Hi, Friends,
How are you? I hope you are all doing well.
I've been busy layering in some boxwood greens and gathering up plaids and needlepoint point pillows so that a base is set to put out Christmas.
Let's talk about needlepoint and plaid.
My collection of plaid fabrics and needlepoint pillows started in 1990. My husband, Bill, brought a Victoria Magazine to the hospital when my youngest son was born. I was hooked. There was no other magazine like it at the time.
It was the November issue and it contained a spread with images of needlepoint pillows paired with plaid. I thought it was a gorgeous combination.
Ralph Lauren Hampton Floral China was also featured in the article. If you are interested head on over to Replacements Ltd. to have a look at the value of these dishes. I've been on the lookout for one little piece but I don't think I've ever seen one in all my antiquing jaunts and my jaunts are plentiful.
I've been very successful in collecting needlepoint with a black background. My collection isn't huge and has other background colors as well. These are pulled out seasonally or as the mood strikes. Black is my favorite though, especially at the holidays.
Years ago, a darling cottage and church came across my path. It recently got re-framed into an antique frame that I found at an estate sale. The frame needed a really good cleaning as it was unearthed in the garage of the house but it was only a couple of dollars. Were the spiders extra? I don't know.
Shortly after reading the article in Victoria, I found my first pillow with a black background. To this day, it's one of my favorites. Paired with the black Stewart tartan it is so beautiful. On a side note, it seems weird to have fans on our bedside tables but we're in Texas. It can be 50° one day and 90° the next. We need them all year.
The very old oil painting above the faux fireplace goes so well with this scheme.
Simple faux boxwood garland from Hobby Lobby is a great alternative to a pine garland. It doesn't shed!
The fabric in the oval frame is from a doll pillow that I'd had since I was a child. It was actually probably my mom's doll pillow because the fabric seems to predate my childhood years.
The pillow was a bit ragged and torn but it was too beautiful to be thrown away. Framing a scrap seemed like a great way to preserve the remnant. It features pansies which are some of my favorite flowers.
The Frenchy looking gold clock was thrifted at a boutique thrift store. My favorite thrift store opened another location in the next town over. The best things are sent to that store. It's beautifully staged. It's almost like an antique or consignment store. It has nicer things but the prices are higher but it's all for a good cause.
I've never tried to see if the clock works. It's electric but I took off the cord. I had no intention of ever plugging it in.
Pine cones from East Texas are nestled into the garland.
The lamp was in the office until Bill took it out. It adds a cozy factor since the candles aren't lit.
You would think that by now, 32 years later, I'd have yards and yards of plaid. I do not. I'm picky about my tartan. The color combinations have to be right. They can't have those tiny metallic gold threads.
I prefer to find it thrifted which also makes it a challenging but fun hunt.
There was some thrifted yardage in my stash for years. It's been used as a tablecloth on occasion. For some reason I am reluctant to cut it. This year, I folded it in half and stitched in a rod pocket so that it can be hung in my daughter's old room. Hanging this was a beast because this is a weird short window. It took three tries to get the proportions right. I think they are as good as they are going to get. It's fun for the holidays. This room looks so Christmasy but there isn't a single Christmas item in the room yet.
A newish needlepoint with a blue background pairs well with a Martha Stewart quilt from Macy's.
I found it on clearance years ago. It was a worthwhile purchase since we've used it for so long.
I found a few little books in the bookcase. Aren't they perfect?
We wouldn't want the t.v. room left out.
Classic red and black buffalo check has been a little over done in the last few years but it is a classic.
The smaller guest room got another favorite pillow. This one had a corner chewed off by the dog when she was a pup. I stitched it back together and it's as good as new. Dixie was a chewer.
That will have to do it for this post. I was in the midst of composing this yesterday while the A.C. people were here replacing one of the coils.
I heard a loud commotion.
One of them stepped through the sheet rock.
They patched it and the painters come today to give us an estimate.
This is a small corner of the game room but it is open to the stairwell and the entry way.
The house is 32 years old and we don't have the paint. Additionally, the popcorn has been scraped off and it's left a bit of a texture. I have no idea what they will say.
I got a voice mail later in the day that said that they put the new coil on the wrong air conditioner. So there is still a bad leaking coil that they will come replace today.
The scheduler said in the voicemail that he need a moment to process what happened before I called him back. I needed a nap!
It was not a good day for our air conditioning company whom we have loved for years and years.
I felt so bad that it had happened to them.
That's all for now.
Katie
