Ah, Lovely Old Wedding Shoes...

Here is one of my most amazing finds...

White kid-leather wedding shoes, Edwardian with a Louis XV heel, all beaded and buttoned. I have had these for a few years now, but I am still and always amazed at their beauty.   So slender, and of course, barely worn.  I came upon these at the Christie Antique Show a few years ago, at Tattered & Torn, a beautiful business, owned and operated by my now friend, Kim Davies, who lives in Ontario.  I was drawn to her beautiful booth by all of her wonderful creams and taupes and as soon as I laid eyes on these shoes, I knew right away I had to have them.  I had been looking for a long time for a pair...and these certainly spoke to me.  So now they have a place of pride in my home, on display with some vintage linens, some of which I also purchased from Kim.

Isn't it funny how you can come across a certain antique dealer and just feel an instant connection to their wares.....and so it was with me and Tattered & Torn.  The next spring I drove quite a ways to Waterford Antiques in Ontario as Kim had a large portion of their top floor filled with her treasures.  And of course, I spent what I had with me...and then some!  Later Tattered & Torn opened their booth at Southworks Antiques in Cambridge, Ontario, much to my gleeful delight!  Waterloo (where I lived all my life until moving to Alberta) is just a stone's throw from this giant antique mall...so every Saturday...yes EVERY Saturday - off I went to see what was new.  I always came home with something, even if it was something small, like this beauty...

Tiny white kid-leather baby shoes...the one on the left has the original bow with it, you can see it in this photo...a very, very old ribbon...and the shoes are so tiny and sweet..... hardly worn and such a collectable.

Some visitors to our home have wondered why I would collect such a thing, as of course, these will never be worn again, so what good are they?  To me, they are a part of history, a small part of the past, a thing of beauty to be cherished as part of times gone by...I often wonder "Who owned these and how did they live?  Where did they live and how long did they live?"  My collection of white kid-leather shoes continues to grow and I treasure these items for what they represent.  To me, they are beautiful keep-sakes and I will treasure them forever...

Ironstone: It Shouldn't Just Be For Company...

How can one not love ironstone?  It's sturdy, goes with everything and it's definitely in my palette of creams and whites.  I like to mix cream and white together, as cream can soften the starkness of a real white.  I used to think I could not mix and match the two, but when paired together,  it's so soft and pretty.  I use my ironstone too, which I had to learn to do ... we all have those special things that we reserve  "just for company" or special holidays, and that does make those things "special"  because we don't use them from day-to-day.  But learning to use my treasures is something that took time; we tend to keep our treasures in out of the way places, maybe tucked away  in a china cupboard or behind glass, nice to look at, but do not touch!  When you stop to think about it, why shouldn't we use the things we love on a daily basis?  We reserve them for special company, when really, wouldn't your table be so much prettier if you used these things more often.  We should not just make a pretty table for friends and family  ~  using these ironstone pieces make preparing a meal more enjoyable, and eating a meal more sumptuous.

 Keep your real linen napkins handy too, and put the paper ones away for picnics.   Why not?  Stains can be removed easily with homemade cleaning solutions like lemon, and a rinse of vinegar and water.  Get out your vintage silverware too.

All of these items had plenty of use before you ever had them and they will be around a lot longer than the newer, more modern pieces you may have  that aren't nearly as well made.  Plus, since most ironstone was made in England  long ago,  you are doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint.  Let's not just think of this as  "recycling"  these items...but actually  "re-using"  them as well, in the very meaning of this word.

I'm Back to Blogging....

Well, I took a break from blogging since I started a new part time job outside the home.  Glad to be working a few days a week, but also glad to be back on my blog.   So much to do, so little time.  That I suppose is something we all lament from time to time.

I've been working on a few little projects though, and have picked up a few things lately, one especially that I wanted to share with you.

This little Edwardian child's coat....so sweet, and still in great condition.  It has a soft pink silky  lining and  white lace all around the collar and cuffs.  The outside is almost a soft cream flannel, it's adorable!  I could not resist getting this little coat.  I see pieces like this in an antique store or online and think to myself, what little girl wore this, where did she live, and how did she live?  The fact that some of these items are in such good shape leads one to assume that it was not worn much, perhaps it was kept for special occasions, when children would dress up for church or special holidays...Easter perhaps, in this case?  I will never know for sure...but it's certainly a small treasure to wonder about as it hangs in our spare bedroom, beside my old robin's egg blue cupboard. 

I will be sharing some other great finds with you shortly...meanwhile, please take a look at my facebook page, PetitePrairie....hope you all have a lovely evening. 

New facebook page....

Happy Weekend Everyone!  Please check out my new facebook page, Petite Prairie.....I just started posting today! 

Thanks for taking a look!! 

It's Almost Here!!!!

The Spring/Summer of FLEA MARKET STYLE is almost here!!  

I have been buying this magazine ever since it's premiere issue in the Summer of 2010, and this new issue marks the 4th so far.  I have kept each issue and have to say that I really still love looking though them  If you love flea markets and antiquing, pick up this fabulous find!  As well as showcasing homes of flea-marketers, it's filled to the brim with DIY ideas, and lovely photographs.  It's an inspiration!  I can't wait to get it!  It should be arriving in stores shortly.  Hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!!

Books I Love For Inspiration....

A New Year has come and the month of January is nearly over.....back from Ontario on January 12th, where time was spent with family and friends and cherished memories were made.  Soon spring will be upon us (hurry, hurry) and with that comes thoughts of spring and summer projects.  Thoughts of projects make me think of books I love, books I return to time and again for pure inspiration on how to use some of the old linens and other treasures I have collected over the years.  No one inspires me more in this area than Rachel Ashwell. Her newest book, below, shows many beautiful images, that is a given...but also shows how Rachel's style has evolved over the years.

Included in this newest book is "The Prairie" by Rachel Ashwell.  It is a beautiful setting in Texas, you can stay there and rent rooms or a whole house....imagine spending time at some of the fabulous flea markets and antique shows in Texas and then retiring to this blissful place.  Someday, I hope to make the trip.  Meanwhile, the book certainly serves as inspiration - every page shows beauty, function and comfort, which is Rachel's mantra.

Another book that has become a favourite is Fifi O'Neill's "Romantic Prairie Style", which lends itself to a number of looks, Chic Prairie, Rustic Prairie and Faded Prairie to name a few.....this is a beautifully written and photographed book, and gives new meaning to my word for it - "SWOONDOM".  A keeper !

So as I close my first post of the New Year, I hope these books can give you some inspiration for your home.....as they have mine.  Blessings to each of you and yours, until I post again. oxox