Monday, August 31, 2009

You got the time?

Ya, I have the time, all sorts of different times. Don't count on these vintage rhinestone clocks to tell you the time cause their times are different. Their hands never move, they display the exact same time every time. Sure, it's 1:25 somewhere, 2:06, somewhere else, 10:16 in another place, another country. If you need to be on time, don't count on these clocks, you could end up being late or real early:))

(Click on the pictures to enlarge them)


I was playing around with the vignette I created for Chippy Paint Fridays. I'm always moving things around, trying to capture a different look. I moved all these vintage rhinestone clocks out of our bedroom and brought them out here.


Every single one of these clocks, I won on auction. Didn't matter to me whether they worked or not, I didn't buy them for their intended use, I bought them because they were and still are, absolutely charming! This little clock is made by Phinney Walker.


This is my absolute favorite, just love the pink rhinestones and pearls and the design is so original and breathtaking gorgeous!, I've never seen another one like it and doubt I ever will, made by Landau.
This wind up clock is made by Semca and I just love the light green rhinestones.



How gorgeous is this vintage windup clock? Just smothered in clear rhinestones, not one rhinestone is missing, made by Bradley.


This clock is made by Westclox and is a Baby Ben clock. This clock is a little larger than most of the other clocks but I just loved the color of clock and the rhinestones outlining the face of the clock, just stunning!


This little cutie is made by Bradley and was one of the first clocks I won. A few of the rhinestones have darken over time but their all there.


This little pretty clock is made by Phinney Walker. I just love the design of the larger rhinestones, shaped like a heart, so sweet!

Do you want to create a pretty vignette? Go gather some of your favorite collections and display them all together. One easy trick is to make sure some of the items are at different heights to create some interest. More tips to follow in further posts.

Make it a great week, Janice

Thursday, August 27, 2009

It's Chippy Paint Fridays!!

Welcome to the 10th segment of Chippy Paint Fridays! I'm so happy your here and I hope you enjoy your visit.


This is the beginning stages of building a vignette around an old chippy paint corbel that my mom bought for me on my birthday a few years ago. Up until this point, I've had it in my master bathroom with a big chunky candle sitting on top, dreaming of the day when I would have enough time to take a nice long bubble bath, with the lights turned down low, sipping a glass of wine as I watch the light flicker from the candle glow. No time for a bubble bath in three years so it was time to take the corbel outta the bathroom and create something different around it.

After playing around with different items, I decided on this as a vignette.


I'm loving this look, how bout you? An old millinery hat is perched on top with a vintage strand of pearls. A few old make up compacts, a rhinestone clock and an embellished bottle completes the look. All of these items adds a feminine touch to the big chunky, chippy paint corbel.


A few close ups so you can appreciate the beauty of the chippy paint.:))


Here's another look




Crackly, peely, chippy paint!

The corbel looked like this (but was in the bathroom) and with a little imagination and with some pretty neat vintage items, it now serves as the back drop for a feminine vignette.

Simply elegant!

What do you have that's chippy paint?

Make it a great day, Janice

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Lemon Blueberry Bread

On Thursday, I was out running errands and the next thing I knew I was in the Home Goods parking lot, seriously, I don't know how that happened, haha. Since I was already there I thought it best to go inside and look around. I found this


A Vera Bradley cookbook. Am I the only person who didn't know that Vera Bradley had a cookbook? I thumbed through the pages and saw some amazing recipes and pictures, and cute graphics, so in the shopping cart it went. When I got home, I read though every single recipe and decided to try this


Lemon Blueberry Bread

This is what you need to make the bread


1.5 cups flour


1 teaspoon baking powder


1/8 teaspoon salt


6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened ( I used butter)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs


1/2 cup milk


2 teaspoons lemon zest


I cup blueberries, tossed with 2 teaspoon flour (you can use fresh or frozen blueberries, I used fresh blueberries).


to make the lemon glaze that goes on top of the bread


1/3 cup sugar


3 tablespoons lemon juice (I used fresh lemons)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.


Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. (Begin and end with the flour mixture). Fold in the lemon zest and blueberries. Pour into loaf pan.


Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a took pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Pierce the warm bread with a fork. Pour the warm Lemon Glaze over the top. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes of longer. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


Lemon Glaze


Combine the sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently.


This bread is just delicious, so moist, it practically falls apart when you slice it. I especially liked the bread because the lemon is not overpowering, just enough to let you know there's lemon in it.


I made two loaves of bread, it's that good. My family just loves it!

Come on over if you get the chance, I'll have a fresh pot of coffee and some lemon blueberry bread waiting for you.

And coffee always tastes better served in a vintage, pretty coffee cup, don't you agree?

Let me know if you try the recipe, I highly recommend it!

Make it a great day, Janice:))


Friday, August 21, 2009

It's Chippy Paint Fridays



Hello everyone,


It's Chippy Paint Fridays at the Faded Cottage. I'm so glad you were able to stop by to see the 9th segment. Today, I am featuring a chippy paint, pink wrought iron chair, chipped to perfection!


I bought this many years ago from one of my favorite sellers on ebay. She always had the most amazing items and I was a regular buyer from her.


When I saw this chair she had listed, I knew right away I would be the new owner! Lots of people were bidding on this chair (can you blame them?). With a minute left before the auction ended, I placed my final bid. Anticipation was building, I was nervous, doubtful, unsure if my last bid was high enough to win the auction.


I hit the refresh button, and there it was, my name appearing as the highest bidder,


I was toooo excited as I loved that chair from the moment I saw it.


The excitement quickly wore off when I was sent an email stating the shipping cost for this one of a kind chippy paint, pink wrought iron chair.


I stared at the email, trying to take it all in, yep, $40.00 to ship this item which of course didn't include what the final bid was. I called myself all kinds of ugly names for winning the auction. I paid the money and waited the arrival of the chair.




And the huge box came. I ripped it open, took the chair out and there she was in all her glory, beautiful, chippy paint, the prettiest faded pink and white color, gorgeous design on my new vintage chair.



I would tell you what the final cost was for this chair however, my husband reads my blog every once and awhile and if he knew the cost, he might start paying closer attention to how much money I spend, (and I can't have that!), hahaha.


Thanks for stopping by, your presence is greatly appreciated and a big thanks to all those who left the nicest comments on my last post, they mean the world to me!

Have a fabulous weekend and I'll be posting real soon.:))

Sunday, August 16, 2009

~*Ikea & Craigs List*~


Last Sunday, I was trying to build my courage to clean my oldest son's bedroom, it was a wreck!! I walked into his room looked around, walked out, shaking my head, not ready to commit myself for the task.

I got onto the computer and looked at Craigs List, looked in the furniture section. An ad appeared for an Ikea white slipped covered sectional couch, I truly gasped, no kidding. I called the phone number that was listed on the ad and yes it was still available. My husband and I ran some errands and while doing so I was imagining how that white slipped covered sectional would look in our formal living room, or in the family room. I talked to my husband about the couch and we agreed to get it.


With the last week being extremely hectic around here, I didn't have a chance to do any sort of rearranging of the formal living room. Yesterday, I called my sister Mary over for some advice (she lives across the street from me). We decided the sectional looked the best, the way you see it. I moved an old door that was in the foyer and moved it into the corner as I thought the corner needed something with height. I moved funtiure around, moved furniture out, cleared out china hutches, moved a china hutch in my bedroom, moved stuff in the garage. My back was killing me from moving furniture and the only cure I know for a backache is wine, yep, two big glasses of wine will do the trick so I continued on.


I'm really happy with the way the room looks.


A yoyo pillow my mom made me adds a splash of color to the couch.

This is what the other side of the room looks like.


A vignette in the room, not to sure if I like the way it looks.

The formal living room and dining room is one big open area. When your sitting on the couch you have the view of the dining room and this is what you will see.


I started this project around 5:00 pm and finished at 11:00pm but the finial outcome was well worth it.

A beaded dome vignette in the dining room.

Make it a great Sunday, Janice:))


Friday, August 14, 2009

It's Chippy Paint Fridays!



Yep, it's that time again. This is the 8th segment of Chippy Paint Fridays! I'm glad you all could stop by. This Friday, two fabulous friends will be joining along with me. Please stop by their blog and see what they have that's chippy paint.




Your gonna love their treasurers.

Oh, I just love it when people join along, the more the merrier.

When I started this segment, I was only going to have it for 8 weeks but , I'm kinda rethinking that idea. I think I will post this segment for a couple more weeks as I have a few more items (just a few) that's chippy paint. Wanna see a weathered pink wrought iron lawn chair that's all chippy? You'll have to wait until next Friday to see that, haha


Today for Chippy Paint Fridays, I'm featuring a vintage pink window

Love the design of this window.

This is the back side of the window.
Most of the paint has chipped away.


The original hardware is still intake, do you see the chippy paint?



Layers of pink and white flaky, chippy paint! It took approximately 60-70 years to achieve this fabulous, naturally worn look!


This is my favorite, chippy paint window!

Make it a great Friday, Janice


Monday, August 10, 2009

Just my rambling thoughts


Hello everyone, I sure hope you all had a fabulous weekend and enjoying all the wonderment's of summer.



I really do enjoy my little piece of the internet with my blog but sometimes circumstances prevent us from posting everyday, which has been my case. I'm suppose to be working on a few projects that have deadlines but I just had to post, you know what I mean?



Our summer has been pretty laid back until this week. Extremely busy, why does it always happen this way, why can't we just ease into it, slowly so we can enjoy the process, the adventure of it all?



So here's whats going on. The deadlines I mentioned, it all has to be done tomorrow, no exception. I work better under pressure so it will all get done with minutes to spare. Wednesday, I'm working late at work, won't get home till 10:00pm, then raise and shine Thursday to do it all over again, yippee, me!


Looks like we are going out of town, again, so that means laundry and packing needs to be done. Do I hear any volunteers out there??hahaha.

And with all of this going on, I want to do a post about something that happened on Sunday, I bought something new, well it's not really new, but it's new to me, I can't wait.

In the meantime, enjoy some fun in the sun.



I'll be back later this week, Janice:))