I was in need of a small lamp to light my vanity – I was thrilled to get a vintage hand painted bedroom set that included a vanity! – and checked thrift stores in vain for something both small and pretty until I found a lucky find – a candlestick lamp with a vintage feed sack shade!

Someone had made some old quilt squares into a lamp shade, covering a generic shade with the cuteness of vintage prints.

I was especially delighted because my small room already has a lot of vintage quilt features.

The bedspread I snapped up for $10 at a clothing donation center and love for its softness, warmth, and the cheerfulness of it; the valances were strips of quilt blocks from the 1930s given to us by my great-great aunt, and backed for valances by my mother.

I even have quilts scattered around in the details!

Incidentally, vanities were a wonderful invention! It's a great help with little things like collars and cuffs and hair flowers, when you're tight on dresser space, and keeps them all at your fingertips. Plus it's nice to have plenty of mirror and be able to sit down while combing your hair.

I was amused to notice how much this picture describes me. Vintage quilts and furniture, old books, vintage fashion and hats (hat pins), crocheting, Idaho (picture in the mirror), and Roy Rogers/old movie/western collectibles. Yep, that's me!

But rabbit trails aside, I was very happy with the newest addition to my little retreat and just love the glow it gives when I turn it on in the evenings.