A few favorite things on Election Day

Brown transferware miniature plate and a shell.

Everything in my kitchen nook.

Staffordshire jockey lamp. One of a pair.

Second jockey. I love the handmade silk shades too.

Sugar bowl with architectural etchings.

Some of my antiquarian books with leather bindings.

One photo from yesterday that I liked.

I voted today and we had new voting machines at the firehouse. It's close enough to walk but I drove since we don't have sidewalks or shoulders on my two lane road. I woke up at 4:30 this morning and went outside to see the progress of the eclipse of the moon. It was at about 50% so I looked and went back to bed.

xo

Two Favorite Things on My Wall

Two things I love that hang behind my seat on the sofa in the living room. The shadows from two antique decanters are added interest. The gold framed item is a little crooked and I have straightened it. Taking photos around my house lately is requiring a lot of straightening and dusting you know! The dog painting is oil on board and the dog is a water spaniel. I took the photo after dark on night mode.

This 18th century hand drawn pen and ink birth record is from Hanover New Jersey and records the birth dates for Ellis and Sarah Cook and their children. This is the way I bought it and I was told it was a page from the family bible. The angel drawing across the top was a popular motif to carve on early American tombstones.

Have a great weekend.

xo

Views Around My Cottage

A corner of my living room. There is an opening opposite this table that leads to the kitchen area where my sideboard is located. The attic door is next to the opening and there is a coat closet where the corner is located in the lamp area. 

I have posted this recessed nook in my kitchen many times but here it is again. I got a new phone and have been testing the camera in case you are wondering why I am posting so many photos you have seen before.

TAKE YOUR DOG WITH YOU BY RAIL

I got a Christmas present in this shopping bag years ago from my good friend Stacey Snacks who has a food blog. I love this bag so much with a dog and suitcases advertising a rail line.

xo

Wonderful Vintage Bathroom

 The Sleeper-McCann House

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Instagram Photo @torimellott

Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House (1907)

A designer’s dream 

GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 

BEAUPORT

Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House, a National Historic Landmark, was the summer home of one of America’s first professional interior designers, Henry Davis Sleeper. Perched on a rock ledge overlooking Gloucester Harbor, Beauport was Sleeper’s retreat, backdrop for entertaining, and professional showcase, and an inspiration to all who visited. 

After Sleeper’s death, Beauport was purchased by the McCanns, who left it largely intact. Visit Beauport and see Sleeper’s lifetime collection of curiosities, colored glass, folk art, china, and silhouettes in every nook and alcove. Each of the forty rooms is distinguished by a historical or literary figure, theme, color, shape, or object. No two rooms are the same, and each is more visually dazzling than the last. Get to know Sleeper, a gay man living in the early twentieth century; his housekeeper, Mary Wonson; his fascinating neighbors; and the house’s many colorful guests.

How has this eluded me all these years? 

Now it's on my bucket list.

xo

New Construction with Antiques

This is a lovely room in a new home designed by classical Architect Patrick A. Hearn. Found on Instagram here. I love the two easy chairs sharing one ottoman. The two antique clocks in this room are lovely, aren't they? xo

New Antique Chair in My Living Room

This Gothic Revival chair between my TV and a sofa (not shown) to the right has a mate that lives in my entrance vestibule. It's perfect there when I need to sit and put on my boots or put down a parcel. I bought the pair several weeks ago at a local garage sale. This morning I put a blooming geranium on this one for a Sunday morning photo shoot. It's a dreary day having rained all night and that's fine with me. 

I have had a young handyman working off and on for weeks doing odd jobs I cannot do myself (like sheetrock removal and replacement for a soffit in a bathroom). Water damage is the worst and I had two episodes over the years in my cottage. One was when the pan under attic central air conditioning unit overflowed and found a path all the way to my mother's quarters in my walk-out lower level, too nice to be called a basement. The other time I had water was due to a roof leak. The ceiling in the hallway near my first floor bedroom needed scraping, spackling, and painting. I found other places in both bedrooms that had peeling plaster that needed repair too. So there was sanding in those rooms too before painting. The first floor repairs were finished a week or two ago and everything's back in order after two deep vacuuming sessions.

The soffit had to be totally replaced in a full bath downstairs and some other ceiling repairs down there too requiring spackling, sanding, and painting. He did a great job and I am very pleased. The paint matches perfectly too. I got everything back in order in the kitchen and hallway down there and today I will do the bedroom and sitting room. I just need to put all the drop cloths back where they belong and do a deep vacuum cleaning and I will be all set. My laundry list is getting shorter but there are still things to do. There is an old saying, "Life is 90% maintenance" and that sounds about right, doesn't it? Those who aren't homeowners spend it on self care. DIY homeowners ask themselves whether they should get a manicure or weed the garden? I have never had a manicure and have no plans to get one😂

Enjoy your Sunday. xo

Here is a closeup of the back of the chair. A small piece of moulding is missing from the center column. The companion chair in my vestibule is missing all three little pieces at the columns' bases. I might try carving the replacement one of these days. xo

Small but Wonderful Home Office

It's wonderful, isn't it?

I love the potted plants in the window.

I love a small home office and this one is the best.

via

Perfect Summer Bedroom

Isn't this gorgeous? I love the ceiling. 

I would prefer no rug under the bed though.

I would want to put my bare feet on a cool bare floor in the summer. The rug could go back for the winter.

Photo found here.

xo

Old Workbench as Kitchen Island

I have always loved old carpenter workbenches in a house. 

This one in a Steven Gambrel kitchen is wonderful.

I wouldn't change a thing. 

I am currently watching and thoroughly enjoying WYCLIFFE on Tubi.  "In a coastal English town, an exacting detective picks through clues while investigating a wide variety of crimes in his otherwise quiet community in Cornwall. This is a very different Cornwall from the village in Doc Martin. Starring Jack Shepherd, Helen Masters, Tim Wylton, Jimmy Yuill, and Adam Barker. Link on Tubi HERE. There are 5 seasons.

My Living Room Slightly Rearranged

This is the corner next to my left French door this Monday morning, the first full day of Daylight Savings Time. I feel a little groggy this morning, still getting used to the new time. There is a big melt going outside as the bright sun works its magic. I moved the floor lamp closer to the desk and put my teddy bear and antique child's chair next to the small bookcase. I had to put it on a slight slant so it wouldn't look so crowded and I like it! March is marching along very fast and I need to buckle down and start working on my taxes. Happy Monday. Have a good week. xo

Morning Sun Filtering in My Living Room

This sun is already much brighter since I took this Monday morning photo 30 minutes ago. The design on the toile fabric on my Roman shades is much more defined to the naked eye but my phone's camera shows them blown out. However, you get the idea. I am sitting on my sofa in the lower right corner and the sun is still too low to raise the left curtain. The dog painting I showed you yesterday is behind the tufted leather armchair on the far right. Have a good week. It's still very cold here but a 60° day is in my weather forecast for Friday. xo

A Few of My Favorite Things

I purchased this dog painting several years ago. I have no idea what the dark splotches are and the estate sale lady didn't know either. I think they might be scorch marks from candles too close. It could be repaired but I like it as found for now. The terrier is fabulous. I got the two brass deer at the same sale. This cozy little corner is next to my living room fireplace. 

I had Missy from Friday morning through Sunday morning. She's always a welcome visitor. I have never had a dog with longish hair. We had 60° on Saturday but woke up to about 3" of snow on Sunday morning. Her paws were filled with little snowballs after the early morning walk that had to "melt" off once we got inside. She obediently stayed on a towel atop the dog bed until she defrosted. I can't even imagine her dangling snopballs after coming in from a much deeper snow! 

❤️Happy Valentine's Day❤️

 

Inside My Cottage

Just a random shot inside my cottage on my way to the kitchen for more coffee and an English muffin. I can't even watch any more weather reports. My phone says we are having rain all day Thursday and Friday starting after midnight tonight. Maybe all the snow will melt before it gets cold again and turns to ice over the weekend. If the dreadful winter storm is in your area, be safe. Just stay inside if you can. I am extremely fortunate to be able to do so and I can always find something to do. xo

Small Brown Transferware Dish + A Shell

I was rummaging through a large storage bin in my attic looking for something I could not find but discovered this display stand instead. I remember finding it at an estate sale thinking I could find a use for it and I finally did. It was designed for displaying a cup and saucer and this shell fit in the cup holder very nicely. My shallow transferware shallow bowl/dish with an Aesthetic Movement design fits nicely in the saucer holder. 

I found a link describing this pattern called Beatrice.

Larger view on my small bookcase.

Have a great Sunday.

xo

A Very Elegant Bathroom

No Words!

Simply Spectacular.

Enlarge image here.

Are the walls hand-painted or nautical wallpaper?

The master bedroom looks nice too, doesn't it?

Swoon.

Wonderful Interior Details in A Children's Book published in 1900

A delightful wood engraving by Hans Tegner. Denmark. 1853-1932. It appeared in a book of fairy tales and stories by Hans Christian Andersen published in 1900 in the collection of The New York Public Library. It seems so sophisticated for a children's book and could easily be in one of today's Interior Design magazines or coffee table books. The room's decor is timeless. An adult reading to a child would have enjoyed this artwork and the idea of the story is perfectly illustrated for a child to enjoy and understand too! I love it, don't you? 

Photo source here.

UPDATE: I JUST DISCOVERED A LINK FOR THE ACTUAL BOOK OF FAIRY TALES AND STORIES BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN PUBLISHED IN 1900. IT HAS BEEN DIGITIZED BY THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. 

There are 524 pages. 

Who knows what else you will discover!

ENJOY! xo

https://archive.org/details/fairytalesstorie00ande/page/n19/mode/2up 

Revamped My Living Room Yesterday, First Peek

I put the large coffee table in front of my comfy sofa, put matching lamps on either side of the sofa in front of the window, and did lots of deep vacuuming cleaning. I moved the comfy sofa closer to the hallway opening and centered the other sofa with the window after moving it a little farther back. I will show the fireplace wall next, so stay tuned.

Here is a previous post with the story of the coffee table base showing it in another location. The rearranging part of my brain is stuck in high gear but I'm still enjoying the challenge.😂

Small Collection Atop My Miniature Chest

Just finished a new arrangement in my second bedroom that doubles as a dressing room / laundry sorting room / and a place for things in transition to the attic, the basement, or the trunk of my car for donating. It is never ending, but fun. xo

Finally Found the Perfect Lampshade

I rewired a lamp for downstairs this morning shown below. It was originally for a clip-on shade and I found the perfect lampshade for it in the loft over my garage but it needed a harp. I took the lamp apart and added the harp holder and the harp and it looks so nice. In the process, I ran across this French Faiance lamp I have had for over 20 years and found a shade that is suitable that I made myself years ago. It is covered in marbleized paper and I think it looks very suitable. The light switch turns on this lamp and a floor lamp in my dressing room/guest room. The miniature chest is an estate sale find.

I am still working downstairs and yesterday spent the day cleaning the walk-in closet and finding more items to donate. I also pulled the refrigerator from the wall in the kitchen and did a deep clean there from the floor to the ceiling. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I slept like a lot last night and didn't get up until 9am this morning and that is super late for me. I earned a good night's sleep.

Just inside the back door. 

This is the lamp I rewired and added a harp.

The toile shade had black ball fringe and several were missing so I cut the remaining ones off.

The base is an old pewter tea container with a Chinese theme. I thought the shade was perfect because it had somowhat of a pagoda shape.

That's it for my Sunday playing around my house. Don't forget to watch or record PBS MASTERPIECE tonight. The new season of GRANTCHESTER begins. I will have to wait until Monday night to stream it via the PBS VIDEO APP. See you tomorrow. xo

Brown & White Staffordshire Platter

This Staffordshire already had the plate hanging hardware attached so it was on my wall within minutes of bringing it home.

It's right at home in my kitchen nook.