I know I’ve mentioned this before, but you do know that emails of the blog posts come from a separate email address, and that I have no way of responding to you when you choose to comment via a response to the email? I still get a lot of comments that way – and I read them – but I can’t respond to them. So, if you really want a direct response, come to the blog and comment here. If you simply want to write to me and don’t care whether I respond or not, then have at it.
I say this today because I got a response like that from Claudia in Oklahoma about a month ago. I came across it the other day, when I was cleaning out my inbox. Claudia was responding to a post about Vintage by Crystal; she had fallen in love with Crystal’s whimsical spun cotton creations. And she asked how I displayed them. (I hope you’ve found a piece that you love, Claudia!)
So I went upstairs and took some photos for you. Keep in mind that my Santa that sits on a bell and my Butterfly Rider are displayed right here in the den. But everything else is upstairs in the office.
They’re in my pink cabinet in my little hideaway at the top of the stairs.
I’ll take you on a little tour.
The top shelf holds several pieces of Roseville Pottery, including a child’s plate. On the right is an antique napkin holder inscribed with “Claudia.” My friend Lynne gave that to me.
The middle shelf holds several pieces of cream-colored McCoy Pottery, as well as a pottery deer (maker unknown). In the back is a pink cardboard candy box that holds letters my grandmother exchanged with her youngest sister, Rhoda, when Gram was attending nursing school in Barrie, Ontario. I’ve read many of them. Rhoda died at the age of 15 in the flu epidemic of 1918, along with an older sister, Maggie. Grandma never got over that. And from what I’ve read, Rhoda sounded delightful – full of life, funny, and kind. I wish I’d known her. And Maggie. Both gone long before I was born.
The Friends framed motto was a gift from my friend Lori, who owns Vignettes in San Diego. The pink powder puff was hand made by a blogging friend from long ago, who, sadly, no longer blogs. The Swarovski crystal bunnies came from Barbara. On the left, a Vintage by Crystal creation that looks like my mom when she was a little girl. On the right, a Valentine girl.
The bottom shelf holds copies of the magazines and book in which I was published. On top are little trinket holders that I love. Next to them are two chocolate boxes; one from Harrods in London and one from Laduree in Paris. And a little Paris/Eiffel Tower medallion I bought several years ago from Vignettes. Another piece of Roseville (the hard to find, an even harder to afford Cherry Blossom). Behind it, four vintage glove boxes. And then more Vintage by Crystal.
The elf is a Christmas ornament and not from Vintage by Crystal, but everything else here is. The two bunnies were my very first purchases.
So, that’s how I display them. I don’t do seasonal displays as a rule; rather, I prefer to have things out where I can see them all year long.
I have eight pieces by Crystal and – yes – I succumbed once more during yesterday’s blog sale. I’ll show you that when it arrives. I hope this helps, Claudia! I hope you see this post.
I love all the pieces I have displayed in my three china cabinets, but I must admit, this one is my favorite. It’s my ‘private’ cabinet, tucked away in our office. It’s painted a pale pink, it sits perpendicular to my desk, and I can see some of my favorite treasures when I’m working there. On top of the cabinet are my dolls and a poster for Anastasia. In fact, I went upstairs yesterday to work on the dollhouse and take these pictures, however, I ended up simply faffing the inside of the cabinet. I added that paper that backs the bottom shelf.
I’ll go stare at it some more today. It makes me happy. And I’ll share some more views of my little corner of our office in the next couple of days.
It’s Easter time. Yesterday, I started to post a little round-up of egg cups on Instagram. The first? Bunny-themed egg cups.
Adorable.
Happy Friday.
Claudia, I love your cabinets and the items that fill them. I love having favorite things around me too. Thank you for sharing your egg cups again. You have so many and it’s fun to see them gathered as a theme.
You’re most welcome, Wendy!
All these make me smile! I was so glad I could get one of Crystal’s pieces — they are charming and I love how you have them arranged. I DO decorate seasonally but some things are out year round for the same reason as you said — I love them and I want to see them! A little enchantment every day is good for the soul. I realized, last night, as I needle-felted up another little bunny that these guys weren’t going in a box after the season. They need to be in my everyday world. So I get it!
It’s very, very good for the soul, Jeanie!
I get an e-mail every day letting me know that you’ve posted, but I click on the link in the e-mail & it takes me right to your page on the Internet [I don’t read your post from the e-mail]. I remember you saying once that doing that added to your ad income, which I’m very happy to do. But I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that I no longer get e-mails when you’ve responded to comments, which I thought was weird, because you always reply, even if it’s just a Thank You. I didn’t change anything on my end, so I assumed it has something to do with whoever is your “blog host” – ??? – whatever that is. I know those folks have messed up in the past, and I know “they” mess up on other sites I visit. Just wanted to let you know since you mentioned about the e-mails at the top of today’s post. As I said, I always see your reply the following day, so not getting the e-mail is not a problem. It’s just odd that they just stopped a few weeks ago. Maybe the blog host doesn’t offer that service anymore?? Have a great weekend! 🌼
#Resist
#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport
Did you check your spam folder? As far as I know, those emails are still going out, but your email provider could be blocking them. My server/blog is not in charge of the service. It’s a plugin that I add to my blog that sends out the notice. I’ll do some checking on my end.
Also, are you making sure to check the box that indicates you want to be notified of a reply? You have to do that every time, I think, just so you don’t get bombarded with notifications you don’t want.
I’ll check the Junk folder but I haven’t ever noticed anything there – & I do check it daily before jettisoning everything. Also I didn’t have to check the “notify me of a reply” box every time before now, but I’ll check that too. As I said, no biggie not getting an e-mail about comments, just thought it was strange. I’m sure it’s some twisted glitch on your server/host’s end. My experience has been that “middlemen” often make their changes without telling the interested parties on either end of the equation. Have a great day!
#Resist
#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport
I changed to this plugin a while back and, as far as I know, commenters have always had to check the box that says “Subscribe to Comment” with each new comment. That’s to protect the commenter from getting a response when they don’t want one.
As far as I know, there is no glitch on my server’s end. Comment replies are being sent out. There could well be one on your end – for example if your email program sees these responses as spam of some sort and automatically blocks them. That’s happened in the past and there’s nothing I can do about that. You could check previous responses from me and whitelist the IP address in your email program.
When a reply from me doesn’t go through, I always get a notification and I haven’t received any.
Janet, right above the Post Comment box, is a place to check, labeled Subscribe to Comment. You need to check that box before you post your comment, every time you write a comment. That way you will get Claudia’s response sent directly to your email. Hope that helps. ;)
Thanks, Donnamae! That was one of my questions for Janet. The old plugin I had was a one-time only agreement kind of thing. With this one, it’s every time. That way the commenter has a choice in the matter.
Thanks for the tips. I’ll give them a try!
Your pink cabinet is a lovely compilation of important things to you…and so pretty to boot. I’m curious to see which new Vintage by Crystal item you choose. She had quite the collection.
Ah…the egg cups…my perennial favorite! Enjoy your Day! ;)
Cabinet of Favorites, as opposed to Cabinet of Curiosities.
Time to unleash the egg cups again!
Thanks, Donnamae!
Beautiful but overwhelming for me. Not for others or you. I just have some difficulty processing so much at one time. Still, lovely!
Just look at what you want to look at, Mary. Thanks!
Wonderful post, Claudia!
Your cabinet shelves are arranged perfectly, with many unique & beautiful treasures. I can’t wait to see which Vintage by Crystal “character” you were lucky enough to purchase! The process must be quite nerve wracking as they are all so cute and one of a kind. I especially loved the Flapping Bluebird and Flora Owl. I may need to keep an eye out and join in the fun next time around!
Thanks for sharing and happy collecting! Christy
P.S. Where did you end up putting your new shelf (the one you purchased with the bench?)
In the same place I showed you before. On the blue bench up in the office. I rather like it there!
It’s really hard to make a decision that quickly, but you have to! Otherwise, whatever you choose will be snapped up.
Thanks, Christy!
Love i when you photograph your keepsake shelves. I also love to have my favorite things around me up in my craft room. It’s the one room in the house where I don’t do any Marie Kondo-ing. I’m the only one who ever goes in there.
That raw wind was certainly getting old. Thankfully today all is calm. I’ve been noticing more and more birds around the house every day. Today I hung out a little cage with nesting materials in hopes some of them will stay around and be our neighbors. We always have chickadees in the little birdhouse on the front porch and a family of house wrens in the one hanging from the backyard pergola. I cannot wait to hear that bubbling song again. Then I’ll know spring is truly here.
I know! The weather has been so crazy lately. I heard peepers last week, but they stopped because it’s been cold at night and rainy and snowy. Enough already!
Claudia, I love your beautiful pieces of pottery. You certainly have some unique things too. It’s fun looking at our treasures. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
Thank you, Susie! xo
Since I’ve first ‘known’ you, Claudia, I have NEVER given up trying to find vintage egg cups for you but I just don’t see them. I found two yesterday, very plain (in that antique store I went into that I’m not going in again!) but, come to find, ‘made in China’ and NOT vintage at all. Darn. Then, today, I simply by pure luck happened on to an estate sale where I knew the family had not budged from that house since the early 1950s (I went to school with their kids in junior hi/high school; the patriarch now in his 90s; I assume he’s gone on to live with an adult child, has passed away; just don’t know details; widower; gorgeous custom home with a pool in our nicest part of town; good family, nice people). I missed some wonderful Corningware (spotless) from the 1960s (double darn) but got a darling handpainted ’40s sweetie (from when it was so popular to have decorative figures [ceramic; often an amateur artist but this definitely said “California” in the ‘clay’ and wasn’t homemade, so I’m thrilled, $3; a whimsical damsel with a basket of flowers, very Spring-like, not a mark or chip on her; also got a small piece of mint-green, carnival-style glass {intricate fluted bowl] for $1!]); alas, no egg cups.
Anyway, I just LOVED your tour today and, I’m tell’in ya, that one pink-toned Roseville piece is ‘to die for’.
(First photo, right; top shelf – – then you’ve also got the nice green-aqua with pink stripes, 3rd shelf; just glorious stuff. [I’m so wild over Roseville colors; will I EVER get my husband’s granny’s Roseville out of storage? I’ve only been talking to you about it for how many years now; sigh; I want to see it SO badly again! Some of it isn’t ‘my’ MOST fave colors but the one large piece in the deepest green-aqua I just KNOW you’d swoon over; I wish I could give it to you but it’s my husband’s fave piece in the collection and we spent a small fortune to have it expertly restored from when it arrived to us cracked right down the middle {now, you’d never know there was a crack; it’s just not discernible to a ‘normal’ eye; my husband couldn’t bear to see everything broken in the shipping box so, as I think I told you once, I just had to do something about it as he was melancholy enough over losing his grandmother; how lucky that Mother knew of a professional restoration team, not too far from where I lived; they’re both gone now, it’s been many years but their work was just unbelievable and, this I also think I told you before, one thing they once restored {nothing of ours} actually got past Antiques Roadshow {t’was a long story of how!} as an original-intact/flawless & unaltered piece, not intentionally].)
You know what I always say to you: GET THE ROSEVILLE! It needs to be seen and enjoyed, my friend!
YES ma’am! Times’s a’wasting…
xo
Vintage cups are hard to find out in the wild. Lots of cheaper knock-offs, but I maybe find one a year.
I’m ever-hopeful; I can see where families cleaning out a house would hold on to something like a egg cup if it’s a memory because it’s small and easy to stash/display when perhaps they don’t want a lot of other stuff which they make look at as clutter rather than treasure.
For some reason, I held on to that egg cup I got from my godparents many moons ago. Otherwise, I just might not have an egg cup collection at all!
What a lovely display with such beautiful objects. The letters you mentioned that your Grandmother wrote to her younger sister is such a treasure to own. Claudia,thank you for sharing this post.
Marilyn
They are a treasure. I rarely open the box because I don’t want to tear the letters. Thank you, Marilyn.
Your collections are a joy for me too, especially the egg cups! Your home is a curated personal gallery and I love your style and how you care for it! Thanks for sharing it on your blog!
You are so welcome, Kelly!
I never tire of seeing your treasures Claudia…and never will…
Aw, thank you, Nancy!
I enjoy the egg cup parade each year. Love the items by Crystal. I have the flamingo and while it did hang on my pink Christmas tree it also lives year round in my bedroom. Too special to put away.
I go another prescription yesterday and while I’m still feeling horrible I do believe this is finally helping. The cough is the worst I’ve ever had. Pollen count is the highest its been in years. Just a perfect storm to make me sick. So hopefully on the mend. Hugs.
I hope you’re feeling tip top soon. My allergies are starting to kick in, as well.