Sunday, August 29, 2010

living with antiques


Thanks everyone for submitting such beautiful photographs for the Antiques theme.  Looking for inspiration for my own photo to submit, I wandered through my home... running my fingers along the gorgeous quartersawn oak surfaces of my beloved furniture, smoothing the hair of my antique doll, dusting century old books, and plinking on our timeworn violin.  In my mind's eye, I was searching for that one thing that truly demonstrates that antiques don't just exist in our home but that we actually "live" with them - that they are used daily, not just sitting on a shelf looking lovely.  And then at my son's "cookie and milk" time at the antique kitchen table, the photograph presented itself.  We use our Candlewick glass collection as daily dishes.  We find that they add sophistication to the simplest of meals and make chocolate milk and oreos feel rather decedant.

Like the canister set, shown below in the photograph submitted by kathmo, I encourage you to actually use the items that you collect.  Enjoy them and really live with them.  On occasion, a piece will break but you can find replacements at your local flea markets, antique stores, and garage sales. Consider it your contribution to the "green movement."  You will be recycling a product that is usually of superior quality, less expensive than new products, and in all likelihood, made in the USA.

Do you like antiques or collectibles?  Do you incorporate them into your everyday life?


Uploaded by kathmo on 31 Jul 10, 3.01AM EDT.

___________________________


The new theme is REFLECTIONS. You may start submitting your pictures as of today.
Get creative. We look forward to seeing your submissions.
stay sweet. ♥tlb
_______________________________

SURPRISE!
We are having another Mortal Muses giveaway!

brownie reflex canadian version

A perfect giveaway for the antique theme, this Brownie Reflex camera from my personal collection with original box can be yours.  To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite antique in your home. 
To be eligible, you must be a follower of the blog. Limit one comment per person.  Get an additional chance to win by making a comment on the Mortal Muses Facebook Page.  Enter until Thursday, September 2nd at Midnight. One winner will be selected by random generator and announced by Kirstin on Saturday.  Good Luck!

63 comments:

Nickole Maxwell said...

My favorite antique in my house is a little purple oil lamp my grandmother gave to me. I use to carry it around her house when I was little and play pretend. It also has cute little stars on it.I thought it was a magic night light.

Debby said...

My favorite antique is my antique child's wagon. It usually holds teddy bears that I collect. Right now it is holding a white bear, and a Boyds Mama bear holding a baby bear. It also has some books in it for the grandchildren to read. I see that one of them has tied a long orange ribbon on the handle. Hmmmm, they aren't allowed to pull it around, but they have tried. The wagon says SHERWOOD SPRING COASTER on the side. I had been looking for one when I went to a antique shop. I told the owner that I wanted one and she had me go with her to an outside storage area. She showed me this wagon that she just found. I think I paid $170 for it. (That was 20 years ago) I love it. I have other antiques that I also love, some handed down to me from my grandmother and others I have found.

urban muser said...

love your take on the theme, and that you incorporate and use your antiques everyday. my favorite "antiques" in the house are my old family photographs, some dating back to the 1800s. (nice giveaway!)

Jamie said...

I had to really think about this - I don't have many antiques in my house, although that is changing soon as I have inherited many things from my grandparent's I'm going to be adding to my house soon. For me now it is a toss up between a pair of lamps in my spare bedroom and an old teddy bear.

Love the first photo - the elegance of the antique dishes, the toy truck and the cookies.

Unknown said...

As newly married folks who haven't been intentional about grabbing old stuff when it shows up, I'm going to have to say that our house itself would be my favorite antique. Built in 1909 it's got a ton of beautiful woodwork, hardwood floors and a lot of original door knobs and light switches. I love it very much.

Suki said...

Oh yes, you did so well for this week's theme.
It was so very hard ( in my opinion) Love your words too.

Kari said...

Love the photos that were contributed for this topic! I think my favorite antique is the one I just received a few weeks ago from my great aunt. She is moving into a care center and asked if there was anything of hers I'd like to have. I asked her to choose something to display our Jewish heritage, as I have nothing in my home with Jewish symbols or meaning. She sent be a beautiful silver chalice that she got 70 years ago on her first trip to Israel. Since then, her family has used it for wedding celebrations, passover meals, and every other family event they have shared together. I feel lucky to have it in my china cabinet with the rest of the dishes that have been passed down to me. I plan to use it and celebrate the holidays and events that my aunt and her family used it for.

Joan said...

Love, love, love my Mom and Dad's wedding photo!

Jan said...

I have a thing for old crates. Milk crates, pop, any old wooden crate - they're like a magnet. LOL!

Thanks for the opportunity to win the Brownie! So nice :)

Megan Belcher said...

I *love* Oreos so I'm especially fond of that photo ;)

My favorite "antique" is our collection of old family photos, letters, and postcards spanning generations. It is a doorway to my and my husband's past; another piece of the puzzle that makes us, well, US! It also helps to enforce our love of archiving for ourselves and future relatives... thanks for the new contest!

blue elephant photography said...

i love your take on antiques, didn't expect an oreo photo =) but yes the table and the plate gives it a different feel. our favorite antique are our old records - we love playing them in the house, the old music feel and oldness just gives a different atmosphere ♥

Stephanie said...

My favorite antiques are the candlestick holders I have from my great-grandmother. (They were her mother's, which makes them well over 100 years old.) I remember them on her fireplace when I was little and now I have them, gently wrapped in tissue paper and waiting to move with me at the end of the month.

On a sidenote, I'd love to win the camera. One of the items on my "30 by 30" list is to start an antique camera collection. This would make a great first item! :)

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

I have many old pieces around the house. Some have personal history some are things I am drawn to and bring home. But I think more people should use there things and not just save them away for special occasions. Every day can be special.

angelandspot said...

My "faves" are the ones from my grandparents. I can't possibly pick just one fave.

Nic said...

I have so many of my grandmother's antiques. My favorite would have to be a fenton glass that she gave one of to each of her daughters. I also love my antique cameras and this would be such a wonderful addition!

AmberLea said...

My favorite antique is my 1890's Hamilton-Baldwin stand-up grand piano. My father purchased this for me for my 6th birthday--I discovered years later than he and my mother had both given up expenses to make this possible--daddy gave up his rotary club, and my mama stopped taking art lessons--all so their little girl could have her dream of playing the piano!

Sarah said...

I love the adventure of searching for antiques and how sometimes they just appear right in front of you when you least expect it. My favourite antique was uncovered at a junky little thrift store hidden between heaps of equally junky bookcases: a gorgeous Mid-Century two-tiered nightstand with a silver sunburst knob.

Katja Maki said...

I did not really have any antiques but one that I do have and treasure is my father's Kodak Anastigmat camera from the 1950's. I love the photographs he took of our family with this camera. I took my first photograph with this camera too! It has a lot of sentimental, spiritual and creative value to me as I am now a photographer!!

PinkInklings said...

My house has a lot of antiques, some of which are just decorative. I have inherited quite a few, including old photos. Since I also seek out such treasures, I have a vintage-looking 'quarantine' sign warning of 'Antique Pox'. But one thing I use everyday is a Shirley Temple Cobalt Blue Glass Creamer. I heat water for my morning oatmeal in it.

Brooke said...

I LOVE your antique photo! I LOVE your plates and glassware, gorgeous! YAY! another giveaway you ladies are just to kind! Let's see my favorite antique, I guess are my old books...I just love everthing about them!

Hannah said...

OOOH, I love antiques!! I can't decide... oh... I think maybe an old roll-top desk... it's so cool!!

Stephanie said...

I love that you use your dishes for everyday. I have a set of china that belonged to my grandmother that we use for special occasions but will often use it just for an everyday meal. I can share again the story of how my Dad bought the dishes for his Mom while he was serving in the Navy in Japan and then she gave them to my Mother and so they were handed down to me. One day my eldest daughter will have them in her home to use and tell the stories that come with them all over again! Thanks for sharing your dishes with us!

Digital Misfit said...

I have a large collection of antique postcards and photos with the original negatives (they are the same size as the photos), all of which come from my Dad's side of the family - his grandmother, great grandmother, etc. The postcards date to the mid 1800s. The graphics on the postcards are wonderful, and I love the styles in the old photos.
They are among my most treasured possessions.

heidig@gmail.com

Marji said...

My favorite antique is my Chinese medicine chest. It is full of memories, mine and those before me.

Terry's Girl said...

I don't have any antiques in my life at this time but a lucky win here at Mortal Muses might just see me claim my first one....and what a doosey it will be.

Maureen said...

Well said Tammy. I love using my vintage things as much as possible. Can't think of a better way to have cookies & milk.
Sweet photo, esp with the truck on the table.
♥ maureen

Eva said...

I own an antique necklace from my grandmother, it's beautiful. I don't have a lot of antique things but it'll be fabulous if I would own an antique camera.. like this one! ;)
evil_eva12 at hotmail dot com
my GFC name is evil_eva12 by the way.

4 Lettre Words said...

I dearly LOVE anything "vintage", especially my Pyrex and Fire King collection from the 60's.

The coffee and raisins canisters are right up my alley!

Doris said...

I love these images – I love they’re used. I also collect Candlewick depression glass and have similar pieces to the ones in first image. The second image, I love the color of the canisters. Great choices.

I have many, many antiques that came from my grandmothers attic. What do I love the best? Well, I have this one dish with a lid that looks like a casserole. My grandmother used to tell me she received this as a wedding gift and they'd set this on the dining room table to catch flies. Now, I'm 53 years old and I now know this is a covered dish of some kind meant to hold food, yes it probably WAS a wedding gift, but I bet it’s never seen a fly! Thinking of this makes me smile.

Anonymous said...

My favorite antique is the plant stand made by my Grandfather out of an antique table leg. He has since passed away and I treasure it even more now.

Unknown said...

I've never really had any antiques, but I did recently add to two lovely pieces to my home decor. I have a crochet owl, has to be from the 70s, and a old metal milk canister that people used while milking cows. Oh, and we can't forget the loads of records I have in a box somewhere. As much as I love the modern style, the antique life just grabs at my heart.

Kat Sloma said...

I don't think I have any antiques, but I'm becoming more and more interested in them as I travel Europe and fall in love with old places and the history that is in them. If I won, this camera could be the first antique I own - how perfect would that be!

elflyn said...

I have my grandmother's Singer sewing machine. I love it! I also have her sea chest which carried all her most treasured things from England to Australia, I use it every day and treasure it. Mostly it is about connection with my grandmother. I treasure my memories of her.

Michelle said...

I think my favorite is a set of curved glass portraits of my grandparents and grandfather on their wedding day. Since our grandfather's past is a bit of a mystery to us and he died before I was born, I love that I do have this bit of him.

Kim said...

My favourite antique is an oak and leather chair that sits in my living room and is very frequently used by my children. It came from my maternal grandparents' farm and is dated to around 1900.

Cindy said...

i love the way you incorporated the truck into the photo. our goal when we were married years ago was to have just about everything we use be vintage, so we definitely incorporate antiques. we have toast on limoges plates because i actually want to use these things rather than store them in a closet for some special day.

The Kenney Family said...

My favorite antique is actually a collection of large latch work and needle work pieces of art my Poppie made that are now in my possession. I have yet to blog about them because I am still searching for a home for two very large pieces but I do remember seeing him work on them. He was an artist- and his legacy carys on in all of his family members-- including one special one who lives in Florida

Unknown said...

I love the balls on the bottom of the glass/goblet. It adds a magical and enchanting feeling to it. Yummy shot. Marsha, Enchanticals

Helen X said...

The one antique item I like the most is probably my grandparents seal (or stamp, whatever you call it). Its a bronze block with a globe and a dove on top, their names engraved on the bottom. My grandma would bring it out to use as her signiture when the mailman drops off a package. I took it (yes, took) after my grandma passed away last year. It reminds me of all the good times growing with her :)

Helen

JLC said...

I've been sick and didn't see this until now.

I have a china cabinet my mother-in-law gave me shortly after we moved here. We live in her parents' old farmhouse, and I think she was tickled to give us something we would make use of.

It's has some water damage on the back, and the varnish is cracking, but the design is Deco. I love it, but it's terribly difficult to get a photo of because of the lack of space in my house.

spread your wings said...

one of my favorite pieces is an old dining room chair that came from my grandmother's house, it has a beautiful needlepoint seat cushion and it's a chair I use every day at my computer desk.

Not So Average Mama said...

My favorite are totally these old school roller skates that I picked up http://www.flickr.com/photos/notsoaveragemama/4818722176/

chasity said...

oh me...oh my.
i feel giddy just at the chance to win this adorable old camera.

i don't know if i could narrow down my favorite antique~ i love all things vintage and try to use them in my every day life.

there is such a sweet and hidden past to them.

i adore my vintage aprons~ especially the ones from my family members.

and i really really love old photos.
even of people i don't know
:)

thanks for this giveaway.
i'm following now!

chasity

Laurie Mire Photography said...

My favorite antique in my home is my grandmother's china cabinet. It is two pieces and right now I am only using the bottom in my living room. My tv is mounted on the wall above it. It has been sanded, and painted glossy jet black with pewter knobs. I adore it!! And I love the camera! I just started a collection (three so far)

Unknown said...

Its hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, I will say a little white antique baby dress I have hanging up in one of my daughters bedroom. =}
Great give-away~ Good luck to everyone.

circulating said...

oh I do love antiques...!! my favorite would have to be my grandmother's old upright piano... I have moved it from home to new home several times now and I think it gets heavier with every move... ;) and certainly becomes dearer each time too...

your generous prized is exciting... thanks for the opportunity and for the great blog...!!

Dana of Roseannadana Photography said...

Hello! I am a new member.
I have no antiques presently after downsizing and very little vintage glass pieces; but glass is my favorite. I love your photo using your vintage glass in an everyday way.

Kiersten said...

That camera = love.
We have an old antique stove that we bought from my grandparents when they lost their house to bankruptcy.
I dont have my memory card for my camera, else i'd love to participate in the challenges and themes.
Thanks for the beautiful and truely inspiring blog, I love following it (:

Jenny said...

I don't have any antiques, but I do have toys from my childhood that are now being played with by my children.

Beth said...

Some years ago I decided I collect too many things and had to choose what to focus on. Looking ahead to when I would be down-sizing I wanted something that would be small and accessible. Something I could live with daily. I settled on vintage powder compact. What these do is bring back those memories of when I was a child and would look in awe at the bottles and boxes on my mothers bureau. I always saw her change from my Mamma into a movie star when she would get ready to go out for the evening. The little boxes of magic I collect are from a time a little longer ago but, they still bring back those memories.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, I was away for this challenge since I've been lucky enough to inherit many lovely antiques. My favorite is the dry sink that belonged to my great-grandmother. When I got it it was covered with eight coats of paint. We had someone get the worst of it off, and after many hours of sanding, the beautiful oak came shining through. It has held dishes in my dining room for over 30 years now, and is always a conversation starter when people first come to visit.

Shannon White said...

My favorite antique is my desk. It belonged to my great grandmother. About 34 years ago my grandfather spilled a fateful glass of tea on the desktop. An image of my mom & I happened to be on the desk at the time. It adhered the image to the desk fating it to be mine one day. It also happens to be an image traditionally taken of mom & her oldest girl at one year old which everyone in our family takes an image like in their kitchen.

Anonymous said...

I love taking pictures of antiques. My favorite is my grandmother's china set.

Maureen Bond said...

My favorite antique and antique experience was right after the Northridge earthquake when my grandmother's home slid off the canyon and red tagged. Two friends helped me get inside, and unscrew, lift and carry a 4-poster bed that had been in the family for 200 years. I gave this bed to my niece once my Grandmother passed away and I hope it is till in good hands.

Jessica Stier said...

My bedroom set belonged to my great grandmother. I inherited it when I was a child and I hope to pass it on to one of my children.

Lynda said...

I've got so many favourites! But if I had to choose just one, I'd pick my Grandmother's bible.

Erik said...

I have a glider rocking chair that belonged to my Great Grandfather. It's really nice to have something like that.

Mara Ludwig said...

My favorite antique would probably be my grandpa's old Brownie Hawkeye camera, because he passed it onto me right before he died. He is one of the reasons why I take pictures, his life and the things he taught me shape the kind of person and the kind of photographer I am today.

allisondegeorge said...

thank you again Tammy Lee Bradley for inviting me to post to your mortal musings...and for the wonderful dicovery of beauty I have hence tumbled into?!?
great blog and beautifully put together!

It's funny when you think about what the favorite antique is that you live with....because you get so used to everything...
but I do believe mine is the set of hand towels that my husband's nana made for her dowery when she married...
http://everyday365beauty.blogspot.com/2009/10/14365.html
she has long been gone from our life, yet every morning when I wake to live my life, I see them and they speak to me of her life... a young wife, a new mom, a woman married to the same man for all her life, a grandma, a widow....
They keep me connected to the past, the present and the future....

Anonymous said...

Hello, I have loved and lived with antiques for years ever since I was a small child...thanks to my parents and grandparents.
My children have done the same, it's difficult to say what is my most favorite but I do love vintage photographs ~ both my family photos and the photos of other individals. I can remember spending hours pooring over old family albums at my grandparents as a child, learning about the people in each one...what wonderful memories.

Michelle Pixie said...

I love this old chest that has been passed down through the family and is currently residing in my home. I can only imagine all the treasures it has held in its day! ;-)

I also have an antique pickle jar that is pretty fantastic...today I am feeling inspired by you and am going to use them as my muses. ;-)

dbalyoz said...

there is nothing better than an oreo cookie. or a great antique. perhpas they will keep making them until they do become antiques. now isn't that a great thought?? :) thanks for the lovely post.

tortugachick said...

My favorite antique is an old wooden Seipp (Conrad) Brewing Co. crate. It is a very cool crate and for years housed our music cassette collection! Yep! Back before CDs! Now I wish I had photographed it for this challenge! Sorry I missed it! Thanks for the chance to win this adorable little camera; it would look good on the beer crate!

Post a Comment

thank you for visiting. take a moment and say hi!