I guess it’s time I divulge a little of what I’ve been up to as of late. I told you months ago, I would share what I’ve been working on. Now seems to be just as good of time as any. Some of it will be personal, my house is a work in progress friends, some of it will be client base. All of it will be candid. My attempt is not to hide the flaws and show you perfectly styled photos but to give you an idea what the process was like, minus the step by step instructions. I don’t follow them, so you probably don’t want me writing them. Maybe you do, let me know.

I bought this ottoman for $25 and lived with it, pleather and all for 3 years. I really don’t know why I torture myself for that long. The entire project took me under two hours to complete. The fabric is a wool houndstooth and ran me all of $5. An ottoman is just about the simplest thing you can reupholster. The perfect place for me to start. All you need is a sewing machine (or needle and thread), thread, staple gun and staples, screw driver, scissors and fabric. Be sure to get extra if you have a pattern so you can match ends.

When buying furniture you want to reupholster, first and foremost, make sure it has good bones. No wobbly legs, missing parts, broken pieces, you get the idea. Because if you aren’t handy, it takes money to fix these issues and often it costs more to repair than it does to purchase. There’s a reason that table on Craigs list is only $15. Be weary my friends.

If you are going to pay to reupholster, as an example, the ottoman above would cost me about $100-$150. A medium size chair that is modern in style, without any tufting or many details, and excluding fabric could run anywhere from $400-$1000, depending where you live. With that said, it makes sense to really love the piece. The great thing about reuphostery is you have an original piece.

Photos: the K.I.D Collective

A few years ago Jevan and I decided to go paperless in the kitchen. We noticed how many napkins and paper towels we were going through on a monthly basis and were a little embarrassed. And, shocked at how much trash two people could generate from paper alone. At some point in our lives, it became second nature to grab a paper towel to wipe one little spill on the floor or a handful of napkins for dinner. After thinking about all that waste I didn’t want it to be second nature.

So we gave up paper. Just like that. Although I can’t say it was completely easy. I felt a little guilty wiping a spill on the floor with a clean towel then tossing it in the laundry. But over time, we’ve worked out a method that makes sense for us; we still have a stock of paper napkins for when we have more than 12 over for dinner, and we don’t wash napkins and towels after each use unless they are obviously dirty. We also accumulated enough hand towels and napkins, for cleaning, hand drying, and for meals.

Each time I head home, my mom always tries to give me something from the house. This last trip was no different. She let me dig through her stash of vintage linens. I came up with a handful of things I crammed in my carry-on. My favorite is above, the vintage blue and white table cloth. It’s well worn. Scattered with tiny holes and patched in places. You can tell many meals were had on this table cloth. I remember it from when my brother and I were tiny. Other finds were a matching set of 8 napkins and a table cloth with a yellow and green border, almost a full set of 70′s Vera Neumann napkins, and a purple, blue and yellow table cloth. All very springy.

If you are searching for your own, you can find a number of vintage Vera Neumann on etsy. She also does more than just napkins, she’s known for her bold patterns and color schemes. You can find her fabric on dresses and scarves at Anthropologie. Here’s another great set of vintage napkins or just check around at local antique shops. If you are feeling crafty you can pick up a few yards of fabric and hem all sides. Voila, new napkins or hand towels.

I also love these Printed vintage napkins with Georgia O’Keefe’s Irish soda bread recipe.

Photos: 1,2,3 and 4. the K.I.D Collective, 5. Pilosale

Before I was able to drive I wanted a junk car. Not new or even used, but junk. A car deemed unsuitable by insurance companies and owners alike. There was something about the spot where cars would go and die that bothered me. So many of them, just sitting there, used for parts and never to be driven again. I’m not sure why or when this obsession came about but now that I’m older, and I like to think wiser, and need a more reliable mode of transportation my obsession has changed. These old Vegas signs are a great replacement.

The Neon Museum in Vegas is the spot where old signage lives a new life. I could spend hours in here wandering around, taking photos. I can even imagine Anthropologie doing a photo shoot here. The Neon Museum is open to the public for tours and photographs. A must see the next time you are in Sin City.

Via What YaYa Likes, photos by Pam Sattler

I have a thing for old stuff. This fondness grew over time, I can’t say I’ve always loved antiques or vintage or whatever the fancy people are calling it these days. Some of my first memories are of my parents, my brother and me road tripping back East to antique shops. My parents would be searching for something perfect or searching just to search while my brother and I would occupy our time by playing hide and seek between the furniture with breaks of asking, are we there yet, knowing we weren’t close.

Sinatra Vintage Record Stand or Bar Cart

Our weekends were often filled with antique-ing. Our house was also filled with the finds. I grew up learning about furniture and as the saying goes, always wanted what I didn’t have. That something was new, glossy, unscratched, unused and bought in a store where other people could also buy the exact same thing. I admit, it took me some time and a little growing up to appreciate a well curated home. One in which someone couldn’t immediately replicate by running out to the nearest store. One that the items within were gathered over time, through travels and wonderful finds. To me, that’s the perfect home.

For the record, the above ramble isn’t intended to tell you to get rid of your new stuff and replace it with old stuff. There’s a balance. And I have a feeling grandma’s house circa 1974 is probably not the look you are going for. Now that you know about my silly love for old stuff and if you’re still reading, you should know that I’m showing you a couple of my favorite Etsy shops. The best part, everything is budget friendly.

1968 Kroehler Chair would look great with a new fabric.

Mint green Replogle World Book Globe. So you can dream about all those places you want to go. Or spin it with eyes closed to pick your next spot. I’ve always wanted to do that!

I have a bunch of meetings this AM but thought I should at least give you a peak at some beautiful bikes Jevan and I have been drooling over. Bertelli Bicycles are all one of a kind and assembled by hand from parts found at flea markets, old bike shops and collectors. They are then conceptualized, developed and fine tuned by Francesco. Sounds kinda dreamy doesn’t he? I mean bikes, the bikes are dreamy.

My friend Katie is always sending me the best stuff. Just last week she sent me this link for Factory 20. Makes me wish I lived back east so I could go there every other day just to look at furniture. The photos are good and the prices aren’t too bad either. Here’s a sprinkling of some of my favorite pieces and why. I could go on and on but I’ll stop at four. It’s really for your own sake.

French ladies writing table. Since no one really sits at a writing desk to write these days, this would be a great vanity for jewelry, make-up applying and all your other girly things. Once the front is closed everything is tucked away. Plus I love those legs. Those legs, they are perfection.

Vintage Medical Dental Cabinet. This has a small amount of creep factor because it was used as a medical cabinet. Part of what makes it so great. The other part is the color. Did I mention that it’s also steel? I think it would be perfect as a pantry in a kitchen filled with glass jars of dried goods, canned food and linens. Or in a bathroom, as a large medicine cabinet paired with bright white tile or better yet carrera marble.

And these SuperHands are pretty super.  They would look great just about anywhere in your home, maybe on the French Ladies Writing Table holding your necklaces and rings? Did I tell you I’m about to start making gloves? Well I am. More to come on that in the next few weeks. At least I hope there’s more to tell.

You can never have enough bingo ball spinners. How long has it been since you played bingo? Let me tell you, I got a bingo set for Christmas last year and have played at least a handful of times. Loads of fun. Especially when quarters are at stake. It also feels really good to say BINGO.

I’m working on an exciting project at the moment and thought I would share a few tidbits for the master bath. Fiddlehead Designs out of Denver, CO has some of the best concrete out there. Their mix is over 80% recycled content and they replace 30% of their portland cement with flyash.

Don’t you just love this sink? It’s called the mini ramp.

Jevan and I got up early this AM to check out the summertime Ballpark Market. It’s the second Saturday of each month and definitely worth a visit. There are some gems to be had.