An Antique Marble Fireplace from Caracas Italy...

BARN FIND!!!

And she has all her pieces~ yay...
Who would ever have known that there was an antique, carrara marble fireplace surround hiding in a barn in Central Utah???

 

 I wouldn't have guessed it~!

The people that purchased the contents of the barn had no idea either, until they stumbled upon some old crates from Caracas Italy and opened them up to spy this beauty...

 

She was just never installed in whatever home she was shipped here for, I guess...

Instead, she remained tucked away in an old barn with her crates rotting away and waiting to be discovered.

And, what a discovery~!

 All of the pieces are there, but her dark mantle piece was shipped cracked in half and packed separately in the crates.

We'll figure that repair out soon. 

She's not a tiny creature - she's over 6' wide and over 5' high.

And very HEAVY!!!

 I know she's heavy because I brought her home safely tucked into the back of my Durango and it is bottomed out and feels like it's towing the 'Mother Load'...

Which it is~!

Doesn't every blonde drive nearly 2 hours to tuck an antique carrara marble  fireplac safely in a retired cop car?

 

See, even the Durango has it's own story...

A couple months ago a gentleman came by inquiring about an old piece of construction equipment. Truthfully, it hadn't been used in over 17 years. It was kind of one of those 'bone pile' pieces of equipment that maybe someone would need a part off of. Well, seems this guy did...

Him and the 'Man-Child' discussed the terms of the trade and it was supposed to be a 1999 Dodge pickup truck with an automatic transmission and a Cummins diesel engine. I just get sick of shifting down a 6 speed transmission, but I love the fuel mileage of a diesel. Who screwed up 4th gear in a Dodge, right - Every time I shift down with a heavy load on, I miss 4th gear. My mantra for a while is that "I want an automatic."  I want the transmission to find 4th gear on it's own - AUTOMATICALLY - when I'm slowing down. This is the 21st century and frankly, I'm sick of 4th gear evading me.

So, on the date the guy was coming to get the equipment and bring the pickup, I was quite excited...

I was looking out the window and seen this go by on the back of an equipment trailer...

 I'm like, "Honey - that's not a Dodge Pickup." 

"That thing on that equipment trailer has 4 doors and no pickup bed. And, unless someone else in this area is expecting a vehicle delivery today by a logging company on a large equipment trailer, I think there's a problem..."

I was really bummed...

Where was my automatic transmission on my new/old pickup truck with a diesel engine...

=(

My phone rang - 

It was the guy here for the equipment and that 4 door SUV on the equipment trailer was a loaner for me, or I could keep it until the pickup got out of the shop because the pickup truck blew up ~ 

Holy Hannah!

I'm glad it blew up on him...

So, here's this 2009, retired deputy vehicle with a souped up Hemi engine - yes, AN AUTOMATIC and she goes about zero to 693 miles an hour in 3 seconds...

She's ugly, but she gets right up and gets going!

We call her "The Short Bus" because she has 3 sets of seats, kind of like a jacked up mini-van that used to have bars... 

And, I've fallen in love with her and I'm keeping her, even though I still think she's ugly. And, my mechanic says there's not a damn thing wrong with it except it goes too fast...

(=

And, my grandson like's my new car and that's all that matters to me.

*Wink*

So, I had to keep my foot off the gas as I was bringing my beautiful antique marble fireplace home, all tucked in snugly in the hatch back with all the 'short bus' seats bent down.

We figure she weighs about 1200+ pounds.

My poor Durango is dragging ass, literally, but she carried the precious cargo home safely.

 

And, we're almost ready to start the garage / office addition to the home. We even had the roofing material delivered last week. So, sometime in the near future (I hope) she'll look something like this in our soon to be created, 'Office/Den'...

 

You really just never know what you'll find in a barn~!

An Antique Bird Cage...

Once in awhile, we run into that unique piece that just takes our breath away~~~

That happened to me last Wednesday. I came across a 'for sale' add, that hadn't been online too long, for an antique bird cage and stand.

Of course I called and made the deal. I was a little perplexed at how, or why I even came across the add, but sometimes the Universe just sends things our way ~ if we're paying attention...

 

 The Universe was so punctual with this piece that even though it was a couple of hours North of me, the 'Man-Child' would be coming through that very area later that evening, in his semi. So, the seller told me he would meet the 'Man-Child' at the nearest truck stop and exchange the cash, for the goodies... 

So convenient for me~!

(=

The seller had used the antique bird cage as a display piece on his deck for nearly 40 + years and it showed the age and weathering in the sale pictures...

 

It also had a few broken spindles, but remarkably, he had saved all the wooden pieces...

It just needed minor repair.

 

So, Wednesday evening, the 'Man-Child' swung into the truck stop and exchanged the cash, for the goods. 

This beautiful Antique Bird Cage only cost $40 ~ 

(I'm not missing a zero - 2, $20 bills)

 

It was a steal~!!!

I'm still trying to comprehend it and I'm still pinching myself~!

Then, the biggest obstacle was getting the beast home, as it was really tall and wide, even taken apart into pieces.... 

It required some skill, that's for sure and the 'Man Child' met the challenge.

And I nearly fainted when I seen that it arrived tucked between some bundles of building materials on the deck of his flatbed trailer~ 

Yikes!

It just wouldn't fit anywhere inside the truck, so he he had to get resourceful ~ and thank heavens he was delicate...

Once he was in possession, he drove straight home without stopping. He knew this was valuable cargo. He was absolutely dumbfounded at what I paid for my new find...
It really is hard to believe that it was only, "Forty Dollars..."

It arrived in great condition and as soon as I heard the semi pull in, I went running over to survey my prize.

WOW~!!!

I was truly speechless at this new acquisition and the scale of the thing was indeed bigger than I had envisioned and expected. I was surprisingly shocked and a bit horrified to see him unstrapping it from the deck of the flatbed... 

Oh my~~~~

 The next morning, we started the repairs and it was in desperate need of a wood conditioner and some oil. The 'Man-Child' used a Dremel and some wooden shish-kabob skewers, some wood glue and some patience to repair it.

 He used a really tiny Dremel bit and drilled a hole in the center of the broke off wood spire and another hole in the end of the piece still attached to the bird cage.Then, he put in wood glue, stuck in a skewer and cut it off a bit long so he could do the same on the other side to give it some stability. He then wired it all tight so it could dry and cure. Then he used some brass brads - he cut the ends off, drilled a few holes where repairs were needed and things needed re-attached and he slid the brads in the holes with some wood glue - to pin the thing solid. 

It took a few hours to piece it all back together, but it was definitely a project worth saving.

 

 We conditioned the stand and bird cage with a product called "Watco Rejuvenating Oil" 

from Home Depot. It took 4 cans.

 I used an old paint brush to paint it on. The wood was so dry that using a rag to apply it was futile.

~I love Watco Rejuvenate on antique wood items. It brings them back to life...~

 

We let the rejuvenating oil dry overnight and the next day, I soaked the whole thing with a thick, brushed on layer of  "Howards Feed & Wax" from Home Depot. And, that really brought some moisture back to the wood. Enough moisture that it's evident that this beauty is mahogany . 

Actually, the supplies to save this bird cage cost us more than it did ~ go figure...

But, it's GORGEOUS~!

 

 

We have planned a greenhouse / garden room off the South side of the house. This big beauty will definitely be the center star of that room. But, until then, she's sitting in the entryway awaiting a permanent location...

She was definitely one of those, "Once in a Lifetime" type of finds...

And would you believe that I owned one of those large hurricane lamps from a 'prior yardsale acquisition...' Anyway, I was looking through a local facebook, yardsale page 2 weeks ago and a lady had its twin for free. She was moving and just needed someone to come and get it out of her way. I was happy to. Now, I have a matched pair for the vintage buffet.

*Smile*

Happy Treasure Hunting~!

 

 

 

 

 

Turn your Vintage Linens into Linen Pillows...

You must have a little stash of Grandma's embroidered, 

or damask linens you don't know what to do with...

Embroidered, monogrammed, or just linen napkins?

Don't we all have a few stacks of those just sitting in a drawer somewhere?

Perhaps, you have linen cabinets full ~ like I do? 

(Sssshhhh, don't tell anyone I'm a hoarder...) 

Maybe, you just like soft, luxurious things and you're cheap like me and bring them home from the thrift stores for pennies?

Maybe, you want to figure out something to do with them, to use them more?

They are easy to turn into pillows. You could just turn them inside out and sew the edges together, or put a couple of linen napkins together and sew them, or just crochet around the edges of a couple of table cloths... 

You could use lace, vintage trim, crocheted edging, it doesn't matter. Turning them into pillows will give them a new life. It also gives your bedrooms some high dollar bling~!

This beautiful embroidered table cloth only cost me $1...

I just folded it in half and crocheted around the edges, stuffing it before the stitching was complete. The stuffing is actually out of an old hotel pillow I picked up in bulk for $2 each. I just bring them home and let them soak in hot water and bleach overnight and then finish drying. That's way cheaper than the stuffing from the store. The crocheted cotton I picked up at another thrift shop for a $0.25. There was enough on the skein to complete the project bringing the cost of this linen embroidered pillow to $3.25 and an evening's time crocheting on the trim.

What a wonderful way to enjoy all of those old linens you have stored away - 

Cheaper than any throw pillow from Walmart, or any homegoods type of store in a strip mall, don't you think?

I can't even imagine what a large size, hand embroidered linen pillow would cost brand new, can you?

Using your vintage linens give everything an old, worn, timeless look, I think...

Don't hurt yourself running for your Cedar Chest to see what you can repurpose for the 

'Guest Room'...

(=

Linked to: 

Share Your Cup 

Wow us Wednesdays

Knick of Time 

A beautiful doily coverlet and some vintage linens...

Isn't it pretty?

Our local antique store owner visited another estate sale over the Holiday's and brought this treasure back with her. It's very long. I believe it's a twin, but with its length, it will be beautiful on the bottom of any of my beds.

She kept it hid out in the secret closet for me, until I could get there to retrieve it...

The 'Secret Closet' is really a closet in the old house where the antique store is located. It's chock full of treasures being held for the natives she knows. The 'Secret Closet' is my favorite closet ever. It's like the wardrobe in the book, "The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe," only it's full of antique wonderfullness.

This coverlet is amazing...

It fits nicely in my piles of other hoarded, antique, crocheted coverlets. I may just have the Western World's largest collection of antique bedding, but I'm scared to get it all out at one time and see...

I'm scared to face my obsession all at once~ 

*smile*

I also bought a full Rogers Victorian Rose silverware set and an old vintage anchor hocking syrup dispenser that I desperately needed for the kitchen.

Would you believe I've never had a matching set of silverware?

I'm like the patchwork silverware goddess, or queen. We laugh about it at every holiday. It's because I'm so picky. I've had the same, antique, mis-matched rogers silverware for most of my adult life. I like the size and weight of the antique, albeit mis-matched pieces. Oh, trust me, if I could ever have found a full set, I would have bought a full set, but all I could ever find was a couple pieces of this one and that one and another one, so I just made due.

Now that I have a matched set. It's really strange to do the dishes~!

<Whose kitchen is this with the matching silverware ~ he, he>

When we got done at the antique store, we stopped into the local thrift store and hit a 'Jen Jackpot'...

~Ya, the Man-Child was along for the hunt. He don't mind. He has great taste~

Someone must have cleaned out Grandma's closet and thrifted it over the holidays...

There were matching sets of embroidered pillowcases and lots of vintage linens. Of course, I loaded up!

I figure I can crochet a cotton edge around the pillowcases and gift them, or use them upstairs in the bedrooms, when I get stairs, of course... 

We're getting closer to  getting stairs put in to the upstairs bedrooms.
~Well, at least, we've finally decided where to put them~ Yay!~

How could anybody walk away from matching, embroidered pillowcases for $2 a set ($1 each)?

They were dusty from being stored, but an overnight soak in some Oxyclean brought them back to crisp white and new / unused.

There were a few other random linens I bought too...

I think, I'll turn the butterfly piece into 2 quilt blocks and salvage the lace edging. 

And, I'm thinking about turning the bottom, linen one, into a bolster pillow. 

The bottom linen piece is gorgeous~!

It's a hand embroidered piece of really heavy linen cloth. 

I think, I'll fold it in half and stuff it. Then, I'll crochet around the edges with doily cotton in the same color. 

Can you believe it was only $1 ~ ?

I even came out of the thrift store with a really pretty burgundy berry wreath for 3 quarters... ($0.75)

It's a nice change on the kitchen table now that all of Christmas is tucked safely away for next year.

When I put Christmas away, I took some time to change the living room curtains for a few months...

Having full size lace panels and some balloon lace valances in the entryway brightened up the whole room. 

But, it instantly went Victorian, so I'm undecided.

It sure made a great backdrop for a pretty picture though...

I hope you have a "Beautiful Week~!"