TREASURES AND NEW FRIENDS!!

This weekend I headed down to the Portland Antique Expo in beautiful Oregon! I planned to meet up for the first time with a couple of my favorite fellow bloggers. Let me tell ya, I was sooo excited!! I've read about so many of the Georgia bloggers getting together and I must admit I was more than a little envious *winks* And I would be meeting Isabel from Maison Douce who has one of the most fabulous dreamy blogs ever!! As well as her being an antiques dealer! (can it get any better? *winks*) Anyhoo, I took one look at Isabels booth and knew it was hers!! So full of wonderful things!! Here we are! And I must say, Isabel is just as warm kind and lovely as I thought she would be! She even took me to a few of her favorite booths...and boy howdy did I see why!

Then my new friend Michelle from Chocolate and Marmalade Tea joined us and we all had ourselves a good girl gab!

Actually we "gabbed" so much we pretty much missed the show! That was actually OK because both Michelle and I had broken our budgets by about the third isle! Lol! *winks* Anyhoo if you haven't visited her blog please do! She has the most beautiful pictures of comfort food! As well as her three wonderful kitties!Me Isabel and Michelle (note to self black boucle is NOT slimming! Lol!)
Isabel had the most beautiful wedding dress in front of her booth! The front was lovely...but the back!! oohhh la la!! Soooo fab! Check it out!


Isn't it wonderful???!!!


And here is one corner of her booth, full of so many charming things! Isn't that a darling pink desk and chair? And that lampshade is a neat one too!

And isn't this the cutest dresser?!!! Well Isabel gives you instructions on how to make your own here as well as a few other wonderful projects. I know mine would never turn out as darling as hers because she is the QUEEN of fabulous old fabric!! And look at the sweet concrete statue of a deer.

This wonderful old vintage pillow with pink roses went home with Michelle.

In retrospect I wish this vintage barkcloth pillow had gone home with me WAAAHHHHH!

This little coffee table was in Isabel's neighbors booth and was only $65

This one was more than a little bit more...but oh so charming!! Don't you agree?

I loved the old fabric covered drawers!

I REALLY wanted this one to come home with me. It's a late 18th/early 19th century letter box. The seller even offered it to me for $200 less than the marked price....but I was really trying to be good!

I saw these quimper plates and thought immediately about Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict

The seller told me I could have it for $35. I don't know enough about quimper to tell if that's a good price or not.....but Debbie always has pairs with a boy and a girl...And there wasn't any boy...so I passed. Au revoir!

This sweet little dish reminded me of my dear friend Ann at LIFEATANNSPLACE

I just know she would love it!

This italian tole candelabra was sayin' my name...but I wasn't listening "LA LA LA LA LAAAAA" Sheesh! Some of those items can really "scream at ya! *winks*

So did these sparkley warkleys!! And just look at the fabulous silk tapestry behind it! I might have to go back for that one. It has ME written all over it!

This spelter figural clock reminded me of my friend Gloria at Happy To Be
She has a collection of the most amazing clocks....Don't think she has this one, and the seller said I could take it home for $100. It's a big one too!

Then I spotted this one out of the corner of my eye and I went a runnin"!! Only to find that she was $2400!! NOOOOOO!!! That's WAY TOO MUCH!!! And I really wanted to take her home!! Sometimes the sellers are smoking crack....or just really out of touch with our current economy *sighs*

OK so for what I DID get. I had to be good at the show and keep to a $100 budget because I found this on ebay!! It was $247 and it's absolutely gorgeous!! It's a 6'x9 aubusson carpet featuring the most beautiful pink roses! I will be using it in an upcoming project which involves a chandelier as well *winks* So keep visitin'!

But I did find this pretty little dresser jar/casket. It's lined in blue velvet.

Here it is with a couple of others that I have.

And just look at this sweet antique cherub clock! Well he HAD to come home with me!!

In the larger context.

And this wonderful vintage dresser tray come from Isabels booth. It will always remind me of our meeting!

Cute rose detailing.

And last but not least, this little Victorian syrup pitcher. I can't wait to use it for Sunday breakfast!

Well thanks for coming along with me! The Portland Antique Expo show was a winner! I can't wait to go back for the next one! Vanna

A PASSION FOR CHANDELIERS!!!

I don't know about ya'll but I am always on the lookout for the perfect chandelier *sighs dreamily* There's just nothing that adds more romance and glamour to a room than a beautiful chandy! Don't you agree? I keep hoping that one day I'll walk into the worlds most fabulous garage sale...It might look something like this *winks*

And I'll find my dream chandelier for somethin' like $100...Yeah I know, not likely! But hey this blog is "Delusions of Grandeur" And I'm gonna stay deluded dang it!! My dream chandy would be 18th century french, preferably rock crystal, and not electrified. This one would do beautifully!
But then again, there's something to be said for macaroni crystals...They make me swoon! And isn't this chandy swoon-o-licious?!!

Hmmmm liking this one too!

My mother was born in Sweden....This one would remind me of my heritage......


Or all out gaudy!! Yeppers that works for me too!! I can't tell where the crystal ge gaws start and end on this one...Always a good thang *winks*

And I always love a little empire style!

This one isn't quite as dreamy as the french 18th century one....But it'll do! We are talkin' $100 here *winks*

OK now ya'll need to scale down your expectations a few LARGE notches because these chandys are from my house lol!

This 1930's french palm chandelier sits over what passes for a dining room at my house *sighs* It's all open concepty and icky! One day I'll have a "real" dining room with french doors!

And this chandelier is the most swanky at my house, and nearly caused a divorce...it was worth it! Heh heh! When I found it, it was in pieces. So the hubbs had to restring every single crystal. In addition it's a gasolier so it had to be converted to electricity.... and did I mention it's almost 4' tall and weighs a TON?!! Oh and I wanted it all finished YESTERDAY!! So I would hassle my poor DH just about every other day....Are you going to work on the chandelier soon honey?? ( I added the "honey" to make it sound more friendly and less pushy hehe!)....Next day......Honey you said you'd start on the chandelier soon right?!......Followed by "But you promised!!" Repeat about 200 times, and the man finally broke down and finished it. But he told me NEVER AGAIN! And I think he means it*winks* But we'll see.........Lol!

This one is in my master bedroom. I paid $125 for it and it came with two beautiful crystal sconces. At the time I felt I paid way too much...Now, I'm so glad I bought it! I sold the set of sconces for $125, making the chandy FREE!! Yippee!! I loves me a great deal!

This one was a 40th birthday gift from the hubby. And hangs in my tea room.

And this one was an ebay find. I scored it for $75, but when I received it one of the arms was broken!! I was sooo annoyed!! I contacted the seller and they told me they'd refund me $30 if I wanted to keep it. I figured the crystals on it were worth $45 so I decided to keep it and see if it could be fixed somehow. Well I ended up taking it to a local welder who welded the arm back on at a cost of $25. So $70 total! Just something to keep in mind if you find a cool chandy with a broken arm. I was surprised at how reasonable it was to have it welded. I would buy one with a broken arm again in a heartbeat!

This one hangs in my shabby chic bedroom and you can also see my sweet little empire chandy.

This one was a garage sale find for $25 and hangs in my home gym.

And lastly this candle chandelier hangs over the tub in my bathroom. It's perfect for long soaks!

Well that's it for this one. Do you have a favorite? And does the sight of a crystal chandelier make your heart pitter pat like it does mine? I'd love to hear from ya!

Then my sweet new friend Silver from One Day at a Time gifted me with this wonderful award! She has a most wonderful blog....But I'm tellin' ya, if you're hungry it's torture!! She always has the most beautiful pictures of food!! And she's a real sweetie too! So stop by and tell her I sent ya!

Here are the rules for this award:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.” Also put a link to their blogs and then let them know they have been selected!

Well I don't know who might already have this award, so if you've already received it, no prob.

1) Laura Lu at Hidden Promise

2) Chari at Happy To Design

3) Laura at Tomarie's Cabin

4) Christine at Christine's Home and Travel Adventures

5) Linda at Royaltouch

6) Lucy at Tattered Hydrangeas

7) Monica at Monicas English Version

8) Kris at Vintage Window

If you haven't checked out these bloggers you're missing out BIG TIME!! *hugs n winks* Vanna

I'm hooking up this older post with my dear friend Chari over at Happy To Design for her Sunday Favorites.