Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Present. Here. Now.

Hi Hi!!!

It's been quite the hiatus here on the ol' blog.

I am HERE in Denver - the long awaited destination!!!

SO much has occurred in the past 2 1/2 months.

A lot of changes

Saying goodbye to Chicago, my home for the last 6 years
Bidding farewell to the closest friendships I have ever experienced
Leaving behind all that is familiar

for a brand new city,
new adventure,
a new season

The Lord has been so good to provide for me every step of the way.

I have been able to get my humble apartment set up and I finally feel all settled in.

I have a job that I enjoy to help pay the bills.

I assign myself multiple points for being able to navigate this new city sans a GPS.

Sorry Chicago, but the coffee shops here in Denver leave you in the dust. I am loving all the cafes within walking/biking distance!!

The sun here is doing wonders for my disposition. It is so strange to wake up to it every single day. I don't think Denver knows what a gloomy day is. Perhaps I will one day miss the rain days/weeks of Chicago. I have met my match here! Still in the honeymoon stage as you can see.

Not to mention the culture! People are so laid back - so genuinely kind! It does not take long to feel at home and like a local. I find this city positively refreshing.

I am for the most part settled at a church (I am swaying between two presently - oh, Lord, guidance!)

I am in the third week of classes already and loving every minute of it. The homework is a bit heftier than what I imagined, so I am still learning how to live a life that has more than the two dimensions of reading and working that I presently find myself existing in.

It is such a treasure to yet again be in an academic environment where people are just as excited to be studying the same nerdy things that I can't get enough of!


I am making some dear friends. I am amazed at how the Lord brings people into our lives at just the right time. Even now, I am taking a (brief, I promise) study break while at a coffee shop with a kindred spirit that I am so thankful for!

Well, as I said - a brief study break is all I can afford. Forgive me for this all to incomplete attempt at an update.

Back to the books.

More to come soon, I hope.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Forgive me

I broke the rules!!

Can you find it in your heart to forgive me??

I bought a clock.
From Target!!

I have been scouring high and low for just the right clock, to no avail. I have found several retro beauties, but all are out of commission. It's not just for decoration, I actually need to know what time it is in my kitchen.

Here is the beauty I found for under $10.

At least it's vintage inspired...


Please find it in your heart to grant me pardon!

Goodwill - an ode to thee!

I am in love with the Goodwill just down the street from me.

A few weeks ago, I arrived at 7:45, armed with a travel mug of coffee to stand in line with many others for the doors to open at 8:00.
Everything in the store was on sale for 50% off!
This was welcome news as I had just moved in and needed a few lamps.

Here are the before and after photos of my lamp makeovers




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The ugly lamps ready to be transformed.



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One coat of paint does a world of good!!






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Plain shade that could use a few frills





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All you need to make these ruffles are ribbon and a straight stitch down the middle. Then gather, gather, gather til you have all the ruffles you can stand!!






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Plain Jane shade




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Not quite sure if you can see, but all along the bottom are sheer ribbon rosettes. Still deciding if I like how it turned out. Definitely better than the before...





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Just needs a simple touch

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Just a touch of sweetness. Better!

No girl should be without a staple gun

Here is my brand, spanking new one!!


I felt so heavy duty when I was in line at Wal Mart with only these 2 items. Never mind the pink T, rosette earrings and ballet flats - this chic is about to get down to some serious business.

I am pleased to say that this was one of the easiest projects I have attempted in quite awhile. No sanding, no painting, no sewing!! Just a screwdriver, scissors and this beautiful new tool is all that was required.


The Boulder flea market find!!



I decided to go with this sweet green fabric to match my kitchen table - my Craigslist treasure of a kitchen table!!



Voila!!
Done and done!

Boulder Boulder, you did me right.

My dear friend Leah took me around Boulder last weekend. Such a charming place! Definitely a new favorite. I can't wait to go back soon and explore all of the book shops, cafes and overwhelming beauty of the mountains!!

I had a hay day in the Lafayette flea market.

It just went on and on.

Here are the treasures that I found while I was there.

Thank you Leah for convincing me to get this sweet bird cage. I was thankful to have her there with me to bounce ideas off of and have her insight. She has such wonderful, unique taste. She truly has quite an eye for finding sweet treasures!



I fell in love with all of the small jars. At $1 each, it was so hard to choose which ones to bring home with me.



I am incredibly thankful for these chairs! I got a set of 4 for only $40! Sturdy, sweet, shabby chic - Yes, oh yes, please!!
I decided to recover the seats, so stay tuned to see that update.


I also found a sweet iced tea pitcher and a small basket (to be the home of my new glass vases when not in use) and a fancy glass bottle for water to keep in the fridge. Makes drinking water seem luxurious.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Ode to Craigslist

The other day I was certain that I was finally going to buy a lovely kitchen table I have had my eye on for a month or two at my favorite vintage shop in Logan Square. It had all the right details and was just what I have been looking for. The prefect vintage table with shabby chic details. It was a bit pricey (for me, anyway), but I decided I was going to go ahead and buy it and just be done with it. And I could leave my old table to someone who needs it here in Chicago.

With much excitement, I drove to the shop and looked the table over. It was a bit rougher than what I remembered from window shopping. It would require sanding, painting, reinforcing the wood in a place or two. Don't get me wrong, this is what I love to do - create beauty from a disaster. BUT, that's why you pay garage sale prices. So you can do all the work. I just could not bring myself to spend that much on something that I was going spend time rehabbing.

Sigh.
Leave the store.
Perhaps Denver will provide just the thing.

Fast forward to 24 hours later. My roomie is looking on Craigslist for a folding table for her new place. Lo and behold! She stumbles upon the most lovely drop leaf table that is on sale for a mere $30 dollars (The owner originally spent $175 on it at an antique shop in TN...)!!! Not just any old drop leaf table. This one is near identical to the one I had my eye on and decided not to buy. BUT it's in much better condition and has even more lovely details.

What in the world??

I proceed to write in haste an e mail to the owner expressing just how interested I am and that I can swing by to pick it up at any time.

After re-reading my first e mail, I realize it is near incoherent from how excited I was.

Let's try this again... I send another e mail telling her I am a legitimate buyer (despite my rough English in the first e mail).

I get to pick it up TONIGHT!!!

Pictures to come.

Many more pictures to come when I arrive in Denver and get to set up home sweet shabby home.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Words to Live By


Do what you can,

with what you have,
where you are.

-Theodore Roosevelt

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The Chair

Last summer I found this chair in a resale shop for mere pennies.



We (my beautiful mum and I) painted it,




covered it,



and put on a nice trim in under 24 hours.



This is one of my favorite accomplishments.

Monday, April 26, 2010

The Challenge

After much thought and prayer, I am getting ready to embark on a year long challenge. The official start date is TBD, but will swiftly follow my move to Denver in the upcoming months.

So, the challenge: I am limiting myself to only purchase things second hand. This means no Target runs, Crate and Barrel finds or trips to Home Goods.

I adore Shabby Chic and vintage living. Most of the items I treasure most are those which were handed down to me by my grandmothers. Or those found in resale shops/garage sales or on street corners that I had to revamp and recreate from trash to treasure.


This idea is born from several thoughts and desires. I desire to live simply and sustainably, but find this to be a challenge.

There is so much freedom in simplicity and absence of clutter.

I don't want to live the life of earning more to consume more to fill my home with more. My dream is to one day own a cottage and not have to upgrade to fit more "stuff". But, to be a comfortable, cozy home to invite people in to just be. A vintage apartment in Denver will have to do for the time being.

I believe this challenge will do many things for me.

1. I will save money - resale shops and garage sales are insanely inexpensive. I am about to be a full time grad student and am headed into the mental health/helping field. A shoestring budget is a necessity.

2. Very Green - I will be able to get good use of items that others don't need any more. I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to make use of my grandma's mixing bowls and dishes and decor. Not only does it save me from buying all of these things, but any time someone remarks about it, I can tell them about the classy woman she was and how that's reflected in her things.

3. Inspire creative living. I will learn to make the most of what I have, see possibilities in items I find and be inspired to do/try new things. This is something that is so life giving!

4. Simplify my life - Because I will have to hunt for each thing I wish to acquire, I will be more intentional about those things which fill my home.

5. Refine my style - I have always LOVED vintage and shabby chic and "one of a kind". Limiting myself to only buying that which I truly love instead of resorting to what's most convenient in the moment.

Additionally... this include wardrobe and books (other than textbooks)!!

So, here we go... I will hammer out the details and "rules" in the weeks to come. I look forward to seeing where this challenge takes me. One year seems like a long time, but I have a feeling I might love it so much I won't want to go back!