Friday, March 23, 2012

Home Tour...

Hi everyone! Head over to Debbiedoo's and see my home tour! I want to thank Debbie for featuring me and I hope you enjoy!!

Debbiedoo's

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Mikasa, Pfaltzgraff and Franciscan

Hi everyone!

I have not featured any tablescapes lately, so I thought it was about time.  Today, I'm combining old and new for a fresh, spring look.


I am using a Pfaltzgraff "Heritage" dinner plate along with a Mikasa Gourmet Basics "Brava Yellow" bowl for a spring soup on a dark, wood charger.


The gorgeous yellow water goblet is Franciscan "Madiera" in cornsilk. These are from the 1970s and weigh a ton. My mom gifted them to me, as well as some water and iced tea glasses in green.


The flatware is Mikasa "Italian Countryside."




This is the Waverly toile runner I made paired with the taffeta napkins and bamboo napkin rings.


I always love to include some organic elements, so I have filled the box we made with old bottles, Forsythia, and birch logs we cut and topped with moss. There are actually several more of these in different heights I will be using later.


I have enjoyed this spring table especially with the addition of yellow. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

I'll be featured over at Debbiedoo's tomorrow for a home tour, so be sure to go by and check it out. I'm excited to be featured!





Today I'll be linking up to:

Tablescape Thursday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Home Sweet Home

Monday, March 19, 2012

Yellow Bells

Hi everyone! We have been having summer-like weather here, and although it has been nice, it is abnormal, so I am hoping all the budded trees, plants and food crop are not killed by a freeze later.

I have always loved bringing flowering branches inside, and I got an early start this year. I remember my grandmother's "yellow bells" as a child, always bursting with those brightly-colored yellow blooms. I learned later they were actually Forsythia. I have two different varieties to show you.


This is the kind most people have. I placed them in an old bottle on my piano over a casually draped piece of burlap. 


This is one of the bottles I found here on the property.


These are actually from my great grandmother's plants, and you can see why people here call them "yellow bells" as the flowers hang down and have a bell shape.


Also in an old bottle, these are on my sideboard with some of my grandfather's books and my grandmother's candlesticks.


I also added some to "the box" in between birch log candleholders.




I ended up changing out the matelasse runner for the Waverly toile runner as I wanted more color.


These branches have lasted for several weeks and I have really enjoyed having them. I think they add more of a contemporary feel to all the vintage things I have in here.


I'll be sharing a tablescape this week here with Pfaltzgraf, Mikasa mixed with vintage Franciscan pieces, so be sure to stop back by Thursday for that.

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I have not been able to visit much because I'm busy planning and rehearsing special services for Easter and also working on some recording for my mom's gospel project. But I love and appreciate all your visits and sweet comments:-)

Anita

I'll be joining:

Metamorphosis Monday
Tabletop Tuesday
Wow us Wednesdays

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Old mailboxes and a copycat...

Hi everyone!

Let me say how much I have been looking forward to linking up to Debbiedoo's copycat challenge. I have never had anything to share, but finally found just the right thing.

You all know how everything I've been doing lately revolves around the history of my family, and this is no exception. My grandfather was the postmaster here at the Balsam Post Office for many years. I was elated when I saw a photo on Pinterest with old mailboxes, because I remembered seeing some here. Below is my photo...


This is the inspiration photo from Pinterest. I thought it was funny how both sets of boxes have spider webs on the right side.

(Photo from Pinterest)

Here is a view of Balsam in the 1920s or 30s from the porch of the Balsam Mountain Inn that includes my grandfather's store behind the train. The post office was at that time in the two-story building below. The post office was moved several times as at least one building burned down, and actually operated out of Knight's Store during transition. 

(Photo from the Balsam Mountain Inn)

I enjoyed this challenge so much, and was so happy to find something I could attempt to copy.


Thanks so much for stopping by!


Anita

I'll be linking up with:
 Debbie
at
 Debbiedoo's Copycat Challenge
and
Kim
at
Wow Us Wednesdays

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Country Treasures...

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share some "new" old things I found over at my parent's house.

These sifters are really old and I fell in love with the blue color, which I am adding here for spring.


I can imagine my grandmother using these little pans for something yummy...


This tin is one of my favorite things! I love the tropical scene...


Enamelware is such a classic.


I also love this old colander that belonged to my grandmother.


Thought I should have a lantern too.


There are several of these vintage baskets here, so I borrowed this one.


I used all these things to change up the corner cabinet my husband built for me from reclaimed wood. Not finished--it still needs doors:-) I am still "channeling" a country store feel as my grandfather owned one here. A lot of these things came from there.

On the top shelf I have my vintage "I Love Lucy" coffeepot, a vintage coffee can and my mom's enamelware coffee pot.


I added this vintage needlepoint, my castor cruet set, and some aluminum trays my dad made in the 1950s. The books belonged to my grandfather, and the photo is of my dad and great grandmother.


I brought in a 100-year-old quilt and some vintage linens to soften all the hard edges. I included my grandmother's old iron, her sewing box, some Watkins liniment, and some empty silver frames to update the vintage overload a little bit!


My mom's home-canned veggie soup and spaghetti sauce. She grows all the veggies here then makes everything from scratch.


The basket is on the bottom with some stone crockery.


I am enjoying changing things out seasonally, although I will be glad to get doors on here! What I really love is that these things are all from my family and not mass-produced at a factory in China.

I have been thinking a lot about really focusing here at Far Above Rubies on what I am passionate about in my home and that is reusing, repurposing, recycling and living a truly 'green' lifestyle. I have found that my dad is an expert in this way because it's how he grew up, so I'm hoping to share some more of his ideas for using things we already have in the best way possible.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Anita

I'll be joining:

Home Sweet Home
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Nifty, Thrifty Tuesday

Monday, March 5, 2012

Painting the trim...

Hi everyone! I have been busy painting my french doors, which of course led to painting all the windows and trim in our living/kitchen area. I am reminded that I do not like painting at all. However, I do enjoy the result.


Here is how it looked at Christmas. I have always HATED the white. I always felt like it looked unfinished...like someone primed but never painted. I much prefer rich, dark wood trim.  So I have been searching for a trim color forever.


When I found these tongue and groove boards from my grandparents' house, I fell in love with this gray color.  If you saw my hall bath makeover, you will remember that we put these boards up as wainscoting in there. I was thrilled to find paint the exact same color at Walmart and knew that was what I wanted for the trim. No one trusted me. My mom thought I was crazy after seeing the samples on the french doors. 


I thought it would work because there was a similar color on the windows in the inspiration photo I have shared so many times. 


Then I found another inspiration photo on pinterest...



And I LOVE it! It's dark but not too dark, and the color is such a warm gray that it brings everything else out. What I really like is that it takes attention away from the trim and really enhances the views we have here. 




We will be installing these wormy chestnut baseboards from the old house as soon as I get enough of them all cleaned up. 




I'll share the rest of the updates here and the french doors later. I am still looking for fabric in the turquoise color to add like in my inspiration photo.

But when it comes down to it, none of this really matters. I cannot help but be reminded of so many who have lost not only homes and possessions, but the many who have lost lives during the last week. Although I feel so helpless here, I can join with others praying for survivors and the ones who are in those areas helping with recovery. 

Anita

I'll be joining:

Metamorphosis Monday (Between Naps on the Porch)
Wow Us Wednesdays (Savvy Southern Style)
The Power of Paint (Domestically Speaking)
Show and Tell (Delectable Home)