Favorite Furniture Finds

Hello again!  Today I am sharing a few Favorite Furniture Finds that some other bloggers sent to me... Thanks so much ladies!  You guys are in for a real treat, a real treat (just finished reading Water for Elephants... loved it... now everything has a circus spin to it...)

First up we have Cassie from Primitive and Proper.  She says this about one of her favortite pieces (she has bunches... including a great aqua chest that she just redid)

I have tons of refinished furniture i would love to share, but I just finished this one, so it is my most recent favorite... even my husband likes it for whatever that is worth! 

So take a look at her piece:

How great is that dark grey?!?

Next up is Sara from Everyday Life with the Nevilles.  She has been working on a piece and she recently told me its name is Molly.... perfect name for her piece.

Okay - here's my latest project. I painted it, but I still need hardware and I haven't found exactly what I'm looking for yet.

So here her fabulous work in progress:

Before:

and After:

Isn't Molly wonderful?  I love the color and the detail on the glass.  She is holding out for the perfect hardware, but I think this girl already looks very, very chic!

Next is Tara from Blondie 'n' SC.  She always has great makeovers and this is no exception.

Here is what she says about her piece:

Vintage French Secretary Desk~ 

 Found on Craigslist, ugly but had great bones & curves, me likey curves! :)

 hounded the woman who owned it for a week...finally got it down to a price I wanted to pay...

 And she got a makeover and she is one of my most favorite pieces now!!! yahoo!

le Before:

le After:

So pretty!  I LOVE black painted furniture!

Next, here is Laurie from Heaven's Walk.  She has a beautiful makeover... here is what she says:

My vintage pie safe, originally from South Carolina, was purchased at an antique shop in northern Michigan over 25 years ago. In her previous life in my previous home, she tenderly held all my gardening and decor books in my living-dining room area.   

 After painting her in trying to achieve a more 'coastal theme' in my new home (old farmhouse), she is now filled with kitchen goodies like sugar, flour, and spices. 

 She is my favorite piece of furniture in the house, not only because she's now beachy white, but because of her uniqueness!

 Before:

After:

Oh Wow (as baby hughes says!)  What a great difference... it was great before, but painted.... perfection!

Okay, you have seen a few of my favorite makeovers here and here but those were created for others (the Tara is still here... *wink*)

And, I got these before I was blogging, no befores... sorry!

This piece I bought as is...it is an old stereo cabinet that someone gutted and painted.  

We actually bid on it at a Catholic School Silent Auction.... we though no way would we win it.  But we did!  And after a long day of going back and forth with my mom's SUV to pick up this piece and the gigantic TV that rests on top of it, it has been in the same place.  And, it is one of those pieces that we will keep for always.

And another piece from out living room (boy I really wish I had a before on this one... it was ooogly!)

I stalked this piece for months, months, I tell you.  I measured, I obsessed, I whined.  Whined... until one day we had saved enough money in our budget and we made the trip to Nashville to buy it.  I went right to the booth and it was gone

 (now, obviously you know the story has a happy ending since you see the after photos.)

GONE!  Sob... seriously, I think I cried, I really did.  Just a few tears...

Over this piece that Mr. Hughes just could not see pretty.

So, we walked around as I whined... why didn't I buy it when I saw it... WHY?!?

then.... around the corner.... I saw it... it was too ugly to have a twin.... there it was!

I gave it a coat of black paint and bought some new pulls that went well with the marble top.  

And now, it houses our DVDs.  So, both of these pieces are quite useful indeed (and we have been watching Thomas alot... some of you know what I am talking about!)

A big, big thanks to all of those who sent me photos!  If you would still like to send in photos, I will include them in another post.... I know some of you are holding out on me... you know who you are!

I will be back later this week to show you a few pieces that I got ready for the booth this week (*sniff, sniff* Collette went to a new home.)   

Bye for now!

Friday Etsy Favorites *Wool*

Hey there!  It is Friday again and this week all I have been wanting is a little relief from this heat... it is hot!  Now, don't get me wrong I love the summer and will be so sad to see it go, but I am craving some fall weather.  Some boot wearing, crunchy leaves, chilly morning, fall weather.  So, this week's Friday Etsy Favorites are all about *Wool*

like this big wonderful tote... I adore charcoal grey... it hides all kinds of fuzz unlike black!

found at bayou salvage

Look at this cute hat!

Love that big button

found at piper and paisley

get out!  I am loving this bag.... look at the bow!

found at breagha

this sweet little corsage is perfect for your thin little sweaters... or attach it to a headband

found at A Alicia Accessories

tweed and lace... like sweet and salty... my favorite!

found at pookthy

Again with the tweed and lace.... perfect his and hers decorating

found at emma dear

I adore embroidery hoop art and this is no exception... look at the fuzzy lushness

found at dashing etc

mmmm... I love this yummy scarf, I love all things oatmeally and knitted

found at kanokwalee

Scattered fuzzy goodness

found at A Market Collection

I love the unexpectedness of this wreath... so happy and fun!

found at ItzFitz

Another bit of ruffly, grey wooliness

found at that funky boutique

Okay so now would you like to see what I bought off my favorites this week... Mr. Hughes... please don't hurt me *wink*

This little bit of lovlieness... how cute is this?  It will be used on rare date nights and maybe to pop into my larger tote instead of my wristlet that is busting at the seams (with reciepts, not money!)

found at atomique47

And this little number... saw it here (one of my MUST reads) and had to have one.  I had the hardest time deciding between this one and the orange... but my favorite color won! 

found at lilian eve designs

So there you have it!  My etsy lusts this week. 

We are off to my hometown to paint a table for my sis and will probably stop by the booth on the way to fluff!  Then, I am working on some home projects hopefully....

Oh and pretty please email (michelle at vintagejunky dot com) me your Favorite Furniture Finds... there is still time!   No before shots necessary (I have been known to get too excited to take before shots...) I will post them on Monday!

Bye for now! 

A Sliver of Wall

Hello there!  Hope you are all getting along fabulously! Have you ever needed something but you can't put your finger on it.... a space whispers... "fill me."  

Well, I have had a space like that for over 4 years (but, I don't think I have obsessed over it the entire time...) 

You see, there was this spot, under the railing of the stair landing upstairs... a small sliver of wall that framed the exit from the entry/dining and led into the rest of the house.  It needed something. 

 I have had ideas...a skinny mirror... a piece of vintage architectural detail... a really long photograph.... and would find the perfect thing only to find that is would be too big.  

Then, when we were visiting Scarlett one day.... I saw it...I had seen them before...but they never spoke to me the way they did that day...

pssst... take us home...

And I ignored them.

What?  Yes, ignored it and then talked about them all the way home....

well... do you think they will look good....  

do what you want.....

do you think they will fit....

call her and ask her to measure them.....

really... what do you think?

I don't know why you just didn't buy them today.

So, I rushed in and emailed her to ask her to hold them.  And told her I would be by on my lunch the next day to pick them up.  Oh, and asked her if she had any perfectly chippy brackets or corbels, whatever you would like to call them.

She didn't have just what I needed in the brackets, but when I was out fluffing my booth at The Roost, Debbie did.  I knew they would fit when I saw them and they were the perfect greyish whiteish vintageish color.

So, that is my latest dose of creating character in our cookie cutter house.

The wings are reproductions and you can purchase them at Scarlett Scales Antiques.  And, the brackets, well, you are out of luck... they are one of a vintage kind.  But, I bet you could find some that are perfect for your space.

And... guys c'mon... I want to see your favorite pieces of vintage furniture... no "befores" necessary!!

Email them to me with a short story if you have one 

michelle at vintagejunky dot com
I will put the post up Monday

Well, off to change "le poop"
joy!

bye for now!

Look Whoooo's 2!

My sweet little monster turned 2 on Saturday!  Thanks for all the birthday wishes! We had a great, fun birthday party with loads of sugar and laughs!  So, I thought I would share a few dozen photos...

Here we go...

Mr. Hughes always does a chalk drawing for holidays and special days in our family.  

He also painted this sign to let everyone know where the party was...

He just copied the design off the invite that he designed... he really is quite talented *smile*

Here we are peeking out before the party... I didn't let baby hughes see all the decorations so he would be more excited when he did see them...

We hung up some vintage swings that we bought with no forethought...

And I sewed up some pretty silly owls to sit on them to greet our guests.

I created a banner with old book pages and stenciled happy birthday + baby hughes' name (not "baby hughes" hee hhee!)  and you can see a few of the pom poms I made

Originally, we were planning on having the party outside like last year, but it has been HOT!  So, I changed the plans.  I still made the moss table runner and the birch pots like I originally planned, but we lost the hanging branches.  Instead, Mr. Hughes happened upon a little owl garden statue at an antique store and we will be able to use him in our garden.  I am not too much for garden statues (except for pink flamingoes) but this little guy will stay... I like him... the "2" comes off as does the party hat.  I reused the birch pots that I had bought for another little table setting.

We lost out on hanging the branches from out pergola outside, so I brought them in to put on this table with the treat boxes.  When I first put them in the can it looked pretty bare, so Mr Hughes decided it needed owl tag ornaments....

Then I decided that those ornaments would make perfect birthday wish tags.  Each guest who could legibly write penned a birthday wish with quills made by Mr. Hughes. And, just so you don't think it is just yours truly that goes crazy over this kind of stuff, I will tell you that we made a special stop by Scarlett's so he could pick up some antique ink bottles for his quills...

Now, we will keep all the tags in a memory box for the boy.  I truly love how it turned out... much better than hanging branches.  I almost want to leave it up... at least til Halloween.

Next to the wish tree is where we had all the goodie boxes for the younger guests.

Complete with a finger puppet, tootsie roll pop, owl crayon and 

a mini owl terrarium made from baby food jars... the very same jars that held the sweet pototoes and turkey that I used to spoon into his precious mouth... our guests only get the best *wink*

We didn't get the best photos of the living room before the guests started arriving,  but here is a so- so one just to give you an idea of the double bunting action across the present opening area

Our goldfish, *chomp* even got in on the fun...

Now seriously people... have you ever seen anything this cute?  Go buy one!   And, what is even better, is that *chomp* really seemed to like it... started swimming faster and close up to the glass.... hmmmm.... it seems that I am as amused by this as the goldfish is....

And, the living room was filled with lots of pom poms too.  And, about a week before the party, I got this from sweet Tara... (sorry it isn't the best photo.... I haven't been able to practice with those settings that you gave me yet)

Isn't he just the cutest?  baby hughes seems to think he is HIS owl.... but I beg to differ.  I also wore a owl pendant from the same sweet lady, but I think the photos of me are on my aunt's camera.  Oh, did I mention my devilishly handsome husband sported a Woodsy the Owl t-shirt?

And here are 2 of the guests of honor... the black one is Hootie Hoot and the white one is Mr. Owl.  Now, Hootie is the one that started all of this owl frenzy in the Hughes Casa.  Before that, only our address stamp had an owl on it... now we have a pillow and some more sprinkled throughout the house.  But these guys are the most important.  They make up baby hughes' gang or posse if you will (there is also a seahorse and one or 2 dogs depending on the day...)

Now, here is what was probably the centerpiece...

the table with the cupcakes

Books were stacked and folded into pedestals that supported mismatched funky vintage plates

I have had that table cloth for years and it looked perfect.  And, I am pretty proud to say that I made the cupcakes, icing AND those fondant owls from scratch... it was my first time making cupcakes from scratch... I have made other cakes before, but never vanilla cake.  

I also dipped pretzels in white and milk chocolate for candy branches.

Here is the birthday boy trying to sneak an owl early...

later that day, he didn't hesitate to bite the head off one as soon as we let him (after the 3rd time of singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles... he loves attention....)

Well, there it is... there are plenty more party photos.  As it is, I am not quite sure that this has captured the scope of the pom poms that were at the party... I am going to estimate at least 35... they were all over the downstairs, still are, I kind of like them for a few more days.  Our family and friends probably thought we were so nutty... well, they know we are.  We had a wonderful time celebrating this special little boy's life so far.  

So, now you won't have to hear about a party for almost another year... or MAYBE I will start planning next week *evil laugh*

bye for now!

I like to give credit when credit is due, so a special thanks to Rachel who sent me the link to her directions for the pom poms.  
My Owl Barn, a blog that I have been stalking for the past few months for ideas.
Artisan Cake Company for the idea of the fondant cupcake toppers that saved me from ordering a $68.50 cake.
Tara, for her sweet owl gifts... they will be staying out for good!
And, if you missed where I got some of the party essentials, check out this post.


I had a lot of fun doing this party for my little guy, but it wasn't too pricy... if you want to know where I got anything at all, feel free to ask.

oh, and I was asked by Danielle to do a fun guest post... click here to see a page from my day