The Studio Is Buzzing

I have been neglecting my blog a bit, but for good reason.  I have been working on my inventory for summer shows & have some new products that are almost ready for my shop!

Here's a little peek at some of the new vintage goodies:

Colorful patchwork pillow kits...

all sewn up into a soft & cushy pillow!

Sweet bunting kits...

that turn into these festive scallops!

There is also a stack of new vintage fabrics that are waiting to be listed.  Stay tuned for details on availability!   



Vintage Stitching

My latest sewing project is now complete - a pretty vintage pillow cover made with a vintage napkin & some vintage sheet fabrics:

A fresh bouquet of coral red wild roses framed in aqua & handstitching.

For added detail, all the roses have gold french knots in the centers.  The rest of the quilting was done in a simple running stitch using cotton embroidery floss.  Turning the cover over...

The back of the cover is a pretty aqua blue vintage sheet print with vines & butterflies.  I think it lends a little bit of serenity to the pillow, which would look so pretty in a bedroom.  The envelope style back is fastened with a beautiful vintage handpainted button. I thought it was a perfect little touch.

I also had another vintage DIY project that I finished up.  This one involved milk glass:

Another bit of pretty aqua!

I have always loved milk glass lamps & was lucky enough to stumble upon this one while thrifting.  Since I am lacking the before photo due to my impatience, imagine an old dusty dark wood base & equally murky milk glass that was more tan than white.  I scrubbed everything clean, sanded the wood, then put on a few coats of aqua paint.  The lamp worked, but the socket was very loose.  My dad (the electrician) replaced the socket with a new one with a nice turn knob, instead of a flip switch.  It was perfect, but still without a shade.

You all know how thrifty I am, so I visited the clearance section at my local Bouclair.  After scouring the shelves, I couldn't find just the right shade.  Then I spotted it - a silver lined linen shade.  It was perfect!  The only problem was that it was regular price.  A little deflated I put the shade back on the shelf, then noticed that the identical shade behind it had a tiny dent. A light bulb went off & I went in search of a clerk.

I pointed out the damaged shade to her & asked if they would be willing to sell it for a discount.  She thought it was possible, but had to check with the manager.  To keep this short & sweet, the manager gave it to me for half off!   So I ended up with the perfect shade, & the small crease faces the wall so no one will even see it.  How's that for frugal decor?

I would love to hear about any thrifty finds or frugal ideas you have made in your own decor.  Are you able to see beyond the dust & dings to save money or to repurpose vintage items into something pretty?

All Tied Up

I think my love of vintage linens started from my collection of vintage aprons.  Not only do I collect them, but I wear them too, because they are too pretty to stash away.  However, there are a few in my collection that are for gentle use only - a few were my grandmother's & some are made of delicate organdy.  I hated putting these away & had been tinkering with ideas on how I could work them into my kitchen decor.

So on one of my thrifting excursions, I came across an old accordian style hanging rack.  I brought it home, gave it a coat of white paint, sanded it to give it my favorite shabby vintage look & voila!

Lots of pink of course!

Each apron is tied in a bow & simply hung on a peg.  I like the casual way they are displayed & they look like they are constantly in use.  Inviting to visitors who help in the kitchen since they are easily at hand. Most importantly, it makes cooking & baking a stylish affair!

If any of you are interested in vintage aprons & would like some summer reading, you may want to pick up The Apron Book by EllynAnne Geisel.  Not only is it a great history of aprons & the women who wore them, but a beautiful collection of photographs of unique aprons.  It's one of my favorite books in my library (No, she didn't sponsor my blog or anything - just a really great read).  EllynAnne is an expert in all things vintage linen & has an amazing collection of over 300 aprons!  For more information on her, her exhibit, & aprons, visit Apron Memories.

Have a great weekend everyone, & come back on Monday for some vintage sewing & milk glass DIY!

Shabby Chic

One of my favorite DIY projects is creating something pretty out of old, worn out, & otherwise homely vintage things.  It can be as simple as repurposing vintage linens, adding a fresh coat of paint to old wood, or even more complex, refurbishing old furniture pieces.  Adding a dose of freshness to old pieces brings out a special character - which is something you can't just buy at any Pottery Barn.  Pottery Barn has lovely stuff, but it's new, & it's missing all the dings & worn paint.  It's not true "shabby chic".

My latest shabby chic project came from an old shed on our property.  From the moment I saw it, I knew I had to brush off the cobwebs & give it new life.  So, this weekend I got knee deep in dust & pulled it out into the sunlight.  A fresh coat of hand tinted aqua paint & some sandpaper later, I had the newest storage piece for my studio space:

A functional old wooden display ladder!

In all the excitement I forgot to do the "before" pictures.  So imagine a sunbleached wood ladder with a smattering of old paint here & there, loads of dust & cobwebs to boot.  It was homely, but nothing a little bit of paint couldn't brighten up.  I left all the brackets & hardware in the original metal, with bits of rust here & there.  The wood was well worn, so when I sanded the aqua paint, it looked like it was original to the ladder.  Lots of nicely worn patches on the spots you would expect, like the stairs & the edges.

That's a real bird's nest I found in the yard - with a cute glittered robin's egg!
(This bird loved bling - notice the bit of tinsel?)

Topped off with the newest addition to my vintage Pyrex Butterprint collection!

I just love this old ladder!  It looks great in my space, but will be equally great to use for display at all my shows.  Just fold it up & it stores flat. If I ding it while moving it, then great - more character. Plus the vintagey aqua color is swoon worthy.

I have a few other shabby chic projects that I will try to post this week.  One of them involves milk glass - so stay tuned!

Giveaway Winner

I hope everyone had a perfect Memorial Day weekend!  We finally had a break in the cool & rainy spring we have been having up here. The sun peeked out long enough to enjoy a BBQ & campfire with family & friends.  To me, nothing says summer like toasted marshmallows - yum! 

Though I didn't get much accomplished in the studio, I did take the time to read through all your great comments & pick the winner of my giveaway.  From buntings to quilts to wall art, thank you for participating & sharing your creative ideas!  The vintage sheet scrap pack is being sent to:

 MG said...

My friend is having a vintage-y wedding this summer and has asked if I can make the bridesmaid gifts---these scraps would be perfect with white linen to make gathered clutches (http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/04/gathered-clutch-tutorial.html). If there's enough fabric left, I'd make one for her, too!
May 31, 2011 11:05 AM

Congratulations MG, I sent you an email!  I think the bridesmaids (& bride) will just love your handmade clutches.  It definitely fits in with the something old & something new for the bride, & I will be sure there's some blue in there too :)

Happy stitching & I will be back tomorrow with some new vintage finds!