Mosaic Monday: A Winter's Night

"I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December."

- Oliver Herford

OK, so it's not quite December yet, but this bit of poem just felt right for these winter skies. I'm sure there must be some scientific explanation for it -- the fact that we seem to get the most beautiful and colorful sunsets in winter. So today is a tribute to a winter's sky.

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

What's Up?

Oh, it seems like I have not been here in forever! This has been a crazy busy week, but nice, too. With all four of us under the same roof again, I've been kept busy cooking way more than I usually do these days. It's quite a nice pat on the back to have your college students come home and tell you how much they missed your cooking. :)

Well, we've been dining off leftovers for the past two days now, and I really don't want to see another turkey for a long time... lol. The refrigerator is clean and relatively empty, the dishes are all put away (almost) and the dining room looks calm and normal.

And it's only 28 days till Christmas.

Yikes!

I've been busy also making up some Christmas cards in Photoshop, and a 2011 calendar, and potting up some bulbs for Christmas. I'll be sharing all that and more with you soon. So tell me, what are you up to today? Braving the crowds at the mall, or relaxing after the holiday, or putting up your Christmas decorations? I'd love to hear your story!

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Please join me for Mosaic Monday! I'm thinking that I may have to kick the season off with some Christmas themes... :) The linky thingy will be up by 8:30 pm Eastern time, Sunday.

Mosaic Monday: Thankful

Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I thought I would make a mosaic of things I'm thankful for during the past month. November is a month on the edge of winter -- and the spirit of change is everywhere apparent. I love the sense of nesting, or roosting, or turning inward. The days get shorter, the light at dusk is blessedly warm and golden, and our thoughts turn to the light of our kitchens and hearths. Everywhere, there are reds and golds and burnished coppers.

All of these images were taken over the past week. Our spirea bush turns the most beautiful coppery red, and I love the little leaves. I was at my favorite park, Natirar, when I spied the beautiful full moon over the hillside. The other landscapes are also from an evening walk at Natirar. And the owl -- oh, how thankful I am for having been given a glimpse of such a beautiful creature! My husband spotted him (her?) in a tree as we walked to buy the newspapers this morning!

So, today I'm thankful for the beautiful light of an autumn evening, for the last colors of the leaves, for the endless wonder of nature, and for the blessing of being at home for the holidays. If I don't see you all before Thursday, please accept my warmest wishes for a wonderful day filled with light, love and laughter. :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

My Show & Tell

Happy Friday, dear bloggers! Just a little show & tell here today. I found these two little pieces at the thrift store. They are about two inches high. I don't know what it is, but I have a soft spot in my collecting heart for little things.

I think I was drawn to the carving, too -- as you can see, it is quite intricate for such small pieces. I'm thinking that they are perhaps made of celluloid? Or ivory? Although they are pitcher shaped, they are solid pieces -- decorative only.

Do you all do this? Buy things that you cannot identify and know nothing about, just because they "speak" to you?

Do I sound as crazy as I think I do?

Hey, it's the end of the week, right? ;)

Linking to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday. Thanks so much, Cindy, for being such a great host!

My Thrifty Office

Do you remember when I got this desk last January? My daughter immediately claimed it as her own, and loaded it with books and papers from school. Well, she's off to college this fall, so I have taken it over for use as Blogging Central. Yes, this is where all the magic happens.

Try not to get too excited. ;)

I wanted to show it to you, though, because of all the thrifty items that make up my little corner office. The desk, of course, was a roadside find. Free. $0. (Yes, you may applaud.)

The chair was on sale at HomeGoods. The front legs were scratched a little, so I got it for $62. I think that is a pretty decent price for something that usually retails for over $150.

The tarnished silver-plated urn that holds pencils and pens was a garage sale find for $1. The gold painted finial is from TJMaxx. The hand-painted tole tray was a gift from my dear friend, Robin. (Thank you, Robin!) The small silver-plated pitcher holds oak leaves from a recent walk. It is from the thrift store. I think I paid $4. for it.

An assortment of frames from HomeGoods hold family photos -- my mother, my husband and kids, and my father and his brothers. The brass lamp was $20. at the thrift store. The shade was $16., again from HomeGoods.

I've always admired some of the home offices I see in blogland -- some very trendy, others very feminine. The style of mine was dictated by where the desk actually fit in our house. So I had to go with the hand I was dealt. But in a funny way, I think it fits me very well -- classic, old and comfortable. Kind of like me. :)

Mosaic Monday: Autumn Thoughts

"Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair, Rise in the heart and gather in the eyes, In looking on the happy autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more. "

--Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I don't seem to have words today, so I'll let the images speak for themselves. :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

I ♥ Vintage Linens

Do you love vintage linens? Does your heart go pitter-patter at the sight of an old pillowcase with a beautiful crocheted edging?

If you love vintage linens, please check out my review blog, Little Red House Reviews, for a chance to win a gift certificate from newest sponsor, FunkyBabyMine.

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If you are interested in becoming a sponsor with Little Red House, feel free to email me at mrcarroll@optonline.net. I am currently accepting 125 x 125 button ads at the rate of $25. per month, which will appear in my sidebar under the heading Sponsors. There is a 20% discount for a three-month block. Don't have a button ad? For a one-time fee of $15., I will personally design and create a button ad just for you. This could be a wonderful way to advertise your online shop, or attract more viewers to your blog.

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I hope to see you all soon at Mosaic Monday. Mr. Linky will be up by 8:30pm Eastern time, USA, Sunday night. Have a wonderful weekend, dear bloggers!

Morristown Armory Antiques Show

1.

I thought you might like to see some of the exhibits at the Morristown Armory Antiques Show, which we attended last weekend. These are just some of the things that caught my eye -- beautiful furniture, china, lamps and artwork. I loved these vendors, who set their booths up like real rooms. There was so much inspiration to be found.

2.

Don't you love this pair of lamps? Symmetry in design evokes a sense of calm and order. This particular dealer specialized in furniture and decorative arts chosen for a study, home office or library. Every piece really stands out against that dramatic black backdrop.

3.

This desk (above) with it's leather inset was my husband's favorite piece. Again a pair of lamps provide a pleasing sense of symmetry. I was drooling over the bookcase with it's antique tomes. Bookbinding was such an art in previous centuries. Even one or two antique books lend beauty to any room, don't you think?

4.

And I love these furniture-maker's samples (above). They would make such beautiful decorative pieces in a home library. I always think a room should have one item which is whimsical or slightly off -- like perhaps a piece of modern art in a very traditional space. Or vice versa.

5.

I probably don't have to tell you how much I love this whatnot shelf (above) with it's beautiful china and statues. :)

6.

These beautiful upholstered pieces (above) really caught my eye. I could see that graceful salmon-striped recamier in a very elegant bedroom.

7.

These gleaming copper pots (above) caught my eye as well. I've been gathering a few copper pieces for my kitchen, and these would be such a dramatic addition to my collection.

8.

Will you look at that giant starburst mirror (above). Can you say "gorgeous?" And what a pretty breakfast table with those wildly voluptuous side chairs!

9.

I was drawn to this elegant desk (above). What a beautiful piece, and one that would make a fabulous focal point in any room.

10.

And finally, I had to show you a closeup shot of this beautiful mantle, with it's exquisite carving. Such a perfect example of the marriage of utility and beauty that characterizes so many antique pieces.

Images 1 & 5: dealer unknown

Images 2, 3, 4: William Nickerson Antiques, Orleans, MA

Images 6 & 7: Saje Americana, Short Hills, NJ, antiques@sajeamericana.com

Images 8 & 9: Autumn Antiques, Roselle Park, NJ, www.autumnantiques.net

Image 10: Francis J. Purcell Inc., Philadelphia, PA, francisjpurcell.com

Cider and Doughnuts

When my kids were little, we always went to Wightman's Farms every autumn for apple cider and freshly made doughnuts.

And although they are not little anymore, we stopped last week and brought home both powdered and cinnamon doughnuts. Mmmmm, delicious! And I must say that their cider is some of the best I've ever had.

I made up a little tray to enjoy my autumn treat in style. The tray is lined with a placemat from Raymond Waites. The dish is brown transferware from Churchill. The goblet is pressed glass, and belonged to my mother. The napkin is linen damask.

Happy autumn, dear bloggers!

Mosaic Monday: Blue Transferware

While I've been reveling for the past few weeks in all the beautiful autumn colors, I felt the need to take a break and look with a fresh eye at something decidedly different. So I'm creating a mosaic of blues today, from some photos that are in my archives.

The blue transferware dish (top, left) belonged to my mother. I don't really remember seeing it when I was a child, but I found it in a closet wrapped in tissue paper so she must have treasured it. It's a bit worse for wear, but the central scene and the flowery rim are beautifully detailed. The backstamp says "Semi-China, English Scenery." A little research suggests that it was made by Minton, circa 1830.

The silver-plated carving set whose handles you see in the photo (bottom right) was a thrift store purchase. It is marked "Griffon Cutlery Works, Germany." The handles have a lovely pheasant and grape leaf motif, reminiscent of Tiffany's Audubon series. The transferware platter they rest upon is marked "Booth's British Scenery." I believe it is from the 1950's -- beautiful but not particularly old.

The flowers are from my garden this past summer. Why does it seem so long ago already? The purple/pink blooms (top, right) are physostegia or obedient plant, so called because the each individual floret will remain wherever it is turned on the stem. I'm not sure if this is just an old wive's tale, but I do know that the plant thrives on neglect and is a stalwart grower in my garden. The white blossom (bottom, left) is a Festiva Maxima peony.

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

Rainy Day Reading

Yesterday was one of those rainy autumn days where the leaves swirl to the ground, and the dark, wet branches dance against the grey sky. There is something about a dark day that makes me want to curl up with a blanket and lose myself in a book.

I've been reading At Home, A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson. It is a fascinating look at the history of all things domestic, from architecture to food preservation to telephones to toilets. The book is built around a journey through the author's home -- a nineteenth-century British rectory -- with each room inspiring an intelligent and witty discussion of the evolution of private life from Neolithic to modern times.

For instance, I knew that the word board, in room and board, referred to eating, but what I didn't know is that it came from medieval times, when the dining table in humble dwellings was actually a board that was perched on the diner's knees when food was served. When not in use it was hung on the wall. Thus, lodgers became known as boarders, and "an honest person -- someone who keeps his hands visible at all times -- is said to be aboveboard."

Did you know that the term "make a bed" is literally what people did in the Middle Ages? There were no mattresses, and no bedrooms. You rolled out a cloth, heaped a pile of straw, wrapped yourself in a cloak or blanket, and made yourself as comfortable as possible.

And what about the preservation of food? It is something we tend to take for granted today, but in the 1840's, ice was considered a miracle product that transformed the keeping of food. "In the summer of 1844, the Wenham Lake Ice Company -- named for a lake in Massachusetts -- took premises in the Strand in London, and there each day placed a fresh block of ice in the window. No one in England had ever seen a block of ice that big before -- certainly not in summer, not in the middle of London -- or one that was so wondrously glassy and clear. You could actually read through it: a newspaper was regularly propped behind the block so that passersby could see this amazing fact for themselves. The shop window became a sensation and was regularly crowded with gawkers."

Fascinating, right? The book goes on like this for nearly 500 pages, and if you are at all interested in the evolution of everyday life in our homes, this will be a wonderful read.

Just a disclaimer here -- this is not a paid review. I have not been asked by the publisher to review this book nor have I been given a copy. This is just me, talking about my current reading material. And that's about as exciting as it gets here on a rainy day. :)

Copper and Bone

We had a light frost last night, and I woke up this morning to see the grass under the sugar maple littered with fallen leaves. The pin oaks hold onto their leaves a little longer, to shine like burnished copper in the autumn sun.

All this has sent me rummaging in the closets to bring out the pieces of copper and bone that I've collected over the years at thrift stores and rummage sales and antiques shops. And who can resist a few pieces of brown transferware this season? I know I can't! ;)

I've added other things that I hoard, like the creamy white beeswax candles that I just can't bring myself to part with. I love candles that are already burned down a little -- they have so much more character than brand new tapers, don't you think?

And I love all gravy and sauce boats. They have such a beautiful shape.

So tell me, what inspiration are drawing from autumn this year?