HapPY CHrIsTMaS tO aLL aNd tO aLL a GOod nIGhT

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

All of us at George & Bessie wish you and yours the merriest of holidays and a Happy New Year!!

current obsession {paint-by-number}

We about fell out of our chairs when we saw the next two images of paint-by-number wall murals!! What a fun way to bring that retro, vintage vibe to a modern space.

Paint-by-number became a popular pastime in the early 1950s. Each paint-by-number kit included two brushes and up to 90 premixed, numbered paints ready to be applied to numbered spaces on a canvas. Popular subjects ranged from landscapes, seascapes, and pets to Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper".

Many of these 'masterpieces' are readily available at flea markets and tag sales for little investment. Try grouping several together, framed or unframed, for a dramatic effect.

a little pep in your step

We are FINALLY getting some relief here in Texas from one of the hottest and driest summers on record. Just the thought of cooler temperatures makes us all giddy inside!! We LOVE fall and all it has to offer.

An Autumn Greeting

by annonymous

"Come" said the Wind to the Leaves one day.

"Come over the meadow and we will play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold.

For summer is gone and the days grow cold."

Check out our website www.georgeandbessie.com for our latest arrivals.

a few of our FAVORITE decorating tips........

Our design philosophy, here at George & Bessie, is pretty much "anything goes". When decorating a nursery or child's room, don't be afraid to experiment and have fun. That being said, here are a few of our FAVORITE decorating tips........

1. Mix modern with traditional

Mix things up in your nursery with some flea market chairs and pair them with a modern piece of furniture such as a crib from IKEA.

2. Modernize with dark wood

Don't be afraid of the dark! We LOVE dark woods paired with bold colors or white. It definitely makes the bed the focal point of the room.

3. Ditch the rocker

You actually don't need a rocker to get baby to fall asleep. Using a chair rather than a rocker allows it to grow with baby and it can easily be moved to another room of the house.

4. Decorate with maps and other educational charts

Maps are gorgeous, full of color and shapes, and a great way to cover a big wall. We LOVE using them in kids' rooms along with vintage anatomy charts and flash cards.

5. Use bold light fixtures on the ceiling

Babies spend a lot of time on their backs. Why not make it interesting for them by hanging a funky, mid-century pendant or vintage chandelier?

6. Use real art or vintage posters

Introduce baby and kids to art appreciation at an early age. Hang quirky, vintage posters or real art by up-and-coming artists like Vik Muniz. The last photo is from the Novogratz's nursery. (FYI: Home by Novogratz is our current obsession, by the way.)

fright night

Halloween decorations aren't just for outdoors or the main living areas in your home. Try adding some 'trick-or-treating' fun to the bedrooms by hanging vintage crepe paper banners or jack o' lanterns. Switch out the bedding with a vintage black and white quilt and pillow ticking. Add a couple of orange and black throw pillows and you're ready for 'All-Hallows Eve'.

collecting: vintage baby silver

Whether you collect vintage baby silver for yourself or as gifts, there are a few things you should know. Prices range from just a few dollars to several hundred depending on a piece's age, condition, ornateness, and composition of metal. Sterling silver (sometimes marked "925") tends to be more expensive than electroplated (sometimes marked "EPNS"), and heavier pieces are more expensive than light. When collecting baby silver, take note of such details but don't be limited by them.

Early examples of silver baby cups were very utilitarian. The S. Kirk & Son Co. (c.1920) sterling cup (top left) had a heavy bottom which made it less likely to tip over. The Blackinton (c.1920) juice cup (on table, at right) was designed with a lip or sanitary edge to help keep liquid in the cup.

The curved handles of these spoons made it easier for children to feed themselves. Antique sterling spoons vary in price. The spoon, like the one by Weidlich (far left), are more common, and therefore less expensive. More ornate ones, like the Reed & Barton spoon engraved with a child's face in its bowl (left), are more expensive.

Children's silver was often given in sets upon a baby's birth or as a christening gift. Rather than being locked away to gather dust, silverware sets were put to use at the table. Some, like this bunny fork and elephant spoon (bottom right), were molded to give the child something interesting to grip and fun to look at, while others, such as a fork and spoon (near right), were simply classic patterns done in miniature.

Plates and other tableware were often decorated to hold a child's interest, with the alphabet, nursery rhymes, and images from children's stories.

Throughout the twentieth century, silver producers borrowed details from birth announcements to create personalized keepsakes.

At the turn of the century, children were taught to use food pushers in one hand to push food onto a spoon clutched in the other. Some pushers, like the 1920 sterling one (bottom), were purely functional. Others, like the 1899 Buttercup pattern pusher (top), were as formal as the table manners they were meant to encourage.

No crying over spilled milk here!!

top 10

With some days reaching into triple digits, you need to know how to cool off fast. We've compiled a list of our top 10 favorite ways to beat the heat. So, sit a spell and enjoy!!

10. iced tea

It's almost cliche', but who doesn't love a big glass of iced tea while you're sitting on the front porch?

9. fan

Cool off in style with a vintage fan. You'll be the envy of your neighbors.

8. ice cream

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!

7. watermelon

The perfect refreshing, healthy, summer snack. (Don't forget to save the seeds for a seed-spitting contest!)

6. pool

All you need is a good book and a float and you're good to go!!

5. snow cone

We'll take one of each flavor, please!!

4. beach

There is nothing a dip in the ocean (or gulf) can't cure.

3. lemonade stand

We can seriously NEVER pass up an opportunity for a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade.

2. sprinkler

You're never too old to play in a sprinkler!!

And our number 1 way for beating the summer heat..............

1. swimming hole

This is Hamilton Pool in Dripping Springs, Texas. It was formed when the dome of an underground river collapsed thousands of years ago. The water temperature hovers around 70 degrees making it the perfect place to be on a hot summer day.

What are some of your favorite ways to cool off?

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at George + Bessie!!

spring cleaning

We're doing a little spring cleaning around here getting ready for a bunch of new stuff. So, be sure to check the website www.georgeandbessie.com often to see it all. There are lots of vintage feedsack pillows with the BEST florals and geometric patterns, adorable framed vintage prints and quilt blocks, and of course, our signature bedding made from vintage, hand-embroidered and appliqued linens.

{George and Bessie World Headquarters}

pretty in pink

Soft, muted pinks and creams blend together in a room befitting a little princess. A canopy made from light-as-air netting gently drapes over the crib and puddles gracefully onto the whitewashed floor. (For safety reasons, remove the canopy when your baby begins to stand.) A single botanical print adds to the simplicity of this nursery.

Vintage flash cards can be found inexpensively at flea markets.

Pink polka-dotted wallpaper covers the upper half of this nursery's walls; the lower half is painted the color of farm-fresh cream. The bottom two-thirds of the wall are painted first. Then, using a level as a guide, a horizontal line is marked around the wall. Scallops are cut along the wallpaper's edges before it is hung from bottom to top so the scallops align with the wall markings.

A vintage child rocker is slipcovered in a floral print fabric which echoes the rooms soft color palette.

An antique card perches between two vintage china plates. This card is one of many bird accents used throughout the room.

Hope this gives you inspiration for your little princess's nursery!