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! 

A Perfect Match

I love no LOVE thrift stores, auctions (a new addiction), estate sales, basically any place I can buy second hand.  I've even been known to do some trash picking!  I enjoy seeing what I can get for a bargain but I really like to try to figure out different ways of using something.  You know using it in a way different from its
original purpose. 

I bought this chair at an auction.  It had a seat but a really ugly cover...easy to fix.

I bought this clock face at a thrift store a few days later. It has a MDF back which is about an inch thick so it is strong. I had intended on using it as a base for a large cloche but it just didn't work.

"Oh well I'll come up with something else for it."

See where I'm going......

YOU GUESSED IT !!!!

I think it is a perfect match.

I sprayed the clock with several coats of a clear matte poly then glued it down with Gorilla Super Glue.  I also put some brackets underneath for a little added security.

I'm joining Tales from Bloggerittaville  for Thrifty Thursdays, Faded Charm for White Wednesday, The Shabby Chic Cottage  for Transformation Thursdays, A Little Knick Knack for Everything But the Kitchen Sink Link Party and Miss Mustard Seed for Furniture Friday.   Be sure to visit all these sites for some great ideas. While you're there look around you won't be sorry.  Just leave a comment and let these ladies know you were there. 

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

White Wednesday on the Beautiful Coast of Alabama

It's another White Wednesay at Faded Charm!

Mr. E A and I are on a mini vacation/buying trip down in Fairhope, Alabama.  We are staying at the Grand Hotel at Point Clear.  We got a greatly reduce rate because Mr. E A is in the state retirement system and since RSA owns the hotel we get a break on the price.  Otherwise we couldn't afford to stay here!!! 

Fairhope is a beautiful town and I'll do a post about it when I get home.  But I wanted to do a White Wednesday post from the beach.

 I will share this picture because it fits in the White Wednesday theme.  I thought this was such a cute house with the white fence, white ginger bread trim, white door and its white lattice shutters.  Check out the sign over the door!  Fairhope is full of c u u u t e houses and really big AWESOME houses.

We drove over to Gulf Shores today and took a walk under the bridge at Perdido Pass. Luckily the wind was blowing so it didn't feel as hot.  I am SICK of this HEAT!

White sand - White Clouds

The clouds were actually quite spectacular, I think they were left over from the tropical storm that came through a couple of days ago.  As we were driving we went through a little shower at the same time the sun was shining.  I looked out over the lake at the Gulf State Park and saw a rainbow and I actually saw the end; it went right into the water.  Wish I had gotten a picture but it was so faint I don't think it would have shown up.

Here's a few more beach pictures.

I love the WHITE of the water when the wave breaks.

This was the first time we had been down since the oil spill.  Not as bad as I was expecting but the beauty is still disrupted with the oil booms floating in the water, the machinery, clean up crews, and the orange plastic fencing blocking certain areas.  I know all of this is necessary and I want it there for as long as needed, but it still makes me sad.  I grew up going to the coast and my grandparents had a place in Gulf Shores, long before hurricane Camille hit, so it has a special place in my heart.  Even when the surface looks good, I'm afraid of what is underneath!

Hope everyone had a great White Wednesday.  Now go over to Faded Charm and look at all the beauty there. 

Come back for a visit again soon, I've got some great finds riding around in the back of my van!! Can't wait to show you.

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

White Wednesday...PLUS

I'm joining in Kathleen's "White Wednesday" at Faded Charm again. The last time I told you how I really like White. Well here's even more proof...SOME of my ironstone collection. My favorite ironstone comes from England, there's something about the color and weight of the pieces that I like.

This is just a few of my plates, bowls and platters. I have more plates and cereal/salad bowls in my cabinets. Now here's something you need to know...we use these dishes and the ones in my cabinets everyday. I also use them when we have company, of course very little of it matches. But that is my favorite part, neither does my silverware. Our flatware is a hodgepodge of sterling and silver plate I pick up here and there. If you had dinner with us your plate wouldn't match your bowl and your fork wouldn't match your knife or spoon. Once you get to know me though, you wouldn't be a bit surprised!!! I do try to have my clothes matching but I can't guarantee that either. ;-)

Before you start thinking I need help with my ironstone habit, you need to know I only have five pitchers. (Of course that is all I have found so far at a price I'm willing to pay.)

(We don't have bars on our windows. I have a small iron gate sitting in my kitchen window to try and disguise the ugly aluminum windows. Which is on our re-do list!)

NO!...these aren't pitchers...they are creamers...okay they are cream pitchers, but they aren't big like the five I just showed you. I believe the last two in the line up, the two smallest ones there on the end are actually from child or doll tea sets.

Looking at these pictures and knowing what I have that I didn't show you, I'm thinking I need to revisit the "Basket" post. Ok, I did...it's all good! I have actually sold some of my ironstone and I am more selective with what I buy now. I even gave some of my plates away, never mind it was because I replaced them with better plates. But at least I didn't just stack the new ones on top of the old ones. (Have y'all caught on yet that Mr. E.A. reads my blog and this last paragraph is for him? Really though he does tease me but he never fusses...he loves me..quirkiness and all!!) Don't forget to go check out all the other White Wednesday entries over at Faded Charm.

Now here's the PLUS.... Just a few new goodies I added to my booth.

Isn't it wonderful...I really like this vintage mannequin. It is child size and covered in gray and white ticking. (By the way the big window is sold also.)

I paired this small cloche with a piece of antique bulls eye molding as its base. Inside I put an antique door knob and skeleton key all for one price. I really liked the other cloche on the vintage silver plate compote but as you can see someone else liked it also.

Sorry for the tease but just had to show you the locker baskets. You would have laughed at the HAPPY dance I did when I found these. Truthfully though, I LOVED putting the SOLD tags on these pictures.

Sorry about the blurry picture, my camera's battery was getting low. But I just wanted to show you the pretty aqua bottles I found. The big round one in the back is my favorite. Wouldn't these make great bud vases?


I found ten of these Mail Bags. They were used by the Leonard Peterson & Co., Inc. to actually mail items. I think these would make great small gift bags. You could use the address tag at the bottom for your TO: and FROM: put in a little colored tissue paper and close it up with the draw string at the top. All your "Junky" friends would love it!!!!

One last thing for you horse lovers. This is actually an ash tray but could be used on an easel like I have it displayed. It is a signed vintage piece that was cast in aluminum by a famous artist in the 50's.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joyfully,
Elizabeth Ann

"PEACE" White Wednesday

I'm participating in Kathleen's "White Wednesday" at Faded Charm Cottage. I've always liked the color white, especially when used in home decor. I find it calming and very relaxing.

(No there isn't a ghost in my mirror, I just smudged my self out. I was in my pajamas when I took this picture, not something you want to see!!)

Above is a vignette I created this past spring and for Easter, but I still have it up. The mirror layered on top was a thrift store find, it has an arched top and perfect amount of imperfections. The one behind it is new but bought on sale.

The picture is a garage sale find that had a brown frame and a rose colored mat. I flipped the mat over then painted and distressed the frame.

The white platter and the lamb were also thrift store finds. The PEACE and cross were gifts from dear friends.

The cloche was purchased at 50% off and the rosary was another thrift store find. The contents inside were things I had around the house and yes that is a real fern. (I think I need to paint the base white.)

My most favorite item in this vignette is the real bird's nest that I've had a couple of years. Happily it was empty when it fell out of our crape myrtle ! When I'm not using it I store it in a plastic container to protect it. Mr. E.A. thinks I'm nuts, but he's used to my nuttiness. ;-) Now head over to Faded Charm Cottage and take a look at all the other participants in White Wednesday. If you aren't already, you may just fall in love with WHITE also.

Elizabeth Ann