Friday Etsy Favorites *Ladylike*

Hello Friday!  How I love you so!  I am back again with another Friday Etsy Favorites... I hope you all like me shopping for you and spending all your money, because I really do like putting these together.

So, when I was little I got a lot of "Young lady....." and "Act Like a Lady...."  I wasn't exactly a tomboy, but I did dress up like Skeletor for Halloween once (only because they were out of He-Man.)

But, I have gotten girlier and girlier as I have gotten older.  

So, this weeks faves curtsy around being *Ladylike*

This top is the inspiration behind this post.  I adore it and honestly can't tell you why I haven't ordered it. It is precious!  And, may very well be my next purchase from etsy.

found at La Marquise des Anges

This lady likes the sparkly... and this pretty cocktail ring

found at One Garnet Girl

A lady wears an apron and heels....while cleaning... or so I am told.....

I actually have my very own pink apron from this sweet shop, but I thought I would include this green one, so you can clean your house in style!

found at Taras Vintage Kitchen

And, a lady always has fresh soap for her guests.... how great are these?

I really, really want to get these too and I have a couple of bloggy friends that I know these would be  perfect for

found at Satin and Birch

How is this for a twist on traditional pearls?

found at Love Las Muertas

Excuse me, I need to powder my nose....

found at Soapalaya Soaps

This clutch is the perfect size for your lipstick.

found at Track and Field Designs

Gorgeous... love this fascinator and that top too!

found at lilyladyblue

*swoon* love this pretty cameo ring!

found at bommar

And, a lady always says thank you in style... like with these pretty letterpress cards... I love letterpress!

found at Invited Ink

Well, ladies, I have to confess something about my weekend plans.   You are probably going to hate me and hey, I can't blame you.

Mr. Hughes and I are taking a rare date night and going to see 

David Gray (again)

and.....

.......wait for it.....

Ray Lamontagne!

Seriously, I wish I would have caught up with that man and broke his heart so he would have written a song about me.  Love him!  It will be our second time to see both of them, but they are together this time... I am so excited!

And, I am sure we will get into some other shenanigans this weekend.... I may redo our powder room, we'll see!

Happy, happy, happy weekend!

bye for now!

Of Cheerleaders and Child Labor

Hey girls! (let's face it boys... you are a minority around these parts)

I thought I would show you what I took out to the booth this past weekend.  I just gave this stool a quick makeover.

Grey paint and a pretty damask and that is all the Meredith bench needed.

These beauties needed a bit more love....

I should have taken a photo with the previous fabric, but yes, that is Pepto pink you are seeing, not a reflection of a pretty sunset.

Out came the blue and the birdie fabric I had on hand and these became the Emme chairs.  

See those tags?  Yes I am in business.... I wonder if any of you know what those tags are really used for....

My wonderful, creative Mr. Hughes found them and had them made for me.  He is quite resourceful.  And supportive, he is my Cheerleader.  Everyone needs a real Cheerleader, a biggest fan.  I have been lucky to have 2.  Now, I don't mean a supportive girlfriend or someone to vent to... I have those as well, and they are super important too.  No, you need a Cheerleader.  Now, before Mr. Hughes came along, my biggest fan was my Grandma.... granted she was cheering me to find love, not something I love to do, like Mr. Hughes.  Still, it was the same.  Never ending support.  When she passed away, I knew that I had lost my Cheerleader.  Luckily, (probably with a nudge from her up above *wink*) he came along a few months later. I wonder how he feels about being a male Cheerleader..... hmmmmm....

He sticks up for me.  He has my back. He helps me out so much.  Helps me get stuff done.  And, still it doesn't all get done.  Every time someone asks me how I get it all done or if I sleep, I have to laugh.  Seriously.  I don't get it all done.  If you saw my home on most days or my booty in a bathing suit you would get it.  I have priorities and right now dusting or derriere busting hasn't been the top of my list.  I do love me a clean house and firm tush so they are quickly moving on up....

And, when you are short on time and need to get a project finished, it doesn't hurt to employ child labor.

You see, that gentle touch... it is the secret to the finishes on my furniture. Tiny, light sanding strokes.  Also, if you notice what we call the "final step"  in the background... 

.... that's right, a Thomas Train. It is essential. Before any of my furniture leaves, it is perfectly weathered by well placed and thought out train wheel tracks. 

So, when you are suffering from Icantgetitdoneitis, just make sure you have a Cheerleader and a little child labor.

I will be back tomorrow with a Friday Etsy Faves!

Bye for now!

ps.  PLEASE Department of Labor, please don't take my baby hughes.... he just likes to help out.  I pay him in Thomas Trains and Goldfish and he only works as long as his attention span will let him.  

oh, and why didn't anyone warn me that Thomas Trains are really expensive?!?

oh and I do brush his hair...

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!