly 70 today; so warm and spring-like. Kirby brought out the base which has weathered to a wonderful green. He puts it in the tiny little garden area under the holly tree and Miss Patti's chippy birdbath is perched on top. It isn't a perfect fit but that's OK; it has the perfect memories.