Collections (Decorating with Them) 30 Day Blog Challenge

It's Day 12 of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge.

Today I am going to share some of my favorite collections.

Don't worry. I'm not going to lay out every teacup and saucer of my vast vintage china collection.

I've got stuff to do. But I am going to share a few ways I use my "collections" in my decorating style.

I have mentioned before that I enjoy decorating with vintage items, original artwork and cheap thrift store finds.

You will probably see all of the above in my pictures today. The majority of my decor you won't be able to find at Hobby Lobby or Home Goods...though I still consider Hobby Lobby the happiest place on earth.

 I didn't get a pic of a few things I enjoy. Like Great-grandma Freeda's vintage red and white enamelware. I took a picture of the pot I store my extra K cups in, but it didn't get into my pictures to post.

Such is life.

I'm going to start throwing some pictures at you.


I love vintage china. The china I primarily "collect" is by Homer Laughlin. You have probably seen some while at fleamarkets and antique malls. I have a few different kinds of patterns I primarily collect.

I use this china quite a bit. It gets used at church functions a couple of times a year. I have used it for Ladies Tea, Our Mother's Day Salad Luncheon, Valentine's Dinners...you get the picture.

I also was using several pieces as my primary dinner china. However, we were unable to use it in the microwave (the gold edging makes sparks!) and I had to add some sturdy stoneware to the mix.

As well as using it for its intended purposes, I use it in some of my decor. 

I learned by happenstance and dishware tragedy not to overwhelm this little hutch. I just keep a few pieces on it instead of loading it up with all my favorites. One time the contents fell on my head.

True story.

I also have a few little plates and platters hanging on the wall in my dining room.

Another little look at one of my patterns.

Another little love of mine is cake stands. I have a few copper-colored ones that are adorable.  I didn't get a picture, of course. But here is this one The Muffin got me last year when we were driving through somewhere.  I occasionally make a cake to put in one of my cake stands.

I don't have a ton of this stuff, but I do like this hobnail milk glass. In fact, I have a bunch of milk glass vases that I use at the church every once in a while to decorate our fellowship hall.  My favorite kind of hobnail milk glass is the kind I find for next to nothing. This lamp leans a little bit but I found it for around $5.00.

Another love I have....books. I  have quite a collection of vintage books. I use them quite a bit in my decorating. This picture shows not only some of my books but a few of my teacups, as well. Some of these I have actually read (the books not the teacups). However, I do have a few that are unreadable. And several that I have no desire to read.

I didn't get any pictures but I also have a few books that were my Great-Grandma Leona's. She, too, was a voracious reader.

The last picture I am going to show you today is of my owls. I think grouping collections like this together makes more sense and looks interesting. I do have several more in my decor storage. I can switch things out or use the ones in storage more seasonally. The watercolor below is one my mom did for a children's book she illustrated. This is the original.

That's all I have for today! Riveting, I know. I'll talk at you again.