Summer Antique Finds

This summer I've not done much blogging.  Reading or writing....  That sounds like heresy to write on a blog, but my life has been so hectic, that  I feel my days are not my own.  I'm trying to take back control, so here I am!

Last week I decided to wax my porches.    They are travertine, and I wrote about how we installed them ourselves here.

My favorite stone sealer with wax is by Bellinzoni, Deep Color Enhancer.   After I put it on, I buff it with the car polisher. (One of these days I need to buy a floor polisher.)

Here you can see the life that the enhancer adds.

The back patio - all done!  Waiting for furniture.   I'm not sure what I am going to do back here.

The front porch is where I like to hang out in the morning.  

The fountain is in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by Molineaux roses.  This is my view when I drink my coffee, and sit out here with the laptop.

 There are times when you can't see the leaves for all the roses, but this is a nice bloom for August 28.

I love the color of the roses when they first open.  They are so bright, and then fade to a softer yellow as they age.

This summer I have gone to an antique show, a few antique shops, and shopped on-line.    There's no rhyme or reason to what I purchase, but thought I'd share the little finds, the life of a collector.

It's never to early to think about christmas decorations.

This little Napoleon will look great on a christmas tree!

 The objects below were random purchases.  I don't have a collection of miniature portraits, but I loved the girl in this one.  The faience lamp is for a bathroom counter, my pink bathroom.

I think she's my favorite.  I know the frame is beat up, but you can't pass up the lovely girl.
 You can always find another frame for her.

I ventured out to an estate sale, and came home with a pair of lovely early 1800's sheraton chairs.  I love the morning glory vines painted on them.   I think they will become "looking chairs", not "sitting chairs", as one of my 1820's italian chairs broke last weekend when a very nice young man, who weighs a bit more than he should, sat in it.  At least all his friends teased him when it broke.  I will put a stack of books on the chair,it discourages use if I think it's too fragile.

Lovely sheraton chair.  I love the rush seat.

Sometimes you can protect a chair by giving it an occupant.  This little guy is
wearing lederhosen my brother used to wear. Imagine getting picked on
at school because you wore lederhosen....

 The next two items are handpainted terra cotta plaques from England.  One has some sheep on it, so my family understands why they came home with me.

 Well done, I love these little paintings.

The plaques look nice in the living room.   I have needlework and embroidery mixed in with the paintings, but it all seems to work.   The regency silk embroideries are some of my favorites to collect, and have more of an impact grouped together. So my rooms get layered with whatever was purchased most recently.  It's not a strategy I would advise, but I have to find things a home right away, so the family won't notice my acquisitions, hahah. (On a winter rainy day, I will probably take them all down and put them in a different order...)

My next chore is to replace some lavender that died in my new lavender bed.

I raised the lavender up a bit, they don't like wet feet.  I thought this might help them survive...

I'm off to my next task, working on my daughter's wedding.  What a lot of work for a few hours!  So far I've finished the "save the date" cards, a 1781 trade card, worked on their wedding website, and have begun lining up vendors.

Isn't this the prettiest walk a bride could have?   I love the gated garden!

We came to measure and walk the venue, Villa Montalvo, last week.   What a romantic setting!   Wish me luck, I'm off to spend an insane amount of money (for me) on a couple of hours.  I tried to get the couple to elope, but they want a wedding!