Happy Easter!

Years ago, my folks and I used to go to a wonderful place (which is unfortunately gone now) called the Antique Guild, in Tustin, California. This was a wonderland warehouse of antiques galore that had just been brought over from England and Europe, and you never knew what kind of treasure or piece of history you might find. Within it's cavernous walls they had an area called, "scratch and dent", for the unfortunate bits that arrived somewhat the worse for wear. Sideboards might be missing a carved Renaissance style cherub, or the 200year old hide glue had let go it's grip from an old English Carousel animal and it was now in pieces and in a box waiting to be reassembled by some loving hand. You just never knew what you'd find, and of course, this was in the days before Ebay when you just didn't see things like this.

One visit, I happened to spot a wonderful cast iron door propped up in a box along with a small knob of some sort, and a rusted out iron box still full of ash. Being attracted to anything old and laden with rust, I began searching for what it might have come from and got my Mom involved searching as well. Jackpot! We found this wonderful old Victorain wood burning stove/range from Manchester England.

We had the perfect place for it and bought it on the spot.

It took three men and a mule to lift it, but

 for nearly 35 years now, when people first come in the front door of our house,

 one of the first things they see is this lovely old stove.

I decorate it for each holiday, and thought I'd start sharing my stove creations with you this year.

A little Martha Stewart and Bethany Lowe...

Vintage bits, real quail eggs and dyed eggs, druzie Flourite crystals and of course..

Chickies and Buns!

Happy Easter!