Double Take.

Good Monday Morning All.  A little bit of an emotional morning, just dropped my girl off at her first day of 1st grade!  Really, time flys. SIGH:)

Now, there are no excuses for not blogging, I have all the time in the world, right?

Since I woke up at the crack of dawn, and already had most things done (ie lunch packed, breakfast made) and the kids hadn't woken up yet.  I had a couple minutes to myself.  So, what does a girl do with a couple extra minutes, she opens the closest Design mag she has....the July/August issue of House Beautiful.  As I was flipping through I came to one of my ALL time FAVORITE rooms in magazine.  The Nick Olson Studio Apartment.  Now, that green just takes the cake.  I LOVE everything about this room. 

But there was something just a little different when I flipped through, that I had a Double Take moment.

Everything about this room is beautiful.  I Want curtains, pleated like that.

The fabric on the headboard and dust ruffle...it reminded me of something, something that has been sitting in the back of the car since our trip to DC.  A roll of vintage hand printed fabric that I scored for $20 at that estate sale in Georgetown.  I KNEW i was drawn to it for a reason.

I quickly looked at the source...Schumacher Hong Kong Fabric, but mine says

So, the question is this.  "Is this the original vintage fabric?"  It doesn't say Schumacher anywhere on the fabric...it says Patterson Fabric.  And the printing is obviously Hand Printed....and just gorgeous. 

So, needless to say, I am tickled that I have this fabric.  And feel extra special, I may have something original that Schumacher re-printed.  So, the question now is..."where in the world will I use it?"

Happy Monday.

Totally Inspired.....

By these three thrift shopping, furniture saving, ladies!  I have been a fan of Knack and Spruce Austin for a while now....and was so happy to see them in Southern Living last month.  I was also excited to be introduced to a third inspiration.....Gardenhouse.

Amanda Brown Spruce Austin

Barb Blair Knack Studio

Cheryl Maeder-Antonio Gardenhouse

They are girls after my own heart for sure...You can read more of the Southern Living article here.  Or visit their inspiring blogs. (knack, spruceaustin)

You may have also seen Barb on Design Sponge...she has a weekly spot Before and After Basics where she gives us tips on refinishing furniture. 

And Amanda has a great blog, and has created Spruce TV which gives tips and tricks, but also follows the Sprucettes on their journey to find and revamp furniture one piece at a time!  Here is a little snippet....I have watched it about 10 times! (I can't wait for more installments!)



 And Cheryl, just go to her website and prepare to be inspired....Vintage Gone Modern for sure!

Now off to redo my own bit of furniture....we are hosting our Neighborhoods First Friday Party, so I will be a busy bee all week.

The "Ultimate" Home Office

cool floor, really like the chair, the metal on the turned leg desk...hmmmm...notice anything?

My mother in law did her Magazine drop off yesterday on their way thru town.  (I am lucky that she gives me many of her old issues to peruse) I was happy to find a Martha Stewart with "The Ultimate Home Office" as the cover. Since my home office/guest bedroom is another room that I am in great need of decorating.

I have a desk in the kitchen where I do most of my day to day work...but when I need to spread out, I have all of my STUFF in the guest bedroom.  With my recent discovery of how I like to draw and sketch, I have been thinking that I need to make the room a a bit better...more functional.

Back to the magazine cover...do you notice anything?  I was really happy to find a cover with "The Ultimate Home Office" on the cover, and have always been a fan of Martha's Ideas. (although rarely implemented in my house:)  I was immediately drawn to the cupboard above the desk, and the desk itself....but it seemed a bit clutterered...WHY?  Hmmmm, 'funny, they have a vintage computer on the desk I thought to myself.'  Who would do that???  Is that the new trend?   Then I realized I was looking at a magazine from November 1993!!!!  Almost 20 YEARS ago, I was still in high school!!!...Some good design never changes.  Just goes to show, Vintage NEVER goes out of style....Martha was really on to something:)

Here are the other photos from the spread.  Enjoy the blast from the past.

Nice shelving design...thank goodness our computers are now smaller!

Oh look, this person is super lucky with a LAPTOP! 
Vintage chairs, desks, fresh flowes NEVER go out of style!

Look at that nailhead desk...I think I have seen one of those recently....

Just in Southern Living this past month....Heather Chadduck's Restful retreat. 
Maybe she has been perusing the old magazines for inspiration too:)  Oh, and the fabric...that is Victoria Hagan too!  Much better with out that honker of a computer on the desk...no?

Seriously, I am really lucky to have a mother-in law that has kept all of these magazines in pristine condition.  I even have one of Martha's first issues.  There is some good stuff, timeless design....Vintage NEVER goes out of style!  

Have a great day...it is supposed to be rainy and cold today...hmmmm MAYBE I could just sit with my coffee all day and just peruse the old back issues...

Seltzer bottle love...

My bottles in the window in my living room. 

Another view.
I am still fiddling but I like the way it emulates the blue line in the print on the wall.

ecently I bought 6 vintage blue seltzer bottles at an auction for CHEAP!  I saw them at an antique store for $60 apiece a while back, and couldn't justify buying a bottle for that much. I would periodically think about those bottles, and how I would use them.  Now I am having fun moving them about my house.   I still haven't found the 'perfect' home for them.  Back to my fiddling tendencies:)  The blue is so pretty, the etchings are so cool.  Back in the day, these bottles were just every day objects...just bottles...  now we see them for the beauty in the color, the etching, the history behind them.   The craftsmanship in every day objects.

Here is some 'seltzperation'. Enjoy.

A tablescape that I found, I can't find the attribution:(

via beachbungalow8

via seltzersisters.com
(can you think of anyone that these might be appropriate for, I surely can!)
SCHMUCK BROS. I still can't stop myself form smiling when I see these:):):)

via kitchenisms.com

via Sundance
How inventive.  Leave it to sundance.

via 1stdibs.com 
These lamps are awesome, I DO like the french seltzers.

How would you use seltzer bottles? Where would you put them?