Birds of a Feather.

We are happy to be joining the White Wednesday party at Faded Charm Cottage.

Click the button and take a look!

White Wednesday

Yoo Hoo!  Anyone home?  Hmmmm, no answer?

Well, can you beat that?  I know that darn Sylvia is home today...

I saw her fly in that side door just 10 minutes ago!

Will you look at that filigree bracket, solid brass.  Whatever happened to good old wrought iron? 

If she thinks she can just ignore me simply because I need a wing with the Church Fashion Show.

Then she has another think coming!

I must have the use of her house for the Thank You Luncheon.

All the work these starlings darlings are doing...of course, mostly me and under my guidance...but...still..

it's only decent manners to thank them.  Hummph!

You know...she has been all hoity-toity since she moved into

this beautiful place...if you like that kind of ostentation.

I mean...a purple glass knob for a perch, really!

My goodness it's everywhere you look!

Custom made with original barnwood.  Lordy!

You'd think the rest of us live in outhouses the way she carries on.

Is that some kind of debris coming out of that window?

How rude!...shhhh! I hear they're new money...

You know what they say...you can put lipstick on a pigeon...but, it's still a pigeon.

Sad, but true.

Is that her in that attic window?  I just feel her beady little eyes on me!

She'll be shooting off that beak of hers complaining to everyone with ears

about my coming here just begging for her help.

What I go through in the name of Charity!

I'll just have to swallow my pride and hop to it!

This is just one of the many gorgeous birdhouses

my sister Laurie has created.

This one resides in Mom's garden.

Laur uses authentic barnwood, vintage hardware and found objects

 to create truly one of a kind works of art.

The Healing Waters...

In early 2009, I finally had the courage to end my twenty year marriage. 

I moved my two teenagers and tiny poodle into an apartment in Baltimore,

life was scary and exhilarating at the same time.  I set about creating a cheerful, soothing home. 

Each of the kids had their own room, which was very important to me,

however, I used the small section off the kitchen den (read no doors!) for my room.

Amidst the activities of the children and the stress of our new lives,

I realized I needed a place to be alone and be calm. 

Now, I have never been a gardener!! That is for Laur and Mom!!!

So, I regarded my little balcony with a wary eye!

Mom gave me a geranium to start with and lo and behold I actually kept it alive. 

I am not going to talk about the tomato fiasco!!

Somewhere along the way I picked up a fountain pump with

the idea of creating my own 'wall of water'!

After MANY consultations and tossed out sketches,

 (with Captain Butler, who is an Engineer, by the way!)

I decided to use found objects to hold the water. 

Since I spend all my free time at the Goodwill

looking at dishes I decided to look for vessels there.

Pictured below is my first purchase! 

A sponge painted bowl from Williams-Sonoma!!

$5.00!!!  Woo Hoo!  At this point I was thinking of a blue and white theme.

When I saw this little delft strawberry pot I thought the water

hose could run in through the high hole and

flow out the low ones.  That idea looked better on paper!!!

Next I found this gorgeous pink bowl!!

$3.50!! Yay! Blue and white went out the window!!

The actual balcony needs some painting...

the doors are all new...a project for another time!

As you can see I later found a very similar small pink bowl for $.50! Are you kidding!!?! 

The little filigree bird was half off at Michael's, coming in at $3.00ish. 

Still need to find a way the make hose less noticeable.

I inverted the strawberry pot under the tiny pink bowl. 

Next I found a pot with a scalloped edge so the pump could hide under it and

the plug and hose could come out from under it with no unevenness.

I set the whole thing on a white turkey platter!

Threw some glass stones around and turned it on!!!

Ahhhh!  Now I sit outside in the sun or shade and read

while the sound of water falling softly next to me

lulls me into a feeling of peace.

Please check out Susan at her Metamorphosis Monday Party

to see some other fun projects come to life!  Thank you for visiting!!

Love, Scarlet

Game Night Parties

Happy 100th!!!

Join us as we celebrate with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

She has hosted the Blog Party Tablescape Thursday 100 times! 

Mom (Eileen), Laur and I thought it might be fun to challenge ourselves with a game party theme!

However, I was not able to write our usual little stories to go with this post. 

I will be back in action with our next post!

Four of a Kind!

Why, it's a group of friends having tea and sandwiches before a card game!

Glad you could make it!!!  Your place is all ready for you...Tiger Woods, right? 

This is definitely your seat!!!

Oh!  Look.  It's Mr DeBeers, darling...have a seat!

Martha, Martha...over here!  here is your seat...it's a good thing!

The table is delightful! 

One lump or two? 

Tea time!!! Get it Tiger?  Wink, wink! 

Don't forget to sign the guestbook and leave a special note for Susan, the Queen of Hearts! 

What a lot of fun!....Thank you dear friends... 

It's a Pool Party!!!!!

Oops! Did you think I meant pool with water? 

 Surprise!  It's guy's night in the 'man cave'

What a spread! 

Root Beer anyone?!

Ahhhhhhhhh......refreshing! 

Artsy through the handle shot!

A silverware tray?  What a clever idea! 

Lustro-ware from the 40's

Hi honey!! All your friends go home?

How about a game of darts? 

Will you look at that!!  I won! 

But, you're still King of the Castle!

Before there was television...

Remember when the kids stayed home at night and the family gathered around the game table?

Maybe even some relatives came by and joined in the fun.

Every one had a turn.  No one could monopolize the game! 

Someone will be sorry when they have to return all these little pieces to their proper places!!

I don't have a clue who the lucky winner will be tonight!

I must admit I love these vintage checkered napkins! 

Everyone from the rookies to the old maids get a chance to play! 

The winner is always considered to be the head of the class!

Of course things can get a little dicey when grandpa 'wins' every time! 

Those were the days!! 

Happy 100th Anniversary Susan!

Thanks you for hosting a 'game night' every Thursday!

We are so happy to be a part of it!

Fishy Business

We are joining Susan at
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday. 

Check it out, there are tons of great ideas!  
Just click on the butterfly!

FISHY BUSINESS!

Well, Mom has been 'yardsailing' like a madwoman lately!!  Here is her latest haul and her newest redo...

Cute oil lamp=3.00, old lunch pail like grandpa had=.50, 

repro tin coke trays 5.00ea!!! (Dad bought these...

he doesn't know a ripoff when he sees one uses up too many resources and is banished from future sales), welcome sign for hunting cabin=5.00 (Dad too) and old aquarium stand=2.00. 

The oil lamp and stand were sanded and then spray painted. 

Oil rubbed bronze is used on the lantern and black satin on the stand. 

Next the stand was topped with a piece of marble rescued from a building demolition in Philly. 

The marble is the perfect fit and needed nothing done to it! 

The birds are Dollar Store and the chamber pot was an inheritance from Grandma's!!!  

All paintings and flowers done by Mom.

Dad just finished the stone on the front of the house and installed the door with sidelights. 

Next he will paint the storm door black. 

(Ignore the broom behind the door! which I didn't have time to move photoshop out!)

Total cost for front door vignette?...5.00!!!

Voila!!

WHITE WEDNESDAY, TOO!!

SHABBY CHIC CHANDY!

Now that we are actively involved in blogland, The urge to paint everything white has come over me!

I have had this chandelier for probably 20 years.   

It is hard to see with the little corner shelf behind it.

I remembered to take a before pic just after we Future Colonel Scarlet started to paint it! 

 

You can notice that the flowers were a creepy peach color and the leaves are green.  The overall color was a yellowey cream. 
The chandelier was made in Italy.  So, I liked it automatically!!
Hey, my maiden name is Balboa!!

After a few coats of bright white paint and some trips to Home Depot the lamp was spiffy and rewired.
Remember, this light hadn't been used or even hung in a least 20 years.

Pardon the wall color! 

That was a serious mistake I made by listening to my teenager's opinion! 

I have Marta Stewart's Fortune Cookie picked out for the walls.

The little server reflected in the mirror was a gift from my Mom

and there are parts of future tablescapes scattered around!

I found the mirror at GW for 25.00! and will be painting it white.  

I just love it and every time I look at it I feel happy!

Check out Faded Charm Cottage for White Wednesday...

Just click the picture below.