Paper Cut (no, keep reading, it's a good thing!)

Sooooooooooo, it's super early on a Saturday and I'm up.  Why?  Well first of all it's the only time I have to myself all week and second, because I'm going to a Boot Camp class at 8.  On a Saturday.  Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.  I'd sure like to skip but my friend Kate promised bodily harm if I miss it and leave her there alone, so I'll go.  Ugggggggghhhhhhh.  Ok, well onto other fun things.

So last weekend when I had a few hours to go Estate Saling and such with my friend Sam, I happened upon a new store in Louisville called Paper Source. It's awesome girl store kind of place with wrapping paper in single sheets from all over the world.  They have handmade papers from India, Asia, Europe, and it's amazing how much prettier that kind of thing is compared to the shiny, think junk you wrapped your Aunt Ethel's birthhday present in. 

I could have stayed forever as my mind churned on what you could do with these beauties, but before I left I cam across a fantabulous modern, colorful, graphic paper that I had to have.  It was called "Pixel" (yess, these papers are fancy enough to have names).  And although it has a fancy name, it didn't have a fancy price - this baby cost all of $4.30 with tax.  This is the paper I fell for:

Isn't she pretty!  So when I got home (immediately, duh) I found an old frame I had in my basement.  My office had recently purged a bunch of old junk and I was the recipient of a bunch of outdated inspiration posters, but the frames still have some miles on 'em.  So, framed that baby write on up and voila!

Here are a couple pix (get it!) from further away.

I'm really happy with how this turned out, and over the moon about the price.  I've put my new art piece over my prized snow globe collection.  Read more about that here.  Seriously, give this a try.  Check out a store like Paper Source that has these kinds of papers and frame 'em up.  Take with you a list of standard frame sizes which will help you frame it less expensively.  I plan to do another project like this SOON for my master bedroom redesign.  But, you'll have to wait and see (see, that was me trying to get you wanting more - did it work?).

Have a great weekend, off to Crap Camp and then I'm sure I'll do some picking, more on that later. (see, I did it again, you want more right!)

Treasure Hunt - first installment of great shops around town!

Soooooooooooo, I'm going to every-so-often feature some great shops around town on this blog.  This week I'm starting with the best  . . . . . hmmm, what do you call it, "Resale Store" in town?  It's very hard to explain Crescent Hill Trading Company, located in Louisville KY.  It has amazing antique furniture, collectibles, art, vintage kitchen and decor items, bar items and lots more.  Owner Kathy Schmitt does a fantastic job to ensure there is a great mix of items.   Things are very reasonably priced, and she always stocks fun and unique things that you just can't find in a regular antique store.  There are always plenty of humor in her items, like the box of old black & white photos you can purchase with a sign that says: "Instant Relatives."  Her vintage collection boasts a ton of items that can plucked from the shelves and put in your home for just the right touch.  It's like she's already done the picking for you!  Plus, the inventory is always changing.  She often posts new items to her CHTC Facebook Page so you can be alerted if she's got something in that you can't live with out. 

Check out a few of the items I saw on Saturday:

Enamel top table

Cool stool/stepstool (flip up seat)



Glass front cabinet with doors



Marble-top side tables

Vintage 60's swivel chair

Great doggie



Super cool glasses with gold accents,
I know my mom had these!

Vintage soakies (available in the
shop or in CHTC's Etsy shop)

So, as you can see it's a treasure chest of great, fun, and unique vintage pieces for your home.  And I'll end this post with my FAVE item I saw on Saturday, this picnic cooler.  It's Uh.Maze.Ing!  I can so see this on the buffet in my dining room during parties to hold wine, bottled beer, or just ice for drinks.  I've been obsessing about it since I saw it, that means it shall be mine - but if I know that place, it's already gone.  Wish me luck!

Around the GLOBE

Sooooooooo, since I was newly married (eh hem, 12 + years ago - I know I don't look old enough!), I began collecting snow globes.  High end, musical, collectible snow globes you ask - heck no.   I love the plastic, cheapo (it's a word) kind.  I started getting them on trips to Gulf Shores, AL, Chicago, IL, etc. 

Well, what happens when you start a collection of affordable items is that people start buying them for you from EVERYWHERE.  Now I have over 100 snow globes from all over the world.  For years I didn't really have a place to store these gems, but my wonderful Aunt Patty (more about her some other time) gave me a vintage shelf/glass-front cabinet and I thought BINGO, that's where I'll put 'em all.  So I did.  See . . . . This is a fantastic piece with great glass doors notched for opening and great legs.  

I loved the cabinet and that I finally got to showcase my collection, but it left me a little blech because I felt like you didn't really see the globes very well.  So, I decided to add some paper to the back.  I simply used double-sided tape squares (like for scrapbooking) and applied an adorable houndstooth wrapping paper to the back of the cabinet.  This took all of 15 minutes and had such a great result.  It's an awesome transformation. 

 

Try this on a china cabinet or even a regular book shelf to give something a nice dose of personality and to help your what-nots stand out better.  You can use wrapping paper, scrapbook paper or even wallpaper.  LMK if you give it a try!

My sistah-from-another-mistah (well from Cleveland anyway)

Check out the awesome blog by Shannon Gabor called Vintage Restyled.  I was "introduced" to her by my friend Jody at work, who said, "I have a friend from Cleveland (her hometown) who does all that crap you do."  So, we hooked up via email and have been chatting nonstop!  She runs a successful booth at an antique mall in Cleveland and has given me priceless information on that type of biz - which by the way is my next step.  She is the grasshopper. She has a great blog with awesome redo ideas.  LOVE HER!  Check out some of her great work.  She's super-talented at distressed furniture.

 

Swell indeed!

So came across another designer/redo-er via Facebook and reached out to her.  Well what do you know, she and I were in the same graduating class at our highschool!  Small world (especially if you're Catholic and from Louisville KY, more on that some other time!)   Check out my friend Kristen Davis from Swell Dwellings based in New Albany, IN.   She does amazing upholstery work with a very artful eye.  Check out these chairs, love the fabric placement!  What an amazing transformation.  Kristan purchased this chair at Crescent Hill Trading Company based in Louisville, KY - a great place for vintage finds at an affordable price.  I have the best hometown - EVER.

Don't know what you got, til it's gone (and other things 80's hairbands really said well)

Went to day two of an estate sale yesterday, everything was half price - SCORE!  I went on Saturday, but knew that items would be half price the next day.  It's a gamble to wait, but I'm so totally super-cheap, it's just how I roll.  I had my eye on two super-sturdy wood chairs (originally marked $5 each), two lamps (marked $5 each), and these two beautiful candleabras (so fun to say, right?) that were marked $20 each (OUCH). 

I can't explain the anxiety and butterflies in my tummy when I drive back on day two of an estate sale.  That's when I realize what item(s) I really wanted the day before - it's just like Cinderella (the band, not the princess) said, "you don't know what you got, til it's gone."  So, that's when I truly realize what I had my heart set on. 

It opened at 1pm and I rolled in about 1:05, this is SUPER LATE for Yard Sale/Estate sale standards.  Saw a bunch of folks inside when I got there that I'm pretty sure are thrift store or antique mall booth owners.  They have a purpose about them, a "get out of my way or I'll run your little weekend warrior ass over" look about them.  I've learned not to be intimidated, don't let them push you around! 

Well, long story short (too late), ALL of my items were still available!  So, I purchased the two wood chairs for $5 total, and one candleabra for $10.  Half Price - LOVE IT and saved $15.  I didn't buy both candleabras like I wanted, but only wanted to spend about $15 at the sale.  The lamps would have been a nice to have, but I was OK to pass.  I was originally going to spray the candleabra glossy black, but kind of like the patina it has now, so we'll see.  And these chairs are going to have a major make-over.  Yes, I know, the anticipation is killing you!

Pretty darn good day (if you're a yard sale and junk nerd like me)

Pretty darn good day today.  Kids slept until 8:30.  Sat and drank coffee until 10:30 without much to do (this never happens).  Went to my 8 year old's basketball game where he almost fouled out (again).  He finished his first football season shortly before basketball season and is having a tough time figuring out how they are different.  My husband has nicknamed him "The Enforcer."  Then onto the really fun part of the day!

Fun junkin' with my neighbor - we hit an OK estate sale.  We arrived fairly late, weren't in love with anything.  Did see a very cool collection of vintage board games in prime condition. They also had some windsor chairs for $5 each that I kind of wish I purchased now, but the good news is - tomorrow everything will be half price.  If I was meant to have them, they'll still be there and for $5 for the pair!  We then hit one of my favorite shops in town, Crescent Hill Trading Company  and even got to chat with the sweet and charming owner, Kathy Schmitt.  She had the garage door open and as usual, there were a million wonderful things to adore.  We then hit a couple other great places like S. Bayly Boutique and Lotsa Pasta (duh, shopping makes you hungry).  Then an unexpected stop a new store at the Vogue shops called Paper Source.  HINT - new project coming from this trip!

I'll share my pix of today's fun trip later this weekend.

And now off to watch the SAINTS beat the Lions.  WHO DAT WHO DAT WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!  (PS - although I've not spoken of my affiliations thus far, I am a big Saints Fan, the hubs is from Nola.  However, my heart's #1 love is the GREEN BAY PACKERS, but I can't watch them tonight because they have a bye.  Hmmm.  Being 15-1 is tough).