Antique Photo Album... Welcome to the 33rd Metamorphosis Monday!

My Met Monday post for today is a "reverse" Met Monday. I'm showing you the "After" first...then I'll show you the "Before." :-)

I came across this old, old Victorian style picture album around 20 years ago. I believe it may date back to the late 1800's. If you have any information about these type albums, please share it in your comment. I'd love to know more about them but have found very little information online.

When I found this wonderful old velvet covered album, I fell in love with it. It was in a run down, old house that sat just barely off the road of a busy Georgia state highway...waaay out in the country. I had just completed an appointment for work and was headed back to the "big city," when the "Antiques for Sale" sign caught my eye as I whizzed by in my car. Not being able to resist, I turned around and headed back.

The man inside the old house made me a great deal, only $40. I was thrilled since it was chocked full of wonderful old photos. When I'd stumbled on these albums in the past, they were usually more expensive and empty. I've since collected one more and I do so love to look through them.

This album looks as if it may have been a wedding gift for a newly married couple. The front shows a bell with a small mirror (maybe a wedding bell?) and a horse shoe with the words, "Good Luck."




Here's a little close-up pic of the top. Now you may be wondering where the "before and after" is in this post. Well, so far you've seen the after pics...the pics of what time and use will do to the exterior of a lovely, old, velvet, picture album. What if we could go back in time and see it when it was brand new.




Step into my time machine...and take a look at the before. The album opens up by unlatching the side and flipping the album downward onto a surface. There's a much larger mirror inside. See the beautiful, green velvet...that's what the whole album would have looked like when it was new...I'm guessing back in the 1800's.




Close-up of the interior velvet that has been protected from the elements. Old houses used to be very, very dusty inside. Windows were left open for cooling and the roads weren't always paved. It was a full time job trying to keep the home swept and dusted.




Both of the old albums I've collected are full of wonderful, old photos. I will do a post sometime in the future showing lots of pics from both albums. I love seeing the dresses and hats...along with the hairstyles.




A few of the pics from this album...notice in the pic below, the man is sitting while the woman is standing.




Look at her hair, her gorgeous blouse and that tiny waist!




Again, in the pic below, the man is sitting while the woman is standing...wonder why? I've noticed it's always this way in the pics depicting a couple. What do you think the occasion was for this photo? Maybe an anniversary...or do you think it was a wedding photo?




Do you like collecting the old photographs or albums? They are like little time capsules, giving us a glimpse of the past.

Looking forward to seeing your Before and After!



If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Don't forget to copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Met Monday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your Met Monday post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs are participating in this Metamorphosis Monday:

A Lazy Sunday in the Garden...

(If pics appear cut off on the right side, please try adjusting your resolution to the highest setting.)

A lazy Sunday garden tour...


Mr. Bee is very busy...


Inspecting the Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne' (also called R. nitida 'Autumn Sun')


Around....


and around...


and around....


he goes....


Carefully inspecting...


every...


inch.


With his inspection all done...


It's time to move on to another flower.


Sedum, 'Autumn Joy'...just turning pink. Come fall, it will turn a russet brown...


Common Purple Phlox and Daisies are Leucanthemum 'Becky' (also known as Ryan's Daisy and named after Ryan Gainey)







Thanks for stopping by for a little Sunday garden tour...

Summer Dining on the Porch... Welcome to the 53rd Tablescape Thursday!

(If pics appear cut off on the right side, please try adjusting your resolution to the highest setting.)

Barb at Bella Vista is hosting a Rooster Party today...Yipee! :-) Just click HERE to check out all the many roosters who inhabit Blogland. :-)


You may remember seeing this happy guy in one of my previous tablescapes...


I filled him with irises from my garden...and he's been crowing ever since. To view this tablescape in detail, click HERE.


Yesterday was Tablescape Thursday...did you get a chance to visit all the amazing tablescapes? If not, just scroll down to the bottom of this post for all the links.



I'm often asked where I get my inspiration for the tablescapes I create each week. The answer is simple...anywhere and everywhere. That really narrows it down a lot, doesn't it? :-) I'm really not trying to be a smarty pants...it's just, sometimes the inspiration might be a holiday that's approaching...like the 4th of July or Christmas. Sometimes it's china I have that I'm just itching to use. And sometimes it's a treasure I stumble upon that's just screaming to be used as a centerpiece.



Recently, while I was out antiquing/thrifting, I came across this really neat birdcage at A Classy Flea. I loved the green color...it reminded me very much of the green I've used so much out on the porch. I cleaned it up a bit and removed all the birdie perches, feeding implements and the plastic panels on the lower section.



I filled it full of pretty, white, Colonial Candle candles...



I especially liked the detailing on the top. I thought about putting a ribbon or something decorative on the very top, but ultimately, I decided I liked seeing the metal ring.





As it started to get dark, the candles gave the tablescape a romantic feel...



Two little birdies nestled down inside...



I think they liked their big fluffy nest of wisteria blossoms. :-)





With my inspiration coming from the birdcage centerpiece, I looked through my china collection and chose pieces I thought would work well.



A friend gave me these darling linen towels...I love using them as napkins. The green glasses I've had for too many years to remember where I found them, now. The wine glasses were another Classy Flea find at $2.50 a stem.



A different design on the napkins...



Bowl and salad plate are by Tabletops, designed by Dario Farrucci. The pattern is Ma Maison. They came from Home Goods, spring before last. The bowl is full of fluffy white clouds against a blue sky. :-)



Salad plate...



Instead of using the Ma Maison dinner plates, I decided to mix it up a bit and pulled out my Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage plates. (Cabbage plates from HomeGoods and Ross. Flatware is Napoleon Bee from Horchow and Neiman Marcus...click on the pic for a better view of the flatware.)



I've had the pitcher for a couple of years...another buy from Home Goods.



It has a topiary design...I can never resist anything with topiaries.


Bird's-eye view...



What could be better than dining by candlelight on warm, breezy summer nights?



Looking forward to seeing your beautiful tablescapes!

If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit: