Vintage Finds at Sweet Clover Barn

Yes, I know that today is Halloween, but we in the vintage market are ready for Christmas.  In fact, tomorrow is our Holiday Open House at  Sweet Clover Barn.

I just got back from the barn and wanted to share what I'll have for sale.

I'm always looking for pieces with drawers or cubbies.
This card catalog from a Baltimore, MD school library fit the bill.

If you follow along you know another of my favorite finds is Campaign furniture.  Not only did I find a piece, but it was already red and perfect for the holiday season.

It's hard to let go of this vintage green drum table with a copper top.

I have several trees in my space.  Besides traditional ornaments I repurposed:

A hunting license badge holder now holds  vintage Christmas greeting cards.

Copper and enamel stencils became ornaments when a ribbon was added.

Clips for bills now hold Christmas post cards.

Men's vintage collars curl around the branches.

Door knob back plates can be ornaments too.

I also copied antique clock faces and mounted the faces to card stock and added a ribbon.

Old thermometers can hang on trees too.

On a recent shopping trip I found some spools of cord.  My rosemary topiary fit perfectly inside the tube of the green cord spool.  I topped the other with an ornament.  Behind the spools is a wrapping paper holder.

I also have some vintage items that make great gifts or stocking stuffers.  There's a drafting table too.
 Perfect for more table space at your holiday gatherings.

There's the third spool of cord.  I added a vintage scissors to this one.

Need a hostess gift:?  This drawer from a file cabinet can hold a wine bottle.  The small leather books are mini versions of classics.

I also have normal ornaments.

I attached some deer ornaments to an old metal locker with magnets.

It's hard to see, but I hung mini crystal chandelier ornaments from a suspended mattress spring from a doll bed.

My Santos angel wears a boxwood necklace.  Behind her is a green tin roof section with some greenery.
It's magnetic too.

A vintage green bottle holds some silver branches, the Infant of Prague planter is the perfect red, and vintage glasses in a tote for your next party.

I hope you'll come see us.

Kathy
(I'm scheduled to be there tomorrow, the first.)

Nov. 1,2,3  10-5
4051 Stanford Court
Frederick, MD


Please visit Sweet Clover's Facebook page to see more photos of what the other vendors have for sale.

https://www.facebook.com/SweetCloverBarn

It's hard to find with GPS but we're just off Rt 15.  For EXACT directions and more info about our vintage venue go to their website.

http://www.sweetcloverbarn.com/



SEE WHAT I'LL HAVE AT THE NOV 15-17 SALE HERE.

My Fall Mantel

I can't believe it's Fall already.  I thought I'd do a quick mantel change up to get with the season. 

 All summer my mantel looked like this.

I decided that I liked the grates as a back drop but would remove the topiaries.  I had a grouping of four architectural prints on a bedroom wall in the upstairs hallway.  The brown undertones were perfect for the season.
So in my typical change up fashion I ripped them off the wall and plopped them onto the mantel.  Plopping and propping are good--no nail holes involved.

I added my velvet pumpkins from last year--a lovely gift from a reader--some antlers here and there--- and some seed pods and feathers in a vase with books as risers.

Here are some  close-ups of the Fall mantel.

Alongside the mantel I have an arrangement in a jar that I created previously and wanted to use again.

What have you done to get ready for Fall?

Kathy


To see last year's Fall mantel go here.

To learn how I created the mix in the jar go here.

To learn more about the seed pods go here.

To see why I've never met an iron grate I couldn't use somewhere go here.

Fall in The Field Behind My Home

I've talked about the field in my backyard before.  It's a source of foxes, squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, deer, mice, and my recent visitor on my front porch, a big black snake(s).  Mixed in with all the wildlife are also some volunteer blooms.  I thought these bursting milk weed pods put all the flowers in my garden to shame.  The lighting was perfect and so were the pods.   

Enjoy my volunteers from nature.

Some bugs even took up residence in the field.  The bugs seem all decked out for Halloween.

So, what beauty has nature provided for you this Fall?

Kathy

Sun Bleached Tortoise Shells

Have you seen the sun bleached tortoise shells from Jayson Home?  I fell in love with the look and decided to try to make my own with a shell I already had .  

Jayson Home Shells

Here's how I created my own version with a large shell.  All I did was paint the shell with some linen white paint.  Once it was dry, I sanded some sections away and then sealed with a clear spray poly.  Here's mine.  I guess I would call it white washed instead of sun bleached.

Now that I see it next to the Jayson Home shells I think I need to sand a little more away from the edges, but other than that, I like the result.

I frequently use nature as inspiration in my decor.  Here are some photos of tortoise inspiration in my home.  Of course, these all aren't around now, just samples of my ever-changing decor.  I love how the blog catalogs all my design experiments.

Some Small Shells on My Mantel

The underside of this shell is as beautiful as the top.  

Underside of Shell Mixed With Antlers, Floats, and Framed Book Plates

I love using faux shells too.  This large shell is on a stand on my bookshelf.

Faux Tortoise Shell on My Bookshelf

Currently, this large shell decided to take up residence on one of my latest finds, a Mid Century Modern brass and chrome bookshelf.

Faux Turtle Shell on a Stack of Leather books

This next shell is real and was hanging above a framed piece of Trina Turk fabric.  I'm pretty sure it's the one I just painted.  Ha.

Large Turtle Shell

This next shell is also faux and painted black.   It's on my desk in the family room and surprise--it's actually still there.

Black Faux Shell

The shell with the unusual underside actually started out in a dough bowl on my dining room table.

Turtle Shells, Spheres, Antlers and Sea Life in a Dough Bowl

It was a no brainer when Nate Berkus created faux turtle shells for Target.  My only decision was what color.  I decided to go for the green.  I hung it above an antique framed botanical book plate in my dining room.

Nate Berkus Tortoise Shell in My Dining Room

So, is your decor nature inspired?

Kathy