Old pictures to redo some day.........

This is an old water colour that I did........it does not hang anywhere as I am not sure I like it.

I did not draw a picture. I just painted and let it develop. Probably a mistake. There is not much colour there and the bird was a mistake. I was trying to put some "life" into it.
I used salt to make the foreground. Not much to it really. So sits in a corner hiding.
This next one I have done several times and can not get it right

Laura has one version of it. This is called "shadow of my mothers house" it is from a photo taken from mums bedroom window. It is one I have done nothing with. I did it a couple more times without the shadow. I have overdone it. I think I might try again. I do like the subject and the view and it has meaning for me. SO.............maybe I will try it again.
The next one is a shadow painting. It reminds me of dad fishing so.......again, it is one to redo.

It was done on an old piece of paper rather than watercolour paper, so is not any good. I just got the idea down on paper. I have a few pictures like that where I just got the idea down. I do want to do that one again properly.
Another in that category is this one.

That is another very very old picture I did on a scrap of old paper. It is of a piece of land I pass now and then and for some reason I am drawn to it. So I drew it quickly and painted it so I could remember to do it again some day. Some day...........

A quick thrift...............

Last night I went out with friend Edna. We went to eat at a small place near here. It was Polish night but I had lasagna. It wasn't that good and today I have heartburn. Ack!!!
So on the way home we stopped at my fav thrift shop. I had to show it to Edna. Well, they had cups and saucers. Edna is a fan of English china. She got the best one too.
I just had to show my finds.

That set is actually a beige/cream colour. The one Edna got was black with Anemone inside in reds and purples. It was beautiful. Still I am also happy with mine and I found one with Violets on too.

They all need a good wash.
Then, and oh I just had to get it.......glass. I found another fruit bowl. Really heavy so I assume its cut glass. I am not sure how to tell for sure. Well this is the bowl.It actually looks like moulded glass. I will try to find out. Its not as sparkly as the others I found before but is very heavy.

The next piece once probably had a lid. I didn't care that it was missing because I wanted it as a plant holder. It too is really heavy.

I found this little tea pot. It's not usable. Thats fine, I want it for a planter as well. I think it would look nice with an ivy in it. Someone hand painted it, a small clay tea pot that was probably very plain.

Then this small tea pot to add to my Oriental collection. I have no idea why I am collecting them except that they are so delicate. I may end up giving them all to my son Jason.

In the picture above is the small tea pot that I found and the dish that I already had. Here are some more that I have found over time at garage sales.





The above are all Japanese, the next is made in China

The next I have no idea but it is so unusual.

This last thing I found last night is for the garden in some way or other.


So as you see it was a rather productive stop. I have not been in there for awhile. Last week Edna and I had gone in some Thrift shops and Antique shops but had not found anything worth showing. I did buy the crochet runner that I have displayed these items on, but that was it. I have a whole basket of linens that need to be ironed and starched. I should get to that.

Sharing this with Shabbilicious Friday
Also with The Dedicated House Make it Pretty Monday

Inside plants................

Not a lot to talk about of late. I am going to show you my house plants for now. The African Violets are blooming. They do better than most of the house plants. They love the window they are in and bloom non stop.



There are a couple of other colours but not blooming yet. In the kitchen window I have an Azaelia that my son bought me a couple of years ago now. It was outside last summer and did really well. It is beginning to bloom now. Just a few blossoms. I forgot to take a picture but my Christmas Cactus is also blooming. It does that at Easter and Christmas. I think I might get a couple more of those. The old Faithfuls.

There is also a small herb blooming. At least I had thought it was an herb when I brought it inside.

Then there is a plant I brought in for the winter that is doing fantastic. It is recovering and now looks like it will bloom. I think I will re-pot it and maybe keep it inside. I do know that I will buy a couple more this year. I tend to like plants that thrive'

Well what can I say, not very good pictures but just wanted to post something for now. I am thinking that I may go to some thrift shops tomorrow. So maybe I will have something to talk about then.

March thrifty.........

I took a few moments to go to my fav thrift shop yesterday. Laura came over and we escaped for a few minutes. Well an hour and a half but who's counting. The thrift shop I like is now jacking their prices up I have noticed. If they keep that up I will not be shopping there much longer. What a shame.

So That is my finds. I have no idea why I bought the bear but it was just so sweet. The clothes look hand made, no idea if they are or not but here is her picture. I like the details on her outfit.



You all know I collect plates. Last year I was collecting plates for garden ornaments. Not sure why I got these except they are my colours. I already have them situated around the house. This one was the cheapest and not usually something I would buy but there was something about it I liked. May weed it out later when something better comes along but for now it has its place

This little blue one is Limoges France, but it has a small chip in it. I put that in the blue bedroom.

Violets, because I collect Violets

This beauty is hand painted and signed. Its my dining room colours so thats where she will live.

I also found 99 cent birthday cards. Had to pick a few of those up just for the heck of it.

So that was a quick expedition and a few finds. I put back a couple of cups and saucers, I was not that keen on them so I restrained myself. They were more than I wanted to pay.
Linking up with Ivy and Elephants
Linking with Adorned from above
Also linking with Shabby Art BotiqueShabbilicious Friday and also with Pink Saturday

Downton Fashions..............

I am sure there are a lot of Downton Abbey fans out there, me among them. I love so much about those British period TV shows. I love the elegance of the times. Well, if you were rich at least. I love the manners, poise, tradition and the clothes. I think that Downton gives us a great insight into that. Julian Fellowes does a wonderful job of transporting us to another time. The family at Downton, upstairs and down have their own brands of snobbery. It shows all of them are human and vulnarable.
However this is not about all that........it's about the clothes.
Carolyn McCall is the designer.
The series does span several decades. Check the timeline highlighted.The clothes show the changing fashions through time with Violet being an old Edwardian going through to the 1920a, so I am sure it was quite a challenge. Here are some highlights



Do you wonder what becomes of all of the wonderful clothes after the series ends?Well for one thing 40 odd gowns etc will go on tour or at least will be at the Biltmore Estate.



I would love to get some close up of the bead works and embroidery on some of the dresses.

If I were doing this right I would have had them in order but I didn't think ahead now did I.
Well, I hope you will see some of the excellent work on some of the links I have put in. I hear that next season, 6 will be the last. Well Violet (Maggie Smith) makes the show with her wonderful face and one liners. What an actress she is. Well as she herself says, Maggie that is, Violet is old and if they go beyond next season she would be 110 haha. So it would not make sense. Sadly. Anyway, you can see more costumes on some of the links. Have fun
Linking with Adorned from above