Vintage Lace Doilies: Such Delicate Beauty

The delicate beauty of vintage lace has long appealed to me; however, after finding such exquisite pieces during our travels in Italy, France & Belgium, I am even more in awe of the craftsmanship of these graceful creations.

INTRICATELY STUNNING!!!

As always, I imagine the stories behind vintage pieces—who made them? Were her hands calloused or petite and smooth or bruised or large and firm or??? Who owned this doily? Was it used every day or only brought out for special occasions? Did little Bobby get chastised for spilling his hot cocoa on it when he was “acting up” at the Thanksgiving meal? I LOVE THE INDIVIDUALISTIC STORIES I IMAGINE BEHIND EACH ONE.

HISTORY. HAND-CRAFTED. FAMILY. LOVE.

And with the hand-crafted pieces, I think of them as RARE ONE-OF-A-KIND MEMORIES.

Like SNOWFLAKES: No two are exactly the same.

And now I’ve found even more of a reason to be enamored with these graceful and dainty creations—the myriad uses of lace doilies, fueled by the catalyst of endless imaginations, have piqued my interest.

I hope you enjoy these images I’ve procured from: brokecreativebride.wordpress.com, retrorevivalbiz.blogspot.com, ETSY, beautifulnest.blogspot.com, stylemepretty, Martha Stewart, Tracy Turpin, William Meppen and Country Living.

Almost all of the doilies used in these pictures are hand-crocheted lace —but even the photos that feature paper doilies provide ideas that could easily utilize the non-paper versions.

I am enthralled with the profusion of applications: table runners, placemats, pillows, votive covers, vase covers, vases/bowls, banners, lamps, curtains, purses, sachets, goody bags, bridal bouquets and even WEDDING DRESSES!

The picture above with the doilies covering the mason jars is STUNNING! This is probably my favorite photo in this collection of pictures I’ve put together and my favorite application for the doilies! I will definitely be trying this when we arrive back home in the States.

Check out this FABULOUS wedding dress—SUCH FUN!!! Almost FIFTIES style and FLIRTY!!!

The photo above features doilies that have been dyed gray. Can you imagine the plethora of color possibilities for your doilies?

How about an all pink array for a tea party?!?!!

The top portion of the above two photos features what looks like a bridal bouquet that incorporated doilies. Or, it could be just a pretty bouquet for a special dinner like Christmas or Easter or Mother’s Day or a birthday?!?!?!

And the bottom photo features a fabulous vignette with an old frame used almost like a tray to “frame” the vignette that features a doily covered votive and another beautiful doily underneath the milk-glass pitcher of dainty flowers!

PERFECTION!!! I’m definitely going to try to “pay homage” to this vignette, too, when I get home!!!

I LOVE the bouquet usage idea also!!!

And the photo above features another way to use the doilies that I plan on trying at home—creating a temporary banner by just clothespinning the doilies.

This is temporary (which I like!), but still so beautiful.

It also epitomizes the RUSTIC LUX aesthetic I love with the dainty lace juxtaposed against the clothespins and what’s probably a twine or small rope hanger. LOVE!!!

 

So many of these are PERFECT for TABLESCAPES, so I JOYFULLY share these with Susan (YOU ROCK!!!) and all my BNOTP’s Tablescape Thursday FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!

Next week I’ll be back, probably, to creating my own tablescape instead of just sharing ideas…but, it has been a blast putting this post together along with last week’s RALPH! RALPH! RALPH! piece!!!

And thank you sooooooooooooooooooo much to all my bloggie friends for their support of my little ETSY shop and for entering the giveaway at Susan’s!

We were supposed to fly out this morning. I dashed around like a MAD WOMAN yesterday finishing tasks (like mailing off the giveaway package) and helping my sick little man, Thomas!

But…they messed up Tom’s paperwork or SOMETHING along those lines…and so we had to reschedule our flight for 48 hours later; so, we’re leaving on Friday. Now we’re kind of stuck in the Navy base BOQ hotel room.

It may be serendipitous and/or providential since Thomas is still so sick—the delay may give him a little while to feel better!

But, we have SO MUCH to do when we get home to prepare for Tom’s year-long deployment to Afghanistan!!!

No, REALLY: WE HAVE SOOOOO MUCH TO DO!!!

AND….I have a special surprise guest coming to my house in a couple of weeks. She, like Susan, is one of my FAVORITE bloggers and biggest inspirations/bloggie heroines. And she’s coming to my house for the 1st weekend in October!

I’ll fill you all in on the details in a little bit in case you’re nearby or semi-nearby and would like to come meet her!

Thanks again to everyone for their support/friendship/prayers/emails/comments and general creative genius and big-hearted ways—I LOVE YOU!!!

Love/hugs/blessings & LACE DOILY JOY,

Lana In Italy (for 48 more hours!)