My White and Thrifty Vignette

I wanted to share a new vignette I created in my kitchen recently.  It occurred to me today that it's mostly white and it is definitely thrifty. So I can participate in

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

and

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

Oops! it's not Christmas -  Leigh please forgive me, I'll do a Christmas one next week!

Everything here came from a thrift store or an antique store.  Nothing was expensive!

I seemed to have developed a love of white marble.  The bottom piece came from a thrift store and cost less than $3.00.  It originally had little knob like feet but one was missing so I just removed the remaining three.  The smaller piece is a cheese board I got from an antique store.  If you look closely you can see that the feet are little silver mice.  It cost about $10 which is the most expensive item in this vignette. I can't wait to use it!

I got a really pretty white marble lamp at an auction not too long ago. 

I'll share it with you as soon as I find the right shade.

The mint julep cup came from a thrift store and the mother of pearl handled knives came from Consigning Interiors and Antiques.  The little knives are actually sharp, I think they are called fruit knives.  These knives are the only thing here we don't use in some way or the other.  But to me they do have a use and that is to just look pretty!

Both the jars are from a thrift store and the spoons are from various antique stores.  Our kitchen only has two small drawers so there isn't a lot of room for serving spoons or extra pieces like ice tea spoons.  Which we use regularly so it is very convenient having them out like this.  Plus they look pretty!

Oh my,  IRONSTONE!!!  I found these little plates in two different places and they only cost about 50 cents each.  They are great for snacks, crackers with soup or salad or for a roll or piece of bread.  The scoop was only 39 cents and cute so I bought it.  Now I find that I use it for more than I thought I would.  Speaking of cute, how cute are these teeny tiny bowls?

Because our kitchen is so small everything has to have a function.  But that doesn't mean it can't be pretty.  The stainless steel table that this vignette sits on was put in our kitchen strictly for utilitarian reasons.  It gave us extra counter space, a shelf underneath that allows us to use large baskets for storage and it has WHEELS!  As it turns out I love the look of the stainless steel and the baskets.  I'm finding that I like the things I use regularly to be out where I can get to them.  Of course I can't just have them sitting out, everything is better in a vignette! ;-D

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

P.S. WOW!! Leigh from Tales from Bloggeritaville really knows how to make a girl blush.  Thank you so much for the love you sent my way on your Thrifty Thursday post. I was so excited when I read it, I had Mr. EA read it while I told him all about meeting you.  Thank you, Thank you! 

Swift-Coles Historic Home

Last month while Mr. EA lounged on the beach I was out making a huge sacrifice to shop for Elizabeth Ann's.
I know that's just the kind of person I am. 

Well I noticed a sign I had never seen before:

 

SWIFT-COLES

HISTORIC HOME

------>

AWESOME!  I looove historic homes!  Darn it's getting late, oh but wait a minute we pass right by the turn off on our way home.  DONE! 

Mr. EA being the wonderful husband that he is said "sure we can go by there.  It will be fun to see a part of this area I haven't seen.  It will probably be just a shack we would drive by and be on our way".
  OH, NO SIR! 
He knew he was in trouble when this is what the drive up to the house looked like:

Then we see this:

Mr. EA:  Uhhh, that isn't a shack.

Me: Cool, there's a sign that says they give tours.

Bon Secour's Tidewater Mansion

Home Open

Tuesdays and Fridays

10:00 - 4:00

Last Tour Begins at 3:00

Admission: $5.00

Mr. EA: Greaaat!

Me: It's Friday! and before 3:00.

So, off we went:

Do you know why people paint the ceilings of their porches blue?  To keep the wasp and birds from building their nest up there.  Is that just a southern thing?

We weren't allowed to take photos inside so all my pics will be of the outside.

 



This is looking from one upper porch to the another upper porch.  Oh, wait should I say from one veranda to the other veranda?

Here's a beautiful view, whether from the porch or the veranda, beauty is beauty.

I love the huge old live oaks dripping with spanish moss and ferns growing on the limbs and trunks.

The Swift-Cole House is located in a place called Bon Secour, Alabama.  Bon Secour is French for "Safe Harbor".  I grew up hearing about Bon Secour I've even been fishing there, but I had never heard of this historic home.  Probably because it was the private residence of Nik Coles until the past several years.

If you want more info and to see some pictures of the inside go HERE.  This is very nice post on the Alabama Bloggers site written by Leigh Bratina of Tales from Bloggeritaville.

I really enjoyed the tour and our guides were very good.  What about Mr. EA?  Well he held in there and even pretended to be interested.  He said his interest was piqued when he heard the ghost story. ;-)  Thank you honey for all you endure.  He loves me!

If you find yourself in Gulf Shores or Fairhope, Alabama, try the tour.  The drive alone is worth it, you will see some of the prettiest land in LA (Lower Alabama).

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

 

First things first.....

I hope you all had a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving!

I know I have been.....let's say INCOMMUNICADO...to say the least!  Over a month has gone by since my last post!  I didn't plan it that way, I honestly can't say what happened.  It just did! 

What have I been up to...............?

Mostly just LIFE, nothing exciting, but it has been enjoyable.

Mr. EA and I did slip away for a few days.

No that isn't OIL! it's seaweed.  The water was soooo calm it was like swimming in a lake.  One of the days we were there we started our day watching the dolphins and ended our day watching the dolphins!  While we were in Gulf Shores we made a new discovery, I'll share that with you in a few days.

 

I did a lot of shopping and brought home wonderful pretties for Elizabeth Ann's.

 

This ladder is from Scotland and has the former owner's name stenciled on it...DUNDEE!





I've been to several of these...

Here's just a little of what I came home with:



I love this poster.  It is an original 1971 advertisement for a bullfight in Barcelona, Spain. 



I also went to few of these...

The prices are too high on most things but I did manage to find a few treasures.

We have also:

 had a new roof put on the house

and

$2000 worth of work done to our septic tank. 

 

Now that's some good times!

You do here the sarcasm in my voice, right?

I'm getting adjusted to being a "junker" full time and realizing I have to work on my business at least a little everyday.  My blog is part of that but I don't see any of this as a job...it is really a joy! 

I am thankful that I am able to do something I enjoy so much.

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

Elizabeth Ann's New Home in Consigning Interiors

This move was like staying in a neighborhood you love but just moving to a larger house.

As you can see this new home has lots of wall space and I have electricity! I have a sign in the works that will go high up on the back wall, which is great because it is seen immediately upon walking in the store.  The blue wall color was already there and is actually a pretty color so I decided to live with it.

I love this small black shell back chair. 

This dressing mirror is one of my favorite pieces in my booth.  Wouldn't it be great in an entry or foyer?  It actually belongs to the owners of the store.  I wanted it in my booth because of the mirror and the shelves. 
Wish I could find a place at home for it! (I'm still trying to figure it out!)

LOVE this wine bottle in a basket.  I assure you it is no where near the price of the ones at Pottery Barn.  

Any golfers out there?

 This is a corner desk and matching chair!  It needs some love, so I have it priced at a "you fix it up" price. 

If I get around to doing it I'll have to increase the price a little bit.   

It's kind of hard to tell but that is a HUGE Chianti bottle.  Everyone at the auction thought it was funny that I wanted that out of the lot that we were bidding on.  I think it was a display piece, because it is still sealed, sorry nothing inside, and it doesn't have the state tax stickers on it. 

I should have gotten a better picture of this mahogany drop leaf table.  It has three leaves and a center leg; at its fullest extension it is six feet long.  It is made by a well known furniture manufacturer that totally escapes me right now.  (What's that stuff you can take to help with your memory?)

Well there you have it, thanks so much for coming along on the tour.  I still have plans for my new home, but somehow my plans and actions don't always seem to go together.  :-)  But I'm working on that too!

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

I know, I know, it's been almost a MONTH!

In my last post...almost a MONTH ago...I mentioned that Elizabeth Ann's has a second home. 

It is in a shop called ELIZABETH'S!  The owner's name is Elizabeth and there is another Elizabeth with a booth...LOVE it!  Elizabeth's is located at 4208 Dolly Ridge Road, Cahaba Heights, AL.  

Cahaba Heights, which is located behind the Summit, is a neighborhood of Vestavia Hills, with some cute shops and restaurants.  Right next door to Elizabeth's is a fruit market, they have some beautiful mums and pumpkins right now.  There's a great nursery/plant store called Leaf n Petal.  When I passed it Thursday they were getting in mums, what looked like boxwood topiaries and other beauties.  Also the Lamb's Ear is a must see and if you like Mediterranean food you have to try The Olive Branch...YUMMY! 

If you go tell Jennifer, my beautiful niece,  Aunt Elizabeth sent you!

I'm moved in but still learning what will fit and how much will fit, plus I have to get some more light in there. 

Because Elizabeth's is located in an old house this space is a little awkward so it will tax my creativity, but that's what makes this so much FUN!  It is also very difficult to photograph.  I can't get a full view of the booth all at once.

The longest wall has wires and pipes on it in several places so I decided to cover it with a drop cloth.   



Boy do I need to add more to that shelf!



I can still hang stuff on the walls I just have to be very CAREFUL where I'm putting the nails!

You know I can't have an empty jar!

I have lots more goodies to add now that I know more will fit than I thought, woo hoo!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of Elizabeth Ann's new home in Consigning Interiors and Antiques.

YEAH....AUCTION TONIGHT!!!!!

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann