White O'Morn Cottage

Shopping Trip Show and Tell

Yes, I have been shopping. It's not easy but someone has to do it. My husband hates it so I get to do his quota too!

I went looking for some stylish storage boxes for my vintage lingerie inventory for my website: Silver Screen Vintage.

At the moment I have them stored in ugly gray plastic boxes that I hate the look of...soooo - look at the beautiful hat boxes and small steamer trunk style box I found for them. They have amazing graphics on them (see close ups shown here) and are so lovely to look at I can store them in the conservatory.

The trunk box holds all my vintage nylon slips and the other three store the gorgeous pin up panties and bloomers and vintage hats. The link to site is on my sidebar if you want to have a browse.

Wendy at Crickleberry Cottage Creations & Collectibles                  Etsy (ctb003) sent me a wonderful sugar shaker stuffed full of buttons, brads, bits and bobs! ...and she threw in sweet little extras. I love them Wendy! Thanks so much. I will even make cute pink nests from the packing straw. Be sure to visit her on Etsy.com as she has the most wonderful things!

Then, this morning I got to pop into my local St Vincent de Paul thrift shop/charity shop and found this cheerful set of cottage stationery for only €4 (four Euro) about $6. It conists of an address book, a day book, 10 cards & envelopes. So my shopping addiction is sated for another few...(days!)

Expressions

I have just been to Country Cottage Chic and oohhed and awwwed over two little vintage dollies she has there. The expressions on their little faces are so cute! It got me thinking about my favourite inanimate objects that have very expressive faces.

First is my hand crafted ballerina. I made her from a wooden peg and pipe cleaners, piece of felt for tutu and some lace and bows, used a gold pen to give her ballet slippers and eh...I don't know how she ended up having a bad hair day but I can't be good at everything! Anyway when it came to painting on a face I knew I was not up to doing good eyes so I gave her closed ones which I think gives her a dreamy expression.. She hangs on my Christmas tree every year.

Next comes two little doggies. The white one is ceramic and has one leg up scratching. He tends to wobble to which makes him look like he is really doing it!

The yorkie candle dog has a great look to his face. Sort of a sheepish grin (huh?) I like to pose them together for max effect.  This is one candle that wont ever be lit for sure!

Todays Rosy Finds

Aren't these thrifted items so pretty? A beautiful rose locket, a little tarnished but so shabby chic gorgeous. I think I'll hang it in the bedroom draped from the mirror on the dressing table.

The other item is a small beautifully handmade stuffed rocking horse. Perfect for an unusual pin cushion. Again roses to the vintage fabric. Fine china swan handmade in Galway pin cushion/or trinket holder. I added a heartshaped cushion with a pink bow (that fell off my knickers) Looks much better on the swan... Delightful!

Thrifted Treasure & Airport Security (huh?) Yeah!!!

  Today I found a lovely vintage sewing box in my favourite thrift shop, St. Vincent de Paul, Kilbarrack, Dublin.  I was on the hunt for vintage thingies to sell on my website. (Er...needless to say I have decided to keep it, an absolute necessity, ...no.. really... I didn't have one... and ...have always wanted one and...really!...and  eh...ye' wouldn't begrudge me... would ye'?)

I am at that stage where I can "sniff" the air and locate the perfect item - just like that!  Angie, my sis, taught me how to do it - she used to be the manager of a thrift shop and instinctively knows a treasure when she sees one.

She is now a search officer with the airport police and can "sniff" out a weapon on any 'would be' terrorist a mile away.  She, and her colleagues in Dublin Airport Search Unit are the unsung hereos, who, since 9/11, are keeping the skies safe for us mortals who have to depend on these wonderful, ordinary, everyday, special people for peace of mind and a peaceful flight.

My husband, Paul - (the frog lover), is also a search officer with DAA, (Dublin Airport Authority) How blessed, not to mention, safe, am I? ...surrounded, as I am, by these two wonderful people?

***PLEASE, PLEASE ***- don't ever, ever get upset with any of these people, in any airport, anywhere in the world, who ask you to take off your belt or shoes or anything else ...because - be assured- they are keeping you safe... ...from... ...the terrorist behind you.

(By the way, don't ever go thrifting with Angie) - a lost cause if ever there was one, 'cos she can do a sweep of it in a nano second and arrive at the checkout with arms bursting with treasure and a smug grin on her face while you are still drooling over the window display (which they wont sell for love 'nor money, even if you offer your very soul)

Is it like that in other countries?  The window display is sacrosanct until such and such a date? Of course this "such and such a date" is always located right in the middle of your working week. Enough to reduce any dyed in the wool thrifter to tears...Sorry - I can't go on......'cos between Angie scooping every treasure in sight and them refusing to sell me the window display.....Aaaagggghhhh! I can't cope ..........(we will take a break now while this blogger throws a wobbler)

Normal service will be resumed shortly. :-)

Treasure in the post and pocket

   It was my birthday recently and my mam told me to find something nice for the cottage from her. She cannot get out for shopping these days but likes to get us nice prezzies so she gives us the money to find our own.

Well...this is what I found for myself. It arrived in the post today and I am so charmed with it. I bought it from Clare at Vintage Home, she has some lovely items. It is a hand painted and signed 1940's mirror. There is a crinoline lady in her country garden. It is signed JW Hughes, 1940. Quite beautiful! Thanks Mam!

Now for the other bit of treasure - this happens very rarely but I lOVE when it does. I had bought this lovely vintage seersucker robe in Enniskillen, to sell on my vintage lingerie website and was trying it on to gauge the fitting when I put my hand into the pocket and found tucked away in there....A beautiful silver nugget on a silver chain.! I wonder what story is behind it? Was it very special to the lady who owned the peignoir? I spent a few moments thinking about the owner and giving thanks to her for this extra little gift.  

Repurposed old suitcases, schoolcases and picnic baskets

I have just picked up two lovely old Irish schoolcases and a very old German, suitcase, trimmed with wood. I used to have a schoolcase like the little ones in the fifties. My oh my, what stories they could tell!

Angie, in The Old Schoolhouse (on sidebar) has a really large old one that she uses for logs by the fire and a picnic basket that she uses to store vintage linens.

Mine are perfect for all my craft and scrapbooking bits and they look great stacked up on top of each other. Practical and lovely to look at!

Shabby Vintage Easter Rabbit and Bunny

Jayne at Country Cottage Chic has an Easter Bunny challenge going at the moment. Join the fun!

Cute as a button is this Mammy and Baby Bunny piece. It is either a planter or Easter egg holder.  I love the look on the baby bunny's face - sooo contented! The mother bunny has a fabric roses and satin ribbon in her hair. She needs a bit of a clean up. She is for sale at the moment on my website. The link is on the left under Blogs I Love

Vintage 1957 Angel

Today I was looking for something and unearthed this amazing angel. She is a Christmas angel but too beautiful to be stashed away for eleven months of the year. She reminds me of the movie star Veronica Lake, (the gorgeous star who used to have her hair draped over one eye) She is dated and signed on the back and glazed with a pearlescent sheen. Now I wonder what it was that I was looking for!

Musical Lady

I walked into my regular charity shop and heard beautiful haunting, tinkling music. "Ave Maria"  One of my all time favourites. When I realised where it was coming from - a little musical lady that turns as she plays her violin... Well, needless to say ...she got adopted right away.  I love her forties hairstyle and pretty dress and she makes sweet sweet music. A real vintage shabby chic treasure.

Vintage Watering Can Ornament

Oh I love this tiny porcelain statue that I found while thrifting the other day.  A garden scene with watering can and wooden gate with arch. Shiny white glaze with gold touches.  I am going to thread one of the new growth twigs on my rose bush and let it grow through the arch for the summer. It will be like a little charm hanging there. So pretty!!

The lettering at the bottom says "A Present from ?????"

It's so worn that I can't make it out. What do you think?  Have you got any suggestions?  good eyesight? hunches? clairvoyance?