Little Treasures
As many of you know my OH is currently out of work like so many other people in this day and age and pennies are tight. Before he lost his job I regularly used to support my local charity shop(s) but unfortunately I have not been able to do this, of late and I have been looking longingly at some of the treasures that I have seen; but have had to walk away. For a time I haven't ventured in as I haven't wanted to be tempted. I have been a little sad of this, because it has been a win win situation as far as I am concerned I have managed to acquire some very lovely bits and pieces for my home which in turn helps fund other projects and people in need. But it has been a case of needs must and all that and you do have to cut your cloth according to your kelt. I love pieces with a story i.e a family story or something that has been found and repaired and made useful again. It may even be the story of how I found it but it all adds to the rich tapestry of our own individual worlds.
Last week I spotted a china wash bowl with a foxglove design on it.It was a good price at just £5. It is minus its ewer but that is not really a problem as I love the bowl as it is and have some ideas as to how I can put it into use.
Here's a close up of the pretty detail
This is more in line with what it would have been used for earlier on its life. That as a refresher bowl within my bedroom. Filled with water and floating rose petals on the top it would be a very refreshing experience - especially on a warm night, whereas normally would have to trundling down to our downstairs bathroom. Now all I have to do is to seek out a suitable wash stand to use it with.
At the minute that may take some time, however I do have the wash stand chair. Its one that belonged to my Nan has canework on it and it has suffered from woodworm in its time. I therefore thought I might give it a new lease of life being as I don't think it will come up too well if I were to re-stain and varnish it which is ideally what I would like to do, so I thought that I would give it a shabby chic look fill in the woodworm holes with filler, sand it down and then paint in cream paint.
I also have a Lloyd loom style nursing chair in apple green. It was the nursing chair my mum's friend used for her daughter who is now in her late forties. When they emigrated to Australia the chair came my way and I have had it ever since. It still has its original cover, but that needs replacing and I hope to work a needlepoint chair cover with roses/rosebuds and/or trellis work to recover it. I don't intend to touch the paintwork itself, just clean it down a little, as it is gilt edged and I don't want to ruin its original patina.
Cream painted accent pieces are a theme in my bedroom in any event mixed with pine; I have a jewellery chest with purple roses painted on; this keeps all my modern jewellery in and was bought as a birthday present by the OH.
I also have a cream quilt stand (formerly a towel rack but I have put it to a better use) and cream wrought iron bed. Then I have big pine wardrobes, and chest of drawers. I currently have an old chest in the bedroom that is neither one thing or another so that may get china handles with little roses on if I can get them and repainted cream. Will have to see.
This morning however, I poked my nose in round at my local charity shop and had a little look around. It's a rarity as it is a church based charity shop so you know whatever is raised is going to a good cause. Even the local vicar takes his turn in the shop. I had no intention of spending anything - there were a couple of bits that I was interested in, including a very tall glass cake stand and mega large one and a glass flower stem plate for turning any container into a flower bowl.I will give it another week or two, and if the items are still there and I have the pennies in my purse then it is meant to be - i.e. serendipity. We will have to wait and see.
However for the princely sum of £1 I have acquired 5 yards+ of cream cotton lace (60 pence) and also a brand new Style paper pattern of a baby's christening gown for 20pence and a 20 pence donation. I thought the pattern had been used so was pleasantly surprised when I opened it to find it had never been used. Something else for me to have a play with. Nothing very much really but something to fire my creativity and to put into use elsewhere. So do look out in the charity shops for the baskets with odds and sods in they often hold little treasures that will inspire creativity and a different use.
A pile of frothy cream cotton lace
Last week I spotted a china wash bowl with a foxglove design on it.It was a good price at just £5. It is minus its ewer but that is not really a problem as I love the bowl as it is and have some ideas as to how I can put it into use.
Here's a close up of the pretty detail
This is more in line with what it would have been used for earlier on its life. That as a refresher bowl within my bedroom. Filled with water and floating rose petals on the top it would be a very refreshing experience - especially on a warm night, whereas normally would have to trundling down to our downstairs bathroom. Now all I have to do is to seek out a suitable wash stand to use it with.
At the minute that may take some time, however I do have the wash stand chair. Its one that belonged to my Nan has canework on it and it has suffered from woodworm in its time. I therefore thought I might give it a new lease of life being as I don't think it will come up too well if I were to re-stain and varnish it which is ideally what I would like to do, so I thought that I would give it a shabby chic look fill in the woodworm holes with filler, sand it down and then paint in cream paint.
I also have a Lloyd loom style nursing chair in apple green. It was the nursing chair my mum's friend used for her daughter who is now in her late forties. When they emigrated to Australia the chair came my way and I have had it ever since. It still has its original cover, but that needs replacing and I hope to work a needlepoint chair cover with roses/rosebuds and/or trellis work to recover it. I don't intend to touch the paintwork itself, just clean it down a little, as it is gilt edged and I don't want to ruin its original patina.
Cream painted accent pieces are a theme in my bedroom in any event mixed with pine; I have a jewellery chest with purple roses painted on; this keeps all my modern jewellery in and was bought as a birthday present by the OH.
I also have a cream quilt stand (formerly a towel rack but I have put it to a better use) and cream wrought iron bed. Then I have big pine wardrobes, and chest of drawers. I currently have an old chest in the bedroom that is neither one thing or another so that may get china handles with little roses on if I can get them and repainted cream. Will have to see.
This morning however, I poked my nose in round at my local charity shop and had a little look around. It's a rarity as it is a church based charity shop so you know whatever is raised is going to a good cause. Even the local vicar takes his turn in the shop. I had no intention of spending anything - there were a couple of bits that I was interested in, including a very tall glass cake stand and mega large one and a glass flower stem plate for turning any container into a flower bowl.I will give it another week or two, and if the items are still there and I have the pennies in my purse then it is meant to be - i.e. serendipity. We will have to wait and see.
However for the princely sum of £1 I have acquired 5 yards+ of cream cotton lace (60 pence) and also a brand new Style paper pattern of a baby's christening gown for 20pence and a 20 pence donation. I thought the pattern had been used so was pleasantly surprised when I opened it to find it had never been used. Something else for me to have a play with. Nothing very much really but something to fire my creativity and to put into use elsewhere. So do look out in the charity shops for the baskets with odds and sods in they often hold little treasures that will inspire creativity and a different use.
A pile of frothy cream cotton lace
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