Friday Etsy Favorites *Punch*

Good Morning!  Hope you are all wonderful!  I have been feeling all kinds of blogetsybooth love lately. Thanks so much!  It really truly does mean alot.  When Sweet Tara stroked my ego the other day, she gave me an idea... one that many people are already doing, but I told her that I would call it my "Original" idea... *wink*  I am going to share a few items every Friday directly from my etsy favorites or my favorite shops.  I will try to theme them, but it will probably end up being a mish mash of what I love.  

This week, since it is my first one, I do have a theme.... Punch.  As in bright, punchy color!

like this necklace... I love bright, fun necklaces with simple white tops

Found at Tamar

Here is another bright, floral necklace...

Found at luxedeluxe

How about this tangerine clutch?  I have really started loving *orange*

Found at a touch of stardust

What is better than a bike?  Well, an aqua bike... and better than that... it is diagrammed in espanol (sorry, I never know how to put the ~ over the n)

Found at bittersugar

I adore buntings.... and ones that are made from oil cloth?  Perfection!!

Found at Lady Goes to Market

And, finally, something I have been lusting after for awhile, one of Tara's ruffly burlap runners.  And, I will have one... once my monster stops ripping table cloths and napkins off the table.  I AM going to special order one for my sister's new house.  This one is so bright and fun!

Found at TarasVintageKitchen

There you have it!  My favorite bright summery items from etsy.
Bye for now!

Out The Door

We have a fun day planned.  We (the Mr, baby and I) are going to the booth at the Roost to do a little update and I thought I would show you what I have done with my time off... since I can't exactly show you photos of my messy house or my flower beds that very much need weeding...it was on the list, it just didn't make the cut.  It will happen though.  I have priorities and I choose fun... 

And, I had a good time putting this stuff together.  You have already seen the Holly chairs, they are going with us today.  And, this table I named Emilie... why, not sure... but I like it when Emilys spell their name Emilie.  I put these little metal embroidery hoops that we got because we liked their patina to use to hold bits of scraps and other vintageness.

Since I put together this little terrarium/conservatory combo with a vintage starburst pan (I LOVE these... why did they stop making them?)  I have been imagining keeping it here... but I have one that Mr. Hughes made me, so I don't want too much of a good thing,  right?

And, someone may just need to take the blue paint and the silverleaf away from me.... I need to pick another color to obsess over!  This little clock is waiting for Mr. Hughes to get his lazy head out of bed and put the movement in it.

After we are finished with the set up, baby hughes and I are going to meet a sweet friend and her boys for some frozen yogurt and maybe a little retail therapy. So, a pretty fun day.

And, here is a little history/ gossip for you on this wonderful Wednesday morning. Let me start by saying that I have a few women who are my style/fashion icons, my go to ladies for inspiration... they can do no wrong. And, as cliche as it may be to say Audrey Hepburn, she is my #1. Well, I recently read (and this could be totally fabricated) that she was quite superstitious and insisted that her dressing room door be marked with the number 55. So, my little stool is a small tribute to Miss Hepburn.

Oh, and I almost forgot to rub it in (teehee) but I won The Lettered Cottage Stella and Dot giveaway!

I don't know all the details yet, but I will show you what I chose once I get it.

Well, I need to go get those lazy boys of mine out of bed so we can get this fun started!

Bye for now!

ps... I think I want to get one of those signature lines... I need to google how to do it... my name is Michelle

Paid Time Off

Is there anything greater?  I have been off since last Wednesday.  I found out that I would be taking this little vacation a little too late to plan anything, so I have been hanging out with Mr. Hughes (who runs his business from home) and baby hughes (who runs his bookie business from the house... he specializes in horses.)

 I have been busy creating new items for the booth and for my etsy shop and for baby hughes upcoming 2nd birthday party.  This is one of my favorite things about being a mom... little kid birthday parties.  Now this year, we won't as big as we did last year for his 1st birthday, but I still want it to be special.  I will tell you the theme is owls (of course) and I will also let you know that it is against Tennessee State Law to bring a live owl to a birthday party. Just so you know.

Here are a few of the things I have been working on....

I had a couple of these antique mahogany side chairs that we bought years ago as part of a lot.  They had seen better days so I have worked this weekend on giving them a little perky makeover....

I used a pretty blue paint and sweet birdie damask, added new trim and the pair looks fantastic, if I do say so myself.  They ( the Holly Chairs... I played around with Bertie, but it felt too obvious) will be going to the booth along with a table this week... I am not ready to say goodbye to Tara yet.  I got them finished just in time as I sold the Jacqueline chest today.  So I will be headed over there on Wednesday to do a major overhaul of my little space.

I have had some requests for some burlap lampshades, so I have added a few styles to my etsy shop.  I am using vintage frames, so I will make them as I find interesting shapes and styles.  

I also have added some screen printed flour sack towels.  Mr. Hughes had a screen burned for this ages ago, and we finally got around to making them when I opened the booth.  

And, here is something that I found that I adore, but I went ahead and decided to list it... just because you can't keep everything and because I like to share the vintage love *wink*

oooh, how I love vintage birdcages... especially in blue.  I figured if the Tara chest is staying with us for awhile longer, I could stand to part with this blue beauty!

Well, I hope each and every one of you Americans had a great Fourth.  And, I hope all of my International friends had a wonderful weekend.  I hope to be back later this week with a booth update and maybe some photos of an updated bedroom.... I have one more day off and a whole house to clean... but I am hoping that I can get our bedroom to a finished for now state

What I am Doing Tonight

enough said.

New Booth Piece and Why it Will Cost $50 More

hello there!  I put the finishing touches on  a piece that I am working on to replace the current chest that is in my booth should it sell... I need to have backups with my small space, otherwise everything will be on the floor! Did I tell you that I name my pieces?  I figure if I am up close and personal with them, they might as well have a name.  So, since I was totally inspired by this sweet girl's redo of this piece, and by inspired, I mean I pretty much copied her *wink* I thought it would be fitting to name the piece after her....

 So, Meet Tara...

Lovely and sweet with her perfect shade of blue....

Her layers of character worn proudly....

Perfectly accessorized....

And, just as pretty on the inside with vintage map drawer liners...

 I love special ~just for you~ pretty things....

I rearranged the entry to welcome her while she stays here.  Actually, I think I will have a hard time letting go of this one...doesn't it look perfect with baby hughes' owl pillow?

And, speaking of that rascal, let us go back to the other day while we were working on this chest (you can go make yourself a drink and come back... this may take awhile...)

Well, I was outside sanding down the drawer where we filled in the holes from the old hardware and my two guys peaked their heads out the door... baby hughes had a *surprise* for me which is code for poop.  Somehow there is this unspoken agreement (that I never agreed to) that if I am at home and we have a dirty diaper situation, then I am in charge of it... whatever, I took care of it and asked Mr. Hughes to keep sanding while I was changing the stink. So, I set the rascal down to go out on the deck to switch places with Mr. Hughes ( I was less than 2 steps away from the child on the other side of the glass.) 

Then I heard it....

*click*

What was that.... do you have the keys... no... what about your wallet, the key that you keep in your wallet because you have locked yourself out..... no, I don't have my wallet..... cell phone.... no...

OH NO!!!

That sweet, precious little monster of ours locked us out of the house, flipped the deadbolt.  I knew he could do this of course, he is a giant baby and very resourceful.  But, I have always been inside when he flips it back and forth, back and forth.  But, not this time.  I begged him... please flip it back and tapped the deadbolt.  He knocked on the door back at me and smiled.  Begged some more... nope.  Said, do you want to go outside (a sure fire way for me to get him to do something.) he nods... and gets excited... okay, then turn the lock and Mommy will take you out and we can play (the whole time, Mr. Hughes is trying to figure out how we can break down the door without hurting baby hughes.)  I could see that the front door deadbolt wasn't locked, so Mr. Hughes went up front and rang the doorbell to see if the boy would open the door for him (he loves the doorbell.)  Nope, stayed by the back door close to me with a wary look on his face.... this is the child who does not know a stranger... always asking strangers for hugs and to be held....

Then, we realized, this isn't working.... baby hughes went further in the house where we couldn't see him.  I ran next door and begged my neighbor for a phone and a phone book.  Mr. Hughes got our regular (yes, regular, Mr. Hughes has locked himself out more than once) locksmith.  I hear him tell the locksmith... No sir, I can't ask him to let us back in, he is 2.  Please hurry. 

So, Mr. Hughes goes back up front to wait for him and I talk to baby hughes through the door.... no!  don't jump on that chair..... NO!! do NOT unplug that... okay....NONONO!!!  do not plug it back in!!!

He drinks the last of his juice and throws the cup at the window... obviously ticked that I am not filling it back up.

Then he comes up to the door and holds his chubby little hands out to me like

Mommy, pick me up, I want you... 

*heartbreaking*

Then, my sweet old man savior came to the back with my husband and started messing with the door.... baby hughes was sitting at the kitchen table very calm and gives that man his perfect smile.  A couple of minutes later

*click*

YES!  I almost pushed the locksmith over getting to my baby.  I hugged him, I kissed him... 

I put him down and he starts digging in the locksmith's tools..... oh baby hughes....

The guy left after we paid him $50 (no, I am not really charging more for the chest)

and I grabbed my baby again and bawled my eyes out so thankful that he was okay, that it hadn't been worse.

I had two large margaritas that night.  Extra salt.

If you would like to see other furniture transformations, hop on over to visit Holly at Life in the Fun Lane