The Rusty Hodgepodge

Lyman Estate Historic Greenhouses; A Winter Escape

2013-03-24T12:52:00.002-04:00

When a long winter is nearing its end but a big snowfall makes spring still seem very far off, a lush greenhouse can make for a great escape.

After spending too much time inside with my little boys watching the snow pile up recently, I decided to take them to see the historic greenhouses at the Lyman Estate in Waltham Massachusetts.

Designed in 1793 for wealthy shipping merchant Theodore Lyman, the 37 acres of gardens, lawns and greenhouses offered a comfortable warm weather retreat from the family's primary residence in nearby Boston.

We saw the impressive mansion, known as "The Vale", but it was really the historic greenhouses that we came to see.

Begun in 1800, the greenhouses are amongst the oldest surviving greenhouses in the United States. The first structure to be built originally produced exotic delicacies for the family, including figs, pineapples, bananas and a variety of citrus fruits. Later this greenhouse became known as "the Grape House" and was planted with grapevines that still bear fruit today.

The warm and humid air felt welcoming after coming in from the cold outside. The front entrance leads you into the oldest part of the greenhouses, with the gnarled old Muscat and Black Hamburg vines visible in the upper right.

New and old blend beautifully as fresh blooms mingle with old bricks, stone, and other remnants of the past.

Nice little artifacts have been retained and remind you how old the place is.

Miniature orange trees are a treat to see on a cold snowy day.

Beautiful fresh blossoms grow alongside the old grapevines.

The old Grape House leads up to the Orchid House, which was built in 1840 and originally housed roses and other flowers to be used in the mansion. Today I think its most outstanding feature is the beautiful bougainvillea that arches above as you walk through...

Some beautiful cacti and succulents now also call the Orchid House home.

Looking back through the bougainvillea to the Grape House.

A friendly smiling face in the Orchid House.

I loved seeing the old pipes and other rusty bits...

Stairs from the Orchid House lead down to the Sales House, which was built in 1930 and is home to a variety of plants that are for sale. Also attached to the Orchid House is the Camellia House, which was built in 1820 and was originally used to grow peach trees.

The century old camellias still bloom, putting on their display during the bleakest time of winter.

My little boy and his stuffed cat Hannah enjoyed exploring the old greenhouses.

I'm glad we visited in time to catch the last of the camellias blooming.

Once my toddler started trying to throw and eat the rocks from the gravel footpath, I decided it was time to go. I would have loved to linger, but my boys were clearly at the end of their patience for indulging Mummy's love of pretty flowers and old things!

As we headed back out into the snow, I felt grateful for the short reprieve from this long New England winter. I took the sunny sky and birds twittering to be a promise that spring is not far away!

A Few More Australian Things

2013-03-07T11:49:00.001-05:00

With the wind blowing damp snow around outside, today seems like a good day to post a few pictures of warm and sunny places!

I thought I would share a few scenics and plant and animal pics from my recent trip to Hawaii and Australia to brighten up this bleak February day...

A sunny hot day by the Indian Ocean in Perth, where we spent most of our time.

I love how different the plants in Australia are from what I am used to. The ever-present eucalyptus or "gum" trees are wonderful, and are beautiful whether in bloom or not. I snapped a few shots of some in Perth's huge and impressive King's Park and Botanic Garden while my children played.

Eucalyptus caesia with its silvery white coating is known as the "Silver Princess", and by its indigenous name "gungurru"

I think the pods are as beautiful as its blossoms...

There are a wide variety of gums, with blooms of different colours...

Beautiful hot pink eucalyptus blossoms.

A beautiful flowering kunzea tree in King's Park, Perth.

The kunzea, with its beautifully fluffy flowers are also fantastic. It took a bit of investigative searching on the internet for me to identify this tree, as I'm afraid I'm not very knowledgeable in this area!

Another King's Park resident, a noisy Australian magpie.

Speaking of noisy birds...here are a couple of galahs, or "rose-breasted cockatoos". I love to see these beautiful birds, especially when a flock of them streak by in a flash of colour, but they can be loud and chatty little things!

Suburban Perth galah couple out for a walk. I could hear these cheeky birds every morning.

Love this stunning exotic flower. My research says its a grevillea.

While not as exotic, I had to include a few pictures of the lemon trees growing in my in-laws back garden. While it is common in Australia, it seems wonderfully novel to me to have your very own lemon trees! There was always a full bowl of fresh lemons sitting on the kitchen counter, and using them was a nice little treat for me.

Another treat I enjoyed was the fabulous passionfruit which just doesn't taste the same if it travels too far. Am I silly for throwing in a picture of my morning coffee with my favourite fresh fruit? Perhaps, but I miss them!

Beautiful bouganvillea growing by the sea in Green Head.

The waters off of Green Head, a few hours to the north of Perth, are home to the breeding grounds of the second largest colony of Australian sea lions on the west coast. I was lucky enough to have friends take me out on their small boat to see them.

Several small ones quickly approached our boat and darted around us. They seemed to enjoy seeing us as much as we enjoyed watching them. The biggest ones stayed on shore, and that was fine by us, as they seemed a bit ill tempered and fought amongst each other a fair bit.

An inquisitive visitor to our boat. I had planned to snorkel with the sea lions, but stayed on board as the water was a bit rough.

And now to the east coast for some Sydney sightings. I saw this beautifully coloured fellow scampering around the playground when I was out with my boys, and searching for "blue Australian bird with red beak" led me to discover it was a "purple swamphen'. What a fabulous name!

Banksia are truly beautiful and unique flowering plants.

And now for a bit of a hibiscus feast for the eyes. They grow beautifully in Sydney's climate.

Hot pink double hibiscus variety.

My best guess is that this is a type of hibiscus, but I wasn't able to identify it.

Another unidentified beauty, spotted growing in a Sydney park.

And now back to where it all began, with a couple of shots from our first brief stop, Hawaii.

I saw these lovely hibiscus growing against a blue wall while I waited to buy some of Hawaii's famous "shave ice" from a little shop by the side of the highway. I thought my boys would love trying this new treat, but they would have nothing to do with it! At least I got a nice photo out of the stop.

And to close, perhaps I'll throw in a picture of one of the beautiful Hawaiian beaches we walked along, and where I would much rather be today!

Western Australian Antiquing and Other Beautiful Things

2013-02-20T09:49:00.001-05:00

After our quick stay in Sydney, we travelled on to Perth, where we spent a very HOT and sunny Christmas with my husband's family.

Between visiting friends and relatives and taking our boys for early morning dips in the Indian Ocean, I found a few hours here and there to check out some antique shops in Perth and nearby historic Fremantle.

I came across a lot of Art Deco and Art Nouveau pieces, which was a nice treat...

I loved this beautifully carved Art Nouveau bench from the 1800's

If this antique dresser wasn't too big to fit in my suitcase, I might have been tempted by it's gorgeous vintage tiles. What fabulous colours!

Art Deco tile trivet

Beautiful William Morris plate in a North Fremantle antique shop

Lovely art glass from the 1880's

In addition to the Art Deco and Art Nouveau treasures, it was nice to see some uniquely Australian items...

Like this vintage fruit bowl, painted with native Aussie flora...

And of course there was a vintage kangaroo salt and pepper shaker!

While not normally a fan of pink, I loved this beautiful piece of Australian pottery

"Dingo Brand" flour sack in a Fremantle shop

I wonder what stories these suitcases might have to tell of their journeys, and what interesting places they may have travelled to before ending up in Perth. I noticed one was Canadian, like myself!

Fremantle rates high on historic charm and is a wonderful city to walk around

With my two little boys in tow, it was difficult for me to snap many photos of Fremantle's wonderful historic architecture, but the little port city is full of charming well preserved buildings from the 1800's.

There are lots of beautifully preserved buildings with lovely decorative details. I especially loved the vintage tiled walls. Here is a useful link about some of the great vintage stores in Fremantle.

The great colours on this Fremantle gem caught my eye

We did get out of the city a bit during our stay in Western Australia, and to finish I thought I would throw in a few snaps from a trip we did up the coast.

We headed north along the coast to a holiday house in Greenhead, where we spent a few days eating fresh seafood, caught daily by our hosts and my husband. Having fresh Western Australian rock lobster every day was a treat!

The day's catch

An early morning view of Greenhead

On our journey back down to Perth, we drove through the Nambung National Park to see the impressive Pinnacles. They are a collection of numerous limestone spires that were formed millions of years ago. It's a truly impressive landscape and I hope you enjoy seeing a few shots...

In my next post I'll share more pictures of the landscapes, flora and fauna I came across on our journey...

Sydney Antiquing

2013-02-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

Sydney is quite a beautiful city to fly into. If you have a window seat, there is usually a good view of various bays and beaches, beautiful blue green water, the Harbour Bridge, and the iconic Sydney Opera House.

It was hard to remember it was almost Christmas with the hot weather and beautiful flowers blooming!

We had a few days to spend in Sydney before heading on to Perth, to join my husband's family for the holidays. We stayed with friends in Manly, in the Northern Beaches. I discovered that I was luckily within walking distance of the Manly Antique Centre, where I poked around and picked up a few little treasures.

An inviting peek inside

I'm so used to scouring my local Massachusetts thrift and antique stores, so it was nice to find some uniquely Australian goods and things I am not used to seeing in New England.

The making of handmade "convict bricks" occupied many of the almost 200,000 convicts who were transported to Australia for almost a century beginning in 1788. Many bear unique markings such as hearts, clubs or other shapes meant to identify the brick maker.

Some beautiful vintage art tiles. I regret not picking up a couple.

This nice Art Deco clock caught my eye...

Lots of hobnail milk glass

And now for my finds...There were lots of things that appealed to me, but in the end I could choose only a few things to pack into my suitcase and bring home.

I am building a little collection of early 20th century pottery in shades of green, blue and white, and I thought this Sydney made Bakewell Brother's jug would be a nice addition.

I love the colour of my new Bakewell jug; it complements my Jadeite beautifully!

How could I resist a vintage Aussie Billy can?!

And finally, a humble little wooden drawer completes my haul

After a few days in Sydney, we continued on to Perth for Christmas. Next time I'll share some pictures from our Western Australia adventures...

Trading Cold and Snow for Sand and Surf

2013-01-27T12:08:00.003-05:00

Waikiki Christmas lights

It's another cold clear day here in frozen Massachusetts, but I am enjoying looking over my photos of beaches and tropical flowers from our recent travels. I haven't been adding to my blog much lately, as we are not long back from a five week trip to Australia, via Hawaii.

I was initially optimistic and thought I might find time while on the road to put up some posts. However, between catching up with my husband's family and friends and keeping our inquisitive boys out of trouble in other people's homes, I realized it might feel more like a holiday if I waited until I returned home!

Dipping our toes in some tropical water was a nice way to break up the journey...

We decided to make the journey from Boston to Australia more manageable by spending a day in Hawaii on the way over. It was wonderful to have a good sleep after a long day of travel, and the next day we rented a car and drove around Oahu. It was fabulous to pull out our summer clothes and see some beautiful beaches...

I loved the lushness of the island, and it seemed exotic to be driving past the pineapple, sugar cane and coffee fields...

My husband contemplating the menu at Giovanni's

A local recommended that we try Giovanni's shrimp truck in Kahuku for lunch, and we were not disappointed. We had the garlicky shrimp scampi, which was easily one of the best shrimp dishes I have had. (And it was certainly the best value at $13!)

I am getting hungry just looking at this again!

Next to the food truck were a few stalls selling sarongs and shells and the like...

I didn't buy anything here, but in my next post I will share the treasures I found antiquing in Sydney, once we left Hawaii and made our way on to the next stop on our long journey.

Paper Wings

2013-01-25T13:35:00.000-05:00

It seems like butterfly specimens are popping up in every home decorating magazine lately. My little workspace is decorated with a few vintage butterfly shadow box displays that I picked up at consignment stores, and I think they are a great way to add a nice natural history touch to decorating.

Real specimens tend to be expensive though, and there is some controversy surrounding the ethics of collecting butterflies for decorative display.

I recently picked up The American Museum of Natural History Exquisite Butterfly Companion by Hazel Davies, which is full of gorgeous butterfly photographs. While I hate to cut up a book, I thought I might sacrifice a few of the pages for a project I had in mind.

Vintage Butterfly Specimens in my little studio.

But first a little butterfly eye candy, as I share a few pictures of some of the inspiring displays that I have seen around lately.

During a recent quick trip to Toronto, I checked out the natural history section of the Royal Ontario Museum, where there are some lovely examples. Love the vibrant blues and greens.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge also has some outstanding displays and is an impressive place to wander around.

Purple and Blue beauties.

An exuberant feast for the eyes...

Orderly, organized and... beautiful.

Shortly after visiting these museums I picked up the Exquisite Butterfly Companion for its beautiful photographs. Fortunately it was inexpensive, as I planned to cut out some of the images. They were so realistic and true to life, and I thought they would be perfect for a project I had in mind.

I wanted to see if by using realistic photographs I could make my own butterfly specimen displays, and perhaps incorporate a non traditional way of framing them to create something a little bit different.

My first step was to select and carefully cut out the images I wanted to use. I then gently spread the wings on both sides of the butterfly bodies by bending them, giving them dimension and making them look much more realistic.

For display, I decided to use some of the watchmakers cases from Lee Valley that I use to store jewellery making supplies.

I emptied out three of my watchmaker cases and painted the insides with a little bit of green-blue paint that I thought would complement my orange butterflies. I have had the cases for a while, and I think the little dings and slightly worn look they have only adds to their appeal for this project.

I glued a paper butterfly into the centre of each case with my glue gun and put the glass lids back on. And viola! I am pretty pleased with the results.

I think the butterflies look quite realistic, and I like that the round metal cases are a departure from the traditional square or rectangular frames that I have always seen butterfly specimens in.

Now I just need to find the perfect place to display them!

And next time... an explanation as to why my blog activity has once again been so sparse lately. It involves images of warm and tropical places, which I hope will brighten your January day, especially if it is as cold where you are as it is here today in Massachusetts! Keep warm.

Playing Catch Up

2012-11-25T14:59:00.001-05:00

Autumn has given way to the grey days of November, and I am well overdue for a blog post! Things have been busy and somehow the months have slipped by since I last posted late in the summer. I'm eager to get back into it though, and thought I should start with a little bit of a catch up...

I was lucky enough to have two trips home to Canada. We spent the end of the summer in Quebec, and I loved exploring the streets of Old Montreal.

Beautiful architecture and a nice European vibe...

It was perfect weather for outdoor dining and we enjoyed wonderful food...

Of course we had to try poutine!

This little shop Beautiful Baroque, had nice vintage home accessories, and I picked up a couple of treasures.

Our travels also took us to Mont Tremblant, and then to a cottage on a little lake in a woodsy part of the province.

We were lucky to have beautiful weather. Perfect for outdoorsy things in the day, and star gazing at night.

I spent the one rainy afternoon we had watching the storm from a covered porch...

And then took some pictures of rain covered pretty things.

We got home to Massachusetts just in time for me to check out the September Brimfield antiques show.

As always, I enjoyed checking out the wealth of finds.

I picked up a few things including some nice pieces of Jadeite. I am already pining for next years shows to begin again in the spring!

In October I also started a short course in Botanical Illustration at the Harvard Natural History Museum in Cambridge. I love botanical imagery, and thought it would be nice to learn a few techniques. It was wonderful to sit quietly and draw and paint for a few hours. With my two boys being so little, it was a rare treat to be able to take an art class. Many thanks to my husband for holding down the fort while I escaped away to Cambridge those mornings...

During breaks I explored the museum and took quite a few pictures, which I will share in my next post. And I promise it will be days and not months from now when I publish it!

Hiatus

2012-09-16T20:08:00.000-04:00

Have I really let my blog languish for a full month with no new posts?! Yes, I have. I blame it on being busy with summer things, a bit of travel and being busy with my boys.

I have also been thinking of making some changes and working to improve my posts, so look for a bit of a revamp when I get back into the swing of things! I promise it won't be too long.

I'm going to take the next couple of weeks to get myself in order and then hope to be up and posting again! Till then, I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful time of year...

Botanicals from Brimfield

2012-08-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to share my botanicals from the July Brimfield show that I just got back from the framers. I picked out a prominent spot in the kitchen, so I can look at them often. They hang above my recent find- a dry sink from Still Life Home Consignment, which offers lots of handy storage space for our laptops, papers etc., that used to sit out on the kitchen table. I am really enjoying the tidiness!

A close up view. The mat is actually off white; the lights shining from above have done funny things to the colours, and I didn't take the time to colour correct them!

Thought I would throw in a close up of my first batch of Limelight hydrangeas from the garden. They are just starting to come into bloom and are making me look forward to autumn, which all of a sudden seems just around the corner!

The Brooklyn Flea! ...and Finds from Brimfield

2012-08-08T09:41:00.001-04:00

I have been away from my blog for the past couple of weeks as my boys have had a couple of bugs and I travelled up to Canada for a funeral, but I am back with some new finds to share.

I had a long layover at JFK airport in New York on my way back from the funeral, and decided to use the opportunity to run into Brooklyn to visit the Brooklyn Flea! There are a few different sites where it operates, depending on the day of the weekend. As it was Sunday, the Williamsburg location was my destination. It sits right on the waterfront, and there is a good view of Manhattan from across the river.

It was a HOT day, so I was happy to be there as soon as it opened at 10 am. It's in a dusty lot and I'm sure I looked a bit funny dragging my suitcase through the gravel, but I'm glad I made the trip!

There were some interesting objects here and there, but also booths with cheap sunglasses and the like. If you look carefully though, you should be able to find a few treasures.

This vendor had some interesting natural objects and this was my favourite booth. I bought a couple of things from him, but left the alligator head behind. It would have made for interesting viewing for the TSA if I had stashed him in my carry on!

I ended up taking this leggy blue starfish, as well as a little purple barnacle cluster.

This booth had nice white chippy painted furniture and mirrors.

Anyone know what these wooden paddles with numbers on them might have been used for? I kind of liked them and decided I might get a couple if I could think of a use for them before I left. I couldn't, so I left them behind.

My big score! One vendor had lovely vintage reproduction prints with frames made from reclaimed wood from 19th century houses that had been torn down. There were lots of great images, and I had trouble deciding which ones to take. I love the beachy quality of these, and will have to find the perfect place to hang them.

My purple/blue starfish and little barnacle cluster seem right at home next to my new pictures. Now all I need is a beach house!

And now to shift gears for a moment...weeks ago I promised that I would show my finds from the July Brimfield Antique and Collectibles Show, and I am finally delivering!

One tiny humble blue bottle.

And an instant purple bottle collection!

They are beautiful with the sun shining through them.

I also picked up a blue glass float and distressed buoy to add to my growing collection on the back deck.

My big find from this show were two beautiful botanical illustrations, but I don't have a picture of them as they are in the shop being framed. As soon as I have them back, I promise to share them with you!

Blueberry Picking and a Visit to Historic Salem

2012-07-25T09:55:00.001-04:00

Friday afternoon was beautiful here, with a bit of relief from the overly hot weather, so I decided to take my boys blueberry picking! We are lucky to live near Honey Pot Hill, a family run small farm that has been growing and selling fruit since 1923, and was one of the first farms in the country to offer 'pick your own'. It's a great little operation.

Abundant blueberries were everywhere! It didn't take long to fill our basket.

I had two very enthusiastic pickers to help me.

I momentarily considered baking a blueberry pie, but decided that pastry cups with our fresh berries, cinnamon, agave nectar and some chopped nuts would be much more manageable!

The great weather continued, and on Sunday we decided to take a drive and check out the historic sites of Salem, Massachusetts. We took a quick peek at what is known as the Witch House, a great example of 17th century architecture, and the only structure still standing in Salem that has direct ties to the infamous Witchcraft Trials of 1692.

We also took a wander down historic Chestnut Street, which has been described as one of the most beautiful streets in the US. It is full of wonderful old grand houses, many originally built by wealthy merchants and sea captains during the early 1800's, Salem's "Great Age of Sail".

It is a beautiful wide street with wonderful old uneven brick sidewalks. Charming, but I did almost slip and fall down!

There is an interesting mix of historic styles.

The homes are all meticulously kept and everything looks quite perfect. I'm sure the owners all have a messy 'junk drawer' in their kitchens though, just like the rest of us!

The Phillips House, which is open to the public and displays five generations of family history.

Of course I had to visit a local thrift store to see if I could find any treasures to bring back from Salem! Luckily there was one right across the street from the Witch House.

I found a nice old worn canoe paddle that looks like it has had lots of use.

I like the colours and think it will serve as nice decor out on the back deck.

Now I must get out to my poor wilting flowers on the deck and give them a drink, as the hot weather is back! Enjoy your day.

Free Vintage Sea Life Illustrations to Print

2012-07-20T11:05:00.002-04:00

My most popular posts seem to be the ones where I share some of my favourite vintage natural history illustrations from Vintage Printable, a great site that offers beautiful vintage images in nice large file sizes. The print quality is excellent, and they make great prints to frame. Please view the site for more details and to see more wonderful imagery. Below are some of my favourite images from the sea life sections.

Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 1895. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Travels through Sweden, Norway, and Finmark, to the North Cape (ca. 1822-1832). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

Original zoological drawings and plates, 1830-1880. Spec. Coll. Archives ARC 237, folder 2b. Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Italian images; early naturalist. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without retstriction in the US.

Manuel d’actinologie ou de zoophytologie (1834). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

Monographie der Medusen (1879). Ernst Haeckel. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Duhrer, crab illustration. Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Natural history of New York (1842). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Faune de la Sénégambie (1883). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

Marcus Elieser Bloch’s, ausübenden Arztes zu Berlin … Ökonomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlands : mit sieben und dreyssig Kupfertafeln nach Originalen (1783). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Chun, C. (1915). Die Cephalopoden. (Valdevia Expedition, 1898-1899)
Stillman, S. (1912). The Cephalopoda of the Hawaiian Islands. From Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries, vol. 32, 1912.
Verill, A.E. (1880-81). The cephalopods of the northeastern coast of America, Vols. I, II.; Vérany, J.B. (D.1865). Mémoire sur deux nouvelles espèces de Céphalopodes trouvées dans l’océan. Scans of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Tintenfische; mit besonderer Berücksichtigung von Sepia und Octopus (1913). Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

M.E. Blochii … Systema ichthyologiae iconibus CX illustratum (1801). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Vintage French Fish illustration. Couvier, Baron (1834), selected images from “Pisces”. Scans of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 1885. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

I brought home two beautiful vintage botanicals from Brimfield last weekend and just found great frames for them at a consignment shop. I'm looking forward to painting them and having mats cut, and will share the final result with you soon!

Back to Brimfield, and a Thank You

2012-07-18T11:04:00.003-04:00

I want to start off by saying how much I enjoyed taking part in Karen Valentine's online blog party last week. Where Bloggers Create 2012 was a wonderful opportunity to see the creative spaces of some very talented people. It also was great motivation for me to tidy up and make some changes to my own little space, in anticipation of virtual visitors!

It was heartwarming and wonderful to have so many of you take the time to not only visit, but to also leave such encouraging comments. Thank you all for your kind words.

I was also lucky enough to spend last Saturday morning at Brimfield, the huge and fabulous flea market style antique show that takes place near my home three times a year. I thought I would share some pictures of what I saw...

As always, there was a nice mix of interesting objects.

Lots of vintage dishes and textiles.

It looks like BLUE seemed to catch my eye that day!

I like seeing all the interesting displays some vendors take the time to arrange.

A few more blue treasures...

The shaded booths were welcome, as it quickly became a very HOT day.

There are literally miles of booths to explore at Brimfield.

I started a humble bottle collection of two blue/green bottles at my last visit in May.

This time I was on the look out for purple, and I was not disappointed!

I picked out a few from this great selection.

Some of the objects and booths are very pretty...

...while others are more on the unusual side!

There is something for everyone, and the time goes very quickly as you wander around.

I checked out the botanical prints, and bought a beautiful pair that I will share with you soon in another post.

Tired feet covered in Brimfield dust as I am about to head home! As promised, soon I will share a post about the treasures I brought back with me. But first, I am working on a post to share some beautiful vintage sea life illustrations from Vintage Printable, so please visit again tomorrow for the opportunity to download some beautiful marine images.

My Favourite Place to Be

2012-07-13T19:59:00.001-04:00

Today's post is all about sharing a peek into my little creative studio space, and a chance to view the creative spaces of others. I recently stumbled across My Desert Cottage, the wonderful blog of artist and blog designer Karen Valentine. Each year she has an annual 'blog party' to celebrate and share creative spaces. Today is the day for the participants to put up their posts showcasing their creative nooks, so please enjoy checking out mine and visit her site to see the creative sanctuaries of the other participants.

Please come in and have a look around. The door is open and so is the window, to let in the summer breeze.

I feel very lucky to have this wonderful little room to devote to my creative pursuits, and I have really enjoyed trying to make it comfortable, beautiful, inspiring and functional.

Originally intended as a mud room, it is just the perfect size. Plenty of room to create, but also small enough to feel cozy! I created the table top with planks of wood from the hardware store, and put them on top of the two cabinets, which had been left behind by the previous owners.

The shelving on two sides offers great storage.

I try my best to keep it neat and tidy!

Beautiful light shines through the window in the mornings.

On both sides of the window I put up cork tiles and used wire to create a 'clothes line' on which I hang favourite images with mini clothes pegs.

I don't know who this gal is, but she looks like fun and seems to belong up on my cork board!

I thought it would be nice to make push pins using natural materials. I plan to make more, but here are a couple using coral and shell.

I love having a place to create a to display inspiring treasures and my various curiosities.

I recently found these old framed butterfly displays at a consignment shop and gave the unfinished frames a coat of paint.

I wonder how long they have rested in their boxes.

I love working here when the morning light spills through the window, but when it is gone my lamp casts a lovely warm glow instead.

Another 'clothes line' with images I like to look at. I like that this method of display means that I don't have to make holes in old documents with pins to hang them up.

An old French real estate document, some 19th century sheet music, and a book of high school football tickets from 1930.

I've been on a bit of a nautical kick lately and have a little collection of shells, glass floats and coral on the work bench.

Having lovely things to look at while I create is always inspiring and a real pleasure.

I have this lovely old photograph from a consignment store on display as the boys look so much like my own two boys and it reminds me of them. Right down to the glasses on the older one!

I keep an eye out for old spice racks as they make great storage for odds and ends. I've had this one for a while but just gave it a coat of paint for a new look.

I also painted this one to match. It has lovely wooden drawers that smell of cloves and cinnamon!

I like to collect old printer's trays, as they make great starting points for all sorts of projects, including displaying collections. I had a lot of old seashells with handwritten and typed labels, all from a collection that had belonged to an elderly lady and were bought at an estate sale. I thought it would be nice to mix them with some of my own shells that I have collected, and put them together in a display.

I really enjoyed putting it together and it makes a nice reminder of some of my own trips and an interesting display of the original collection.

The shells are from all over the world, and some of the labels offer interesting descriptions of how and where they were found. You can see the project unfold in some of my March posts.

Beneath the shell display is my little blue table and an old wooden bucket. It is full of used clothes and bibs that my children have outgrown and that I plan to cut up and make into a patchwork blanket, as those little outfits are full of memories for me.

I had these tiny vintage songbird egg illustrations for a while, and knowing this upcoming studio tour was approaching finally motivated me to paint the frames I had found for them and put them on display!

Next to my new garbage can (I had been using an old gift bag for trash as I didn't have one until recently!) sits an unfinished project; a shadow box for my youngest son's room. I am filling it with little mementos and interesting objects I collected while I was expecting him. I hope to finish it and put up a post showing the details soon.

By the doorway is great little cupboard I picked up at a Goodwill thrift store and painted. Inside there is plenty of space for paint and other supplies, and even my sewing machine. It's great to have it handy, but out of view. Until recently the sewing machine just sat in it's cardboard box on the floor. :(

To the right sits my big glass float that I picked up at the Brimfield antique show this spring.

Above hangs this great little vintage letter organizer that I use for storing papers and little things. I'll give you a tour of the various objects on top...

An old photograph of a well dressed gentleman and a few marine curiosities.

Tiny old pots, a wee bottled shell, and old University of Pennsylvania medical laboratory slides from the 1920's. Everyone needs a few of those!

Jars of watchmaker vials and old clock parts, and a genuine bear's toe I have had since childhood!

I store paper ephemera such as old labels, letters and postcards in the letter slots.

On top of the cupboard are a few quaint things I like to look at, including my husband's first pair of shoes that he toddled around in Papua New Guinea, where he was born.

My quail's eggs have found a nice thrift store teacup home under a cloche.

An old wooden box nailed to the back of the door holds more paper ephemera.

A genuine ostrich egg! I think I need to find it a more suitable place for it to sit, but this is working for now.

Back to the window...there is an ever changing view of grass, trees and little glimpses of old New England stone walls.

And finally, the start of my very humble bottle collection, obtained at the Brimfield show this past May. I am very excited to say that I am heading out there tomorrow to hunt for more treasures! But first I am going to join the blog party and take a virtual wander around and check out everyone else's creative spaces at My Desert Cottage, and I hope you do too!

Vermont and The Summer of 1911

2012-07-11T10:05:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we made the long drive up to historic Charlotte Vermont, on the shores of beautiful lake Champlain. The weather was fabulous, and we stayed with friends in a lovely old farm house. I thought I would share some photos and also a peek at a quaint little find that I came away with.

Friday evening's beautiful view from the back porch.

Loved the wonderful old barn.

It was full of rusty treasures!

Can you think of a better spot for some R and R?

It was nice to put my feet up for a while in such a beautiful spot.

Vermont summer was in full bloom.

Saturday afternoon was blissful on Lake Champlain. The water was perfectly still and the sun magnificent.

We went for a boat ride and had dinner on the lake.

There was a little bit of time for 'treasure hunting.'

I found this collection of photos in an antique shop and thought it was quite charming. The pictures show happy people enjoying the outdoors, and in chalk someone has written "Summer 1911".

How nice to see people enjoying the same sort of weekend we had, only 101 summers ago!

There are several boating pictures, on what is quite likely Lake Champlain.

Some happy sailors.

I have to admit, we didn't dress up quite so much for our boat trip.

This image is my favourite. These two look so relaxed and happy. I'm enjoying wondering what their story is. I peeked through my magnifying glass, and the open box sitting next to the lady is marked "Merritt Elliot and Co." and has white tissue paper inside. I think the handsome gentleman has just given her a gift of some sort. He looks quite pleased with the reaction!

More sailing, all dressed up of course.

I'm sure she is enjoying this field of flowers, although it's hard to tell from the look on her face!

Granddad has managed a bit of a half smile!

This little fellow reminds me of my 14 month old, who enjoyed being out around the old farm house, just like this little guy did many years ago.

Looks a lot like my Ethan!

A thoughtful pose.

I will have to find a special place around the house for this nice little memento of our trip. I hope whoever put it together many moons ago would be pleased that it is still being enjoyed and now shared with all of you!

Playing with Jars, Paint and Old Pharmacy Labels

2012-07-02T21:06:00.001-04:00

If you are like me, you sometimes find it hard to throw out old jars. Especially ones with interesting shapes or other little details. Baby food jars seem full of craft promise, so I have stored away quite a few over the past couple of years. But what to do with my growing collection that waits patiently under the kitchen sink?

I recently found some old pharmacy labels that were never pasted onto bottles and used. They are mostly French, and in good condition. I thought I might use some of them on my jars to make pretty little storage containers. I've seen how painting glass jars on the inside with acrylic paint can lend a nice effect, and thought that adding the labels would be a nice touch.

I thought about simply pasting the labels to the outside, but decided to experiment by gluing them to the inside of the jar before applying the paint. I wasn't sure how much of the paint would seep into the back of the label and what the moisture would do to it, and it turned out to be an interesting experiment.

My labels, all ready to fulfill their purpose and be pasted onto bottles. I actually decided to scan the ones I wanted to use and used the reproductions, as I wasn't sure how well this project would turn out and didn't want to waste them!

I decided to use unremarkable bottles, also in case my results were less than spectacular!

Reproduction labels glued onto the inside of the bottles using a glue stick. I then simply painted the inside of the bottles with a generous coat of acrylic paint and sat them upside down, allowing the excess paint to flow out.

Interesting results! The formerly almost flawless labels have taken on a nice time worn and distressed appearance. The moisture from the paint has created some random spots and bleeding of the ink. I wasn't sure at first, but I think I like it!

I have moved my favourites to the upstairs bathroom, where they now make nice little containers for makeup.

Perhaps next time I will be more brave and use some of my more interesting bottles! A bientôt!

Treasures and Travels along the Birthplace of the American Revolution

2012-06-27T10:44:00.000-04:00

The weather was beautiful here this past weekend and we were looking for a good spot for a family outing. We decided to check out the nearby Minute Man National Historical Park, which covers sections of Battle Road and a variety of buildings and sites related to the events that occurred in April 1775 and led to the birth of the American Revolution. The park covers sections of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord Massachusetts, which are picturesque old towns full of history and some great little antique shops. I visited a few of my favourites in Concord, and thought I would share some of my finds.

Nice crackled glass salt and pepper shakers with corroded lids that I have removed. I'll have to think of a new function for them.

I loved the colour and style of these old metal tags.

I have already used two of my tags, nailing them on to some previously undecorated boxes.

I have had an eye for botanicals lately and picked up a few that I thought would make a nice grouping. I thought the dark backgrounds on these were unusual and a little different.

I already have one very similar to this, which I think this will make a nice companion to.

I picked up a package of old pharmacy labels that were never used and seem full of possibilities!

And my favourite find...a genuine ostrich egg!!! Right now I have it sitting safely on top of a vase, but will find a more appropriate home for it soon. I think it's a really neat thing to have!

We also walked some sections of the historic Battle Road, and visited some of the sites along the way.

William Smith House, built circa 1692. At the time of the historic events of 1775, it was occupied by the Captain of the Lincoln Minutemen and his wife Catharine Louisa.

Just down the path is Hartwell House, built in 1732 and another witness to the events of 1775. Ephraim and Elizabeth Hartwell raised their 9 children here and also used part of the home as an Inn.

The house has been restored and is open to visitors.

My little man checking out the raised garden beds at the back.

Now back to the present day to get some chores done around my own house!

Beautiful Free Vintage Shell Illustrations

2012-06-22T15:04:00.003-04:00

A while ago I posted about the beautiful free vintage scientific illustrations that are available to be downloaded for personal use from Vintage Printable. The site's author states that they come from a variety of digital data image bases on the web and are public domain images that have no copyright restriction on their use in the U.S. (See the site for more details about using and distributing the images).

I'm planning to print some of my favourites, and thought I would share some of the great images I came across while looking at the sea life sections. Searching through the large database can be a bit time consuming, so I thought I would share some the most outstanding images that I found. Today I'll limit my post to seashells, but next I'll post some of the beautiful images of sea urchins, starfish, coral, octopus, squid and other sea creatures, so come back and visit again!

Click here to go to my first post about this site to see more illustrations.

Illustrations de zoologie, ou, Recueil de figures d’animaux peintes d’après nature (1831). R.P. Lesson. Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.1831

Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 1895. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.bibbcora;

Wodarch’s introduction to the study of conchology : describing the orders, genera, and species of shells : with observations on the nature and properties of the animals and directions for collecting, preserving, and cleaning shells (1825). Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

llustrations of bivalves (clams and the like); color illustration and black and white diagrams. Conrad, Timothy Abbott, 1803-1877. Monography of the family Unionidæ, or, Naiades of Lamarck (fresh water bivalve shells) of North America . Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Systematisches Conchylien-cabinet (1837)[1879]. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

Sea shell education plates; detailed and in color. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Sea shells, color plate. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Vintage seashell print. Bivalves. llustration of the Conchology of Great Britain and Ireland, title page. Engravings by W.H. Lizars. Scan of 2 d image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Sea shell education plates; detailed and in color. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US

Sea shell, illustrated educational plate. Animals; cabinet of curiosity style. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US

Proceedings of the general meetings for scientific business of the Zoological Society of London. 1853-1855. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Sea shells, color plate. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Systematisches Conchylien-cabinet (1837)[1879]. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed be free to use without restriction in the U.S.

Sea shells, color plate. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Sea shells; educational plate. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Popular British Conchology. Colored plates with sea shell illustrations. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

Sea shells and other sea shore objects. Ulisse Aldrovandi, animals; Italian illustration. Scan of 2 d images in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the US.

I'm looking forward to printing and using some of these beautiful images. Check out the Vintage Printable website for large files of all sorts of vintage images. It's a great site to browse!

Vintage Beauties

2012-06-20T12:32:00.000-04:00

Having a car obsessed little boy, we visited the Collings Foundation "American Elegance" car show over the weekend. It was a great event, featuring a display of rare classic cars from the 'Golden Era' of the automobile. I thought I would share a few my pictures of these beauties from the 20's and 30's. Enjoy!

1927 Rolls Royce Springfield Phantom 1 Phaeton

1935 Packard Model 1208, Convertible Sedan

1927 Rolls Royce Springfield Phantom 1 Phaeton and 1929 Pontiac Model F Cabriolet

1930 Ford Model L29 Convertible Coupe

1929 Pontiac Model F Cabriolet

1932 Duesenberg SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton

Vintage Rolls Royce

Father's Day Croquet!

2012-06-19T13:02:00.001-04:00

I recently bought an old vintage croquet set, and this past weekend was the perfect opportunity to try it out. It made for great entertainment during our Father's Day afternoon backyard BBQ!

My little fella was keen to give it a go.

Perfecting his placement, with great concentration.

My littlest, the ball boy.

We actually have no idea how to play croquet properly, but we had fun making our own rules!

Putting away all the bits and pieces for next time. We are looking forward to making some new family memories each summer with this old set. Hope you had some good weekend fun as well!

Painting, Sanding, Waxing, and a Visit from a Tiny Red Friend.

2012-06-15T11:41:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to share my morning of sanding and waxing a variety of boxes and odds and ends that I decided to give a makeover with some paint and a bit of distressing.

I couldn't have asked for more perfect weather! It is a perfect temperature outside with plenty of sunshine. Mr. Cardinal flew by to see what I was doing and watched for a while from a nearby tree.

Next up...I want to paint the unfinished frames of these great boxed butterflies that I found recently at a consignment shop. They are a little beat up looking, but I think with a bit of a clean up and some paint they will be a nice addition to my little studio space.

I hope you are looking forward to a nice weekend and find some time for a bit of creativity today!

Let the Revamping Begin!

2012-06-13T13:20:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post, as I have been very busy with working on giving my little studio space a bit of a redo. Lots of shopping, sanding and painting! I thought I might post a few before and afters to show a peek at my progress.

The room is covered in this green patterned wallpaper that I originally thought about removing. Partially out of not wanting to do the big job of removing it and painting the room, and partially because I saw some charm and coziness to it, I never did change it.

On either side of the window on the back wall are two small sections where I had put some cork tiles for posting notes and pictures, but I thought things still looked a bit incomplete.

I cut cork tiles to fit the remaining section of wall, and think it looks much better. I also decided that while I didn't want to commit to painting the whole room, I did paint the lower section between the two areas of wood trim. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out!

I used leftover paint I already had, and think it goes with the green wallpaper nicely. I actually added some Plaster of Paris to the paint, as I have been reading about ways to replicate the look of Chalk Paint, which is pricey to buy.

I experimented and used more than was recommended and the paint was quite thick, but I think it turned out really well. The result feels to me like the look of an old plaster wall, with lots of nice texture.

I plan to display a lot of things on this section of the walls, and am pleased to have a nice uniform colour as a background, as I found that the old wallpaper was too busy.

After my thorough clean up of the room, I felt that there was too much empty space and that I could use a few small pieces of furniture. What a wonderful excuse to hit all my local consignment stores! I found this lovely old cabinet at the Salvation Army Thrift store and decided to use the same paint as I had used on the walls. I used the recommended amount of Plaster of Paris, and got a nice look that I do think gives Chalk Paint a run for it's money.

The letter holder pictured had been hanging in my little room for a while, but it was unpainted and I decided to match it to the cabinet and move it to a new spot. I like the cohesive look to this part of the room and now have a great little area for storage and displaying some favourite objects.

One of my local antique stores had this little table, already painted in Annie Sloan's Provence. Perfect for more display! I've moved it into my little room, but I don't want to give too much more away, as I am looking forward to showcasing my fully revamped studio space in The Desert Cottage online blog party on July 14th. Where Bloggers Create is an annual event that celebrates and shares creative spaces, and I'm really looking forward to taking part. See the link for more details.

I'm off to carry out a few more improvements...thanks for checking out my progress thus far!

June Peonies

2012-06-07T11:18:00.001-04:00

Couldn't resist posting a pic of my favourite flowers, freshly cut from the garden and looking lovely in my new vase from Brimfield. Hope you are all having a wonderful day!

My Little Space

2012-06-06T10:14:00.000-04:00

I recently stumbled across My Desert Cottage, the wonderful blog of artist and blog designer Karen Valentine. She is currently promoting her upcoming event "Where Bloggers Create 2012", her 4th annual blog party to celebrate and share creative spaces. What a great idea! I love my little nook where I do most of my 'work', and also love to see the creatives spaces of others.

The online event is scheduled for July 14th, and promises to offer a peek into the creative spaces, art and lives of the participants. Check out her lovely website for more details and information about how to take part.

Thinking about posting photos of my space for the event has me feeling inspired to clean it up a bit, as of course I want to have it looking it's best! I am lucky to have a small little room in our home, originally intended to be a mud room, that I use to store my craft supplies and numerous projects. (All in various states of completion!)

It's wonderful to have a dedicated room for creativity, but there is a tendency for my various projects to overtake the space, and then my little room seems more like a poorly arranged flea market stall than the cozy and inspiring retreat it's meant to be!

Before I start rearranging things, I thought it would be interesting to take some 'before' photos so I can compare them with what I hope will be fabulous 'after' images once I am done.

I spy with my little eye...many unfinished projects that need a tidier workspace! These include but are not limited to: the small blue child's table that I started painting two years! ago and have yet to complete, a shadow box of sentimental and curious objects for my son's room, a pile of old bibs and clothing from my boys that I intend to cut up and make into a quilt, and tiny old bird egg prints from an antique store that still need to be framed and displayed. Yikes, my cleaning up efforts had better led to help with the backlog of projects!

My telescope has been serving a dual purpose as a magazine stand, and I have been using an old Christmas gift bag for garbage, as I haven't gotten around to getting a proper trash can! I love the three old kitchen canisters I found in a consignment shop, but they sit empty on the floor as I haven't found a place for them yet. :(

Next to a rouge glue gun on the floor, my sewing machine sits in it's box, as I don't have a proper place for it, and my work bench is looking a bit cluttered. I am really looking forward to giving the place a bit of a revamp.

It may almost be summer, but I definitely have spring cleaning fever! I'll post about my progress as the July 14th deadline approaches. I hope you find some time today to enjoy your own little space, no matter how humble or cluttered it may be.

Goodbye Pile!

2012-05-31T11:10:00.000-04:00

Let me introduce you to 'the pile' as it is known in our house. The most loathed part of my kitchen counter. Or at least it was...I am so happy to say that the pile is gone!

One of my great household annoyances is 'stuff' piled up all over the kitchen counter. My husband has a habit of putting his keys, cell phones, mail and paperwork needing to be filed etc. into a heap on the counter.

I have tried to contain and organize the pile by first getting a mail holder and a paper sorting box. This helped with tidying the papers, but of course the spacious compartments meant that now MORE papers started hanging around in the pile. The odds and ends were also just piling up on top, so I introduced a basket to contain and tidy those.

I also bought a small charging station to try and keep the cell phones and their cords organized. I used a small can for pens and pencils. It sounds in theory like a plan for success, but the image below shows the pathetic results!

This picture perhaps illustrates the pile at it's worst, as once I decided to revamp it, I stopped trying to tidy it for a while.

The cell phone charger never really worked out, as the cords kept disappearing into the back of it. My pen container had a good number of 'dead' pens and various other bits of junk. It was a pleasure to throw stuff out and send the rest up to my husband's office!

I had picked up this pine bread box style piece at a consignment store recently, and thought it would make a good candidate for replacing the basket and paper organizer.

I liked the two compartments, but felt that it looked a bit boring and needed some work. I decided to use Annie Sloan's Old White chalk paint and some distressing to give it a new look.

Recently I saw a vintage breadbox with the name of a baking company on it, which gave me an idea for a nice way to personalize the box and add a bit more interest. I used a retro font I liked, and printed our family name onto paper, which I then taped in place.

I used a pen to trace the letters, and the pressure left an indentation in the wood that I then outlined and filled in with a black Sharpie pen.

Using the old baking company logo I had seen as inspiration, I added "Baking Co." in smaller letters underneath.

I sanded and scratched the letters to distress them a bit and regretted using a Sharpie, as the ink started to spread. I used the Sharpie for precision, but black paint would have been better!

I used some of Annie Sloan's Dark Wax to add a bit more of an aged look. I was also able to clean up the unwanted Sharpie ink, and ended up being pretty pleased with the final result.

Nicely out of view and inside the box are a few select necessary items, and I will remain vigilant to make sure it stays that way! I used the old marmalade jar I just got at Brimfield as a more attractive container for the pens. I also put to work a little wooden caddy to hold the salt and pepper shakers. I am really enjoying the new look!

Post Script...

After a day of enjoying my improvement, I went outside this morning to pick some of the beautiful peonies that have started blooming in the garden. I thought of an old blackboard I had picked up this past weekend, and decided it would make another great addition to the counter. No more scraps of paper laying around for shopping lists! I added an old baby food jar filled with chalk to the caddy, and think this will be a much nicer way to keep track of what we need.

I'm feeling oh so organized now, and am looking forward to tackling other parts of my house that need 'help'. I'll keep you posted!