"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A few weeks back, an archway, made from vintage ornamental gingerbread..........

sat out in the yard of a vintage shop and found it's way into my heart.
The next day, it was riding home with me
where it was placed onto the ground and into  the process of making it pretty again began.
 

I thought it was pretty the first time I saw it...........

but it had so many layers of gunky paint that the detail in the flowers and leaves were hidden.

Because of weather and other tasks along the way, I applied stripper and hand stripped away at this for a few weeks.............


until finally, it was time to paint

and to see each detail

and all of it's beauty come  through.

Now it stands out in the garden space that I am working and planning on.

The grounds look so barren and dry..........but I am planning on creating a vintage country garden , filled with other vintage items, as I come along to find them, as well as  roses, wisteria, Italian Jasmine.........and of course...........Zinnia, my favorite............. With this archway.........

opening on the path to it all. Decorating the garden will be the easiest and most fun...........getting the plants to agree to grow and remain there will be the hardest........especially with the hot and challenging elements of our area.
Whether I am successful or not...........one thing holds true. This piece will always be here, inspiring me to pursue my dream.
Another dream of mine is also in the making.............
as most of you know,  my work is hand embroidery...........


Flowers are one of the things I love most to do............

I am currently working on opening up my vintage shop to sell my glassware and dishware. I am also creating matching linens to sell along with it.
To find out more just visit my embroidery blog by clicking on to this link
 


18 comments:

Faith said...

What a lovely name for your shoppe..I would so love to do something and am struggling with my "niche" or lack thereof. Your project came out lovely and what a grand garden it will be all in bloom with fauna and flora...looking forward to seeing the springtime round your place. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. The library has changed for sure, interactive and high tech, but I'm glad they still have books, I like the feel of a book in my hand. :)

magnoliasntea said...

Kathleen, you did a really good job on the archway, and it is gorgeous! I can just imagine it with jasmine twining it's way to the top and hanging over it. Love the vintage dishes and tablecloth, too!

Connie said...

The archway is so pretty! I love it. Congratulations and good luck to you on your new vintage shop! I hope it goes well for you.

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Wow! The archway is so beautiful. You did a faboulous job bringing out the beauty in it. I can just imagine the roses and lovely flowers blooming. Good luck on your vintage shop. I hope it goes well.
I hope you and your family have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Lady Jane said...

Your vintage archway will be lovely in your vintage garden. You have a wonderful imagination and it is great fun to visit you.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

The archway looks wonderful if a bit forlorn at the moment, Kathleen, but it is the start of your dream and I look forward to its fulfillment.

Debra said...

It is a beautiful archway-you did a great job restoring it-and you were right-it needed to be painted so the beauty showed. I think your garden is beautiful even now-I love the 'beginning gardens'- the ones in our heads-they are always perfect and weed free and well watered-nothing crowding out a flower, no bugs...but the gardens that follow our dreams are just as beautiful-with all the bugs, weeds, etc-simply because we care and put love into them.

Debbie said...

I can't wait to follow you along on this project. Thanks for thinking of me over the weekend.

Nancy J said...

The doorway to your new garden, pavers, an upturned shovel to add, a wonderful beginning to what will be full of colour one day, and your stitchery, delicate and so fitting for the china. Greetings from Jean.

lil red hen said...

Wow! What a transformation! Someday it will lead straight into your secret garden! :)

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

That archway is lovely. Must have taken a lot of elbow grease to get it cleaned up. Good luck with that garden. This is definitely the time of year to attempt it. My tomato plants are growing like crazy. :) Best wishes, Tammy

Bev C said...

Hello Kathleen,

When I first saw your archway I thought it was a lovely surround for a grave! You must have spent hours getting of the paint. I can just imagine the zinnias blooming around the garden.
Happy creating.
Bev.

Patty H. said...

I love the detail on the archway! I'm sure your little garden is going to be a wonderful little spot.

Hill Top Post said...

Best of luck with your vintage country garden. Even with the "challenging elements" of your land, I know beautiful flowers will grow under your care, and those beautiful flowers will live on in your wonderful embroidery.

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

Oh, I love old ironwork! I'm going to look for an archway too--I have just the perfect spot! I would think roses would survive as they love the sun! I wonder about hollyhocks and some of the old perennials I love so!

Three Sheep Studio said...

The archway looks very lovely.
Not sure I could have stripped all of the paint off - hard work !
I love your embroidery that matches the vintage dishes. ;)
Rose

KathyB. said...

I can tell you're creating what will be a sweet and fragrant oasis of green in your seemingly barren land. A beautiful start to your garden !

The touches of vintage items you're showing capture my attention and I am excited to see how this all progresses.

A Colorful World said...

Gorgeous! What a perfect archway for the garden! It's going to be so pretty when it's all done! That was an amazing find!