Please, Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

Hi there!  How are you?

Well, I need something and I know one of you have it.... 

probably because I most likely 

*borrowed* 

it from one of you.  

So, please, let me have the whole thing

I want to see the rest of this house... I am thinking it was a ranch that they redid with a porch.

So, one of you please tell me where I can find it.

I love this look.... the black trimmed windows... the kitchen... the lighting....

and I know that I will love the rest of this house too... I mean, check out that chair.

So, please let me get what I want... this time....

bye for now!

UPDATE!!!  Thanks to Dakota, I was able to locate it in Cottage Living September 2008.  So, all of you magazine hoarders out there... go look at the whole house.  I have been seeing some of these images around the blogs recently.  I am sitting here with a hot cup of tea and my large stack of back issues... Cottage Living, I miss you!

Loving Less

hello... how is the wintery weather treating you?  If you aren't freezing your arses off, please pretend that you are... because I am.  We had a very lowkey weekend as we didn't want to spread the yuck that baby hughes is getting over.  I realized though, during a naptime, when the sun peeked out for just a bit, that I never showed you how I shook up our living room.  And as it is all about to be covered in bookoos of paper snowflakes and other Christmasy goodness, I thought I would.  I purged quite a few things and while the living room looks a little bare and maybe a bit blah right now, I am loving the look of less... 

The wall above our television... I looked all over for a full photo of it and couldn't find one. But there were 2 of these little shelves, which four years ago, I loved.  But now, just something extra to dust...

and I also had our 3 silhouettes (me, Mr and beloved puppy hughes) but no baby hughes

and you can see the sliver of a pair of round mirrors (they have since relocated into the dining room.)

Then, on the opposite wall, there was a whole mess of frames.... it took me a while to get it just so.  And after a few years, I decided that it was just too must for me... empty frame overkill.  They may or may not find a home, repainted in the entry... we will see.

So after a little goodwilling (giving that is) and filling and painting lots of holes, I have a less cluttered living room.

Our living room is long and narrow and since we actually live here and spend quite a bit of time here, there is really only one way to arrange it... yes, we watch television (thomas movies, mostly) so we can't deviate from this much at all... believe me, I have tried!

I pared down the frames, mainly the empty ones and just kept a few.  It is a little asymmetrical, I know and I like it....

The mantle is pretty bare... I just cleaned off the pumpkins.  But, now, I think the mirror stands out much more... and it is one of my favorite things... in fact.... Mr. Hughes took the top of the mirror to create the Vintage Junky logo.

 I think with just the one grouping of photos in the empty frame, it is much better.

Mr. Hughes cut me a silhouette of baby hughes after me nagging him for quite some time *wink*

Honest to goodness, this is what sparked the whole thing.... there wasn't enough room on the other wall for his silhouette and I didn't want to take my beloved puppy's down, so I had to rearrange and purge to make my hyena's fit.

Now, this is a silly bare photo... but, before it was like the television was so boxed in, so framed because I felt like that would take the attention off the enormity of it. I like it much, much better and SO much less to dust.

I still want to add something to the living room... something fun for the trays... maybe a few more throw pillows (in fact, this very chair has a pretty cute new pillow as of late tonight).... redo the bookcase.... after the holidays though... I am ready. 

 You hear me Christmas? 

 Bring it on... 

I have started some fun ornaments and some other sparkly goodness and going to attempt more crafty goodness very, very soon.  

I want my tree *wink*

bye for now!

ps. I have in my possession my Harry Potter movie ticket... yes, I am a nerd!

This or That

Hello.  Where have I been?  Well, let's just say when I start reading a book, or in this case, a trilogy, I get completely lost in that world. And have to finish... cannot think or do anything else.  It happened with Harry Potter and Twilight and now I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy and I loved every second.  It is all I can do not to go pick it back up and start all over again.  But, I am going to attempt to focus on a blog post right now.  I was chatting with a good friend the other day and I told her that I think I am more "black vintage" than "white vintage." Do you know what I mean... well, neither do I really.  But, it is all about finding my style... and I think I prefer things darker... not so shabby and white.... all though I like that too. Things like this:

&

So I thought it would be fun and interesting to see what you like.  Kind of like those eye tests...you know the one that you just choose one because you really can't tell the difference... you tell me which one is better for you....humor me *wink*

1.

country living

or

2.

don't remember where I found this 

3.

country living

or

4.

kate spade's kitchen

5.

country living

or

6.

another forgotten source

7.

country living, but I saw it on Tara's blog

or

8.

country living

9.

domino

or

10.

I am terrible... another lost source

I have taken so many "style" quizzes and they never get it right... I mean, one said that in was into Asian style... nope.  Not quite. 

I still don't think that my style is defined by any one thing and *eclectic* is so cliche.

What do you consider your style to be?

Now, I have all these photos in my inspiration file, so of course I like them all.  But, if I had to choose:

2, 4 (that is hard.... 3 is quite similar in color and feel) 6, 7, and 9(although that chandelier is swoony)

There are mine... so what are yours?

Bye for now!

ps. speaking of choices... those of you who have read Hunger Games... who was your choice Peeta or Gale?

Peeta all the way for me *wink*

Latest Vintage Goodness

I haven't been doing a whole lot of antiquing.  It has been too cold and yucky snowy to get out of the house.  But, what little I have done has been wonderful!  First things first, here is part of the lovely giveaway that I won from Faded Plains.

I adore numbers and I have a gazillion places I want to put them, but until I narrow it down, they will stay on this little ironstone dish with my mercury glass birdy.

Then, last weekend, I found this pillow cover.  And, I was going to list it in my etsy shop, but I can't.  I think one day it may end up on one of my beds.  No, I haven't gone back to get them yet, but I am hoping they will still be there.  I actually called on Monday to see if they could hold them until Mr. Hughes could get a better look at them.  And, the gentleman said that he could only hold them for 24 hours and with a check.  Well, if I could get there with a check, wouldn't I just buy them?  Apparently he doesn't understand that I have been obsessing over these beds.  Anyhow, this pillow is lovely, huh?

And, my newest obsession (a lesser one *wink) are these vintage Ovenex loaf pans.  I have two now.  I also have two plain ones, but the design on these is fabulous.  I found one in an antique store and one on eBay.  Look what Tara did with hers!!  I think I may put some small plants or plant some wheat grass... I know, many of you are over wheat grass, but I still like the look.  Or a mound of moss...hmmm....

A couple of weeks ago, I found these trays.  And, even though they don't really look like the stuff I usually bring home, I was really drawn to them... probably the color.  They are this Moire enamel with gold accents.  I am going to list one of these in my etsy shop though.  There were two, and I thought someone else might like one!  It will be great for drinks.  I just remembered a set of cute glassware that would look great here... and it is at the same place as my beds, two reasons to go....

And, here is what the wonderful Mr. Hughes got me for Valentine's Day.  It is a brass and enamel birdcage that I have been lusting over at Scarlett Scales.  I was so excited when I saw it.  Isn't is darling? I have it on my white suitcases for the time being.  Maybe I will add a little plant or some shells.

Okay, that is all I have for now.  I do have to ask you a favor.  Please say a little vintage prayer that my beds will still be there tomorrow and that the sun is shining this weekend in Tennessee... now don't say a real prayer.  God has much more to worry about than whether or not I am going to stuff to beds in my garage until I get a house that can hold them...  bye for now!

A winner!

I have a winner!  After tabulating the results in a highly controlled and secret manner (Mr. Hughes drew the name out of an old salsa jar) I am pleased to announce that Jes won the pedestal milk glass bowl!  So, Jen please email me your address and your little treasure will be on its way!  Thank you to everyone who entered and a double thanks to everyone who came to party....one of you gave me inspiration for my next party, but more on that later!

I wanted to tell you about this fun party that I am joining tomorrow.

It is a Vintage Black Friday Party at Gypsy Brocante.  I love all the white parties that everyone posts such lovely items on, but I love black too.  I mean, I have plenty of vintage black furniture.  So, come here tomorrow and I will share a touch of black and visit the other partygoers on Gypsy Brocante's blogroll.  Now, I have to go clean this pigsty so I can justify sitting in front of the tv to watch The Office tonight.

Latest acquisitions

As promised, I am showing my latest vintage finds! This license plate is German... isn't it wonderful? It is almost my favorite number, 789. I am either going to post it on the potting bench Mr. Hughes just finished or weave a ribbon through those slots and hang it on the wall.

A large stack of vintage flour/grain sacks... I have a few plans for these.

A set of 9 scalloped napkins with embroidery on the corner.

I won these on ebay! Finally, something I haven't been outbid on! And they came from England by Royal Mail... maybe from the Queen! I love the look of them, but I never want to eat bloater paste! Can you believe that they put potted meat in these? Sure beats the cans vienna sausage comes in here.

And, something I have been, according to Mr. Hughes, obsessing over. White vintage luggage. I am jumping on the bandwagon and stacking them and using them as a nightstand in our bedroom. And, I am going to put them to use. I have a large plastic tote full of "memories" from my past. I am going to organize all of that stuff in these 2 cases. (please ignore the nasty dry leaves!)

Okay, these aren't vintage, but I love these pillows that I bought at Target last week.

Look! They are box cut with a flange and it is contrasting!! I love the detail!

And, the best buy of all.......

This beautiful chest! Isn't wonderful? It is missing a knob (which we have) and a strip of veneer (which we don't.)

Look at the key holes... fabulous!

I have wanted a chest like this for awhile. I found one for a good price right before I had Baby Hughes. It was my big girl piece of furniture, you know, one of those pieces you buy when you are a mature adult (snicker!) It had a much darker finish then this one. Well, instead of a piece of furniture for my mommy gift, Mr. Hughes bought me a beautiful pear shaped peridot ring in a vintage style setting. It was much easier to carry into the hospital. And, then I put that piece to the back of my mind. Then, when walking into a Junktique that we visit often, I saw this beauty. I nearly screamed! And, it was a quarter of the price. AND, (it gets better!) she was having 20% off. Oh my! So, I asked sweet Miss Linda to hold it while I went home to measure my spots that it might fit. And it fit in multiple spots. SOLD! Mr. Hughes even said that the construction is better than the other one even though the finish is not.

So, now my dilemma is this...does it stay in the entry? If so, it will be painted black or stained darker brown. The finish on the top is pretty bad, so it needs to have something down to it. OR, do I put it in my bedroom and paint it a beautiful French grey and hang lovely mirrors above it? Such important decisions! I guess I will help Mr. Hughes truck this upstairs this weekend and see how it looks up there. I will let you know where it stays and show you the makeover.