Thrift Store Find Capodimonte Lamp

The first time I saw this lamp I didn't think much of it. The second time I saw it I really liked the colors. The third time I saw it I fell in love and had to have it. The fourth time I brought it home! There is a wonderful thrift store called "Forget me not" in the Detroit area. The lady who runs it is just wonderful and you are likely to find some real treasures there. Also Forget-Me-Not is a non-profit organization that helps fund programs that spread suicide prevention and mental health awareness. So there is good for all in every purchase that you make.

 At the store

 At home and all cleaned up!

 My heart pounded when I noticed that the base was solid brass!

Polished it looks like money!

Victorian Pier Mirror

Yay!
This item has been my complete obsession for the last week! I found it on craigslist in Dayton OH and drove a total of 8 hours (there and back) through rain and snow, in a rented cargo van to get it. A special thanks to my Mom for driving the whole time! Hip Hip Huzzah Muffy! The bonus upon arrival was that the gentleman who had the mirror owned a spectacular victorian house with 14ft ceilings and all original everything, built in 1875, and he gave my mother and I the grand tour! There is plenty of work to be done despite the relativly good condition that its in. The mirror is from about 1880.

 When we got there I asked the seller again exactly how tall it was and he assured me that he had measured it twice and it was 8ft 8inches exactly( 3ft 3inches wide). I said great because my ceiling is 8ft 8.5 inches! Daredevil! The things we do for love!

 Its more beautiful in person than I can capture in photos but I will take more as the project progresses.

 This ia a picture from the add before I bought it.

 There is a good bit of plaster repair to be done on the decorative rods. I read about the process of repair online and am going to give it a try and report back to you. 

My plan is to clean and paint the frame then coat with a spray polyurethane which is the way to go if you have a plaster over wood piece and the plaster is crumbling. It will stop the crumbling in its tracks and the plaster will be hard and solid again, it also doesn't distort the carving with the thin layer of spray. Can't tell you how many things Ive saved that way!

Now! To find a place to put it!

Let me know what you're thinking!

Shell Art Boxes

My art! These wooden boxes are encrusted in seashells pearls and semi precious stones. They go incredibly well with everything from shabby chic to pure opulence! I love them and I loved making them. I would love to sell them one day and see other people enjoy my art. Hours of work and attention to symmetry paid off when I saw them in my living room.

                                                        I named them for water Gods

This is Tethes

                                                                         The collection

                                                                            Calypso

Oceanus

                                                                          Pontus
                                                         Let me know what you think!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

This is one of my favorite breakfasts. Apple Cinnamon pancakes topped with peaches and pure maple syrup. There are two ways of preparing this. Sometimes I use a from scratch recipe for the pancakes but the extra light and fluffy box mixes are fine too. ( Although from scratch gives a more organic taste. Distinctly cleaner.) There is also the option of grating gala apples or simply using apple sauce.

Feel free to add a few shakes of salt to finished pancakes to enhance flavor even more.

Never eat alone! LOL

(Actually I do enjoy a light and particular breakfast solo, with just tea, sterling silver, classical music, and me!)

                                                                       Delicious!

From Scratch
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
1cup flour
1tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 gala apple (grated)\
Canned sliced peaches in light syrup
In a mixer beat egg and add remaining ingredients in listed order until smooth. Grease heated  griddle if needed. Pour batter onto hot griddle in desired size of pancakes. flip as soon as they are full of bubbles and puffed. Bake other side until golden brown.
Move pancakes to plate of your choosing and butter while still warm. top with a few peach slices and drizzle a little of the peach syrup onto pancakes (about 1 1/2 tablespoon) Add pure maple syrup in desired amount.
Enjoy!

Quick and easy!
Extra light and fluffy pancake mix
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to each cup of pancake mix
Apple sauce
Canned sliced peaches in light syrup
Pure maple syrup

To every cup of pancake mix that I use I stir in 3-4 tablespoons of apple sauce and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.. Add water while stirring until smooth. Grease heated  griddle if needed. Pour batter onto hot griddle in desired size of pancakes. flip as soon as they are full of bubbles and puffed. Bake other side until golden brown.

Move pancakes to plate of your choosing and butter while still warm. top with a few peach slices and drizzle a little of the peach syrup onto pancakes (about 1 1/2 tablespoon) Add pure maple syrup in desired amount.

Enjoy!

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The Fairfield Doll House

This is the Fairfield doll house. My mother bought the kit from a thrift store years ago and I recently assembled it .I wasnt sure I wanted it painted. Now I have coated it with polyurethane. 

Here is a before polyurethane.

                It sits with a small collection of antique books and decorates the top of my ancient television

This is it after poly

The wood looks richer

                                                                  What do you think?

Antique Barley Twist Library Table

 Hello Everyone!
This is the first of what I plan will be many posts featuring my thrifts store and flea market finds of jewelry, furniture clothes and more and the improvements that I make. I found this table in the dusty recesses of the Eastern Market Antique Mall. It was under an inch of dust and a mountain of forgotten books.  At one point it had been used as someones workshop table and there are several tiny nail holes in the top though it is the original table top. The table is from somewhere between 1900~1920. I saw it and fell in love instantly!!!

This is what the table looked like on the way home from the antique mall.

The table at my home now

 I bathed it with linseed oil and then with the old kind of furniture wax called Antiquax

                                                                    I love the carving!!

  It has two drawers one on each side of the table. I still have to replace the caning in places (at some point)