boo!

from my house,to yours... wishing you a beautiful autumn...
and a happy halloween!
~karla

vintage crochet doily

i wanted to share another fabulous hand crochet piece we recently found.

this intricate doily measures very nearly a yard across! i can't even imagine how much love and work went into this, not to mention time.
maybe my fascination with this sort of work stems from the fact that i myself have zero skills with a needle.
we still hunt high and low for these pieces and were thrilled to find this one, as it is so large.

wouldn't this be beautiful draped over the edge of a table, or at the center of a tea table, surrounded with rose patterned china?

more recent finds

we found a couple of nice pieces of antique china this past week.this little cream pitcher has delicate pink orchids. my sister says she cannot see an orchid without thinking of our great-grandmother, who always wore a corsage of orchids for special occasions.
we also found this antique porcelain plate with cherubs, a wreath of roses and rose garlands, too...
and two wonderful pieces of vintage handwork, of which we can never get our fill...this star shaped doily is enormous at 26 inches from point to point.

what a lot of work!
we also were pleased to find this unusual four leaf clover shaped doily with four green and white flowers at the center.

today is a day of rest from shopping, but we will be back at it early monday morning.

wishing you a wonderful start to your last week of october!

~karla

old beaded satin ornaments, part 2

here's another peek at five more of the old beaded satin ornaments we recently found...the colors are rich,
the embellishments fancy...
we admire the craftsmanship
and especially love the very old beads and the intricate design on this one.

old beaded satin ornaments

here are more of the very old beaded satin ornaments that my sister and i found...love the elaborate ornamentation;
and the unusual colors...
the chains worked among the beading...
and the fancy trims.
these would be so beautiful grouped on a tray or displayed on the tree.

we have more, and i will be posting them tomorrow.

my photos do not do these justice!

favorite finds

we have been busy lately, hitting the last of the yard and church rummage sales for the year.

one recent expedition netted us this choice fabric...
it combines two of our very favorite vintage things in one perfect fabric: ticking stripes and dotted swiss.

there wasn't a whole lot of it, as it was a remnant, but there is enough to make at least an apron. i would keep it for myself if i liked to sew, but i don't really, and it is too great to keep it stuffed in a closet.
we also found an incredible cache of vintage beaded satin christmas ornaments.

these are a lot older than many we have found, and incorporate some very unusual beads and trims.

they have an occasional spot or tiny missing bead, but they are overall in remarkable shape.

we have picked two dozen of the best and will be putting them in our online boutique.
kristi and i had a great time looking at them and admiring both the artistry and the work that went into each one.

i am so crazy for these, i will be posting more pictures of them in the days to come.

each one is a little jewel and i want to share them with you.

shelley china

my sister and i have a long standing affection for english china, and especially love finding pieces made by shelley china.
we are thrilled to have come across this set: a mini creamer and sugar bowl in the hard to find 'dainty pink' pattern.
we will be offering this for sale in our online shop this evening. if you or someone you love collects shelley china, please stop by to view this charming little set.