Vintage Lace and Other Things

Every time I go into an antiques Store I search through the bins of old lace trim and linens. I found this piece awhile back and haven't decided what to do with it, but I don't think it's going to adorn the edge of any pillows... sorry Ladies, but as I've said before, "a girl can have too many pillows" ;-). In fact I sent a half dozen of mine to live somewhere else - my office that way I get to see them everyday. Pillow love has a strong allure, but we were talking about lace weren't we? Don't you just love the delicate needle work and the beautiful shade of ecru that has deepened with time? It looks almost as if its been dyed in tea.

I've always wanted to learn how to quilt, but the measurements have always thrown me off. Have you ever heard the saying, "measure twice, cut once"? Well, that's never worked for me. I can measure the same piece five times and end up with five different measurements...it's so frustrating! So I prefer Crazy Quilting and this lovely piece of lace may just end up on a crazy quilt, which will then be turned into a pillow. A small pillow in the shape of a heart. Like I said, "Pillow love has a strong allure."

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry? This is mine. It's a mourning brooch from the 1860's-1870's and belonged to my great Aunt Myrtle Hammond. My mother said she was a terrifying woman with a stern look and a loud voice who she met on a few occasions as a little girl. One of those occasions was a family funeral and I've always wondered if she wore this brooch on her lapel that day. I would love to know its history.

Mourning jewelry was popularized by Queen Victoria (who never came out of mourning) after her husband Prince Albert died and I believe it remained popular until her death.
Such a pretty thing isn't it? It's about three inches long, in perfect condition, and stitched to the lapel of one of my coats. I'm not taking any chances of it slipping off ;-0. Not only is it pretty, but it's very heavy.

Okay, so we've gone from vintage lace to vintage jewelry and now on to that room re-do.

I'm a girl who believes every cottage should be embellished with architectural elements and it's just those elements that are holding up progress...

Trim here, molding there, mitered corners everywhere. Hubby is stuck in a mitered nightmare.

One corner takes about two hours to fit perfectly so when you consider all the corners in the room and the windows being installed crookedly it's just taking forever!!!! I'm hoping to move the furniture in on Saturday, but we have a wedding to attend in the early afternoon so we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll have pictures next week...I'm hoping to have pictures next week...cross my fingers that I'll have pictures next week.

My puppies are banging their dishes about which means it's breakfast time so I must run.
I hope you all have a lovely day!!