Valentine's Day Post-Cats in the Kitchen

Happy Friday!! 

I haven't posted anything on here for a long time. Fingers crossed* I'm planning to get back to blogging this year. I've been thinking about this post for a while and finally decided to actually do it. Yay! 

I've been collecting vintage Valentine's for a while but my favorite ones to collect are cooking and baking themed ones for my kitchen, where most of my Valentine decorations are displayed. I've noticed there seemed to be a theme in some of my valentines throughout the decades: cooks and cats in the kitchen. I studied history and art history in college and so my way of looking at it was that someone started a theme and the following generations continued to use those themes, whether they did so consciously or not, and I wanted to explore that theme going back through the history of art.

Below are some of my vintage valentines with cooks and cats.

Below are some examples of depictions of cats in kitchens throughout history over the last 500 years. They often symbolize gluttony and chaos in medieval artworks. Later they embody mischief, snatching away fish when the kitchen hands aren't looking. Cats are also depicted as content or aloof. But anyone who knows cats knows they are capable of embodying all of the above within the space of an hour. Historically cats were kept near grain stores and kitchens to keep out vermin but I think the depiction of cats in the kitchen in the last 150 years has moved from the practical to 20th century domestic bliss. Cats are part of the family, one of the children. Which is how I feel they are depicted in the valentines above, kittens and children are so sweet together. You're not meant to associate them with Judas at the Last Supper. Egads! Symbolism is a powerful thing, luckily for us these associations have changed dramatically over the last 500 years. Enjoy!

The Last Supper; 1482 The Sistine Chapel Cosimo Rosselli

Judas is sometimes depicted on the opposite side of the table from Jesus and the disciples with a cat at his feet. This cat is fighting a dog over a bone, and winning. Cats were also depicted in portraits of Adam and Eve, symbolizing temptation.

Rich Kitchen; 16th Century 

Book of Hours; 1575 Da Costa

That is a content cat, keeping warm by the kitchen fire.

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: 1610-1620 Peter Cornelisz Van Rijck

Spot the cat? Mischief Much?

Dutch painters often used cats to embody domestic bliss

1838, Henri Leys

The Cook and the Cat; 1860s, Theodore Augustine Ribot

Dutch girls series; Late 1800s, Edmond Louyot

Cats are more frequently depicted as domesticated companions moving into the 20th century.

Girl with a Kitten; Late 1800s; Emily Farmer

Well I hope you've enjoyed this post. Gearing up for a Valentiney weekend. Have a great one!

Chelsea

Christmas Thrifting

So since I just recently purchased my first home I’ve been on a slim budget and I’ve started doing a lot of thrift store scouring. I’ve actually found some pretty great stuff for really great prices. Working on filling the house up more for the holidays and beyond. Here are some Christmas themed thrifty scores.

    

I found these giant wooden nutcrackers for $25 each. I had to mail them home because I was in the middle of Nowheresville California. They have been dubbed Art-ichoke and Rudy-bega since we were basically in the middle of a vegetable field.

    

On another thrifty trip I found this handmade sleigh for a few bucks and repainted it.

    

I added another egg dish to my collection and found this pretty silver plated dome lid for $3. Looks great on my buffet!

Just a couple other cute finds for a couple bucks. London play tea set and vintage kitty stocking. My “kids” love them! Meowy Christmas!

Where is your favorite place to find sweet deals?

Have a bright day!

Chelsea

Holiday Happenings~holiday decorating, gifting, baking, & crafting galore.

Hello Hello,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying getting into the holiday spirit. I’ve been so busy working around the house and organizing things I haven’t had time to post anything in a few weeks. Maybe it’s because last year I was working so much that I’m really trying to be festive this year. Last year I worked everyday except Christmas day and didn’t even put up a tree. This year I bought my first live tree just for me. My to-do list isn’t seeming to get any shorter but I’ve gotten so much other stuff done, it’s been a busy holiday season already. What about ya’ll? Have you gotten your decorations up? Shopping done? Wrapping completed? I love getting things checked off my list and my gift closet cleaned out! 

 

Holiday baking has commenced! I made some yummy apple pie and got cracking on my holiday cookie baking. I love cookie cutters:)

 

 

 

 

Some of my annual pepparkakor cookies. I’ve decided to indulge my Swedish side and make Swedish gingerbread every Christmas from now on. So yummy and such great presents!

 

 

Ready to decorate the bird tree with these vintage flashcards I snagged at Country Living Fair 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Country Kitchen Tree

 

 

Redecorated the hutch for Christmas! Santa collection.

 

 

I pulled out all the holiday china we’ve been collecting over the years and put it out to use everyday and for the holidays. This has become a holiday dessert/coffee bar.

 

 

 

 

Pulled out all the Christmas and found our collection of Santa pictures. Poor Santa!

 

 

 

 

I bought these vintage flashcards at the Country Living fair also. Just too cute to pass up…

 

 

..and it’s so true. Instead of a kid friendly room mine has to be kitty friendly. Pumpkin snooped out the Christmas presents early. He knows it’s for him and doesn’t feel much like waiting until Christmas morning.

 

 

 

 

Uh oh. Baby has caught on too.

 

 

Stella has discovered she loves gift wrapping. Or rather finding a nice hiding spot from whence to pounce upon you.

 

 

I love my glitter chapels! These white and blue trees are perfect for my room too. Wish I could find more of them.

 

 

 

Ornaments I bought in Venice while studying abroad a few years ago. So pretty! Felt birds from Star Provisions & Marie Antoinette paper emellishments from Pink Girl.

 

 

    

 

Getting crafty! I found this adorable and easy peasy felt mouse ornament/gift topper from Between Naps on the Porch. I added bubble paint for eyes on mine later on. They are so adorable!

 

Below: Work in progress. I’ve been working all year with the kiddos at the office to make calendar artwork for end of the year presents. They have turned out so cute, I can’t wait for their parents to see them! I’ll post later the full project and images. Be sure to check out my Pinterest page for more ideas like this!

 

 

 

 

Presents for my kiddos have arrived! Can’t wait for them to play with their toys;)

 

 

I spent all day Thanksgiving cleaning out the attic, literally emptied it, half of it was Christmas anyways and needed to be cleaned/sorted/tossed and in the process I discovered stink bugs invaded and were in everything. So naturally I emptied every box into the back yard, shop vacuumed the attic out, and reorganized all the shelving and craft items. Finally finished putting things back into the attic yesterday. I was very glad I got to sit down to this tasty turkey dinner. Thanks mom!

 

 

So I convinced my mom to go Christmas shopping with me on Black Friday this year. She was reluctant but I did it for the first time last year and it really is not that bad if you know what you’re looking for and aren’t one of the crazies hanging out at Target at midnight the night before or camping out for the one TV that’s half priced. Sorry, not my thing. We actually had a fun day, got lots of things checked off our list, and we beat all the crowds everywhere we went. By the time we finished up and headed home we had been up and shopping for 12 hours and I started crashing and burning. By the time we got home I was so sick, I caught a cold! Booo! But we did have fun, here’s some of the highlights.

 

 

Headed to Anthropologie first, we were basically alone the entire time we were there. Sweet!

 

 

 

 

Snagged some super cute gifts and an adorable sweater for a steal.

Image via Pinterest

 

 

I love this Souvenir vase! The blue and white delft version is my favorite, maybe I’ll save up enough to get one. Or maybe they’ll go on sale!? Fingers crossed!

 

 

Miniature winter wonderland:)

 

 

 

 

Very pretty stemware!

 

We headed off to Lenox afterwards and did more damage. C Wonder has so many cute things! Love those bikes!

 

 

Finally got myself a tree. A live tree! It’s so pretty and smells so good. I wish I could have gotten that giant tree but I settled for a more reasonable 6 footer.

 

    

 

 

Time to pull out the Barbie extravaganza of ornaments. Barbie tree 2012 is ready to commence!

 

 

Aww. I forgot I made these. Cookie Dough, Willow Snow, & Thackery Binx. This was pre Pumpkin & Stella. Maybe someday I’ll make them one.

 

 

 

 

{Let them eat cake!}

Well after all this decorating, cleaning, organizing, baking, crafting, and so on…we’re pooped.

What have you been doing to prepare for the holidays? Any fun plans for the upcoming weekends?

Have a bright day!
Chelsea aka Bright Girl