Bridgett's Chair

I met Bridgett through Megan. She is an adorable young mother and very talented children's photographer. She asked us to help her find props for photo shoots. We found this fabulous French Bergere at a local antique shop.

Meg painted it this playful funky green, Bridgette supplied the fabric, and I reupholstered it.
This vintage trim and fringe from my collection brought it all together.
Wouldn't you love to have portraits of your babies in this fun chair?

Storybook Chair

My sister rescued this great vintage chair from a trash pile in Riverside 30 years ago. She hired someone to recover it with sea foam chenille fabric. I don't remember how it came to be mine, but I do remember being absolutely amazed that someone could recover it so beautifully and thinking I could NEVER learn to do that. It was part of Megan's bedroom for most of her childhood and now it has moved to her house. She and her little girls will read stories in the same cozy chair where she and I used to cuddle with her favorite book.

I found this linen fabric at a decorator's sale and recovering the chair was not as hard as I once believed it would be.

Soon the chair will be complete with a monogrammed pillow and a copy of The Poky Little Puppy.

Gingham Again

I found this vintage headboard at one of my favorite antique stores. It was just the thing that I had been looking for to upholster for our guestroom.
I chose a silk gingham fabric from Hobby Lobby (on clearance). I want to add one long bolster made of the same fabric. Pictures to come...

Rich really did not want me to drive screws into "that beautiful wood" so I mounted the foam and fabric-covered board with 3M picture hanging strips. It seems to be the perfect solution to the problem of securely attaching it without damaging the headboard.

I realize I have a gingham theme going in my last 4 posts. I can't help it. It's elegant in silk for a bedroom, cozy in a kitchen nook, and what is better than red gingham with big ric-rac in a playhouse? There are even little bits on baby clothes and lamp shades in the Sniglets post. It is a classic that never goes out of style.

Nina's Playhouse

I made a playhouse for all of our grandchildren - in the closet under our stairs. Evie, our 3 year old granddaughter, was enthralled Christmas day when she went on a hunt for our play kitchen and found it behind a door that she had never noticed before. If you come over when Evie is here prepare to be invited to "her house" and remember to duck your head. I've spent more time in this closet in the last week than I did in the 7 years that we have lived here.

You'll probably have to "go to sleep" at her house. Turning the lamp and overhead light on and off is her favorite activity.

Of course it is decorated for Christmas and we're making plans for other holidays.

Evie said, "Nina, Thank you for my very own house!"

Anabelle, 15 months old, loves it, too!

They are looking forward to sharing it with future cousins.

That's not a hint.

Sniglets

I had a shop in Avondale... (said with all the wistfulness of Meryl Streep in the opening lines of Out of Africa, "I had a farm in Africa...").
Megan and I actually rented a small space in a children's boutique, 3 Chicks, in the Avondale shopping district for the past 4 months. We moved out last Monday. It's a great shop in a trendy area but, it didn't work out for us. Oh well, we tried.This is how our original display looked.

We still have several of the items in these photos. Just let one of us know if you see something you need.

New Header

My new header is a picture of the "inspiration board" that hangs above the worktable in my sewing room.

I covered a piece of homosote with vintage pattern tissue and their envelopes; patterns for clothes that my mother, Jackie Kennedy and my Barbie wore when I was a little girl. I added vintage buttons, calling cards, notes, lists, scraps and pictures of things that I hope to make one day. This photo shows only part of the board, please come visit to view the rest of it and put your calling card on it. You have one of those don't you?
I made the board and took the photo, but Megan did the hardest part; she put it on my blog header. Thanx, Babe!

Den Decor

I've been redecorating our den for 18 months; since we had brick floors installed. (Not exactly one of those quick redos on HGTV.) I loved the floors but, everything else felt so dark, I wanted to lighten the furniture and accessories. Here are some of the results...

I found this secretary at one of my favorite antique stores, marked down plus 40% off. I have a "before picture", but I don't know how to get it from my phone to this blog so, you 'll have to imagine it with a dark stain and decorative panels over the glass doors. I painted and glazed it more times than I intended (6) to get the color I wanted.

The front of the top drawer folds down to expose the DVD player. I plan to add 2-way mirror film to the glass in the center door to hide the TV when it's off and see through when it's on. I'll let you know how it works. If you know a better way please share.

I reupholstered two bergere chairs that I found in a consignment shop. This is how they looked before.
The fabric was nice and they were well done, but I had 6 yards of linen that I'd bought at a garage sale so, here's the "after".I painted, monogrammed and distressed two small side tables. One came from a garage sale the other from an antique store. Both were very inexpensive. Here is the sum of all the newest parts, you can tell that I appreciate symmetry. I'm still shopping for a coffee table and artwork. Maybe this room will be finished in another 18 months, I'm patient, I can wait.

Retro Dresses

These simple shift dresses that I made for my GRANDgirls remind me of the kind my mother made for my sister and me and in the sixties. Our outfits often matched, too.

They're made of yellow seersucker with vintage trim, buttons and ric-rac. The girls felt as cool as they could on a hot July day.

Pie Anyone?

My granddaughter, Evie, and I have been "baking". After being inspired by a crafter on television I gathered pie pans, filling, felt, and trims and we got busy. Evie filled the pies and entertained me with original songs while I cut the crusts.
She will graciously serve you "lemon, cherry, chocolate or blueberry pie" when you come for a visit. So, y'all come!
Evie is now cooking and serving from this cupboard that I built when her mommy was her age. Time flies.... eat "pie".

Apron Strings 2

This is a collection of aprons that I sent to Molly for her birthday. The first is a vintage apron that I found at my mother's house that she intended to use as a painting smock. I added the detail at the neck with a corner from a vintage napkin. (I also made a pattern from the original so I could make more like it.) The one below is a ready-made apron with floral appliques and a pocket made from vintage "hen house linen" also known as feedsack material. During the depression animal feed manufacturers began to decorate their cloth sacks with colorful prints to make them more desirable to housewives that would recycle them into clothing and quilts. My mother was raised on a farm during the 1930's and all of her childhood clothes (except for overalls that her brothers had outgrown) were made of feedsack; even her panties.
I have been collecting feedsack fabric for almost 20 years and after a recent internet search have realized that I am not alone.
The flower inspiration came from the red and white pin (in the center of the large flower). The pin came from Richard's grandmother, to his mother, to me, and now to Molly. This pink apron was once a tablecloth. I found it at a garage sale at the home of one of Molly's mother's best friends. It is appliqued with adorable Chinese children in classic poses with kites and parasols. I thought that it would make sweet skirts for little girls... there's plenty left for that, too.

Isn't she sweet?

Aprons Strings

Our daughter-in-law, Molly, is enjoying a new job as a barista at a coffee shop and bakery, Five Loaves, in Montana. She's been wearing and sharing a couple of adorable aprons from one of her favorite shops, Anthropologie. I've decided to add to her collection. I hope she wants an apron wardrobe because I have a lot of ideas and materials for creating more.
This Christmas one is made from a vintage tablecloth that I found just last Saturday at a garage sale for $1. I added details with bits from my collection of vintage fabrics, buttons and trims. The only new part is the ribbon tie. Kitschy or campy?

The only thing I did to this ready-made apron was to make the neck strap adjustable with the addition of buttons. Megan did the applique and monogram. It's so cute and preppy! She made one just like it for me, too. Thanx, Meg!