Register Covers

Andover Register Cover: $24.00-$25.50

20th Century Scroll, $24.00-$26.50

Grillwork, $34.00-$42.00

Modera Moderne, $28.00-$42.00

Are you weary of those flimsy big-box register covers that detract from the historic look of your house? Do you hate shelling out big bucks for reproduction house parts? Cannot find antique replacements? I have noticed recently that Restoration Hardware has a selection of well-made, reasonably-priced house parts. These register covers are a wonderful example and are available in various finishes and sizes. It's like buying jewelry for you home!

Rebus

Rebus

This whimsical painting at The Bunny Bungalow is by Linda Hickerson-Hofheinz and is titled "Rebus". Can you decipher the rebus?


October 15, 2008 Note: "Pearls+bee+IV+swine"

Family Jewels

The luxurious little jewelery bag, by Bobbye Powers, is available through Installations Antiques.

Meeting the designer of something you have and love is a pleasure that makes the daily use of said item all the more intimate. The other evening I had the privilege of meeting Bobbye Powers, the designer of the above jewelry bag. Inside the perimeter of this little drawstring number are individual compartments that cradle a piece of jewelry, keeping each from injuring another.

During conversation, Bobbye and I found that we both love fine sewing, a discovery which led to her showing me a line of jewelry bags that she designs and markets. Well, I could not resist, though it was difficult choosing just one from all the beautiful color and fabric combinations. I finally settled on the wine moire with a lining of pale floral chintz.

Now I can tuck away my traveling jewels and be off!

More jewels: Designer Bobbye Powers is the mother of Becki van der Oord, owner of Installations Antiques. I shall treasure the memory of the wonderful conversation we shared as well as her beautiful designs.

Snoopy Two

What's that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's Snoopy Two!

Snoopy Two, a MetLife blimp, was spotted flying over Houston today.

Snoopy Two will be overhead, covering the NFL Houston Texans vs. the Miami Dolphins game in Houston tomorrow (Sunday, October 12, 2008)

Melt My Heart!

I just clicked onto Beadboard UpCountry (Brenham, Texas) and found that they have a new entry to their website. I remember the last time that I was there, Maryanne showed me this knock-out photo she had taken of that little settee before it was delivered to a client. If you look closely, you can find the reflection of the gorgeous photographer (Maryanne.)

Maryanne, love your photo. It captures the ambiance of your shop to a "B."

Vintage Medicine Balls

For some reason, vintage medicine balls are in all the antiques shops and are selling for prices as hefty as the weighted leather balls themselves. What boxer back in the 30's would have thought his gym equipment would someday be expensive decorator items?

Tall Husband and I couldn't resist the trend. We have a gym equipped with weights at My Ranchburger, so why not vintage medicine balls at The Bunny Bungalow? The larger German medicine ball (above) is from Installations Antiques, the first dealer in Houston to display vintage medicine balls. The smaller medicine ball we found at Thompson+Hanson. Both balls have been waxed, a look I love.

Modern versions of the medicine ball are available and some experts say that a medicine ball and a jump rope are all you need for getting and staying in shape. O.K., but can those antique pine floors handle my getting ripped abs?

Hey Fido, There's a Monkey on Your Back

Photo via Wikipedia

This is another true story about a time Tall Husband and I could have met but did not.

It was a beautiful spring day, a Saturday, many years ago. I sat on my second-story sundeck in Houston, writing letters to my children who were attending school in Italy. I became aware of the smell of marijuana cigarette smoke. I looked toward the street and spotted the smoker. It was a monkey, casually taking long, slow drags from a hand-rolled joint, as he rode on the back of a large dog, holding onto the dog's scruff with his free hand. The dog seemed not to object to his rider. I rubbed my eyes and was almost convinced that I was hallucinating. I leaned over the railing, looking for an owner but found the animals to be totally unattended. The monkey and the dog turned the corner and disappeared from sight. I retrieved my sandals and ran down the stairs, toward the corner in pursuit but they were gone.

With this strange vision stuck in our heads, let's fast forward: Tall Husband and I have been married for quite some time when one day I remember the monkey and the dog. I tell Tall Husband the story and describe the small rhesus monkey and the black Lab.

Unlike others who may have thought I had invented the scene, Tall Husband responded: "I saw that dog and monkey! I saw them only once but when they returned to the home I was visiting, I saw them. It was on a weekend and I was visiting a guy named Jim who lived on Virginia Street. Did you live near there?"

Of course I did; right around the corner. Tall Husband went on to explain that the dog belonged to Jim and the joint-smoking monkey belonged to a friend of Jim's who was in prison for dealing drugs (marijuana). Jim had promised his incarcerated friend that he would take care of his pet monkey and roll joints for him.

"So, years before we met, I stood in front of a house looking for a dog with a monkey on his back and you were there?"

"It would appear so," Tall Husband answered. "I guess it just wasn't time for us to meet."