My Domestic Bliss

I'm Just Not Ready Yet

2012-01-26T10:49:00.000-05:00

Finding it harder this year to let go of the past. Specifically the past Christmas. I usually can't wait to get everything down and put away and for the most part, everything is, but there are a few things lingering around that I'm not ready to take down just yet.

In the Living Room I have a few reminders left of the Holidays. Can you spot them?

There's the obvious wreath on the mirror I got for 75% at Michaels.

How pretty is that?

A little too Christmas-y though. I'll have to put in away soon. Maybe another week or so.

I just got this tartan throw off of Ebay and I think it adds so much warmth to this room for the winter months.

And how about the needlepoint pillow? I brought that out from another chair for the Holidays as well.

Something a little less obvious are these coffee table books.

Sitting on top is this red and green arrangement brought in from the Dining Room.

In the adjacent foyer is another more subtle reminder.

I picked up this topiary at a yardale a couple years ago. Does it scream "Christmas"? I don't think so.

And in the kitchen I've kept some greenery on my hutch as well as a few other things.

Some mercury glass mixed with pinecones and white ornaments with snowflakes on them.

And some more mercury glass mixed with faux cranberries.

The Christmas linens are still stuck in the bowls with winterberry stems.

And I think I'll keep this wreath here all year long, just without the greenery and pinecones.

Snowman apron. Why not?

Do you still have any reminders left?

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious day.

xoxo,
Kim

More IS More!

2012-01-23T09:30:00.001-05:00

The Island of Misfit Decor has a few less misfits these days. I've been finding new homes for things all over the place - and I love it. This is not the norm for me as I usually like to keep things bare for a while after taking down all of the Christmas decor. Not this year. It's been so much fun fluffing and tweaking.

I've had the most fun in my Living Room where I decided to create a gallery wall after seeing an inspiration pic in my newest issue of Southern Living.

I don't even have a good before shot of this wall because I couldn't stand to show it with nothing on it. So I avoided taking a picture of the whole wall and instead just showed a portion of it with one of my favorite antiques.

My living room is my most favorite room in the house. It's where I blog and in the morning the sun comes pouring through. I love to sit here and have my coffee while the baby is sleeping. Hubby thinks it's a little stuffy in here, but to me it feels warm and cozy. Even more so now that I added some of my favorite artwork to the wall.

What's funny is that most of these pictures have been on the island for years collecting dust. I never got rid of them because I knew I'd find a home for them someday.

It took about 5 seconds to decide that I was not going to plan this out on the floor. So with a handful of nails in one hand and a hammer, level and ticky tack in the other, I randomly set about creating a gallery wall. Of course I had to move things around, which meant even more holes, but, like having 3 children, what's one more?

I'll be adding more over time, and eventually would like to cover the whole wall, but I love how it looks for now. It makes the room so much cozier without the huge bare wall.

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious day.
xoxo,

Kim

Baby Turns 1!

2012-01-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet precious baby boy.

I love you with all of my heart.
xoxo

New Looks for the New Year

2012-01-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

In addition to having a new look for my blog, I also have a new look on my dining room buffet.

I just love the pops of color. Every time I walk by it makes me smile - so cheerful!

Thanks so much to the sweet Diane from Blue Ridge Gal for the new design of my blog header and button. I highly recommend this talented lady.

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious weekend.
xoxo,
Kim

Bedroom Bliss

2012-01-10T11:22:00.001-05:00

The master bedroom is finally done and I must say, it is truly a blissful retreat. I look forward to winding down the day by getting in bed and reading my new issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It's so much more calming with the new color on the walls and I've done a bit of rearranging of furniture as well.

Here is the bedroom before with the green walls and old dresser. You can read about it's past transformations here.

In this photo you can almost tell that I actually painted the headboard yellow. I've since repainted it white.

And here it is now.

The new paint color is Baer paint in eggshell. The color is Sandstone Cove.

In addition to painting the walls, I brought in a Craig's List dresser that I painted in A.S.C.P. Chateau Gray with a dark wax.

The mirror is the same, but I added new accessories from Marshalls.

The mercury glass candleholders add a little bit of sparkle to the room.

I added some florals to this sweet container.

These Better Homes and Gardens plates are from Walmart. They used to hang in the sitting room, but I like them here better. I've been scouring Ebay for one more to complete the wallscape.

I know they don't pop out, but I like the subtlety of them.

I also brought in my favorite antique cabinet that used to be in the sitting room. This piece has also been through many transformations, which you can read about here. This is one of the befores as it looked in the Sitting Room.

And now as it looks in the master.

I love the new look with chateau gray and dark wax. It holds some of my special sentimental treasures.

Since the Pottery Barn curtains didn't work in here (story here) I decided to rehang the white panels that have been here for a couple of years and I really like how they look with the walls. It's a very soft look.

These walls are just screaming for some artwork, aren't they? I'm not going to put anything on my newly painted walls until I'm sure I'll like it.

For my bed I bought new sheets in a dark teal color and purchased a new white matelasse quilt from Ebay. The bedskirt, shams and comforter were a Pottery Barn splurge last year.

The new lamps are one of my favorite additions to this room and an unexpected find. I wanted teal blue ceramic lamps for my side tables and wasn't going to budge. I was shocked to find these at Walmart of all places for only $15! They are the perfect size and you'd never know by looking at them that they are actually resin! The lampshades were also a Walmart purchase last year. They have the look of burlap, but without the PB price tag.

I just read in my new issue of Southern Living that your bedside tables should be "cousins", not "twins". They should be of the same height (give or take a couple inches) and the same color, but different styles. I was happy to hear that because that's exactly what I chose to do in my master.

Both of these tables were $4 at a church flea market a couple of years ago.

They are very vintage.

I still need to add some artwork to the large wall surrounding the cabinet, but not sure what to put there yet. I'm open to suggestions. I'm leaning towards black and white photos in white frames with white matting.

Poor thing looks so lonely on that big bare wall.

I'm also still working on tweaking the adjoining sitting room. We are looking for a sofa to go on the big wall. It's kind of Mr. Bliss' man space, so I'm trying to de-feminize it for him.

I hope you like the new look! Sorry for the ridiculousness of the grainy photos. After two years of having a good camera you'd think I'd be past this. Any suggestions? It's a Nikon Coolpix L100.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious week!
xoxo,
Kim

Happy Accidents

2012-01-05T13:31:00.001-05:00

My most recent remodeling projects have resulted in not one, not two, but three happy accidents. As soon as the Christmas decorations came down I went straight to work on repainting the master bedroom. I'm oh-so-happy with the results, but won't share that with you just yet. I will give you a peak though, cause I'm nice like that.

Remember a couple of months ago when I purchased a new rug for the Dining Room? I took a poll and you all agreed that it was too small for the room.

That resulted in happy accident #1. Instead of returning it, I just moved it into the Living Room and I love it in there.

What? I never showed you the new rug? Ooops!

Much better, don't ya think?

Fast forward to happy accident #2. I've had my eye on Pottery Barn's Vanessa floral curtains for some time so when I saw that they were half price after Christmas I snatched them up with some Christmas money I received as a gift. They were for the Master Bedroom, only once the new paint color went up I quickly realized that they wouldn't work. They have a yellow tint to them and the new walls have a grayish tone to them. I thought I was going to have to return them until I realized that I've been wanting to get new window treatments for the Dining Room. They hadn't been replaced since we bought the house almost 13 years ago so I was ready for a change.

It's kinda strange that they look like they belonged in here all along! They coordinate perfectly with the rug, which was a, well, happy accident!

I spy happy accident #3:

While putting everything back into my new Master Bedroom, I stumbled upon #3. I got this sweet shelf at a yard sale last year, which you can read about here, and have always loved it in my bedroom. However, once again, it's on the yellow side and when I went to hang it I realized it would have to be painted. So I brought it downstairs with me and layed it down in the Dining Room while I went to the garage to grab my can of paint. When I came back in, I looked at it and a lightbulb went on in my head - it looked perfect in the Dining Room! I have an empty wall that needed something and the shelf is the perfect size. And better yet - it doesn't need to be painted!

It's very chippy and pretty fragile.

I love her in this room.

Some more views around the room.

I love happy accidents, don't you? It's all about thinking outside the box. Ya know, if I had taken more time to name my blog 3 years ago, I can think of about a million different names than the one I picked. And "Outside the Box" is just one of them. What are your happy accidents?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious day!

xoxo,
Kim

Favorite Projects of 2011

2011-12-31T10:17:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late joining this party, but better late than never I always say. Like many of you, blogging has unleashed a creative wild child I never knew existed within me. And with each year since I started almost 3 years ago, I get more and more creative thanks to all of you and your inspiration.

Here are just a few of my favorites from the past year.

But by far, my favorite project of 2011 had to be this.

Happy New Year to all of my creative bloggy friends.
xoxo,
Kim

One Last Christmas Tradition

2011-12-24T16:09:00.000-05:00

Just had to share pix from one of our favorite Christmas traditions at the Bliss House - a trip into downtown Philadelphia to see the Dickens Village.

We stroll back in time through the scenes of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol as people dressed up in period clothes pass you by.

Amy and Tiny Tim.

I just love the charm of this sweet village.

Mallory visits the past with Scrooge!

Amy at the Fezziwig's party.

Scrooge's sister's house.

Now if you're from Philadelphia, you know that the Dicken's Village used to be at Strawbridge & Clothier, but a few years back the entire village was moved down Market Street to Macy's, which is housed in the old Wanamaker building. It is a magnificent structure with the most amazing architecture you've ever seen. The Wanamaker building has always been home to the Christmas Light Show as well, which is seen accompanied by the Wanamaker organ, also a staple in Philadelphia.

Here is a pic of the Light Show.

Not a great pic, but you get the idea.

Here's a peak from the 3rd floor looking down at the crowd waiting for the Light Show to start.

Quite a sight! The Light Show runs every hour on the hour during the Christmas season. It's another must-see if you are in the area during the Holidays.

I'm off to get ready for Christmas Eve services. May you have a Blessed Christmas.
xoxo,
Kim

Time to Wrap it Up!

2011-12-24T15:51:00.000-05:00

One last look around the Bliss House this Holiday Season.

Wrapping and snacking.

Love decorating with fruit for the Holidays. Found this swag at a thrift store just after Thanksgiving and it goes perfectly over my favorite piece of wall art in the foyer.

I bought myself an early Christmas present last weekend. We were in King of Prussia and I stopped at my favorite store - Home Furnishing Consignment. I spotted this tray and knew it had to come home with me.

Found the perfect spot for it over my curio.

Another peak at the Living Room.

My Christmas mantle.

And just to keep it real....

Merry Christmas from my home to yours.
xoxo,
Kim

Stunning Giveaway~

2011-12-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

I just had to alert all of my followers to this amazing giveaway over at Art by Karena, the Grand Finale to her 12 Days of Holidays Giveaway.

This antique cross bottle from Greyfreth Antiques worth over $500 is being offered to one lucky blogger.

You can enter at Karena's blog here. Good luck!

xoxo,
Kim

O Tannenbaum

2011-12-14T09:38:00.001-05:00

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fabulicious day!
xoxo,
Kim

Etsy Goodies

2011-12-07T11:34:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to share with you the goodies that I purchased from some of my sweet blog friends' Etsy stores last week.

First up is this sweet pillow that I first spotted on Dee's blog, A Lapin Life, and ~~begged~~ asked her if I could buy it. I snatched it up literally the second it became available on her store.

It arrived lightening fast nicely wrapped with some extra goodies I wasn't even expecting (thanks Dee!).

I wasted no time putting it in it's special place next to my tree.

I got this little black chair from a townwide yardsale last year for $2. It's usually up in Cole's nursery with a big teddy on it, but I borrowed one of Amy's American Girls dolls and put it next to my Christmas tree in the Living Room.

Dee has lots of other sweet things on her Etsy store, so be sure to swing by and take a peek.

Next up is the amazing Shenita's store of Embellishments By SLR. I doubt there is a soul in blogland who hasn't visited this blog and seen Shenita's gorgeous home. Words can't even describe! Shenita is so talented and the arrangements she has displayed throughout her home are out of this world. Just take a look at this piece of sheer fabulousity!

I browsed her Etsy store and the second I spotted this sweet little creamer I knew it had to be mine.

How cute is this?? I just love the decorative lid and the etching on the front. I added it to the vintage silver pieces I have scattered around my kitchen hutch and stuck some old butter knives inside.

Also from Shenita's store I bought this lovely pillar candle for my Family Room.

I had a huge candleholder that I got at a yardsale last Spring and I knew this pillar would be perfect for it with the large ornate gold cross and cheetah print ribbon.

Love it!

Shenita also took great measures to make sure these things were packaged just right and it shipped within 24 hours!

Thanks again to these two wonderful ladies and their kindness in sending these items to me so quickly. I can't wait to do some more Etsy shopping!

xoxo,
Kim

Mantle Party Time

2011-12-06T07:02:00.001-05:00

On the second day of linky parties my blog friends gave to me.....

A chance to show off our mantles! This time the party is at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.
For my portion, I decided to share pix of my mantle from the past three years. I'll start with 2009, my first Christmas as a blogger, hence the poor picture quality.

As I evolved as a blogger and learned to attach my camera to my hip wherever I go, the quality and quantity of pictures were better in 2010.

And this year, with a baby in the mix and the limitations that go with that, my Christmas mantle is a little scaled down.

The stockings are actually much prettier in person and were a new purchase this year from Tuesday Morning.

Mosaic trees from Kirklands several years ago.

Thanks to Kristen for hosting today's fun event. Enjoy the rest of the party!
xoxo,
Kim

Let's Party!

2011-12-05T05:51:00.000-05:00

It's 5 a.m. and all through the house, not a creature is stirring, just me and my mouse. My computer mouse that is. Not the normal party hour, and I'm usually a bit more dressed up for the occasion, but I'm gonna make this one a pajama party. Cause I can.

Thanks to Debbie Doos for hosting today's portion of Heather and Vanessa's weeklong Holiday party extravaganza over at The Picket Fence!! I'll be here all week long in my robe and slippers.

It's copycat challenge time, and I've never been one to shy away from a good challenge. I drew all of my Christmas decorating inspiration this year from where else? Pinterest. Next to blogging it's my strange addiction.

I apologize in advance for not giving props to those whose ideas I ~~stole~~ drew from, but if you visit me on Pinterest, you'll see it there.

I mentioned in an earlier post, that my theme this year for decorating was natural elements.

Saw this gorgeous cloche arrangement on a blog and wasted no time pinning it.

I went back for reference when decorating my Dining Room buffet and here's my version.

Also pinned this wreath because of the grapevine and wanted to incorporate that into my arrangement over my entertainment center.

Here's my version.

Loved the use of mercury glass infused with natural greenery. Pinned it.

Copied it on my kitchen hutch.

Also loved this use of greenery as a centerpiece on this gorgeous table. Pinned it too!

And here's my Dining Room table.

Well that's all I have time for today. Thanks for visiting and I'll see ya at the party!
xoxo,
Kim

Smoking Table Redo

2011-12-02T13:41:00.001-05:00

A couple of months ago I posted about an antique smoking table I got at a yardsale for $30. You can read all about that here. I specifically fell in love with this one because of the beautiful wrought iron base, and had never seen one like this before.

The compact size made it a perfect fit as an end table in my Family Room. The sofa in here shares a wall with the basement door, so I'm limited as to what I can put next to it without the door hitting it.

I also love that it has a spot for storage.

The reason it is called a smoking table is because the top is actually a humidor. This one still had it's gorgeous original copper lining.

It didn't take long for me to get the itch to paint it either. I decided to go with A.S.C.P. in Old Ochre since I had just done a piece for my show using that color and fell in love with it. When you apply the dark stain to Old Ochre, there are just no words describe how beautiful it is. It is by far, my most favorite combination.

Just look at that patina. It's so authentic looking in person.

I decided to add a little some'in, some'in to her and chose a stencil I found online. I can't remember who first mentioned this on their blog, so please don't give me credit. The Graphics Fairy is wonderful for providing free vintage graphics, but I have yet to find an easy way to apply them to furniture, so finding a supplier of vintage stencils was a godsend! His designs include feed sacks, crowns, fleur de lis, damasks and chandeliers. You can click here to visit his online store and if you do, tell him I sent you! I've already used my stencil on several pieces and can't wait to buy more.

For my smoking table, since it is so small, I decided to just use the bottom half of my stencil. It's so simple - I just adhered the stencil with painters tape and then applied black acrylic paint using a small stencil brush. Easy peasy!

Once it was all painted and waxed I decided that the black of the wrought iron base was too overpowering, so I softened it using an antiquing glaze that I had in my stash. It gave the iron a weathered look that goes better with the distressed look of the wood.

I'm loving this sweet little table and don't think I'll ever part with it. It's just too unique.

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious weekend!
xoxo,
Kim

Crisis Averted

2011-12-01T13:47:00.000-05:00

Well you guys are rockstars. Honestly. I asked for help and you came through. You were all right -the rug was way too small for my Dining Room. However, I LOVE it in my Living Room. Yep, I just couldn't wait. As soon as the thought came into my head I just had to move it in there to see how I liked it.

Here's the Living Room before with the smaller blue rug.

And again with the Christmas decorations.

And now with the new rug.

Big difference, huh?

I think the colors blend in better with the surroundings in this room. Like I said, there's really nothing blue in this room.

Again before:

And now:

So thanks for your help! I'm off to list the blue one on CL, and I'll be sure to post pics of the new Overstock rug for the Dining Room as soon as it arrives.

What Do You Think?

2011-12-01T09:01:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had to take Cole to the pediatrician to get a booster shot and when I got home, my new rug from Overstock was sitting on my front porch. People, I ordered it on Monday. That's two days! And it's the Holidays! Can you believe it? Well, I was just too excited for words and when baby went down for his nap I opened her right up. I couldn't even wait for help moving the heavy furniture and I'm not quite sure how I managed to do it myself. Adrenaline I guess.

And while I love the subdued colors and how they look in this room, I'm just not happy with the size. And like I've mentioned before, size does matter!

The colors are chocolate brown and chateau green. The walls in this room are a creamy pale yellow.

I think it adds just enough color without being overpowering.

It will take a few days for it to straighten out from being rolled up I guess.

I really do love it. Problem is, it doesn't come in a bigger size.

I was going to just keep it, but I'm tired of settling. Why should I? I found another one that I love with the same colors and it's the perfect size so I went ahead and ordered it. And I was going to return this one, but I think I will use it in the Living Room which is just across the hall from the Dining Room.

The rug I have in there now is blue, and while it works, there really isn't any other blue in that room. I got in from Craig for only $40 and I can easily resell it for that. I think the rug from the Dining Room will work better with the colors in this room and will add better flow from room to room.

So what do you think? I'd really like to hear your thoughts. And honey, if you're reading this, I've been very patient not having a rug in my Dining Room for over a year. And I was a good consumer, taking advantage of the Holiday sales. So don't hate me for splurging ;)

What A Difference A Year Makes

2011-11-29T10:56:00.004-05:00

Holy cannoli, has it really been over a month since my last post? This time last year I was on bedrest and had all the time in the world to blog. Right now I'd give my right arm for someone to make me go to bed. Not even sure what sleep is anymore - I'm in a constant fog. My normal response delay time is 5 seconds. I'm now at 10 and counting. My brain isn't processing like it used to.

Baby bliss is crawling all over the place (he's 10 months already!) and I just brought home a ~~corral~~ play yard from Craig's List last night and all is right with the world again.

Insomnia does have it's perks - I'm fully decorated and ready to start baking Christmas cookies.

Wanna have a look see? Keep in mind that while having a sweet little baby in the house makes the Holidays that much more joyful, it does come with its decorating limitations. Having said that, I did the best I could. I also tried desperately to make up for the fact that last year I couldn't decorate at all - Doctor's orders.

So without further ado, here is the Bliss House in all of its Holiday splendor!
Warning: You may want to grab a comfy chair and some hot chocolate, there are a LOT of pictures!

We'll start in the Dining Room.

I took advantage of Cyber Monday deals and ordered a rug from Overstock. It's already shipped! Can you believe that? I can only imagine how much better this room is going to look with a colorful rug.

The centerpiece was something I treated myself to from one of the vendors at my last show. I bought it before the show even started. I just fell in love with the base.

My buffet with all of my filled apothecary jars. I tried to use natural elements as my theme for decorating this Holiday. It's something you'll notice throughout the house.

Instead of going out and buying all new, I decided to use what I have and instead, bought a can of metallic copper spray paint and some glitter. I got a lot of mileage outta that can!

You'd be surprised what you can find in your home if you really look. It's worth it to take the time and be creative. These pears were red and I sprayed them antique copper and added silver beads.

I got festive with the lamps too and added some ribbon, tassels and an ornament to each.

This Old World Santa I picked up at a church rummage sale three weeks ago for only $5! He's really quite big.

I worked some magic on him and this is what he looks like now!

Neat huh? I added some fruit to his basket.

Then Rich found this sleigh I forgot I even had when he was getting the outdoor decorations out of the attic. I must have had it on my front porch last year.
I just wrapped some empty boxes and added some greenery from the woods behind my house.

Another look at Father Christmas:

Let's move into the Kitchen now.
I'll start by showing you the arrangements I made using greenery from my back yard. I also used a lot of feathers that Amy has collected as well as pine cones.

This one is my favorite. The mercury glass container was only $15 from Marshall's. They have such an incredible selection of Holiday decor this year. Amazing!

Love it!

The table just got a quick little switcheroo. Not much. Again, I used stuff I had laying around.

I always try to stick with the same color scheme throughout the room. It doesn't have to be the same throughout the entire house, but I like to keep a nice flow from room to room.

More goodies from Marshall's.

This lantern was only $17 from Marshall's and I gave it the same spray treatment as the ornaments and poinsettias.

The candle is flameless and on a timer. I purchased it at Michael's as well as the cheetah ribbon. A girl's gotta have some animal print!

The hutch in my kitchen is always my favorite thing to decorate for Christmas. There are so many options! This year, I decided to go with more natural elements mixed in with old silver pieces, mercery glass and burlap. Love how this turned out!

More greenery from the woods.

I pulled out the dishes I used to have displayed here. I like the colors and how they blend in with the olive on the walls.

I wrapped the poinsettias in burlap and then added red ribbon to the bottom and tied mini mercury glass ornaments around them. I got a set of twenty mini mercery ornaments at Marshall's for $6!

I also added some to the grapevine wreath and the silver two tier serving piece, also from Marshall's. I'm tellin' ya, I love that place. It makes up for me not having a Hobby Lobby.

More pinecones.

Another peak at the hutch.

A little Holiday cheer on top of the fridge to hide the dust.

Time to move into the Family Room. Now, this is Baby Bliss' favorite place to play, hence the lack of much going on in here. I did manage to clear out his man cave for the photo shoot.

I had a lot of fun creating this arrangement over the entertainment center. I had to do it outside because it was really messy though.

I used a large grapevine wreath I got at a yardsale for $1, but you can get these super cheap at Michael's. Depending on the size of your arrangement, you simply pull it apart and wrap it around to get the desired affect. I ended up having to cut mine in several places and used wire to attach it.

Again, I love the natural element and texture mixed with the more elegant pieces.

I also used lots of pheasant feathers in the middle.

Some larger ornaments fill a container and add some sparkle.

I had to keep all of the decorating high and out of reach of little hands.

I blinged out my pillars with some more cheetah ribbon and a crystal accent I purchase in Michael's jewelry making section. I plan to keep this out all year.

Some moss balls mixed in with ornaments of varying sizes and textures.

The mantle was downsized this year too. I'm still happy with it though.

More spray painted decor.

Got these glass mosaic trees at Kirklands a few years ago. They manage to find a new home every year.

That's it for the Family Room.

I've saved the best for last! My favorite room in the house is where I went a little crazy this year. Welcome to the Living Room.

The kids are putting up the family tree in the basement where we open our presents. This is my very own tree and I decorate it differently every year.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your tour of the Bliss House. May you have a blessed Christmas Season!
xoxo,
Kim

Weekend on Lake George

2011-10-27T15:07:00.000-04:00

Not sure if I ever mentioned this on my blog, but I have very little extended family. My mother was an only child and my father had one brother and one sister. My uncle had one child, my only cousin, and my aunt has no children.

The lack of a family history may be why I generally long for things from my family's past. I long to know more, I long for a piece of anything that belonged to anyone from my small lineage.

A couple months ago I received an email from my one and only aunt asking me if I'd be interested in some furniture that belonged to my great-grandmother. Orphansayswhat? HoldonletmethinkYESSSSS!
I thanked my Aunt Sue for thinking of me then invited my whole family up to her mountain home for the weekend to bring home my treasures. Cause I'm nice like that.

We had a wonderful time visiting and taking in the gorgeous scenery, even taking a cruise on Lake George and a hike in the Adirondacks. This time of year the foliage is Fall-licious.

My aunt and uncle have a gorgeous home that is literally right on the Schroon River in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains. It is truly breathtaking. It was about a six-hour trip for us and my mom and dad came along too.

My uncle's sister was kind enough to let us stay at her smaller vacation home, which was a couple miles away.

This was the view from the front of the property.

And this was the view from my Aunt's place.

My little sailor boy!

Look who cut her hair off!

The fam.

My aunt sent me home with some beautiful mahogany dining chairs with seats that were needlepoint by my Great-Grandmother.

And my uncle gave me this game table that they had purchased about 50 years ago.

I added these brass embellishments that I picked up at a flea market a while back.

And my aunt also gave me this gorgeous crystal decanter. Of course I added some bling. What can I say, I'm from Jersey.

I also added a new book to my collection by treating myself to this leather beauty from an antique store in Warrensburg.

I love this table in my Family Room. Rich suggested we put it in here because we like to have family game nights in here and since this table folds open it makes a great place to play board games.

It looks so bare in here without a coffee table.

I also moved my round table to the other side of the room next to my favorite chair.

Thats all for now! Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious weekend!
xoxo,
Kim

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

2011-10-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

Finding an old, worn-out, beat-up piece of furniture in need of some love and transforming it into a thing of beauty is a passion. Many of us do it, and some of us make a living at it. Either way, we inspire one another with our creativity and know-how.

And while some pieces are more time-consuming than others, they all take a piece of us with them when they find a new home.

Blue Belle was my baby. She came to me all moldy and encrusted in dirt.

But she was oozing with potential. I had a vision for her from the moment I saw her.

Definitely Louis Blue.

No question chicken wire.

Blue and white toile was a must.

And keeping certain spots Old White made perfect sense.

Seeing your vision come to life is what it's all about.

And though it may hurt a little bit, true love is finding her the perfect home.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious day!
xoxo,
Kim

Clover Market Pix

2011-10-17T08:52:00.000-04:00

Denise and I had another successful show yesterday at Clover Market on what was one of the most beautiful days so far this Fall. The turnout was amazing and we had lots of repeat business from our last show. All in all, it was a great day!

So grab your coffee and a comfy seat, cause I've got lots of pix to share with you.

We were still setting up at this point, which is why there are a few bare spots here.

Not a cloud in the sky!

Don't worry, we fixed the tablecloth.

My beautiful business partner!

We had lots of vintage "junk".

My "baby" went to a good home. I couldn't have been happier!

As you can see, we have a little bit of everything.

I loved these vintage canisters and hated to part with them. Same with the yellow scale.

Our first sale of the day was this antique medicine cabinet that I added chicken wire to.

Our mailing list quickly filled up by the end of the day.

We had a little visitor for a while.

Olive belonged to our sweet neighbors at the next booth over. She was so good all day.

We almost sold out of these vintage suitcases.

A beautiful pair of antique rosewood chairs.

I love the gorgeous flamestich fabric on these babies.

Remarkably, neither of them sold.

Same for this Hekman sofa table.

Here's what it looked like before.

And after with the A.S.C.P. treatment in Old Ochre.

For this piece I used dark wax all over before I used the clear. It made it much darker than the original color. It almost looks like reclaimed wood now.

Shhh, don't tell Denise, but I was secretly hoping this wouldn't sell. It would look great in my Family Room!

Our next show is November 6th at Clover Market. That will be here before we know it so I've got lots of work to do.

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulicious week!
xoxo,
Kim

New Treasures

2011-10-12T12:17:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all of my dear friends for your sweet comments on my last post. For the most part this blog is a no-brag zone, but sometimes a Mom just can't help herself! LOL! You guys are the best and I certainly appreciate the comment love.

Onto my latest loves. I've been on a lucky streak over the past few weeks finding treasures around every corner - from yard sales, to Craig's List, to the generosity of my best friend.

Remember this pic I shared a couple of weeks ago? Well I failed to mention what it was, but some of you majolica-lovers out there guessed correctly. If you want the back story on her, you can read about it here. It's an umbrella stand.

So now of course I'm on the hunt for vintage walking sticks. I nearly scored an umbrella stand full of 'em last weekend at a yardsale, but some lucky lady beat me to the punch. I asked her if I could buy just one, but she politely declined. It never hurts to ask people!

For now I'll enjoy my nearly empty and partially broken majolica umbrella stand in the foyer.

Did you spot my other treasure in the last pic?? It's an antique barometer! I spotted it on Craig's List a couple of weeks ago for $15 and didn't respond right away. When I came to my senses I crossed my fingers that it was still available and I was just in time.

The seller was a sweet lady from Moorestown who was getting ready to downsize. She said it was a purchase her mother made on a trip to Scotland in 1966 and came from an antique store there. Of course that made me love it even more.

And off to the right of the foyer is my other treasure. This one was a gift from Denise who knows that I collect turtles.

She found it at a church rummage sale that I wasn't able to go to. It's a faux leather footstool in the shape of a turtle! How cute is that?

Thank you sweet friend!

And my last treasure is from a townwide yardsale this past weekend.

I see these all the time on Craig's List and even bought one years ago at a flea market that I eventually sold myself on CL. But this one caught my eye for it's unique and beautiful wrought iron base. It reminds me of an old sewing machine.

It's an antique smoking table/humidor.

Not all of these still have the original copper lining, but I was lucky to find one that did.

For now it serves as an end table in my Family Room.

I have a lot of wrought iron pieces in this room so the table sort of fits right in.

Looks like somebody snuck into the picture!

"Mommy, are you blogging again?"

My little guy is gonna be 9 months-old next week!

Denise and I have been busy preparing for our next show this coming Sunday at Clover Market. It's going to be even bigger than last month and the weather is supposed to be beautiful. Can't wait to share pix next week.

Thanks for checking in and have a fabulicious day!
xoxo,
Kim

Start Spreading The News

2011-10-07T11:52:00.000-04:00

Few things in life are as rewarding as seeing your child live out their dreams.

And what better backdrop than Times Square in New York?

One of my proudest moments as a Mother.

Thanks for checking in and have a fabulicious weekend!
xoxo,
Kim

Holy Majolica!

2011-10-01T18:14:00.000-04:00

Went to a yardsale today and spotted this.

Actually, Denise and I were driving right by this yardsale when I spotted it and screamed "Turn around!!!!!".

I knew what it was. Don't think the seller did. It was sold to me for two dollars.

For the record it's not in mint condition. Not even close.

Not sure how, but the bottom is completely broken, and somebody did a lousy job of gluing it back together.

I can't even sell it at my next show.

Not that I would. I'm totally in love with it - imperfections and all.

I'll show you where I put her in my next post. Stay tuned.

Thanks for checking in and have a fabulicious weekend!
xoxo,
Kim

GO PHILLIES!!!

Sibling Love

2011-09-30T06:40:00.001-04:00

"Whoa! Who is that?"

Your big sister!

"That's MY big sister?"

Yes! That's your big sister.

"No way!"

Congratulations to my daughter Mallory. She's going to be hitting the runway in her first fashion show in New York City this Saturday night. She'll be modeling for designer Marcello Geary. Break a leg Mal!

Have a fabulicious weekend!!
xoxo,
Kim