OK, now don’t expect anything too fancy… and don’t expect any thing super expensive… and for heaven sakes whatever you do don’t expect CLEAN!! Now with all that in mind you may take a peek at where I create. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage touches here and there.

Sitting at the sewing machine is a daily activity for me. So I’ve got a great cushion for my fanny! I’ve tried to add some of my favorite touches: like vintage quilts, linens, buttons and ribbons. Believe it or not, I have evolved from a vintage baby dress re-storer, ( say that fast 5 times) to a designer of quilted baby shoes, to now a designer of quilted baby shoe patterns. Which I sell to creative, quilting type gals and also to darling quilt shops.

I have collected dolls for years and am still a little girl at heart! Can you tell? I even hide things behind lovely fabrics too, so don’t even ask me whats behind the bookcase, cuz I’m not tell’n ya, and trust me you don’t want to know.

I found this white shelf and use it to display some of the shoes and boots I have created over the last several months. (some are vintage ones too)

My little shabby chalk board keeps me on task. Ya right! It sounded good tho didn’t it?

This is my very cluttered, but very sweet bulletin board. Believe it or not I know where every thing on it  is too!

When ever I need some storage or something to hang on the wall, I go searching in the back yard. I love using garden elements here and there.

Here are some of my favorite little vintage baby gems hanging across the wall. They are so tiny and sweet and come in such yummy soft pastel colors! So fun to fix up and clean. Well, a little fun.

The details are so amazing! I would never have had the patience for sewing those “itty bitty” pin tucks. It just wouldn’t have happened!

I wanted a very simple window treatment, so I did a valance. But then decided to add tied white vintage hankies for a shabby flair and then finished it off with a curved black iron wall piece. One day it almost fell on my head! I know what your thinking , but don’t say anything.

I love the whole trash to treasure thing! These shutters were left by the side of the road. Yippie, guess they had my name on them. I didn’t even have to paint them either. I just cleaned them and hung them up! The vintage china plates are from a garage sale (like 25 cents each) crazy!

I thought that this little plaque was so cute. “The beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home“. Well I guess that just about wraps up my sewing room tour.

This is where I create… this is where I sometimes get frustrated… this is where I wait for inspiration to come, (ya I’m usually in here awhile) and… this is where I go to get away from the world.

So… ladies, where do you create??

Welcome to another fun Vintage ABC Party at Etsy Cottage. They are always so fun to participate in. I love to see what treasures every one shows. Come join me…

C is for China… My favorite is an English china set I got at a wonderful antique shop. I love the tiny pink flowers.

It looks pretty great with my blue transfer ware. Don’t you just love mixing and matching?

C is for centerpiece… I loved doing this English garden centerpiece, starting with a pretty vintage tea pot, lovely flowers, vintage china and vintage tablecloth. All for a garden tea party for my friends.

D is for Dolls… some of my favorite treasures are my 1940’s Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls. Such as Goldilocks and Little Bo Peep.

One year I participated in a Valentines Day Tea Party featuring several of my Vintage Dolls. This picture shows my adorable Cupie doll from 1967, a darling unknown doll from 1961 and of course another sweet Nancy Ann doll.

D is for Dresses… Vintage baby dresses that is. I have refurbished and restored vintage baby dresses for several years now and here are a sampling of some of my favorites. Take a look at this peach one with all the sweet embroidery details. It is from the 1940’s.

This fun bubble bum pink checked dress is from the 1950’s. I just love the details of buttons and lace on the bodice.

Let’s not leave out the little boys! Here is an adorable sailor set from the 1940’s. I like the cute little anchors along the front and of course the sailor collar!

There you go… that is my Vintage ABC collection for today.

Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Now off to visit yours.

It starts with a lovely pink vintage tablecloth of red roses and pink hydrangeas. Add some very pretty dishes with a delicate cottage rose design.

Of course there should be fresh cut roses from the garden, displayed in a old English vintage pitcher.

A perfect setting for a delightful brunch, an English tea luncheon or just a fun get together with the girls. This was my Mothers Day table scape this year and  I figured since I am the only woman in my house,  I’m going to go for sweet and feminine. It was a fun and lovely Sunday for me, spent with my family!

Try using cottage pink and shabby roses for your next get together!

What do you have planned for your holiday table this year? Are you looking for a few last minute table scape ideas? Well, take a look at the one I did for our Christmas dinner.
I love mixing gold, cream and red with splashes of other Christmas colors. I must confess that most of the decorations that I use are vintage style ones I’ve collected for years, or new ones that I’ve purchased from T.J Maxx, Home Goods and Marshalls. Most are lovely designer pieces, but at terrific discount prices. That’s the way I love to shop!

I began layering of course (I love layered tables) with a beautiful heavy gold and cream linen tablecloth from Home Goods and then added a gold silk table runner down the center with a red velvet circular table topper in the middle. I really think that it’s fun to blend different colors and textures on a table. Next, I carefully got out my vintage holiday china, matching holiday goblets and gold flatware and went to work on creating a festive centerpiece.

I found this lovely vase with Santa working in his workshop at T.J. Maxx for $3.99!! Can you believe it? And it is really well made. (looks like a Fritz and Floyd) Anyway, I decided to fill it with huge rose buds of red and cream. They were so lovely and so fragrant. They came with the greenery and the baby’s breath too!
I decided to really jazz it up a bit, by adding a long strand of garland made with faux pearls and then scattered tiny vintage holiday ornaments around. It really helped the centerpiece to pop! On each side of the centerpiece I added my vintage brass candle sticks and red candles. I absolutely love lit candles for special dinners don’t you?

Now on to the napkins and favors! I found some pretty gold silk/nylon napkins at Marshalls and then I added a sweet old fashioned vintage glass style ornament for each guest to take home. They were simply attached with a soft lovely red ribbon.

For a nice finishing touch I tied holiday ribbon bows to each chair, so that everything would have a special look and feel for my festive Christmas dinner.
I hope that taking a look at some of my ideas have helped to spark your creative thoughts and maybe you will try incorporating some of your special vintage pieces mixed with some new ones this year on your holiday table!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!