~I was country when country was cool~

               For over 30 years I have been getting Country Living Magazine and I can truly say it was the biggest influence in my decorating style in my kitchen...I loved everything I use to see in it..All the olden antiques with the great patina of age and just the warm come in and have a cup of coffee with me feeling it use to have...

I also am a copy cat and would copy so many things from this magazine...

Like all these wonderful wooden kitchen gadgets...(picture country living 1988)

some of mine wooden kitchen gadgets

I seen this milk glass lamp and just knew I had to find one for my kitchen...

Mine is a triple angle lamp that came out of a railroad cart...

Loved this stove so I was on the hunt for one for my kitchen...

Mine

Blue Willow sighs...

another hunt to add to my kitchen...

after seeing lace curtains in kitchen cabinets I copied that also...

source: Country Living 1989

After 30+ years Country Living has changed their format!! There is not one page in this new format that makes me want to just sit have a cup of coffee and devoured each and everything in it...

The new format so reminds me of 1001 Decorating ideas for over $100.00...I know change is good for everyone..But if it's not broke why fix it ???

This is the new Country Living style....I think this will be the last year I renew my subscription the last 2 issues I have tossed in my thrash...Country Living I have had an affair with you for over 30 years..But it's time we end it...I guess your ready for a CHANGE and I'm not...

But I'm so glad I saved my 30+ years of back issues...OK Country Living I'll get off my antique milk stool now !!

Do you ever fall in love with a magazine only to see it change..Oh and not to pick only on Country Living..But Romantic Homes has also jumped on the No Romance bandwagon now sighs...Another one I tossed in the thrash. I think I'll save my money and stick with blogs...Maybe editors should look to bloggers to see what's Hot !!!

Until next time from my mountain to yours,

Hugs and smiles Gloria

~Oooh Fuuudge~

The Sheer Nightgown....


A husband walks into Victoria's Secret to purchase a sheer negligee for his wife. He is shown several possibilities that range from $250 to $500 in price -- the more sheer, the higher the price. Naturally, he opts for the most sheer item, pays the $500, and takes it home. He presents it to his wife and asks her to go upstairs, put it on, and model it for him.


Upstairs the wife thinks (she's no dummy), 'I have an idea. It's so sheer that it might as well be nothing. I won't put it on, but I'll do the modeling naked, return it tomorrow, and keep the $500 refund for myself.


She appears naked on the balcony and strikes a pose.


The husband says, 'Good Grief! You'd think for $500, they'd at least iron it!'
He never heard the shot.


Funeral on Thursday at Noon. Closed coffin.

Until next time from my mountain to yours,
Hugs and smiles Gloria

~Sunshine in my life~

Hey guys, Did you think I got lost ha ha!! Much heavy snow on my mountain, I have lost many beautiful trees from the weight sighs...Within 12 hours we got over 2 1/2 ft of that dang white stuff..We also lost our power.

I did play on EBay a few weeks ago and won a few things I would like to show you..I love bubble glass frames and I found this Mourning frame...

The Seller said it was a Mother and her 2 daughters..But what I really fell in love with was the Victorian foil art in this picture...

This is from 1900-1910

I have a real thing for old pictures and cameos

And nothing could be sweeter than a small cameo old books and a small bust..You guys know how it's not complete without a bust on it..I love my girls..

And this is why I had no power for over 2 days...Can you find my sidewalk ha ha!! Even the UPS man parked at the front of the road and walked up to my house..too much snow to drive on..

My sun room not so Sunny

But this wonderful Grand daughter Candace and her son Landen James always puts the sun in my life each and every day..

Landen is now 5 months ago and every thing he gets go right into his mouth, my hair, my old RED robe ha ha!! He comes and visits with Papa and Gigi every Friday night and I get to keep him each Saturday while his Mama and Daddy work...

Len and I both have so enjoyed having this little miracle come into our life...And it's so funny as Len never had kids in fact he really never cared for kids..But this Landen has won his old heart big time..He just loves this guy to pieces..He almost  me knocked over getting to him to pick him up !! Like they say a "Baby Changes everything"

Thanks for coming by, Until next time from my mountain to yours,

Hugs and smiles Gloria

~Globe De Mariee come to Mama~

Dear Diary:

Remember me telling you in December how blog land has put me in the poor house!! I went by my dear friend Vanna aka *winks* blog delusions of grandeur..And my olden heart stood still and I had to catch my breath...She did this post of these wonderful Wedding Domes and I had seen them but had not a clue what they were..(Len is wishing I still didn't ha ha!!) Told Len I have to have one..he looked at me and asked what I been smoking!! in fact he said all they are is a cloche with some old flowers..

But they are more than that..and I knew I had to get one...Well within 2 weeks I'm in blog land again ( Big mistake) and went to see my Dear friend Richard at " My old Historic House" and he has an esty shop so I'm looking at all his wonderful antiques and I hear something SCREAMING my name...Len tried to put in my ear plugs but it was no late...I had to have it...after all it did scream right off his esty page to my heart!!

Anyway I bought it right then and there!! Now it only took a month to get here...If you want to know why click here...

This huge box has more air mileage on it than I do...In fact it has frequent flyer miles now and it's own zip code...

Richard packed this like a Diamond ring...A box within a box..

Within a box...

Within another box...also tossed in all his Christmas paper, new papers, peanuts,old cardboard , I was hoping I would find my missing sock of 5 years by the time I got through all this packing stuff ha ha!!

Getting to the good stuff!! I was giddy like a school girl by this point!!

Globes De Mariee

These globes (1830-1914) helped to tell the story of the married couple. And were added to over the years. They would've been featured prominently in the couples home.

Usually the mother of the bride would go to the watchmakers or jewelers and pick out the different elements for the globe.Each and every small piece helps to tell the story of the couple.


Which would almost always include the bridal headpiece and might also include photos of the couple or family members such as:


- objects commemorating a death or birth such as a lock of hair


-The bridal bouquet often made of orange wax blossoms which in 1830 marks the advent of artificial flowers (How handy!)


- Emblems of awards ( honorary military medals or other symbolic objects)


Here are some more of the many elements and their meanings.


-The presence of a bird holding a laurel wreath is there to signify that "as the bird makes its nest, the woman builds her family" while a dove expresses the desire for peace in the home.


-Roses = Love


-Ivy or Bindweed reflects attachment of the couple, as the ivy leaf, "I stick or I die. "


- Chestnut Tree Leaves = Links to Others


- Lime leaves to symbolize fidelity.


- Oak leaves, symbolizing strength and love,


- Vine leaves and grapes, symbols of success, abundance.


- Ears of wheat = symbols of fertility.


(They were often presented in 7's representing the 7 days of the week


during which the husband had to work to feed his family.)


- Four-leaf clover, a symbol of good luck.


- Daisy flowers

(The flower that young lovers pluck repeating the well-known verse: He loves me? he loves me not?......)


(Very important to have odd numbered daisies!)


- A handshake is a symbol of union.


-The orange blossom is the symbol of virginity.


- Jasmine is a sign of love voluptuous. Which means I'm thinking of you.




There is symbiology in the mirrors as well:


-The large mirror from the center, often at the bottom symbolizes sincerity and faithfulness.


"The mirror does not lie, it only reflects what he sees."


(Often it was the only mirror that was found in the home.)


-The rectangular mirrors recalled the years that the couple had courted.


-The mirrors in the shape of diamonds or triangles represent the number of children the couple wished to have.


Finally, in the case of remarriage after a period of widowhood, it was customary to replace the crown of orange blossoms (symbol of virginity) with a set of pearls (a symbol of creative femininity )


This Information I took right off of Vanna's Blog..because I'm lazy and a blog thieve ha ha!! *winks* you know you love me girl more than your LV luggage girl ha ha!!

Come to Mama!!

Here she is in all her French finest...I was scared to death to even clean it...afraid I would break the dome...

Just Necked!!

With the Dome...Ooh I'm so loving this !!

It's just what my Victorian side board has been needing and Len didn't know it ha ha!!

And after all that screaming from Len about old flowers under a cloche..he really does like it.. OK I now need to find me another one!! Told him it looks lonely ha ha!! Of course Len said something about a better pair of ear plugs!!

This is just photos of my Tiffany Chandelier that I wanted to share with Richard...

I found this piece in a collector home in 1981 and took it right off his ceiling ha ha!!

Antique people are nuts they will do anything for a GREAT piece..Now the guy I bought this from  did not know it was a Tiffany...Each shade has the tag on it that reads "LCT" Which stands for Louis Comfort Tiffany...He had it for at least 40 years when I got it...He had so much stuff in his house and shop I don't think he knew all he did have..Lucky for me!!

Thanks for coming by and seeing my loooong awaited Globe De Mariee...Thanks *winks*
Until next time from my mountain to yours,
I am joining Courtney at " French Country Cottage" and my Dear friend Sherry at " The Charm of Home" Thank you girls for yet another fun party..
Hugs and smiles Gloria

~Victorian Dresser turned Sink~

 Hello Guys, I hope you all had a GREAT day..

I have been redoing the top my Victorian Dresser turned sink..I bought this olden dresser in 1998 just for the purpose of making it into a sink for the Hers bathroom...dresser ca. 1910 quarter sawn oak...

I love the way it turned out...Now the first 2 drawers are no longer in use, as the carpenter had to cut the back out in the dresser so the plumbing pipes has a place to go..So he glued the drawers front on...The bottom drawer is still a good size for all my towels ...

I love my sweet little cherub lamp...

The lamp shade is called a small tulip and I made it..the fabric is backcloth from the 40's it was a drapery panel..

The bead trim is pearls..Now I can't remember who asked me about the beads I use for my lamps..they all come pre-strung and are $1.10 per inch..The large tulip shades I made are 80 inches around so the beads alone cost me $88.00

My Victorian Hair brush and mirror sit on the left side of the sink dresser..

Victorian calling card holder I use to hold my hand towel..

My wall lamps were gas but have been converted just for this bathroom..the shades are from ca.1860 this is the one on the right side of dresser...

I have one on each side of the dresser..

This is a drapery holder ..I could not find a towel holder that I liked so I use this holder instead ha ha!!

The soap dispenser and tissue holder my mama made for me about 20 years ago..

The left wall scones

And of course nothing in my home would be complete without a Bust on it ha ha!! I love me girls..
I'm joining Marty today for TTT ...Thanks Marty
And Kim for WUW...Thanks Kim..
Please go by and see each of these great gals...
Until next time from my mountain to yours,
Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria