Summer In Sepia

I only nudge the colors a little at the approach to fall. The tones warm up as the temperatures drop, but you will not often find strong hues in close proximity in our small rooms. There's the great outdoors to accommodate that beauty. And it will all come soon enough.

Already the frenzied days of the recent past are melding into the end of the season blur. The summer calendar now as filled in and scrawled as a little kid's drawing. And I often do feel like that youngster in the middle months of the year.

Sepia is the color of nostalgia. The hue of letting go. The cast of light at the end of August. . . .

I have made a few changes in the indoor scenery with that changing light. The top of this oak cabinet is a common stage for shifts in the season. I am loving farmhouse style these days and have gathered up some vintage finds in that direction.

 I have an old fashioned collection of pretty runners to save me from dusting. (Housework is the last thing I want to be doing!) And it's always nice to see a fresh version laid on top of things. 

I don't do much strictly seasonal decor in the house, so you are just as likely to see a wreath in the rooms in warm weather as any other time of the year! And anyway, I needed something to crown the tin tile here. The directions to make this paper wreath are here. (I just found these gorgeous ceramic eggs at the fleamarket yesterday and I'm still admiring them.) The enamel pitchers are also summer finds.

The art of Mikel Robinson that I posted about here earlier is also a new addition to the room. (Ravens are one of the Mr.'s power animals.) And isn't that a crazy wonderful vintage frame that Robinson does?

Rather than big color changes in fall, I gravitate toward more texture. Two big fleece sofa pillows came home with me on my last visit to Ikea.

The nice natural linen sham in back is also from Ikea. (This big deep sofa doesn't motivate me to housekeeping either! Haha!)

A few new laces passing through seem to be always on display in this room too. I couldn't resist snapping that beautiful trim!

I have had this vintage plywood magazine rack for a dozen years that never really fit in anywhere before. We finally painted it to solve the problem. So handy at the arm of the sofa ready for anything.

I would gauge the age at around the turn of the last century.

A big doily makes a nice quick and easy cover change for a simple lampshade. And yes, September, sweet sepia September, will bring plenty of quick changes all on her own.

A bon voyage to August!

Have a great week!

Jacqueline

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A Little French Shop With Loads of Style

Sometimes things just don't work out. We passed through Eaton, Colorado (north of Denver) on a Wednesday, and the shop I wanted to visit is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It stings a little more, though, when the windows you have your nosed pressed up against look like this! Even the Hubs can't wait to go back.

I have been following The French Corner here on Facebook for a while now. I can't even tell you when or how I first heard about their wonderful little shop, but it has definitely been on my "places to visit" list since then. And I haven't given up! I will return again someday in the not too distant future. (We are only a mere 500 miles apart after all...) 

I got plenty of inspiration by just peeking through the windows. And you can do a little of that too by visiting the website @http://www.thefrenchcornershop.com/ The shop carries Jeanne D'arc Living Magazine as well as a few products online.

Can you even imagine what lies beyond these delectable window panes?

We're still traveling a few summer roads before it's all done!

I hope it's a sweet last weekend of August ahead for you. . . .

Jacqueline

Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar.

—	William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury

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Turning the Tables Toward Fall

We don't have a formal dining space in our house. We eat in the same room off of the kitchen for every meal. But that doesn't mean that the table isn't dressed up a little more on occasion.

I  like a simple style for most meals and use a lot of white dishware for every day use. But I have been imagining a setting with these transferware dishes which have been stacked in here catching my eye for a while now.

I have pulled out a few things to herald the month of August and the end of summer. Tarnished silver seems like more of a fall thing to me. And I love monograms all year 'round. You can see the reflection of a single lit candle in the silverware on this table.

The dinner plates have a harvest scene pictured. You can also see a different wagon and barn theme on the soup bowls shown in the first photo above.

This pattern can also be found around online in blue.

I chose an old faded tablecloth by Ralph Lauren for this setting that I found some time ago at a thrift store that someone had given up just when it was reaching its pale glory.

It seems to have all the colors of August to me.

I chose a lettered napkin that often makes its appearance on our table this time of  year.

I am still wanting to keep things light despite the use of a bunch of dark silver and china as a theme. I always have pieces needing a polish within arms reach, so it is only a matter of grabbing a few things already at hand.

In place of the silver loving cups I saw on a recent magazine cover, I am using a handled creamer and sugar bowl instead. I collect the monogrammed ones, but in general silverplate creamers are easy and cheap to find. (Really cheap, actually.)

They make a nice party favor or "placecard," especially filled with something special to mark an occasion.

And of course you could always serve one of the courses from them, or have them hold a pretty napkin to dress up the table.

I often use taller or raised objects as a centerpiece on a tablescape. This one incorporates an antique ironstone cake stand.

A vintage wooden spoon and woven towel adds to the ambience.

A little silver teapot and matching china sugar bowl finishes things off.

I thought I would use some tiny old inherited souvenir spoons as a nod to summer travel. Do you have a few of these to put to use? They can be so interesting on a table.

Are you starting to think ahead a little too?

I hope you are also still enjoying the last licks of summer!

Jacqueline

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Fitting In A Few New Finds

Sometimes a stop at the thrift store yields only one or two items to make the trip worthwhile. This tatted doily is one of those things. I even like the ecru colored thread with which it is worked. Such intricate and dainty loops to the pattern!

One of my favorite teacups sets it off.

One thing leads to another when I am casting around for objects to tell a vintage story, so a few other things got a shift around in this room too. An ironstone pitcher is a great stand-in anywhere.

I wanted you to see all of the wonderful details, so a bright window ledge sets the stage.

The mantel needed a change, and I have been looking for something simple to drape across. Sometimes I need more of a basic farmhouse look rather than something delicate and lacy. The second linen piece I am showing here from my recent thrifty trip is plain but with a tatted edge too. I almost passed it up thinking it might not be special enough. But what was I thinking!? The little patch of linen tones down the dark wood.

I wanted to show the texture of these two hefty and beautiful coverlets as well. I will use them either tossed over furniture or on top of a table. 

The one on top is an antique weave that I found on my trip to the south. The newer and larger piece underneath is all cotton, and was only five dollars. It will be a workhorse piece that I need not ever be worried about.

An ironstone tureen lends its pretty lid for this vignette.

I'm still loving summer whites in the living room.

A closer look at the mantel cloth and the simple objects lined up across. . . .

So many pitcher portraits!

I like this light and viney transferware pattern to span late summer through fall.

I use a sweet little berry dish as a saucer as often as not. So pretty against the lovely handwork.

It's already autumn on the newsstands, of course, and I have to admit that my heart skipped a beat while flipping through this issue. There is a lot of white in it for fall, so right up my alley! I love all the silver loving cups on the cover too. 

This sets the stage for the last days of summer, and leaves room for the turnings of fall to be tucked in here and there.

I have so much enjoyed and appreciated the comments on my last post and other recent ones! Some of you sweet ladies have been cheer leading in the comments since I first began blogging six years ago. Bloggers are the nicest people on the planet! And I have a special thanks for Glenda who is a wonderful and enthusiastic Cabin & Cottage supporter and others of you who comment but have no return link to respond to. Thanks so much for your encouraging words!

You all add so much to the joy of my days. . . .

Jacqueline

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