Spring has finally arrived (I hope), so I've quickly done some planting before I leave on my trip to Frankfurt and London mid-week.  Otherwise my flowers won't be planted until after I return end of May, and not much to choose from at that point.   For one little project I decided to use an antique German cast iron doll cradle.   I found a coconut liner at Menard's that fit almost perfectly -- only a little trim required on top -- and my project was quickly finished.   The flowers should be cascading over the sides by the time I return home! 

  
   My passion for antique German linen and grain sack fabric continues.  These two thrift store wingbacks have been completely transformed with simple beige grain sacks with small blue/white stripes which have been cut open to use as upholstery material.  It took ten sacks to finish this project.  Luckily I had enough.   My upholsterer is fantastic and is used to my unusual projects, but complained that he had to sharpen his scissor after every cut.   The fabric of flax is very heavy.   Good thing is, it will NEVER wear out.

   Light oatmeal with herringbone weave.   Black/red stripe pattern unusual to see in this grain sack fabric.   German, handwoven, ca. 1890.

I just couldn't resist buying this set of 20 vintage zinc flowerpot holders in Germany, although I knew I couldn't possibly use them all.   I don't know exactly how old they are, although they do have some "age" to them, with minor imperfections.  The open weave design is so pretty.  There are holes at the bottom for drainage.  So I've decided to keep what I want (7 pieces) and sell the rest here on Living Tastefully for those that might like them and have a use for them.  They measure approximately 4 3/4 inches tall and 6 1/4 inches in diameter at the top.   First come; first serve.  Just send me an e-mail indicating your interest and I'll reply privately.  $11.95/each, plus postage. 

I used one for an orchid plant in my bathroom and lined the metal holder with "reindeer moss" (Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores  has a nice selection of different types of moss) . . .

. . . and another for a small pot of tulips which are so plentiful in the stores this time of year.   I did keep both the orchid and tulips in their own little plastic pots before setting them in the outer metal holder. 

 I follow almost daily online auctions of an estate liquidation company in Cincinnati, a little over an hour's drive from my house.   They have really great stuff, and it's hard to resist bidding along, but I always have to remember it has to be picked up at the house they're liquidating two days after the end of the online auction, and most times it's not worth the trip for one item unless I happen to be in town for my work anyway.   This time I didn't care.  I saw the photos of this antique seed packet display and thought "Go for it!" 

I've never been big into collecting antique advertising.  I have a great old wooden Clark Bar thermometer and an Anton Reiche catalog,  and that's about it; but this was so appealing I couldn't help myself, despite not having any place to display it. 

The store display dates from the early 1930s.   Each row has five colorful original seed packets lined up with a little tray in front of each variety.   The tray would be filled up with packets for sale.

Believe it or not, there are collectors of antique seed packets, and this store display would be a perfect way to show off their collection.   And even though it measures five foot six inches tall, it fits nicely in a corner taking up hardly any floor space.   This piece displays packets from the Jesse Lines Seed Company in Michigan. 

         For the collector, it's all about the graphics, and these are wonderful!

The outside wooden planks have the original green paint, and the two sides fold up into one large box not more than six inches deep.   This would appeal  to so many collectors -- primitives, advertising, garden, country store.  I purchased this only from seeing the online photos, but in this case it definitely did not disappoint!

     Reading the news online earlier this week, I was intrigued by an article entitled "Coolest Small Towns in Europe" and was not at all surprised to find Cesky Krumlov as Number 1 in their top 10 list.   I was treated to a visit to the Czech Republic this summer as a birthday gift from my dear friend Erika who lives in former East Germany.   Cesky Krumlov was one of our day trips on our visit, and I can honestly say I have never been so awestruck by a foreign town in my life.   We spent the entire day there, and all I could think of was how I wanted to come back again one day and share it with my family.

                              ERIKA and FAMILY'S HOME in GERMANY

     Erika was a baby in World War II living in what was known as "Sudetenland."   Before the war, that was a part of Hitler's Germany.   At the end  of the war it was determined that Sudetenland  be given back to Czechoslovakia.   Two-year-old baby Erika and her family were given 24 hours to  leave their home, put on a train and were relocated by the Allies, given a home  to live in located in the new boundaries of Germany set up after the war.   To  this day, Erika lives in that house, now with her husband, daughter, son-in-law  and granddaughter.   She and her husband, Juergen, were raised in East Germany. 
     As their home was within 10 miles of the border to the West, she and Juergen, and  later her daughter and son-in-law, were  confined by the Communists to  live in a specified region restricting even travel within East Germany until the Wall came down as they were considered more of a flight risk than others because of their proximity to the barbwire border.   It is fascinating to hear them tell of everyday life living under such horrible conditions.  Bananas were a delicacy.  Son-in-law Heiko told me how they would go up in their attic where they had a little antenna and radio to listen to news from the Free World.  They have all visited me in Ohio several times, and it is such a joy to see how excited they are over every single mundane part of my life.  They call my son's historic home and grounds "The Ranch."  EVERYTHING is a big deal.  It always makes me think twice how we take our life here in the US for granted.  

     For years Erika has wanted to take me back to show me the area where she was born and  promised we could stay in a little chalet in the Bohemian mountains owned by a  longtime friend of hers living in Prachtice.    So one day last August Erika,  Heiko, Simone and I made the six-hour drive to the Czech Republic  and the little  chalet.

     Our little chalet in the mountains was about a 15-minute drive from the nearest city, Prachtice.  Although I found the city center of Prachtice extremely charming, by their standards it's just a really old city and not a tourist attraction as Cesky Krumlov, Prague, or the 38 castles spread throughout the countryside.   What I was most fascinated with in Prachtice was that a great part of the old city center was done in trompe l'oeil painting.  What appeared to be buildings constructed of huge stones were all an illusion.   What I found out the next day in Cesky Krumlov was that trompe l'oeil was typical of the entire region.

     We entered Cesky Krumlov on foot, having left our car in a parking area, and underneath a centuries old structure which we later walked through on our way to the ancient castle overlooking the city. 

     Inside the walls was an absolutely huge area of charming twists and turns and centuries-old cobblestone streets dating to the Middle Ages.  In a word, it is incredible.  We were advised to go on a Friday instead of waiting for the weekend, as the tourists arrive in droves on Saturdays and Sundays.  Trompe l'oeil is a big part of contributing to the charm. 

           There is also enough shopping to keep anyone busy the entire day.

     Of course, we had to try the delicious Trdelnik, which was offered at almost every corner.

     In the evenings we enjoyed wurst and bread and cheese, and wine and pastries with our hosts.   It was a very special time, and I hope to have encouraged at least some readers to visit Cesky Kromlov and enjoy this amazing "Coolest Town in Europe."

  
   Considering the amount of renovation, inside and out, that's been put thus far into The Willow Tree, ca. 1827, the fresh coat of paint at the front entryway was a breeze!  However, the doorknob had to go. Looking on Pinterest for ideas, I found the perfect entry set that I had to have, but had no idea where to find it.  Hoping my sister could help, I e-mailed Eileen a photo. She said she's never seen anything like it and had no idea where to find one. 

   After days and days searching the internet, I found David Kayne & Son in
North Carolina,  www.customforgedhardware.com.  He had  this early American design  called a "weeping heart," and it's just the right piece for the Willow Tree.

     The cottage has exposed beams inside with original heart pine floors.   The door retains original hardware.

     Another solid walnut door is on the kitchen porch side of the house, but unlike the cottage the door is unpainted.   It also has an original entry set (left photo shows the outside, right photo the inside). 

     The dumbwaiter in the kitchen has original hand forged wrought iron hardware with handle and strap hinges.

     Even two closets in an upstairs bedroom are lined with lovely wrought iron hooks with heart detail.

     I've visited Eileen numerous times over the 25-plus years she and her family have lived in their lovely old Tudor home in St. Paul, and until this summer I never paid much attention to her original front door entry set (and apparently neither has she!)   Remember that she had no clue when I asked her about the wrought iron entry set that I was looking for and which I later determined was a weeping heart design?   So when I walked up to her front door on a visit this summer, I was immediately drawn to -- the HAND FORGED WROUGHT IRON WEEPING HEART entry set that has been on her front door since 1928 when the house was built.  So much for attention-to-detail-Eileen!

  
   There always seems to be a theme for me every Christmas when giving gifts to my son and daughter.  This year it was antique picture frames.   I have a "thing" about them and buy several every month.  With all the wall space at The Willow Tree, I know it will never be a problem trying to figure out how to use them, and my daughter is always happy with a unique frame for a gift. 

  
   This is a tramp art frame referred to by collectors as "Crown of Thorns" because of the construction of handcarved tiny individual interlocking pieces of wood no bigger than matchsticks, each coming to a point and then put together kind of like Lincoln Logs.  As you can imagine, Crown of Thorn pieces are very fragile.  This frame is two and a-half feet long and is really a show-stopper when displayed on any wall.

   Another large tramp art frame with large chunky notch construction.   When putting personal photos in antique frames, I always try to finish off the back so that the photos can be easily taken out and updated with new ones.

   My sister has already hinted at our obsession with European Sunburst Mirrors.  I had purchased a mirror or two before one of our trips to Paris, but then we wandered past a Parisian restaurant one summer several years ago with doors wide open and both caught a glimpse of their vintage sunburst mirrors decorating the walls.  They were EVERYWHERE, and we were hooked.   They're not exactly easy to find (and certainly not reasonably priced ones), but I have a source in Europe that has provided me with over a dozen mirrors over the last few years that are easy on the pocketbook.   Problem is, my daughter lays claim to them as soon as they arrive.  I've also sold a few (stupid me), given my niece one as a wedding shower gift and one to Eileen.  But no more.  I've recently acquired three lovely ones, and they'll be hung in my bedroom very soon.

   This wall of mirrors in my daughter's living room is stunning.  The antique and vintage mirrors were always made of wood and the "rays" are carved.   Patterns are endless and they range from small to very large, simple to elaborate.  The "rays" can also be layered which adds even more interest and beauty.   The '50s and '60s brought a new twist to the mirrors.  They began making them out of metal as well, sometimes incorporating mirrors in the rays in addition to the center circular mirror .  .  . or a clock was inserted in place of the center mirror.  Those all command high prices today as well.   With the popularity of the antique and vintage sunbursts, it was inevitable that companies would start producing them again, but this time they are done in resin.  They still generally cost several hundred dollars each, but if you want the charm of the old you will need to be careful what you are buying is indeed made of wood.   Turning them over and inspecting the back is the best way to determine.

                                            





  The centerpiece of the mirror wall is this huge ca. 1930s mirror measuring 32 inches in diameter.  The design using the large fat "squiggly" rays is something not often found..  

   The bigger the better is usually the case with sunburst mirrors . . . except for this little gem.   I've only seen one other similar to this, and they referred to it as a "cloud" mirror.   Makes sense.  The sun's rays are breaking through the clouds.   The other "cloud" mirror I found was listed on 1stdibs.  This website of high end antiques dealers is always fun to explore and has a nice selection of sunbursts, but be prepared to be blown away at their prices!

   This is by far the oldest mirror I've found.  I believe it to be pre-1900s.  The structure of this mirror is really interesting to see from behind and from the sides.  It is built up in several thick  carved layers.  As a result, it protrudes quite far out from the wall. 

Another lovely large mirror constructed so that the rays form a square.   Sunburst mirrors are generally gold gilt, but this has a silver overlay which works perfectly with the color scheme in my daughter's master bedroom.

Although not a sunburst, this square example belongs to the sunburst family of mirrors, and interior decorators are crazy about these as well.  This is the first I've found of this kind, and it's waiting to be hung -- you guessed it -- at my daughter's house.  It measures 12 inches square and is ca. 1920, perhaps older.

                             LAST THREE LEFT TO HANG AT MY HOUSE!

The mild winter was a Godsend.  On a particularly warm March day all heat
registers were removed and work on installation of the geothermal system was
begun.   It was a difficult job, as there is only a crawl space under most of
the first floor, and the installers did an amazing job.  We have heat and air!  Thirty-three new windows have been installed and as of last week we can use the bathrooms!   Every worker -- carpenter, plumber, electrician, geothermal, window installer,  stone mason, etc., etc. -- has taken such pride in working on this house.  They  show up every day with a smile on their face wandering through the rooms happy  to be a part of bringing it back to its original glory.  Several have brought
along their wives to show them the project.  The plumber found me in a back room
last week while I was painting woodwork, and he said, "You are the luckiest
painter being able to work on this house!" 

The original steps on the west side of the house leading to what is now the bride's dressing room were an extreme hazard and unsightly.   The warm March weather allowed our stonemason (Super Dave) to begin work on the steps much earlier than expected.  I was thrilled to have found "Deconstruction Depot," a part of St. Vincent De Paul, which demolishes homes in the Dayton area and those building supplies are sold at Deconstruction Depot at extremely reasonable prices.  I needed antique brick pavers cheap -- not an easy thing to find.  I was beginning to worry until I learned of Deconstruction Depot.  They were able to deliver 1,500 brick pavers within several weeks.  I also found antique beadboard for the outdoor porch ceilings at unbelievable prices.   We now need another  1,500 bricks, and they've assured me as soon as they obtain the permit to tear down another house I will have all the bricks I need. 

The new steps are finished and blue Endless Summer hydrangeas have been planted on the full length of the west side of the house.   A pergola is yet to be constructed on the steps. 

After finishing the steps, our stone mason moved to the front of the house and removed all the original hand chiseled stone slabs which were used as a sidewalk on the front and side of the house.   Most slabs were broken and crumbling, so it was decided they needed to be replaced with antique brick pavers.  One huge 6-foot slab was in perfect condition.  It was four inches thick, and Super Dave moved it by hand using a board as a lever.  He placed it running up to the front door.  It looks amazing, just as if it had always been there. 

Super Dave also reset and mortared in the hand chiseled stone retaining wall which had fallen.   The next day we were able to plant a few of the over 150 boxwoods, Endless Summer hydrangeas and Knock Out roses, etc.,  that were delivered last week.   

This is just a part of the delivery we received last Friday.  We planted about 35 shrubs/bushes so far.  Planting goes very slowly, as in digging each hole we encounter rocks and roots.

This is Phase III of our stone mason's work which was begun last Friday.   With the brick pavers laid at the front and side of the house, this entry to the kitchen door really looks shabby.  All the brick has already been taken out and cleaned off ready to be relaid.  I'm hoping by next week this project will be finished.  Yesterday we hung a window box at the butler's pantry window, and we have an antique cast iron urn ready to be planted and set in the middle of the flower bed.   Then it's on to Phase IV.

  
   I have been busy -- REALLY busy.  We are restoring my son's new old house, and it is overwhelming. I am painting, stripping and planting. Yesterday a truck arrived with 55 hydrangeas and over 100 other shrubs, etc. ready for planting.    Just shortly before our renovation began in earnest, my friends and fellow early German toy collectors in Germany, Maria and Dieter, and I decided to pursue a dream we have always had of publishing a book together on our toy collections -- EARLY TOYS  THURINGEN / THURINGIA & ERZGEBIRGE  After the holidays we decided we would begin. The winter months were a perfect time for our weeks and weeks of photographing. It was very tedious making sure our photos were of the best quality for publication. We are very fortunate that a good friend of Maria's in Germany, Swantje Koehler, is a respected publisher of doll and toy books and was anxious to collaborate with us contributing her talent for layout and research.

     The book has been published and will make its debut at the Puppenfestival in Neustadt, Germany, next week. It fills a void in books published thus far on antique toys as it concentrates on wooden and papier-mache toys made before 1900. The text is in German and English, also something that has never been done before.  We are extremely excited and very proud of our accomplishment! It is a lovely book full of wonderful photos and interesting research. The photos in this post show a flier published to announce our book.  I can't wait to receive it!