Giving all around!

I had all intentions on this White Wednesday with

Kathleen

of Faded Charm

to finally show you the things I bought at Brimfield...

gee over 3 weeks ago now.

Nothing like dragging it out. I had a friend that use to say " You tell a story like Edith Bunker" remember her?

always dragging it out !!!

Well my blog is like that too......

Stretching it out as long as I can!

making you all wait.

Well when you see why I've made you wait you won't be so disappointed with me.

The other day I received a package in the mail.

The first thing my husband said was " What did you get this time?"

As if I always get lots of things in the mail addressed to me...just me... not the biz.
At first it threw me off. It was in a Two's Company box. I thought? did I order anything from them??? they're a gift co.

Then I saw Vintage Living on it from Rebecca. I thought this is it!!!!!!!

it's here!

I took it out of it's box and there it was all wrapped all pretty and such with the cutest tag made of lace and velvet ribbon. A small bird tied to the lace and little tag saying "Just for me"!!!!

well it really said Just for You.......which is "me"

Last week when Rebecca had posted White Wednesday I mentioned I loved the bridal headpiece from her antique store shopping spree which you can see HERE.

She wrote back and said she would love me to have it. I was so touched by her kindness. A little embarrassed too so I told her I'd be more then happy to pay her. She insisted it would not be necessary so I told her I'd at least send her a Jeanne d' Arc Living magazine.


She agreed and I felt better..... it seemed only fair....... well until I opened this gorgeous box and laid my eyes on it.
I think I actually gasped for air.



Can you blame me???



Look at this culmination of femininity all wrapped in a box.
The creamy colored tulle is secured to the box with a delicate edging of thread that is part of the veil and frames it so beautifully. The satin ribbon is antique white with a hint of pink. Even the box it's in is lovely with the right amount of age and patina.


You can imagine how thrilled I was. I have never owned anything this precious and graceful. It's truly a work of art and I will treasure it forever.

Thank you so much Rebecca it is one of the nicest gifts I've ever received. I knew when I first saw your blog on my first week participating in White Wednesday (back when there were only a few participants) that I just loved it. It's been wonderful getting to know you and I hope to stay friends for a long time.

Now this takes me to another subject about giving.....

Back a few months ago Kelee from Kelee Katillac made us aware of the need to help raise money for animals that also had been suffering from the economic down turn. Yes even they suffer. People could no long feed their pets or no longer had a place to live. They were giving them up or worse just abandoning them.

This project is called The Pet Scarf Project from Design Gives Back and $2000 was raised already. The Blog Party is today and I didn't want you to miss out. If you go to Kelee's site and leave a comment a $1 will be donated to the cause. It's that easy!!!

Please watch the video and you'll get to see all the animals wearing their decorated scarves and the shelter where they are doing such great work.

You can also enter Kelee's giveaway too !!! for $100 from Hobby Lobby.

I tried so hard to upload the video on my blog but I couldn't do it. Not tech savvy enough. boo-hoo!

This was Nigella wearing her scarf being the good sport and diva that she is!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

I know this is kinda a mish-mash post

but....

Please go visit Kelee and make a diffence in an animals life.

Love,

Carole

& Nigella

Farm living

What is it about old barns and outbuilding that we love so much?

Maybe because we know that they are becoming fewer and fewer. When was the last time you saw a barn being built? Lots of houses but very few barns. There are still people who go around looking for old barns in decent shape to re-erect somewhere else and make houses from them ....and though I have no idea what that costs I'm sure it is not cheap. Taking them apart piece by piece and cataloging where they all go back can't be easy but isn't nice to know they can.

This first picture is of a shed not a barn of course at Binder's farm. Mr Binder was a builder before he retired and has always grown vegetables and him and his wife have a handful of animals on this land. They didn't make their living off the farm but it surely helped with the basics like a lot of folks relied on years ago.

The small shed by the road was where they would put out their extra produce and would leave it to the honor system. This year they didn't do that due to the fact that the honor system wasn't working and their food and the money were getting stolen.....How sad is that???

They have an immaculate piece of land and many more outbuilding then these scattered throughout. It's not overly large but I'm sure it keeps them very busy.

It would be tough on anyone to keep up let alone at their age....but maybe that's what keeps them healthy and in shape?

I've mentioned to my husband that I'd love to take some pictures of the whole property. He's always saying just go ask but I'm waiting to tag along with him some day since he's gone to visit him before. I can't see myself going up to their door and saying "Hi, I'm so and so's wife.... can I take pictures of your farm???

Just can't do it!

So til then I'll just have to be happy seeing this place from this corner of the lot along the road.

I took this pictures last Spring when these guys were still babies when I did my one and only Outdoor Wednesday post HERE. That was the first time I did a hosted party post and I didn't even know you were supposed to link to the hostess....... ah so naive.

And back then I also didn't do all this altering stuff either.

I can't help myself!!!

I can't leave anything the way it is....

Simple!

I wished that day the sheep would have come up closer but I liked the way they lined up perfectly on the sloop except for one......there's always one that's got to be different.

And take a different path then the rest and not

"follow like sheep"

Ginny's Open House

Halloween at my friend Ginny's store is a holiday her customers wait with great anticipation. I hear all the time that no one does Halloween like her.

It's her favorite holiday dwarfing Christmas. If you enjoy having the unusual then this is the place to get it.

If you're not familiar with the look of primitive then this may be foreign to you.
I know for me the look took me by surprise at first but I soon learned to really loved it.
I'm never one to like the decorations at the big retail stores. They can be fun but a little cheesy.


Her quest thru the year is to find pieces made by artisians who's look is Early American or vintage Halloween from the early-mid 20th c.

Dollhouse adored with Debbee Thibault's paper mache dolls holding lanterns...sitting on pumpkins....and just doing what ghouls do!!!

Exaggerated pointy witches shoes adds to the fun.

Ginny and her daughter Jen spend days setting up for the Open House that she has put on for the past 15 yrs.

Scarecrow by primitive artist Nettie LaCroix

A bit of Thanksgiving decorations for after Halloween when the witches, brooms and bones are put away. The time we give thanks for all we have and eat a big Turkey.....or in my case

Some Tofurkey.....and a lot of vegetables.

This is the doll that Ginny made herself. I just loved her!!!

A witch in a shadow box dressed in vintage fabrics.

She's looking up at the owl in the tree.

Why me Why me???? she cries

A copy of the witch trials in Salem, Mass. in 1692 where they were burned at the stake.

Just for being different!

A tombstone in the corner and lantern and broom by her side.

You never know when you might have to fly off at a moments notice.

Her Fortune Teller Doll in a wooden case curtained in gauze fabric.

She's holding the smallest fortune teller cards I've ever seen.

She made her too. Isn't she cool? My friend Barbara got to take her home! She emailed me and said she was really happy she got her.
I wonder what she sees in those cards???....fortune, love, heartache or maybe just a long and happy life. We can only hope it's good news.
Only she can see tell your future.

****

The crowds all went home with there goodies and fun was had by all!!!

Visit HERE to see more of Ginny's store at Waterside Antiques.

Thanks for stopping by...

hope I didn't scare you too much!

xo,

Carole

Waterside Antiques Halloween Open House Preview

Tonight the Witches are out!

Don't be scared we won't bite!

We may pick your bones......but we'll give you a comfortable place to Rest in Peace
Come and see our little doll house

Don't mind my friend in the washroom.

He's harmless!

********

Come back soon and see more or visit

Waterside Antiques website HERE

White Junk!!!

Welcome to White Wednesday hosted by Kathleen from Faded Charm.

Except for the luscious and delicate white lobelia this is a post dedicated to all the JUNK in our back yard at work.

Are you ready....don't worry it's not that bad.

This is a chair from a set of 3.... a sofa and 2 chairs that we bought from an auction years ago with all intentions of getting cushions for it. In my defense I did go looking for some but never found anything I liked. So there they sit. We do sit on them sometimes but not for long.....OUch!

Ah yes the old house....the one we call the Johnney house. Long explaination....I'll spare you for now.

Not technically junk but this is the back of the house. The house needs new siding so it makes no sense to paint it when it needs to be removed.

Plus I like the white chippy paint!

These are a few of the boards that were removed after the roof on the porch and the kitchen were redone last Fall....

See we are working on it.

Not a ton of detail to them but it'll be fun to come up with something to do with them

You can see the new rafters were replaced last Fall. We don't heat the house with this wood we just store some of it here so it can dry better before we take it home.

Bathtub feet I bought at Madison Bouckville .....not really junk either....but they've been sitting here on these rocks since I've brought them back waiting to do something brilliant with them. I knew right away I was using them as a kind of pedestal.....i think??

Old baskets

Old door and column
Yes these golf balls you'll find everywhere. My husbands new passion.....GOLF

thanks dear for your contribution to White Wednesday!

Oh did I forget to mention we have a golf course!!!


Ha- Ha !!!!