Royal Copley

I have an interest in pottery and am a collector of vintage glassware and other interesting things. I have been on the lookout for Royal Copley pieces. Here are the new additions to the collection!

 

 

Before and After Sewing Room

My sewing room is in the front porch of my house. Which is awesome most of the year and freezing cold in the winter. I sew in the kitchen from November - March. In the winter it becomes the catch all room and then every spring I clean it up so I can sew in there again. Summer of 2013 I finally organized it so it looks awesome and I can find everything - well most things if I am honest! I love it! Winter 2014 has been extremely cold and I can hardly wait to get out of the kitchen and back into my sewing room in March.

BEFORE

 

   The Rocking Chair sat in the corner of the kitchen in Westwood Cottage.  Altough difficult to see the table is a drop leaf table that Grandma and Grandpa refinished.  It sat in their porch covered in plants etc.

 

 

 

 



      

                   Gotta  love IKEA storage. The picnic baskets belonged to my Great Aunt - Alveretta Pansy (her real name) Grandma's Sister.

Hats that both of my Grandmothers wore, framed hankies, Grandma's jars full of buttons and old sewing baskets.

 

Hand crank Singer sewing machine and antique sewing basket.

 



Repurposed Treadle Sewing Machine

Grandpa Westwood loved to go to auction sales and buy old treadle sewing machines.  He would fix them up and get them sewing again. I think he would have been interested in my version of fixing up the old treadle.

1. Visit Westwood Cottage farm and have accommodating husband climb into a falling down barn to rescue an old treadle sewing machine base.

2.Bring home and have it sit in the shed for over a year.

3.Decide to make a table on my own and begin by spray painting the base black.

4.Go to Brandon and find several options to make the table top.  Return them.

5. Go to Brandon again and find a board that will fit and decide to tile the top.  Spend an hour deciding on the tile only to find it is going to cost over $100.00.  Start over.  Find reasonably priced tiles and spend another hour trying to make them fit the board – but can’t.  Hit self on the head and realize that I could cut the board to fit the tile!

6.Accommodating husband helps to cut the board and attach it to the base.

7.Apply tiles only to find that the board is warping!

8.Set table upside down in house with husband’s weights on it to try and flatten the board.

9.Table sits for the entire winter in front porch.

10.  Buy two more treadle sewing machines for future projects and put in shed.

11.    Summer is here and I decide that the little bit of curve in the board gives it “character” and finish table by grouting it.

12.Looks awesome on the deck with the fountain on it.  And I have a fun story to tell to boot!

   

      

It's all in the Words!

In Westwood Cottage this cross stitch picture hung on the wall near the stove.  Grandma stitched it on linen and framed it herself.  I had it re-framed and now it hangs in my kitchen along with the cross stitch picture I made for my kitchen.  I remember her saying to me "I'm not dull!" and she was right!  I am reminded of her everyday when I look at the picture and the lovely times we had in Westwood Cottage.


Grandma Westwood's Cross Stitich



Joanne's Cross Stitch



Vintage Handkerchief Scarf

For years now I have been collecting vintage linens with the hope of using them in sewing projects.  I just can't bring myself to cut into vintage handkerchiefs.  So I was delighted to find a tutorial at the Skip To My Lou blog to make a vintage handkerchief scarf.  Why didn't I think of that? 

You can find the tutorial at  http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/05/06/handkerchief-scarf/ .  My handkerchiefs have scalloped edges so I hand sewed them together.  This would also make a really nice table runner.  Happy Sewing!

Royal Copley China

Grandma Westwood had a vase just like this one in Westwood Cottage.  My sister has it in Vancouver.  The other day, in the local Nearly New I found one just like it for .50 cents!  So, of course I took it home.  It made my day.

After some reasearch I found that it is a piece of Royal Copley China. 

The Spaulding China Company in Ohio, US made many pottery items including figurines, vases and planters from 1942-1957. 

Now, having an interest in pottery and being a collector of vintage glassware and other interesting things I have been on the lookout for other Royal Copley pieces.  So far this is what I have found and I am looking forward to the journey of discovering others to add to the collection!