One of my New Year's Eve to-do list items was to find a large workspace. We've been paying rent on a storage space and a parking spot for the camper, and with the addition of this new studio/storage/camper spot we will actually decrease a bill, which worked out kind of well.
Anyway, so I'm trying to tell you that I rented an airplane hangar. One-third of a hangar, to be precise, which is plenty of space for me.
Funny...My grandfather being one of the first licensed pilots on the country, my father being a pilot...
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I was inspired last week by some folding shopping cart liners I saw online and decided it would be fun to try one myself. I love cruising flea markets on summer mornings and I usually have a folding shopping cart with me, but I hate that smaller items fall through the large holes in the frame. I've seen folks with all sorts of inserts and liners, but nothing cute. Functional stuff has to be cute for me. I prefer it that way. It falls under my "why live a boring life?" policy.
So I got hold of a used coffe...
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Last Friday my younger daughter and I spent the afternoon wandering around downtown. We took in The Art Institute's new modern wing, then headed over to the Magnolia Bakery for a snack. I immediately fell in love with the decor and just had to share some shots with you. There's a lot of vintage kitchen inspiration here. Cleanly displayed collections, industrial pieces mixed with warm vintage accessories that were probably in your grandmother's home.
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Has anyone else noticed how much burlap there is out there these days? I've admired how people are using it paired with reproduction and orginal graphics, made to look like an old French country feed sack. Lots of folks are doing gorgeous things with upcycled coffee & potato sacks with all kinds of colorful printing.
From the most vibrant to the most plain, I think it all looks wonderful. When such a rugged material is paired with sweet fabrics, it only enhances the pretty factor.
For quick projects, it...
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On my project list for this coming weekend is to make a liner for my folding shopping cart. I use it when I go to antique, vintage, and flea markets. If I can't be out trolling the grassy aisles in Kane County, I can at least be working toward it in some fun little way, right? If you're a pro market goer, you know you have one of these with you at all times. Can't be held down by armloads of vintage treasures when there's shopping to be done!
My friend Carrie over at Loyal Order of the Glamper had this one made fr...
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I mentioned awhile ago in a post called Talk About Love that my brother and sister-in-law had successfully navigated the Russian adoption system. The outcome is that a big house in the Denver suburbs is now overflowing with family, love, joy, and adventures. It's hard to believe these two little boys were living in a very poor, rural Russian orphanage only a few months ago.
In an act of closure and appreciation, my brother put together a video documenting their journey that is so sweet and beautiful that I just ha...
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There are so many things that pass through my mind as "Oh my gosh, I need to do/try that!" and I always lose track of them. So this year, as my New Year's resolution, I am going to keep a running list here and cross things off as I get to them. Hopefully it works out and by this time next year, I can look back and feel like I got a lot done.
Bake a cake from scratch
Bake a pie from scratch
Make pasta from scratch
Can something
Participate in a couple of good blogger syndicates
Lose weight (1/17, joi...
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Since the summer I've been constantly amazed by the organizing ideas posted on Pinterest. I've gathered up a few, 83 to be precise on my Organization board over there. I've also shared 16 of my favorite ideas that I use in my own home here. I hope you find one or two (or more) that inspire you to try them out. If you do, please leave a comment below! (I love comments.)
So as you, like many of us, take stock of your house situation for the New Year, consider some of these creative ideas for organizing. Per...
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I have an incredibly crappy history of epic fails when it comes to giving gifts to my husband. He is impossible to shop for. I mean, IMPOSSIBLE. He will not tell me what he wants, leaving me guessing. I've been guessing and failing for the past 6 1/2 years.
One year I bought him a set of really nice wireless headphones. We lived in an apartment and Sophia's bedroom was right off the living room. So when she went to bed, he couldn't listen to his beloved collection of old punk vinyl. I knew he was missing that, thu...
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Feeling kind of festive, enjoying a relaxed Sunday morning, just wandered around and took some shots of my favorite scenes from around the house. Sophia is at her dad's house and we miss her. I'll add more pics with her in them when she gets back. Autumn is down in Texas doing what working college freshmen do. We miss her, too.
This is an automaton music box my Aunt Patty gave me several years ago for Christmas. As the music plays, all the characters dance around and play their musical instruments.
When...
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This is the time of year where the last minute dash for the hard-to-shop-for is in full effect. The gals over at Loyal Order of the Glamper, a group of extra-fabulous vintage camper enthusiasts were having a chat about what we'd like in our stockings this year. LED candles are always helpful, cute fake fireplaces, any sort of solar lighting, electric blankets or hot water bottles for those chilly spring and fall camp outs, and you can never go wrong with a sock monkey.
Amongst our scavenger hunt for great gift ide...
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Maybe it was the awesome warehouse loft in Flashdance, maybe it was the episode of The Simpsons when Bart wins a warehouse in an auction for a buck, but I can't remember a time when I didn't want a warehouse of my own. The idea of a big, wide-open space where I could make stuff, paint stuff, or just open a lemonade stand has always appealed to me. I just want a giant room with a cement floor that I can load up with found vintage furniture that needs a new life. I recently got an air-spray gun for my micro-garage setu...
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I have no idea where this came from, but I've had an ongoing obsession with chairs for DECADES. They can be a sculptural object or a canvas for me to craft into something fresh and useful. Maybe it has something to do with my emotional attachment with my grandmother's kitchen chair, which currently sits in front of my piano in the front room of our home.
I don't know what it is, but I do love painting an old alley pick and recovering the seat in some pretty fabric, and giving it a new round. I currently have n...
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Over at Making it Lovely, Nicole has been helping a neighbor make over their master bedroom. It always goes this way, doesn't it? We fuss over the common areas, the childrens' rooms, even the pet's beds before we make a peaceful and beautiful place to rest at the end of the day.
photo: makingitlovely.com
Using only a $1500 budget and amending with items the homeowner already had, they created a clean, fresh, beautiful space that wasn't so feminine that a husband wouldn't feel like the space didn't co...
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Everyone has folks on their list who are hard to shop for. I've rounded up a few of my favorite gift items from my shop in hopes that they may provide a little inspiration.
From left to right, starting at the top:
Vintage-style enamel thermometers: Birds, chickens, butterflies, angels...I've yet to meet a woman who doesn't love one of these things. And what a pretty touch to her garden or just outside a window to cheer up a gray winter morning.
The ultimate gardener's friend...
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I sent a note out via Facebook this morning that I've been looking for an old china cabinet to fix up and use for linen storage. Well, my friend Ali pinged me back that she had a corner cabinet that had belonged to her grandmother and it was just sitting in her garage waiting for some new fun. So we negotiated, sent some notes back and forth (Man, she's a tough one! -kidding.) and a deal was struck. Now this lovely beauty is mine and I get to plan her rehab. We don't know anything about the history other tha...
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I've been keeping my eyes out for an old china cabinet to fix up. I'm going to use it to store linens outside our laundry room. It needs to be narrow in width and length and probably no taller than 6 feet or so. If you're in the Chicago area or within a couple of hours' drive, would you let me know if a good candidate is in your local thrift/antique/junk shop. I'm looking to keep it in the neighborhood of $50.
Thank you!
*NEW ON KITSCHY KITTEN
Don't always make it to KitschyKitten....
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This is our second year in our classic Chicago bungalow. It has beautiful Arts and Crafts era details, so I don't want to overwhelm it with decorations. This year I'm keeping it clean and classic. White twinkle lights and lots of greenery. The space I'd like to really do right is the front entryway. I've been Pinning all sorts of ideas and I think I've decided to do natural pine boughs (I love the loose drippiness) and a pine wreath with a loosely wrapped ribbon instead of the traditional bow. Then I'll hit up area t...
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