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Vintage Roosters in the Kitchen

20 Jan posted by

I thought I would share my collection of vintage roosters with you today…

Vintage Rooster and Hen tea pot

Vintage Rooster and Hen stacked tea pot set. I have seen this with a third bird, to serve as sugar bowl, but I find my incomplete set more aethetically pleasing.

While I don’t like to decorate with all of anything in particular, since I am not a fan of “matchy-matchy” decorating. Over the years, my kitchen has become a haven for old roosters. As they are spread throughout the kitchen and pantry, the proliferation of them is not obvious, but they certainly added up when I took the time to photograph them. There are 2 or 3 more hanging out in there too…lol

vintage rooster wall plaques

Vintage Rooster Wall Plaques: I love these. They are about 2 ft tall and really make the area above my stove. Probably date somewhere from the 50's-70's.

Holt Howard vintage rooster salt & pepper shakers

Holt Howard vintage rooster salt & pepper shakers, with a cute old plate I picked up at a yard sale. I need to get a new plant for the hook.

Vintage Holt Howard napkin holder, used as towel holder

Vintage Holt Howard napkin holder, used as towel holder (the towel is contemporary, but has the look of an old feedsack.

Papier Mache Rooster & Roses serving tray and retro rooster plates

Papier Mache Rooster & Roses serving tray, I got in an auction box lot, and a pair of retro rooster plates I bought off Ebay, years ago.

Holt Howard vintage rooster creamer

Holt Howard vintage rooster creamer, this is a less common line from this company.

Small metal Cock & Bottle plaque

Small metal Cock & Bottle plaque, no idea on the age of this estate sale find.

Handpainted Rooster Box

This Handpainted Rooster Box is not old. It was made and painted by my mother for me.

Handpainted tin box with poultry

She also made me this handpainted tin box with poultry family. I use it to store my cookie cutters.

 

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Filed Under: Decor/Renovations

Hallway Makeover

16 Jan posted by

 

hallway makeoverMy posts have been a bit sparse over the past week because I took on another renovation project.  My upstairs hallway was really bothering me, since I have recently redone my bedroom and my daughter’s playroom (which as of today, is serving as her bedroom, since the room she has been in is next on the renovation parade).

corroded tin ceilingWhile the hallway is a small space, it had a big problem.  When I had pulled down the drop ceiling and revealed an ornate tin ceiling, it was all good until I ran into a big patch of corroded ceiling.  Yuck!  I started to take off the tin crown molding, to put up a new ceiling, only to realize, that if I took it down, it would never make it back up.  I had no budget, nor inclination to purchase expensive molding to replace it with, and the thought of a plain old ceiling did not appeal to me at all.

drywall over tin ceilingMy solution was to re-secure the small piece of molding I had partially removed, and cover the damaged ceiling with 1/4″ drywall, rather than the slightly thicker width I had originally planned to use. This would allow the egg & dart portion of the molding design to still show.  Since the 1/4″ drywall is considerably weaker, I made sure to remove all the corroded tin and broken plaster and used plenty of screws to keep it secure.  I cut the pieces as flush as possible, so that I would have less to fill in around the edges.

new ceiling over old tin ceilingAfter enduring nasty plaster down my bra, lots of plaster dust in my hair, and Egads! … two broken nails …. all signs of the ghastly old ceiling are gone.

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Filed Under: Decor/Renovations

What is Kale?

7 Jan posted by

what is kale“What is Kale?” The question seemed a bit surprising to me, since I grew up on this green, but then upon further thought, I realized that until I had started cooking it myself, it had almost always been presented to me in Portuguese Kale and Bean soup.  My mother is half Portuguese, and the recipe is inexpensive to make, so it was a staple in my household growing up.

What is Kale?

So to answer the question What is Kale? … It is a leafy green vegetable, from the cabbage family.  While I have always grown, and purchased curly kale, a flat leafed variety is also commonly available, as well as, several other cultivars.

Nutritional Benefits of Kale

Kale packs a great nutritional punch.  It is low in calories, high in fiber, and is an outstanding source of vitamins A, K & C.  It is also high in manganese, calcium & iron, and has been shown to help lower cholesterol and cancer risk.  This cruciferous vegetable has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits for the body, so adding it to your family’s diet makes good common sense.

How to Cook Kale

kaleKale is often used in soups, but is well suited for saute, stir fry, braising and steaming.  It can be baked into breads, mashed into potatoes, and even baked into chips.  Pretty much any way you would cook collards or other greens, could be readily adapted for cooking kale.  Keep in mind though, like most vegetables, long boiling will destroy much more of the nutritional value, than methods like stir frying or steaming will.

Growing Kale

Kale is pretty easy to grow, and is a great crop to fill in the spaces left bare by late spring, early summer crops, since it is typically planted late in the season, as it handles frosts well (actually frost improves the flavor of this green).   Many years, even here in New England, we have been able to harvest right through the winter, even under snow.  Like other cruciferous vegetables, kale prefers full sun and moist well drained rich soil, for optimal results.

 

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Filed Under: Food, Garden

Silver & Gold Decorations On Ev’ry Christmas Tree … #kmartholiday #cbias

13 Dec posted by

gold holiday treeO.K.  I fully admit it, I have had Burl Ives going through my head for weeks now, ever since I decided to decorate my tree in Gold with accents of silver this year.  The double parlor, which houses the holiday tree, has walls which are painted orange…. great for Halloween decorating, but red, white and green, not so much.

gold bird ornamentI had wanted to go with a more neutral palette for quite some time, but when Christmas rolled around each year, it never seemed to happen.  The past few years, I didn’t even have a real tree, just a faux white one, I had picked up years ago.  This year heralded the return of the real tree in my house.

blown glass trumpet ornamentSince my husband and I are separated,  scheduling the tree pick up was easy.  I just went and got the one I wanted, while our daughter was in school.  I had it up in the stand, straight and ready for lights, by the time she got home.  I was looking forward to the finished look this year, because I had gotten all new tree trimmings the day before at Kmart.  The only items on this tree not from that $100 shopping trip, are the gold painted vine star at the top and a few of the strings of lights

gold bowsI think the matching tree topper bows and the smaller ones scattered about the tree, really add an elegant touch and complete the look.   The bead garland is change that I enjoy, as well.  I’d grown tired of the look of tinsel garland.  The big container of shatterproof gold ornaments I got,ensured the look was not sparse, and were a huge part of keeping the tree trimmings on budget and enabled me to select this lovely tree skirt to tie everything together.

tree topperI was easily able to decorate this large Fraser Fir for $100 in the Kmart Trim-A-Tree Department.  If you are decorating a smaller tree, you could spend less, or get more individual and figural ornaments.  Visit my earlier post: Gathering New Tree Trimmings for our New Life , to see all the items I actually purchased.

I look forward to creating new Yuletide memories with my daughter, around this tree.  We will add a few new decorations each year, but it feels good to have a fresh start.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias  All experiences and opinions presented here are my own.

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Filed Under: Decor/Renovations

Beautiful Alternatives for Those Without Space for a Christmas Tree

12 Dec posted by

No room for a tree in your home? These beautiful alternatives to full size Christmas trees will put you and your guests into the festive spirit.  These are also great as secondary trees.  Click on the images to take you to the original articles and learn more.

DIY flat christmas treeThis Flat Christmas Tree doesn’t take up any space.  All you need is an open wall.  Click on the image for detailed DIY instructions for this fun holiday project.

small tree in vintage tinThis sapling in a vintage holiday cookie tin is simple sublime.  The article has several other wonderful ideas.  A must see.

floating ball treesIf you lack floorspace, consider this DIY mobile tree from Not Martha.  Her instructions are very thorough, and as you can see the results are stunning.

wall holiday treeTake a bunch of little knick-knacks and create a wall tree.

branch holiday treeI love the clever usage of fallen branches to create a chandelier like effect over the table.  Certainly a great use of space, and inexpensive too.

lumen treeThis little oil lamp casts the shadow of a tree on your wall.  Christmas clean-up has never been easier…lol.

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Filed Under: Decor/Renovations

Master Bedroom Renovation: Ending the Power Tool Phase

7 Nov posted by

The seemingly never ending saga of my bedroom renovation is finally about to move on to the interior decorating phase!  I am proud of  all I have managed to do by myself.  I laid the walnut laminate flooring last week.

cutting laminate flooring

My jig saw worked perfectly for cutting the flooring.

laying lamimate flooring

The Victorian architecture called for some weird cutting angles, but all went smoothly.

The baseboard heat covers went back in this weekend, and I touched up the paint.

taking a break from renovations

Reinstalling the baseboard heat was a royal pain, so I took a break with a nice glass of wine.

laminate flooring and baseboard heat installed

Ready for curtains and furniture... still waiting on ceiling fan issue to be resolved.

I’ve picked up some inexpensive curtain rods, so the drapes will be hung this week.  I am also picking up a new mattress set tomorrow. Dresser & night stand  makeovers and upholstered headboard project soon to come… I have already  set up a work area in the basement for these projects.

Oh, and I am already contemplating the next room to renovate…lol

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Filed Under: Decor/Renovations

Get the Vintage Halloween Look in Your Home with these Great Finds from Pottery Barn Kids

21 Oct posted by

I recently received a couple lovely vintage look Halloween decorations from Pottery Barn Kids.   I must say they blend in wonderfully with the vintage items I already owned. I actually prefer having these vintage-look holiday decorations, over the genuine thing for display in my home. I have a curious 4 year old, and I don’t have to ban her from touching these. They are not delicate, and I know the paint used on them is not hazardous.
replica vintage halloween luminariesOne of the pieces I received was the antique style Halloween Cat Luminary ($17.99) above.  It was larger than I expected, around the size of an adult head.  The luminary was well constructed, and has an authentic look.  While it is intended to hold a light, it is also perfect for a dried flower or gnarly branch arrangement.  I adore it.

halloween countdown calendarThe Halloween Countdown Calendar ($44.99 )is fun for the kids, while still working with a vintage look.  The graphics are wonderfully crafted from felt.  Since, hanging it I have gotten many compliments on it already.  This wall hanging is sure to become a family heirloom.

Below are a couple pics of some other items that I really liked off the website.

vintage look halloween treat bucketsThese little treat buckets come in a pack of three.  They are too cute.  I may just have to order some of these. Just $11.99 now!

skeleton candlesThese Halloween silhouette candles, would go with most any decor, including the vintage look that appeals to me so much.

There is still time to order some great vintage look Halloween decor from Pottery Barn Kids.  Since there are only a couple weeks left until the holiday, all the wonderful items above, as well as, the rest of the kids Halloween decor and costumes, are on sale now.  Hurry, items are selling out quickly at the discounted prices.

Disclosure: Product samples provided.  All opinions presented here are my own.

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Filed Under: Home & Garden, Household
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