Archive for September, 2012

I would be a fabric designer???

And you can be one too!

This awesome website makes it easy peasy!

Spoonflower.com

I just found out they do wallpapers too!

How cool is that…designing your own wallpaper for your living room or fabric for a dress?

Here is what I came up with using photos of stuff, including my art.

From My Fabric Designs!

You ou can edit and manipulate  the original coloring too!

The options are limitless, still so excited about this new find!

I would never pay $5.00 for such small pieces of fabric, but since I designed them, of course I did!

But get this…once you do that, you can get paid for anyone buying your design!  Cool, huh?

Not sure if I am going to allow that or not, but it is an option!

My favorite, so far:

From My Fabric Designs!

Swirly Love!

But then again, there is this one:

From My Fabric Designs!

Mid-Century O’Clock!

Okay Okay, you get the point, I luuurve my designs!

And one day they will be Wall Art!

First, a warning…I was stuck in the outskirts of nowhere waiting for our car to get a trailer hitch put on it.

So when stuck for two hours, what do you do….the below!

From My Fabric Designs!

Mind you, this is just a sample of what I will do on my dining room wall.  

Ha, although I do like the rough background this green sidewalk makes!

I have collected hoops of all sizes, many more than shown in these photos.

From My Fabric Designs!

You will notice, I have not cut the material yet either!  Some tucks would just not stay long enough for the photo!

From My Fabric Designs!

I love circles!

From My Fabric Designs!

Now, I am thinking of making a design for our bedroom headboard!  

Like I said, the options are limitless!  

Try it out, you will love it!

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Okay, I love Mary Catherine Gallagher…

and…

I love starburst mirror decor pieces too!

But after looking the at cost of new ones and even vintage ones,  I got discouraged!

Pinterest to the rescue, especially after I saw how easy it was to make (ha)!

Here is my attempt and how I did it!

Supplies needed:

From Starburst Mirror Project!

More supplies:

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Measuring and Gluing!

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Pre-final touches…

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Prep for painting!

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Painting!
I know silver is popular right now, but the antique versions are in gold, which will go better in our entry way!

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Final Product!

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Not bad, eh?
Even up close!

From Starburst Mirror Project!

Please click on any of the photos, to get to the photo album and to find out some extra details on how I did it!

Okay, now I have to be truthful!

After seeing a starburst mirror in every remodel/revamp/decor TV show, I am thinking it may be over done!

So I may change this:

From Mid-Century Finds

Into this:

I would take out the art work from the above gold frame and use it for something else!
It is signed art after all…even if I got the WHOLE piece for only $2.00 at an auction!

What do you think…Gold Star Burst for front entry way or Gold Fish Scales?

STAY TUNED!
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I have been collected leather belts from thrift stores, for this very thing!

I had to wait for the chair!

The chair finally came my way!

From Belt Chair

After I shined the wood up, I took off the seat!

From Belt Chair

My trusted basket of leather belts, don’t you have one?

From Belt Chair

Then I was a’belt weaving away!

From Belt Chair

Not sure if I will keep the belts on this chair or not yet…

as well if I should cut the ends of the belt off or let them hang!

From Belt Chair

Love how the colors in the belts bring out the colors in the wood!

From Belt Chair

Belt Weave!

From Belt Chair

I think this technique turns a plain chair into a conversation/center/art piece!

I love the chair so much…I think I am not going to leave the belts on it as the shape of the back and the wood speak for themselves.

So, I will go back to waiting for the perfect chair again!

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I will go back to my Upcycle Arts & Crafts projects…

But these days I am spending time to get stuff ready for a new home!

A Mid Century Beauty!

I thought I would to strip and refinish some of my old finds…but found something that I is my secret love.

Howard’s Restor-A-Finish

Some Before Photos…

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

One of two End Tables!

Warn and dull!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

One done and one not!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

On the way to looking good!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

There you have it!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

While I was at it, I worked on this little pretty!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

Okay, the top is made of Formica, but did refinish the wood legs!

Is is bad that I am falling for Formica?

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

Speaking of Formica…

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

This little cutie has a wood pedestal which I shined up to make into a nicey nice!

From Mid Century Wood Shine!

It is happy in our now non-mid-century place!

Shining these guys on…so made my happy today!

Easy Peasy and such good looks!

Don’t be afraid of nicks & stains…all they are saying is “We have been loved, now love us again!”

UPDATE!  WE OPENED OUR OWN ONLINE STORE!  

Please visit and shop if you are so inclined at:  Our Own Big World!

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Although, I have always liked the funkiness or smooth lines of mid century stuff, my usual genre of antique is older, rusty and usually made of metal!

But since we started to look at homes to buy in Florida, we realized the one we will buy will most likely be one from the Mid Century.  The location we wanted was developed at that time period, so we decided we want to decorate it appropriately!  We finally found the perfect untouched beauty for us!

So now we are in love with all that is Mid Century Matter!

While things get worked on (and in an un-updated home built in 1964 there will be work needed)…

WE GO SHOPPING!

We love a good deal…and will take the time to search for it, most likely at thrift stores, flea markets, antique stores, auctions, yard sales, estate sales and antique fairs!

Here are some of our recent finds!

From My Finds!

Right now these are in my loft area sitting just like this, and I get tickled every time I walk up the stairs!

From My Finds!

For the Silver Band Chip & Dip, Atomic Star Coffee Decanter & Wood Handle 2 Tiered Dessert Tray I gathered the lowest prices I found on the exact or similar items online (without shipping costs).

Online Cost  = $45.00.
Our Cost = $7.00!

Every respectable Mid Century Home needs a Sunburst Clock!

From My Finds!

Similar ones online = $75.00.
Our Cost = $16.00 (which I got down from$ 20.00 because I will need to fix it a bit)!

Even though we do not have records anymore…we fell in love with this number!

From My Finds!

Look in other photos, to see the cute little Sunburst on the sides better!

Similar ones online = $65.00.
Our Cost = $8.00!

Jim has shown interest in a Vintage Travel Bar for quite a while now.

From My Finds!

So we had to pick up this one, that allowed for the morning after as well.

From My Finds!

We thought The Executair 720C was a Bar and Coffee Travel Case, but in my research the original piece was mostly just coffee. We happen to like it as is…drinkies for the evening and coffee for the morning after!

Similar online = $25.00.
Our Cost = $5.00!

And for the Bar at Home!

From My Finds!

The Penguin Hot or Cold Bucket…we like to call it our new Ice Bucket! This particular piece is all over the internet!

The lowest price online = $20.00.
Our Cost = $4.00!

Another time piece…

From My Finds!

Could not pass up the bigness (Oh, okay…or the price) of this industrial most likely mid century clock!

Similar ones Online = $90.00
Our Cost = $7.00 (but ours has hand written additions to the face that may take off some of the value…but for 7 bucks…who cares!)

A Couple more morsels…

From My Finds!

1960’s Wharfedale W20D Speakers for Jim’s more modern stereo!

And everyone needs a Kromex 2 Tier Dessert Tray!

Prices Online = $92.00
Our Cost: $9.00 (Mind you, Jim bought both of these!)

And now comes the Funky Fun Find!

From My Finds!

Who knew there was something called “Popcorn Art?”

Well, I do now and I own 2 pieces…love them!

Similar items Online = $62.00
Our Cost = $7.00 (talked down from $10.00)!

Now on to my current Fav…Mid Century Lamps!

From My Finds!

This one is our newest and most expensive addition! It is  hard to find the same exact ones I have online, as there are so many cool similar designs though!  They varied so much in price, for ones in pairs, ones without shades, and ones outrageously overpriced…so I just took an average online price.

Similar Ones Online = $50.00
Our Cost = $16.50 (1/2 off original antique store price sale)!

Okay the following is not a new one, but I had to add it in this post!

From My Finds!

This is my baby…love her! A spontaneous buy at an auction in Townsend, Vermont!

Similar Ones Online = $50.00
Our Cost = $6.00

And now our Mad Men ensemble!

From My Finds!

No ciggies for Jim, but he does enjoy a cigar now and then (uh, outside).

Jim bought the 1998 Lammhult Cinema Chair at a tag sale (New England’s way of saying Yard or Garage sale) last year in posh Manchester, VT.

The LARGE lamp and end tables are newbies!

The chair is not mid century, but it fits in!
Current Price new = $1500.00!
Recently Sold at Auction = $600.00!
Our Price = $5.00 (but I must say the leather has a some damage…can be fixed though)!

The lamp was one of my recent finds here in Fort Pierce, FL!
Similar ones online = $50.00
Our Price = $10.00

We bought this pair of end tables at a Vero Beach Auction!
Similar online prices = $100.00
Our Cost = $20.00 (They do need some love).

And soon to be ours!

Recently Sold at Vero Beach Location = $550.00
Our Cost = $100.00 (plus $35.00 for deliver & thanks for our Realtor for it for us until we really do own the place, but 100.00 off original price because I am buying it on 1/2 Off Monday)!

So far we spent =$216.00 (minus the Lammhult Cinema Chair) for what would have at least cost $1174.00 retail!

We still have a couch, 2 chairs, 2 coffee tables to go and a lot of light fixtures…not sure if I can stay within our very low-budget as these items are definitely higher priced!   Of course, dessert trays, coffee decanters, ice buckets and traveling bars were not originally included in that budget!

In hopes of saving some money, I am already making art/decor and 2 hanging lamps for the house!  Check my future posts to see how I made them…and if they even came out decent enough to use!

Ha, after this recent experience of our Mid Century Hunt, both Jim and I feel I can buy extras as I find them (and maybe make extras), and start my own Mid Century Shopito!

We will See….

UPDATE….WE DID OPEN AN ONLINE STORE!  

YOU CAN FIND MID-CENTURY MATTER AND SO MUCH MORE AT:  Our Own Big World!

 

(*Note to those who are wondering…this will not be our permanent home.)

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