A Trio of Stands

Last week I did a beautiful table scape on my porch using my newest dishes.  I made the dinner plate into a temporary cake stand by placing the plate on top of a candle stick.  This was fine for this setting but what I really had been wanting was a stand of some sort I could stack my small dishes on.  I have several smaller stands already but I wanted something larger and darker (more fallish) if you will.  So I hit the thrift stores and here's what I found.

This shows the before pictures during my restoration. Sorry! I forgot to take the photos before I dissembled them to paint.  As you can see here they were brass.  But with a little ORB spray paint I changed them to this!

I had intended to only purchase the one larger stand as they were being sold separately.  However, the sales lady at the thrift store offered me 50% off if I bought the whole set, which came to $9.00 total.  Sounded great to me so I brought all three of them home.  Quick question now, what exactly is the proper term to call these?  All I can think of is a compote stand, but that can't be right.  Please do tell!

This is the one that I wanted most!  I just love thee wooden dish part of these stands.  I am sure my grandmother also had some of these when I was young, because I sooo remember them.

I am very pleased at how well the ORB turned out on these too!  I think it looks so much better this way!  I couldn't wait to set them out and of course I had to find spot for all three of them in the dining room.

This is what I was aiming for, something to hold small snack plates.

Perfect!

For now the smaller one is holding one of my jacks but, Oh, the things I can think of to use this one for!

This one really needs some nuts, don't you think?

Love, love, love the ORB!

I also came across something else while out thriftin and just could not resist.  I have seen these all over blogland but have never owned one.  I look forward to putting a few fresh flowers in this.

I am guessing this is a milk bottle, right?  Please correct me if I am wrong, but that's what I'm thinking.  Would you believe I only paid .25cents for this?  I was like OMG! 

It has " Since 1852" on the front.  I guess that was the date the milk co. started?

But here's what I don't get.  Why does the bottom look like this?  At first I thought it must have happened after it was made, but I think it was made this way.  Anyone know why?  Just curious!

I am joining the following parties today to showcase my latest finds.  Please follow the links below for more exciting and interesting posts.

Junkin Finds

Show and Tell Friday

Thank you always for taking the time to visit!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Mary

Family and Friends

Good morning Ms.  Jenny!  It's me Little Missy, How are ya?  Yes mam, I am okay.  No mam, I wasn't absent last week because I was sick.  I confess I was just playing hooky. I know, I know, that's bad right?   I just have to tell you though, lately I feel like I have had the wind sucked out of my sails!  I learned that saying there from my cousin Mary, she's such a nautical wanna be.  Yes mam, I suppose that was kinda rude to say, wasn't it?

Well, it ain't like she's my Friend or anything, she's just Family!  What's that?  You mean I should treat my family like my friends too?  Now why should I? I've tried that and it don't always work.  Ya see, Ms. Jenny, I've always thought the same thing too until recently.  It would seem some of my family members don't seem to think the same as that.  Mam?  I mean they do not always treat me like a friend, you understand?  I know they cared for me with they hearts, but they oughta learn to control they tongues too!  Yes mam, I am sorry about my language, but my poor grammar does seem to surface when I git upset, ya know!

Yes mam, I have had my feelings heart hurt! Seems there's members in my family that don't take to kindly to my blogging habits.   Funny thing is they don't even live in my house, or the same state even, yet they seem to know what I should or should not be doing.  They've made comments to me and my husband that have really gotten under my skin.  I have always had a part time job for years but got laid off early this year when the store I worked for closed.  It was a tough time for me and I have only recently been trying to get back in the work force after taking a much needed break.  Seems this break has been seen as being a slacker.  Especially since I have been using my free time to help cousin Mary decorate and blog!  They seem to have forgotten all the hard work I have put in for years and now think I am either being lazy or wasteful of my time.  Can you imagine?  I suppose I should be sitting here twiddling my thumbs with worry or taking up any ole job I can git according to some people! The Mr. has always supported me in finding jobs that I enjoy and that is a luxury I am very grateful for!  I intend to enjoy that privledge as long as our situation allows it.  I grew up knowing how quick life circumstances can change everything.  Never have I ever taken my blessings for granted!  I guess some folks just don't really know me after all. 

What I want to know is when did being family give you the right to be so unfriendly?  Does being a family member give you the right to be so critical of another?  Now don't get me wrong here, I do have some family members who are fine with me blogging, are totally supportive and encouraging, then there's the others!  My supportive family members know this is an outlet for me during this time and have appreciated seeing my creative side.   So why do I feel so deflated?  I just don't know!  All I know is, why can't family act more like friends at times!  Cause Lord knows, we could all use more friends!

That's all I got to say today for Alphabet Thursday! 

Have a great day!

"Little Missy"

Pumpkin Party Tour

Oh, how I love a theme party!  I heard there's a Pumpkin Party going on over at the Food as Art blog and I just couldn't resist.   I hope I'm not too late!  I am also joining Tabletop Tuesday  to show off a few of my pumpkin vignettes again.  I've shown you most of these already but a few things have gotten tweaked since then.

Let's start outside when you first walk up the steps.

As you can see a few more pumpkins have made their way around my front porch.

Now let's peek around inside.

 

First up, the foyer table hints at what is to come.

Or if you come in through the basement the kitchen foyer also welcomes you with a splash of pumpkins.

In the dining room there's a few more pumpkins scattered about.

In the den my mantle sports my other tall jack-o-lantern.

On the screen porch there's just a few more!

And there you have it, the end of my pumpkin tour.  Sorry ladies, I didn't spring for any real pumpkins this year.  I don't know why but some years I'm funny like that.  I just didn't want to spend the money on them and then throw it out.  I guess I'm trying to be thrifty that way.  Instead, I opted for just adding a few new "keeper" pumpkins to my stash this year.

Hope you enjoyed your visit, as always I'm glad you stopped by!

Thanks for visiting!

Mary

Defining Your Style

Are you like me?  Have you struggled with the desire to define your decorating style but yet do not fit into one category?  Before we go any further let me explain this is not a huge dilemma for me but merely a lingering thought that has plagued me for years.  Since my blog is primarily a decorating blog and it is time for Inspiration Friday I am hoping that you will indulge me on this train of thought today.

No!  Not that kind of train!  But that one is so darn cute this time of year, I just had to show it again!  LOL!

My train of thought has recently come to a stop, perhaps a depot if you will.  I have come up with a term that I think defines my style completely!  I do hope someone else has not already coined this term, especially in blogland as that would be terribly embarrassing.  I have decided as far as my decorating style is concerned, I am 100% Traditional Southern Country!  How about that?  Sounds great doesn't it?

Yes, I admit it!  I am not that much of a genius.  Big surprise right?   I have drawn my inspiration to name my style from my three favorite magazines.

Now before you go clicking off to another blog, please hang in there.  This is not just a spur of the moment thought.  I have been wanting to define this for some time, partly because I know several people who define my style as "country" simply based on where we live.  This is so wrong!  Shame, shame!

In my mind, we are sooo not "country".  Mind you I do not have any problems with anyone being country that enjoys that style, and/or truly are, it's just not who we are.  I am sure lots of people use that term very broadly to encompass anyone who has a touch of country in their homes but I sure don't.  However, as most Southerners know, there is country and then there is "country".   To the horror of every South Carolina native there is always the shame of having to endure the entire nations view of  South Carolinian's as "country".  It never fails that when the national media does a story from out state, they always seems to find the most wacky backward people to represent us.  This doesn't help to define the term "country" as many of us southerners do.  Therefore being country is not a term I have come to identify with easily.

For me country is a style that takes its roots from American history.  It has such simplicity too!  Country has space, and gardens and color.  It is not at all cookie cutter, yet cookie cutters to me seem very country.  I am drawn to some things that are country.  Here are a few items that I own that seem very country to me!

My barstools are very farmhouse country to me.

This desk has very country lines, along with the flour crate underneath with checker board on top.

Our ladder back chairs that have seen several generations and coats of paint.

And my washstand in all it's glory is definitely very country to me.

Now if you are someone who is visiting my blog for the first time you may be thinking, yeah, she's country all right.  But hold on now, that's just not true!  You see I am also very Southern!  I think Southern is a term that was coined sometime ago to define those who had a bit more style then just country, and thank God for that!   Now there are those that think southerners are just wealthier versions of country, but that is not true.  I sincerely know people who are very wealthy but choose to live very country lives, go figure.  Again, I don't have a problem with that it's just not who I am.

For me "Southern" style is a bit more refined.  It has history too, but takes it's roots from Europe.  Southern style tends to also enjoy fine antiques and also appreciates the value of decor being enjoyable to look at rather then just functional.  Speaking of, the Mr. must be much more country then I cause recently he has started asking me what purpose does this serve?  Duh?  It's appealing dear!  OK, let's not go there, anyway, you get what I'm saying though. 

 Southern style also enjoys simplicity but with a touch of elegance and gracious thoughtfulness towards the comfort of the home owners and guests.   Here's a few decidedly Southern items of decor in my home.

A big wide welcoming front porch is sooo southern.

A huge fireplace has always marked a southern home to me.  Even though we southerners rarely need a fire now, we've been building homes with fireplaces for century's.  Southerners don't let go of things easily, we put a lot of value on history.

Like inherited family pieces.

For example, my huge claw foot round kitchen table and...

monogrammed silver, trust me it's there on the backside of our silver. 

Monogramming everything is definitely southern thang!

Finally, you have not experienced southern living until you have lounged carelessly on a hammock.

Now to try and wrap this post up for you cause I know you are tired of it all by now, let's talk about being traditional.  To me being traditional is much more about standard clean lines.  Without even having to say so, traditional style has it's roots in history too.  It is all the items that have with stood the test of time.  They have proven to be of some value and purpose.   OK, maybe the hubs is just more traditional and not so country after all.    Yes, that's much nicer.  My traditional pieces are all about comfort.

My club chairs, are very traditional!  I just love that!

My rug and...

Coffee table and

...side table all have decidedly clean lines and traditional qualities too.

And now my newly painted black door is totally traditional looking right?

So now you can see a little bit more why I have defined my style as I do.  What do you think, would you agree that I am definitely a Traditional Southern Country?  I think so!  Woohoo!  I love it!  This is a term I can live with. 

 How about you?  What's your style, do you know?  Have you been able to pin it down or are you still looking for just the right definition?  If your still searching, take a look at what inspires you and you might just find what your looking for.  I did!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Have a great weekend!   Weather looks promising and I'm sure to be out on the boat somewhere living "lakey"??? 

Mary