A new way to use fabric..

I mentioned that I wanted to try this in my last post and I think it turned out good, I really like it actually. The entire thing cost under $30, the embrodiery hoops are only $1 a piece and I bought half yards of fabric at a discount store. Notice how sad the sideboard is with it's missing hardware. I keep stripping it of pieces to try and get the right size of new, well, antique but new to me hardware. I'll try again at the next flea market...I might add another larger circle on the right to balance it out, I started on the left and then ran out...
You can kind of see my fabric choices...they look better in person, Mike was a little confused withthe asian one, didn't think I was into that...oh the surprises I'm full of. If I like the colors, I buy.

Our little house..

I'm getting us settled in our house and have some pictures to share. We received the red carpet service from the movers :)

Olive loves all the morning sunshine we get...And I'm loving all the yellow roses the two bushes in our front yard produces! And this picture is my favorite wall in the house...I finally found a place for those bird mirrors.
Here's some of our Easter Decor on the mantle, I made garlands out of vintage 1910 Easter postcards mailed to my great, great grandmother.

Close up of Garland, note the beautiful colors on those old postcards! Amazing.

Our Front Porch..
And those gorgeous built ins...

I need to get a good picture of the front of the house with all of the flowers in bloom, I will be sure to do that. I'm enjoying the california sunshine and I've even started a little herb garden, I hope it will thrive in all of the sunshine we get. As I continue to decorate I will share more pictures. I think I'm going to try this wonderful idea from the purl bee I saw on posie gets cozy I'm going to try it above our tv - we have some weird horizontal space to fill and I think this will add a nice, non high tech touch. I want to position the TV more to the left to balance the lamp but Mike likes it centered and would prefer we remove the lamp completely....I pick my battles :) Can't wait to try this project and I'll be sure to show you pictures of the finished product!

More Flea Market Finds...

I've been a bad blogger, it's been almost a month since my last post! oops. Well, I have lots of pictures to post. First some great things I found at the Long Beach Flea Market. Aren't these mason jars fantastic?! And $3 each, can't beat that. I'll use them as vases for my wedding in Folly Beach, SC. Definitely the look I'm going for. And those roses are from my front yard - we are renting our house and the yard is wonderful...pics of that to follow.

And these are some Christmas ornaments I purchased for $5 for the whole box. I was very happy with this purchase and I think I got some great deals! They're having a special market on 4/29, hopefully I can convince Mike to come with me! We were looking for a dealer who sells all antique hardware but couldn't find him, maybe next time!

Flea Market Finds

Because we are in temporary housing (for only one more week!), my flea market finds are limited...to things that are small. I've been buying mismatched or onesie candlesticks and plates to make cake plates out of. I will probably have way too many of them very soon but I hope to one day sell them in a booth or shop I have... Mike just looks at me and says do you really need another plate? Yes! And the compotes are for our wedding, they will either be holding flowers or sugared fruit. Not sure yet but I'm collecting them...I'm up to 4 or 5.We also saw this ottoman/coffee table. Mike liked it and so did I...but I was not ready to commit to the color or pattern. I know I can recover it, but do I really want to?I think he's just desperate to get rid of our iron and marble coffee table. It was one of our first auction purchases in SC. At first glance it was wonderful and so me, at second glance it had a chip in the marble and a surface that was well worn. When the light hits the top of it you can see all sorts of smudges, etc. I like to think it has history but he's really not buying it, that's where our decorating differences are - he doesn't appreciate used as much as I do! Anyone have any suggestions for restoring marble? We tried a cleaner from Lowe's but it did not work. I received a quote to refinish it professionally and it was far more than what I paid for it! I'm afraid this table might end up as an outdoor table...Anyway, that's what was found at the flea markets!

Bunnykins at the Long Beach Flea Market

I so rarely have experiences of seeing an antique from my childhood that sparks any memories. Yes, if I saw orange velour couches or a wagon wheel coffee table, maybe, but you so rarely see those (thank goodness!) I'm not sure where my love of vintage comes from but it certainly was not my upbringing. Our house was decorated in the late 70's and stayed that way, my Mom just wasn't into it, maybe her complete lack of wanting to decorate inspired me to need to!

Well, I'm moving through the Long Beach Flea Market at a rather fast pace (when I see it, I know it...I don't need to look at every last item) and there it was....I had that bowl! I can't say I remember eating out of it but I know that bowl sat in the back of our cupboard until at least my teen years, and I was the youngest of three. I specifically remember the little bunnies hopping around the edge of the bowl. I picked it up and the vendor wanted $75 for it! Wow. I've looked on ebay and they actually go for about $10...wishful thinking by the vendor. I wonder where that Bunnykins bowl is now and if my Mom still might have it?

A "Real" Job...

Well, my love of all things vintage and shabby needs to be put on hold temporarily while I go make some "real" money in the "real" world. I'm trying to be optimistic but I'm picturing myself in a cubicle with a headset on wanting to explode. I'm trying to find a job still in the home decor industry but it's proving to be harder than I thought it would be. I even applied for a position at Anthropologie! I refuse to work weekends so I don't think that's going to work out, but you never know, right? The perfect mix would be a full time job and a booth on the side...sounds like a lot but I really want to keep going with the booth and try to gain traction out here on the West Coast. I still see a need for all my beautiful wholesale finds and I truly think it would be a success. I'm posting some pics of my booth in all it's glory to cheer myself up and hopefully you too!

This is the beautiful sideboard I painted and restored, I loved how worn the mirror on this was, I hope the woman that bought it is enjoying it in her home.

A broader view of the booth back in September. Mike thought I was crazy for buying a picnic table and then painting it green. It was the first piece of furniture I sold, everyone loves a green picnic table! :)

Well, I'm back to my job search, wish me luck on finding something that will fulfill my creative needs yet bring in some $$!

Little Green Cottage and the Rose Bowl!

We have relocated from the east coast to the west coast, we went from being a 1/4 mile from the Atlantic to a 1/4 mile to the Pacific. Crazy how that works out. I'm anxiously awaiting moving into the darling little cottage we found, should be within the next two weeks. For now we are in a corporate apartment and are really missing our own couch! Can't wait to start decorating the little cottage and it's wonderful front porch!

We went to the Rose Bowl flea market on Sunday - I've heard and seen so much of it (thank you Rachel Ashwell) that I just had to go. I wouldn't say I was disappointed but I was hoping for better pricing and more unique furniture.

I had a realization while there - Cottage is the new Country....yes, the Americana rust red furniture and dried fruit wreaths have been replaced with white wash furniture and fresh pastel wreaths of greens and whites. Country has somehow morphed into the next big thing - cottage. I once thought I was original with my love of vintage and romantic pastels, am I now just another girl with that look? The good news - I can find things I love in Target and dare I saw Wal-Mart (eeek!...I try not to shop there...but if I see a glass cannister for $2.50, I must buy it!) What once was a very specific look is now everywhere and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

This weekend is the Long Beach flea market - I've heard the pricing is better than the Rose Bowl (where I only purchased 2 glass compotes and 1 dish) so I hope to find some goodies!