Sunday, December 12, 2021

Elegantly Simple Christmas Decor

I'm not exactly sure what this is; a changing room for a pool or a gatehouse? The double wreaths are perfect, aren't they? via



Thank you, auntp for your comment identifying James Farmer as the owner of this delightful structure. It's on the cover of his new book.


Saturday, December 11, 2021

Carl Larsson "Christmas Eve"


Carl Larsson watercolor 1904-1906 in the Nationalmuseum, Sweden. I adore seeing his family gatherings. Isn't this Christmas Eve buffet spectacular?

Friday, December 10, 2021

All I Want For Christmas is:


♡I love this, don't you? Truer words were never written. My wants and needs have all been met and I get more joy from giving things away than for getting anything.♡

 

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Greenhouse Envy🌿


♡LOVE THIS♡
It's too big for a Christmas stocking but otherwise perfect. 

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Four More Unknown Drawings by Beatrix Potter Discovered While Cleaning


I never discover anything while cleaning but dust and more dust! This bedroom is at Medford Hall, the home of her cousins the Hyde Parkers. All the relatives' homes I've seen are stately mansions and they all should have a sign out front saying "Beatrix Potter Slept Here"

I love here interior renderings and you can see all four here: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-36716973
 
One picture was discovered by Lady Hyde Parker, who lives at Melford Hall with her husband, Sir Richard, where Potter took regular holidays between 1899 and 1916. The article contains a beautiful photo of Medford Hall.

Monday, December 6, 2021

Genius Idea for A Pot Filler




I love this idea for a pot filler over an expresso machine tucked away in a cupboard. I never could understand them over a range because you still have to pick up the pot to empty it. This is a terrific idea, isn't it? Photo found in a wonderful before and after kitchen remodel.

Enjoy all the wonderful photos and have a good week. xo


Saturday, December 4, 2021

Santa's Problem With Old Houses


I honestly never thought about how hard is for Santa to land on the roof and get to the chimney of an old house like this one. Click to enlarge this delightful image is by illustrator Jan Brett in the 1998 edition of "The Night Before Christmas"

Friday, December 3, 2021

♡Old Christmas Illustration♡


♡How much do I love this?♡
Virgil Finlay (American illustrator 1914-1971) Winter Stars
found on Flickr

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Unknown Albrecht Dürer Drawing Discovered at House Sale for $30


The Virgin and Child with a Flower on a Grassy Bank 
(around 1503) Agnews, London

This is an absolutely fascinating story. This signed Old Master drawing, in an antique frame, was sold by the daughters of a deceased architect/antique collector/dealer. They thought it was a 20th century reproduction but it has been authenticated as a circa 1503 original and the auction estimate is in excess of $50 million. The whole story can be read in the link I will leave below this post. If you want to see the Dürer in person, this drawing will be on exhibit in NYC in January 2022. Keep going to estate sales and maybe you can make a discovery too. Let me know and I will post it. xo

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Too Many Platters?


I'm trying to decide if an intervention is needed here.😂
This ironstone collection is pretty impressive but has gotten to the dangerous stage and it's time to stop buying more. 
Enough is enough. 
On a more serious note, maybe this is a warehouse for a china replacement company rather than a private home. 
Let me know if you know the backstory.
Welcome DECEMBER. 
It's really here and maybe this year I will be more prepared. 
Maybe not. 
xo

UPDATE: Pam found the link for shops in Paris and there is a similar display in one of them: https://privatenewport.com/perfectly-paris-shops-to-love/

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Antique Desk & Mirror Drawing: Beatrix Potter


From 1903 one of Potter's favourite haunts was Gwaynynog in Denbigh Wales, the old rambling home of her uncle and aunt, Fred and Harriet Burton. I am beginning to love her interior sketches as much as those of her animals. Especially because they depict rooms where she stayed when visiting homes of relatives. ©Victoria and Albert Museum



Monday, November 29, 2021

Great Movie to Watch (FREE)


I woke up early this morning and watched this movie on my laptop from ShoutFactoryTV and it was simply wonderful. It is a free service with ads but this movie only had one at the beginning. I cannot figure out how to stream to my TV on my Chromecast but luckily my laptop has a good screen for viewing movies. Use the link provided below to go directly to this movie.

A HANDFUL OF DUST
All of the actors we know and love from Britain were so young!


Enjoy. xo

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Portrait of Young Queen Elizabeth I


Queen Elizabeth I, painted between 1558 and 1562 during the first four years of her reign, when the queen was in her mid to late twenties. This portrait just sold at auction for $158,661. Read more about the painting's history here. The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. I love it, don't you?

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Albatross Love and Divorce + A Green Cat



Read more about these birds HERE.




Both photos above were found in a terrific article in

THE GUARDIAN: The Week in Wildlife -- In Pictures.


It features animals all over the world and is a good read. Enjoy and have a great weekend. xo

Friday, November 26, 2021

♡Things I Like This Morning♡


This tilework is simple and simply elegant.



I really adore this wallpaper.



I love old country roads and this is a great one.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and are still enjoying the aftermath. I woke up to rain today but it's already clearing and promises to be a nice day with no Black Friday shopping for me. I heard on the news this week that this is going to be a mild winter and I hope it's true after what I went through last year. Enjoy the long weekend and safe trips back home for all who are traveling. All photos found on Tumblr. xo

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

H A P P Y 🦃 T H A N K S G I V I N G


This is my annual post for Thanksgiving
made from a scan from my favorite antiquarian book, 
"The Royal Book of Crests"
The font is Elizabethan Script 
I lost it when my 
Windows PC crashed ages ago. 
This font is called
Jacques  Francois Shadow
it's a free download from Google
Let me know if it's garbled and I will replace it with another universally recognized font.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

🐾Missy's Last Evening Walk🐾


Missy and I walked to the way back yesterdat at 4:00 to beat the darkness of a 4:35 sundown. I had to turn on the lights in the front and the floodlights in the back for our bedtime walk. I am always to walk very far from the house because of all the bear🐻sightings I read about in local alerts. She's going home today and so this is her goodbye post.🐾🐾


I must have jiggled the camera while holding the leash and the camera at the same time. Her right rear leg looks very odd but I don't have another shot of her looking back. She lives close by so I get to see her often and she's always glad when I pop in. I have a lot to do today after she goes home, mostly housework. I don't miss the dog hair associated with dog ownership so a dogsitter I shall remain.