Porch Challenge Results!

Well all-righty then! The results of my Front Porch Challenge! Above is a reminder of my old, tired front porch.

And here is my new, fun, happy, colorful - and clean - front porch! Yippee! I love it. LOVE IT.

My front door is thanking me because it got a nice orange oil bath. Actually it's thanking my youngest son who did such a good job. And it smells so good too - yum! My coleus plant is a bit embarrassed because I gave her a haircut - so she is flying under the radar near my front door. I do realize the balance is a little off - my wooden bench works better in it's old location, but after a bath in orange oil for her too, she needed to have a turn in the spotlight :)
Let me tell you, I grew up with this sweet little bench. She was in our mountain cabin, and her job was to hold all our games, puzzles, etc. We have been through a lot together. I sanded and re-stained her a few months ago and she looks so sweet and happy. I just love her :)

And would you believe my dear husband brought me these flowers last night! Serendipity! 

The wine rack by the window is a piece my cousin Shelly actually found. I could hardly believe it - the small nameplate reads "Cambria", one of my all time favorite places on earth! Oh, and I guess I should mention that my door mat is made from recycled flip-flops - cool.  
The worn red stool is a favorite piece of mine - and I actually found it in Cambria! And you all know how my vintage croquet balls are the loves of my life :)
I have a small collection of child-sized chairs, and this is one of my favorites because I love, love, love turquoise. The little hand-painted finial is not a finial at all - it's actually a carved wooden vessel that mounts on the wall to hold flowers or whatnot.
Now this is really cool. These sleigh bells actually belonged to my great-great grandfather. He had a team of Clydesdale horses. These bells are one of my prized possessions. 

And now when the front door slams, they make a really wonderful sleigh bell sound :)

Oh, vintage croquet balls, how I love you! Your colors, your textures, your nicks and cracks........ And oh, how any of my readers that know anything about vintage croquet balls are so very green with jealousy, seeing that I own a rare pink one :)  heheheheh ;)

Collections

A little eye candy for all of us today!

 

I am always amazed at what people collect. Even friends, whom I think I know well, turn up with collections I knew nothing about. I have several collections myself, though over the years I have pared everything down, keeping only what I truly enjoy. Perhaps it's more like fine tuning. It's interesting even to me, the things I'm willing to let go of, and the things I can't imagine living without. 

I find my collections bring me daily joy - probably because I am such a visual person. Color and texture are at the top of my list. When I began collecting, the main requirements were all about things that a home full of boys couldn't do too much damage to! Antique woodenware and textiles rated high because they had already been knocked around and yet still survived. And plus, I'm a big believer in using the things I collect. 

I found that I really gravitated toward vintage items. I do like new - my funkalitious lamps for example (from my "vignette" post). I get a lot of enjoyment out of mixing old and new together. But when something is vintage, you know that every mark, every crack, every faded color, has a story. I recently mentioned my love of textiles ("gratitude" post) and wooden boxes and step stools ("vignette" post)......

 

Here are a few collections that have passed the test of time and continue to give me much happiness.

Miniature, children's billiard balls are colorful and great fun to play with. I love big, chunky glass marbles too.

Ah, my vintage croquet balls....... joy and rapture! 

Your different colors, and textures, and sizes, and styles, delight me every day.

I also collect standard size vintage billiard balls - always a cheerful sight to behold.

I keep all my colorful vintage balls displayed in thick, glass jars - they look GREAT! 

Oh, antique quilts and textiles of all kinds - you comfort me with your colors, your feel, your handiwork, your warmth.

Someone spent a lot of hours creating you - I have spent a lot of hours appreciating you.

What kinds of collections to *YOU* have? I would love to hear - and so would all those who stop by. 

This is your chance to redeem yourself for not posting any comments yet - you know who you are :) 

And it will give all of you lurkers a chance to come out of the shadows and play.