common ground

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Clad in Liberty

I wanted to do something different in the Dining Room this year to honor the July 4th celebration. I think we all love vintage dress forms and I think they're the perfect way to "dress up" any Holiday. I have two in my office/studio that I keep my vintage necklaces on, but this one little gal had been used in one of my antique mall spaces, but was now relegated to the garage stash.

So I invited her in to take center stage for a

Real Vintage Patriotic Display

I think she's beautiful all decked out in her Patriotic finery.

A vintage lace scarf, triple strands of 60's costume jewelry pearl beads, and one of my vintage clock necklaces add to her girlish charm.

As for this display, it is a vintage flag draped over my dress form. I would never destroy a flag by cutting it up for clothing. All the flags I use are over 50 years old, and have been placed where they will not be harmed or treated disrespectfully.

I was inspired by these wonderful images

that you can find on my Pinterest Board, Red/White/Blue

And now, on to the rest of the Dining Room

My white vintage windowbox is back, now filled with white Geraniums

and little old parade flags for the July 4th Holiday.

I'm using my French Grain Sack with a red stripe as a tablerunner

on top of some bleached burlap for some extra coverage.

I searched the web for "vintage look" flag pillows, and while I found some great ones, nothing had the old look I was hoping for. Then, when I was getting my parade flags out of storage I realized one was loose from the "pole" so I just added it onto this old ticking pillow that my husband's grandmother had made about 60 years ago. So easy and gave me that perfect aged vintage look...'cause it is!

Sitting on my old church pew and white matelasse cover

I think she may stay here in the Dining Room where she can

challenge me to find other ways to decorate her for the seasons and Holidays.

Don't forget that Be Inspired will be going live early this week.

Gather up all your Patriotic posts, old and new, and come link up here at

7 PM Central Wednesday evening. July 3rd.

see you then!

Just a note on my thoughts as to how I choose

to display antique and vintage flags,

that I shared last year:

"About my use of the flags in decor, and this is my personal opinion: because these flags are antiques and relics, and not "dedicated to service or actively commissioned flags" I don't feel it's wrong or disrespectful to use them as I have. They have been salvaged from flea markets, antique malls and swap meets, etc. where I found them boxed, folded, and wadded up in corners and under tables. So my use of them in display, to me, is perfectly respectful and honoring of my love of Country and the American flag."

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