Letters Galore

Lonely Letters

I begin this post with mixed emotions ~ a little bit of distress fused with a little enthusiasm as well.  Sorrowful, that I just dropped my camera and am unable to finish shooting photos for this post but on the other hand, exhilarated because now I am forced into purchasing a new camera ~ something I've been meaning to do for quite some time.

In spite of my most recent setback with my camera, I do want to share the photos that I was fortunate enough to capture prior to the mishap.

Last spring I made a trip to Round Top and stumbled upon a graveyard of old signage letters (see above).  Who knew what might be lurking in this dismal heap of mangled-up metal?  My hope was to unearth a "d" or a "p" or possibly the initial of one of my kiddos ~ and luckily enough I found this guy.

Simple and imperfect in every way ~ just what I was looking for.

Who knows?  It might end up here ~ resting on the floor...

OR...maybe here ~ on this bookcase.  I have a feeling this is one of those pieces, that will frequently rotate from room to room.  For now, I think I like it positioned atop this weathered bookshelf, standing watch over numerous design books.  The pretty flowers ~ courtesy of the mister. 

The generously sized letter "d", with its muted shade of gray, blends in seamlessly with my color palette.  And the beauty of it is ~ it does double duty as a "d" or a "p" depending on which way I flip it or whatever suits my fancy for the day.

On another note, I thought I would share my latest read with you ~ a little gift my husband recently presented to me.  He knows of my love for beautiful design books.  I was happy to be introduced to Patina Style by Brooke Giannetti and Steve Giannetti.  I promise this book will not disappoint and is chocked full of wonderful old patina styled furnishings and rooms.  I'm a little embarrassed to say, this was my first introduction to these wonderful designers ~ read more about them here on their blog, Velvet and Linen.  You will be taken away by their beautiful stylizing. 

P.S.  Farewell to my faithful little Samsung point-and-shoot who has been a loyal cohort for the past couple of years. You will be missed.  On the other hand, that means new and improved photos for Tattered Style. :)

Gothic Window

I was captivated by this Gothic window when I first stumbled upon it at a flea market.  One might consider it simple ~ but I feel it is stately in its own right.  The window itself isn't ornate or showy but rather plain ~ and the frame is by no means elaborate.  I was drawn to the combination of its form, shape and texture and at $20 it was a steal ~ so, of course I found it necessary to bring home with me. 

I opted to display it in a a prominent corner of my sitting room.  I attached this curvy hook to the crown molding and let the window dangle from an extension of chain. 

The *chain idea was a signature detail that I borrowed from designer, Carol Hicks Bolton, a number of years ago.  Now, I use them everywhere.

The window's weathered finish pays homage to my love for the tattered style.  It's framing provides the perfect little narrow ledge ~  an ideal resting spot for this vintage letter "P" and this small cross by artist Jan Barboglio.

Simplicity at its best ~ in my eyes.

The beautiful Gothic window adds character to this relaxing little reading corner ~ my husband's favorite space to kick up his feet, sip a cup of coffee, read a spell and ponder all life's happenings.  The leather chair ~ a Pottery Barn purchase; the floor lamp ~ a thrift store find; the oversized wall clock ~ a family heirloom (more about that some other time).  Here's hoping you find time to kick up your feet this weekend. :)

Expressions From the Heart

You can't help but know that Valentine's Day is quickly approaching with the abundance of jewelry commercials on TV..."Every kiss begins with K." (I think it's a given that this commercial was voted the "Most Annoying Jingle" in our household). Regardless, it causes me to stop and reminisce about memorable gifts from the past and realize that some of my most treasured ones actually have very little monetary value. Although these tokens of love weren't costly, didn't come in little velvet boxes and by most standards are far from perfect, they make me feel loved every time I see them. To me, these heartfelt expressions of love says it all.

Nana's Charm Bracelet ~ A treasured keepsake, this belonged to Nana when she was a teenager.

"I Love You, Nat" ~ I received this from my hubby-to-be via snail mail when I was in college. It was dark and dated so I gave it a coat of cream spray paint.

Gavin's Flower ~ Lovingly created by Gavin in elementary school. I gave it a "shadowbox" effect by hotgluing it atop the glass of a vintage picture frame.

Corbin's Recipe Holder ~ I love this recipe holder that Corbin made in kindergarten (it has his little thumbprint on it). It's holding Nana's crepe recipe that she gave me years ago (so yummy!).

Teacup and Saucer/Pearlized Initial ~ A heartfelt gift Reagan picked up for me when he was in Switzerland. The letter "D" was a gift from my friend, Pamela.

Heart Shaped Rocks ~ A freebie ~ We gathered these heart shaped rocks on leisure walks, an idea I stole from my friend, Janet.

The Girl with a Broken Arm ~ A gift from a Brussels flea market ~ Nat nailed it, absolutely perfect!

Mimi's Cookie Cutters ~ My mom passed these vintage cookie cutters on to me. They have dished up many a sugar cookie (too bad the boy's favorites are chocolate chip!).

Vintage Silver Spoon ~ Sharon of the "Bless your Neighbor" blog gave me this imprinted cheese spreader yesterday....Just Because. The truffles, compliments of Kelly of the "Healthy Happy Eater" blog.

Scrabble Letters ~ Nat surprised me last year with a box full of Scrabble letters that he purchased on Ebay. Definitely one of my favorites! So many uses...I love spelling out names and using them as place cards for table settings.

Tokens of affection needn't be expensive to convey the sentiment behind them. Some of the most meaningful and treasured ones are simple expressions from the heart.