My favorite gift

 

Country Living  asked me about one of my favorite gifts and I mentioned this pretty vintage find in my favorite shade of my favorite color.  The Mr bought me this typewriter last Christmas and it is one of my favorite gifts (and finds!) ever.

I have been busy finishing up projects and starting new ones... all small.  And, I think I am about ready for Christmas decorating in a week or two.  This chilly weather did it! I think I really just want to snip some new snowflakes.

More soon~

For Keepsies

The past few hunting trips I have just had some luck.  I mean, this past weekend I wasn't looking for something in particular and I always think that is when the best stuff finds me.  Like this cookie jar.  It was in a booth that I never, ever find anything.  And, it was on the bottom shelf with a cracked lid that had been repaired.  But look at it!  I mean, I have been on my "find high" over this one all week.  I will glance over at this baby and just smile.  And, I think the Mr and the little man are tired of me pointing it out and asking them to bask in all of its beauty.  Plus, it isn't something that fits into my style if I can even categorize my style.  Which makes this find all the more perfect.  Still, I know that this is just one of those things that I will always treasure.  I even went online to hunt more of them once I got home.  Because 2 is always better than 1.  And 20 is always better than 2 *wink* Seriously though, I don't think I need more than one.  I just need to know how to search for another if my precious ever gets into an unfortunate accident.  It is a McCoy.  They were made from the 1930s-1940s and came in a few colors and canister shapes too.  

Now these... these are something special.  Like the Mr thinks they are too... he isn't just buttering my bread like he does when he mock fawns over *my precious* These are some original plates from a book printed between 1780s -1804.  I love butterflies and he loves paper.  So, I decided to keep them.  I found 3 smaller ones that I am debating on keeping, but these are my keepers.  I even put holes in the wall that previously did not have holes.  If I am ever on Antiques Roadshow, this is what I will take.  I mean, I don't think they would take me seriously if I showed up with my cookie jar with the cracked lid.

The Mr purchased this piece from Carter's Creek Station Antiques  a few weeks ago for his studio space and he decided it wouldn't fit, so he turned it over to me.  Now, I know in the photo the chippy paint looks incredible, but it wasn't old paint.  It had been sprayed and it just wasn't going to last.  So, I painted it green.

I was going for that authentic old green color that you see so often falling off antique furniture.  I sanded the old paint smooth and left bit of it to peek through here and there.  This area in the entry was a little cluttered, so I cleared out all of that and put this here instead.  I am always trying to cover that annoying air return just enough so it doesn't impede its purpose, but that I don't have to look at it.

So, that is what I kept.  I have a BUNCH of stuff headed to my booth at Winchester Antiques today.  The Mr so kindly took it so I can take the little man to see his *girlfriend* today. Plus, I can't haul the trailer and unload furniture by myself.  I know, I know.  I probably should learn to do that myself.  But seeing as I can barely parallel park (I lack the confidence,) I don't see that happening any time soon.

Wishing you a great day~

Some things you can't improve...

Hello all!  Okay, if you are covered in snow and not liking it, then divert your eyes for a few lines.... the weather in Tennessee is GORGEOUS!!!  I am a pretty positive person, but I am still a little worried that there may be an icky cold snap... so I am waiting on those ferns for the front porch.  Seriously, though, it is so nice and I have been feeling more alive!  Now, when it is 100+ with humidity here and you snowy ones have lovely warm, breezy weather, you can gently rub my face in your good fortune!

So, last week I showed the little changeroo that I did to my kitchen.  And here is why... we found a piece that I loved as is... so much, that I was determined to find a place (any place!) for it.

Some things you can't improve on... like that color!  And the aged patina of the paint.  Now, if you really look at this piece, it is obvious that a drunk (or impatient) man painted it (Yes, I said MAN!)   There are drips and runs and the rogue thumbprint.  But, that just adds to its character!  And I love it with all of those things!

I really like how the painter sort of covered the little decorative pieces... like he couldn't decide to leave them gold or paint over them.  Who cares though?  

Now, I think most of you know that I have a little *problem* with ironstone.  But, you may not know that I go ga-ga over mercury glass.  I used to have it all sitting out on a long table and I loved the look.  I had to move it quick when the boy starting walking (and running and ramming...) It was in the industrial cabinet and it looked crammed in there, and I was never thrilled with it.  So, after doing the switch, I was so glad that it all fit on here.  I have a few new pieces and some silver mixed in, but a lot of it is old.  I am still looking for a mirror or something above the mercury glass.  A mirror I bought last week didn't work, so it will go to the shoppe... and it is a beauty!

Now, I know I said I couldn't improve on the piece, but I couldn't resist lining the drawers with some vintage botanicals! So spring-y and happy!  This piece stores all of our downstairs linens and stuff like batteries and odds and ends that we don't have another place for (no junk drawer in the kitchen.)

All this changing has made me move on to the living room as well.  I have some plans for that room and a can of paint that is *begging* me to put it to good use.  That room is going to get a small makeover.  Soon.  Very Soon!

bye for now!

Shoppe Talk

Hello all!  I have been absent again for a bit.  I have been totally distracted with all the new (old!) furniture that we got last week.  Almost all of it needs some TLC with a swoop of the ole paintbrush.  So I have been working on those pieces in between the normal life stuff.  It is freezing here in TN!  So, when I wanted to unload the trailer on Saturday to get to all my goodies, the Mr. reminded me just how cold it was, with the wind chill.  So, I decided that maybe this week I wouldn't unload the trailer.  

But, then, a large piece sold and I can't just leave a hole that big on a Saturday.  I got my wish!  The Mr. got to work on unearthing a large farm table with original paint!!

When paint is this chippy and perfect, my paint brush won't go anywhere near it!  It is a pale green on bottom and a pinky hue on top!  We dreamed about it a little and decided that whoever built it used whatever paint on hand.  So, glad he or she did~  

I also have a few of these little stools in the shop.  I just love them!  We have a larger one in the house for baby hughes to wash his hands.  They are just so cute *smiles*

We also have lots of chippy ironstone and restaurant ware plates and mugs too. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  We had a quiet, but yummy dinner at home.  I am off to the shoppe in a bit to take down the remainders of the Valentine's decorations and possibly add something else *wink*

bye for now~

Booths as of Late

Hello all!!!  Apparently, I have become a once a week blogger.  I have been pretty busy though (I almost just wrote busty... definitely not that!) Anyhow, last week, I left the hyena at home with Mr. Hughes and went to do a little fluffin'. Unfortunately, I only brought my little point and shoot... and what does that matter... the Mr. is the good photographer around these parts.  What I am getting at is: the photos are a little dark and grainy, but you will get the idea.

My booth at Winchester is l o n g and not deep.  And while I love it, it isn't easy to get a photo of the entire space.  I normally just take the smaller stuff and leave the heavy lifting to the Mr.  So, if you ever see someone in my booth, moving in furniture, that isn't me.  I am not a 6 foot tall man with a beard.  

I will take a break right now to show you that while I love selling vintage goodness, I love to buy it even more.  And, this little number (hahhaha!) is actually a really long surveying stick that is mineallmine!  The Mr. was out at the booths one day and came home and told me about this stick.  Well, the store couldn't open fast enough the next morning for me to call and hold it until I could come and look to make sure it was what I thought it was.  And it was!!  I haven't hung it up yet, but this was one of those things that I couldn't pass up...  I always end up kicking myself when I don't buy something when I love it.  Even if I don't have a real plan for it.  Which is why, before long, we will be on Hoarders.  

And now, my space at City Farmhouse.  I restocked the piano roll runners, which you can see on the buffet.  That was a Mr. Hughes design.  He is pretty wonderful... that frame with the rope is also his design.  Okay, I will be back soon...pinky promise.... maybe tomorrow... with some new designs for etsy and one is for the holidays...gasp!!

bye for now!

What Followed the Mr Home

Happy Thursday!  My Favorite Day!

I took yesterday and today off of work. I know, I know, I am leaving next week.

Next week... one week from today, I will be a SAHM.  

So, I needed a few days to practice *wink*

Last weekend, the Mr went on a little junking trip without me.  The nerve!!  Can you imagine?

I have always had this love affair with organ knobs.  Who knows why I latch on to certain things... but I love them.  Must be the black and whiteness with the text.

Anyhow, since they weren't willing to let him strip the knobs off, he brought the whole thing home.

That is right.  We have an organ in our garage.

Mr. Hughes has all kinds of plans for it and I am on board!  

(I am not always on board, just like he would like me to stop repainting walls in the house.)

I will show you some of those projects very, very soon.

I also had to post a another peony photo.  Yes, I grew these.  It was hard, hard work. ha!

The lighter pink ones bloomed just as the hot pink ones were littering petals over the table.

I have been thrilled to have fresh flowers for the past few weeks... and these light pink ones smell amazing!!

Well, I see a sliver of sun, so I am thinking the hyena and I need some vitamin D after being cooped up with all the rain and greyness!

Oh, and don't forget my little giveaway

bye for now!

Little Changes + a Giveaway

Hello all!  How was your weekend?  Ours was rainy... booo!  Doesn't Mother Nature know it is May?

I have been making a few small changes around the casa lately.  I started selling these botanical prints (found by Mr. Hughes) in my booth a few months ago and they have been popular.  When I repainted the upstairs hall, I needed something to complement the new color (Rainwater by Martha Stewart, in case you would like to know.)

And since I like to change things up, (especially in wall decor,) and because I am not a lover of filling in and painting over holes.... I decided to put up a little botanical gallery wall with Japanese Washi Tape.

I adore the stuff!  And I can take this down anytime I like, with no holes!  

I just got the vintage sewing chair a few weeks ago and the Mr. found me a spouse for it this past weekend.  Almost identical. 

So that is my happy little hallway. 

And, while I have you here, talking to you about paper, let me throw a giveaway your way.

 Krista from Pendrops Couture hand makes these incredible little cards that are almost too pretty to send!

Krista handcrafts all these cards out of pure goodness....vintage textiles, organic cotton, antique books and sheet music, burlap, and old buttons...

All of her paper and envelopes are 100% recycled.  

Aren't they incredible?!?

You can win the above basket which includes 5 pendrops couture cards and it includes the adorable basket too!

Here is what you have to do to win:

One entry.... go to her site and tell me which the card you love the most... if you can pick just one!

Another entry...go to her facebook page and "like it"

You want another entry?  Well I like approval/ validation... so go to my site and "like it" as well.

And leave me a comment for each.  I will leave the giveaway open for a week and announce the winner next Tuesday.

I will be back soon to show you what the Mr. carted home the other day.  Our neighbors probably think we are nuts!!

bye for now!

Should I (it) Stay or Should I (it) go?

hello

(said in my best Eeyore voice)

I have something to tell you...

I may have mentioned it a time or thirty.

I.am.sick.of.the.winter.

I know, I know, I should 

live in the now and appreciate the outline of the trees

blah blah blah.

Kids, I just am not feeling it anymore.

I am ready for 70ish days and sunny

(and you guys better not find any old blog posts where I am complaining about the heat)

Okay, finished complaining.

I have something to show you

(and if it weren't for this dreary weather, I would have a photo of it in my house... okay, really, I am finished complaining)

I love it.

I have never seen another like it.

 

I have a thing for mirrors

Especially ones so worn.

But, I don't know if it is *me*

I adore it.  Each and every bit.

But, I am afraid if I keep it that I may have to rearrange/redecorate my whole house.

And I don't know if my marriage would survive.

So, I am trying her on for size.

Maybe she will play well with others.

If not, she will be at one of the booths.

*sniff, sniff*

In other vintage treasure hunting news, 

I got some stuff. 

Good stuff. 

Booth stuff. Etsy Stuff.

Let's leave it at that. 

And, let's say that my stack has doubled in size over the weekend.

Which caused some rearranging.

All of which I would be happy to show you if the sun would just come out for a minute.

Oh yeah, and if my house wasn't in shambles due to all the refluffing.

Soon though... very soon... you will see...

bye for now!

Latest Finds and Projects

Hello all!  

How are you?

I am fine... tired of all this grey, wet weather.

Spring, where are you?

That groundhog better not see his shadow... not that I condone animal cruelty....

but, he better make Spring come 6 weeks early!

So I realized that I haven't shown some of my latest finds and gifts.

This was under... or beside... the Christmas tree.

She is a repro, but Mr. Hughes vintaged her up for me.

He designed and added the Acme logo and her little necklace.

I love her *smiles*

I think by now I have stressed my love of letterpress.

Mr. Hughes found this vintage small letterpress type machine that will stamp small cards once it is tweaked.

But, for now, it just looks swell on top of Bubba.

And these aren't really new, but they are all together along the bar... just a few things I have been doing to shake up the house a bit... to keep it spicy and exciting *wink*

This was one of my favorite flea market finds this year.... it made me give up my favorite, favorite scale.

A double scale with  ironstone type plates.... love!

And, I was so excited to hear that the flea will be open in 2011 here!

Just last week I found this little gem... baby hughes says it is his *click click*

I am thinking another collection is brewing.

Along with a luggage collection... Mr. Hughes found me a great one for my stack.

I will show you once I have a few more.

I worked on a few pieces to take out to the booths the other day....

The Zoey... pretty blue... silver leafed knobs....

And the Carol (Carol, are you reading this?)

I adore this piece... I always think about keeping each and every piece I finish... it always crosses my mind of how I can rearrange everything to make something work.

This piece though, well, I love it!  It would be perfect for baby hughes' big boy room... but he isn't a big boy yet... nope.... no matter what the new haircut says *sniff sniff*

So, I took it out to the booth... someone better take it home before I change my mind.... Mr. Hughes wouldn't want to haul it back... trust me... it isn't a light load

Well, guys and gals... that is all I have....

Bye for now!

Little Etsy Update

Hello Again!  

I don't know that I have ever posted twice in a day...

I finally added some items to ye olde etsy shoppe

Here is a peek!

Okay, I am off to finish up 2 chests that I will show you next week... one of which I really, really don't want to get rid of!! baby hughes is finally napping!  woohoo!

bye for now!