O IS FOR ORPHANS!

It's time for Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we are borought to you by the letter  O
Please be sure check out all the other fun O's 
at JENNY MATLOCK'S 
I am also linking to the other fun Thursday party
Vintage Thingy Thursday

Hosted by the lovely Suzanne at
COLORADO LADY 

Notice anything about the above items???

There seems to be one of each

 These guys I call ORPHANS!

  This Beautiful blue Pepper shaker called to me at a Flea Market, I walked away twice but finally asked how much?  50 cents...OK I'll take it...
so starts another collection....
ORPHAN SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS

 I have animal orphans
 
Japanese orphans

Made in the USA orphans

 Fruit orphans

 Flower orphans

Related orphans

And sometimes you find twins separated at birth

 These sweet "Orphans"  (all of them either salt or pepper shakers) call to me and I can't help myself and I have to adopt them.  They now have a good home.

What do you adopt??


Always,
Linda

SPRING TIME FLOWERS

It is Tuesday and time for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday and 2nd Time Around Tuesday!

This week I am showing some of my Thrifty finds from my Texas Road Trip!  I am doing a tablescape featuring some dishes found at the Salvation Army so I am also linking up to 

BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH

Such a Spring time table

These pretty flower dishes were a set for two

 Two dinner plates, salad plates, bowls & mugs

All in these very sweet flowered pattern

I used a soft purple place mat and added the pink napkin

Blue handled silver ware & a blue depression glass berry bowl

Blue goblets for water,

 

Coffee is also available now or later

A couple of flowers from the garden floating in a shallow bowl

The casserole is ready in its Pyrex dish

This white bird is sitting on a cute milk glass dish

Some of my favorite colors

Everything on this table was thrifted except the flowers!

Dishes ~ Salvation Army   2 place settings $6

Place Mats & Napkins - Last Chance Thrift  (total less then $1.50)

Blue Handled silverware ~ Goodwill $4 (have 4 place settings)

Pyrex Casserole ~ Goodwill $4

Blue divided dish ~ Value Village $1

Silver tray, milk glass dish, porcelain bird & two blue goblets  ~ various thrifts  and all inexpensive

Cobalt blue depression glass ~ Ebay win (OK not a thrift but this set was such a bargain it was like buying it from a thrift)

Hope you will visit other Thrifty bloggers today...See who else had some great finds at COASTAL CHARM  where the lovely Linda is our hostess & the sweet Diane at A PICTURE IS WORTH A 1,000 WORDS.

Hope you enjoy your tour of Thrifty Tuesday!

Always,
Linda

SUNDAY FAVORITES

I am joining Chari over at HAPPY TO DESIGN for Sunday Favorites.  Everyone is invited to share a favorite post from the past!  This is my first old post and it is the 2nd post I did on this blog posted 9/3/08.   I had one photo and it took me forever to figure out how to put that one on here..  I've come a long way baby!  This post is still one of my favorites.  Thanks for visiting!

BECAUSE IT'S TIME...

Sometimes I get a little nostalgic about things that others might find silly. This might be one of those times. Today I sent my China Cabinet to a new person to love. It has been with me for over 25 years and I've treasured it. One of those "new" pieces of furniture that were so rare in my early married days. Not that I didn't appreciate all the hand me downs but to have something brand new was a big treat. I bought the China Cabinet along with a matching table and chairs and was very proud to host my first family get together with my new furniture. This table saw many a family dinner, homework and projects. The table left me about four years ago when I moved into the duplex. No room for it, but the china cabinet came with me, because as one of my friends said," where will you put all your stuff?"
Over the years the contents of the China cabinet has changed. From it's first years showing off my Noritake China to the more casual displays I've become fond of. It has been the display of my ever changing collecting habits. Pressed glass, Blue Ridge China (such pretty patterns and colors), teapots and tea cups and saucers (OH MY). Even my growing collection of old salt and pepper shakers, pairs and of course the "orphans". In the picture it shows the last of the displays before it moved to a new home. There was just a little bit of everything, one last hurrah so to speak. Teapots, cups, saucers, plates (Blue Ridge and Fiesta) a set of old Pine Cone dishes picked up here and there until I have a set of 6(well almost). Egg coddler's, Milk glass and a cat cookie jar that is just the cutest thing. In the drawer below the display area I kept cloth napkins and napkin holders. On the shelves below, more treasures too numerous to mention. All with a special meaning at one time or another.

I gave the China Cabinet to a young friend of mine. She is so excited and has made a special place for it in her home and can't wait to fill it with her treasures. Time to make her own memories.

Why you ask am I sending such an old and treasured friend on it's way? It is just time I answer.

update: All my 'stuff' found a new home in a beautiful China Cabinet that was Mr ALC's Mothers and it is beautiful!

Be sure to check out the other Sunday Favorites at Happy to Design and it's also the 52nd Sunday so there is a party going on!

 Have a wonderful Sunday!

Linda 

ANTIQGIRL!

FINALLY

I'VE LISTED SOMETHING IN MY ETSY SHOP

I have been thinking about opening an ETSY shop for months.  I have had encouragement from my daughters, Mr. ALC and many friends.  I've sought advice from other Etsy folk who have been very generous with their advice and most helpful. 

 Before going to Texas I had the bones of the business ready

Just waiting for me to list some items

I was waiting until I returned from my long visit to my Mom.

Then a few weeks rocked on and finally a very good friend said when are you going to do it!  So I made a promise and 

Friday I listed 4 items!!

It's a start! 

I will be adding items every day (I hope)

Lots of photos to take and items to describe and postage rates to figure out.

I am happier then I imagined I would be!

It is called

AntiqGirl

  Giving New Life to Old Treasures

This hand embroidered scarf I found was the inspiration for my Etsy banner....to me it just says...vintage

 This is big for me since I lost my job last August and I'm hoping my love of junk, I mean 'vintage' will turn into an income 

I promise not to turn my blog into an advertisement for what I'm listing in my Etsy shop.   I may do one post a week about it since it will be important to me, but it is not the focus of my blog nor do I want it to be. 

So it's a new Adventure and a new Venture all at the same time!

Thanks to you all! 

Linda

N IS FOR NEVER

Today is Thursday and it is time for 

ALPHABE-THURSDAY  at 

JENNY MATLOCK 

Our Letter this week is

   N

I have been thinking about what to post about for the letter N this week.  Now N is Not a hard letter to me.  I had lots of thoughts.
Nuts, Napkins, Nortaki China, Neighbors and so many more but decided on   NEVER!
When I left to return home from Texas I loaded my car with all of my wonderful finds (see many previous posts...) and was saying good bye to Mom when I look at my car....

Sam, my Mom's cat was laying on the dashboard of my car

He was just so comfy there...

Oh yes nice place for a nap

THEN I STARTED THE CAR

No, No, NO!  Never take me in the Car

NEVER! 

So leave already he says...

I would NEVER leave my Mom

Sigh...so he stays and I go

I stopped at the Visitors Center In Louisiana

Potty Break....But NO! Bathrooms are closed due to a broken water main....sigh....well the lake is pretty I will take a photo

A this is a NO I can handle just fine thank you

So my next stop is this really cute place I saw on my way to Houston.  It's called Breaux Bridge, Louisiana 

Crawfish Capital of the World!  Really that is what they say!

You drive across this cool bridge and then there is this little main street

Lots of very cute antique shops

 A little Fleur De Lis for you French Loving Gals

 More Antique Malls

Cool rustic junk

Old Silver and Pepsi-Cola cooler

 This store had some of my favorite items

Flamingos!  Cute, rusty metal Flamingos

Neat pelican

 I thought this rusty little truck was cute

 I took this photo of me in a gazing ball...

I would recommend this cute little town for a fun day trip or even an overnight stay at a Bed & Breakfast...

BUT....

NEVER ever stop on a Monday

EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED! 

It was like a Ghost Town.  Nothing was open.

Everything I have shown you was outside or through a window

I was sooooo disappointed...but maybe next time

It 'might' have been a blessing it was closed so I could not buy this guy!  His price tag....Cha Ching! So he wouldn't have come home with me really, but maybe they had a smaller one??? Or at least that cute "I heart Flamingo's" sign.....

But I know where he lives!  Le' Napoleon

Maybe next trip

but

NEVER EVER STOP THERE ON A MONDAY!

This was a wacky N post but it works for me! 

Always (or should I say Never?)

Linda

LE COQ D'ORANGE

Today is Thursday and time for all of us to play with our dishes and create a tablescape  We get to share these with everyone thanks to our wonderful Hostess Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

My tablescape today was inspired by a wonderful giveaway I won from one of my favorite blogs THE THRIFTY GROOVE .  Diann is one of the best blogging friends you could ask for and always has such thrifty and fun finds.  March was her Blog Anniversary and she had several giveaways.  I was lucky enough to win these....

(This is the photo from Diann's blog)

I was in Texas when I won this and could hardly wait to get home and check out this fabulous gift.  She also sent me some other really cute, sweet and funny items.  Thanks Diann you are the best.

Here is my table set for Dinner for Two

These cute little Roosters were part of the gift

 I kept trying different plates

until I found just the right combination

These Chargers are so large and such wonderful colors

The pattern is called Orange Rooster 

I started with a green place mat to pick up the colors in the roosters tail and in the sunflower leaves

I added a vibrant yellow Harlequin plate

 Then I added a dark green Fiesta lunch plate

Finished it with a smaller scalloped edge creamy yellow plate

Then topped it with the off white Roosters that Diann included in the gift

 I used off white handled silverware

 A green water goblet and a amber wine glasses

In this photo I used yellow handled silverware 

I couldn't decide which I liked better so it looks like I left one yellow and one off white set on the table

I used soft yellow napkins in a clear glass napkin ring edged with gold

I found these cute Rooster Salt & Pepper shakers 

in my dish closet.  They were a Goodwill find, made in Japan

I like this table with lots of warm colors

Diann I love these Chargers and they just might end up on my wall

they are that pretty! 

Now don't forget to check out the other wonderful tables 

at Susan's 

Always,

Linda