How Do You Polish Silver?

There are probably a million and one ways to polish silver, but the one way that has worked best for me over the years is baking soda.  And, if you have children, you can kill two birds with one stone by letting them watch while you teach the chemistry behind it! :)

Basically, I line a large cooking pot with aluminum foil.  You can also line the bottom of a sink.  I then place my item to be polished in the pot.  In this particular case, it was my tarnished silver plated footed bowls.  See below.

See how black they are?

I then take another pot and boil water.  I pour 1/4 cup of baking soda and a couple of teaspoons of salt into the boiling water.  I then pour the boiling water (with baking soda) mix over the silver item and cover it with a tight fitted lid.  This is when the chemical reaction happens (aluminum foil, baking soda and salt).  I let it soak 5 minutes and then remove.  I rinse with water and rub dry with a microfiber cloth.

And, viola!  Aren't they so pretty and shiny??  So easy and quick to do!

My Little Haven

A couple of weeks ago in anticipation of house guests, my husband painted our guest room.  It originally was a very ugly yellow color.  I chose BM White Dove to paint it.  Partly because, I prefer a neutral background which will allow me to add pops or hints of color.

I also plan to use the guest room as my office. Hopefully, it'll provide a space where I can sit down in the wee hours of the morning and be inspired!

In progress...

This snapshot houses some of my favorite things - a vintage painting from etsy (love Amy's shop), a victorian antique chair my husband's great grandfather carved, a blue and white porcelain lamp, bamboo pens gifted by a friend, a sliver plated footed bowl found antiquing, etc.  

When I first inherited the victorian chair, I wasn't a big fan, but I knew how much it meant to my husband.  Now, I really like it.  Isn't it funny how your style changes over the years? Personally, I think the chair makes this little space come to life.

Not only did my husband's great grandfather make the chair, but his great grandmother needlepointed the seat. There is so much more to do to this room (isn't that always the case?), but at least I have my little work space set-up!  Happy Monday!

A Charming Home

I recently found this home via pinterest which led to a new blog (at least to me) Trisha Troutz.  It is a very charming family home.  The fact that it hasn't been staged or decorated for a shelter magazine appeals to me more.  I adore the antiques and persians throughout mixed with the home's modern day to day finishes.

Charming, no?  And, original.  Love it!  Go check out Trisha's blog, she posts homes that she finds real estate stalking.  

NYC's best kept secret

This weekend I bumped into a high school acquaintance that I haven't seen since graduation.  (Trust me, it has been a long time).  We went to high school in Brussels, Belgium.  The kicker - we bumped into each other at the Ikea returns line in New Haven (out of all places)!  Crazy....anyway, she currently lives in NYC and I couldn't help but somewhat envy her.  Oh, how I miss living in NYC.  So, I thought it appropriate to share one of NYC's best kept secrets....a wonderful boutique called Penine Hart Art and Antiques .  Penine, a former gallery owner, has the most amazing things at affordable prices.  She gets a lot of her items from flea markets, estate sales and the french country side.  My favorite part is that her boutique doubles up as an art gallery.  If you're ever in NYC, definitely go to visit.

Artist: Jeanne Hedstrom