More Mirrors. I couldn't help myself.

The cool thing is...

Sometimes when people hear you collect old stuff, they say:

"Hey, I have one of those. It's just sitting around. Do you want it?"

And you are happy to answer:

"Yes!"

This is the case with the big vintage medicine cabinet mirror.

It inspired my new old mirror wall.

A colleague brought it into work and gave it to me.

So very fabulous.

I've had it for over 6 months. 
I was psycho that it would break before I hung it up.

It took some time to collect the other things I had in mind.

The shoe form, my niece found for me last summer. (thanks Court!)

It's snappy to hang necklaces on.

Coco, the dress form, I moved up from the laundry room.

     

'entertainment box?' 

That's the one I bought at Goodwill a few weeks ago.

I found sticker letters at Michael's.  A sheet for $1.

The box opens and hold the TV remotes. 

Do you think the kids will actually put the clickers back in??

Such a fun way to fill the empty space.

Plus the mirrors opened up the room.  An added bonus.

      

Charming.

I like it!

I still have my 'who's the fairest' wall in the hallway.

Can I help it if vintage mirrors find me irresistible?

(that sounds so bitchy.)

xo jeanne.

The Menu is delicious.

I finally tackled a job I've been putting off.

Painting a menu board.

I found the graphic at The Graphics Fairy.  

I've had it for a few months.  

Since I've discovered my new fabulous liner paintbrush and painted the dresser -

Bring on The Menu.

I started with the plain board.

(it's not staying purple.

• I took my enlarged copy of the graphic, taped it where I wanted it and put transfer paper underneath it.
• I TURNED THE BOARD SO I  WOULD BE LOOKING A IT UPSIDE DOWN.
•  Then traced the graphic.
• I KEPT IT UPSIDE DOWN as I painted it.
• This keeps the perspective. OR.. keeps the letters shape true.

I painted the solid cream first.

Next, on a paper plate I made watered down version of the cream -

and painted the shadowy highlights.

Upside down:

She's done.

Right side up.

This is part of the Bistro wall I am working on.

I'll show the final product in a few weeks.

Until then, plan your menu.

(Thank you to The Graphics Fairy!)

xo jeanne.

Key to my Happy.

Remember a few Saturday's ago when I said it was the best day ever?

That was the day I visited Bauer Brother's Salvage and salivated all over the place.  But the day didn't stop there.  The Cabinet Maker and I stopped for lunch. We had coupons for free Smash Burgers. Yum! Our lunch cost a total of $7.99.  Smash Burger is attached to a mall, so we walked around.  We got in and saw that there was an antique show on that weekend.  

Fabulous salvage, free burgers AND an antique show all in one afternoon?! 

The trifecta of fabulously.   

The cool thing about the show was that it was mostly little old people as vendors. They were all very darling at their tables.  There was tons of vintage jewelry. I've been on the lookout for some small vintage keys. 

I found them for $3.00 - from the cutest little lady.

I've been wanting to make a key necklace. These little guys were just the ticket.

When sufficient inspiration hit, I pulled out my jewelry making supplies. 

I don't store them in the usual containers. Why would i do that?

I have these OLD little metal drawers. They hold my bobbles.

 I take apart costume necklaces and keep the beads in a.....

vintage transferware vegetable party tray.

It's super handy and spins around.

I put on my high powered readers and got busy.

I repaired a few necklaces that needed repairing.

And finished one that needed finishing.

Here's one:

Finally, it was time to get busy with my key idea and make it a reality.

So I toiled and tooled. Put together and took apart. 

Tried on and changed a few things.

I ended up with this:  Miss Key.

Yay! This makes me happy.

And I'll take happy - any day.

xo jeanne.

Those Irish Can Party.

On Saturday, we headed into St. Paul. 

It was the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. 

We'd never been and we were ready for some serious people watching.

The weather here is 20 degrees above normal, so the crowd was big.

Oh, we wore our green shirts alright, but...

Within 20 seconds, we knew were seriously under-greened.

It's highly doubtful there was merely ginger ale in their solo cups.

My bet is on Guinness.

We quickly deduced that way to be in the parade is to:

1. Be Irish. (as in: kiss me, I'm)

2. Gather all party worthy family members.

3. Make a name banner.

4. Wear any & all green apparel and headgear.

5.  Game on.

There was a sea of green as far as the eye could see.

(Would those be Irish eyes a'smilin'?)

And one creepy guy.... 

who did not get the wear green memo.

 Raise a pint to all the Irish Party Animals who took the time to be silly!

Fight on McGuire's, Dougherty's, Young's and Garrigan's!

xo jeanne.

"Everyone is nice till the cow gets into the garden."

                                                 -Irish proverb.

The Vintage Postcard Caper.

So...... 

I have this stash of vintage postcards. 

Dozens of 'em.  They are originals.

They range from 1907 to 1916.

I collected them 10 years ago.... then forgot I had them.

Shame on me for forgetting!

I rediscovered my long lost stash in a shoebox in my daughter's closet.

There are all seasons and all occasions.

How fantastic are these!?

From 1920.

This set is my favorite. 

They were all sent to a little boy named Jerome Spies. 

They are from his Sunday school teacher. 

Where have you been Jerome?  

There are plenty of cute ones.

 

And a few creepy ones too.  They were morbid in 1910!

At the time....
I had an office in my house and used them on the walls like a border.

That office way before blogland.  I have pictures of it someplace.

That office was pretty dang adorable.

The notes on them are pretty charming. One says:

Dear Helna,

I am wondering how you feel?

I feel with my fingers.

Bye - Bye.

Silliness.

Can you believe I had lost track of this haul?

I bought most of them for $1 to $3 each.

Family members heard I was collecting them and sent me some too.

These are not nearly all of them.  I'd forgotten them for 9 years. 

Crazy Talk. Sheesh. Slap me already.  

xo jeanne.  

The French Label Experiment.

1. The dresser was begging for a boost. 

2.  I've been wanting to paint a old French label on a piece of furniture.

3. Why not paint a label onto the dresser?

4.  Done.

The weather here in the Twin Cities was fantastic this past weekend.

I was able to paint the dresser in the driveway.

(usually this time of year it's covered in ice.)

• I found the label I wanted at The Graphics Fairy.
• I printed it. Took it to a copy store and enlarged it 200%.

• I brought the dresser into my kitchen and laid it on it's back.
• I taped the copy in place then traced it with white transfer paper.

• I used left over cream interior latex paint.
• TIP: if you try this, use a LINER paint brush. It has a long small thin brush.
• I kept the original near so I could refer to it and not lose details.
• It took me about an hour and a half to paint it.
• When dry, I used a small piece of sand paper to thin in out and age it.

 

What I learned.

 1.  Next time I'll make the copy bigger to cover the whole surface.

 Or put the label on the side or just coming onto the front.

2.  This dresser has lots of bumpy ridges and 

compensating for them would've driven me nuts.

3.  The fine LINER brush was a huge help and I'm glad 

I ran back to Michael's to get it.

                                 4.   But, I think I sanded it too much.  Next project, I'll hold off sanding.

Not bad for my first shot at it.  

I've got another label in the wings.

Tu aimes? 

xo Jeanne.

Crazy Fabulous Salvage Warehouse.

On Saturday I pretty much experienced decorating nirvana. 

Or would have if money were no object.

  It began with the Cabinet Maker and I going to Bauer Brothers Salvage in Minneapolis.  

The place is HUGE and packed full of fabulous tear-outs from old homes.

Built in buffets, doors, windows, banisters, everything you can think of.  

 Gorgeous old woodwork. Tons of it. Everywhere.

Entire buffets were for sale. Priced in the thousands. 

Rows of them.

Corner hutches were stunning.

There were huge, gorgeous corbels and column toppers. 

Absolutely fabulous.

I was literally speechless. Everywhere, everything was awesome.

It just kept going on and on.

There were tons of radiators.

The whole place is fabulous.

 I really can't even explain it and these pictures don't do it justice.

If you were building a custom home and cash was unlimited, this is THE place to find character for it.

The hitch for me was that it was freezing inside.

It is a warehouse and there was no heat. 

It was 27 degrees outside and easily 15 degrees inside.

My teeth were chattering. I was close to frozen. I only had a coat.

Had we known, both the Cabinet Maker and I been super wrapped up.

But it was still worth it and thank goodness I'd brought my camera along.

I'd have been so mad at myself if I'd missed these pics.

We'll definitely go back in Summer when it's warmer inside.

Till then.....I'll dream.

xo jeanne.