~~Happy Thanksgiving~~

A vintage postcard greeting to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with the ones you love.
I'm greatful to all of my blog friends and family...just wish I could hear from you more often. Please come and visit when you have time.
Thank you, God for all I enjoy and each day that I have...Blessings to each and every one!!

...(picture compliments of my friend, Rebecca, I just love it, thank you RN)

~~My Depression Glassware Collection~~..and other pretties!!

In a portion of my "tiny" dining area, I have a large curio display cabinet that I showcase a few of my special collectibles (figurines and dishes). I thought it might be interesting to some of you that collect as well.

The top shelf showcases many "hummel" figurines we collected when we lived in Germany many years ago. I fell in love with their little faces and the stories that go along with them. In the front are some of my "vintage gals" that are usually out at Christmas, but I LOVE looking at them all year long....

The next 3 shelves are devoted to a set of depression glassware that my grandmother gave me a starter set of when I was 16 years old. The pattern is Green Cherry Blossom and is the authentic cherry blossom made by Jeanette Glass Company from 1930-1939. There are many reproduction "want-a-bees" out there. She added a serving piece each year on my birthday for almost 5 years. I just love this set of beautiful dishes...I have enjoyed luncheon on it a few times. I plan on having special times with my granddaughters and set a pretty table with them in the future.

Below is a close up of the footed cake plate that is absolutely gorgeous. I hope the pattern shows up well in the picture. You can see the pattern of the branch and cherries and stem in the middle...just so beautiful.

The vintage cherry blossom depression glassware also came out in pink cherry blossom and is also very gorgeous. Although my Grandmother didn't choose the pink one for me, I have gotten a few authentic pieces over the years for myself. I love it too!

Here is the beautiful "footed cake plate" and is lovely to put a cake on.

another view of it standing up and hopefully shows the pattern well....

On the bottom shelf, I also have a small collection of vintage authentic Shirley Temple pitcher, mug and bowl in blue.
My grandmother was a BIG collector of depression glassware and had MANY different patterns she collected. She would pick up different pieces on her and grandpa's road trips between Kansas-midwest area and California where they lived. I could tell she loved the look and feel of depression ware and was enveloped by it's beauty. I too have an appreciation of it as well and she taught me at a young age how to detect the authentic pieces and rule out the reproductions. She had so much when they moved into her retirement home that some were sold and brought high dollars. Collectors from all over came to see and purchase Grandma's stash! They remarked that her collections were some of the best they had ever seen. Some items were one-of-a-kind. I learned many things from her and listening by her side. She had 3 granddaughters and each of us got a set she picked out for us. I cherish the knowledge she gave me and found time spent with her so interesting. I treasure my dishes and think of her everytime I look at them. Thank you, Grandma Frances...and love her heart for thinking of us girls!

To all of you depression glass lovers, please share with me your depression glass collections, I would love to enjoy your stories and pictures....yes, I inherited the "collector gene" too, but on a much smaller scale than Grandma. Limited to this cabinet and a few pieces displayed in my new sewing studio which I will show as it comes together...I'm getting there!

~My Cottage White Project~~

Recently hubby and I have been working on projects and trying to finish them up before the cold weather and holidays are upon us...

Thought I would share 3 pieces of furniture I plan on putting into my sewing studio that had been awaiting their makeover. Mostly, just a fresh new look with a pretty "cottage white" paint! So glad to get them completed...

This chest with it's horrible yellow color will be used for storing sewing items..

Before...

and after....

This ugly table painted a dark brown with a hodge podge top really needed painting and I was happy to get it completed. It will be used also in my sewing room as a work table with storage underneath...

Before...

and after...

I also added a vintage glass pull knob to the drawer. Originally I thought of putting a skirt made of pink and white roses around the bottom to hide the storage, but I like the legs with the groove details that showed up after painting.

This next one is my all time favorite and comes with a "little" story attached to it. Approximately 15 years ago my Mom wanted to have all of us siblings meet for an overnight with her and share with us some family history...she had 5 items that belonged to my Great Grandmother (her Gram) that she had passed down to her over the years and wanted each one of us to "draw" one to have! Among the items were "love letters" between Grandma & Grandpa, an antique press glass spooner, family portrait of the entire family, an old "dry sink" cabinet and another item I can't remember right now...well, as fate would have it, I drew the shortest straw and got "last pick"! I ended up with the old dilapidated "dry sink" and got "jabbed" and kidded about how ugly it was quite abit. Over the years when we were all growing up at home, it had been used (abused) in the garage by my brothers for their car projects and other hunting activities. I remember oil being stored in the lower area....anyway, I vowed to someday make them wish they had chosen this piece and show them another "vision" of it's potential...
I brought home the "poor thing" and it was stored in our garage this past 16 years...well, the other day I asked my hubby if he would take it out of the garage and completely wash it down and let it dry and I started the transformation that I dreamed of doing for so long.

Before....

Some of you might actually like how it came out after being washed up. Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of it first with the dirt & grime all over it!

And after....

I wanted a solid white color that I could simply "dress up"....

My Mom over that 15 years found antique glass handles somewhere and I had those to add after the paint dried.

I just love how she came out....someday I will show the others what they missed out on...LOL!

Eventually, these pieces will all be "somewhere" in my sewing studio which I will show another time.

This was my first time doing such a project and I felt good about completing it and getting 3 pieces cleaned out of my garage!! Doing my part in the "recycling" efforts!!