Unusual Portrait

I've always loved the old charcoal portraits and photos.  You either love them or hate them. Bob hates them so what I didn't sell I have down at the farmhouse. Strolling through the antiques mall this weekend, look what I found! A silk handkerchief with a portrait on it! There is a small hole in his cheek, but that didn't stop me from buying it. 
 

The silk is so soft and in pretty good shape with a gorgeous monogram on the opposite end.

The monogram.  C-E?  I looked online and only found one like this on Ebay where you could barely see the portrait, so I would say this was a special find. Now to find a place to showplace it!

New Items for the Farmhouse

So I was just stopping by a small antiques mall that I only go to when I need my lemon balsamic vinegar, but one of the booths was having a liquidation sale, and I couldn't resist! They are all so pretty!
 

 There were also some old photos, this was the only one I really liked and it was 20 cents! Looks like a home that would be in the Outer Banks.

Now sitting on the mantle.

  I really don't need bowls, but at $4 apiece, why not?!

   My favorite. Hard to photograph glass with all the glare. 

Somewhere along the way I picked up this linen embroidered tablecloth with green leaves, perfect for fall.

    Earlier this summer I came across this huge amber glass floral embossed light fixture. I was going to sell it, but was afraid the post office would break it. I'm glad I didn't. I am waiting on my sheetrock guy to come and re-do the corner of the living room that had shelves which I took a sledgehammer to and I am going to hang this light in that corner over a little table/chest that has been in Bob's room covered in books.  (photos to come!)

The light has 3 candles inside and a brass top with a chain.

It's hard to get a good photo of this also because of the glare, but once hung against a white wall you will see how pretty this globe is!

Sea of Mexican Hydrangeas

                 I created a monster! I planted two, I now have 2,000!! I am ripping them out by the dozens, but I have to admit when they bloom they are so beautiful!
 

                          Vases are full inside and out. Despite no rain for over a month and a horrible heat wave that won't stop, these flowers look fabulous!

Roses Inside & Out

New found quilt, applique roses started the theme.
 

                               Shabby rose waste basket.

      Hand painted tray for breakfast in bed.

  Found a pitcher to match the bowl I already had.

             Collection of vintage plates with roses, cherries and a fox.

I have been collecting crochet roses for quite sometime. A few of my favorites are below.

Then there are the roses outside.  It was a fantastic spring for roses.  Hoping for a second round, some are getting new buds. 

                                  Butterfly rose

                                               Pink fairy roses on the driveway get better every year.

                                                              Iceberg

                                      Easy on the Eyes which I got at the rose farm last year.

                                           Pink Eden

                             Vilchenblau on left which Bob bought as a gift last year, Mr. Lincoln on the right which I brought from Georgia.

               Bob took a day off and we went to the rose farm again this year, I bought this one and don't remember the name, I better check on that!

Deuztia in Bloom

  After only a few years of working on the deutizia bushes, they are rewarding me with thick full blooms.  It is so thick, it blocks walking up the path to the house unless we hold up the branches.  Once finished blooming I can cut them back and shape them. 
 

    Not only is it beautiful, it smells delicious!

   I have finally for the third time painted the living room and cleaned every square inch from the dust from putting in the fireplace so that my neighbors who have been wanting to see it can come for a spritzer and a walk in the bamboo forest.

    Even though I sold a lot of my large framed portraits, I still have a love of them and have taken it down a notch to small ones I can scatter around. These are my newest, I love the black detailed frames.

       Another recent find with color.

    Limoncello spritzers, mint from my garden and strawberries for the girls!

                             I really wanted to use my punch bowl, but didn't want to do a punch, so ice to keep the bottles cold worked!

                   I am planning on going back to the rose greenhouses this week if the rain ever stops. They had a pink deuztia that was not for sale, it was in the owner's collection, but I have plans on talking to her and seeing if maybe I can get one!