French Country's Friend : Ironstone

Hi Everyone! Before I get to this week's post, I have a little announcement.

I have finally figured out how to post a link to Pinterest on my blog so you can see all of my favorite photos on my Pinterest boards.  I hope you'll follow me to check out all of my French Country Decorating and Garden pixs. Just click on "Follow on Pinterest" in the right column.

Thanks so much for reading my blog. I really appreciate your loyalty and friendship and I love hearing from all of you. Blogging has given me an unexpected creative outlet that has truly enriched my life. So, let's connect! And, please do let me know if the Pinterest button doesn't work for you. Thanks so much. Now, on to this week's post . . .

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When I first started collecting ironstone, I couldn't help myself. 

I couldn't resist the creamy white dishware and bought every piece I saw that I could afford.
I started out with tiny milk creamers.

And added more substantial pieces as I found them at estate sales and thrift stores.
When you hold a piece of ironstone, you know you're holding something with history.

Pitchers were always my favorites but platters and bowls and tureens called to me too.

Ironstone always looks so fresh and appealing.
It's the perfect accessory for a French Country look --
that timeworn feeling of simple comfortable elegance.

Like white fabrics, ironstone captures many different tones of white

from almost-pure white to mellowed ivory with tints of brown. 

Now that I'm beginning to have a decent little collection,
you'd think I'd be able to resist but I still can't seem to help myself.

Anything with a crest on the bottom finds its way home with me. 

I can always make room for a little milk creamer or a petite egg cup.

The Charm of Imperfection
Even things that aren't in perfect condition are irresistible.

In fact, I'm finding I'm most drawn to things that show signs of wear.

Those pieces with a crazed surface
(those little lines that we all develop over the years) call to me.

And a gravy boat that is missing the tip of its spout
holds untold stories of family holiday dinners long gone by. 

My favorite piece to date, is this little pitcher.

I found it at my local Goodwill and almost didn't bring it home because
it had obviously been dropped and had shattered into several pieces.

But it had been lovingly repaired. 

Someone had painstakingly glued all the broken bits back together and
it made me think of it having had open-heart surgery. And surviving! 

Now it has pride of place in my kitchen.
I love the sweet little lattice design around the bottom.

What is it about ironstone that calls to so many people?

Is it because it complements any style from Farmhouse to French Country?
Or is it its humble design?

Is it its pure white tone that goes with any color scheme?
White is so easy to live with. It calms a chaotic room and soothes our busy minds.

For me, its always about the history of a piece. 

I love fancy antiques but my heart is always touched
by the simple things that people used every day.

Those well-loved pieces never go out of style. 

And will always find a home with me.

***

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Linking with:
Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse,
A Stroll thru Life, Botanic Bleu, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms,
Adirondack Girl at Heart, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage

French Country: Little Tables Follow Me Home

Little tables always catch my eye.

Even though I really don't need another little table.

I've convinced myself I can always find a place for a tiny table.

How much room can they take up anyway?

Sometimes they'll squeeze into an empty space next to an easy chair.

Just right for a cup of coffee or a magazine.

A Goodwill find, this little beauty that I painted and distressed has curvy French lines.

Little tables are like those adorable dogs you see at the animal rescue organizations. 

How can you not take one home with you?

They're just so cute.
(This little one came home with me!)

Little tables are perfect tucked into a small space to hold a CD player and a wire basket of CDs.

This one was just made for my vintage glass jars.

Another little table I fell for at an estate sale is this gold metal one with a glass top.
I slid some European postcards between a mirror and a glass top
for a fun look in the living room.

This round table came home with me from our local Paris Street Market
and made itself at home next to my couch.
The top is wood and the legs are metal.

We discovered this table at a yard sale.
Missing its top, we had a piece of thick glass cut to size.
It spent the summer on the patio and now nestles next to a cozy chair in the sunroom.
Visually, it takes up very little space.

Another little wire-framed table soaks up the morning sun in a southern window.

Little benches work well as little tables too.

This rustic bench caught my eye at an estate sale on a rainy Friday. 

It was tossed into a muddy back yard, too "rustic" to sell.

But the bright green was so fresh, I could picture it on my front porch.

The green is almost a perfect match to the green of my house. 

Once it dried out and Ron evened up the legs, it looked like it belonged.
A steal for $2.

Finally, this mid-century metal stand thinks it's a table.
I couldn't pass it up because it was RED!
It's been just about everywhere in my house
but I think I finally found the perfect spot for it in my office. 

Little tables fill a niche without a lot of fuss. 

And you have to admit, they're so cute, you just have to take them home.

It followed me home, dear.
Can I keep it?

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Linking with:
Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Botanic Bleu, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm,
Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms,
Adirondack Girl at Heart, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage

The Best Seat in the House

Has this ever happened to you?

You go into a store for a magazine and come out with a gigantic clock?

Yep, been there, done that!

But this time it was so worth it. 

We'd just strolled down Santa Fe Drive in Denver, had lunch at a Mexican restaurant,
peeked into a few gallery windows, and popped into an antique shop on the corner . . . 

just to look around, mind you.

 I wanted to see if they might have the little white enamel pitcher I'd been looking for.

A bell tinkled and a friendly voice welcomed us as we opened the door. 

"Hello!" he said. 

At first we thought it was the shop owner and we responded with friendly hello's 

but didn't see anyone around.

"Hello!" the voice said again. This time we looked around and spotted a pretty gray parrot in a big cage eyeing us. We said hello to him and he immediately responded with a cheery "Hello!" 

Such a lovely welcome.

So, we were looking around, about ready to leave, when I saw a Bergere armchair 

in the back of the store. It looked a bit shabby but so inviting.

I dragged it over to a desk about the size of mine at home and sat down.

The deep seat was sooo comfortable.  A few stains marked the tapestry but it had a lovely design 

on the back, seat and padded arms. So pretty and a steal on sale for $29. Sold!

If I didn't like it, I could always put it in my next yard sale.
And oh yes, I saw this exact same chair in an antique store recently for $112!

As we left the store, we heard a little voice send us off with a cheery "Hello!"

I couldn't wait to get this chair home and try it out at my desk.
By the way, I purchased this desk when it was painted five different primary colors.
Sanding and painting it white revealed a gorgeous piece of furniture.

Ah. The chair was the perfect size. I could sink into it. Lean back into it. Rest my arms on it. 

It was the most comfortable chair I'd ever sat in. 

I was sure my productivity would soar in this wonderful chair. 

Initially, I was going to paint the dark wood white to match my desk 

but the more I looked at it, the more I liked the contrast.

One of my favorite quotes is from the Impecunious Collector's Guide to American Antiques.
John T. Kirk advises, "Buy it ratty and leave it alone."
Gotta love that!

 I did very carefully clean the tapestry with Woolite Upholstery cleaner but left the stains and worn spots alone. I liked the stories this chair told with its scars and splatters of blue paint.

This chair . . . I knew it was meant to be.
And the stains? What stains? That's just patina!
And so much better than an enamel pitcher!
Hello!

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Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life,
Botanic Bleu, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Charm of Home,
French Country Cottage

A Field of Dreams

I love books.

I could spend hours, maybe even days, in our local library.

It's big enough to have a decent selection, yet small enough to know where everything is.

Our 500,000+ square foot downtown library is amazing. The architecture alone is spectacular. 

But it's so big, it can be a bit overwhelming.

However, our little neighborhood library, the Eugene Field branch, is just right. 

Kind of like the three bears' story. 

Just right.

I love to read and usually check out three or four books every couple of weeks.  

I always select an extra book or two in case I don't really like a book once I get into it. 

There are too many books I want to read to wade through those I don't love.

I've been going to my local library for years and never paid much attention to the name
-- the Eugene Field Library. Until a day not long ago when I was at an estate sale.

Always on the lookout for old books with beautiful covers, 

I spotted a thin faded-cream volume with daisies on the cover. 

Upon picking it up, I was pleasantly surprised that "Brilliants" was written 

by none other than my very own Eugene Field.

It was in poor condition, its pages loose and likely to escape at any moment. 

So I clutched it tightly and took it home with me.

Then I decided to find out more about my library's namesake. 

Do you ever wonder who these people are that public buildings and streets are named for?

I found out Mr. Field had lived in my neighborhood for two years in the 1880s as the editor of the local newspaper, the Denver Tribune. He was most well known as an author of children's poetry.

Interestingly, his father, Roswell Field, represented Dred Scot 

when the slave sued for his freedom in 1853. 

Although he was unsuccessful in his fight,
his case was instrumental in eventually abolishing slavery. Fascinating.

While in Denver, Eugene Field lived in a sweet little cottage
which was later saved and moved in 1930 to our local Washington Park
thanks to Margaret "Molly" Brown's foresight and means. (She's always surprising me.)

It served as a small branch library and now houses the non-profit organization, The Park People.

Next to the little house is a wonderful often-photographed statue called "Wynken' Blynken' and Nod," portraying Field's most famous children's bedtime poem, originally titled "Dutch Lullaby."

The story is about three children who fall asleep dreaming of sailing

among the stars in a boat that's a wooden shoe.

This lovely bronze illustrating the poem was donated to the Eugene Field library.

My little Eugene Field book is now tied securely together with twine 

and holds a special place on my mantel, an appropriate nod to a man who loved books.

"Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night

Sailed off in a wooden shoe

Sailed on a river of crystal light,

into a sea of dew . . . "

***

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Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
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Linking with:
Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life,
Botanc Bleu, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Charm of Home,
French Country Cottage