Friday finds

5" X 7"

After an evening with teenager "drama" and a cranky toddler, I think, "Etsy take me away...".

Actually, my evenings are pretty smooth but I still enjoy a little wishlisting in my quiet moments.

In yesterday's post I showed you my $7 tortoise shell tray. If you like you can get a set of six in the original box for $16 HERE

10" x 7"

All of these trays were intended for snacking and if you are looking for a chic snack tray (that might be an oxymoron) the larger version is HERE

I got a little tortoise shell crazy. Some items are antique, courtesy of Mr. Turtle and also very expensive. Most is vintage faux shell, like this mirror for $15 HERE

If you search "tortoise shell"  you will end up with a lot of sunglasses too.

This fetching little box is $10 HERE and as of 6am EST the seller had a lovely rond one too.

 I love this elegant comb and case. It has an elegant price tag too. $48 HERE

This brooch really tempted me. HERE

This vase had me intrigued HERE

but...

 I found this set of tumblers and couldn't get them out of my mind, They will make a very chic set of vases on MY table.

Sorry, I just bought them.

Does online fantasy or real shopping "take you away"?

Friday finds: fabric

Chiang Mai Dragon

HERE

I guess I am a little slow on the uptake. It never dawned on me that Etsy would be a good source for vintage and designer fabric. It is in the category "Supplies" which seemed like a much more boring category, so I never gave it any thought or explored until yesterday.

Vintage fabric fat quarters

HERE

The vintage fabric that I found really took me back to my childhood, reminding me of the smell freshly laundered sheets, open windows, and the sound of locusts in the summer. Pretty heady.

I just don't really have a project idea so I have not bought any.

Lee Jofa Ikat

HERE

 Much of the fabric comes in small amounts that lends itself to pillow making.

Schumacher silk damask

HERE
 

High end fabric abounds as does the grooviest of groovy vintage fabric.

HERE

Lilly Pulitzer

HERE

I had the idea to recover the much hated Indian pouf in a more pleasing fabric and I think Etsy might be the best source for something unusual.

With that idea, I went in search of more Ikat fabric and found a trove of real, woven not printed authentic Ikats.
The ones I am showing came from this shop.

 There are other sellers too. I found one with a pure silk multicolor chevron or flamestitch that was gorgeous but I can't seem to find it now.

Etsy seller Samarkand11 has many of these woven silk and cotton pieces. They are only 16-18 inches wide so they will not work for my pouf but I was thinking of a tablerunner--perhaps the easiest project there is.

A Friday trip

On Friday morning I had the urge to purge ... my closet. 

I also thought of a few other things that I was on the hunt for and a quick trip to neighborhood stores turned into a minor trek to Ikea.

 Ikea is about 40 minutes away without traffic.

So, armed with my camera and lollipops (they buy a lot of 2 year old time) I headed out.

 It must have been the blue words and yellow arrows that confused me. It's not like I've never been there before but I went the wrong way. Not only did I skip the second floor showroom but I grabbed a weird and totally wonky wheeled cart.

The plan was to look at and feel a LACK side table to guess whether it could be painted.

I also wanted storage solutions--remember the urge to purge.

In all of my brain dead, seriously dumbass stupor, I forgot my camera until I got to lighting.

The saving thought was that I needed to run a few options by my husband.

Duuuuuuh.

Right about here I stopped idiot drooling and woke up.

I liked this pendant but have concerns about keeping it clean.

Love but not enough light for my kitchen table.

I looked at so many things and went away with thoughts on...

these ready made linen curtains that would work in my bedroom for $50 a pair.

Interesting aside-- for us "hang 'em high drapery snobs" Ikea  finishes the tops of all curtains (most bottom out at 98 inches) but leaves the bottoms undone. Also for the non-sewing folks they include iron-in hem tape.

Still a tad short for those that prefer a proper 4 inch doubled hem, but it beats the crap out of useless 84 inch curtains.

I also found many lighting ideas that need to be revisited with the hubster in tow.

I recalled O'verlays but could not recall which items they were compatible with.

Double DUH!

It was rather tiring.

But here is what I came home with.

An array of containers to liberate my closet from "dreaded droop" or my name for stacks of clothing and unmentionables that begin to slide about after a week or two and appear droopy.

Tell me this candlestick isn't groovy! I just wish it were orange.

This huge 21 x 21 frame. I used it to frame a vintage Vera scarf.

It was meant for the 2 year old's room but it has become a happy welcome when coming in the garage entrance.

I have another scarf I would like to frame too.

Ikea has frames and then there are real Ikea frames. The former are suited for and displayed in store as a great way to frame giant kid art. The latter are more on par with something you might buy at Bed,Bath and Beyond.

My 21 x 21 frame was only eight bucks but I wanted to make sure I liked it before I went hog wild.

I bought these for the 14 year old girl's room. Two windows at $14.99 each. Yay!

 I neglected to buy hardware there. 

Stupid. 

Here is the one very smart purchase.... drumroll...

Somehow in the midst of all that yellow and blue signage I missed the kid area that I promised my little miss.

In my drooling search for LACK tables in the warehouse before the checkouts I saw this cutie for $14.99!!!!!

Santa should be so smart. 

She hasn't stopped playing with it but to sleep or eat.

Bonus for me, it folds flat in literally 2 seconds so I can stash it when I want to be all cool,  like I don't have kid stuff in my house.
I think I am headed back today.

The top ten "scores!" of 2011

Some are posting their favorite rooms and some are posting our favorite posts but here are my top "scores" of 2011. By "score" I mean a unique and most likely inexpensive find for my home.

Number 10.
Antique chandeliers:  2 for $500.

I know five hundred bucks is a lot of cash but when you look at the boring, mass-produced stuff at Home Depot and the like, this was a bargain.

Number 9

Three vintage Vera scarves. I think they were $6 each. This pink one will be a part of my youngest daughter's room, either framed or as a pillow.

Number 8.

My vintage Henckel Harris dining room chairs at $125 per chair. That's less than Pottery Barn prices folks.

They are in pristine condition, meaning no nicks or scufsf on the legs from use.

I think they must have been in one of those houses where they never use the dining room.

Number 7

Well you saw it in the last picture too. It is this antique Oriental rug. It is about 11 feet by 13 1/2 feet and was all of $350 on eBay.

Number 6

Ok, its a little trendy, but it is my style and I won't grow tired of this garden seat that I got for around $90 from Overstock.com. They are often much more.

Number 5

This vintage Bombe chest came from the same great antique dealer in Culpeper, Virginia. It was deal at $375.

Number 4 is a category--art

by Linda Monfort

I built an art collection this year or at least began one. Some of what I bought was expensive, some not.

Here is a peek.

Number 3

 Ballard mirror for $2 at a thrift store.
I know, right!!?

Number 2

I am not sure that this totally counts since I did not spend any money on it but I felt darn lucky and that's what this is all about.
Last August Meg from Pigtown-Design hosted a giveaway that I won. Two amazing antique fish knives and  Mark Hampton's  On Decorating.

Drum roll please...

This year's Number 1 score  a Chez Kerry is

Tons of Brunschwig and Fils fabric for a pittance.

I was initially upset at my haste in buying this fabric for $20. I thought it was a waste since it did not work where I planned for it. As I examined it further I realized that I had enough yardage to accomplish many things on my list. I also realized that the retail price was at least $325 per yard-- at best and I had more than three yards all together.

It has become many things, not the least of which is the chinoiserie addition to my rather masculine dining room.

I also scored a few yards of the ark of the covenant Le Lac for $30.

I don't have a plan for it yet. 

The anti score.....

or the most expensive, semi-functional thing I have purchased in recent memory

And wouldn't ya know the most expensive thing I buy, everyone in the house hates except me.

Have a great New Year!
I hope you "score" big in 2012

Friday finds - late edition

Etsy why do you taunt me?

After receiving a shocking cell phone bill, courtesy of my two teens, here are a few lovely items that I will not be buying but you can.

  Pair Stiffel lamps $399 HERE

So cute. HERE

 I need you Ben Seibel candle holders--sob sob. HERE

These pastel salt cellars have Spring written all over them but would make a elegant way to serve jams or other condiments individually any time of the year. HERE
 Have a lovely weekend.