Bookplate Etching: A Miniature Work of Art

I have blogged about this bookplate from a 1931 gardening book in the past, as well as on an Instagram post shown below. The small shell beside the bookplate shows its actual size. I have more than one book with this bookplate and the one I scanned above did not have the wrinkles in the left margin. I experimented with the scanner on my new printer over the weekend and the scan above shows all the detail in this bookplate. So many bookplates are miniature works of art that are worthy of being enlarged. The engraver was Banks B. Gordon. He was hired by the Etchcraft Company to engrave the steel or copper plate for printing a design that had already been drawn by an artist. I'm not sure whether he was an artist himself and could do custom work directly with the end user of the bookplate.

The book collector with more than one bookplate design to paste in her books was C. A. Maude Eden. See another one I have blogged about with a poem about her love of books, birds, and flowers. xo

Hello JULY + Stunning Alabama Home

This home in Birmingham, Alabama stopped me in my tracks. Have you ever seen landscaping so well designed, planned, and executed? It is really absolute perfection, isn't it? I love the wall and arched entrance to the back garden, both made of brick and painted white to match the home. I wonder if that was added later or original to the brick home? Found on Instagram with more photos of this house on the post.

HELLO, JULY

Found on Instagram

I subscribed to my own blog yesterday to see what the new emails will look like and I'm very pleased. I still got my old email from Feedburner last night at almost 10pm which is going away some time in July. This is a partial screenshot of the NEW email subscription above. It arrived this morning. There is a place to unfollow (unsubscribe) in case you don't like it. When you discover that you are no longer getting the old emails you can follow/subscribe to this new site. Thanks so much!!! xo 

New Posts, Updates & Comments

follow.it

Remembering the Old Ways

Don't you love this photo? I found and started following Michelle Clare @rememberingtheoldways on Instagram. I also love the quote that accompanied this image.

“We cannot stay home all our lives, we must present ourselves to the world and we must look upon it as an adventure.” ~ Beatrix Potter.

Home Page with New Posts, Updates, and Comments!

NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ ME FROM EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS: Beginning in JULY, for some reason Google Feedburner is discontinuing EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS of my new blog posts. You will have to bookmark my blog or put a shortcut on your desktop and search for me yourself 😥 

If you don't know how to do those things you can just google me using these searches words "content in a cottage" to find my blog.

I do post almost every day, usually in the morning. Thank you to all of my followers. So sorry about this but it's out of my control.

xo, Rosemary

follow.it

Great Garden - Planted from Seeds

Everything in this great garden was grown from seeds. I have worked outside for the past two days weeding and enlarging and planting. Now I am ready to open some seed packets! Have a great weekend! xo

Home Page with Updates & Comments

Portrait Sketch of Prince Philip 1961

This wonderful portrait of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh was found on @thewindsorfamily on Instagram. It was drawn from life at Buckingham Palace by Dr. Stephen Ward at a sitting especially granted to The Illustrated London News for their front cover published on June 24, 1961. I think this amateur artist captured his essence perfectly. See all posts by The Windsor Family here.

Home Page with Latest Post

Eider Duck: Absolutely Waterproof

Just rolling off: You’ve probably heard the expression “like water off a duck’s back.” Here's where that idiom comes from. The spectacled eider’s feathers are so waterproof that the water just beads up and rolls off. This image of the near-threatened species, which breeds on the coasts of Alaska and Siberia, attracted nearly a million Instagram likes. Nat Geo Explorer Tim Laman photographed this male at the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Connecticut, which maintains genetic diversity of rare and endangered species. 

The National Geographic Society has funded Laman’s work documenting rare and endangered birds. Photo by ©Tim Laman 

I am so happy to see this bird since I sleep under an Eiderdown comforter almost every night. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of an Eider and I'm sure I would have remembered such an unusual looking waterfowl.

Home Page with New Posts & Updates

Watering the Plants: Carl Larsson

A delightful painting by Carl Larsson found on Instagram @carllarssongarden Don't you love this large window garden lined with plants in clay pots?

Link for Latest Posts

Stunning Bathroom with Gallery Wall

There are no words to describe my love for this bathroom designed by Christopher Peacock. I have seen many of this firm's bespoke kitchens at realtor open houses and they have all been works of art.

Newest Post Here.

Easter Table Extraordinare 🐰🌷

I adore this photo posted on Instagram by a fellow realtor and designer with exquisite taste and a great collection of Herend bunnies. They are handmade and hand painted with 24K gold accents. The tulipware in the background couldn't be more perfect for her Easter table. I'm sure this collection wasn't built in a day but over many, many  years and isn't it lovely?

Blog Home Page with Newest Posts

Crocheted Bernie Sanders

It doesn't take the crafters long, does it? I love this crocheted meme of Bernie Sanders with his mittens, don't you? via

These photos and more appear on Instagram if you search @tobeytimecrochet A woman named Tobey Perales King is the one behind this adorable needlework.

UPDATE: THE ARTIST PUT THIS BERNIE DOLL ON EBAY AND PROMISED TO DONATE 100% OF THE PROCEEDS TO MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA.

HE BROUGHT $20,300 FROM AN ANONYMOUS DONOR!

Christmas Illustration by Thomas Nast

Christmas decor by Thomas Nast illustrating the poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Moore. I have never seen this one and I love the mice not stirring in their cozy little beds. I but have often blogged about Nast and his famous Santa Claus illustration in my collection. I copied this delightful image from @maccullochhall on Instagram, a local house museum across the street from Thomas Nast's house in Morristown, NJ.

Antique Wooden Bowl in Bathtub

What a great find. You could look forever and not find an oblong bowl that would fit within your bathtub but this old house owner did. Found on this Instagram account that is a delightful mix of authentic antique decor. Enjoy. xo

Amazing Paint Decorated Cupboard: Before & After

This is a screenshot of an Instagram post by @axelcharlesdahlgren, a decorative artist and restorer and collector of antiques. This blank canvas is on a corner cupboard and fireplace surround in his own dining room that he built during quarantine, a project he had been wanting to do forever.

Can you believe this transformation? Go to his Instagram Account and see more photos of this project and be more impressed than you already are. Isn't it fabulous? xo

Christmas Stars from Paper Bags: Video Tutorial

This is the best and easiest video tutorial I have ever seen. You can make Christmas stars from brown paper lunch bags and craft glue. You will need scissors and ribbon for hanging. Nothing else. The hardest part is waiting for the glue to dry. Found on Instagram @clausdalby.

White on White Painted House

I love an all white house and am planning that no-color palate when my cottage is painted again. I have similar architectural pediments over my front windows for interest without color. When I washed my house recently and released the shutters to clean behind them, I noticed they are deteriorating on the reverse side and will soon need replacing. The spiders will just have to find someplace else to live!
via @Upcountryliving on Instagram

The goldfinches that have discovered my feeder cannot read and do not realize their food is no waste. They are still throwing shelled sunflower seeds everywhere on my balcony floor. I am sweeping it up with the dustpan and transferring to a dish in my front garden. This experiment is not going as planned but is still enjoyable. xo

Lamplight on My Living Room Ceiling

When the sun goes down, the lamps go on at my cottage. I love the way this small one reflects on the ceiling in my living room. We have been having the most delightful weather for November with temps in the 70s but that will change toward the end of this week and some much needed rain. I am all caught up with my mowing, both front and back and it felt good to work outside for three straight days last week. I just finished all three seasons of The Good Karma Hospital on AcornTV and really enjoyed it. Happy Monday. xo

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

H A P P Y   H A L L O W E E N

I adore these folky hooked rug snippets with halloween themes. This images was found on Instagram @glendoghalcottage. Look at more Halloween posts here. This is her bio: Waveney Whitney, A Highland lass at heart. Antique collector, interior designer, artist, stitcher, Gardner, & traveler. dog and animal lover. Don't eat too much candy tonight. xo

Hooked Rug and Painted Furniture

I adore every single thing in this photo posted on Instagram by @patrickbell.oldehope, one of my friends when I was in the antiques business too.

Hoar Frost with Sheep

It's coming says Jack Frost. I do love a good hoar frost and a winding path full of sheep. The autumn leaves on these massive old trees have yet to lose their leaves so warm days are still possible. Found on Instagram @wolfypic  He photographs in Scotland and England's Lake District. This is probably the Lake District where Beatrix Potter raised sheep. xo

Getty Museum Challenge Favorite

This is one of my favorite look-alike photos from the Getty Museum Art Challenge on Instagram. It is a strangely wonderful reenactment of a famous painting. Can you see it too? Have a great weekend. xo