Tuesday, December 14, 2010

~just a little Christmas~

hello everyone!


I have been way slow getting my
Christmas decorating going....

but finally have a tiny bit of Christmas
to show you....


I made this cute little banner
after seeing Tracey's post

she sells a Christmas kit that includes
this banner and a Peace on Earth paper craft.

if you all could have seen me trying to hang this
thing.....oh man.....trying to take short cuts
trying to do it w/ only my 2 hands & no slaves one
at home to hold it for me so "I can see"
before making it permanent....;)


it only took 4 tries.....3 times dropping the whole
pine cones, greens, bird garland contraption onto
the floor to get it just right & ready for stapling to the
window...........but anyhow.....I finally got it right!


I have to admit......I have felt discombobulated this Christmas season.....with my decor ~
I love the white nordic look but my decorations
aren't really as such, and I just haven't had the time to look for more and/or  focus on it....
 so I think after this season I will be doing a lot of sorting
and purging to get ready for next Christmas.

But I did put a few different things together
for now, a few little things to show you~


I picked up some paperwhites last week & just LOVE them.....
I'm planning on ordering some more paperwhite bulbs..... and possibly some hyacinths
to watch bloom while it's gloomy outside this winter.
any good sources out there??


this front entry table still needs some Christmas magic ~
but I wanted to show you these beautiful blooms
because they are already starting to fade :(


I piled some greens and pine cones into a galvanized
bucket and added a few vintage ornaments



I found this little box at the goodwill bins a couple months ago and held onto it ~not knowing what in the world
I would do with it~
 but got a little idea for it this weekend


on my pillows, (click here for tutorial) on wood~ and it looked
great ~ I would have never thought to try it~
thank you Rie!

so I decided to give it a whirl on this little box...
gave it a quick shabby paint job and added
Joyeux Noel.

I added some pillar candles that I adorned w/ a little vintage sheet music & twine and voila!

so simple & fun!




I picked up this sheep skin rug
last week ~ thought it would cozy up the white slipcovers
a bit during winter.....
it really does make it a difference!
{pay no attention to the upside down monogram pillow.....whoops!! ;) }


I wanted to thank all of you for sharing
 your beautiful Christmas vignettes.....

I have really enjoyed them!

well, you know how the rest of this goes....time
to get back to work ;)


xoxo,


Shellagh





Sunday, December 5, 2010

~the winner is.......~

Hello everyone!

Gorgeous blue skies in the NW today!

and it's
 beginning to look a lot like Christmas.......
our family will be decorating our tree in a couple
hours while listening to Christmas music, and
eating goodies......


I love the anticipation!

This is a quick little post to announce
the lucky winner of a beautiful
porcelain enamel address or name plate.....


I used a random number generator
from the web
which picked
No. 43.....

who happens to be sweet
Jo, from

Send me an email Jo,
and I'll get you hooked up with
the folks from Ramsign
so you can pick your prize! :)


Have a wonderful day everyone!


See you in a couple days.....




xo,




Shellagh 


Tuesday, November 30, 2010

~awesome giveaway for you!~

Good morning bloggy friends!

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
We did .... lots of family ~ dinner turned out wonderful & yes, we certainly had plenty of chairs.......:)
and a table....(bonus!! ;) )


I'm so excited to share this wonderful giveaway with
you!!!


Talk about cottage charm.....
one of you will get to add some ~serious cottage charm~
to your cottage with a classic porcelain enamel sign

by a wonderful company in Denmark



these beautiful signs are old-fashioned,
hand stenciled signs featuring original
design, thick and glossy enamel, and a
30 year warranty!


the winner can choose either a number plate or name plate,
similar to these, but there are lots to choose from! Lots of colors & styles to suit your home perfectly....




aren't they just beautiful???

so old fashioned european.....
reminds me of something you would find in a quaint little
village in the English Countryside.....

be sure to check out their website


To enter:

Be a follower ~ let me know if you already are~ one entry
Leave me a comment telling me what sign you would order!
(two entries)
Post on your sidebar or on your blog
(three entries)


Good Luck!!!

Contest ends this Friday December 3rd at 8pm PST

Winner will be announced Saturday Dec. 4th


Talk soon my friends!


xoxo,


Shellagh



Friday, November 19, 2010

~a chair fetish perhaps?~

Happy Friday everyone!


It has been a stormy week in the Pac NW~
but today there's blue sky and it's definitely
starting to feel like winter....36 degrees
this morning!! BRrrrrrrR!



I may have mentioned my chair fetish.....no?
well.....um....yes, it's true
major fetish.

Let's start by the definition of the word fetish....

fet·ish   /ˈfɛtɪʃ, ˈfitɪʃ/  
[fet-ish, fee-tish]
–noun

1. an object regarded with awe as being the embodiment or habitation of a potent spirit or as having magical potency.  (not so much)

2. any object (such as a chair), idea, etc., eliciting unquestioning reverence, respect, or devotion:  
 

 
I really don't know when it started ~ but
some years ago for sure.

I like chairs.
I like to find chairs.
I like to buy chairs.
I like to sell chairs. (? I do?)
I like chairs.

So let's recap my latest chair
shall we say "escapade"

es·ca·pade:/ˈɛskəˌpeɪd, ˌɛskəˈpeɪd/
–noun
1. a reckless adventure or wild prank.
(hmmmm, it could be argued....) 
2. an escape from confinement or restraint.
(now that could have something to do with it!
a break from sewing was needed, possibly...?) 

It all started with an
amazing antique farm table
I found in a store
in Portland....

didn't have my camera, but it looked like
swedish pine~ that really yummy
light wood w/ the most amazing patina...
I was in love.


It was $2000.


So, with visions of yummy pine
wood patina dancing in my head.....
I headed to craigslist to see what could be found.....

and hastily found this...


$75 for the french country table & 4 chairs.

Mr. T & T and I ran off (an hour away...eek)
to look at it early one Saturday morning
I mean $75? really?

sold.

brought it home ~ set it up~
kids loved it (it was newer after all....)
I mean, they seem to be tiring of vintage
everything.....(wha????)

and

I lived with it for a few days

but deep down I knew
it wasn't going to work.

nope.

something wasn't right.

couldn't really pinpoint it.

just not right.

so I sold it.

while no-one was paying attention
(kids at school, Mr. T & T working,
dog asleep.....)


oh and I had already sold the
table that had been replaced.....I mean, we can't have this stuff just stacking up around here right?
So it was out of "necessity" I had to start perusing
the craigslist ads......

well, I found these.....(I know, not exactly a dining table....)
but I have this spot in my family room begging for a pair of chairs....



but they were too small....too flimsy...not right at all....

of course I can't seem to figure this
out before I buy something and drag
it home....
so I...
relist....and
sell....

and move on to the next......



cute, but alas too small & shrimpy
and felt a little grimey.... I got
 immediately creeped out after
taking them out of my car...

ugh.
I almost took them straight to goodwill
but used a lot of self control,
and humbly, most feebly, asked Mr. T & T
to put in our already stuffed garage....
explaining...

I ..... um.....don't like them....
*cough, cough*

so I....
relist.....and
sell....
and move on to the next.......


ok....we have here 2 very fine wingback
chairs.....neutral in color
so not too offensive to live with while
waiting for slipcovers....

they look nice in the spot
they are meant for....

can you believe I bare my soul
like this to you?

you will surely think "she's lost it"

the kids love them...........
"mom, don't sell them....please....."


um...
well....


shhhhhh......come close.....so I can
whisper in your ear.....
"they aren't comfortable....."

really?
we can't figure this out ahead of time?

nope.  apparently not.


so I....
relist....and
sell....
you know the routine....

and move on to the next......


you think I'm kidding?I wish I were,
this is flat out embarrassing....!

you think I'm sick? possibly.....



the most recent acquisition
2 lovely club chairs....

but I wisened up with these 2...
I measured the space....
I double checked all chair dimensions....
I asked a lot of questions....

I drove 45 minutes away...
I purchased them.

I like them.
they are comfortable.
they are neutral.
they fit.
I think I'll keep them.
:)

 
you'd think I could be done talking today.....nope.
more chair adventures to come....



shall we continue?

ok. let's.

well, you still remember I sold the dining room
table?
and the newest one?
and Thanksgiving is next week............yikes!



I really wish I had 6 of these....then my troubles
would be over.....

(you can see I started messing around recovering them,
right about the time my etsy store opened so I've had
very little time to finish this project.....only time to run around
the countryside to look at chairs....apparently......)


but I only have 2....

so I need to find more chairs......I found these at a steal.....
of course they need some help....
some fixing...
some painting...

but I like them.
a lot.



sorry about the blurry photo guys!

I primed one, real quick, to get an idea of what
they would look like w/ a new paint job






they have beautiful lines,
and came with chair pads.....

plan: prime & paint
replace worn through caning w/
plywood (no-one will see w/ the chair pads)
recover cushions w/ vintage french hemp
purchased off etsy.....
enjoy....

then I saw this picture


which helped solidify my decision.....
although I wouldn't decorate the room
like this, I love them painted &  paired
with the wingback chairs.

one more thing to show you.......
yet more chairs!!


6 more chairs came into my life
one day after I found the above chairs....

as luck would have it.....
I really needed to replace our breakfast
table chairs....

and these were practically a giveaway...


they are very vintage/antique, and sturdy as can be~
and the rush seats are completely intact
and in perfect condition!




I'm thinking they're going to need a paint job
as well......but I'm really happy with them!

What do you think?

You think me crazy??
:)


well there is definitely the possibility of that!

 
but now you know what I've been up to when not sewing....
and you know what I do that makes my
family insane....if not slightly unsettled....as to what they
might come home to or to what might be missing.....


you have the most recent edition of the Ticking and Toile
chair escapades......



 


Have a great weekend friends!




xoxo,




Shellagh



































 

~*~

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