Freshening Linens

I can't explain to you the effect that laundering and ironing linens has on me. But it's similar to what a trip to the spa might be for a normal person.


Unlike creating something out of nothing, one BEGINS with an already beautiful article. Plain or fancy. And I tend not to discriminate. I love my heavy natural linen table covers every bit as much as a dainty lace-edged handkerchief.



And then there is the endless variety! Colors, shapes, sizes! Embroidery, lace, vintage prints!



I find linen with the lost art of tatted lace impossible to pass by. Sometimes people confuse it with crochet, but it is made with a tiny shuttle, one loop at a time, instead of a hook. That's tatting on the left.


Another serious weakness of mine is embroidery. I find a tea cloth like this pink worked one and react like it was a baby kitten abandoned next to the freeway!



Okay so that's the visual part. If you are regular, you make your bed with newer linens of a variety of blended weaves. Nice stuff you don't have to iron. But when I get into a freshly laid bed of vintage cottons and linens with smooth ironed pillowcases and lay my head down, it's like floating on a cloud and getting a massage at the same time! Oooooooh! Aaaaaaa!



It's definitely one of the things that makes my kids keep coming back home to visit! HA!



And I bet you love old clothespins every bit as much as I do. Little irresistible shaped pieces of wood with a patina. So simple. So beautiful.



I could have buckets full!



I have yet to restore these delicate sheer handkerchiefs and baby slips, and I probably never will. They will lose their wonderful aged look.



I compare these to the two schools of painted furniture--you have people who want fresh paint, versus those who want it chippy.



This old pillow slip is pure linen with a deep lace edge and has tabs to tie it onto a pillow. Not only do I NOT need things in matching pairs, I PREFER to have a variety of whites all piled together!



This kind of laundry day can wait til forever. That's another beauty of it. It's not like running out of clean socks!



I tend to think of myself at times like B. Potter's Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle--

"Lucie opened the door: and what do you think there was . . .?--a nice clean kitchen with a flagged floor and wooden beams--just like any other farm kitchen. Only the ceiling was so low that Lucie's head nearly touched it; and the pots and pans were small, and so was everything there.
There was a nice hot singey smell; and at the table, with an iron in her hand stood a very stout short person staring anxiously at Lucie."



So thanks for letting me share one of the pure pleasures of my life.



Next time you see me, my hair will probably be sticking out all over like a hedge-hog!

Thanks for stopping by! Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline
I'm joining Smiling Sally for Blue Monday!

Endless Summer

It's still early enough in the season to feel like summer will last forever.

And it's a good morning to let all the scheduling fall by the wayside over a slow cup of coffee.

I have my favorite vintage tablecloth covering the patio table.

It makes me forget anything else that may be waiting. You have to have at least ONE of those mornings a week, don't you?

Gardening in our climate requires a lot of diligent watering. So decor takes first place, and the actual GARDEN, second.

The English have charming little linen covers to slip over pots used on tables. (For an example, see the header for the blog les cotrions )

I have mimicked this with a tea cloth folded and tied in back. The bottom corner is tucked under, and voila!

Why can't every day start with a cheery bit of hand made lace?

In an hour it will be impossible to linger here even with an umbrella overhead.

But our little creeping vine manages to get through the hot days without too much fuss!


Thanks for popping over! Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline

I'm linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound!
Bargain Hunting and Chatting With Laurie!
The Tablescaper for Summer Sundays,
And The House in the Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Inspiration Books

For a number of years now I have kept tear sheets from magazines in a few three ring binders that are my inspiration books.



I enjoy a good magazine like everyone else, but one day I realized I was taking more time and effort turning pages than getting to the morsel in the middle that I was really wanting to turn back to.



You know that feeling that I'm talking about? I've seen people in the shop do it a million times. You sheaf through a new book or magazine to give it the ooooh! test. If it doesn't pass, you don't buy.


What I have made for myself is page after page of Ooooooooooh! The criteria for my notebooks is to have no single page that does anything less. Nothing mediocre. Just the sweet center.



My pretty pictures give me a lift like few other things can. I have so many pages now in a few notebooks that I can "forget" a little bit of what I have, and still get new pleasure from my browse session. Sort of like seeing a favorite movie over again. Without commercials!



I have loose categories that I add to all the time. One is garden style interiors, and another is outdoor patio and garden ideas.


Yet another is filled with designers that have similar styles that I love. This photo is slipped into the clear sleeve of the front of my notebook and tells me that Sue Balmforth of Bountiful, Rachel Ashwell, and Cath Kidston pages are all inside. I have visited Sue and Rachel's shops, but I have yet to get to Cath's shop.




I also love good advertising, and have a number of tear sheets from RL ads which are always spectacular. I was hoping that his HUGE coffee table book would have more of THIS! But instead there are a lot of pictures of just RALPH, and the book is pretty fashion focused. Boo hoo!



Now that my kids are grown, I think my inspiration books would be the first thing I would scoop up in a fire! HA!



If ever I need an idea to kickstart a project, I pick up one of my notebooks. This photo comes from my all white collection. As does the following one.


I have many articles from shops I still want to visit. And articles about shopkeeping are part of my inspiration too.


And a lot is just pretty, pretty, pretty.



It's been a while since I had a good session! I think I'll have to get going now!
Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world! Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline

I'm joining Show and Tell Friday at Cindy's Romantic Home,Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays,
A Few of my Favorite Things for Favorite Things Friday,
and Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday!

Enchanted Evenings

Nearly every evening is perfect for an outdoor shindig in the Land of Enchantment.



Though July is called the monsoon season here, that only means that somewhere in the city on a given afternoon the wind will whip up, clouds move overhead, and a few sprinkles will mess up your windshield.



In fact that's exactly what occurred as I was shooting these pictures. I placed an umbrella over the table and kept on!



My table is set with a fringed vintage print tablecloth as a base, and the buffet is set up on an elevated garden stand.



Nice for a garden party, and just the right size to hold the essentials.



Napkins are from Pottery Barn.



Heavy tumblers are our bistro glasses for the evening.



A few vintage towels add character and are always practical to have standing by. They will cover your whole lap if you're not seated at a table.



White mismatched vintage platters are perfect for one plate suppers. The men especially like to eat from the substantial size. There's nothing precious about them, and they're easily replaced.



A loaf of bread . . . A jug of wine . . . And the storm has passed! Bon Appetit!

Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world! Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline

Please check out Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday! It's always lots of fun!
I'm also linking with Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingy Thursday--pop over and have a vintage good time!