18ninety4

magical vintage cruiser

2011-06-08T15:13:00.008-04:00

photo by Jamie Beck for A Cup of Jo

I love the awesome hair tutorials featured by Joanna Goddard. Her latest one, the Chestnut Bun, showed the model riding a lovely black vintage cruiser. As I was scrolling through the comments I noticed Caroline, the model mentioned that the bike was "nothing special" that she had found on Craigslist. Naturally I checked out my local Craigslist & found:

It's a sunny 93° in this river city. I've got my hair up in a Chestnut Bun and am headed out the door to the the West End to pick her up now. And that my friends is the magic of the internet. I figure it was meant to be. :)

letting yourself fall in love a little bit every day

2011-01-11T09:16:00.002-05:00

Hipstamatic June

2010-07-10T17:06:00.008-04:00

sunday

monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

friday

saturday

Crendenza

2010-02-23T14:02:00.002-05:00

When this Danish credenza originally listed for $500 showed up on my local Craigslist I knew just the perfect spot for it.

It has beautiful tambour doors,

is in very good condition with only one cup stain on the top,

& was brought home for only $225.

work in progress

2010-02-22T21:44:00.003-05:00

A previous playroom turned office looks innocent enough...

but not really.

Sugar

2010-02-21T16:24:00.005-05:00

Sugar cookies shared by a sweet 6 year old with her class.
In search of the perfect sugar cookie recipe I ended up here, but even with Amanda's kind correspondence my cookies still spread more than I cared for. I finally settled on this flower shape & prettied them up with a little icing, pearls, & sprinkles.

satomi kawakita

2010-02-04T02:03:00.006-05:00

images from satomi kawakita

i want a stack of satomi kawakita's beautiful rings on my fingers.

2009-12-29T11:26:00.003-05:00

looking forward to the new year

Tiny Little Ghost Named Lou Lou

2009-07-31T10:50:00.008-04:00

image courtesy of Terri Smith Photography

She's a demure little thing with style and grace, perfect for aspiring designers & tiny fashionistsas alike.
If you'd like a chance to win a Lou Lou Ghost Chair courtesy of All Modern for your own little one check out Brooklyn Limestone & leave a comment for Mrs. Limestone.

Kim White Handbags

2009-07-28T19:52:00.005-04:00

1974 AMC

Buick Skylark & Buick Apollo 1975

Fabulous clutches fashioned from vintage automotive upholstery by Los Angeles designer Kim White.

want.

SCOTT SCHUMAN

2009-07-25T10:03:00.009-04:00

image from the Sartorialist

want.

Design by Joshua Covarrubias

FROG

2009-07-25T08:57:00.002-04:00

this old metal frog was included in an ebay lot of vintage glass frogs i had won years ago.
it's been sitting in a drawer in the mudroom for as long as we've lived here.

this metal vase was a Luckett's Store find.

what are the chances

that they were made for each other?

THE OLD LUCKETTS STORE

2009-07-13T08:59:00.002-04:00

3 stories filled with well over 4000 sq ft of hidden treasures.

LUCKETTS DESIGN HOUSE

2009-07-11T19:37:00.002-04:00

Lucketts Design House July 2009

TAKEN IN ALDIE

2009-07-08T21:53:00.007-04:00

rouge or rust

Diamonds and Rust
Aldie, Va

A LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN IN MIDDLEBURG, VA

2009-07-07T16:54:00.015-04:00

the Bull Barn at the Goodstone Estate

bicycles for two delivered to the Bull Barn gate

ivy-covered facade of the original Manor House at Goodstone

lunch at the Market Salamander in town

CYPRESS

2009-06-15T10:05:00.013-04:00

1
2
3

05.13.09

PEONY

2009-06-02T16:03:00.003-04:00

see you next spring

i have 2 varieties of these growing in my yard. they both bloom & fade at the same time. their beauty is amazing, but short-lived.

ESTATE SALE FINDS

2009-04-20T14:42:00.008-04:00

for the sugar snap peas & sweet peas

small round side table with drawer

tarnished silver plated tea pot, pitchers, & vase
these were jumbled in a cardboard box labeled $5 a piece.
the more i look at these the more i love them.

nothing better than estate sale on the last day. everything was half off the ticket, except the 3 topiaries
that i scored for $25.

Seedlings

2009-04-10T08:12:00.007-04:00

started 1st batch on 3.07.09

pumpkin & cucumber seedlings at 5 weeks

cosmos seedling at 5 weeks

carrot seedling at 5 weeks

romaine seedlings at 5 weeks

spinach seedlings at 5 weeks

started on 3.07.09:
zinnia (giant cactus)
cosmos (single sensation)
stock
pumpkin (jack o' lantern)
chives
onion (evergreen bunching)
romaine (parris island cos)
spinach (bloomsdale, long standing)
cucumbers (straight eight)
carrots
poppies

started on 4.01.09:
bridal veil (white nigella)
genovese sweet basil
sugar snap peas (super sugar snap)
sweet pea (royal family)
sweet pea (early flowering)
white bishop's lace (butterfly flowers)
jasmine alata (scented nicotiana)
snapdragons
poppies (shirley)
spinach
romaine
chives

FOR HEATHER AT GET TO FIXIN'

2009-03-07T22:34:00.012-05:00

Take a look at the light fixture in this room designed by Katie Ridder.

Or this vintage sputnik in a Brown Design room.

Also, check out Scandinavian Design Center where there is no shortage of affordable possibilities like the Topan (would love to see this in red or yellow against gray walls), the Sigvard Pendant (love this against the white medallion), and the Lampel (with or without the plant) shown above.

lisa rupp calendars

2009-02-28T09:43:00.009-05:00

How lovely are these? Lisa Rupp is a talented graphic designer & illustrator with a penchant for pattern. Join her mailing list & she will send you the newest calendar to download for free each month!

i will possess your <3

2009-02-27T18:56:00.001-05:00

Tea for 10 (percent off), anyone?

2009-02-26T18:50:00.002-05:00

When choosing the tea cups for the tea party I took into consideration a few things. At first I had planned on collecting various vintage teacups, each gilded with a little gold just to keep it cohesive. (But, did I really want to risk the beautiful Limoges saucer getting chipped or broken? ) Then I became concerned about lead poisoning & decided to play it safe by going with a brand new food-grade set.

The little 4-piece floral demitasse sets I chose were a perfect size for 5 year olds and fit into the vintage look I was going for.
I am happy to share with anyone interested the 10% off coupon code from Ritter's Tea Cup Gallery. Just enter "10TEACUPS" on the order form & be sure to mention 1894 in the order notes section to receive your 10% off. Many beautiful things to be had. Enjoy!

tea party

2009-02-08T14:27:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we had the pleasure of hosting a birthday tea party for our 5 year old at our home. Everything went swimmingly well.

Tea (lemonade) for 10(ish).
Lovely china dishes.
Charming paper dolls.
Pretty paper parasols.
Silk flower headbands.
A comfortable sunny day in the middle of winter.
Precious company.
One little girl, her heart filled with joy.
Good times.

The Menu:

* Chocolate hazelnut flower-shaped sandwiches
* Almond butter & strawberry preserve flower-shaped sandwiches
* Pink & white heart-shaped strawberry marshmallows
* Chicken & apple salad with cranberry chutney on small rolls
* Roasted red pepper hummus tray with sliced cucumber, pretzel crisps, & small flower-shaped tortillas
* Kid friendly crudite: baby carrots, red bell pepper, & celery with ranch dressing
* Shortbread & Biscoff cookies
* Lemon poppy seed two-bite scones
* Strawberries & green grapes
* Lemonade poured from a pretty teapot
* Vegan vanilla cupcakes topped with fluffy buttercream frosting
* Beverage for parents: sparkling pink lemonade, sparkling limeade, organic coffee & a glass pitcher filled with water

While I am not a big fan of children's music I like to make sure the music is definitely age appropriate, but kid and adult friendly.

The Playlist:

1. Find A Way / Smoosh
2. Ageless Beauty / Most Serene Republic (Stars)
3. Secret Heart / Feist
4. Tonite, You Belong To Me / Cold War Kids
5. One, Two, Three, Four / Feist
6. I Feel It All / Feist
7. Noisy At the Circus / Head Like a Kite
8. Take Me to the Riot / Stars
9. We're Going to Be Friends/ the White Stripes
10. Bag of Hammers / Thao Nguyen
11. Beat / Thao Nguyen
12. Send Me on My Way / Rusted Root
13. You are the Only One I love / JayMay
14. Sleep / Azure Ray
15. You are My Flower / Ida
16. Lover's lane / Ida
17. Mushaboom / Feist
18. Reunion / Jason Collett
19. Science vs. Romance / Rilo Kiley
20. Ill Willed Person / JayMay
21. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? / She & Him
22. With Arms Outstretched / Rilo Kiley
23. Minuet in G / Ludwig Van Beethoven
24. We're Going to be Friends / Jack Johnson
25. .Nantes / Beirut

freshly painted

2009-02-08T11:57:00.001-05:00

rear staircase

Magnolia Garland: Part 2

2008-12-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

Not bad for a first attempt at a garland. It hung over the chest about 1.5 feet on each side. Maybe next year I'll even make it long enough to actually drape over a mantle or doorway. I didn't want to add anything to it really & just let the size of the leaves speak for themselves. By Christmas the undersides started to turn a nice coppery brown.

Science vs. Romance

2008-12-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

A belated anniversary present purchased for a song at a little boutique here in our fair river city.

As a side note, i also realized it's pronounced "kee-lee" and not "kigh-lee". (listening to too much rilo i guess)
And btw, have you seen her home?!?

image from Domino magazine July/August 2006

Magnolia Garland: Part 1

2008-12-08T14:28:00.001-05:00

Almost There

2008-12-05T14:34:00.001-05:00

Vintage Spooner

2008-12-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

I picked up this cane patterned vintage spooner
at an estate sale a few months ago.
I love how it looks filled with hydrangeas.

Set the Table

2008-09-12T09:57:00.000-04:00

Now that we have enough seating it's time to set the table.
We have these clean white dishes designed by Susan Pryke from IKEA:

We are currently using this mirror finish flat wear:

We also have a variety of mismatched glass tumblers, glass water goblets, acrylic goblets, & acrylic juice glasses.
So I'm considering these lovely Bodega glasses from Bormioli Rocco:

They are crafted from tempered glass and are 2.5 times more resistant than normal glassware. They are even microwavable! I'm anxious to see how long these will hold up in our household.

I can not resist a bargain so I have to throw these in as well:

I found these Stonehenge glasses from Libbey Glass, Inc. at only $29.95 for a set of 30 glasses. Although they are not tempered, they are classic enough for everyday use & pretty enough for a Sunday morning waffle brunch.

Which leads me to the largest waffle iron I've ever seen & now want:

So it's not necessarily the biggest size-wise, but it makes 6 at one time! I like the fact that the lid locks in place and the entire unit can be placed on its side for easy storage. This Cuisinart waffle iron makes me forget that I was even considering this beauty once upon a time.

Pretty Over Practical

2008-09-11T21:48:00.000-04:00

After months of searching for tile for our defunct powder room I've finally made my choice! After receiving estimates from a few general contractors to finish the whole room I've decided to start with a tile guy and go from there instead. For a while there I thought I was going to go with beveled subway tile & trim from the Soho line from Walker Zanger with a black & white basket weave ceramic for the floor.

image from Walker Zanger

After visiting yet another tile showroom this evening I think I've found a perfect combination:

white crackle 3x6 tile for walls

white Carrara 1x3 Herringbone for floor

White crackle finish instead of smooth beveled tile & white marble (marble!) instead of ceramic black & white mosaic?
There I go again choosing pretty over practical. :)

Table for ten, please!

2008-09-04T08:52:00.001-04:00

Our dining room table was purchased with the best intentions. We selected the large Pottery Barn Francisco table in black about four years ago. It seats eight comfortably as a square table, but ten when both leaves are added. Perfect for our large family and when coupled with the kitchen table: Thanksgiving at our place! In the past four years that table has played the role of dust collector extraordinaire, default desk top, and hot wheels race track. We've never eaten one meal at that "dining" table. Why? Because we were never able to choose the right chairs!

Sometimes everything falls into place. Shortly after moving into our home we attended a local fair that showcased a few household items original to the inn. The first picture is an oak t-back chair with cane seat that they used in the inn's dining room.

About a year ago I found a set of 4 oak t-back chairs with upholstered seats on Craigslist at a great price. Each of them had different lines & legs, but still upholstered the same. A few weeks ago when I picked up the bamboo style coffee-table, I also picked up a set of 6 more oak t-back chairs at an even better price. These had leather seats with nail head trim. One of these chairs is shown in the second picture.

Yesterday the man & his wife who refinished & upholstered all ten chairs delivered them to our home. We could not be more pleased. They are perfect with the table, like they belonged here all along. Thanksgiving at our place this year, anyone?

Just Look at Those Legs!

2008-08-14T10:23:00.000-04:00

Apparently Brocade Home is in the middle of moving warehouse & my order took a little bit longer to process. The console table finally arrived & is a perfect mix of modern & classic.

The front hallway is not very bright & needed something with legs to open up the space. The old chest was too dark, heavy, & not long enough. The space still needs some tweaking, but I think we're headed in the right direction.

New Coffee Table

2008-08-03T20:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I traveled across the river to a consignment store in search of some old oak t-back chairs. They were there just as I had hoped and not only did I scoop up the chairs, I also found this vintage Lane coffee table. It was in the back room stacked in the corner marked down to $25. The bamboo-style frame was a little dusty & faded, but the glass was nearly flawless. Although it looks pretty good in the photo, as soon as I saw it I pictured this table painted in a glossy white finish. It's taking more than a few cans of spray paint than I anticipated, but it is well on its way.

One Hand on the Doorknob

2008-07-28T17:12:00.002-04:00

Imagine if you will, sitting in a small dark space with your sense of sound impaired, literally on the edge of your seat for fear that someone could come storming in at any given moment while your pants are down.

When we first moved in our issues with the powder room were many: It's quite small, but has an almost 10 foot ceiling. One electrical switch worked both the ceiling light and the fan that sounded like a small engine. The ceiling had been painted black to match the Asian-themed wall paper. The wood floor had been painted ivory with a sagey-green pattern. The ivory color on the floor just looked dingy. All of the wood trim including the door and the water closet above the toilet had been painted a deep Chinese red. The lock on the door was nonexistent.

The powder room is one of the many bathrooms that need renovation. To date we have stripped off the wallpaper, removed the faucet, brass fixtures, toilet/water closet & torn out the painted red moulding & trim. The red wooden door has also been painted white. The motor for the ceiling fan has been replaced with a much quieter one. The ceiling has been primed. We had our electrician place a junction box for a light fixture to be placed on the wall above the sink.

Brocade Home Sale

2008-07-27T17:29:00.001-04:00

(image from Brocade Home)

Last week I placed an order for a table from Restoration Hardware's sister company Brocade Home. As of this morning they still hadn't processed it. A few moments ago I received an email featuring their promotion of an additional 50% sale items. So I called customer service & the table should be arriving in the next week or two $175 less than expected! I like this table because of its classic Parsons-like proportion paired with unexpected turned legs.
If any one is interested in the sale, here is the promo code: SUMMER

home

2008-07-23T19:39:00.004-04:00

"Built five years after the BA Hotel burned to the ground, the BA Inn served as the community's only public guest facility from 1894 to 1917. A large rambling frame structure built in two or three stages, the inn featured an octagonal tower with faceted domical roof at its southeast corner. The Georgian Revival wraparound veranda was probably added when the three-story western section was built in 1910.
Erected by A. F. Noel, the inn was originally known as the "BA Hotel Cottage." In 1910 Mrs. TMK bought the building, enlarged it, and re-opened it as the BA Inn. Billed in its first years as a "resort and sanitarium", the Inn catered to families seeking a quiet summer vactaion. Although the building contained a dining room frequented by local residents as well as guests, it did not provide the varied sports facilities or organized social functions of the earlier BA Hotel; entertainment consisted of croquet, picnics and boating parties by day, and card games, porch-sitting, and an occasional outdoor dance at night. A particularly attractive feature of the hotel was its easy commuting distance from the city; after 1892 a special railroad stop at the end of the street served patrons of the Inn.
Shortly after the Inn closed in 1917, the K family detached the front and rear sections of the building, moved them to new locations, and remodeled them into residences; the remaining central section was transformed into the K family's own dwelling."