A request

Please, if you pray, please just say a quick little prayer for my momma tomorrow.  She is having back surgery.  And we are all hoping and praying and wishing that this will be the beginning to some serious healing for her.  She is in constant pain all the time and I just want her to be able to chase after my hyena so I don't have to *smiles*  So, if you pray, or even if you don't,  just think of her tomorrow.  We love our Nana very much.  I will most likely be away for a bit, so I hope you all have a wonderful, safe Fourth of July.

bye for now~

image found via pinterest via here

Just For Me

Hello Everyone!  We have had some rainy weather here in Tennessee lately.  So I have taken advantage of the inside time today to work on some things just for me.  I haven't painted anything for us in so long.  So, I woke up early and started painting these chairs:

I got three primed and painted by the time baby hughes' nap was over.  You may remember me asking you to help me beg Mr. Hughes to keep these beauties.  He caved (those were his words!)  I am just waiting on some fabric swatches to get here so we can recover these babies.

And, you may remember me asking your opinion on me tackling embroidery and some pointers.  Last night, I pulled out some linen and some floss and got started following some great online tutorials that I found here.

By no means is it perfect, but this is my first try.  Already my lazy daisy stitches are less lazy.  So I am going to practice, practice, practice over the next few days and then I will order the sampler that I have been obsessing over.  If any of you have any tips for a beginner, please feel free to share.  And if any of you are beginners as well, I would love to know what you are working on.  I really like it.... it is quite relaxing, but not mind numbing like watching television.  I am going to start a little embroidery project for Hazel tonight too.

And this is something I made just for me a few weeks ago, but I decided to list them on etsy and sell them local as well:

I embellished one of my grain sack totes with a garland of linen flowers with vintage button centers.  It has been hauling all of my stuff along with baby hughes' stuff too this summer.  I plan to use it tomorrow to smuggle some snacks that you can't get at the theatre when we go see Cars 2.  But we will have popcorn, oh yes, you can't go to your very first movie and NOT eat popcorn.

And this random photo... well, it is just for me too.  This is one of my favorite things in our crazy backyard.  Old, moss covered bricks.  Heck, I even like the little mini weeds coming up.

Okay kids, I have done enough just for me... got to pick up this crazy crayon and car strewn living room.

bye for now~

He gets me

Hello everybody!  Hope you guys had a great weekend!

We didn't get a chance to work on Hazel as much as we wanted, but I hope to get her here this week to wash her and work on some things.  I did pick up some yellow paint to give her a little splashy stripe though.  We really love her.  I can't wait to get started.  And, to think, she wouldn't be with us if it weren't for Mr. Hughes.  

I have talked about him being my cheerleader and my best friend, but the guy really gets me.  And we feed off each other... wait.. that sounds kind of gross.  You know what I mean though, right?  I really wanted a vintage camper, so he went and found me one.  He went and checked it all out.  He is all for me fixing that girl up and doing stuff with her.  Not only does he help me follow my dreams, but he adds to them.  The man is full of great ideas.  Some of them I am not always on board with, just like he thinks that some of mine are off the wall.  One of his latest great ideas for Miss Hazel?  Showing 8 mm movies on the side of her... he happened upon a projector the other day and got it working.  He bought an old reel at the flea market to test it out and it works. 

 It is just little things like this that I just know.  We were meant to be, as cheesy as that can sound.  If I would have ended up with anyone else, I probably wouldn't be doing what I am doing... I wouldn't be who I am.  I think that is what the perfect match is... it is imperfect.  But that person brings out the best in you (most of the time *wink*)  That person lets you be who you are.  Sometimes it is so hard living with another creative soul.  The messes in this place can be completely out of control.  And the hours we keep can be wacky.  I wouldn't trade it for anything though.  I love our little life.

After a long day of moving furniture to and from booths and storage units, before he did anything else, he downloaded and emailed me this:

A beauty shot of Hazel in her before state at our friends' place.  Doesn't she look so happy out there with the hay bales in the distance and enjoying a great sunset?  So, Mr. Hughes, if you are reading (and you probably are!) Here's to you.  I love you for sharing and making my dreams better than I could have imagined.

bye for now~

Friday Etsy Favorites *Camper Love*

hellllooooo! And happy Friday to you!  If you missed my earth shattering news from yesterday, you may want to Meet Hazel first.  For those others, let's get down to business... Hazel needs a makeover (as pretty as she is) and I think I am going to need some things from etsy. 

 So, let's find some *Camper Love*

First of all, Hazel needs a sign like this!  She is a friendly lady so it just suits her

found~ WilliamDohman

Since I was thinking of using maps as a wallcovering for her anyhow, this print is perfect!

found~ skippydesigns

I found this great shop through Mary at Urban Farmgirl... a great little shop!  They use vintage molds to recast some iconic shapes such as these gnomes and owls in white.  I love them... I have had the owl cookie jar in my faves since I found them and recently decided that Hazel needs a gnome.  

found~ 2chicksandafancyowl

I love this sweet, yellow print.  Hazel is getting some yellow!

found~ peaseblossomstudio

And what about this vintage camper toy?  Too cute!!!

found~ franz66

I think she also needs some vintage postcards hanging up.  Love these!

found~ FabricOutlet

How cute is this little birdhouse?  

found~ BirdhousesByGlenn

I am also thinking she needs a guest book for when we rent her out

found~ PigseyArt

 I hope you have a great weekend... we are off to the flea in just a little bit.  I am hoping we will find some great treasures for Hazel!

bye for now!

Meet Hazel

Hello there.  We did something a little crazy this week... not really crazy.  Just a little.  You see, I have been wanting something for awhile... not a Vespa, but I want one of those too.  Nope, I have been wanting a little camper.  Not that I camp.  I like the outdoors and we are outside quite a bit, I just like to sleep in my bed, with my pillows.  I just want one to decorate and possibly have a mobile Vintage Junky booth.  Wellll, Mr. Hughes found an a great little camper on craigslist and now....

.....Meet Hazel!

She was born in 1963 and has been all over the Southeast.

Check out her sweet colors!!

Ignore the little hyena that was so enamored that he threw a fit when Mr. Hughes left to park her at a friend's house.  We can't have her in our subdivision... I know some of you are thankful for subdivision rules because of neighbors like us!

She sleeps 2... we will remove the mattress and just turn this area into a bench seating area.

And here is the little dining area..... the table fell down on the trip over... you can also sleep here too.

There is no stove or potty or sink.

So... what do we have planned for Sweet Hazel?  We are thinking that when she isn't on official Vintage Junky business we will rent her out for photo shoots and birthday parties and such.  We have big plans for this lady.  But, first, as fine as she is, she will need a little spiffing up... so here are a few inspiration photos from my board on pinterest

She will have a bunting, of course!

This is what we have planned for her most of the time... a little booth on the go.

Love this!  Maybe we will take out the table top and add a fun little table.

I love the color combo here!!!  I think we will use yellow with the awesome aqua that she already has. In fact, I have some yellow fabric to make some itty bitty curtains.

I love her!!  I can't wait to put our own stamp on her... a little less retro... a little more us.

If you guys have any inspiration for Hazel's makeover, please send it on!  There are some great photos on pinterest.  We want to have her all spiffed and ready to go by August for baby hughes' birthday... his 3rd.  It is a train theme and he seriously thinks Hazel is his "caboose!"  I only have one regret... that Mr. Hughes sold our Jeep Wagoneer... Gabe would look great with little Hazel following behind.. oh how I miss Gabe *tear*

Well, that is all for today... I will be back tomorrow for a very special Friday Etsy Favorites... lets fix Hazel up etsy style!

bye for now!

Plead my case!

Hello all!  

Thanks for all of your input on my last post about the embroidery sampler.

I think I will get it and a book... so if anyone would like to suggest a good beginner book, that would be so helpful. But, just so you know... I couldn't learn to knit from a diagram, so I will need a very detailed but elementary book.  And I will probably watch a lot of youtube videos too!

I think we may have discussed that I am a little bit spoiled. But, I don't beg and whine to get things...obsess, maybe... but no whining.  

Today, I need you to whine for me.  

I am serious.

Mr. Hughes went to auction the other day and got a set of 8 antique dining chairs.  Yeah, yeah, I thought.  He says.... they are pretty.... yeah, yeah. I like the ones I have.
Then, he brings them home...

He wants me to give them a little makeover and put them in the booths.

I can't.

I love them.  They have to stay here... right here.

Aren't they perfect... they have a sassy pair of front legs too.

I am supposed to be up before them this morning painting 2 of these chairs for the booth.

So, before he brings me 2 more home from storage, I need you to beg and plead and whine on my behalf... I just think they are perfect for us.

Perhaps the jury needs another view...

And, just in case it raises arguments, I can still use those slipcovers that I had to have.... They will fit these better.

C'mon ladies (and a few gents)... help me out here!

oh and the plan would be to recover them... right now they are in a crunchy vinyl... I know... "crunchy".... I am thinking there is horse hair under the vinyl.

I am undecided on painting them if the Mr. says yes.  My heart says yes, paint them!  And so does my head for that matter.  If that offends all you purists out there and keeps you from pleading my case, just know that they will be painted if I sell them too.

Okay, I am counting on you.  No, really I am.

bye for now!

***update*** 
He caved!  heehee!  Thanks for the fuel ladies!  Off to find some great fabric for the seats ~ xo ~

Opinions needed: Am I in over my head?

Hello and Happy Saturday!

  I don't usually post on the weekends... not that I am opposed to it or anything... I am just usually out.  But, this Saturday finds me at home with the monster... cleaning and trying to get the house a little presentable for a dinner guest tonight.

Ever since I came across this alphabet sampler, I have been a little obsessed... so obsessed that I sort of panic when it isn't minimized on my desktop for me to maximize and admire.

Mr. Hughes assures me that I am out of my league on this... I have never actually embroidered anything, per say.  But... you have to start somewhere right?  But, he knows my patience level pretty well.

So, what do you think... I know some of you embroider... is this crazy ambitious for a first time project?  I love it so!!!  When I first saw it, the kits had unfortunately sold out, so I would only be able to get the pdf.  Which adds a new layer of skill... transferring this to fabric.

So, please tell, me... what do you think?  

Have a great weekend!  Especially you dads that may be reading!

bye for now!

pdf pattern can be purchased here

Single Girl Sheets

It is a rare quiet time at our house... the Mr and baby are still asleep and I am enjoying a cloudy day on the back deck, hoping that it won't rain just yet.

As I was folding the mountain of laundry last night (even with more time at home, the laundry is still a mountain.) I started folding these sheets... we must have used them recently to cover some furniture or to "build a house."  And I started pondering all the meaning behind these happy, girly sheets.

You see, these are my single girl sheets.  These are the sheets I slept on most nights with my beloved puppy before the Mr. came along.  These sheets are the ones I slept on when I had little more responsibility than to pay my rent and show up to work on time.  I slept on them when I came home from nights out with my friends.  I slept on them when some silly crush hurt my feelings.  I slept on them happy and sad.

It has been 5 years today since those were my single girl sheets.  And I love them and all they represent to me..... mainly being able to have loud, girly sheets

 *wink*

But, I don't miss them at all.  I am completely happy sleeping on my soft, boring white, 32 year old sheets (me, not my sheets) with my Mr. Hughes, happy.  I am happy those sheets are in the closet waiting to be pulled out to make a house over the dining room table.  I do think it is important that married girls remember their single days and be happy for where it has brought them.  And, it is important for single girls to enjoy that carefree, spending every dime on new shoes because you can phase.  And, it is important to keep a little pink when you live in a house full of boys.

So, every now and then open up your linen closet or your scrapbook or your suitcase full of single girl memories and then go give your love a squeeze.

Happy 5 years Mr. Hughes... 

bye for now!

Sometimes it is good to be a hoarder...

 Hello there!

It is raining here... finally!  So I think I may take a quick nap.  

Did you know that stay at home mom's still get up early... to paint before their hyena wakes up?  Neither did I, but I am tuckered out today. I have been painting every free moment I get... I will show you some new pieces soon.  I just wanted to pop in really quick and show you something I made for the Winchester booth from Mr. Hughes' stash.

Yes, he has a bit of a problem with paper... he sort of hoards it.

Amongst other bits and bobs of stuff.

So, I decided to raid it and find some thing to fill some frames that were old and beat up looking...but not in a good way.

So I basically painted the frames my new favorite blue and distressed them as usual.

Mr. Hughes pulled these great maps the other day from vintage encyclopedias for me to line some drawers of a new desk that I was working on.  I decided that I wanted to use some since the color was perfect for the frames.

Then, I remembered how the Mr. bought these butterfly wings off of ebay awhile ago... what's that?  Your husband doesn't buy bug wings off of ebay...hmmmm 

And then I raided a box of old letters to make a little mixed media art.

The butterfly bodies are made out of a piece of twisted jute (my stash... I have a problem with ribbons and strings!)

I love how they turned out.  If they don't sell, I am sure I can find a good spot here for them.

If you happen to want to make these yourself with the wings that your husband bought off ebay, be careful placing the wings... they are quite delicate and want to stick to you like they have static in them... use tweezers and the tiniest amount of glue.

Okay... I am going to try to take a nap while the hyena is napping.... I don't know that our weather radio is going to let me though!

bye for now!

A Vintagey Outdoor Table

Hello there!

While watering my plants the other day, I remembered last year at this time I had tons of hydrangeas... enough to steal quite a few.... and this year none.  I remembered that I had done a guest post for Heather last year around this time using those same abundant hydrangeas, so I thought I would share that with you in case some of you didn't see it last year... 

Since it is so close to Father's Day, I wanted to do a little entertaining post.  Who says that dads don't care about nice looking surroundings?  My Mr. Hughes loves vintage finds and likes when I fluff the house. So, I designed a table and a menu with things I know he would like.  And, with the exception of a few new finds, everything was found around our home, so this was a very thrifty project.  You could easily change a few things to make this party your own, be it a Father's Day Cookout or a nice little Garden Tea.

This gives you an overall view of the table... I set up outdoors because it has a very garden look to it.

I made some moss "chargers" by forming some sheet moss into a tray and putting some pressure on it, then I just lifted it out of the tray and placed it on the table. It stayed together quite nicely.  

I added some of my vintage ironstone plates... if you don't have any ironstone, check your local Goodwill for some vintage restaurantware  or just use some of your own plates.  I added a length of vintage black and white ribbon to play off of the little oval dishes that hold the silverware.

Which is vintage as well.... some people think it is a little yucky to eat with tarnished flatware, so you may want to have backups for the less adventurous guests.

I stenciled some vintage napkins that had a handkerchief look to them with some numbers because I am a little crazy about numbers.  Then I tied a vintage pocket watch face to them, creating a ring.  Embellish it with a pheasant feather and you have a very masculine table setting.

I found these great birch covered planters (my new splurge) at Scarlett Scales.  I only say splurge because they were the one purchase I made for this... they were quite affordable. I love them and already have another party coming up that I will use them for.  The little glass jars are great... they have a crown on them.  I just filled them with sand and added a candle.

The hydrangeas were from our garden.  If your Mr. isn't the flowery type, it would be great to fill these planters with herbs... fragrant and pretty.

I think I may do a version of this again for this weekend for some friends we are having over.  If only I had those hydrangeas!!

And, since I pulled this from the vault, it looks like my siggy isn't working.  Oh well... off to get some pieces finished before the hyena wakes up.

Bye for now!

Michelle

A Few More Photos from the New Booth

Hello everybody!

Hope you had a great weekend!  We were mostly at home working on booth projects in between nose wiping.  I think the hyena is on the mend.....nothing a little guacamole and bubbles can't fix at this point.  We are having a late, late dinner outside tonight.  We don't keep normal people hours, you know.

Friday was busy for me... I went to all three booths to fluff during baby hughes' nap...it was really fast fluffing!

And I got to meet some of my booth neighbors at City Farmhouse....

hi Delia and Lisa (if you are reading!)

Their booth was looking pretty fantastic when I was heading out the door.

As promised, I thought I would share a few more photos that were missing from the lineup the other day....the lighting was not so good in the afternoon... who am I kidding?  I don't really know what to do with Mr. Hughes' camera!

Mr. Hughes didn't get many closeups the other day so that is what I wanted to share this time...

a suitcase full of vintage letters... most of them from WWII... they have great airmail envelopes too!

I almost didn't let this sign go.  Good thing I live with the sign painter and can probably sweet talk him into making me another.

I wish I could get a better photo of this display piece... the Mr mounted 3 old worn out drawers to these great twirly table legs and then I filled it with moss and then displayed books and great ironstone pieces.

Mr. Hughes made some table runners out of old player piano rolls...

and also found a surprise in the stack of vintage letter.... someone had clipped the postmark/ stamp from a bunch of letters and had saved them in an envelope.  Instant confetti!

I rolled up some vintage photos and put them in some bottles... I have always liked that look.

The organ keys... another thing that I got pretty attached to while they were in the house... I love black and white vintageness.  Mr. Hughes made those fern prints too... he is pretty crafty/handy/creative.

A few pieces have sold since the booth opened, so I got busy to get some more pieces ready... and here is a sneak peek of a few things we took out today...

There will be more finished this week.... as soon as I get some paint. Which is first thing on the list for tomorrow.

I had better leave you here... my little guy is running around screaming fire!fire!fire! Yep, he is feeling better!

(no worries... it is just the grill)

bye for now!