the tiny homestead

treasures found

I've never been what you might call a collector of things.  Sure, I love buying old and used furniture, textiles, and decor.  Anyone who knows me personally will tell you that my home is full of items with a past - even our 1940's home comes with an interesting history.  I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I think about all the people who have used and loved and eventually passed down or discarded the treasures we have around the house.  Recently though, I've begun thinking about starting a collection. Yes, one can always use one more hobby - but what should it be?  A few weekends ago I found myself out at some local antique malls where the answer to that question found me. Antique quilts!  Yes!  Being relatively new to sewing, I am just beginning to garner an understanding of the time and thoughtfulness that goes into every seamstress' and quilter's work.  To ponder the hours a person spent sewing a beautiful yet utilitarian textile for thier very own household is such an inspiration to me.  The quilt pictured above and below was purchased that weekend and is my first of hopefully many to come.  It is hand sewn and I just love all the vintage fabric.

Since it is in such good condition, I have decided that this quilt will be our family's official picnic quilt.  It is so wonderful to breathe new life into something that was probably once so useful. I think I'm off to a good start!

thrifted yellow

Over the weekend I was thrifting (sans the babes) at my local Goodwill and consignment stores when I came across this gorgeous yellow arm chair.  I've seen chairs like this in high-end catalogs with prices well out of my range and had resigned myself to never owning anything so cool.  That beautiful combination of classically carved wood and funky upholstery is just plain irresistible to me.  Then suddenly there it was in the showroom of a consignment store, the chair of my dreams, just waiting for me and in perfect timing for Mother's Day! A quick call to my husband for approval (not that it was really needed in this case) and here it is in my living room! Love at first sight I tell you.  Thank goodness everyone seems to share my sentiment. "I'm gonna sit in mama's chair!"  Welcome to our home gorgeous, you will surely be a family heirloom treasured for years to come.