architectural upcycling

I love doors! 

"Each one is a window into the soul of its beloved owner." Eliz, a blogging buddy

A few weeks back I was out junkin' around at a local shoppe.

 

The proprietor carries a hodge-podge of things.  At first glance you think she is reseller of other peoples discarded treasures. 

Then you walk into the main shoppe area and she is displaying boutique items.  I was a little disappointed until I wondered out to the barn and found where she was keeping the good stuff. 

I am in the market for a great door for its architectural depth and character. 

  I love everything about doors; their size and shape, painted or stained, glass insert or solid wood, glass, brass or iron handles and the hinges rusted or pristine. 

 I love a great door!

 Sometimes a great door is in the eye of the beholder. 

Here is my great door find from my junkin' escapade. 

I am still looking for that great door but I am so excited to have this little piece of a what I think could have been a great door at one time.

The search for the great door continues...



I am linking to

 Shabby Nest, Frugal Friday

Romantic Home, Show and Tell Friday







inherited treasure and a pottery barn inspiration

As I have mentioned before, one my favorite days of the year is when the Pottery Barn catalog arrives in the mail.  Page after page is filled with inspirational ideas!  The newest catalog is no exception!  The designers have hit the mark. 

I love the mix of heavy architectural pieces mixed with linen and cotton blended cafe pillows.  The framed embroidered floral pieces help to soften the feel of the dark heavy furniture.  I also like the casual layered placement of the wall hangings. 

The Kent Bookcases patterned after the bookcases that once held legal volumes in law offices was almost the first thing to catch my attention.  My husband and I recently inherited his grandmothers bookcases.  They are circa 1900, Globe-Wernicke Barrister Lawyer Bookcases.  We are thrilled to have them in our new home.  We have decided to set them up in the man cave.  I am hoping to fill them with family heirloom pictures and a few vintage cameras.  Here are a few pics of our new family treasure.

Five Tier Cabinet Complete with Top and Base

Original Label 

Metal Tag Serial Numbers

The new PB catalog has the feel of the blogs I have been following.  I wonder if they follow Miss Mustard Seed, Red Door Antiques, Cabin and Cottage.  I am thinking they must!
Thanks to Between Naps on the Porch for hosting Metamorphosis Monday.  I really enjoy visiting so many wonderful blogs.  You Inspire Me!

junque la rue treasures...spring is in the air

Wednesday, we were experiencing rolling blackouts due to the extreme cold temperatures and downed power plants. 

I decided to run a few errands instead of trying to work in between power outages. 

I headed south away from the rolling blackouts and the traffic jams created by the lack of said power.

  After stopping in at the bank to get change for the bookstore I dropped off my prescription at the pharmacy. 

Instead of waiting around I headed over to the local antique store which turned out to be the best use of my time. 

Upon entering the store I was greeted by a very sweet lady who quickly explained the were having their January sale. 

Each dealer had their sale posted in the booth, everything was on sale! 

  These are a few of the items that called me by name; a colorful vintage tablecloth, a cloth salt sack, a stack of wonderfully old books, a beautiful hand painted teacup and saucer and a sweet bundle of embroidered napkins. 

As I began to unpack my new found treasures they found their way to my makeshift desk where I sometimes sit and write. 

Things began to take shape!

The vintage tablecloth adds a bright splash of color to my otherwise muted pallet. 

I love books! 

 I am on a mission to collect books that may otherwise end up with their covers ripped off and bundled together with a string. 

It was the color of the bindings that originally grabbed my attention. 

 The tattered bindings and aged pages scream character. 

 There is a 1901 copy of "Up from Slavery" by Booker T. Washington and a 1951 copy of "Grand Alliance" by Winston Churchill as well as a 1934 copy of "The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel" by Don Marquis. 

The tea cup is exceptional! 

As teacups go.

It is hand painted and made in the USA. 

The flowers are beautiful and make me think of spring. 

Which I am looking forward to. 

The handle on the cup resembles a twig and a leaf. 

The basket weave detail on the edge of the saucer makes me think of flowers gathered in a spring field. 

The little bundle of napkins are a continuation of the floral theme that I was drawn to on this particular scavenging adventure. 

Which by the way I was unaware of until I unpacked my treasures today and laid them all out. 

A special thank you to Wendy over at Shabby Nest for hosting Frugal Friday!

The Meaning of Friendship

Friends are the sunshine of life!  John Hay

A friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies!  Aristotle

God gives us friends to bless the present scene!  Edward Young

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.  Henry David Thoreau

junque la rue...foto shopping

As is the case with many American Families our disposable income well lets just say there really isn't much to dispose of currently.  However I love to spend part of my day  off browsing through a couple of local junque shoppes.

This past week I discovered my new favorite past time.   A wise person once said, Necessity is the mother of invention!    I invented a new way to shop.  It is a lot like window shopping but I get to take something home with me.  I went foto shopping! 

 I took $20 and my camera to the local junque shoppe.  The idea was to shop with my camera.  I took pictures of everything I would buy if money were no object or at least if it was more readily available. 

I had a blast! 

This is one of my favorite finds of the day!  The tag read "old french dough riser".  I have never seen one before.  I hope it's still there the next time I stop by and I have a little more cash in hand. 

Check back for more of my foto shopping finds!

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I will be joining White Wednesday!