Sunday, July 19, 2015

A Blog Win, Latest Finds and a Cake

Hello everyone! I was lucky enough to win a wonderful giveaway from Deborah at The Beautiful Matters blog.  Thank you so much Deborah! Just look at the adorable card she sent! I did not put the hand cream tube in the photo staging but it is nice hand cream. :)


The teacup is made in England and is quite lovely, I just love it.


I wanted to share with you this beautiful English cake plate that a friend gave to me last year.



I made a birthday cake for my boss and decided to photograph the cake on it and do a little photo staging.

So on went the cake (on its foiled wrapped cake board)...


and out to the patio went the cake on the cake plate...


and out to the patio came my teacup for some more staging fun...


The patio is where I sit every morning to eat my breakfast, read my Bible devotion, catch up on a magazine or two, and watch the sweet little wrens who have taken up residency in the birdhouse that I bought at the Estate Sale in Hermann.
I don't have a fancy camera so I couldn't get a real close shot but I snuck up on it when it went inside the house and when it came out I was ready!



Here are a few of my other recent estate sale finds. This gold trimmed Limoges dinner plate and bullion/cream soup bowl with its saucer totally took my breath away!


So much fancy detail...


I even bought a few dollhouse miniatures! I got this cute marble top washstand and the china doll.


I put them in my Old Curiosity Shop room box...


And then decided to move the china doll to the dollhouse so she can join the other antique china doll. They have something very unfortunate in common, neither one has arms anymore! I think they were played with a little too much in their day and a little too rough! Poor things! So I have rescued these lovely ladies! Instead of an Old Ladies home, as they used to call places for the aged, it could be called the Armless Ladies Home! Just kidding!


This past weekend we did a sale for an older couple and they the most beautiful backyard garden and courtyard. So of course many of those pieces were for sale so I spoke up first and got these two wonderful vintage wrought iron pieces.
The first one is this adorable little table. I will use it to set my glass of fresh squeezed lemonade on or my glass of iced tea on it when I am sitting out on the front porch enjoying the day and a good read.


The other piece is a planter and I got it to add a little interest to the backyard fence...


I thought it was so pretty with all those curvy lines and all. I added a pot of petunias to add to its beauty.


I also bought another little pot of petunias for this beauty!! Ha, ha! My son made this pot in Art class at school and he said it didn't turn out quite like he wanted it to but that it was supposed to have its nose and ears a little out of place. It is definitely not Victorian but because he made it and suggested I use it as a flower pot, what else was a mother supposed to do?!  :)


Have a wonderful week and thanks so much for visiting!

I am linking up to the following parties...
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
TUESDAY CUPPA TEA with Ruth
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
TEATIME TUESDAY with Sandi
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jillian
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Paula
SHARE YOU CUP THURSDAY with Jann
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY with Courtney
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Historic Small Town Charm, Part 2

Last week I shared with you a charming historic river town, a few of its buildings and its wonderful historic cemetery. Well this week it gets even better! I'm going to share with you some of the historic cottages, B & B's and gardens that this tiny town has to offer. So sit back and enjoy the tour, it's a long one!

These are the first houses you see as you enter into the town from the river bridge.


I'll start with some of the larger houses and go from there. 
This Queen Ann is a B & B and I like it not only for its beauty but for its name. 
My daughter's name is Lydia.


The paint colors are so nice and just look at that wrap around front porch!


And to the left sits this blue beauty...


with its second story balcony!


Back over on the other side of the Queen Ann house... 


sits this brick beauty with a little touch of Eastlake influence.
I believe it is a B & B as well. 
Just look at the wonderful iron fencing around the yard...


and its two story balcony! Again, love the colors!


Isn't it just gorgeous!


Over on its left across the street, once you look beyond more gorgeous iron fencing, is this brick Antebellum looking house, reminds me of Richard's house at My Old Historic Home blog.


It is part of a tour but I did not get in on it, I was running out of time,


although the iron gate was open, inviting me to come in...


maybe next time.


To the left of it is this open air house, 
I don't know what is going on with it but thought I would show you 
just for entertainment purposes.


This is a neighboring house where the vines are kind of taking over,
But I still liked it.


Moving on around the town are more historic Inn's like this one,
with the fun looking fire pit on the corner, close to the river bridge. 
Somebody bring out the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate!
Let's have s'mores!


This house below is quite lovely but is used as an office I believe.
More iron fencing!


Moving on down the street are more big beautiful houses...


This brick beauty is the Klinger Mansion and is a B & B.
Just look at the beautiful iron gate and wonderful entryway.


Next to it is this charming cottage B & B,


but where is the cottage?
You can see a glimpse of the roof from this next entryway
with the wonderful stone steps,


The cottage garden looks very luscious from the outside of the picket fence,
the storks way up in their nest have a wonderful view of inside the cottage garden!


Next door is another brick beauty...


with a glorious front porch


and even a little side porch!
Wonderful paint colors too.

Next to it is this cute little brick house
with marvelous fretwork and corbels.


Looking right across the street is yet another brick beauty,
it is located right next to an antique shop and 
Fire House collection museum.


Here is a sweet little brick cottage for you to admire...


with the "oh so sweetest" tiny front porch
and pretty landscaping


as you can see from the sign
it is a B & B
and named Cat Nap Inn.

This is the view going along the side of the cottage


that leads to this cute little outbuilding
or potting shed  maybe


and a wonderful little backyard


with a firepit area for the guests to enjoy!
Isn't it wonderful?


Okay on to the next little cottage


and this one is even for sale!

Traveling on around the town
you'll pass lots of gardens


and this restored historic stable


before getting back to First Street that runs along the river.
Once there you'll find the historic White House Hotel,
this is the front entrance that faces the river.


The saloon is the door on the left,
it reads...
GENTLEMAN ONLY
Ladies Please Use Main Doors


The hotel has been recently restored.
You can stay here for the night 
or just take a tour of the hotel
They do reenactments and ghost tours in October too!



This is the back view of the hotel
 that backs up to First Street,
along with the front entrances to the other businesses.
Seems a little backwards
but it needed to face the river for the weary river boat travelers passing through
to know it was a place to stay for the night.


The back view with the nice looking street lamp posts and picket fence.


Moving on up the street are more cottages and gardens.

There's this one with the cute window flower boxes and brick sidewalk.


This one has a pretty little porch


a darling lamp post and arbor trellis leading up to the front door,


and a clawfoot bathtub in the front yard!


I am not sure if these two building are adjoining or just REALLY close,
but the one on the right is the antique shop that I showed you up close in my last post
and the building on the right is a residence


with an incredible garden to the side.


and charming window flower boxes gracing the front of it.


Over to the side, the ivy and climbing roses come together


to form the archway to this path through the garden


that leads to the front door of this cottage.


And lastly,
I wanted to share with you this simple brick cottage
painted yellow


with this tiny adorable white front porch.

And we are back to the river bridge and where we started from.



Thanks so much for joining me for Part 2 of my
Historic Small Town Charm posts.
I hope you enjoyed the charm of this small German river town.

I want to thank Jillian over at LET'S TALK VINTAGE for featuring my July 4th Liberty Blue table setting.

I will be linking up to the following blogs for this week.
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Patti
SHARE YOUR CUP THURSDAY with Jann
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY with Courtney
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy