My mother and my aunt go to estate and yard sales a lot. Excuse this personal bit: Hey, Mom! If you go to an estate or yard sale and they have either pink depression glass or dishes in the autumn leaf pattern, get me something! (See, I'm not as shy as you thought I was, LOL). In case you've forgotten, the autumn leaf pattern was distributed by the Jewel Tea Company in the 30's and 40's. The stuff is actually slightly off white with an orange and brown leafy decoration. Most of the stuff was originally manufactured with a little bit of gold edging on it. If the gold is still intact, it makes the piece worth more. I don't really care about that. It's just that these dishes remind me so much of fun times from my childhood at Nanny's or Aunt Mildred's table. Here's a picture in case you don't remember......
So, what brought that on you might ask? Well, I finally finished unpacking the last of the boxes marked "fragile". At least I've unpacked the last of the boxes marked "fragile" that I know about. There could be more someplace.......... I found my tiny little "collection" of pink depression glass (a large platter, a small platter, a candy dish, a sugar bowl and creamer, and some salt and pepper shakers), and a lidded serving dish in the autumn leaf pattern. Oh, I love that stuff!
I got a little smarter after making bazillion trips between that bedroom and the china closet. I was carefully carrying 3 or 4 items from one room to the other, trip after trip after trip. I can't carry the boxes--they're just too darn heavy. So, they have to be unloaded in place, in the guest room. Finally I got smart enough to put a number of pieces in a box lid and carry that to the other room. Since the stuff I was carrying was cherished, I didn't load the box lid up, but it still cut down significantly on the number of trips.
I just carried a big black garbage bag to the curb stuffed with nothing but wadded up newspaper. And, I do mean STUFFED. It was one of those times you really want to sit on something to get more in. That's not all of the wadded up newspaper, but it's most of it. Tomorrow is trash day so it was important to get that out there. So, either tonight or tomorrow, I can gather up all the empty boxes and move the last of the stuff that came out of them to the china cabinet. That takes care of the boxes piled directly to the right of the entryway, blocking the closet. Next, the pathway between the door and the window on the other side of the room......
I've been working on dusting as well (alternating so neither the guest room or the dusting gets ignored). My dining room table is my favorite hot spot. All sorts of stuff lands there to be dealt with later. Well, you can't dust the dining room table til you clear the hot spot. I've done pretty well at that. I still need to drag a box to the curb that's sitting there.
I have been wishing for something pretty to put on the table. I need something with a bit of height to it. I think maybe, when I can move in that guest room, it might yield something. I'm looking forward to that........
So, I had plans for that table in the dining room. I had loaned it to someone a few years ago and when it came back it was in bad shape. It wasn't in great shape when it left me, but it was a lot worse when it was returned. Anyway, I'd decided to paint the top black. The top is the most damaged. And, I'd thought the black paint would disguise that. My plan was to leave the legs as is or maybe sand them down and restain them. Well, after due consideration, that plan is out the window. It is SO DUSTY in here that painting a tabletop black is just pure idiocy.
Now we have a new plan. I think I am going to sand down the top and stain it. And paint the legs. I think that will look good and it will take care of most of the damage to the top. There is one fairly deep gouge that I may not be able to cure that way, but I think I can use some sort of paintable putty on it and that should take care of the problem. That's on my list of projects for 2014, LOL.
Bit by bit, I am gathering up things to donate. I am celebrating whatever I can drag out of this house. Lately, I've been cycling through my nightgowns. In the winter I favor those made out of "angel skin". I don't even know if they make them any more--satin on the outside, brushed cotton on the inside. They're warm and beautiful at the same time. I pulled a beautiful white one out of the closet the other night, wore it, washed it and it's going in the donation bag. It's a beautiful white satin with lots of lace and pleats and so on, but it's too darned tight in the bust. I love the looks of it, but not enough to give it space in my closet any longer. I've also gathered up some sweaters that are going to be leaving the premises. If I don't love this stuff, it needs to leave. And, I'm not willing to store it forever waiting for that "someday" when it might fit better.......
So, that's where I am right now. I still have a couple of hours before I run out of steam so I should make more progress between now and then.
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