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Happy Valentines Day!

Posted in antiques, holidays, tagged holidays, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

A sweet remembrance of past Valentine celebrations.

Valentine’s Day at Paula Walton’s 18th Century Home Journal

Nine posts of receipts (aka recipes), projects, & antiques for Valentine’s day

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/the-sweet-rewards…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/happy-valentines…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/happy…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/14/vintage-valentines/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/a-valentine-to…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/hearts-both-new…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/13/sweet-love-tokens/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/two-heart…/

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Easter Greetings!

Posted in antiques, holidays, tagged antiques, Easter, holidays on April 15, 2017| 1 Comment »

Wishing you a joyous Easter Sunday ❤

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Spring Must Truly Be Here ~ It is Flea Market Season Once Again

Posted in antiques, shopping, tagged antiques, shopping on April 12, 2017| Leave a Comment »

This past Sunday marked the first day of the 2017 season at my local flea market, the Elephant’s Trunk. It was a glorious feeling to finally escape the last clinging hold of winter, and be back searching for centuries old bits of this and that on a warm spring morning…

Opening Day at the Elephant’s Trunk

This huge 19th century wooden camera was perhaps the most intriguing item we saw all morning….

Extremely large wooden 19th century camera.

After a length trek through the flea market field and parking lot, we returned home with a few mementos 🙂

Early 19th century rod back windsor high chair

Pastoral Davenport transferware platter

a half dozen Lenten Roses, quite fitting for Palm Sunday

Much more prosiac, a stack of baseball jerseys…

(click on any image to read caption and enlarge)

Our treasures have quickly become integrated into our household…

Sadie thinks this chair was meant for her… she doesn’t care that somewhere along the line it has lost it’s arms, that simply makes it all the better to recline on ❤

❤

fresh asparagus… another delight of spring

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Shopping for Antiques In New Hampshire

Posted in antiques, tagged antiques on August 16, 2016| 1 Comment »

I loved this huge painted canvas sign at the entrance to the Barn Star show! It reminds me of the bears that my maternal grandfather had, who drank “sody pop” and occasionally beer. 🙂

I’ve had “attend antiques week in New Hampshire” on my Get Out & Go Do These Things Because You Live in New England List for 20+ years. Last week I finally made it up there! It was just as great as I thought it would be, but even more breath takingly expensive than I expected.

Here is a glimpse at just a few of the great things we saw.

Some of the crowds at the NH Antique Dealer’s Association show.

Without a doubt one of the best things we saw!!! This press bed has it’s own raised panel cupboard, making it a very early (1830’s) version of a Murphy bed!!!

When the door is closed you can’t tell there is a bed folded up inside ❤

A closer view of the door on the press bed cabinet.

Too great! A wonderful turkey decoy.

Of course I loved this little rocking horse. Such a practical, sturdy design and painted my favorite dapple gray!

Huge red, white and blue bird cage!

Worth a closer look!

Great rug, great saying 🙂

I’ve love this Justice Da Lee water color portrait of the little girl in the red dress holding her doll for years. It was amazing to get the chance to see it in person…. If only I had had $45,000.00 I could have brought this pair of portraits, framed together, home with me!

In addition to antiques, we spent a little time eating in interesting places such as the Red Arrow Diner and The Tuckaway Tavern, Market and Butchery. We even managed to locate McDonald’s lobster rolls, something we couldn’t find at home in New Milford. 🙂

McDonald’s lobster roll

fried pickles at Red Arrow Diner

macaroni and cheese with hashbrowns at Red Arrow Diner

pork pie with french fries & onions at Red Arrow Diner

Tuckaway Tavern

Tuckaway Market

Tuckaway Butchery

hot pretzel bread sticks with beer & cheese sauce and honey mustard

“the real burger king” ground steak tips burger with carmelized onions and black truffle aioli

marinated steak tips with french fries and onion rings

* If you’d like to see and read about the dolls and doll related antiques I found in NH click here.

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A Day Out – Adventures Involving Historic Buildings, Fine Crafts, Grilled Cheese & Crepes

Posted in antiques, off topic, shopping, tagged crafts, historic homes, historical societies on November 8, 2015| 4 Comments »

Today I took a day off! This hasn’t happened often this year, as I am still running behind, trying to catch up due to unforeseen family matters. I do admit to having a few twinges of guilt, which I firmly squashed down to the very back of my mind and went on to enjoy a wonderful day with a very dear friend. We ventured out to Ridgefield and Wilton, Connecticut, where we attended the American Craftsmen Show and the Wilton Historical Society American Artisan Show. These shows are the current incarnation of the huge show that the Wilton Historical Society used to hold every year at the Wilton High School. I did the show at the high school for several years, and have always enjoyed attending and shopping when I wasn’t exhibiting. This years American Craftsman Show was held in Ridgefield’s Lounsbury House, shown above.

The side entrance of Lounsbury House.

Looking up the staircase at Lounsbury House.

We had a chance to catch up with friend and fellow craftsperson Pamela Dalton.

I’ve done quite a few shows with Pamela and we always find it amusing when people get us confused – Pamela Dalton / Paula Walton… I’m quite a bit taller and have about 10 times more hair… plus we make totally different things 🙂

Pamela had some wonderful new paper cuttings. I indulged and bought several garden themed ones to hang in my new painting studio, which overlooks two of my gardens.

We found sewing themed treasures upstairs at Deborah Hartwick’s booth, in the form of button collages and tiny emery filled velvet pincushions ( a minuscule mouse and cat for me).

The Wilton Historical Society was our 2nd stop. This year the show was held entirely on the society grounds.

I’ve always loved the two houses, two barns and the blacksmith shop that make up the Wilton Historical Society. I used to do a lot of hands on demonstrations and teach mini- classes for them during various events and when they had all of the town children come for field trips.

We admired some marvelous tramp art, wooden ware and ingenious whirligigs. I found some really nice redware herb markers at Bob & Kay Shaeff’s booth and purchased one each of the 14 different herb varieties that they had for sale. Kay even assured me that she could make me custom markers for any other herbs that I needed!

As great as all the crafts were, I think our favorite part of the show was the gourmet grilled cheese food truck parked at the show entrance!!!

Grilled cheese!

I clearly need to follow these people on facebook 🙂

and if the grilled cheese truck wasn’t great enough, there was also a crepe truck!

We indulged and split a honey crepe for desert ❤

As much as I love what I do, it was very, very nice to take a day off. I need to remind myself to stop, take a little time and enjoy friends and small pleasures… Admiring the work of other craftsmen has renewed my creative energies!!! What an excellent day!

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Two Weeks Worth of Flea Market Loot!

Posted in antiques, tagged antique petticoat, antiques, collectibles on September 9, 2015| 6 Comments »

Were you wondering what I bought at the Elephant’s Trunk last Sunday? (As requested) Here are some of the things that I brought home from my last two trips to the flea market ❤

When I saw this chair it was love at first site! I adore the shape of the arms and the center back spindle. I am also quite smitten with the colonial revival era painting that was added to this early 19th century chair.

A closer look…

At home in my dining room!

Sadie approves 🙂

Two more of my finds from 8/30. An amazing early transferware bowl, which just happens to match one of my dinner plates, and a small mid-19th century wool embroidered sampler.

This tiny sampler is later than most of the samplers in my collection AND it needs to be reframed, but it has some of my favorite colors and it was only $15 !!!

This tiny sampler is later than most of the samplers in my collection AND it needs to be reframed, but it is stitched with some of my favorite colors and it was only $15 !!!

Another wool embroidered sampler that I bought for the colors ❤

One of this Sunday’s chairs. This one is a reproduction Windsor chair from Martin’s Chairs in PA. I already owned one of his comb back Windsors, so this is a nice companion piece and a good sturdy chair for visitors who get nervous about sitting in my tiny antique chairs 🙂

These count as the afore mentioned “tiny antique chairs” . This pair was another of my Sunday finds.

The kittens are captivated by all of my black chairs. Jack couldn’t wait to try one out.

Late 19th century folk art scenery panel. Another love at first sight item <3 There is just something about the shape, the colors (a great early green and lots of lavender sky) and the soft mural like quality that I could not pass by.

Late 19th century folk art scenery panel. Another love at first sight item ❤ There is just something about the shape, the colors (a great early green and lots of lavender sky) and the soft mural like quality that I could not pass by.

At the moment the panel is hanging above the mantle in our bedroom, where it is a perfect fit.

Antique clothing! These are the pieces that are in very good condition and can be used as is.

A fourth quarter 19th century child’s under vest and a doll size petticoat.

Gorgeous details on a black petticoat…

Petticoats!!!

Two weeks worth of imperfect petticoats hang in my studio waiting to be scaled down into doll size undergarments.

Antique stocking are something I am always searching for. A tiny Izannah Walker doll that I am restoring is shown in the background.

Antique stockings are something I am always searching for. A tiny Izannah Walker doll that I am restoring is shown in the background.

These stockings are old unused store stock.

This pair came with a story…

This dapper fellow in the spiffy black suit came home from the Elephant’s Trunk earlier this summer. He assured me that he really needed to have his photo included in this post!

Off the clothes line! Antique white underwer makes the perfect sundress for a hot late summer day <3

Off the clothes line! Antique white underwear makes the perfect sundress for a hot, late summer day ❤

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A Great Day at Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market

Posted in antiques, tagged antiques on September 7, 2015| 4 Comments »

I spent a few hours this morning searching for treasures at the Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market.

I have to admit that I was feeling a bit bereft this weekend, missing the former Farmington/Harwinton Antique Show that was always held on Labor Day weekend. In past years I would drive to Farmington on Saturday to shop the show (and later to Harwinton when the show moved from the Polo Grounds to the fair grounds there). Then on Sunday I would shop at the Elephant’s Trunk and sometimes at Stormville too!

The Elephant’s Trunk more than made up for the missing shows today. I found some wonderful things! Technically I was “working”, shopping for antique fabrics to fashion into clothing for the reproduction Izannah Walker dolls that I make and sell. I DID buy a huge armful of lightly damaged antique petticoats and stockings ( I never cut up antique garments or quilts unless they are too far gone to be restored). I also found some fantastic items for the house! I bought three more black Windsor chairs… I have a thing for black chairs. 🙂 I purchased a gray wicker plant stand, very similar to one that I bought a few years ago, so now I have a pair. My splurge for the day was a folk art painting on a wooden panel, reminiscent of a carousel rounding board or an over mantle. Other finds included three purple and white restaurant china plates, a teeny, tiny muffin pan, a silver glass Christmas ball ornament, two very small doll stands, and an enormous silver serving spoon. All in all and very satisfying morning of antiquing!!!

To top off my perfect day I had the BEST parking spot! Even though the parking lot was cut throat with people endlessly circling looking for somewhere to leave their cars, I managed to find a shaded spot right by one of the gates! It was a miracle and made my frequent trips back to the van to drop of my purchases much easier.

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Valentines

Posted in antiques, holidays, tagged samplers, Valentines on February 14, 2015| 3 Comments »

Stitched in 1803 by a new bride….

A day for love tokens and gifts of the heart ❤

“1803”
“Margaret Adamson bride of Earn”

A freshly baked cake to share with those dearest to your heart…

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Flea Market Finds

Posted in antiques, hearth cooking, tagged antiques, hearth cooking on September 7, 2014| 2 Comments »

This morning I saw a wonderful reflector oven, which is also sometimes called a tin kitchen. This reflector oven combined all possible variations into one! It had a spit for roasting large roasts and big birds, hooks for cooking smaller game birds and was designed to have a shelf for baking. I was sorely tempted to buy it, but managed to resist, since I own many more reflector ovens than any one kitchen needs! I have multiple ovens for roasting and baking and while I only have one bird oven, I’m sure that is sufficient for as frequently as I cook tiny game birds!

After virtuously passing up such a wonderful tin kitchen, I did give into temptation and buy an amazing early pictorial sampler in a birds eye maple frame. For even though I could do without more 18th century cooking implements, I could not pass by fine stitchery done in pinks, purples and mauves!!! The new sampler is now hanging in my kitchen where it is right at home amongst my claret colored woodwork and purple transferwear!

9/8/14 Addition

I’ve had a request for photos of the sampler too 🙂 These aren’t the best photos, since I get a lot of reflected light in my kitchen, which is why I didn’t post any yesterday… The light was still a problem this morning, but I took photos anyway and here they are!

This is the sampler that I bought yesterday at the Elephant’s Trunk flea market.

I love all of the different motifs in this sampler. I immediately identified with it's maker! Who wants to stich boring old letters and mottos when you can use off those pretty colors of thread to stitch pictures instead!!!

I love all of the different motifs in this sampler. I immediately identified with it’s maker! Who wants to stitch boring old letters and mottoes when you can use off those pretty colors of thread to stitch pictures instead!!!

This is one of my other “kitchen” samplers that was stitched with similar colors.

I feel very fortunate to have found a handful of antique samplers stitched in purples, lavenders, rose, pink and mauves. This is the third one that resides in my kitchen. The fourth hangs above a very early R.I. blanket chest in my bedroom.

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Spring is Here to Stay!

Posted in antiques, wildlife, tagged antique fabric, antiques, Quilts, Spring on April 15, 2014| 2 Comments »

The flea market has opened and the chicks have arrived at the farm stores…spring has come to Connecticut and decided that it is here to stay!

This is one of the three quilts I bought on opening day of our local flea market. I didn’t need any more quilts to restore, but I couldn’t resist. They needed me!