Using Vintage Finds in the Craft Room {Beautiful Inspiration}

My craft room is a beautiful mess. Seriously. It seems I have time to create, but not always clean up. So I won't show you the whole room today... just the pretty bits and pieces.

This beautiful silver dish holds my paper scraps as I'm done with them and before they can be stored by color. It was an Etsy find I spotted over at Common Ground, Pinned, and then set out to have it for my very own. I had set it on the desk while I decided which room to use it in and it came in quite handy while making cards one day, so here it shall stay for now.

A modern plate stand holds recent paper purchases to inspire a new card design. Antique glass jars hold bits of ribbon, tags and pieces of Lucite.I have lots of these jars around the room in many different sizes.

A modern glass vase holds complete cards. I picked it up at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store while dropping off some tools to donate. I've actually found some beautiful antique furniture there occasionally as well.

A bookcase that I purchased at a flea market when it was brown has been painted many times over the years. Blue, then green, then white, the perfect neutral backdrop for a multicolored assortment of craft supplies.

I thought it would be a shame to put my vintage deer away after Christmas, they remain on the shelf for a touch of whimsy.

Glitter is stored in vintage salt and pepper shakers (so much prettier than those plastic bottles it comes in) and a painted Longaberger basket holds my larger stamps.

Another painted basket holds embellishments and the glass bowl holds acrylic stamp blocks. The bird is just for fun. I could have used cardboard boxes and other typical storage containers, but using found treasures makes for a much more inspiring work space. The decorating is just as much fun as the crafting!

Enjoy the rest of the week... I hope to get back into the craft room this weekend (and clean up too).

linking to:
Fabulously Creative Friday
My Romantic Home
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration

O {White} Christmas Tree, O {White} Christmas Tree

The {White} Tree is up! I am so pleased at how it turned out. The white branches reflect the lights and all the vintage ornaments in such a beautiful way.

Yes, those are vintage suitcases and a brown paper package under the tree at the moment! I was  fretting about getting {or making} a new tree skirt and as it turns out, the branches on this tree drape just about all the way to the ground. I really don't miss the little stick of a trunk that used to stick out on the old tree! The suitcases and the box hide the tree stand, and I didn't have a chance to put them away anyway. The little white suitcase holds some exercise bands and weights and the other case was on top of an armoire which now holds the nativity scene.



The tree is always the major task in holiday decorating for me, so I am glad it is done and I can enjoy it's beauty for the season. It's typically the first decoration that I put up each year, and the last I take down. For me, the tree is definitely the central part of the holiday decor.


Linking to:
Common Ground Vintage Inspiration
My Romantic Home
Craftberry Bush
Whipperberry

{Electric Stove} Vintage Inspired, White and on Sale!

I ordered this sweet little stove last week and it should be arriving any day now. It's a great deal at only $99, and if you order before October 12, you get a $50 gift card to use on another product. I have a gas fireplace in the kitchen but end up spending the later part of the evening in the family room and this will be a perfect addition.

It's available in black too! Here's the site I purchased it from.



Disclosure: none necessary... no compensation was paid for this post.

Hello Sunshine

Daylight savings time is almost here, but more importantly, the days are already getting longer. And during those hours when the sun streams into the dining room, I know Spring is not not too far away.

I need to add some fresh flowers to the table, tulips perhaps. In the meantime, this silk bunch will have to do.

Although you can't see it here, my favorite angle of the sun is when it hits the crystal on the chandelier just so.

Even the plants are happy... sending out tiny new leaves that say, "hello, sunshine. So glad you're here!"

LINKING TO:

 

Vintage Lamp {Renewed}

I just finished up rewiring this vintage lamp I picked up at a local church tag sale. I was amazed at how easy it is to replace the wiring. Using a $7 kit from WalMart, it was a matter of minutes before the lamp was safely rewired. The directions included in the kit were pretty easy to follow.

With a new shade from HomeGoods, my lamp looks better than new... because it's vintage! I've been scoping out lamps at area stores and nothing compares to this one. The graduated shapes and gold detail were what caught my eye.

I've put myself on forced hiatus from looking for the "next great find" until I finish all my projects in progress. One project down... many to go!

My Office Reveal... on a Good Day!

This is an interesting room in my house. It was formally designated the dining room according to the builder's floor plan. It never really measured up to it's name. Although it would easily handle our family of five and a medium-sized dining table, when it came to larger events and all the leaves went in the table, there wasn't much room to walk around it!

That table came out, but the hutch stayed. It's actually perfect to hold office supplies in the drawers and cupboards and still holds some pottery and knick knacks. I like these storage boxes to keep my vintage cards and office supplies in.

Did you spot the pretty pink chairs? These were an estate sale find.  They are really small scale and in mint condition. The palest shade of pink, they were irresistable!

The dining table did leave but in it's place is a farm table that i use as a desk. It was the darkest of browns--you may remember it from an earlier post.

My bulletin board got a makeover too, it used to be bronze and I lightened it up to match the table. Oops--the calendar I made with bits of scrapbook paper needs to be changed! The mini printable calendar pad can be found here.



I wanted something fun to hang above the work space, so I made a banner out of scrapbook paper circles folded in half and strung them on some twine. It's hung from some vintage hardware that I spray painted white and hung on the wall. I'm on the lookout for something similar to use on my closet wall for necklaces, scarves and belts.

I found a pretty lamp from Home Goods to add some desk lighting. 

 My vintage typewriter sits atop the desk. I really should clean that thing up a bit... never noticed how grungy it was before!

A flea market cubby holds office supplies & knick knacks..

This shelf unit has been in the room forever... just recently painted off white.

The lady in pink print is from an antique store in Iowa. I passed it up the first trip and couldn't believe my good luck when it was there on a return visit!

A few thrifted white vases sit on one shelf and my collection of white pottery is on top of the hutch.

Bakery twine and glitter are ready for tying up packages or putting the finishing touch on cards.

A Waterford bowl holds some paper scraps and my little jars hold tiny office supplies like push pins, rubber bands, push pins and binder clips.

The vintage scale is from the same store as the pink lady print.

More storage boxes hold CDs. Have you figured out what's missing yet? My office chair! I have one I picked up and have taken apart to paint and recover but that seems to be taking longer than expected. It would help if I would just start on it! Isn't that always the hardest part?

 

The room really needs a designated desk chair to finish it off. Hopefully I'll finish it soon, but in the meantime I wanted to share the room with you while it was tidy!

Linking this post to: