A GIANT CLOCHE

For 35 years in our antique travels, we have been looking for an early 1900s ballot box. The rare times we have spotted one, it was way out of our price range. In a recent discussion with a class mate that worked at our hometown court house, we found out that she had acquired several ballot boxes years ago when they became obsolete. At our recent class reunion, she brought one to give us. We were thrilled beyond belief. It was in "stored in a barn for years" condition and needed three pieces of glass replaced. Bob, of course, loves a challenge like that. This is what it looks like now.

He took it all apart, restored the original finish, and replaced the glass. It was like a giant puzzle putting it back together. It took our four hands and arms, two bungee cords, a belt, and a few well-chosen words to get the eight pieces of glass to fit back in their slots and grooves.

The top locks with three separate keys -- we assume for three different people to prevent tampering with the election process. If only our current election process was still this simple. The original printing is on the top door indicating that it came from a ballot box company in Denver.

All of the time we were working on it, I kept thinking this could be one GIANT cloche. It stands 25" high and is 17" square. The eight pieces of glass form an octogon within the square framework.

I'm sure I'll have fun thinking of things to put into my new "cloche" for the various seasons.

I always love when a decorative item also has meaning to our family. My grandfather was a popular elected official for years in the early 1900s. I like to imagine that many votes in his favor were cast in this very ballot box.

I'll be joining the following parties this week. Check these blogs out for a plethora of inspiration.

A Stroll Thru Life for the Fall Cloche Party on Tuesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Restore Interiors for Restored It Wednesday

The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursday

No Minimalist Here for Open House Party on Thursday

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

SUMMER CLOCHE PARTY

My favorite thing to put under a cloche has to be food. Today one of my cloches holds homemade whoopie pies - always good with a glass of cold milk on a summer afternoon.



Yummy, sticky goodness made from a vintage recipe!

I'll be joining the following parties this week. Be sure to stop by these fun blogs to check for inspiration.

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for her Summer Cloche Party on Tuesday

Very Merry Vintage Style for Share the Love Wednesday

Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Cloche Party Time

It is time for Marty's annual Spring Cloche Party. Well, I'm reluctantly being pulled out of Winter mode (my favorite season). I know that I'm the only one in blogland not looking forward to Spring. So, this is about as close as I get to Spring decorating. For all of you Spring aficionados, gaze at these two plates next to my cloche for inspiration.

The plates were hand-painted by the noted Colorado china painter, Anna Peters, in the early 20th century. She was especially recognized for her rose renderings, so it is unusual to find a plate with columbines on it. However, the columbine is the Colorado state flower, which would probably explain it.
The cloche is covering a Murano glass egg that my son brought to me from Italy a couple of years ago. The wooden base is a piece that my Dad turned 30 years ago from a walnut tree that had been planted in the 1800s in the small town I grew up in. I've had that base all of these years just waiting for something special to display on it. It connects my Dad and my son, who is named after his grandfather. The pink marble lamp in the background was a wedding present to my parents in 1937. All are treasures I cherish.

Please check out Marty's blog, A Stroll Thru Life,

for some real Spring cloche inspiration.

APOTHECARY LOVE!

It is time for Marty's annual Fall Cloche/Apothecary Jar party. I decided to join in this time not with a cloche vignette, but using my antique apothecary jars. I had my eye on these four jars at a local antique store for a couple of years; and finally around my birthday and Christmas last year, we bought them. I've sure enjoyed them as versatile containers for all kinds of stuff!

Today, they hold grocery store flowers in Fall colors.

Be sure to go by Marty's A Stroll Thru Life
where you will find a plethora of ideas for your cloches and jars.

CLOCHE PARTY

How many pieces of brown transferware does it take to fill a large cloche?

I don't know - I stopped at 10.

I'm joining up with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life
and her Cloche Party. Be sure to check it out; I'm sure you will be inspired!

MORE VINTAGE EASTER

Last week I posted about my Victorian milk glass Easter eggs, so now I would like to show you a little more of my vintage Easter stuff.

Several years ago, Bob gave me this vintage paper-mache Easter Bunny. It has a hollow body, and was originally a candy container. He is kind of fragile; therefore, perfect for under a cloche.

The small 4" sand pail is not necessarily Easter; but I keep it with my Easter stuff as it is so cute with tiny eggs in it.

Part of our collection of antique postcards, this is one of my favorites. It is propped up in one of my mother's old metal flower frogs.

These two glass chicken on nests belonged to my Grandmother. They originally held tiny Easter egg candy. I remember playing with them as a child; so how they survived without a scratch, I don't know.

Please check out the following blog parties going on for more fun stuff.

Suzanne at Colorado Lady
for Vintage Thingies Thursday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life
for the Spring cloche party

Cindy at My Romantic Home
for Show & Tell Friday

May you all have a joyous Easter.

Sally

IT'S CLOCHE PARTY TIME!

It is cloche party time again with our able hostess, Marty, at
A Stroll Thru Life.
You will be inspired by all of the wonderful ideas of the participants. Be sure to go by Marty's for a list.

For my cloches this time, I have assembled some jewelry, etc. from my family.

Four of the pocket watches belonged to my paternal grandmother and grandfather, and a great, great uncle. The gold watch with the bird engraving belonged to my great grandmother. The little crocheted change purse in the lower right corner belonged to my maternal grandmother.

The medium-sized cloche is sitting on my mother's baby cap, and encloses my grandmother's wedding ring, my grandfather's cuff links, another grandfather's stick pins, and a pin belonging to my grandmother. The picture is of one of my great grandmothers taken when she was 16.

THE LONG-AWAITED CLOCHE PARTY

Thanks to Marty of A Stroll Thru Life
for hosting this event. Be sure to check out her blog for a list of all of the participants. I'm sure there will be so many creative ideas for using cloches and apothecary jars in Christmas decorating. I can't wait to view every one's posts.

CLOCHE PARTY

It's Cloche Party Time! Please go check out Marty at A Stroll Thru Life
and check out all of the other partyers showing off their cloches!

I'm still in extreme cloche-envy mode, as I have yet to find an exquisite cloche at a reasonable (really cheap) price. So, in order to participate, I have dug out my cake dome which sits on a wooden pedestal. My father made the pedestal in his high school wood-shop class 80 years ago.

I have a small collection of miniature doll house furniture from the 1960s and from my childhood. A cloche is perfect to cover these little gems. I have a hard enough time keeping my regular house dusted without cleaning a pretend house.
What do you suppose the queen of this kitchen is cooking this Fall day? Looks to me like it must be a Pumpkin Crunch Pie.

Now, go check out Marty's blog to see what else is cooking under a cloche today.

CLOCHE PARTY

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life is hosting a fun event today. It is a cloche party, where everyone can show off their cloches. Be sure to stop by her blog to check out all of the participants.


I've been looking for a cloche to buy for a year now, as I love how clever everyone is in their displays. My problem is that I'm very frugal when it comes to buying something I really don't need (except maybe transferware)! Consequently, I have yet to find a spectacular one for very little money.

Since I wanted to participate today in this grand event, the best I could do is this little glass thingy found at Goodwill for $1. It is only 8" tall by 3" wide, and there is very little that fits in it.

For now, I have tied a ribbon around four generations of baby spoons.

I am so excited to see every one's ideas today at the party, as I sure suffer from extreme cloche envy!!