French Parlor- My faux mantle

I'm trying to get back into the swing of regular postings, even if they are much shorter than usual. That will make some of you sigh with relief, as I am word-heavy on the best of days ;). Instead of working for a long period of time to gather pictures and load them on my stone-age computer, then write my own version of War and Peace every time I do a post, I'm going to go with what's happening at the moment. Right now I am still working on the furniture for the parlor. Good things take time, and I am trying not to be impatient. I do have the stool and settee stripped and refinished (YES!!), and the stool upholstered. I love how it turned out. And I have all the fabric for the settee. I'll do a separate post about them. Right now I am focusing on what I DO have done, and being grateful. And that one of those things is my lovely mantel/glorified shelf. I've always wanted a mantel to decorate, and you can see in previous "French Parlor" posts how I found this one in a dumpster. And now I get to try out all kinds of news on it. I'm the only one that sees them, so I'm sharing them with you, Dear Reader!

I love this grouping. The cupid candlestick holder is one I found in a local thrift store. It has a marble base and the cupid was cast so very well. Some cupids are down-right ugly, ha! But this one  is old enough to have really nice detailing on the brass. The mirror in the center is special. It was in my grandma Tommy's antique store when I was in middle school, and I longed for it. I was saving the $35 for it, but it was gone the next time I went in. I asked grandma where it went, and she said a nice girl came in and bought it. "How old a girl?" I asked, not liking this stranger just from the thought of her having my mirror. "Oh, about 30," grandma said. I sputtered and protested that wasn't a girl, that was someone old, but she just laughed. Several months later the mirror was under the Christmas tree. My Pop had gotten it for me, and Grandma had been in on the scheme the whole time! The pink art glass vase with enameling of a bird was also from Pop for Christmas, just a couple years ago. He has the best taste! And the roses in it are all vintage silk ones that were in my grandma's house when she passed.

Recently I realized that my gorgeous pot of pansies wouldn't make it much longer in this sudden heat wave we were having. I decided it might be fun to bring them in and do a pansy theme for the mantel. The large picture in the frame was $12 at a flea, and usually hangs on the wall above my desk. The small original oil was $5 at Ms Threet's thrift shop on Main St, Gentry. The beautiful flow blue pansy platter was grandma's, and the amethyst bitters bottle was my Aunt Sharon's and given to me by my cousin. When I decorate, I just go around the house and gather things that suit my theme.

I'm trying out a large Victorian armchair in the parlor (below), at least until my other furniture is done. It was in the back guest room, but I am in the process of redoing it. (Yes, I am working on three rooms at once!) The chair is unbelievably comfortable, but I fear it may too big to fit in with my other furniture. It will probably go back to the guest room when the dust settles (figuratively and literally) from all the renovating.

I tried out the below look for a bit, but wasn't crazy about it. These were some fake wisteria stems of grandma's.

And here is how the mantel looked in March, with a green St Patty's theme. (Did you notice that this was back when the ceiling fan was up, before moma gave me her glorious chandelier? My oh my, I sure do love that chandeleier!) For this look I just dragged things out of the china cupboards. Oh! Speaking of china cupboards- I took every blessed thing out of both of mine and then moved them and refilled them. I will have to find before and after pictures of the dining room to show you. The moving made room for another dresser so that I could put all my scientific specimens in it. And it also opened up the room so that somehow looks more airy, despite the fact that is has more furniture. That is another post...

I also made the closet here in the parlor into a sewing closet- and I am over-the-moon excited about it! Have I already mentioned it? I lose train of thought. I am also completely redoing the back guest room to accommodate an 8 foot wide Victorian wardrobe my uncle is giving me-squeal! So many projects going at one time that everything is in a bit of mayhem! So, I need to show you the closet, my furniture, the dining room, and the guest room. Plus there are so many recipes I want to share with you...Sheesh. Well, at least I'm trying :)

What have you been doing during this time of corona? Have you been spending time on projects inside, gardening outside, or trying new recipes?