Hallmark Hallway!

I am totally obsessed with our updated hallway! We are so excited about our open living and dining room too, but this hallway has had a dramatic facelift. I apologize in advance that I dont have a complete hallway before picture! Im my defense I didnt know I would be so happy and excited about the hallway enough to do a whole blog posting about it!
Before; 1980's globe hall light fixture:




Before; 1980's parquet flooring:



And more before; carpet, chipped baseboards, and parquet:



After; new industrial light, wood floors and tall fresh painted baseboards:


Also notice paint color change and white painted doors!
1980's before:


Updated after:


I'm obsessed! It's still 1 single light but much brighter and more beautiful!

Frank Lloyd Wright Weekend!

I have always been a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fan and a few years ago I was in Arizona for work and we were put up in The Biltmore Hotel. This was an amazing hotel that opened in 1929 where Frank Lloyd Wright oversaw the design and construction. 

Arizona Biltmore History

It has an amazing entrance and lobby area. There are also little bungalows that were added later to the property that were so cute. You could really see the influence that FLW had over this property.

What added to this amazing place was the landscaping! Poppy's, cactus, orange trees were everwhere:

During the trip I took myself out to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and instructional school. From the website:

"Frank Lloyd Wright began building this desert masterpiece in 1937 as his personal winter home, studio, and architectural campus. Located on the beautiful Sonoran desert in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in northeast Scottsdale, the site offers a broad range of guided public tours. Visitors experience firsthand Wright’s brilliant ability to integrate indoor and outdoor spaces."

  

  This place still operates as an artictectural school and most of the rooms are still functional as classrooms, dining rooms, and boarding rooms.

 Again, the landscaping was amazing. It also helped that my whole entire trip to Arizona (in January), there was not 1 single cloud in the sky. The sky was this amazing blue color. None of these photos have been touched up or enhanced in any way.

 We also got to tour the inside of the buildings. These chairs were original designs. He built most of the interiors out and designed all of the furniture. Its so interesting to me to design everything within the house as well:
"Wright's creative mind was not confined to architecture.  He also designed furniture, fabrics, art glass, lamps, dinnerware, silver, linens and graphic arts."

 All over the property were these "sprites" seen below, designed by Wright. They were so pretty and whimsical.

 There were a ton of little gardens and spots throughout the property. They all were meaningful and related to the area.

 I loved my trip to Taliesin! I have also seen several other buildings designed by Wright. Look for their entries in future posts!

Oh Lord!

It is Jade-ite AND it's mini!! I'm in love! Maybe someone will purchase for my b-day!? **hint*hint**

- Swiss Avenue

Flour Sack It!

I've been eyeing these flour/feed sack pillows for some time now from Wisteria. I want to use them as chair cushions for my new dining room chairs. (I got them for my birthday!! Thanks Mom!!)

Wisteria

The lumbar, smaller size, pillow is exactly what I want, but I cannot bring myself to pay for the insanity. They originally cost $149.00 EACH!! They are now on sale at $74.50 each. Still ridiculous!

So I'm on a mission to make these things for a fraction of that... Stay tuned...

Dining Room Chairs

I just asked for some Tolix aka Marais AC chairs for my birthday! I have been in LOOOOVVE with them for forever now. I thought they would look so nice around my dining room table.  Technically they are outdoor garden chairs, but I think with a cute cushion they could be really nice dining room chairs.

Here is an original French ad for the antique outdoor garden chair:

Can I tell you how this antique French ad made me love them even more!

Well they are ridic expensive, especially the antique originals. I stumbled across the blog Thirteen and South who talked about the knock offs they found for a fraction of the price!! Im no chair snob so of course I love the knock offs and the knock off price ($99)!

I have a dark wood table like the one below so I thought they would look perfect! Imagine this scene below with little cute (possibly hand sewn) cushions.

Pic from Thirteen and South

So maybe I shouldn't be dreading this upcoming (30th) birthday after all! Ha ha! Just kidding, chairs aren't gonna make me feel any younger!

Hilar!!

Jenna just turned me on to Catalog Living and Im seriously laughing out loud! It is a satire on the funny still lifes that make up home catalogs like Pottery Barn and Ethan Allen. It is hilarious! Please visit this site! You won't be sorry!

"While Gary and Elaine were in the kitchen getting popcorn, the brave yellow sweater attempted its escape."

 

5 Days!

5 days until we are here: Kits in Vancouver- close to where Sister Smelly lives.

This was a live shot from the web came today. Check out the live web cam here!

We will also be here in English Bay: Sunny and warmish right now. (65 degress currently.)

Another live shot of the web cam from today. Check out live web cam here!

English bay with many sail boats at sunset.

English Bay Sunset

So excited! We cannot wait for this vacation!

Love Letters!

I'm LOVING these letters.

You can buy the whole alphabet in note cards at Laughing Elephant!

Maybe something useful for wedding time? Hummmm...

They also have these Art Deco cards that I want, I want, I want, I need, I need!

And this is just making my heart bleed...ouch. We talked about going to Capri for a honeymoon. Money wise probably can't swing it, so I'll just have to look at this wood sign and daydream instead!

Wouldn't this Little Bo Peep wooden sign be so sweet for a babies room? I love it!

I love it and want it all!!

22 Days!

22 days until our vacation. I seriously cannot stand it! I am so excited to be going to Penticton. I was born there almost 30, gag, years ago! I have been going back every summer since!

View from Munson Mountain

Penticton has a peach on the beach where you can get the best peach juice!

Penticton Peach

Penticton also has tons and tons of vinyards, for more adult kinds of beverages.

Penticton Vinyard

It also has my most favorite restaurant in the world: Theos where Greek food is at its finest!

22 Days and COUNTING! We will also be in Vancouver visiting Smelly for the first leg of the journey. Then we will all together drive to Penticton! It's a dream come true! I cannot wait!

Art Deco Brooch Obsession Part 2

I told y'all I was obsessed!! I bought another vintage art deco brooch on ebay today... I'm totally addicted. Description reads: Vintage Rhinestone Silver Brooch 1940s. I love these so much!

I actually have a really really really good use for these, I promise, Im not just hoarding! (My use will soon be revealed so check back soon! Its a surprise!)

This first photo below is the one I just purchased on ebay. (Both photos credited to ebay). The second is the brooch I purchased yesterday. These were both well under $20 each.

It makes a nice collection with the one I bought yesterday! Check it out here.

Art Deco Brooch Obsession Part 1

I'm recently obsessed with these Art Deco Brooches that I sumbled across in an antique store. I couldn't stop thinking about them! So I recently just purchased one on ebay! The description says it is: Rhodium Art Deco Brooch with set crystal rhinestones. Northern Bohemia cca. 1920´s

I am so in love and I can tell that this is going to be the first of many! (Hence the Part 1 in the title.) I couldn't stop thinking about them! So I recently just purchased one on ebay! I am so in love and I can tell that this is going to be the first of many!

I love everything about this brooch! The lines the that make it so art deco! My new obsession!

 

Salt for Christmas?

Yes, I gave my friends salt for Christmas. Does it have a deeper traditional meaning, you ask? A metaphor to represent the night Joseph gave Mary a salt dried hunk of lamb right before she gave birth to baby Jesus? No, blasphemy! I totally made all that up, plus you can't eat meat on Christmas Eve!

Ok, that was weird, but I think my salt gifts looked really cute!

First I started with all this stuff below. (Which is a scary picture considering my hoarding past. Or I mean my past, present, and future. I swear these were all gifts! I will give them all away, all except the one blue one that I'm keeping. God I'm sick in the head.)

It is a Martha Stewart mess! Tiny metal colanders in vintage blue and yellow colors and salt cellars in flower and leaf shapes! Oh and don't forget the Martha Stewart signature magnets!

So here's where I put the salt and pepper. I thought what else could go with salt cellars??

Then I wrapped it all up in cellophane and tied a ribbon! Cute right?

Oh, and don't forget the magnet I attached to the front! It stuck to the metal colander!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Tin Angels!

My mom and I are frequent craft fair goers and here is the latest from Coppell High School Christmas Craft Fair. WARNING- Some hoarding commenced here. Turn away if you are under the age of 13.

We stopped at the best craft booth I have ever seen. A husband and wife team create the most unique and fabulous angels out of "junk" that I have ever seen.

They use everyday items like old dominos to creat the bodies. On this particular one there were wooden wings and wooden legs  and old keys for heads. All attached by hand with wire.

I absolutely love the legs on this one made out of an old ruler. They have used an old keyhole and brooch for the body and drawer pulls for the head.

There were also letters from old printing press blocks.

This was an old hardback book with a spoon for the head!

They also used old scrabble pieces to spell out a special message!

I was so lucky to buy some of these beauties and bring them home with me!

These babes are made out of antique tins, from tobacco to oil.

This tin is  a Monarch Cocoa Tin! I love the rust on it!

I have a family member with the last name Stewart so they are getting this one for Christmas! It is a metal lid from a jar!

This oval shaped tin I think is my favorite! It is a Mellomints tin and these pictures do not do these babies justice.

Side Mellomints tin view. Notice the 10 cents!

Back view of the Mellomints tin. All attached with wire and screws.

The legs are priceless on this one. Made from an old ruler.

Prince Albert Tobacco tin. I love the look of the tin.

Another old tobacco tin. Raleigh Tobacco.

I cannot tell you how much I love these. Im considering giving some of these as Christmas gifts this year but the hoarder in me just wants to keep them all and hang them some where to watch over my home!

Don't forget to enter into my Holdiay Giveaway!