a mirror, new plants & a sneak peek

by | Jul 9, 2015 | All Things Home, Antiques, Decorating, Favorite Finds, Gardening, Holiday, Living Room, My House | 35 comments

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When I was shopping for the Lucketts Spring Market, I found this amazing mirror at a nice price.  I think it was about $20.  I was planning to sell it, but I was just so smitten with it that I decided to keep it.  I didn’t know where I was going to put it, so I was breaking my own “rule”, but I figured I could sell it down the road if I couldn’t find a perfect spot for it.  I at least wanted to give it a try.

I forgot about it after Lucketts, but brought it home during the photo shoot a few weeks ago.  The stylist asked if I had anything large to hang on the wall and this mirror came to mind.  We didn’t end up using it for the shoot, but it reminded me that I wanted to find a home for it.

I decided to hang it over the dresser by the front door and it looks so good there!  It’s also fitting to have a mirror by the front door.  Especially with my crazy hair.

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I had an antique print of a pointer hanging there, which I liked, but the mirror seems to fill the space better.  I moved the dog print upstairs.

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The details are so pretty, aren’t they?

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I shared yesterday that Kriste and I hit a local nursery to pick up some more plants.  I know…I’ve gone a little nutty with the plants, but I’m enjoying them a lot.  Some are doing great, like this guy…

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…he is loving life.

This one was having some trouble, though, so I divided it and moved it to a few different locations to figure out where it would thrive.

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I picked up this one yesterday…

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It’s a “string of pearls”, but the “pearls” are more of an almond shape, which I really like.  I just set the pot in the ironstone tureen, so it can have good drainage.  The “pearls” drape over the lip, hiding the gap.

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Since the other ones I have were doing so well, I also picked up some more ferns to replace plants I moved outside.  This one is a button fern…

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…and this is a lemon button fern…

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Both of those are actually three small pots that are just nestled into the footed ironstone bowls.  Now I need to figure out how to know when a plant is outgrowing its current pot…

I am learning that gardening and plant-tending is a dynamic activity.  I can’t plop a plant somewhere and expect it’s going to stay the same.  I’m sure I’ll always be trading plants out, moving things around.  I think the fact that I like to rearrange things and I like change is helping me embrace that.

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Before I sign off for the night, I thought I would share a preview of the photo shoot Kriste and I worked on today.  It was a long one, but it was soooo fun.  Kriste and I were oo-ing and ah-ing as each layer was added and the table scape came together.

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We hit the markets at just the right time and found some of the most beautiful produce for the shoot.

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The full shoot, along with details on how to replicate the look, will be posted on HGTV.com and I’ll share a link when it’s live.

One of the fun things about photo shoots is getting to have fresh flowers in my house for a few days…

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And I’ve been snacking on the produce and yes, the apple pie as well.  I mean, what’s a fall shoot without an apple pie?

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    35 Comments

    1. anne

      LOVE the mirror. LOVE the price of the mirror. LOVE the new little plants. Good job!

    2. antiquechase

      The mirror is PERFECT in that spot and the reflection looks so pretty! I love that you are adding plants to your home. I don’t see all the beauties you show but I only got to Home Depot. I may try a different garden center. Love the stand of pearls!! marcy

    3. Fiona, Lilyfield Life

      the mirror is just perfect in that spot. I am amazed by both the details and the price you picked it up for. Australia is so expensive!!

    4. Donna

      Can we say score on the mirror. I love it by the front door. Looking good, and the string of pearls, I’m looking for one for my daughter, never saw them with that shape, but kinda cool! Stay Cool!

    5. Lynda Brandly

      What a beautiful mirror at a perfect price! I’m glad you kept it. It looks perfect!
      love and blessings~
      Lynda @ Gates of Crystal

    6. Judy Pimperl

      I can’t believe the deal you got on that gorgeous mirror! It’s perfect with the dresser.
      The table for the photo shoot is so pretty…I’m loving your blue with the tans and browns.
      The grapes and artichokes are giving me inspiration to do a still life painting!
      Judy

    7. dolores

      Yes, the mirror is a great idea right there. Reflects the light and doesn’t it make the room look bigger too…like you have a window next to the door!:)

      You are doing a great job on your indoor plants. Love all the delicate textures!

    8. Anya

      Oh goodness that mirror is stunning. Yes, the details are so so pretty and I do like it in that spot. The plants look amazing, too. Ferns + ironstone is about the best thing ever!

    9. Lori

      Love the mirror, and it really looks as if it were made for that space.

      I cannot tell you how to tell when a plant is pot-bound other than to tell you that it takes awhile for them to outgrow their home. Some plants do better when a bit pot-bound (i.e. African Violets will not bloom unless a bit pot-bound). I would just suggest keeping an eye on them (without fooling with them too much). Your biggest indicator will be when the part of the plant that you see (the leaves, flowers, etc.) look too big for the pot, then chances are the roots will be too. Keep in mind that when planting, you need a pot at least twice the size of the plant(s) to allow for room and oxygen. The plant that looks a bit ill appears may just need a different location, not as much water (its feet may stay wet, and houseplants do not like that at all). The thing I tell people is to leave them be. Keep an eye on their water, but once you find a place where they are happy, leave them alone. I have african violets, and I move them twice a year at the time change (north window for spring/summer and south window for winter as the sun is not hot enough to hurt them in the south window, and the north window is not enough light in the winter).

      Sorry to take up so much space, but i hope this helps. Email me if you need further help.

      • Bee

        The plant that is not doing well looks like baby’s tears to me and I know it best as an outdoor plant that thrives in a cool wet and very shady place. It might be an annual in your location but it is a perennial ground cover in California. It does not do very well in pots, but I could be wrong.

        Anyway, if it is baby’s tears, it is looking stressed and leggy.

        Marian, do you know what that plant is?

        As an indoor gardener, my best advice is to have so many plants that you don’t care very much when one dies and you have to pitch it. Sometimes it is just not meant to be.

        • Miss Mustard Seed

          Actually, it’s not a baby tears. I have a few of those and they are doing well inside so far. This is a variety of sedum, I’ve been told.

          Yes, I’m learning that it’s okay if I “kill” one or have to move it to a different spot. It’s just a part of having plants!

          • lesley

            that is most definitely thyme! If you can drag the leaves off between your fingernails and it has a faint whiff of lemon, it looks like it’s doing fine. toss it on top of a piece of fish, or sprinkle it over roasted potatoes and call it a day!

    10. Cheryl

      I just love old mirrors and recently bought a really old one at a church sale for $2.00!!. It is so heavy though I am worried about hanging it. Any tips on how you did yours? I was actually thinking of drilling a couple holes right through the wood and anchoring it to the wall with plaster screws. Those old ones are so heavy!
      Just love your site and all the ideas I get!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        I am fortunate to have plasterboard walls in the old part of our house, so those hold screws and nails really well. I was just able to hang this one with a large nail. If I was hanging in drywall, though, I would probably use anchors or make sure I was hanging in a stud.

        • Cheryl

          My walls are plasterboard as well but I still am worried as this mirror is so, so heavy. I believe it is actually the top of an old dresser. The backing they used back then is so thick and heavy. I even contemplated removing the backing and covering it with something lighter. I just love this mirror but I know one nail would not be enough. I guess I am going to have to try to hang it in studs but I know I won’t be able to center it where I wanted. Old mirrors have such charm. Yours is a beauty.

    11. Diana

      I love the mirror but what I love more is the picture of the cows grazing behind the “string of pearls” plant. I want that painting!!

    12. Carol Morris

      The mirror is amazing, what a find. I always want to pinch myself when something that spectacular falls into my lap. I really like the table setting with the grapes and nuts, perfect look. Lots of texture is what popped into my mind when I looked at the pictures. I wanted to just pluck a grape. lol.

    13. Sarah Phillipps

      The mirror is perfectly elegant, a real show stopper!

      As for plants outgrowing their pots, look for yellow leaves around the base of the plant and roots coming out the bottom of the pot.

      Blessings,
      Sarah Phillipps

    14. Jelena

      That’s an absolutely gorgeous mirror! Oh, and I can’t wait to see that whole fall photo shoot.

    15. Gwen Goodin

      The mirror is gorgeous and looks perfect in that spot!

    16. Carlotta

      I think the mirror is beautiful & I also think the color of it contrasts so well with the furniture below it. A mirror IS a good thing to have at your entrance. What a steal.

    17. Patty Soriano

      Hey, Marian! Your “not baby tears” looks like the plants I have in the pilea family, but I wouldn’t consider it a succulent because it doesn’t have the thick fleshy foliage which succulents have.

      The almond-shaped pearls are known as string of tears or string of bananas.

      You’re doing well with the new plants ! Keep up the good work!

    18. Cindy

      That Mirror!!! Oh my god… it is the most gorgeous mirror i’ve ever seen, i could just die over it, and nothing on earth could be more perfect for that space. Never never sell it, and if you do sell it to me. Every single photo here was total eye candy. I love all the darlin little plants, and your photo shoot with the black grapes is a work of art! I’m gonna have to “pin” all of these photos!

      Cindy

    19. Barbara

      I have a degree in horticulture. I see you struggling with maintaining house plants in your home. First of all, do I not recommend you planting directly in your containers. I prefer to take the plants in the growing pots, put them in in a house hold container and then cover the pot with some moss – like sheet moss or even Spanish moss. You need to watch your plant selection, as it looks like most of the plants you are choosing require more light than what you are able to offer in your home.

      Go to your local nursery and tell them about the light in your home, and have them help you in your selection. They might not be the “coolest” plants around but they will last.

      For me, I have a tray on my kitchen table and continually add new blooming or green plants to the tray keep it seasonally attractive.

    20. Rita C at Panoply

      What?? Apple pie? You must’ve eaten it before you took a photo of it! But the rest of it looks beautiful on the table.
      The mirror is a perfect fit for that dresser at the doorway. Nice styling.
      As for the houseplants, they’re pretty, but I have pretty much ended my love affair with indoor plants (although I am still babying a succulent ball and lemon propagation project I started and don’t want to see die). It’s hard enough keeping the outdoor landscape maintained!

    21. beck campbell

      LOVE the mirror…dang it…just when I thought I was long over my “antique froo-froo” phase. Drool. I saw an amazing antique mirror in our flea market last week and I ALMOST bought it…only it is like this one…FAR removed from my “mid century, clean lines” phase. Dang it…now I have to go get it tomorrow…lol! Not sure if I am eclectic or crazy.

    22. Barbara Bussey

      The mirror is precious and so much more “alive” than the picture.

    23. Janna

      Love the mirror in that spot! What a difference that made at the entrance! Good days work!

    24. MaryLisa Noyes

      The detail on the wood as well as the glass is amazing. Your plants are extra nice in the ironstone. It gave me colorful pins for pinterest.

    25. Kate

      What a gorgeous mirror! It looks perfect where it is and perfect unpainted 😉 Did the pointer go to the boys’ room?

    26. Sheila

      I am so annoyed – first that someone would sell that beautiful mirror for 20 dollars and second, that I wasn’t there to buy it. Rats. Double rats even! 😉

    27. Lauren Baxter

      Such a great find! That mirror fits fills out the space so much nicer and what girl doesn’t like a quick look at themselves before they go out!

      Ooo I can’t wait to see that table scape! It looks so scrumptious and fall-like, love it!

      Lauren Baxter | LB Designs
      xx

    28. Carlee O'Dell

      $20? OMG…..

    29. Laura

      I love your new mirror! I also love the way you are displaying plants in your ironstone. The green and white is such a beautiful combination. I have a degree in horticulture and I really think the best way to learn about growing plants in your home is to just do it and see what happens. Just keep moving them around until they seem happy. As someone mentioned in the above comments, you can just keep the plant in the container it came in and set it down into the ironstone or other decorative pot. You can purchase little plastic trays to put under the plant inside the ironstone, so that when you water it, the water doesn’t get all over the inside of your decorative pot. I have also used plastic sandwich bags over the pot before putting it in the decorative container. You shouldn’t have to repot until you see roots coming out of the bottom. I just love your blog!

    30. Barbara Espinosa

      I love the picture of the white British cow.
      Mirrors, not so much. A friend of mine had mirrors in every room and mirror tiles in the hallway. I thought that was way too much mirrors, but I later learned she was a very vain person.

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