Found Items – Schalk’s Lager Beer Bottle

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Found Items / Sandra

I spend countless hours on google researching items I find on my picking adventures. Most of the time, there is very little information available. I can usually find eBay listings with a little blurb, but not much else. So I have decided to document those finds that I think are interesting, under Found Items. I will add to the posts as I discover more about the item. If all I have to offer is images, which will often be the case, then at least there will be something, and maybe we can learn together.

So this is my first post on Found Items. This found item is an antique Schalk’s beer bottle. This is a hand-blown bottle made of beautiful green glass with a gorgeous antique orange label. The glass is so thick and heavy I could drop this bottle on cement and it would be fine. This is a cork top bottle, and the cork is still in the bottle dancing around with every handle. The label is not in perfect condition, but it’s in pretty good condition considering this bottle is from the late 1800s, being well over 100 years old it’s a true antique.

This Lager beer was bottled for the S. S. Pierce Company a Boston-based luxury grocer / importer that spanned 4 generations (1831-1972). A very progressive company delivering quality and luxury items like wine, cigars, chocolates, teas, coffee, as well as general groceries as far as the north shore of Massachusetts. The label on this bottle reads corner of Tremont and Court (its first downtown location) and corner of Huntington Ave and Dartmouth Street (Copley Square) funny no street numbers. Because of the two locations, I would date this bottle to the late 1800s. At one point they had a total of 4 locations. A great piece of Boston memorabilia.

If you are interested in learning more about the Pierce family, I highly suggest this lecture by Anthony Sammarco, “S. S. Pierce: A Boston Tradition” I love history and Anthony delivers a wonderful lecture about this interesting family.

This lager was brewed and bottled for S.S. Pierce in NJ, by Schalk brewing owned by German immigrants Johann Nepomuk Schalk and his three sons Herman, Adolph, and Oscar. Schalk’s was founded in 1879, the Ballantine family bought the Schalk brewery for $110,000, which then was sold to Pabst, which was then sold….you get the picture. Schalk’s was one of America’s original beer companies. It’s a great piece of history.

Wish I had a romantic story to tell you about how I found the beer bottle, but I don’t. I was at a cleanout company’s sale and I found it in a box of random things up in the attic. No other bottles with it, just random stuff probably from a garage.

My mind was on S S Pierce after all my research. One day, while tidying up my booth, I discovered I had a wood box/crate from SS Pierce. Originally, this box held imported wine. I am always drawn to anything Boston, but now it holds a whole new meaning for me.

Thank you for looking and if you have any more information about Schalk’s brewing co or S.S. Pierce please share in the comments. On to finding more treasures.

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Valentines Day Floral Arrangement with vintage silver trophies

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Centerpieces, Floral Design, Flowers, Valentines / Sandra

Having worked as a florist for over 10 years, I can honestly say that red roses are my least favorite flower. Talk about predictable. There are just too many beautiful flowers in this world, why say I love you with red roses? Why not give a jewel-tone arrangement of orchids and lilacs or a pastel arrangement of tulips and peonies?

I created two valentine arrangements for myself, and both are supermarket flowers, but more importantly, not a red rose in sight.

Romantic Pinks and Purples

On a recent trip to WholeFoods, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw these fantastic carnations. They had a bad wrap for a long time. They were considered cheap and common. But boy, have carnations come a long way. This carnation was a hybrid creation, two-tone fuchsia pink and dusty mauve. It is just so beautiful, and one of the best things about carnations is that they last a long time. Between the color and longevity, this was a no-brainer.

This grocery store flower combination was a bunch of carnations, some beautiful purple hydrangea, and a silver lambs ear. A simple and easy combination.

I also picked up some pink heart meringues. Why? Not sure, but I felt like they would bring another texture and fun element to the arrangement. And it’s a fun way to celebrate love in a non-plastic, eco-friendly way. I am not perfect, but I try my best to celebrate without plastic.

I love how the cool tones all worked together.

Hot Citrus Hues

This second arrangement comes from the flower selection at Trader Joe’s. They really do have a fantastic flower selection, with excellent prices. There is no reason not to go home with some beautiful blooms for your home.

Again I went with a silver-plated trophy vase, but this one is special. This trophy vase has a cage flower frog top. It’s comes with its own mechanics for your floral creations! I went a vibrant selection of roses.

I used gorgeous purple garden roses and peach and hot pink spray roses, all from my favorite TJ’s. I bought these 3 days before Valentine’s Day, and I was so impressed with the quality of the flowers. Unfortunately, I underestimated the size of the vase. SOME MECHANICS WERE SHOWING when I was done because I needed more roses to fill this container, but I covered whatever mechanics showed with moss. And at the last minute, I added a little red velvet box pleated ribbon and let it trail off the edge. I loved how it came out.

So here are a couple of ideas for Valentine’s Day flowers. I hope you enjoyed and more importantly, I hope you are inspired to celebrate love with a different palette. Happy Valentine’s Day, no red roses here.

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adirondack pack on front door with greens

Vintage Adirondack Pack Basket – My Christmas Door 2021

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Christmas, Styling, Vintage Antique Décor / Sandra

I have been searching for a vintage Adirondack basket for years. It’s been on my wishlist ever since I saw a reproduction in the pages of Ballard’s Designs catalog. I clipped that picture and pinned it to my vision/idea board and there it stayed for what seemed like forever. Well, it took me 3 years but I found one!

One Saturday this past August, in the last hours of an estate sale, I hit the jackpot! I found an Adirondack basket among other finds, in near perfect condition and I got it for a song. Needless to say, I could not wait for Christmas to come this year. This basket from my vision board was going to come to life!

The History of the Adirondack Backpack

I tried to do a little digging on the history of the Adirondack basket and I couldn’t find a definitive answer. This style of basket, pack baskets (large woven basket designed to be carried as a backpack. Primarily for utilitarian purposes like traveling, hunting, and or gathering) is often attributed to native American people. The truth is that you can find examples of this pack-style basket all over the world, for hundreds of years, each with its own twist. The Adirondack pack style is adapted from the pack baskets used by native Americans in the region. It has a definitive look with a cinch at the top and is typically made from ash Other styles of pack baskets like the Maine pack baskets have a more rectangular shape.

I recorded a quick video showing you how I filled the basket. It’s a large basket, a very large basket, and it takes a lot of greens to fill this basket. So I filled the bottom of the basket with empty amazon boxes (tis the season). I bought a few different types of greens and berries. I used Juniper, Magnolia. Fir tips and winter Ilex berries. I layered the greens using mostly drippy cedar greens, but you can use whatever you want. I love how it turned out. If you are looking for a unique way to dress up your door, I highly suggest a pack basket. You can find vintage baskets on Etsy and eBay, but you can also find new baskets like this trapper Maine style basket on amazon on Ballard designs.

@vintage_bu_te_antiques Finally! Filled my antique adirondack basket with winter greens today. I am so behind this year with my decorating. #myvintagehome #antiquelover ♬ It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas - Michael Bublé

Truth is this basket deserved to be on display for more than one month! So, I decided to transform it from Christmas decor to Winter decor! I removed the red berries and bow and added faux branches to fill it out and give it life. My favorite addition was the gold bells. Bells are a huge trend right now, and they were the perfect finishing touch for this winter Adirondack basket. I found my bells on amazon they were the perfect size for the basket and I love how it looks.

Update: I thought that would update this post with a photo from my 2022 door. This year I added the prettiest frayed edge velvet ribbon in cranberry red from amazon. In case you are interested here are some links to the ribbon and bells. I used a mixture of faux and real greens. I recommend real berries, because the faux ones don’t do very well in the elements. There is also a link to an new adirondack basket if you don’t want to hunt for a vintage one.

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Halloween Decor – Dressing up my witch’s den!

Leave a Comment / Halloween, Holiday Celebrations, Styling / Sandra

What’s your favorite holiday? I genuinely struggle to choose my favorite holiday. It is a very close tie between Christmas and Halloween, and if you ask me in October. Halloween is my favorite. Ask me again in December, and my answer will probably change. I love the theatrics of Halloween, I am not one for blood and gore, but I love spooky and spectacular. Hocus Pocus is one of my favorite movies because it speaks to my inner witch. So every year, I try to transform my home into a witch’s den.

Because I love witches, they are a big part of the overall theme. But, I also love to use pumpkins (spooky, not scary ones) and orange and purple is a big part of my design. I think sticking to a theme helps make the look stronger, rather than a little bit of this and a little bit of that, which can end up looking like Halloween threw up on your front lawn.

The show stopper is my Martha Stewart Witch silhouette. As a lover of Martha and everything she does, I had saved the witch silhouette idea for many years, and I was so happy to bring that idea to life. You can find instructions here. She comes out October 1st and assumes her place out on the front lawn. The little ones love her, and I think maybe as much as I love her.

I dress up the front door with this spooky black wreath made of torn-up trash bags. It’s a wireframe and dollar store trash bags. I love how it turned out because it almost looks like black crow feathers blowing in the wind when the wind blows.

The portico gets lots of pumpkins, cobwebs lights and draped fabric. I recently purchased these Hocus Pocus banner for my side panels and I love how they look. That movie is the inspiration for a lot of my décor. I try to incorporate a lot of vintage items in my décor like these beautiful lanterns, I think that it levels up the whole look when you can find vintage pieces to incorporate into your décor.

I like to have the stairs dripping with spooky pumpkins, and I try to add a few more every year. One of these years, I will make a pumpkin arch, but I am going to have to find a few more to make that happen.

Of course, Mr. Bones come out to say hello to all the trick or treaters.

These are photos from last year, when it snowed the day before Halloween. Due to Covid, trick-o-treating was different. I am looking forward to a Halloween that is a little more normal and sharing this years additions to my décor.

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Collections – My Vintage and Antique Flower Frog Collection

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Collections, Floral Design, Flowers / Sandra

What is it about collections that bring us so much joy? Is the hunt for the next piece? Is it the thrill of finding that rare piece that you have been searching for forever? Or is it the appreciation for the collection itself? For me, it’s all these things. As a dealer, I have to admit that the hunt is exciting. The rarer the piece, the more exhilarating it is to find it, but I also love displaying them and using them.

I have a few collections (ok, maybe more than a few). Truth is I have a quite a few collections. I collect vintage Madonna’s and rosaries. I also collect vintage trophies, vintage Christmas cards, Santa’s, vintage coral, decorating books and my prized flower frog collection.

Having been a florist for many years, flower frogs have always spoken to me. I still consider myself a florist and use my flower frogs all the time in the arrangements I make for my home. Of all my collections, the flower frog collection has probably been the easiest to build. As with all things, the passage of time makes things harder to find, but because most flower frogs are made of metal, they seem to weather the years gracefully. They get better with each year that passes.

In case you don’t know what a flower frog is. Let me explain. A flower frog is a type of mechanics used to stabilize the stems of flowers in a vase or container.

Nobody is certain as to why they are called frogs. Except that they the do sit in water like frog do.

Flower frogs were used by flower lovers for centuries and were made in different sizes and shapes to accommodate various vessels and flower types. Until the 1950s, when floral foam was invented, and designers stopped using frogs for mechanics. Flash forward to today, people are starting to realize the environmental impact of the foam (which is essential plastic that does not break down), and they are beginning to turn back to frogs and cages for floral mechanics. So much so that they are even being manufactured again because of the high demand for an eco-friendly tool.

I thought I would go over the different categories of flower frogs and, along the way, show you my collection within each category. They range in materials from metal, glass, ceramic, lead, and plastic. Some are very practical in form and material, but older Victorian frogs can be very elaborate and sometimes whimsical.

What are the different types of flower frogs?

Metal Pin Flower Frogs

I think these are the easiest to find. If you go to enough estate sales or yard sales, you will find them pretty easily and often inexpensively. Often you will find round and oval frogs. It’s always fun to find the leaf-shaped and flower-shaped frogs.

Pin frogs are better suited for architectural designs. They are used in the ikebana style of floral design because they are rigid and help achieve the strong lines in ikebana.

This is a close-up of the Dazey leaf-shaped flower frog. Made by Dazey Mfg. Co.

The round metal frogs look great stacked, and I usually sell them in sets. I prefer to display them stacked. I love how each one has its unique patina, and stacking that patina all together makes them even more irresistible look.

Because they provide a weighted bottom and do not damage the cards like tape, I often use them to display my holiday cards.

Glass Flower Frogs

Glass flower frogs are the frogs that I get the most question about. Made of glass, they have wider holes and are almost always round in shape. People often struggle to see how they are used for floral design because the holes are so big.

They come in different sizes and colors but are generally round, some are flatter, some are more domed in shape. Sometimes people use them as pen holders, scissor holders or brush holders (makeup or art). I get asked about them so often that I created a tutorial on how I use them in an arrangement, you can find it here. I love using glass flower frogs for bulkier stems; they create a great structure for heavy and or thicker stems, like sunflowers or tulips.

The thick glass makes them virtually bullet proof. They can withstand a lot of wear and tear. While I do find them with chips, most of the time they are in perfect condition.

Hairpin Flower Frogs

Hairpin flower frogs are made of bent metal. Bringing the best of both worlds, this style of flower frog provides rigidness of the pin frogs and allows spacing for thicker stems like the glass frog. Created by Ida Sinclair one afternoon after listening to the frustrations of designers at her garden club meeting. Her first prototype was made in her kitchen, consisting of a lead base and hairpins. She patented her Blue Ribbon Flower Holder in 1936.

This frog became very popular until the 50’s when the floral foam was introduced. This frog allows you to achieve a fuller and more dynamic design. For some reason, these are not easy for me to come by. Only recently did I find a couple, and I have collected flower frogs for a while now.

Vintage Cage Flower Frogs

Cage flower frogs are again made of metal with a wider, stiffer opening compared to the Hairpin Flower Frog. The whole/spaces are not as wide as the glass but they are stiffer than the hairpin frogs. As a designer, I like to design with cages. Today they make reusable plastic ones, but I prefer metal. I think because of the weight. It does a better job of holding the overall arrangement in place and it’s better for the environment.

Decorative Ceramic Flower Frogs

Now come the decorative ceramic frogs. They are typically more ornate and often whimsical. Modern-day ceramic frogs are more simple and utilitarian. Of all the frog options, these are my least favorite. They are similar to glass frogs but lack the weight needed for arrangements. For that reason, I find these to be the least useful.

My other issue with these frogs is although beautiful, they take attention from the flowers. Vintage frogs of this type are most often used decoratively to highlight a few glorious stems rather than a beautiful arrangement. Perfect for your prized picks from your garden.

Ceramic frogs became popular during the early 20th century, becoming more and more elaborate. The book Flower Frogs For Collectors, by Bonnie Bull, is the most complete and comprehensive compilation of flower frogs. If you are collecting frogs I recommend this book. It is no longer in print, but you can still find copies on Amazon and eBay.

Decorative ceramic flower frogs are harder to find because of their fragility. Of the three in my collection, 2 have chips. I find them often, but very rarely do I find them in perfect condition.

Lead Flower Frogs

This frog is just one sheet of lead rolled into itself, providing space for stems that can be manipulated as needed.

The most popular and most coveted for collections is the lead chrysanthemum shaped frog. With the individual leaves easily manipulated, it is not only beautiful, but functional.

Metal Flower Frogs

This is another frog that is a little harder to find. Both of the frogs above would have been silver plated, They have lost a bit of their luster, but they are still beautiful in design and weight. These are not the easiest frogs to use because you are fighting with the constrains of the shape, but unlike the ceramic frogs. These frog are heavy and will hold your flowers beautifully. They also look beautiful on there own and that’s why it’s special day when you find one.

That sums up the different categories of flower frogs. I am happy to have a least one from each category. My flower frog collection has taken me years to compile. I love to display and use these beauties, and urge folks to return back to frogs vs floral foam. When using the right frog, you can have the same level of control as you do with foam. There are also lots of new designs on the market today, which is exciting to see things changing in the floral design world. Happy hunting!

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When it all comes together magically. Vintage serendipity!

Leave a Comment / Styling, tablescapes, Vintage Antique Décor / Sandra

Part of what drives my creativity are happy coincidences. Maybe happy accidents like Bob Ross would say.

Happy coincidences like when you happen upon a yard sale and are attracted to a quirky set of 80’s place sets. You buy them, you take them home, set them on the table next to the group of plates you just thrifted and the vase of hydrangeas you picked from your mother’s garden. And you realize that the plates pick up the blue in napkins perfectly, and the mauve in the placemats looks like it was plucked straight out of the faded end of summer hydrangea. That kismet moment when a wash of satisfaction and happiness falls over you. All I can think is where my camera is. These are the moments that drive my creativity.

The plates are from the W. S. George Pottery Co., 1903 – 1960, in the ranchero style. They are the most perfect shade of pale yellow accented with a robin egg blue monogram with a simple, clean round shape. The monogram might be my favorite part. If I ever get my Joanna Gaines moment and create a product line, a plate set like these would be on my list.

So I only found 11 pieces of the Cavitt-Shaw dinnerware. A full set for four would have been over 30 pcs. I found:

3 dinner plates

4 dessert plates

4 cake plates

Let’s be honest though, that would have been a bit much for me. I imagine that back in the 50’s one would have been upset to have a mismatched set of dishes, Today, I think it gives you the opportunity to make it better. I would compliment this set with a blue bowl and maybe a patterned coffee cup.

This hydrangea is the gift that keeps on giving. It blooms from spring to summer and at all stages of growth, it’s just lovely. From the fresh chartreuse green in the early summer to the purple mid-summer blooms and now the gorgeous mauvy pink and green. Breathtaking! They will also dry beautifully, so you can enjoy them through the winter. That’s why they are one of my favorite flowers.

Classic and modern design is not an easy thing to achieve. A lot of designers try few succeed, but these plates have achieved it perfectly. Although these plates are from the ’50s and are over 70 years old, they would be perfect on a table today.

@vintage_bu_te_antiques
When it all comes together magically. #vintagetablescape #vintagetableware #endofsummerhydrangea #myvintagefinds #vintagestyle #vintagedecor
♬ Boom Bababom Pow - bearro ♡

These happy coincidences can only happen when you are in your process. That process, for me, is the continuous hunt. That is what brings me joy. The quest for unique, beautiful, and well-made goods. That could be furniture, art, textile, tools – I find beauty in so many things. What I appreciate is craftsmanship. Not that you can’t find quality crafted items today, because you can. It’s just that things made 50 years ago were made better. They were made to last a lifetime or longer.

I am always consciously or unconsciously curating collections. The more I look, the more I find. What amazes me is how these items come from all these different places yet come together so perfectly. I think the magic is in the process. The magic that brings satisfaction and joy. I think they call it “getting into the flow.” I encourage you to follow your joy and find the magic and enjoy that wonderful synchronicity.

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How to Upcycle an old typewriter new life – DIY

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Centerpieces, DIY, Floral Design, Vintage Antique Décor / Sandra

I recently found an antique Underwood No.5 typewriter that was so far gone, I couldn’t even salvage her for parts. I found her in an old barn that, well, let’s just say, it wasn’t exactly a weather-tight structure. So while it wasn’t left outside, it was pretty close. I considered using her as a planter, but two things prompted me to rethink that idea

First issue was that I left the typewriter outside, I figured it was already rusty. But more rain made it your guessed it rustier, and now the letter keys were illegible. So I knew that if this was to be kept outdoors, it would need some sort of topcoat to seal it and stop it from rusting anymore. It’s hard to spray poly on evenly, and I just didn’t want to deal with that.

The second issue I had was that the open cavity in the typewriter would only hold one plant at best. And I was envisioning the typewriter overflowing with different types of cactus. I love plants too much to put them in this cramped space, they won’t thrive in a space like this.

Even rusty and dirty, she is a beautiful typewriter. I mean, I don’t know about you, but when I think of an antique typewriter, I think of a No. 5 Underwood typewriter.

The Underwood typewriter was invented by German-American inventor Franz X. Wagner in 1873. In 1906, the company was bought by John T. Underwood, who changed the name from “Wagner Typewriter Company” to “Underwood Typewriter Company.

What you need:

8 stems of succulents
Hot Glue
Wire clippers
Reindeer moss

So here is the easiest tutorial you have ever read or watched. The hardest part of this DIY was finding the typewriter. A No. 5 Underwood might be hard to find in any condition, so don’t feel you have to find the same one.

For this simple DIY, it is really just a matter of cutting the stems (in some cases pulling the tops off is easier) and gluing the faux succulents in place.

Starting with the larger succulents first, I focused on the top cavity. I also made sure to have some of the trailing succulents drape out the front and side of the typewriter. If your typewriter is in better condition and you are concerned with damaging it with hot glue. You could just place the stems in the cavity without gluing the stems. That way you are not hurting the typewriter and also you could swap out the flowers with the seasons.

As an after thought, I also added reindeer moss (not shown in the pictures) it filled in any holes or mechanics that were showing.

I think this would look great on a entry table at a country or farm style wedding. If you really like this look and you are really ambitious, this would be a fantastic centerpiece on a table. That would of course require you to source a lot of old typewriters, which could be a daunting task. Or you could intermix the tables with a typewriter centerpiece and book centerpiece. If faux isn’t your thing you could create this look with fresh flowers and that would be so beautiful as well.

I hope you enjoyed the process. I really love how the typewriter turned out. I have displayed on a desk in my booth and I am really happy with the transformation.

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Celebrating the red, white and blue with vintage flair!

Leave a Comment / 4th of July, Antiques, Holiday Celebrations, Styling, Vintage Antique Décor / Sandra

I love any reason to celebrate, but I especially love celebrating this great country on Independence Day. From bunting to tablescapes, I love to dress my house up inside and out with lots of red, white, and blue.

How Do I Incorporate Vintage Items Into My Patriotic Décor?

I do make a conscious effort to stay away from anything disposable and if I buy something new I want it to be a quality piece that will last for years. I like my décor to have soul and whimsy. It’s not just about putting flags everywhere, but when I do you can bet that they are vintage. It’s about finding unique accents pieces that celebrate our pride and joy. Really highlighting the red white and blue in both conventional and unconventional ways.

Here are some decorating ideas to celebrate America's birthday in vintage style.

Americans have been decorating their homes for the 4th with flags and bunting for a long time. It’s classic and timeless and it’s where my patriotic décor begins. When in doubt, adding some bunting to your windows and doors or hanging a gorgeous vintage flag will transform your home.

Do you know what direction to display the american flag?

When displaying the flag either horizontally or vertically against a wall, from a portico or in a window, the stars should be uppermost left hand corner.

A large American flag draped in the portico, bunting hanging from windows, always satisfies my soul. I am partial to using red, white, and blue scarfing fabric. Not bunting, but the long fabric. It’s my favorite way to decorate doors and porches. It’s a classic way to dress up the outside of your home. I recently found some vintage scarfing fabric with the most amazing patina. I love when the white has lost some of its crispness, it gains a certain significance and presence. I realize that this is not an easy find, but you could recreate it with new patriotic scarfing and then tea stain it. Or add to your wish list. Do you have a vintage wish list?

I am always looking for beautiful old flags when I am out-picking. I found a huge one this summer, and I love it. It’s well-loved but not ragged or worn. For me, a good flag is made of cotton, has some weight to it, but is still vibrant. Although I can appreciate a faded flag, I like prefer strong colors in my flags.

I think we traditionally think of patriotic décor to be an “outside” thing. However, don’t neglect the inside of your home.

Vintage Patriotic Indoor Décor Ideas

I can not pass up vintage flags, and I have been picking for a long time. As you can imagine, I have amassed quite a collection. I like to display them collectively in old cider bottles or vintage metal cans.

I collect flags on sticks, but I also collect sad flags that have lost their stake. So often found in the garage or basement of homes in forgotten boxes or drawers. I love them. They have a great patina.

I recently found an old, weathered sailboat mast. I clipped on all the loose flags with tiny red clothespins, and I think it looks fabulous! You could also clip the flags on some string and make a banner for your mantle or wall.

Vintage Patriotic Vignettes

Find spaces in your home where you can celebrate the season, whether it’s Easter or, in this case, 4th of July. Having an area to switch out with themed décor is a great way to decorate without overwhelming you or your space. My hall table always has a stack of vintage red books. For the 4th, I add some blue vintage books and vintage trophies and filled them with white hydrangea. It doesn’t take a lot to change the space. You could add a picture frame with a vintage patriotic print. I recently found this beautiful patriotic cross stitch that look great in this vignette.

Patriotic pottery vignette

Chinasoire pottery lends itself beautifully to patriotic décor. If you collect flow blue or blue and white pottery, adding some red flowers to your display will make for a beautiful vignette. The best part of this look is that you just embellishing décor that you already have.

Utilizing color in you patriotic décor

I like to make use of things for their color and often ignore what they are. For example, I use vintage books as décor. Stacking vintage red and blue books with a small vase of white hydrangea is a classic look, with patriotic flair. It doesn’t always have to be about flags and bunting.

Red, white and blue can be achieved with fruit, flowers, books, paper, fabric, and baked goods. You can add faux fruit to a blue and white ironware bowl for a stunning look on your kitchen counter. Red gingham napkins on a blue plate can elevate your tablescape.

Another thing that I collect are vintage glass Christmas ornaments. I collect all sizes and I use the small ones in bowl for different holidays. Above is a grouping of red, silver and blue mini glass ball ornaments in a cut crystal pedestal bowl. I love how they are sparkly and pretty. It’s vintage, it’s patriotic and it’s a different take on glass ornaments.

I hope you found some inspiring ways to celebrate America with vintage flair and style.

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Spring hellebores purple and flower frogs

Bringing Spring Inside -How to incorporate vintage and antique items into your Spring home decor?

Leave a Comment / Antiques, Styling, Vintage Antique Décor / Sandra

How Do I decorate my home for Spring with vintage and antique items?

I do it with flowering branches, plants, and natural elements like nests and baskets. Fill in any bare spots around your home using plants, flowers–anything green really! I love that juxtaposition of the old and new. I use my collection of vintage and antique vases and vessels to showcase the beauty of spring.

As I get to the end of February, I am over and done with Winter. Unfortunately, living in New England, there is still a lot of Winter left. So I cope by bringing the feeling of Spring inside.

Forced branches and bulbs in Vintage Vases and Urns

I usually start at the end of February/beginning of March by incorporating forced branches and forced bulbs, and by the end of the month, the Easter eggs and bunnies start coming out. I enjoy using natural items like nests, moss, flowers, and I will usually buy a Spring candle to burn. Right now, I am enjoying the Thymes Olive Leaf candle. (The Thymes Fraiser Fir is my all-time favorite candle.) It’s a lovely clean scent which is what I want in the Spring.

I also try to keep a natural palette so you won’t find a lot of jarring bright colors in my home. This year I find myself gravitating towards mossy greens and creams, but it changes every year. This year I celebrated Spring with this beautiful tallow berry wreath. If you would like to see how I made it you can find the tutorial here.

I have nothing against faux flowers. I use them all the time. Especially in my booth, it’s a low maintenance way to bring color and texture to my space. I am usually there once a week to replenish and revamp, so fresh flowers are not an option. In general though, I always prefer natural items like the tallow berry branches or pepper berry is another favorite that has excellent color. Did you know that they bleach and die them? So you can get them in a gorgeous creamy white as well. I have worked as a florist for many years, and I never knew that they came in different colors. That is another wreath I hope to make in the fall, so stay tuned for that

Planting spring flowers in unique Vintage planters

The kitchen is the heart of our home, and I always have fresh flowers by my kitchen sink. So this space changes weekly. I will usually start in February with a vase full of pussy willow, then move to tulips and daffodils. It’s constantly changing and always reflecting the season. Lately, I have also been incorporating potted flowering plants, like this Hellebores (which I hope to plant in my garden) that I purchase at Wegmans of all places. I planted it in this beautiful copper pail that I found at a local estate sale.

Forcing Wheat Grass in vintage baskets

Earlier I mention my obsession with hunter green and green. In keeping with the green theme, this year I tried something new. I have had a bag of wheatgrass seeds sitting under my kitchen sink for two years now, waiting to be sowed for spring décor, and finally, this year, I sowed some seeds. In these drab months of Winter, I crave all things green because the color conveys a feeling of life to me. I planted up a few containers this year, but my favorite was this 50’s gold metal basket.

This basket came in an auction box lot, and it was full of moldy Christmas greens (I wish I had a before photo). I was tempted to just throw it all out, but the form was so beautiful. I know I could give this basket new life.

I also planted a few other containers with wheatgrass and used them in my Easter décor. Here I planted vintage desert cup with wheat grass. You can read more about my experience growing wheatgrass for décor here. It was a good experience, but I am not sure I will do it again.

I love to juxtapose vintage items with flowers and plants. In this vignette I have a beautiful vintage (almost antique) trophy, my collection of flower frogs on a large silver tray. This 1922 trophy showcases these purple Hellebores gloriously. My dad had given me a plant a few years back, and I planted it, but I don’t think it likes its location because I’m lucky to get 3 or 4 blossoms. So I end up stealing them from my parents’ garden every year.

These Ranunculus were from my Easter centerpiece. They are one of my favorite flowers ever and I try to enjoy every last bit of them. Once I see that they are starting to die, the stem will start to shrivel, but I like to pop the head off the stem and float it in some water. By doing this I can usually get an extra 2 days from the bloom, and I enjoy displaying them in this unconventional way.

They look so sweet floating in this vintage silver plated butter dish.

These are some ways that I decorate my home for Spring with vintage and antique items.

How do you incorporate your vintage and antique items in your Spring décor?

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How to use a glass floral frog – Tulip Centerpiece

Antiques, DIY, Flowers / Sandra

Vintage flower frogs are one of my favorite tools to use when creating floral arrangements. They became very popular in the early 1900’s, but they have been used for hundreds of years in floral design. They are still being manufactured today, but nothing beats the patina of a vintage flower frog. I was once in line checking out at an estate sale and happened to find a couple of flower frogs, the woman behind me commented, “flower frogs are worth their weight in gold,” and I couldn’t agree with her more.

Why use a flower frog?

Mechanics are essential in any good floral design, and flower frogs provide a designer with the essential support that stems need in arrangements. There are a few ways to do this, but flower frogs offer an eco-friendly way to floral design. They are growing in popularity again as an alternative to the popular floral foam. When floral foam first came out in the late fifties, it was the answer to every designer’s dreams. It holds a lot of water, provides stem support, made transporting a dream, and flowers can last in foam for over a week.

The problem is that floral foam is essentially plastic that is treated with detergents. It is not biodegradable, and as it breaks down, it does so as tiny particles that contribute to the world’s microplastic problem. You are here to learn about vintage flower frogs, but I urge you to research the environmental impact that floral foam has on the environment and consider other alternatives.

Finding the right fit and material

Flower frogs come in all shapes and sizes, from metal to glass and ceramic. They made elaborate flower frogs in beautiful shapes and designs during Victorian times, but I think those really are only good to showcase one flower or a few stems. Metal pin frogs and glass frogs are the easiest to find and can often be found at flea markets and antique markets.

Ceramic and glass frogs with large holes lend themselves to flowers with thicker and Or Sturdy stems, like tulips and stock or woody stems like lilacs.

In comparison, metal pin frogs are great for thinner stems and a more structural design. Metal pin frog, called Kenzan frogs used in the Japanese floral design style, called Ikebana, provide the support needed for this very architectural style of floral design. Personally, I love the control that it gives me in my designs, especially in today’s airy designs.

For this arrangement, I am using a beautiful Grecian-style urn with a very wide mouth. The vase requires some sort of support mechanism to hold the flowers in place. While it’s technically possible to create the arrangement without any support, doing so would require a large quantity of flowers and result in a somewhat bulky appearance. To keep the focus on the flowers themselves, I’ve decided to use a glass flower frog as a support system. It will support the this stems of the tulips perfectly and will blend in beautifully in the vase and will hardly be noticeable.

If you don’t have a flower frog, you have other options. You can also use curly willow stems to form a base in your vase, chicken wire, or tape the top of your vase to support your stems.

This frog measures 5″ and has 16 holes, just enough for the perfect foundation. To begin the arrangement, I fill each of the holes with one tulip stem. Once I have filled all the holes with stems, I fill all the empty space in the arrangement with the remaining flowers. This arrangement has 60 stems of tulips (thank you, Trader Joe’s), which is a lot but the arrangement is light and airy.

How To Design With A Glass Flower Frog

The visual learner that I am thought a video would be a good idea. So I shot a quick YouTube video showing you how I created this tulip arrangement.

The result is a beautiful clean, structured but airy, modern design. As you will see it’s not as intimidating as you thought it might be. The hardest part would finding the right size frog for the right size vase.

Collecting Vintage Floral Frogs

I hope that this inspires you to try an arrangement with a flower frog. And maybe it will also encourage you to start your own collection. They still have plenty of use in them and are inexpensive to collect. You can find vintage frogs anywhere from $5-20, depending on the size. I use them for flowers, but I also use them for photos and cards. It’s a great way to display small signs or table numbers. Some people use glass frogs for pens, brushes, and even scissors.

My collection is growing and consists of various types of frogs. I shared about my collection in a blog post, if you are interested you can check that out here. Though I have quite a few frog it’s still fun an exhilarating to find flower frogs especially the rare and unique ones.

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