Not Your Typical Dining Room

 

A couple of posts back, I showed you one wall in my dining room.  Probably not like a wall in any other dining room.  Well, maybe no one would own up to it anyway.  So now, I am going to show you that whole room.  It's not a large room, but it is full of 'goodies.'  Very full.  So, we will start with the china cabinet.  It holds my Old Country Roses dishes.  A gift from my daughter a long time ago.  You will see many roses in this room.  Click on the photos to enlarge when you really want to see something.  (I'm highly myopic, so the photos are never large enough for me!)

 

 Just past the china cabinet is a corner that has filled over time.  It all started with that cart, the rose prints and empty bottles.  Just last week, a wedding dress appeared.  This needs some explanation, I fear.  No, the dress has no sentimental meaning to me at all.....it's not a family heirloom or anything.  It came from my friend Kathy's flea market.  Seems she got word of a lot of wedding dresses at an auction....that hadn't sold....would she be interested.  Knowing Kathy...well, duh!  So, a batch of these dresses appeared at her flea market...where I got to assist her in staging a 'wedding dress space.'  What FUN!  This dress really stood out to me because it had no lace or sequins, beads and such on it.  It reminded me of a dress from Romeo and Juliet.  Why, I don't know.  But it came home with me and decided to stay in the dining room.  

 

 Here it is.

 

 A necklace I have.  It was made for me by a friend, gone two years now....Micah.  Sure miss her!

 

 And, since this isn't a typical wedding dress in a typical dining room, I decided that this vintage crochet heart pincushion looked just GREAT with the dress and with a pearl from something old, I attached it to the waistline of the dress.  I LOVE it!!!

 

 The dress has a hint of a train.......

 

 This old vintage photo is of such a lovely wedding party.  I've no idea who they are you know.  There are more of those here, found on my haunts to the flea market over time.

 

 Back in the corner, a vintage cart.  Filled with old linens and such inside two wire baskets.  I have stuff everywhere!!!  

 

 Empty bottles, why do I love those so???  Vintage prints over top....some flags.  Doesn't everyone have flags, empty bottles, a cart of linens and a wedding dress in their dining room?  A heart dish given to me by my Mountain Home friends.  (Just saw them this week...what FUN was that!!!  Love those girls!)

 

Here's a quilt I made several years ago.  I call it the Checkboard Quilt.  The beige small squares have family names in them.  I designed these quilt blocks for classes I did long ago.  The blocks are either hand pieced or hand appliqued, whichever applies and it's hand quilted.  Not many do that any more, so if you do...I so appreciate what you do!! 

 

On top of the buffet....an old piece of door facing trim, a heart given to me by my daughter and a tiny little bowl...wish I knew who made that sweet little thing.  Another flea market find.

 

 No, don't know these folks either.  (But, I think they know me.)  That lace runner on the buffet was a gift from my son when he went to the Netherlands several years ago.  It is so beautiful!

 

 I LOVE the two rose plates!!!

 

 More of the lace to see here!  And, the little chest in the center was a gift from a lovely lady who reads my blog from Alabama.  Sandra, so thoughtful.  It is wonderful!

 

Well, now....the pitcher and two cups, from Kathy's flea market and they are sitting atop another rose plate.  Three old bed springs with paper hearts in them.  Why?  Well, I intended to stitch some hearts and put there....these were the sizes...and this is as far as I got.  Someday they will get done!

 

 Just a few more looks at the quilt.  My daughter tells me I should always have the lights on at the buffet when I'm expecting company, because it shows off the quilting.  Well, she has learned a few things about quilts even though she hasn't the time or the desire to make one.  She's right too.

 

A little stool with two antique boxes I want to line and outfit with 'something special.'  A shell box from Kathy.  And, two old Victorian albums.  Empty, of course, and waiting for me to give them a makeover.  I have a smaller one also...too cute!

 

Yes, more dishes.  I do seem to have way too many (you don't have to say it, I already KNOW)....especially since there are more in other places.  I've just about stopped collecting those...in fact, may sell some of them at some point and some I will gift.  I have been collecting flags for a while....I have one that has flown over the capitol in Washington, but it's put away.  And, you'll notice a Texas flag here too.  You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the girl.  I've yet to get an Arkansas flag....but I'm looking. My son-in-law painted the small flag with the peace sign.  Love that!!!

 

 There are always roses!  Notice that little bear...waving a flag wearing his hat with bunny ears.  It makes me smile!  And, he's sitting on top of books...about the flag, of course.  "Long May She Wave" is a wonderful book given to me by the Old Navy Man.  

  

Most of these dishes were collected over time...but the green set are the first dishes the Old Navy Man and I bought.  Below them are dishes from my family.  My parents bought them in Japan when we lived there in 1947-50.   Yes, they all say "Occupied Japan." 

 

 Well, finally, the table!  Every dining room needs one.  This one has three leaves, but no way will they work in this room.   I was thinking the other day, I should take the one out that is in at the moment.  Round is so much easier in a small room.  That will go on my list of to-dos.

 

Another look at that little chest.  So dear! 

  

 I have this great old bowl...it's really big...filled with crochet threads and such.  Beyond it...you can see the wall I posted about recently.    I intended to show a closeup of that bowl....will try to find it in that magic place where some of my photos always disappear to when I'm trying to post!!!

 

And, we are at the end of the dining room tour.  More of those lovely brides from long ago.  I don't know them, but I think they are beautiful!!! 

 

And now for the rest of the story:

Kathy has sold a bunch of these wedding dresses already...can you imagine...even though some of them are damaged....$15 each.  We both thought that some might want to use them for a source of fabric and lace at that price.  Me, too.  So here is the other one I brought home.  Lots of yards to play with...at some point.  Meantime,  I am enjoying THE STORY.

 

And there you have it.  From my dining room to yours....❤️

from

Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥