Sneak Peek

Been working on a few things around the house but most are still in process. Here is a sneak peek of the laundry room.

 

 

Here is the before. The walls are the original off white painted from when the house was originally built in 1994.  The wire shelf is barely hanging in the wall.

 

Sneak peek of the progress...



Painted owl grey and hand stenciled a white geometric print on the wall.

Going to hang some simple white shelving and find a coordinating rug and a few accessories.

Hope to have it completed in a few weeks. Stay tuned.

Who says Happy is only limited to one hour?

It's 5 o'clock somewhere right? Happy hour time. Roll out the bar cart folks. I have been working on designing my family and eat-in kitchen areas since we moved into the house about 9 months ago.  I have a good design plan laid out and am in the process of hunting out the perfect finds.

 

 I knew I wanted a bar cart for sometime now. I found many different options like this one from Crate and Barrel, but $600??! And this one from Society Social. So beautiful, but again, not in my price range.

And then a design friend informed me of this beauty from Target. Best part... only $129!

 

 

Didn't take me long to order that one. It came already assembled and looked just as described online.

I have had it for a few months now and have been hunting for accessories to style it.

I decided the liquor should go on the bottom. I arranged it on a cute tray I picked up from Homegoods a while back.

I put a few paper straws in a vintage glass milk bottle that I had.

I also incorporated my recent ice bucket find on the bottom shelf.

 

 

And then who doesn't need a throw back bottle opener?

Who wouldn't want to crack open a bottle with her? I also love how she reflects in the ice bucket.

 

For the top of the bar cart, I used some of my books and glass horse head I found from a previous thrifting trip. You can read about that here.

 

I decided to go with an aloe plant for texture and color and a pretty green glass bottle to play off the green glasses.  The 4 glasses are from a local boutique and are made from recycled wine glasses. I fell in love with the herringbone tray I set them on. Scored that in the bathroom section at Homegoods.

 

I'm liking it so far, but it definitely needs some more work. I would like to get some good art work for above the bar cart. Maybe something playful and witty like "who says happy is only limited to one hour?" But for now I think its looking pretty good.

 

Bottoms up! What's your favorite cocktail? I like a Gin & Sonic (that's half soda, half tonic) with a lime. 

Thursday Thrifting

Happy Columbus Day! It has been dreary and rainy all last week which is not good outdoor weather...but makes for fantastic thrifting weather!

I hit up a couple Goodwills on my day off last Thursday. I was on the hunt for accessories for my new bar cart, hardback books, one of a kind brass pieces, modern looking milk glass, and whatever else may have struck me as a "must have".

 

I met up with my mom at the first Goodwill and scored this awesome ice bucket!

 

I loved the uniqueness of the gold with the matte black. I also loved the size of it. I have a couple other glass/crystal ice buckets that were given to me as gifts but they are fairly small. This one is oversized! And the size looks great when paired on the bottom shelf of my bar cart.

 I think the gold and black go well with the bar cart and I like how the light reflects into the gold part of the ice bucket as well. It set me back a whopping $6

 

 

 Later that day, at a different Goodwill, I stumbled upon this brassy ice bucket. I really liked this one too! It wasn't as big as mine but it had some great character and included matching ice tongs inside. This one was only $3!

 

Then on Friday, I went to a nearby estate sale with a good friend and found some copper mugs. I have always wanted copper mugs! I have looked on Amazon and various online sites, but they were always around $15-20 per mug.

 

These were only $1 each! I love the size, patina, and style of them and they are perfect for fall.  I'm deciding where to display them and tried them out in my big antique hutch.

We shall see where they end up...Until next time...Happy Thrifting!!

Thursday Thrifting

I headed out to Goodwill earlier this week and I saw some great brass pieces. There were a lot of good options but I weaned my selection down to only one brass piece!  I try to be selective and not overdo it.



 I love how the light bounces off the hammered sheen of the brass.

 



 only $1.75

 

 

Then a little someone took a liking to the brass treasure....I think she thought it was her new dog bowl

 

I also found this white milk glass vase.  I love the color and am thinking about doing all white in my big glass-door hutch near kitchen.  It had more of a modern shape rather than the granny look.

only $2.00

 

And then later in the week I hit up an estate sale nearby on the last day, 50% off day! I got there right at the opening, there was a line about 25 people long. 

My husband had JUST been mentioning how he needed more storage space in his office.  I told him I would be on the lookout for bookshelves and office trays etc.  And just my luck! I walked in and spotted three bookshelves right away! I also scored some office folders and a couple office filing trays and cubes.

They were all in really good condition and would have been at least $40-$75 each at Walmart, Home Depot, or Target. I got each one for just $12. On top of the book cases are some of the office supplies I picked up. Black filing trays 50 cents for all three! And the plastic drawer cube was 50 cents too!  After a little cleaning, I hauled them upstairs and went to work "organizing". He was very impressed and appreciative. Total office reno= $43 dollars!

 

And at the same estate sale I stumbled upon this cute little brass vase. I couldn't resist...especially since it was only 50 cents! I'm sure it will look good in the guest bath holding some cotton balls or on the coffee table with a hydrangea bloom.

 

Happy thrifting! and for more on my previous brass finds, click this post from my trip to Brimfield.

 

 



Thursday Thrifting

Starting a new series entitled "Thrifting Thursday" where I will post pics of some of my recent thrifting treasures. Treasure hunting is one of my favorite things of all time! My mom and I were avid yard salers back in the day. We planned out our route the night before and hit the road by 7am Saturday mornings. You gotta start early and go to where you think the best sales will be first. 

 

Church yard sales, neighborhood yard sales, and estate sales are where you will be exposed to a lot all in one spot.  Yard sales are definitely where you will get the most bang for your buck. Most people are practically giving stuff away! But they are also hit or miss. 

 

Estate sales can be a gold mine too. They are most often run by a company who takes around 30% of the profit of all sales.  These sales will take credit cards and checks most of the time too.  Usually running Friday thru Sunday and Sunday being 50% off!

 

Another good thrifting spot is your local Goodwill or other local thrift store.

 

Here are some recent weekly finds...

 

I found this woven basket at an estate sale for 15 bucks. I didn't even see it the first time I went thru the house, but locked eyes with it on my second time scanning.  That's another tip... Go thru an estate sale quickly, scanning each room for treasures and scooping them up, before someone else takes them home.  Then go back thru each room slower a second and even third time. You will always see things you didn't see before.

I loved the authentic look of the basket and the handle detailing. I plan on keeping it by the fireplace filled with some cozy blankets.

I found this blue pottery at the same estate sale. I loved the color and handles and size but didn't want to take home something that I could purchase at Homegoods or Target so I flipped that bad boy over and found this....



Handmade in Hungary! So now I know it's a little more special. $18

 

I also hit up my local Goodwill on the hunt for accessories for my bar cart as well as some good hardback books.

Ta da! Equestrian pieces are "in" right now and I loved the dark green glass color with brass detailing. My mom did some research and thinks this is an old AVON bottle. I can totally picture this guy on my barcart, maybe even with a flower in it!

 

And I'll wrap up this post with the rest of my Goodwill treasures. I found that awesome black and white tray for 65 cents! The glass horse head was $1. The three books were $3 each. I try to find books that have a great color, are sleek, simple, and of varying sizes. Two of these had the cover sleeves on them, so when you're looking for books make sure to check underneath those covers!

Happy Hunting!

 

 

Bridal Brunch

One of my sister's good friends is getting married and she and the other bridesmaids needed a place to throw a bridal shower.  Of course I offered up my place! I love a hand in a good party. A lot of the girls were from out of town, so they were combining the shower and bachelorette party into one day. Therefore they decided a Saturday brunch would be ideal.

Let's get this party started!!

 

The girls set up a cute mimosa bar and iced coffee bar on the hallway sideboard.

There was cranberry, orange, and pineapple juice available and fresh frozen fruit to drop in your mimosa as well.  The frozen fruit was perfect because it served as a creative and yet tasty ice cube.

The iced coffee was from Starbucks and in a cute pitcher from Crate and Barrel. Extra milk in a vintage glass and a little sugar were the supporting actresses of the display.  And a simple ivory tablecloth and card stock signs from Pottery Barn completed the look.

 

 The food was truly the main event and the girls did a wonderful job of planning the spread.

Hope you've eaten, b/c if not, prepare to get really hungry...

 

My favorite dish was the Sriracha Maple Bacon on a stick! This is hands down the best way to eat bacon. You can find various recipes online or at Pinterest but here is one we used.

Displaying the bacon in an upright position really took the display to another level. It's always good to have varying heights.  Simple flowers in reusable glass salad dressing containers lined the center of the table.

A cheese platter, grapes and blueberries, and crackers were easy go-to finger foods to have.  A sprig of fresh purple basil was a complement aesthetically to the plate.

Tomato & mozzarella crostinis, country ham biscuits, and various quiches filled the other platters. The quiches were on the far side in the three tiered display.  This was good use of height on the end of the table. In the middle on the elevated platter was 3 mini pancakes on a toothpick. Fresh maple syrup was nearby in a crystal pitcher.

 

The bride-to-be had a wonderful and delicious shower and it appears Tessa enjoyed herself as well...

Brimfield Finds

I planned a trip to see my BFF, Lauren, who lives in Boston, and it just so happened to be around the time of the huge Brimfield Antiques Show! So of course we planned our visit around that weekend of events.  She had already been prior in the springtime, so she knew the ropes. If you don't know what Brimfield is click here to be filled in and jealous! Don't worry, its 3 times a year, so you can catch it the next go round though.



(pictures from Brimfield.com)

 

Unfortunately, Lauren and I were overcome with awesomeness at every turn that neither one of us took too many pictures.  It truly is overwhelming. Do you see that first picture of the aerial shot?? Over 5000 vendors from all over the country come and set up during the week long event.  It is held in May, July, and September.  Designers come to Brimfield to find items for their stores like Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren.  You will totally see why.  Gorgeous pieces everywhere! Also set producers from movies have been known to frequent Brimfield looking for one of a kinds as well.  Most everyone you meet is very friendly and welcoming and we talked to quite a few vendors who offered up some tips. 

 

1) If you go in May, DRESS IN LAYERS! The temperatures in Boston may not be what it is where you are traveling from (i.e. Me from VA!!) 

 

2) Some fields charge $5 to gain access. This is up to you if you want to pay this extra fee. The fee is usually not all day, or every day, just depends.  And there probably isn't any better treasure on the field that charges anyways... But what is $5 extra dollars if it leads you to a goldmine?

 

3) Always ask for a better deal! I already knew this one, but it's always good to reinforce. It can't hurt to ask right?! The worst they could say is no

 

4) Bring cash!!

 

5) Parking will cost you anywhere from $3 to $10. We rode into the middle of the show and parked smack in the middle. Write down or make a good mental note of where you parked. Find good reference points b/c you will get turned around often.

 

6) Food vendors are in the middle of show area. Lots of options, including some homemade donuts. yum!

 

7) Lastly, if you see something you like, pick it up! or someone else might! If you want to "think about it and come back"...good luck! The place is so massive, you may not ever find that booth again.

 

Okay, on to a few pictures...

Lauren has a nautical theme going on in her room, so we stopped off at this nautical vendor.  He had everything you could imagine from these rings, to decoys, to buoys, nets, etc.  AHOY!

 

There is also a great deal of shall we say "interesting" things for sale... take these zinc alphabet letters complete with a antique doll head!  What room doesn't need one of these? ha

 

I'll finish up with some of the treasures that I scored!

 

 Hats off to Lauren for finding this beautiful brass and glass trinket holder. The top is hinged and opens up. I have this beside my bedside for now.

 

 

 

 

I found the gold faux bamboo display holder at one booth where the vendor wanted $10... I eventually talked him down to $5.

Then later I came across this old brass picture frame... hold the phone! do you see that greek key detailing in the corners?! I had to have it! I paid a little more than I wanted to at $20, but a vintage brass frame with greek key detailing? I couldn't say no.

 

I also found a huge 3 foot faux bamboo metal tray. 

 Here it is on the floor next to Tessa for scale.

I really loved it's size and color and the fact that it was faux bamboo.  Getting this on the plane back home with me proved a tricky feat. Lauren ended up mailing it to me later on which also proved to be a hard task due to its size.  So that is another thing to consider if you are traveling. Can you fit it in your luggage, or are you willing to pay the shipping costs?



 

And finally the "Pièce de résistance" I brought home with me...

 

 

A antique brass globe that... drum roll please... is a vintage cigarette holder! So awesome! I loved the fact that it was a globe and brass but to discover it's real use makes it that much more of a conversational piece on the coffee table.  Only $25!  The vendor was so nice at this booth and really took pride in the pieces that he had collected and it showed.

 

We both had a blast at Brimfield and I would definitely go back. We were exhausted after walking over 6 hours straight that day but it was worth it! Now I get to enjoy my treasures!

 

 



A Jewel of a Stool

I posted earlier about my craft-office-closet transformation here. I needed a place to sit my derriere while I enjoyed my new happy place so I scrounged around the house for something I could repurpose.  I had this rusty stool in the garage that I bought a few years back.

 

 

Nothing a little gold spray paint can't help!

 I used Rustoleum's Gold spray paint.

 I used painter's tape to create a geometric design and then used white paint to fill it in.

 

It was pretty simple!  Once it dried, I took it upstairs and put it in its rightful spot!

 

I think it was a success and didn't cost me a dime either! Now that's a Jewel of a Stool!