A story of old vintage dishes and Friends...

Greetings...

How are you girls today?

I thought I would share something a little different with you today.. I hope that is ok.

When I was a wee girl we were a very poor family as I have told you before..

My grandmother who lived in St. Martins (where our cottage is) had a wonderful old china cupboard.  I think I may have told you once about how I would oh so quietly creep into the old dining room and press my small tipped up nose again the cupboard pane and look.. just look.. except once but that is another story...grin..

I have loved old dishes ever since...

Anyway... here are a few shelves of some that I have here at home...

Hope you will like to see them... 

Don't you love dishes with old roses on them?

I also like to put other little things among my dishes.. old cards..

 Old bisque dolls...

This one belonged to my friend, Julia.. 

Anything with violets on them...

A favorite gift from Terry..

an old cocoa set..

I received this set and the cocoa set above from a sweet old antique dealer who used to live in Sackville before she passed on..

Her name was Julia and I loved her...

Another little collection that has not cost me very much just by picking them up here and there over the years..

Julia got me started on this...

Hand blown glasses Terry found at a yard sale in St. Martins..

Tea trolley filled with a flee market tea set..

And a breakfast set from my Great Aunt Emily..

An occupied Japan miniature tea set from Julia and milk pitchers from a friend..

As you can see Julia has really been a part of my love for antiques..

I met her many years ago when I was doing vintage Victorian crafts and I was trying to buy old buttons and lace and such..

 After we DISCOVERED her we would take a day and go visit Julia and her husband.  They were in their seventies and had 3 old barns full of antiques and books.. 

She was always so glad to see us.. especially Terry.. smile..

Then she would tell me just to putter through the 3 barns and to take my time.. She had a few things for Terry to mend..smile..When I was finished I was to take the stash into the kitchen..

Let me take a moment and tell you about her kitchen.. It was the most wonderful kitchen I have ever been in.. It was filled with cupboards lined with open shelves stacked high with old dishes, crocks full of butcher knives, cast iron and copper hanging from racks on the walls,  baskets suspended from the rafters,plants galore and two old wing back chairs pulled up to the wood stove..She had a long harvest table surrounded with antique chairs and a old rocker by the window..  It was a huge room with a high ceiling lined with beams..There was always a lovely smell of roasting meat and a tea kettle rattled on the stove..

 I could have moved in.. smile.. 

Anyway.. 

She would go through whatever I had carted in from the barn and give me a price. 

My.. how we would laugh as I would try to beat her down.. She would look at me over her glasses and try to explain that she had to make a few cents you know..lol...

She loved Terry more than me but I didn't mind.. smile..He would say.. "oh, Faye".. I would laugh and say that I had to make a living, too.. grin.. 

After our business was over and the tea was gone she would take me through the rest of her beautiful home full of one-of-a-kind antiques and tell me that she did not do this for everybody you know.. She was only about five feet tall but had a such a masculine type voice... She was such a contrast of personality... Seeming to be so gruff but yet so kind..So sweet... 

 I am thankful that God blessed us so much by knowing her.. She taught me so much..

Not just about antiques but about tomato casserole,hospitality, cactus, ivory buttons and so much more..

On days like today when Spring is in the air and the wind is blowing in the trees I wish I could bend my head down so I could go through that old barn door and see the chair where she had been sitting sorting her china and silver and stacking her hundreds of books..I could smell the lovely scent of antiquity and rub my hand along a piece of timelessness...

I would clear a place somewhere and begin piling my stash and wonder if Julia had the tea on yet.. wistful smile..

Oh well.. We were so blessed to have many such visits with her and her husband before she left us..

I will always treasure these dear precious pieces that came from her hands...

I think that friends are a rare and priceless gift from God.  Sometimes they are our age or younger or older but they always have a heart that is kindred to ours.  They teach, appreciate, share and give us so much back in return.  I want to be thankful to the Lord  for them and treasure them as something precious that I have in my keeping..

May God bless each one of you today..

My friends..

So...

On that note, my dears I must go and try to accomplish some things on my list. 

Today is the last day to sign up for the little giveaway... I will let you all know the winner first thing in the morning.. ok?

Thanks for visiting and please leave a note.. smile..

God bless..