Somethings Old, New, Green, Redo!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Antiques: Vintage Christmas Down-sizing?

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Antique Christmas Stand and Downsizing?

From 2016,

A found treasure is what started Christmas 2016 for us.

First, we aren't having the holiday here this year. Not much company---and well we are still exhausted from finishing our DIY house remodel.

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In November at an antiques show---with emphasis on Christmas items, I scoured each booth and with the idea of down-sizing--for Christmas,

I passed up wonderful 1940-50's that reminded me of my childhood.

I bought nothing----except, way back in the corner, twenty minutes before closing

a dealer was taking her display down. And there it was---an OLD antique fence/Christmas tree stand.

Original paint---mellowed red, with silvered (tarnished) white snow on the pickets and posts.

The base is on wheels, and it's about 40" square.

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The price was excellent, and I just was so excited---I couldn't get my money out fast enough

and then grinned while hauling it the two blocks to the car.

There are some bits and pieces missing here and there...but I don't care---

I've always wanted one---and couldn't be happier----BUT---

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...there's the issue of the tree.

While we must have 4 large trees in the basement or garage, nothing seemed really appropriate.

Our gorgeous big tree---that usually holds over 15 totes/boxes of ornaments

and has over 750 lights, would overwhelm this antique.

And we wanted to simplify a bit this year anyway.

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I went online and looked at stores, and the tree I was searching for

was something quite Victorian and expensive

and they---were out there, but

we really didn't want to spend another $250 + dollars on another tree.

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Wouldn't you want this to show---

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And glisten with snow! And fill with favorite toys, or brim with special presents?

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Two weeks later at GoodWill there was a gorgeous primitive tree

with 6 strings of non-working lights on it for $9.99---yes, under $10.00.

I would have to do a REDO. The tree had probably been a store display from the quality of the lights, but when they had a problem, they just wired more lights on top of those not working/

so it was thick with professionally wound cords.

Every branch had red berries and little buffalo check bows on it, too.

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So I cut and unwound and pulled and yanked, and muttered.

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And this is what it looked like all straightened w/o lights after over four hours.

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We put four strings of LED's on it...golly they are bright.

And then we hand-picked from our OLD HUGE collection of ornaments.

I chose one or two of the ornaments we had bought in sets each year: like the balloon clips we bought one year, and the ginghams, which turn up now in vintage/antique venues. The carousel horse I have two of--they were just so gorgeous, and probably 15 years old already.

We have two OLD original Rudolphs from 1947-8, these were my Hubby's as a child.

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This NEW little guy---comes from a vintage reproduction collection

that occasionally crops up at TJMax.

I snag them when the price is right. Boats and fishing are always popular here.

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The OLD mushrooms I bought here in Chicago in a Polish neighborhood way back in 1975, when we were thinking of moving here from Northern Wisconsin.

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This guy was Hubby's Gramma's, he's not sure how old they are---but we have two.

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Here is the other one, he had been altered a bit over the years and REDO eyes painted on.

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This silvered tinsel atop an Victorian glass bell, is hard to show, but these are also from hubby's family.

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Another one has a curlicue tinsel surrounding it. Behind large glass snow owl keeps watch.

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This OLD silver cone basket---has two bells attached to the side, I haven't filled it with anything, but maybe will put some candy canes in it.

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The Raggedy's were sewn from felt back in the early 1970's. The huge mushroom is more recent, with the resurgence of gnomes, mushrooms are popular. I saw red dotted mushrooms in the wild in Denmark when I was there as a teenager. They are a very popular motif there and to my family.

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It was hard to choose just a few birds. We have boxes/totes of them.

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Paper woven hearts (Julehjerter) are a Danish tradition and I've included a link for a simple video on how to make them. Behind is a photo mounted on porcelain of my son when he was 3.

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A sweet kitty in a basket form the 80's.

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The yellow and blue ornament below is from my parent's 1st Christmas tree. Dad was still in the service in December of 1945, and they sublet an apartment from another soldier complete with a decorated Christmas tree.

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We have many tiny ornaments and a wax lamb and wax angel at the top of the tree, Gurley ornaments, I purchased last year in this post to replace my grandmother's which had melted.

A silver glass horn from my mom's collection.

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I've displayed some toys: a favorite teddy and a reindeer, sitting on a

1907 reproduction Sears Catalog.

How many generations of children pored over catalogs for their wish list.

But it isn't until night when the magic happens.

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I hope you enjoyed our down-sized Vintage Tree and Stand.

And a Very Merry Christmas and

Happy Holidays

to All!

Thanks always for visiting.

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or posts. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

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Share Your Cup Thursday

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Sandi

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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Making Traditions:Lithuanian Straw Ornaments

After many years of just not getting around to it, I attempted to make some Lithuanian Straw Ornaments for my son and daughter-in-law. She's a genuine Lithuanian/American who has been here since her 20's. We have often talked of making them, but the holiday season is always so busy.

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I am half Lithuanian and half Danish. Both sets of my grandparents were immigrants, they came here to make a better life. Chicagoland has a huge population of Lithuanians, while many Danes settled in Southeastern Wisconsin. I have been to mass with my d-in-law when all said in Lithuanian.

I found some very basic directions---and from there had to improvise. The actual Lithuanian ornaments were made of bleached straw. But white plastic straws are used here. These were a little wide. I think thinner ones might work better.

The straws are connected by using a LONG darning needle with crochet thread to make a continuous loop through the entire ornament. This does involve some pre-planning. The only detailed instructions I could find were for the simple triangle based shape above.

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The shapes can be very basic or very intricate. I'm not ready for three-tiered chandelier type ornaments, or the intricate snowflakes. So far I have made ten, and maybe I can get a few more done before Saturday.

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You cut the straws to equal lengths and then use geometry to create the 3-dimensional shapes.

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They don't show up that well on our sparse primitive tree. But the kids have 2 cats and do a minimalist approach on a thick pine tree. They will be perfect on there.

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A traditional 5-point star turned out well. Once my 68 year old brain traveled back to all those math classes I had through college, I began to see how there could be infinite patterns.

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The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture has an interesting post on their website about straw ornaments. They sponser a tree at the Museum of Science and Industry's Christmas Around the World Exhibit, you can find out more here.

Whatever your background, culture, or neck-of-the-woods,

we hope you have the

Merriest Christmas!

Thanks always for visiting.

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

Creating Christmas
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Busy Monday
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Creative Mondays
Metamorphosis Monday
Finding Silver Pennies
Inspire Me Tuesday
Happy Holidays Link Party

Wonderful Wednesday

Handmade Monday

Sandi

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Bestemor's Pund Kage or Gramma's Poundcake..

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Yesterday, I spent the better part of the day decorating in the kitchen, taking pictures and then baking.

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Christmas or Jul is just not Christmas until I bake Bestemor's (Grandmother's) Poundcake or Pund Kage. Here is the Christmas tree in the kitchen, I will share completely, later. The little wool yarn Nisse or elf is making sure my cake will rise or not. This is the last of the family original ones from probably the 1920's.

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Our everyday coffee station with added cocoa and marshmallows. Cinnamon sticks are great for sticking in with coffee grounds, or stirring tea. But what is that wonderful smell of butter and vanilla?

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Mmmmmm, just out of the oven. Bestemor's Pund Kage.

The new white kitchen is the heart of our home and this is the first major baking I have done other than some pumpkin pies. Such a pleasure to have everything easy to find, reach, and the extra counters are amazing. The butcher block is so forgiving.

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Here's Gramma---baking on a vintage music box. This display is temporary as we are having Family Cookie Day on Saturday and the entire counter will be filled with rolling pins and cookie cutters.

Family History:

I have two boxes of recipes and a book from my grandmother and perhaps two or more grandmother's from the handwriting before her. Most are entirely in Danish and sometimes a script nearly impossible to read, some written on the thinnest parchment paper in pencil. Many are from the 1800's. Problems though, quantities are described as butter the size of an egg, handfuls, spoon (no size, just spoon)---or in liters or grams. Plus ingredients no longer available, like saltpeter, used for sausage making and preserving.

Fun stuff-when you are trying to archive and duplicate family recipes. I had often helped my grandmother with Christmas baking as a child, so the how-to was not the problem, but the quantities were and continue to be.

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After much research, trial and error, I have managed to get very close to what her poundcake tasted like over the years. My University had a Home Economics major---so the library was chuck full of cookbooks and international recipes/equivalents etc. So between my grandmother's scribbles in Danish-English, and researching, we got it worked out.

Also products change over 100 years...flour is different, as are the eggs, buttermilk is no longer raw either and all this effected the results.

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Today's Bestemor's Pund Kage- Grandmother's Poundcake

Cream in mixer/large bowl until fluffy:
1 cup of butter ( I use salted) (don't bother and try and substitute)
2 cups of white cane sugar (I have tried turbinado...it doesn't work)

Add one at time, 4 large eggs, beat in each until totally combined (not extra large or jumbo)

(At this point I remember hand mixing all this! In my grandmother's HUGE yellow ware bowl.)

Add 2 tsp. grated lemon rind (positively need this)
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Sift together well into another bowl

3 cups of unbleached flour, I use Ceresota or King Arthur
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Have ready 1 cup of fresh buttermilk

Slowly add the flour mixture one cup at a time and beat with 1/3 of the buttermilk

Repeat and repeat. Mix on low until completely combined, or fold in by hand, like Bestemor.

Pour into 2 greased and floured large loaf pans, I use Bestemor's vintage glass ones.
or 3 smaller aluminum pans.

Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 min.

When the cake is lightly brown and a bamboo skewer comes out clean from the center they are done.

Sometimes it takes longer if you are like me and triple the recipe!

A must serve with fresh Kaffe (Coffee) with Kreme (Cream), or in the afternoon a sip of sweet red wine.

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Hubby volunteered to cut the cake. We cut the lightest one---just in case it was gooey in the middle. But, it was perfect texture and flavor.

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And just as quick, he tested it...

I basically cook everything healthy, except this one recipe in all its delicious goodness.
Pound Cake is named for what it puts on your hips, period. But so nummy!

While I took photos, this is what happened, a second piece....whoa, Merrycholesterol pills.

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Glædelig Jul! Merry Christmas, it's finally Christmas here now!

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That's Bestemor's1920's glass pan on the right. I have 5 of them.

Thanks always for visiting.

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

Creating Christmas

Share Your Style

Busy Monday
Amaze Me Mondays
Creative Mondays
Metamorphosis Monday
Finding Silver Pennies
Inspire Me Tuesday
Talk of the Town
Happy Holidays Link Party

Wonderful Wednesday

Christmas Recipes Grammys Grid

All About Home

Sandi

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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Junkin' Finds: Early December 2016

I have to be honest, I have spent more time thrift-storing and junkin' the last week in November and this week, than I have spent blogging or decorating for the holidays.

And, I confess, stuff wanders in-and gets, used immediately or buried (HID),

so this isn't all of it.

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The biggest find for me, was this primitive Christmas tree with the ten pounds of faulty lights on it. It took over 3 hours to take (cut) the old lights off. We aren't hosting Christmas this year, and I'm looking to keeping our decor a bit more simple than our normal tree with a gazillion ornaments.

This is a primitive---tree, with lots of open space for ornaments and I paid only $9.99.

I plan on utilizing old toys, ornaments, and antique ornaments.

Lurking behind there is a special treat I will share in my next post.

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More Christmas found it's way into my waiting arms. I love vintage Christmas.

A super plaid tin, probably over 20 years old. A biscuit tin, I plan on utilizing in the craft shop

and an over 20 year old Santa tin, that had a baby Santa lurking inside.

The Grand will love this.

These were only 50 cents to $1.99.

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Little Miss Mousey ornament, with bling---it's adorable, only 99cents.

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And another friend---all ready to brave the winter weather.

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Cute little face peeking out of her fur trimmed coat, with a muff to match. She was 99 cents.

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These were hunted up by a friend for me, for a Barbie tree in the extra bedroom. These were a bit pricey---lol, only 1.99 each. Some are going on eBay for $15-20.

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Now on to the real vintage/antiques. The enameled mold was purchased at an antique show for only $7.00. The silver fish mold (1.99) ---may go to a friend, or can always join all the other 'fish' i have about the house.

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This is the third piece of Upper Hanley in this pattern I have picked up this year.

It's a gorgeous pattern named Victoria, from 1895-1900

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I reallylove old porcelain, especially transfer ware pieces.

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This plate didn't even get washed and landed in the Corner Buffet in the kitchen. The white cabinet needed the extra pops of the red color. Labeled, Royal semi-porcelain England, Florentine pattern, and only$2.99. The mark was pretty elusive to find, but I would place this late 1800's, even though it is in excellent condition. There is also a deep stamp into the clay--that is illegible.

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This is a Bing&Grondahl, Jubilee plate celebrating 75 years of Christmas plates from 1985. The pattern is originally from 1910. It is larger than the other plates and will go above my stove fan. My family were fishermen on my Grandfather's side in Northern Denmark town of Lokken. And this is reminiscent of paintings from that area.

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These are not Junkin' finds, but antique glass, family heirlooms from my Mother-in-law. They were her Grandparent's glasses from probably the 1880-90's. They are heavy and gorgeous and I will have to do some research for the pattern, they have ribbing that is beaded up the sides.

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I have been in search of cups to go with my 'crazy' teapot. This one, while not vintage was a buy at $6.99. Gold trimmed and funky paisley it goes well with the teapot.

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You can see the teapot here in the china cabinet. It is hand painted/and gilded, the inside is enameled metal and holds the heat very well. I do need to find one more cup/saucer of a pattern that works with this pairing.

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It is Royal Stanttari porcelain, purchased at Home Goods.

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A super duper find is this huge very heavy urn in perfect condition. Some sort of heavy cast resin, this one isn't hollow and flimsy. I think it may have been a stand for a small tree, from the foam still in it.