Pink and Purple Vintage

This week I want to show you another of my vintage table cloths.  This one is pink and purple with  gold ribbon.   It almost looks East Indian in inspiration with the purple and gold urns.

 

Lovely details in the cotton.

I set the table for a ladies afternoon of cards.   I used my Mother-in-law’s Johnson Bros. “British Castle” dishes for tea.   The scones were a recipe that Carolyn of Aiken House and Gardens had shared some time ago.   I added dried cherries to mine.  

These were easy to make and were very tasty with a little strawberry jam.  I will make these again often.

Thanks for stopping by the Sandbox today.   Please visit My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.   Have a great weekend.   We are expecting some snow.   Valerie

A Linen of Vintage

My decorating style has always leaned to the country side. I have a need to feel cozy and secure and nothing says that to me but all things of nature.  I used to practice what I now call the cluttered country with lots of knick knacks but I have pared way back over the years.  Gone are the stenciled walls and wallpaper border  of cows with everything cow everywhere.   I have asthma.  I can’t even go into the barn but I can appreciate the animals from afar.  

The other day I was tidying up the dressers where I keep all my tablecloths and as I was bringing them out and refolding I realized I have a small collection of vintage tablecloths.   They predate me and I am vintage.  The table cloths are small so not big enough to place on the table for large dinners.  All are made of cotton and have pretty patterns and colours.   I figure I can bore you with them for a few weeks.  

The first one I really like.  I have seen the pattern used in all things country and on many quilts.  I call it a Fruit Basket design. 

Perhaps the initial use of these cloths was for the kitchen or perhaps a card table. Ladies often used to host card parties in the afternoons.   My Mom was a shark at canasta and know it is still fashionable to hold bridge games in the afternoon.  Card tables were smallish and this cloth would fit it.   I’m Romanizing it I know.

I love the colours of yellow and brown.  It makes it so suitable for this time of the year.  I love the fruit in the basket with tulips, leaves, grapes and acorns.

    

The other evening I attended the Annual General Meeting and Banquet of my Horticulture Society.  The theme was “In a Country Garden”   One of the ladies has a handy husband who fashioned these sweet little wheelbarrows out of scrap lumber and bits and bobs.  There were seven of them in all.  One for each table.   All of the wheelbarrows was painted a different colour.   Seven members took a wheelbarrow home and did their own arrangement in them.   I will share the others with you in another days post.  There was a dried  or fresh arrangements in a couple, an herb garden in one and this one was at my table.   It has a summer squash, hot peppers, raddichio, endive and mushrooms in it.  As my chair had the colour sticker on the bottom of it I got to take it home.   The candle sticks were turned by my husband some years ago. 

I hope you enjoyed this look at my vintage linens.   Drop by My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.   Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.  Valerie

A Quick Visit to Niagara on the Lake

Last Friday on the way to Buffalo, New York for a little shopping trip my friend Jennifer of A Garden of Threads I took a little side trip to Niagara on the Lake.   We were meeting her future Daughter in Law and her Mother later in the evening so we had the time to stop for a few minutes.   Niagara on the Lake is a beautiful historical town.   I drool over all the homes there.
Niagara on the Lake was founded over 200 years ago on the west side of the Niagara River and now boasts many attractions for visitors such as Fort George, the Shaw Festival, Niagara wineries, Niagara Parks with a Butterfly conservatory, fine hotels and restaurants and charming bed and breakfasts.
Going down the main street we saw this lovely old buggy surrounded by pumpkins and gourds to make a pleasing vignette.  

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At the front door of this little hotel were two black urns, one on either side of the steps to the veranda with little pumpkins arranged in it.   I loved the contrast of the orange and black.  

This fellow was waiting patiently to take a visitor for a tour around town.  The street was deserted that day.   Note his colourful socks.



I just had to play in Photoshop and give the buggy another look.  I used a texture by Kim Klaussen Cafe.    I hope you have a great weekend.   Valerie