Exactly the Chairs I Was Hoping For!

Sometimes Facebook is annoying and other times it's wonderful.  Today, I think it's wonderful.  It helped me get the word out to my friends so I could get exactly the chairs I was looking for in record time.  Let me explain...

I have been wanting two matching chairs for ages.  I actually started the hunt when we first moved into our current house in 2008.  I couldn't find the chairs and I gave up looking for a while and headed in another direction.  Then, a couple of years ago, I started looking again.

I wanted the chairs to be sturdy and comfy, but they also needed to be pet friendly.  I wanted two loose cushions in each chair and no fabric around the outside because that's way too attractive to my super destructive cat, Cindy Lou.  She has scratch pads of all sorts, but she prefers furniture.  I've tried (without success) every trick on the internet to keep her away.  I give up.  It's easier to decorate around her issues.  She likes to scratch fabric - upholstered chair backs and sides are her favorites.  So, I needed chairs without fabric on the sides on backs.

There were a number of styles that would work for me, but I never seemed to be able to find them.  I did not want to buy new.  I knew I'd eventually come across a used set at a decent price.  I've been pretty patient, but my patience finally wore thin and I decided to get more aggressive in my search.

Any of these styles would do.

Yesterday, I posted a collage on Facebook showing the various chair styles that would work.  Then, I tagged a number of my treasure hunting buddies and asked them to keep an eye out for me.  Within a few hours of that post, I had a message with a photo of just what I was looking for.

Spoon Sisters in Tyrone

Lynne, the wonderful owner of Spoon Sisters in Tyrone, saw my post and showed it to her vendors right away.  Betty, one of her vendors, had these chairs at her house.  She was planning to put them in her booth as soon as she had room.  No need for that!  I went to her house and picked them up.  By the way, Betty's house was fabulous - lots of incredible pieces of furniture - and she had the prettiest pond out back.  I wish I'd taken a photo, but it was hard to concentrate on anything but my new chairs.   I couldn't believe my search was finally over.

Love those details!

I love the details on the bamboo (or is it rattan?).  The chairs are sturdy and comfy - they definitely passed my test. They're roomy, too. I'm looking forward to having company, now that more people will be able to sit comfortably.

I didn't care what kind of shape the cushions were in.  I was pretty sure I'd be getting new cushions and having covers made for them.  As it turns out, I won't be in any rush to do that.  These cushions are in great shape and the black and white check fabric looks just fine in the room.

This is the second one on the opposite side of the sitting area.

As a bonus, these chairs will be super easy to slipcover.  I can change the look easily.  Each chair came with a small throw pillow, also in the black and white check.  I prefer to have a contrasting pattern, so I added yellow and white pillows there for now.  I will probably change those soon.  There are some other colors I want to bring out in the room.  One decorating change leads to another and I have a number of changes in mind for this room.

It's crazy how quickly I got exactly what I was looking for.  There's probably a lesson here. Good things happen fast when you ask for a little help from your friends!!!

Grateful My Home is My Hobby

It feels a bit shallow and a bit inappropriate right now, but I think I'm finding something that brings me a little joy.  I'm sprucing up my house and re-doing some things that haven't felt right.  No one would question that of an ordinary woman, but since I'm a new widow, NOTHING seems right.  I have lost my goals.  I've lost my plans.  I've lost control of what I thought was my life.  Very little makes sense anymore.  Having anything at all that feels good to do is a gift and I'm grabbing hold of it and running.

I love quotes.  I find tons of inspiration from reading.  First, I came across a bit that I have always believed.

Once is a happenstance.  

A second time is a coincidence.  

A third time is a significance.  

That quote was fresh on my mind when I had a few encounters which seemed particularly meaningful right now.

I didn't give the first encounter much notice. I read a little something about finding a hobby or some little something to do as a way to get past trauma.

Next, I read an article about a woman who had 3 sad events in three years - a divorce, a death in the family and a fiance who  dumped her.  She felt she had lost control of her life (that got my attention).  She had threw herself into decorating a house and found that he healed as she fixed up her house.   She wrote a book about it - Bee Cottage. You can read more about it HERE.

My third encounter was as good as a note from above giving me permission to play.  I bought a used copy of Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach at Goodwill.  I'd read that book (all about gratitude) when it first came out in 1995, but decided it might be worth reading again.  I'm using anything I can to keep me from sinking into dark places.  The book is written calendar style. There's a short chapter each day.  I started on the appropriate date.

The July 29th chapter was The Home as a Hobby.  She quotes a 1929 magazine article. The quote is long and I'm too lazy to write the whole thing, but my favorite part was this -

A home which is not a fair expression of us at our best, a home which lacks what it might have, a home which is in any part more ugly or in any part more uncomfortable than it absolutely need be... a home which cannot be run without waste, a home which by any detail gets on the nerves of its inhabitants and so impairs the harmony of their existence - something ought to be done about such a home.  Why not make the perfecting of the home a hobby?

To me that quote isn't about following the latest style trends or creating spots in your house that would make perfect Pinterest photos.  It's about creating a home that promotes comfort and happiness and life.

I've already been trying to do improve things in my house a little, but now maybe I'll put a little more effort into it.  I don't work fast.  You can't when you prefer to buy used.  The hunt is half the fun.  Well, today's treasure hunting went a little better than expected.  It went so well that I'll need to put off additional treasure hunting for awhile.

First, I bought this extra large stool.  No need to paint or recover - the colors work well as is.  And I got it for a song.  It's in the guest room.

I had moved the bench that was there to my bathroom.  This wood bench was made by my hubby a year or two ago, before he got sick.  When he made it, I wasn't crazy about it.  It's a little too high and the seat area seems too hefty.  Rudy built things as if they were going to be tested in a tornado.  He made the bench for us to sell, but for some reason we kept it.  I'm really glad now.  I like the idea of having it placed where I'll see it more often.  Plus, it's really functional in it's new place.  Also, check out the curtains in this photo.  That's actually a chenille bedspread.  I'm thinking of making it into a curtain and before cutting it up decided to hang it from cafe rings to try it out.  I'm liking it.  One more thing - the walls will be painted white as soon as I get in the mood to paint. Who knows when that'll be.

I've had these three framed greenery pictures in the master bath for a while now. Just yesterday, I thought about how pretty green towels would look in this mostly white room.  I was fairly specific when envisioning the color - celery green.

This photo just shows 2 of the ones I found.  Everything else has been put out.

Guess what I found at an antique mall today?  A towel set of celery green towels.  Two huge bath towels, two hand towels, two washcloths and a fabulous bath mat.  All in pristine condition.  All the tags still intact - they are from Restoration Hardware.  Lush as all getout.  I know antique malls.  I can tell you all about most of the ones in the area.  Towels are not something I recall ever seeing at any of my favorite stores.  To find a set like this was a huge surprise.  I washed the whole set the minute I got home and everything is in place now.  They are fabulous!

I also found these cool vintage metal chairs.  They are finished in a funky bohemian style which really caught my eye.  There are 4, but the vendor came in while I was browsing and it turns out I know her. She's such a sweet lady.  She told me she has two more at home and she's going to bring them in for me sometime next week.  Please don't judge the crowded arrangement and un-put-together look in this photo.  The balmy weather here is horrendous right now.  It's comparable to a Turkish steam bath.  August is usually worse, which is hard to imagine. I may not work on this porch til Fall.

So... my hobby may not be noble, but by golly it's giving me something to be interested in, other than to just get through another day.  And Sarah Ban Breathnach would agree that is something to be grateful for!

Hidden Discoveries in Peachtree City

I spent most of yesterday with my friend, Kathy, and we had a wonderful time.  We lunched at Ted's at the Avenue and since it's right there next to Starbucks, I couldn't resist a Frappacino.  And yes, I did have the whipped cream on top without the slightest hesitation.

Kathy and I started at Collectors' Corner.  I was taking photos for their Facebook page.  Kathy hadn't been there in ages, so she was amazed at the changes.

We also went to a store I'd never heard of - Sarah's Home.  How have I missed this one?  It's in the Willow Bend Shopping Center.  It was wonderful!  It was also dangerous!  My resistance was challenged and I went away with less in my pocket book!

Sarah, the owner, was lovely and she let me take some photos of her store.  Take a look -

I love the wood on that table.  You'd need a closer look to really appreciate the wood and color.  And don't even get me started on that chandelier.  Swoon!

Sarah and Kathy - I love this photo.  They had been posing and looking too "perfect" so I made them laugh.  We all need to laugh more, don't you think?

Need something reupholstered? OR need a slipcover? See Sarah.  I should have taken a close-up of that sofa.  The fabrics on it are fabulous.

These candles smelled wonderful.
Kathy and I spent quite a bit of time deciding which were our favorites.

Her fabric choices are really great.

I've been hearing from my decorator friends that color is coming back!  I resisted jumping on the neutral bandwagon so now my style is coming back.  Color is "happy" and I need it whether it's in style or not. I see at least 5 things in this photo that I'd put in my house in a skinny minute.

I bought two decent sized fabric scraps.  I can't wait to show you what I'm going to do with them.  I'm really tired of doing just practical things and dealing with so many sad details.  I'm actually going to do a mini project.  I need it.  I'll post about it soon.

Also, if you go to Sarah's Home, be sure to go around the corner and stop by Beautiful Earth Organics.  They have wonderful teas and coffee and more.  They have really amazing baked goods, too, which are torture for me since I have to avoid gluten.

Table Talk in Senoia

Table Talk is a fabulous store in Senoia.   My hair stylist, Suki, knows I love good decor and displays and she told me I had to go check out their new Christmas decor. Table Talk is a mix of elegance and humor.  Their decor is over the top and completely inspiring.  Every direction you look is a treat for the eyes.

You can also visit them on Facebook.

Table Talk in downtown Senoia

They have the longest table on earth right down the center of the store.  

HUGE mantel beautifully decorated

ENJOY SENOIA!!!

Amazing Chandelier Decor

They have creative displays from ceiling to floor.

Bits of humor are everywhere.  Just look at these bottle labels in the Man Cave section!

The bathroom is the prettiest store bathroom ever!!!

They have LOTS of Christmas trees in the store.

One of the trees is elevated on this fabulous cart - these guys are geniuses when it comes to the details!

The views from every direction are spectacular.  This is the view from the back.

They have lots of great products in the store.  They sell what they love.  They are in the process of getting an online store.  If they sell it, you can pretty much guarantee it's good stuff!

I bought the Fresh Wave odor eliminator crystal gel.

It got rid of the awful wet shoe smell in my darling hubby's closet!  

If you are in the neighborhood, drop in and say hello!  They are the nicest people!!!

Van Byars New Year's Auction

Woo-Hoo!  I rang in the New Year with gusto!  I spent the day (and I mean that literally) at the Van Byars New Year's Day Auction in Hogansville.  This is my second time at this particular auction and I really love it.  

Hogansville is a pretty little town.  I plan to explore it further, hopefully later this week.  There are antique stores, thrift stores, hardware stores (with every kind of knob and furniture hardware that you can imagine). The folks are really nice - I met a number of the store owners at the last two auctions.  

By the way, all these photos were taken with my new phone.  My phone may actually have a better camera than my camera.  


Van Byars posts photos of many of their items on their web site.  I studied that for days.  I was looking for things that would look good and sell in our booth at Rockin' B.  Well, that was my plan.  I ended up getting more for me than to sell. 

The place was loaded with items up for auction.  The picture doesn't show it all, but it's the best I could do in one shot.

Several of the booth renters from Rockin B were there.  My booth-mate, Martie and her husband, Bob were there. We got there at about the same time.  I think this photo of them turned out great. Martie, by the way, had a lot of luck at the auction.  She got a absolute zillion fabulous small items at great prices. Some she's keeping.  Some will be put in the booth.

Bob (another Bob - not Martie's husband) was there, too. He bought some amazing pieces!!!  His wife, Pam, was home sick.  Lots of bugs are going around these days.  I hope she's feeling better.

My big ticket item was this hutch.  When looking at the online photos, I was sure that if I got it, I would paint it. I changed my mind when I saw it in person.  My DH and I really liked it online.  We love beefy pieces with simple lines. Someone sitting near told me it was made by a man named Tony Brown.  He was there at the auction and had on an orange hat.  I never saw him.

I paid more than I had hoped for this sucker.  The New Years auction has become very popular, which is great for the sellers, but it sure did strain my wallet.  

I bought a number of small things.  I bought a "lot" that included a bunch of glass eggs (that's what I was after), pottery, a ceramic dog, some weird pot from Venezuela, and a wooden egg that opens up.  I bought another tray that included 3 heavy bird statues.  I also won a couple of Pyrex bowls. 

I won two bird pictures - one an oil painting and the other a needlepoint. I'm keeping them both. They are already on my wall!  You'll see photos of those in another post this week along with a few other odds and ends that I won.   

There were a good many other things that caught my eye that I didn't win.

They had two Remington bronzes.  These were cast from the originals - there is a limited number of those.  They had been appraised. The larger of the two was estimated to be at least worth $2500.  At auction, the big one went for $425 and the small one for $200.  What an amazing deal!!!!

Oh.  I almost forgot - Jason from The Auctioneers on the Discovery Channel was one of the guest auctioneers.  A total of three auctioneers took turns.  It's a good thing - the auction was quite long - 5 1/2 - 6 hours of actual auction time.

I really was hoping the table above would go for a good price.  It would have made the coolest kitchen island ever.  It went for $170, which would not have been bad if I'd been buying it for myself.   The saw table pictured above right went for $245.  I was shocked at that. It was old and cool, but still...

I liked these two pieces but they went pretty high.  

I wanted this platter real bad.  It went for $27.50 to a lady named Jackie.  I could have slapped her.  She liked everything I did and got just about all of it.  The auctioneers knew her by name.  I do too, now. I regret not going a little higher on this platter.  Those are my colors.  It goes with a pitcher I have.  It was supposed to be mine.  Now, if I want it, I'd have to go to Jackie's shop and buy it for probably $60 or more. In my fantasy, at the next auction I offer Jackie a few pieces of chocolate candy (Chocolate Ex-Lax candy).  I wouldn't really do such a thing, but I can entertain myself for hours thinking of all the things I could do if I were no so sweet.  :-)

The items above went for prices way above my limit.  The bookcase went for $90.  It was such a simple piece.  Benches were really hot, too. There were at least 4 there and folks were bidding like mad for them.

These items were wonderful and they went for prices that were reasonable.

I had really hoped to get at least one of the sewing chests.  They had old sewing things in them, too.  The lighter colored one was my favorite.

What's funny is, I had been really worried about how I would keep my booth stocked once yard sale season was over.  I'm not worried anymore!

Cydney's Alley in Senoia

A couple of week's before Christmas, I went shopping on Main Street in Senoia.  If you remember, Senoia is where the latest Southern Living House was located.  I did a number of posts about my tour of The Southern Living House.

They have lots of cute little shops there, but one I focused on was Cydney's Alley.  It's a cute little shop with a mix on new and vintage items. Her blog is not updated very often, but it's still worth a look - it has lots of photos of pieces that are swoon-worthy.  In reading the blog, I also noticed that the name of the shop comes from the name of the owners' (Scott and Liz Barnett) daughters - Cydney and Alley.  How cute!
   

Inside the shop, one thing in particular caught my eye.  It was a little sign with four birds and the words, Friends living in the sunshine.  I am drawn to bird things and signs on boards and chippy things, so this sign was right up my alley (not just Cydney's).

 Once I took a closer look, I became very curious about what steps might be involved in creating the original sign from scratch.  The actual sign was most likely a print.  I saw a couple of other similar sign in her shop and then some more in another Senoia shop.  But the original process....   Hmmmm...

How Did They Do It???

 

Here's my guess - Dark brown paint.  A little crackle finish in select spots. Cream paint. Paint the birds. Stencil the words.  Glaze over top with wood graining tool.  A couple of travel stamps. More glaze or stain around the edges to make it look aged. Top coat of something non-shiny.  Is that how you think it might have been created?  I wouldn't dare try to copy this.  One reason is out of respect for the artist and the shop.  Even if I had no scruples, there's another reason that would stop me - I know my talent limitations.

I tried to find out who made it, where it came from or something so I could give credit.  The owner's mom was working that day and she didn't know.  

Be sure to check out   the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,     
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!   

This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!  

I'm linking this post with  - 

• Take a Look Tuesday - Sugar Bee - Craft Edition

Calloway Gardens Fantasy in Lights

Last night I went to Callaway Gardens to see the Fantasy in Lights show.   It was wonderful!

Doug was our enthusiastic chauffeur. 

Pam, Trish, Sarah and I were his guests.

Doug does a lot of driving for his job and his car is outfitted with all sorts of gadgets.  A navigator, satellite radio and telephone were close at hand, and I must say none interfered with driving.  Sarah had control of the phone for game playing purposes.  The navigator told him about upcoming turns and made the drive a breeze. I think the navigator may be one of the best gadgets to have!  I really think I'm going to have to get one for my dear hubby.

If you are from Georgia or Alabama, you probably already know about Callaway Gardens.

For those who don't know, I'll try to explain. Callaway Gardens has been famous in Georgia for as long as I can remember. It's a big place that where you can stay overnight or go for a day trip.  It has miles and miles of trails to walk or drive or ride bikes through.  It's stunningly beautiful every season of the year. The gardens are legendary. There are huge lakes for swimming or boating.  There are specialty buildings like the  butterfly conservatory, which is magical. In spring, it's a must see - it has the world's largest azalea garden.  There are always special events going on.  The hot air balloon show is one that I'm dying to go see.  This was my first time to see the Fantasy in Lights.

Tickets are bought ahead for certain time slots.  When you get there, it's all very organized and set up in a way that gets people through the show quite smoothly. You drive through the Gardens and everywhere you go there are different themed light displays.  It took us about 45 minutes to see everything.


I took a zillion photos hoping some would turn out.  I had a few challenges other than light.  The car was moving pretty much constantly so I had many blurred shots.  My back seat car window was having issues and couldn't be rolled down.  My camera view was limited. Every now and then I took shots by sticking my arms up through the sunroof.  Considering all of that, I am quite pleased with the shots I got.  

There were lots of animated displays.

These were from the Twelve Days of Christmas them area.

Rows of soldiers were on both sides of the road in one section.

Fairies were everywhere in the Enchanted Rainbow Forest.

The butterflies were in Firefly Cove.  I used photo editing to put them with the flowers.

There were lots of places where you felt enveloped by lights. 

There were quite a few elaborate drive-under light displays.

There were some blurry photos that turned out to be pretty interesting.  

They look a little artsy. Here are two favs-

My favorite area of all was Snowflake Valley.  None of my photos captured how magical it was.  Even the photo of it from Callaway's site doesn't do it justice.  Honestly, I think it's a place that would be hard to capture in a photo. 

from Callaway's site

The show runs through December 30th.  If you're in the area and have never seen it, go!!!  It's best to buy tickets ahead.

Merry Christmas to All!

 

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,     
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!   

This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!  

I'm linking this post with  -

• All Things Merry and Bright at All Things Heart and Home 
• No theme just let er rip at Funky Junk Interiors
• Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things
• Friday Finding Beauty at Dipity Road