Green and blue glass (and possibly a ghost) in my kitchen window...

Perhaps I inherited the love of blue and green glass from my grandmother. She adored it and always had it placed around in a window or two.

Here is what we call the "back porch" in the Old House. When we were kids, the window sills were filled with old green and brown bottles. Grandmother let us melt crayons in an old pot and pour it on the bottles as an art project.

When I moved into the Old House, I filled the sills with every piece of blue and green glass I could get my hands on.

A few of these pieces have moved with me across the country.

Not once...

But twice...

Today, these pieces are in my kitchen window sill in Wyoming.

I lived in two apartments without windows over the sinks. So, I took a mirror that looked like a window and set it on a shelf to make a fake window so my pretty glass would have a home.

I am so happy to have a kitchen window now. (But perhaps I should have removed the screen before this photo shoot.)

Okay, here's the ghost part... Can you see her looking at me through the glass? She's wearing a red top and a white pencil skirt, a round necklace, tan bag and she's leaning on a parasol. No, it is not my reflection and nothing in my yard looks anything like that. What the heck is that?

These are newer pieces that I bought about 15 years ago.

The blue bottle shaped like a violin was a bridesmaid gift from my friend, Whitney, in Virginia.

I'm the only bridesmaid who got one. She knew how much I loved blue glass and that made it extra special.

Can you see my little frog? And my painted shot glass from Mexico. They make me smile too.

Doing dishes is not the most fun task and having something you enjoy in the window makes it so much better. At least I think so.

So, tell me. What's in your kitchen window?

Does it make you as happy as my glass makes me?

It almost looks like candy, don't you think?

And who doesn't love candy?

Linking to Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home

Three black & white dog prints on my wishlist...

I love this print because it reminds me of my dog, June Bug. Except that Bug is almost always happy... until I bring out the camera... then she looks like this.

"The Inconsolable" is available from Ballard Designs.

This print, "Scotties in the Snow," is also from Ballard Designs. It's just so happy, isn't it?

This is one of my favorites. I like its simplicity. It's Pablo Picaso's, "The Dog." I found it at Overstock but if you google it, you'll find it available from lots of stores.
Linking to White Wedneday at Faded Charm

A peek inside my sister's china cabinet...

Today, I am taking you on a tour of my sister's china cabinet. Isn't the color combination lovely? I especially love the greens and blues of the Fiesta on top.

The cabinet itself belonged to our Great Aunt Necel. It is part of a set that includes a large buffet cabinet, a small buffet cabinet, a round table and six or eight chairs. I think my sister still has most of these pieces which have received a coat of fresh, white paint. (Bravo!)

As you may have guessed, I was named for Great Aunt Necel. Here she is with her husband, Frank. Many of the items in this photo are still around. Aunt Necel was born in 1888. She was about 4' 11" and wore a size 4 shoe. Such a sweet, little lady.

These are my sister's favorite pieces. They are not marked and she's dying to know what they are.

Do you know what they are? I sent photos of them to Replacements and they never responded. (I stumped Replacements!)

I am picturing lots of teacups so I am linking to Tea Party Tuesday at Rose-Colored Glasses. Tea anyone?

Here is my sister, Biz, and her husband, James, in their dining room. (Isn't she cute!) I'll bet she's painted it a different color by now. She's always painting... and making James spray something white.

Biz and James

Biz is short for "Elizabeth." She's named after our great-grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth. And our mother, Nelda. So, my sister's name is Nelda Elizabeth. But she's been "Biz" forever.

Great Grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth

These are Aunt Necel's Blue Onion dishes. Biz says the teacups are just perfect for dunking Oreos.

Don't you just love the blue and white?

Our grandmother was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Texas Division. (I have no idea why this photo is posting sideways! It's right-side-up in my photo program.)

This is my favorite photo of Grandmother. She was born in 1899.

Grandmother, Nitis

Biz was blessed with a set of Bavarian china.

I think this Bavarian china belonged to our great grandmother on our grandfather's side.

Great Grandmother, Mama Hooks

Isn't it lovely? Maybe you'd like your tea in a Bavarian teacup today?


I hope you've enjoyed meeting my sister and your look inside her china cabinet. We have a lot more family china in the Old House and I have several sets here at my house. Maybe if I get around to dusting, I'll show it to you.

You can't judge a book by its cover...

Last week when I shared one of my most loved books, Better Homes and Gardens New Decorating Book (published in 1998), I promised to take you inside this newer edition which came out in 2007.

As you can see, the cover has been updated with bright colors and contemporary rooms which one of my readers said caused her to steer clear of the book.

But as my title says, you can't judge a book by its cover.

I was skeptical too and I must admit that the first time I opened it, I was a tad nervous as I started flipping through the pages which were chock full of modern design... Not that there is anything wrong with it, but it does not speak to "me."

This room, however, makes my heart flutter...

But alas, BHG did not disappoint. This is clearly an aim-to-please-all-design-tastes book.

As I got deeper into the book, the pages began to delight my senses with rooms, furnishings and colors that were definitely screaming out to "me, me, me."

Mark my words, someday I will own one of these library ladders. I will find the perfect place for it in the Old House which has 12-foot ceilings.

I mean, be still my beating heart...

I just love the cottage-style, country, shabby goodness! I can't wait to do a cabinet like this. And those painted trash cans are just the cat's meow.

I have a bed just like this in the Old House except mine has all the spindles and it's not painted white... At least not YET.
There is certainly lots of gorgeous color...

But there is also plenty of my current obsession... WHITE...

I love the sparkle in this living room...

This photo is very "Old House" fabulous...

You can still buy both versions of the book on Amazon, only the older one you'll have to purchase used. AND, I am delighted to have discovered that BHG published several versions in between the two I bought in 1998 and 2007.

They start at only 31 cents, plus $3.99 shipping and I see one dating all the way back to 1980.

NOTE: If you access Amazon using this link, a portion of your sale will go to help homeless dogs and puppy mill rescues. It doesn't cost you a thing.

So, my little lovelies, it looks like it's time for me to go buy myself some cheap-and-used-but-still-beautiful books!