The other day while going through design books, I came across Mary Englebreit’s Home Companion. As I was thumbing through the pages, I light-heartedly recalled Mary Engelbreit was my inspiration for the display in my old secretary. The secretary and I have been together since childhood. In its former life it had many layers of bad paint, which was about the only thing holding it together when my mom rescued it from an old ranch house. She had it refinished for my bedroom when I was about seven. It instantly became a very groovy Barbie condo and has had many reincarnations since.
Old secretary
All the shelves are full of enchanting treasures. A few favorites are my grandmother’s beaded purse with the intricate silver closure and my dad’s ABC bowl with the Old King Cole nursery rhyme in the center. On the top shelf is my mom’s miniature green pressed glass punch bowl with 6 cups. My daughters contribution is a drawstring straw purse and heart sunglasses. Which makes four generations of nick-knacks passed down or collected, once upon a time.
Mary Englebreit art work
The Fun at the Beach book was one of my fancies. Even as a child I wished to be close to the ocean. Notice the framed artwork. It is from a Mary Englebreit’s Home Companion magazine.
Secretary with childhood collections
Collection on bottom shelf
A new project is in the works. The secretary and its contents are moving upstairs to the new guest room. Also trying to decide to paint the secretary or leave it in the current wood finish. Suggestions are welcome!
More on the new guest room coming soon!
Happy collecting!