Over the Door Storage, #2

 

Some of you have emailed, asking for me to show ALL of the shoe organizers I have around the house, none of which, by the way, have shoes in them.  So, this morning, I took my camera around to photograph these things.  I won't spend much time on them, as you already know the story and get the drift.   This one is on the other side of the one you saw last.  You know, lace, etc.  This closet is right inside my bathroom door, on the left.  It is a large closet.  I will show you a peek.  And, this is actually the first shoe organizer I put up. 

 

 I have had my thread in drawers, boxes and thread racks...all of which make me nuts.  So, the day I thought of this...I thought maybe it would work better for me.  I do have to say, I love it.  However, it may not be for you.  I have sorted thread into colors and I can see it all fairly easily.  Then, it's all hidden away.  Like I said, it may not be for you, but I like it.  

 

 This is the inside of the closet.  I knew when I moved in here just what would go in this closet.  I'll show it in detail in some other post on some other day.

 

 This closet is also in my bathroom....back in the little room with the toilet.  Well, there should be something to look at in that little space, so there is this closet....vintage clothing, to begin with, but when you open it up....well, 

fabric!

 

 

 There are four closets in my bathroom.....yes, four.  Two, you just saw,  there is also one for my clothes, and one with a secret collection.  You will see that when I show you the great storage this house has. 

 For those of you who haven't read my blog that long....well, at my other house, I had a studio in the backyard which housed ALL my STUFF!  It was 500 square feet, with lots of shelving.  Wonderful space.  I miss it, of course, but thanks to the storage in this house, I have found a home for most of my stuff....and what I can't store...well, it's right in plain sight.  And, that's ok with me.

 

Now, this closet is in the garage.  And, it's one of my favorites.  Why?  Well, I call it the Tool Closet.

Here, you see more fabric is stored on the outside of the door....

 

 But when you open it....well, there is the vacuum cleaner, mops, brooms, etc.  (Another door, which houses the hot water heater), shelves for cleaning supplies, etc., and on the inside of the door....YES,

 TOOLS!

 

 I love it when I need the hammer, a screwdriver, wire cutters, or whatever, I just walk out in the garage, open the door and there they all are. 

 

 So convenient!

 

 A peek inside.

Now, what do you think?  Shoe organizers.  Well worth the $5, I do believe!

 Well, ok.  So, not many want all that stuff so 'out there.'  But, me, I'm fine with it.  I do love to pretty much know where everything is and be able to put my hands on something when I need it.  

(Of course, that only works on days when I remember where the storage things are!!!)

And, next time...something completely different! 

 Take care. ❤️

from 

Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥

Over the Door Storage for My Treasures

 

Today, for some reason, I thought I'd show you "some" of what I call my "over the door storage."  When you have filled your house with stuff...well, sometimes you have to be creative with ways to hold ALL your treasures.  Sometimes meaning ALWAYS.  One day, I just happened to think I had reached the max this place could hold, then I began to notice DOORS!  So, I drove to WallyWorld to see what I could find that would help.  By WallyWorld, I mean, as you know...Walmart.  Now, right down the street from me is a Walmart Neighborhood Market.  It's good when you need a couple things.  My daughter and I call it "Smallmart."  I prefer, really, to go to our local Walmart....on the other side of town, which we call it "Largemart."   So, that's where I went.

I was searching for something to store things in which might work with a door.  Boy, there's not much.  But, for $5 and change, I found these things we've always known about for the closet -

yes, shoe organizers, twenty-four pockets.  Naturally, I bought more than one.  I was sure I'd need them.

Later, when I set out to see just what I could do with them, well, I went a little crazy.  Without getting up out of this chair I'm sitting in so as to get an accurate count  - I believe I am now up to four doors holding stuff, sometimes on BOTH sides.  In my house, and also in the garage.

Handiest things EVER!

 

 

 So, here we are.....there are linens, lace, buttons, embroidery, baby bonnets, doll clothes, a lovely pillow holding Lavender, a special gift I received.  Tatting, crochet, bits and pieces, filled to the brim.

(By the way, this closet is in my bathroom.)

 

 A piece of beaded fabric given to me by a young neighbor...left from the making of her wedding dress...she was having a garage sale.  

 

 All kinds of fun stuff!

 

 One can never have enough embroidered baskets!

 

 The only thing I have tried and couldn't do was tatting.  I love finding it at the flea!!

  

 I've always loved doll clothes....probably more than the dolls....so when I find some like these and the price is just right...well, they come home with me.  I don't actually have a lot of them, but some.  

Some is good.

 

 So, okay.  I know this would turn off a lot of folks.  Fortunately, I don't worry about it....life is too short.  I cannot even tell you how handy these shoe organizers have become.  I almost hate to make this confession, but there is another one on the other side of this door.  You might NEVER guess what is in it....so if you want to know....maybe I'll show you in my next post.  I might even show you the others too.  So, come visit again if you can stand it.

Wishing you all the best!

from

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

until next time

♥♥♥

What is it about Vintage Embroidery?

 

 Early Morning Light.  You know I love it as it gives each little thing it touches a soft kiss and then silently moves on.  Yesterday morning, as I watched the light move across my bed, I got my usual thrill from seeing the "sun glorified"  embroidered pillow I had just added to the "pillowing," as the Old Navy Man used to call it.   There just can't be a better visual treat than the one provided by the morning light.  Don't you love it?

 

 And, just a few minutes later....that glow is gone,  the light in the room is less dramatic and morning has fully arrived.  This pillow was made from a vintage piece of embroidered linen...falling apart from age and use.  I do love it so when a piece of embroidery has been just loved to death and its parts rescued by some resourceful lover of embroidery.  

And, to keep the record straight, I did not stitch this, but I did rescue it on one of my gathering expeditions.  Also, I did not make the other two pillows....the embroidered one was given to me by my friend, Jean, and the small heart was given to me by my friend, Bibi.  And, I am grateful for their generosity.

 

 This is a fine example of Satin Stitch....one of my favorite embroidery stitches and one requiring a certain amount of skill and patience to stitch at this level.  I hope you enjoy these photos of vintage embroidery - beautifully made.

 

 OMG!  Aren't these leaves fantastic?

I hope you enjoyed seeing these...as I never tire of looking at them.

from

Bird Nest Cottage

until

next time!

♥♥♥

On a Sunday Afternoon

 

 This afternoon, I was standing in the kitchen and decided that although it was dark in here, I could probably manage to get some semi-decent photos of my little breakfast area.  This room either has too much light, or not enough.  It faces west.  I can't handle a really bright room, so if it's a bit too dark, I don't worry about it.  I never have the blinds wide open, as too much light can give me a migraine.  I have a tendency to be photophobic.   

 I have this little breakfast area right to the side of my rather small kitchen.  I think I'm lucky to have it and, of course, since it is small you'd think I'd have less in it, but you know me....."too much is never enough."

 

 And, I LOVE twigs....so managed to drag these in from the property behind my house....a rich source of twigs.  The property belongs to a clinic.  They have an extra acre full of trees, among which are two big, fat, very tall pine trees.  I call that acre "Two Pines Park."  I'll tell you about it sometimes and show it to you....but for now, just know I go pilfer twigs from there whenever I see any "GOOD ONES."  They don't mind that I'm their "Twig Thief."  The really tall twigs by my fireplace came from there too. 

When I saw this twig, I decided it would be great for the kitchen and I could put a bird, heart and nest on it for a little Christmas decorating.  I've decided it can stay through Valentine's Day too.  (I'll show you a closeup of them around that time.) 

 

 Naturally, I have more here that should be here.  I'm ok with it....as I've quit fighting my hoarding tendencies and am just trying to keep things from getting too far out of hand.  For instance, I love old bottles....I don't know what the little one had in it...but the larger one had vinegar in it.  It has a partial label on it...it's from St. Louis.  The little wooden heart on it was painted by my friend, Bibi.

 

  That bird house was a gift from my friend, Patsy.  I have a plan for it...when I can get to it.  I think it may be a good plan, if all works out.  Vintage dishes.  There are always a lot of them around here.

 

 I bought the Hyacinths at the Walmart Neighborhood Market down the street.  My daughter calls it  "Smallmart."  I laugh everytime she says that.  Anyway....a nice Hyacinth bulb and a glass bulb vase...$3.33.  Cool.  They will be white when they bloom.

 

 I loved that tiny little shelf...of course, filled with tiny little things!  These cute birds are Salt and Pepper shakers.

 

 Here's the bird house again.  It opens...yes, plans for that....if I can get the plan carried out, you will be the first to know!

 

 Patsy also made me this beautiful paper heart collection.  I said she should open a business called "HeartStrings."  I don't think she was too crazy about that idea, but I LOVE the one she made for me!!!

 

 Some pretty glass beads and such add to the gorgeousness of the "String" and I love the little silver bird house at the end.  So very cute!!!  It's about twenty-five inches long and I knew right away where I would hang it.  LOVE IT!

 

 An empty thread spool with the words "hanging by a thread" burned into it.  Given to me several years ago by my friend, Kay.  Holding a heart pin from my 'quilt life' of long ago.  And, being admired by a cute little bird!

 

 I love these little cups....very vintage and just had to snap a photo of them with this tiny heart.  I have no idea where I got it...I think in a jar of old buttons.

 

 My little breakfast table is old too and twenty-eight inches across.  Just fits in my little nook.    The crocheted doily, which is quite large came from my mother-in-law's collection.  I remember it in her house.

 

 I've had these various linens in this old compote for a very long time....the red glass heart hanging on the twig usually stays in here, right on top of those old needlework pieces.

 

 But for now....two sugar Cherry hearts will do!!

 

 So, there you are.  My Sunday afternoon in the kitchen.  Now, I need to go make something to actually eat! 

from

 Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥

PS.  I forgot to mention that I am auditioning my white apron collection as a kind of valance thing in this nook.  Right now they are just tacked up there, but I plan on actually making them into "real" valances, which requires me to make a casing for them at the top........it seems I have a way of auditioning things...sometimes they work out...sometimes they don't.  I'll keep you posted!♥