new chair

My "new to me" chair! Its not a reproduction like the one below, and it might be really orange, but it was 10 bucks! Reupholstering this thing should be a breeze!

rad chair

Today on designsponge, there was a "simply color" post featuring a chair(above #2). It just so happens on my excursion out this past weekend to some flea markets near our new town I found the very same chair. I told Chris they typically go for about $250 (the one above is priced at 248). Well, Chris bought the chair for me, for 10 bucks! Not too shabby...although mine isn't a crisp white covered one, its more like orange tweed, but that is easily remedied! Imagine my delight in seeing this post though this morning...I had to share it with Chris:-).

updated desk

AFTER
I realized not very long ago that I never shared an updated image of my desk...you know, the one I found on the side of the road? The ugly yellow one? Its now an almond white, but I kept the hardware creamy yellow...I may change it up after we move and I find a good spot for this thing. I also need to update that chair cushion...

things to come

Long time no type...I've been VERY busy on a number of different projects. Mainly getting our house in shape to sell. I am not looking forward to the prospect of moving as I LOVE my home and we will be renting for close to a year once our house sells. Sigh.

In the meantime, Jodi and I have been sewing napkins for her October wedding and preparing for another table setting shoot. You may remember the one below from a couple months back. We will expand on these ideas and also leave a little to the imagination as we don't want to give away all the details just yet! (www.jodimillerphotography.com)


I have also been working with a Victorian theme in some of my own artwork. I will be doing a series of prints and posters with Victorian/Folk/Nature flair. I am having fun breaking out my watercolors and pencils again. We'll see how that project turns out!

Another project I have been working on is our California vacation itinerary. We will be flying into LA, meeting up with some spectacular friends and then spending a few days in San Francisco and then a few days in San Diego, back to LA and then back home. I have been more interested in cameras after getting a mini lesson from Jodi Miller and am planning an excursion to the Camera Obscura in San Fran!

Below is an ancient map of North Carolina. The other day I had a brilliant idea to make a book of treasure maps for my little daughter. It will be a few years before she can enjoy this, but at this rate it may take me a few years to compile and plan. I have come up with a book with different clues and different locations(that we frequent as a family), to make easily adaptable maps. The maps will lead to treasures that I hide depending on when and where the map may lead. Its a lot of work but I would have died and gone to heaven if I had something like this when I was growing up!

My new found love of film has brought me back to some originals. This is a daguerreotype from Mr. Daguerre himself. This has inspired so many ideas for my own artwork...I had to share, this one is a street in Paris...

Below is an old school circus poster. I believe from 1916...my posters will be splattered with this as inspiration...more coming soon!

farmer's market

I went to the famer's market with my Mom today and found this awesome old trunk. It even has the original tray inside. Its very big too. It was 70 dollars but the lady said she'd give it to me for 60...I didn't realize haggling was an option! Maybe I should have gotten her down to 50! I'm not worried about it, it was a steal either way:-).

I can't wait to put some cool junk in it!

dresser

Every once in a while I like to arrange things and rearrange things. I move items around the house. That way they never get old and they are fresh and fun in a new space. Above is the green old dresser I got a while back for 30 bucks or so, maybe 50, I don't remember. It was a bargain anyway, as it has 8 drawers and plenty of room. I held off painting it but I really like the green right now. I compiled some yellows, oranges, creams and bronzes along with some pops of white to make a 1930's spring/summery look.

I love pairing old and new, shiny and scuffed. The jewelry box was hand carved for me by my sweet grandfather and it says "Lynn" on the front. The canvas was 3 bucks at Big Lots and I decoupaged the butterfly drawing from a calender of mine...I love cheap and easy!

The lamp was 2 dollars from Goodwill, the lamp shade was 17 dollars from Walmart. The little bird was half price at Michael's (2.50 I think) a couple months ago. The flowers are fake, but I love them and the soda bottle is Fentemans...I should get a link to them...yummy stuff! Go look around your house and rearrange something, its a lot of fun!

wedding project

First things first, all of these gorgeous photos were taken by the amazing Jodi Miller and Kurt Baier of www.jodimillerphotography.com. Kurt is my brother and is holding my little Keira below, Jodi is his wonderful fiance. They are the ones I have been collecting china for their wedding. They came over last week to set up a mock table setting.

My kitchen table looked nice in my backyard, its good I mowed a few hours before!

Old books, handmade lace flowers, mason jars, silverware, china, brass candlesticks, burlap...

The lilacs were droopy but smelled fantastic. These flowers are not an accurate representation of what will be used for the wedding, they were free though, and cut from the garden!

I made the napkin rings out of twine and vintage earrings from my mother-in-law, she had great taste! I made the napkins out of a sweet cotton print I had laying around.

I can't wait to do another one of these with the appropriate flowers and on a larger table!

PS...This is also featured today on http://brideslittlewhitebook.blogspot.com!