grovelanestudio

Recreating

2010-03-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Finally got around to covering this Thonet "Snodgrass" chair that I love because of the chrome and modern lines. It was originally covered in a nice rust fabric that was spotted and also wasn't quite the right color here. The original fabric is still underneath and slip covered. The neutral color will allow me to experiment with different pillows. This one adds a punch of color and is entirely from vintage fabrics.

Smile and Wave

2010-02-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

Walking along the cliffs today there was an awful lot of giggling going on as passers by would unsuspectingly be pelted by a wave.

Keeping Fit

2010-02-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

I haven't been exercising for a while and this morning I went on a little hike with my son. When other parts of the country are covered with snow, the sun came out today here after some rain. Although I've always been interested in nutrition I'm inspired lately by Tosca Reno and the "Eat Clean Diet", because she's just a little older than me and she super fit at fifty. I do a pretty good job of shopping healthy, but may do fast food for convenience. My other weakness is candy, and I'm going to try and knock that out. Back pack is a "Lolabag" by Ana of Rearranged Design
-light weight and perfect for walking

My post hike meal was this beautiful protein smoothie with almond milk, frozen blueberries and strawberries, half a banana, hemp/whey protein powder and some ground flax seed. The camelias were cut this morning from my yard.

Organized Linen Closet

2010-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

Being absolutely fed up with my tiny linen closet and the fact that there never seems to be enough room I had to make some changes. As I pulled all the the linens from my closet I began to ruthlessly make decisions about what to keep and what could go. I do an ok job of folding, however I am not the only one that accesses the linen closet. Folding neatly is not enough to keep it orderly. Consistency of technique was going to be more important after taking into account the specific items stored and the size of not only the closet itself, but the individual shelves. Once I learned what would work for my specific situation I was going to have to transfer that information to the rest of my family to ensure it stayed that way.

I have towels that are roughly in two sizes. If I used the same technique for folding all the the towels, they wouldn't stack evenly. After some experimentation I figured out that the small towels should be folded in thirds and the larger towels could be folded in half (length wise) and then in half again for all towels to be relatively the same width. Now I can fit approximately 16 towels on one 17" by 36" shelf.
I also remembered that years ago I watched a segment of a Martha Stewart television show explaining how to fold fitted sheets. It was fascinating, but I didn't record it and it was impossible for me to remember all the steps. This was before the internet so I've continued on in frustration all these years folding my fitted sheets into puffy wads. Then I had a sudden realization that I might be able to find a reference to sheet folding by Martha on the internet. I was extremely amazed to find that Martha is not the only one to be skilled in the art of sheet folding. Click here to see one popular instructional video on You Tube called "How to Fold a Fitted Sheet Like a Pro" There are tons of videos on the subject.

Now fitted sheets are flatter and I go a step further and fold the fitted sheet inside of the flat to create a little package.

Now there is plenty of room and even added empty space.

Organizing After The Holidays

2010-01-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010. I am still working on my paper filing system and have already cleaned up and packed away my Christmas items, removed gifts from their wrapping and flattened and recycled boxes, but wanted to share a post from Benita of Chez Larsson about how she stores her holiday stash.

New Years Eve Resolutions

2009-12-31T09:19:00.000-08:00

To get ready for the New Year I have resolved to spend the day weeding papers, shredding, recycling and reconfiguring my home "office" which happens to be an armoire in my kitchen. The holidays are kinda crazy. We also have three December birthdays in our family so I've had enough partying. If I feel like I've accomplished enough, I will make sure to have some champagne and chocolate.

Aebleskivers for Christmas

2009-12-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yum. I remember dad making aebleskivers, a Danish dessert kind of like a cross between a doughnut and a popover, for the family years ago in that funny pan that was made just for making aebleskivers. He was the only one that cooked them, but I loved to eat them. This Christmas morning we got the old pan out of the depths of the cupboard and decided to give it a try. I whipped the egg whites into "soft peaks" while my mom mixed the rest of the ingredients. I decided to take over the cooking as I wanted to learn how to make these things. They look so complicated, but actually were kind of fun to make. We found this recipe on the internet. We did not add filling, but served with syrup and a dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

This particular recipe called for one tablespoon of oil in each cup, but I used one teaspoon and they turned out just fine. Our pan is probably 50 years old and cast iron, but I found this one over at William Sonoma in case you'd like to give it a try.

Taking a Break

2009-11-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry, but I realize that my posting is few and far between. I will take a break for a while, regroup and hopefully begin again when I feel I can contribute in a meaningful way.

Thank you.

Project Awaiting

2009-11-17T01:42:00.000-08:00

My latest acquisition of vintage items waiting for a little sprucing up. I never find anything with hairpin legs, but found these two in separate places within one week. The desk and chair make a good set. The smaller table may become a plant stand. The other thing? Well, that is to be determined.

After cleaning up the chair it seems to be in really good condition. Holes remain where there had once been an attached pad, but that's an easy fix. At $5, who can complain?

The desk will take a little more doing. The top had been covered in dark contact paper and judging by the horizontal ribs around the edge I'm guessing there may have been a metal trim at one time. I'll have to decide whether to paint in a color or to simulate the metal trim by using a silver metallic paint.

Don't ask me why. It just intrigued me. The inner can is removable to reveal the mesh outer cylinder. The gold zigzag trim is weirdly removable too. Trash Can? Umbrella stand? It's quite an odd, but useful thing.

I love Mid Century Modern, but I'm a little inspired by the eclectic nature of these desk and chair sets by Dottie Angel

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's a work holiday and I have a cold, but instead of sitting around the house I went down to the harbor with my son to get some fresh ocean air and a warm coffee.
Thank you to the men and women of the armed forces who have allowed us the freedoms to do these things that we may take for granted.
Thank you to
Uncle Hal,
Wigs,
Will S.
and
Mike

Before and After, Occasional Table

2009-11-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

I recently repainted this small vintage table that holds my magazines.

The shape reminded me of a Jonathan Adler table I'd seen and I was tempted to paint it orange but settled on this turquoise which is more appropriate in my living room.

I paired it with two prints by one of my favorite local artists, Addie Rementer.

It was exciting to see some of Addie's gorgeous original pieces in Georgia and Barbara's home from Apartment Therapy's recent Room for Color Contest. So pretty. Click here for a previous post about Addie.

40 years ago...

2009-11-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

I uncovered a San Francisco Chronicle from July 25th 1969 that my family had stored away years ago. Unfortunately it's now very tattered. The big story that day was the moon landing and the safe return of the astronauts.They were pulled out of the water onto the U.S.S. Hornet that is now a permanent fixture in the San Francisco Bay.

I remember sitting on the couch in my flannel pajamas watching the moon landing on our small black and white t.v. while my dad served us those Pop and Fresh rolls with the orange frosting that he'd made for the event. It's a very strong food memory I have even 40 years later.
Anyway, perusing through the paper, I came across a few interesting things. There were some articles of course related to Vietnam and even one about the Kennedy/"Chappaquiddick" incident that had apparently taken place the week before. Would you believe the lifeguards in Santa Cruz were on strike demanding a 40 cent pay raise.
On a lighter note I was amused by the local advertisements and events for that week.
San Francisco held a ticker tape parade in celebration of the astronauts' return that National TV network announcers deemed "The Greatest" of all others. Sirens, firecrackers and car horns were heard along Montgomery Street and apparently among the crowd were "...a few mini skirted secretaries and office girls, but mostly young stockbrokers in their sincere uniform of the day, conservative business suits" Seriously? Mayor Alioto in a telegram to the astronauts stated "San Francisco....now wishes to open her Golden Gate in tribute to your magnificent achievement."

Finally, a little bit about style:

Wrap around sunglasses inspired by the astronauts? I wonder if they ever really "took off"

Roos Atkins- Oh goodness, a pants suit

Pier One Imports with a Very Simple Advertising Campaign

Montgomery Ward
I Magnin

Oh yes, my mother thought it was very important for me to have the newest plaid dresses. No pants to school.

My dad was an optometrist and I loved to try on frames, but unfortunately I had perfect vision back then.

Darn! Frances was on vacation.

Graphic Sweatshirt Even Cooler as a Pillow

2009-11-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

I went over to my thrifty friend Amy's house today for a visit. In her son's bedroom I noticed a cool pillow with a San Francisco graphic that I quickly realized was some sort of fabric or clothing item wrapped around a pillow. She had staged it there knowing that I would see it and like it. It happened to be a sweatshirt that she thought could be made into a pillow for me or one of my sons. I thought it was a fabulous idea so she got to work. I just "supervised".

In about 45 minutes this is what she came up with. Notice she even sewed the sweatshirt label into the bottom seam of the pillow. Love it! Thanks my friend.

This graphic wrapped all the around the back too.

Color Story-Vintage Books

2009-10-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

The school library was weeding through and discarding books that hadn't been checked out in a while and among them I found a few vintage books that attracted me mainly because of the colors and interesting cover designs. They all happen to have been published in the 1950s and may be used later as props in my merchandise photos, but in the meantime they made a pretty collage.

Organizing Inspiration (Lemon Jitters Blog)

2009-10-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Last week Katie of the Lemon Jitters blog featured one of my Etsy items as part of a weekly segment called "Tidy Tuesday" which highlights wares found on Etsy among other things that might be helpful in organizing. I'm a big fan of organizing, and having an organized space doesn't mean it has to be sparse or void of creativity. Using re-purposed, vintage, or handmade things can make organizing more interesting. Check out past "Tidy Tuesday" segments on:
Jewelery Organizers and Repurposed wall organizers

More Inspiration.....

How about a vintage magazine rack used for pretty file folders instead?

Surprise Coffee Table

2009-10-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Last week I took a little detour to the local bargain barn on the way to....well, I'm not sure where I was going. Anyway, I picked up a short upholstered bench with teak legs. I love small upholstered things because of the redo potential, but immediately upon getting it home I realized it didn't fit in my living room, as seating anyway. I thought, however as the legs were easily removable, I could rip off the stinky upholstery and unscrew the legs to store for future use.

I expected to see plywood under the fabric, but was pleasantly surprised by the nice blond wood with a finish that had been well protected under the layers of batting.

The funny thing was that it didn't match the legs at all. It appeared that years ago someone had married two separate pieces of furniture. I tried it in place of my old coffee table, which I wasn't super in love with, but the height was all wrong. The different woods were really bugging me too. I must of dreamed about it over night, because very early the next morning it dawned on me that I had a small mid century stool with the same light wood legs as the bench and oddly they seemed too tall for footstool. I jumped out of bed and had to check.

Amazingly I found that the legs on both pieces were attached by the same hardware and could be instantly interchangeable so I swapped them. Now the bench/coffee table and footstool were at appropriate heights.

By about 8 a.m. I had a new and unexpected coffee table. For my next trick, I will attempt to upholster the footstool.
Bench $10
Footstool $7
Leg Swap $0

Little 'Ol Me On Apartment Therapy - L. A.

2009-10-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today I was thrilled to have a photo of one of my rooms featured on Apartment Therapy Los Angeles. It was included in an article written by Beth Zeigler, contributing editor of Apartment Therapy, about using scrap wood in decorating. The partial Ghiradelli Chocolate sign in the corner was an item I had saved from the trash. It had been turned around and the back side had been used as paneling in a garage. During a renovation, the owner who had removed it from the wall had thrown it into a pile of trash. She couldn't figure out why I saw any value in it. I organized this room with the hope that I will use it for artistic ventures. For now it's where I store and package my vintage items for shipping. This photo can also be seen in the Rearranged Design House Tour and Corners of My Home Group on Flickr

DYI with a little help- Labels

2009-10-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

I just received a set of vinyl canister decals that I purchased from Jenn Ski. I'm still trying to incorporate color into my kitchen.

I have some vintage clear glass canisters with graphic labels in black. One is for coffee, but I realized that when I fill up the canister with black coffee you can't see the label. That's when I found these cool decals from Jenn Ski that come in several colors that can be adhered to all sorts of surfaces. I acquired a vintage ceramic canister which had worn remnants of some sort of design that I had to remove.

Then after having read the directions carefully, Voila. It's a fun way to add little bits of color to a kitchen. I thought it might be interesting to use another color like lime on the flip side for a quick an easy change.

Chartreuse Baby!

2009-10-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

It was scary at first. Chartreuse is a favorite color in small doses like pottery or pillows but using it on a piece of furniture in my house? I'm always admiring pictures of rooms with lots of color, but I seem to play it safe. Well, when I came across this hutch at the Salvation Army for only $30 I couldn't pass it up.

It was veneer and damaged, but I liked the lines of it (no is wasn't a coveted Danish modern teak or anything). What would it hurt to experiment? It was too scratched to repair the wood and my kitchen couldn't take the heavy dark wood especially because if you look closely it's a smidge too big for the wall. Painting the base of it white visually toned down the size, but I wanted to reserve a portion for color. Painting the inset of the door and the drawer faces seemed like the perfect solution.

If I want to change it later, it's just a minor fix, but for now I'm satisfied.

Recent Etsy Purchase from Moofus

2009-10-19T12:42:00.001-07:00

I just received a new print from Moofus of Etsy. I discovered Moofus one day while perusing Etsy and noticed some prints of his that featured skateboarders. As my son loves skateboarding I looked further. I was impressed.

This preteen lives in Australia and many of his scenes are inspired by places in and around Sydney. The print "Dwelling" was created especially for the March 2009 edition of Dwell Magazine. It is a rendition of his Dream House. I loved the colors and whimsical nature and can't wait to frame and display it.

Rainy Day

2009-10-13T15:28:00.001-07:00

Thrifted Domino storage
Originally uploaded by thriftytown

This is the first rainy day in a long while. School was canceled due to storm warnings so we're home and I'm rearranging, making things cozy and lighting candles.

Open Studios- Featured Artist Addie Rementer

2009-10-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend The Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County began its annual Open Studios Tour and I had the opportunity to revisit local artist Addie Rementer of The Heart Wood Gallery.

Addie is one of my favorites. I love the color, texture and bit of whimsy she adds to her mixed media pieces. Some of her works are very sophisticated while others are playful, but I love them all. Addie is also an Etsy artist offering a collection of her greeting cards.

Imaginary Friends is on of Addie's prints that I have in my own home.

Gardening Inspiration- UC Santa Cruz Aboretum

2009-09-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend I visited to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum for some gardening inspiration. The arboretum features native plants from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand that are compatible with our California Climate as well as highly drought tolerant. Wow, it was hot, but so gorgeous.The gardens overlook the beautiful Monterey Bay. It's a nice outing for a very reasonable donation of $5 for adults and $2 for children.

Visitors can meander along the beautiful pathways throughout the gardens.

Individual sections are devoted to different areas of the world-South Africa, New Zealand and Australia

A library and gift shop are also available to visitors. Plants may be purchased and taken home.

Succulents

2009-09-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, with permission I had the opportunity to divide a succulent plant (Hens and Chicks)from a spot nearby my home. I had a bare spot in my yard after some gophers had done damage and a tree was removed.

Free plants are great and this particular one grows well and is easy to care for.

A family member was also disposing of some irises that did not do well in her shady yard so I made use of them too.

They were a little droopy when first planted, but three months later they've really filled in.Now I have a new stash to plant this weekend. They are very drought tolerant and are supposed to be fairly tolerant of the cold, at least in this mild California climate. In colder climates they can be taken inside.

Capitola Begonia Festival Parade

2009-09-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Capitola Begonia Festival has been a tradition in Santa Cruz County for 57 years. Every Labor Day Weekend Floats are decorated using local begonias and paraded down the Soquel Creek. Floats are generally either paddled or pulled down the river by kayak, canoes, surfboards. It's a small, but beloved tradition and I'm ashamed to say that before today, I had never gone. It was fun to watch from the train trestle. I wondered how a hundred people were going to escape if a train should arrive, but was assured the train did not run on Sundays. Then, I just worried that the old thing would cave in. Anyway, we survived and were entertained. The first float was manned, by a group of rowdy Cal Poly students. I'm not sure what their theme was, but they liked to chant. Other floats included various forms of transportation such as planes, automobiles and Captain Hook's boat from Peter Pan.

Taken from the Train Trestle high above Capitola, people on the Stockton Bridge and beach beyond are waiting for the parade to begin.

Spectators looking down from the train trestle which is high above the River below.

For those of you that don't know what a begonia looks like, here's a close up.

Click here to view a cool video for Capitolavillage.com by Romney Dunbar of Dunbar Productions. Romney was also one of the event MC's.