Polyester Ruffles

Do you ever go shopping and find something that makes your heart skip a beat? (This could be vintage shopping or mall shopping). Well, this flower pillow did that for me. Every time I look at it, it still does. Man, I love it! (I love it so much that I posted three pictures in one post). I want four more. I want five to put up in my soon-to-be colorful loft. They can all be different colors too. I don't care. I can't tell if it's handmade or not. It appears to be and if it is, it's very good craftsmanship. There isn't a tag to be found. Man, if it's handmade, it's even more of a treasure. But how will I ever know?! And if it is, that would've taken forever to sew every one of those polyester ruffles on!

I was at The Mission House (a little antique shop) the other day. I stopped in ten minutes before they closed and believe me, ten minutes in a place that small but that packed with treasures is not enough time! So, I flew through the door and raced around the back room (my favorite spot), my heart was racing along too, come to think of it, when I stopped short.

There in front of me was one of the most beautiful pillows I've ever seen. And for only $3.50 to boot! It was my lucky day! Now I realize this is a matter of opinion and you may very well think it's the ugliest pillow you've ever seen. (We won't hear from Amanda until she's back from vacation on Monday... ;) But that's ok too because I've been known to buy things a time or two before just because they were ugly. Seriously.

I like different things. Things that are unique. Sometimes they're ugly to me. Sometimes they're ugly to everyone. And sometimes they're ugly to everyone else but me. (But those are the things I tend to like the most because they're all mine! They're the real treasures, far as I'm concerned. ;)

Can you believe the whole thing is made from polyester. Polyester!! Well, I love my new (old) polyester ruffle pillow!

And a little note on my sugar sack pillow (top picture). In it's previous employment with The Great Western Sugar Company of Denver, CO, it held 100 pounds of sugar. Now it holds a regular size bed pillow, a much lighter load, and sits on my wooden rocker in my living room. Although, I'm not so sure that it lives a life of ease. Or that it's current job is all that much more pleasant as it spends many a day on the floor being trampled on and jumped on by several sets of very small feet.

Fabulous Fifi

Oh my. Oh my! I just came across the most lovely blog. Now, I don't usually make it a habit to use the word 'lovely'. In fact, I rarely breathe the word. But this blog IS lovely! And I have a blue ladder very similar to the one in her pictures (pictured under: Getting ready for a party). If you enjoy vintage, shabby chic (good) junk like I do, check out Fabulous Fifi! She just started her blog in July. If I could afford an interior decorator, I'd have her come to decorate my house! Only a little more streamlined. :) And not so many things about. But it's very pretty, just the same.

Truthfully, I'm not sure yet if she's an interior decorator for hire. I found her through another blog that mentioned she does design for magazines. I plan to extensively investigate her blog. Soon.

Here is my blue ladder from junk picking this spring, amidst a few of the other treasures that we collected. It's a little difficult to tell what everything else in the picture is. But believe me, I plan to put it all to good use. ;) Some, I already have - like the white bookshelf/plant stand? to the left. I have it in my kitchen right now. It's one of my favorite finds. Ever. It has the best patina! I'll get better pictures of that and the ladder in the next year as our home unfolds.

Vintage Sewing Notions

I discovered this website (Dottie Angel) only moments ago! I am drooling (ok. not literally! ...ok maybe I am... ;) over her sewing supplies. They are a dream to look at! I have only a fraction of that which is in her pictures but this is what I aspire to own (and work with)!

These are the same type of vintage sewing supplies that I would like to use once I start my sewing projects. Check it out! I am always on the prowl (at garage sales and vintage shops) for similar items. :)

NOTE: You will have to scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on Older Posts and scroll down some more. They're on that page, posted under "me, my natty little basket and the world..."

Dream House

I can't remember if I posted this house yet or not but this is my current dream house. I love everything about it. The exterior is beautiful and I've bookmarked the interior for somewhere down the road... ;) I think this style most closely represents my current decorating style.

I showed it to Mark, last night. I'm already dreaming of making the interior of our house look like this when our kids are grown...maaaaaaany years from now. (...I reserve the right to change my mind at any time. Lol.) ;) It's funny because it would work with our house too even though ours is a different style. I love how the large cupboard is next to the steps and you can walk all the way around both. And the dark floors with all of the white everywhere else. I also love the splashes of aqua and blue that are scattered throughout.

And don't even get me started on the kitchen! :) It's PERFECT. Exactly what I dream of.

They either have a small fridge or a high ceiling. I haven't decided. What do you think? (I'm thinking it's the ceiling). Our ceilings are average height in our kitchen. I've been noticing a lot of kitchens lately (magazines & on the web) that have higher ceilings and I really like that look too.

The simplicity of this house is the biggest draw for me and yet there are still so many fun vintage elements throughout (wooden bowling pins & billiard balls, typewriter, and child's desk). I love the minimal displays, although I have too much good junk to have such a minimalist style home! Lol. But it's gorgeous just the same.

Dreamin'

I just finished looking through all of the Cottage of the Month cottages. My three favorites are this one because of all of the rose pictures and white cupboards. The living room is just a tad too elegant for me but it's very pretty.

This one because of each piece of furniture featured in the bottom 7 pictures! Make that every picture. Her furniture is just gorgeous! This is the website owner's actual home and it's very pretty inside and out (garden)!

And this one starting with the pictures of the bedroom. The top pictures of the living area and dining room have elements that I like but I really like the other pictures especially all of the rose paintings in the bathroom! The aqua furniture (desk & shelf) and the pink furniture (mirror, bench, chair, and bookshelf) in the bedrooms. I just love the bedrooms and the bathrooms. I have nearly an identical vintage pink medicine cabinet that's in the bathroom (to the right of the picture) - only mine is pale green! I'm planning to put mine in the bathroom on the main floor of our house.

I dream of having a backyard (and front yard) like this! I like many elements of her house but I love the backyard - they're in the pictures down near the bottom.

Decor Inspiration

For those of you who are crazy about the cottage, shabby chic style like I, check out The Old Painted Cottage (listed under Fun & Inspiration on my blog). Her name is Jen and she features a Cottage of the Month! I was enjoying taking a peak at all of the cottages that have been featured thus far, this year!

At the bottom of the page (after you click on Cottage of the Month above) you will see a cottage for every month of this year so far.

How lucky for those who have been featured here! It's my little dream to have my house featured in a magazine. Someday, when I'm rich and famous and I can hire an interior designer...maybe they'll come a callin'. Lol. ;) Nothing wrong with dreaming!

Something Fun

For fun and inspiring decorating ideas, check out Matthew Mead Style!

http://matthewmeadstyle.com/2007_summer/htm/index.htm

I haven't personally checked it out very extensively. I'm hoping someday when I have some time (whenever that will be ;), I'll be able to scope it out some more. But it looks really cool! I could list all of his clients but if you go to the website, they're listed under "client list". He does decor for Country Home magazine, among many others!