uncut poster with four prints

Found the motherload of vintage prints this weekend.  This homeowner had to be in the art business or I can’t imagine what he had in mind with all these prints…I’m talking hundreds of them, uncut in poster fashion.  So imagine six 9×12 prints or eight 5×8 prints all together on one large poster.  There were stacks and stacks of these 1960s prints on beautiful heavy-weight poster paper.  Great vintage vibe with lovely subject matter, just waiting for someone to cut and frame them.  When I arrived home with 10 posters (I used restraint and now regret not getting more), Mr. F&F asked why I just can’t buy framed art, already to go. That would be too easy and I love to do all this work, I said cheerfully (this did not happen).  Yeah, welcome to my world…the only way to make a profit on art is to buy inexpensively and hopefully frame it equally cheap and still pass on savings to my customers.   I love to use vintage frames when possible, but in this case, I was framing sets of prints – a set of three prints, four sets of four, a set of eight, one set of ten, a set of twelve – that’s forty nine frames, if you’re keeping track!  It’s almost impossible to find that many matching vintage frames, so I did the next best thing.  After searching the aisles of craft stores, I found a lovely line by Timeless Frames based in upstate New York – the frames are all wood, unlike many cheaper frames made of plastics or resins, and best of all, MADE IN THE USA.  Here’s an excerpt from their website – I love their “our story” tab…

“In 1999, Timeless Frames was comprised of seven team members producing ready made picture frames for retail store customers.  While so many US manufacturers moved their operations overseas, this homegrown team was determined to stay in their beloved North Country.”

In the world of frames it is next to impossible to find a frame that doesn’t bear “made in china” on the back, so this company is truly amazing at what they are accomplishing and still very competitive price-wise.  They have grown way beyond their original seven team members and produce a quality product.  Here’s some of the lovelies I found this past weekend, all framed and ready to go now, Mr. F&F…well, of course you already know that since you helped carry them out to the studio….

wouldn't these be cute in a little boy's room?

great patina on the map prints

lovely florals

birds are all the rage again

love the classic ballet prints

funky vintage prints

L family's Asian artifacts collection

I arranged the artwork in the hall to continue their Asian theme…the homeowner added perimeter photos from their travels…

Asian art collection

…moving into their living room, I grouped paintings that all had “water” as the theme…this was in the same room as their piano, so the art had to be off-center to allow for the piano lid to be fully open…

piano and art

water/seaside art work

The “Ka” family had a lovely Americana country style which F&F updated by playing off the white rug already in the room.  Added white accessories from other rooms and F&F provided pillows and white iron to brighten and update the look….

iron from F&F with homeowner's ivy and white plates in background

…more iron by the TV cupboard with vignette on top…

tv cupboard with more f&f iron

tv cupboard with white accents

…the homeowner wanted new pillows and these white canvas striped pillows lighten up the couch…and the game boards were rehung…

gameboards as art

…a little corner vignette with homeowners artwork, old chest and family mementoes…

back corner near french doors

love this family photo with child's chair...all special family memories

…the homeowner had great foundation pieces, including this cupboard on the other side of the french doors…

great country cupboard

popping more of the white on top

…more work to come as I catch up with my clients:)

mid century grocery shopping cart

…and this bread cabinet stole my heart and, with its two interior shelves, it is a highly functional item…office storage or kitchen helper or arts and crafts supplies…

galvanized tin bread/cake cabinet with two shelves inside

…these ship lanterns are open at the bottom, and even though they were formerly electrified, they would be great candle covers indoors or out or just great bookshelf decor, especially in a beach setting…

ship lanterns

…this old foundry mold with its square shape needs no alteration…it already speaketh wall art…

wooden foundry mold

…and these architectural dental molding pieces are also great wall art and can hold smaller pieces as an art ”ledge”…

dental molding architectural piece

…and I can’t think of a more functional piece than this two-drawer library card catalog cabinet…small enough to sit on a desk top to hold supplies or on a kitchen counter for recipes or art supplies…

library card catalog drawers

…and this sweet red, chippy sled has great display potential, hung on a wall or atop an armoire or stacked on top of a base to make a coffee table…

old red sled with iron gliders

…this rare blue and numbered pepsi crate has many storage options…

rare blue numbered pepsi crate

…this tobacco pouch (very North Carolina) painted with cigarette art is an unusual, almost folk art reuse of the pouch…it is strung to be wall art…

tobacco pouch with cigarette art

…switching gears…some more refined pieces to mix in…my favorite find was this record album cabinet that has a different life ahead of it…the record dividers are perfectly spaced to hold something else…

mahogany record cabinet

record cabinet turned wine cabinet

…a drop leaf breakfast table that could be a sofa table or a desk or entry hall table…and pulled into action as its larger self when needed…

George III style drop leaf breakfast table

…this silver leaded mirror was handcrafted in the 70s…it can go modern or traditional…I love its versatility…

handcrafted lead mirror

…and I can’t resist a little glitz and glamour with these gold pieces…

brass figural candleabra on marble base

anitique bird print in gilded frame

…stay tuned as I reveal some mixed vignettes….

some funky pillows were used in the making of this vignette

Last couple of weeks I’ve been back to see my friends at The Green Chair Project.  Life and work kinda got in the way of volunteering.  Spent some time in the showroom today, organizing furniture and adding accessories.  It still amazes me how a bunch of stuff from multiple households can come together.  Green Chair is the lucky beneficiary of wonderful donations that are generally in good shape but if not there are handy folks, amongst the army of volunteers, who breathe new life into old stuff.  Today one volunteer was repairing kitchen chairs, another was fixing lamps and still another was making art and bulletin boards from scrap fabric…and that was just a few of the folks there today.  There are regular “unpaid” volunteers who keep Green Chair humming along…check out their sign-up at volunterspot if you want a fun, rewarding experience.  Green Chair is always in need of donations as well…especially couches, dressers, kitchen tables/chairs and other furniture items.  Drop by for a few hours or drop off some goods and say hi to Jackie and Beth, the ladies in charge…

lots 'o pink and, of course, a "green chair"

greys and tans and taupes all put together from several household donations

living room vignette with "office-y" chairs that work for home

...the carved arms are beautiful...

...and it's functional too...the wood at the bottom is actually a drawer...

It’s a settee I’ve probably had for close to 16 years but it takes up a lot of space in the dining room.  Part of January purging is to ”thin out” and look at stuff through a new lens…the lens that sees my kids not realistically wanting all this stuff or wanting to deal with this later (that sounds morbid).

This settee is really cool as it opens up into a table that was useful when we neeeded extra places for a big dinner or it served as the bar.  But, in all honesty, I haven’t opened it that much over the years and in its “sitting” position it doesn’t get used that much either.  Sooo I decided it was a prime candidate for purging.  I was at peace with that decision, Mr. F&F was on board, and so it was loaded into my van for the trip to the mountains.

The four hour drive (by myself) allows me some NPR time and some quiet time.  That’s when I started to get second thoughts about the settee…I began to ruminate about an event where the settee took center stage.  Our former house was a classic surburban floor plan with a wasteful, big ass foyer – we tried to justify its existence with dance parties, the Christmas tree’s place of honor, and the bar set-up was always there.  So when we decided to have our last child (little man) baptized at home, the foyer seemed the natural choice to set-up a little “chapel,” if you will.  My parents flew in with the priest that married us and we hosted a ceremony in the foyer with chairs spilling into the family room.  It coincided with our 15th anniversary, so we also decided to renew our vows.  We placed the settee at the front of the foyer, opened it up as a table/altar where Father Jack said mass.  It was a beautiful ceremony with college boy (who was then 7 years old) doing the very difficult readings and middle child sulking because of all the attention given her older and younger brothers. Father Jack, then north of eighty years old, splashed water all over the table, Mr. F&F and I recited funny vows, and it was a joyous occasion with family and close friends in attendance.  As I remembered this event fondly during my drive to the mountains, my purging efforts were starting to take a backseat to my emotions.  I had to pull back, remember my own advice…it’s not the stuff, but the memories and there are wonderful photographs that document this memorable occasion (thanks to my lovely niece)….

settee as table with white cloth and set as altar

a tired bunch are we

middle girl getting special grandma attention

table in forefront with our little "chapel" set up

college boy at age 7...a very precocious reader

little man getting dunked on the settee as table

little man looking happy that it's all over

…and this is what gets me through the purging process.  If something special to you is not already “documented,” take a picture or ask your parents for a picture in its former home or write a memory in your journal.  Do what it takes to remember what’s really important.  The memories…not the stuff.

this headboard could easily be replicated...love the chunky lattice look

cement desk area and cool wing chair

they screwed up our reservation...we got free conciliatory mini bar treats

loved the "barn" door rolling mechanism for shower door

the metal legs, while utilitarian, are attractive in their simplicity

…the hotel hosts a cocktail hour and coffee bar in the lounge area off the lobby…homey and comfortably modern…

couch area beckons

table that hosts the cocktail hour

unlabeled, all-white books are impractical for most of us, but provide a beautiful, calming backdrop to this hotel lobby

close up on the books and sweet bird sculpture

courtyard area off lounge with gas firepit in center and mirrored arches that seemingly double the space

check-in area with stacked stone backdrop AND a chandelier I have actually used...nice surprise!

I love getting inspiration from travel and well designed hotels should feel like a home away from home.  But most importantly, this was a great weekend of respite for Mr. F&F and me.  Gotta do this more often, sir!

workspace "before"

Not so long ago, in the throes of inventory acquisition, my workspace resembled an episode of Hoarders.   I had cleaned up some since then but hadn’t made it the cozy, functional space I envisioned.  Mr. F&F also shares this space and THAT’S a challenge for us both, so out of respect for the little corner he occupies, I thought we needed an F&F intervention.  A great way to start the new year?  The space is an apartment over our garage and it’s just under 400 square feet – a decent amount for a shared space if properly organized.  I kept Mr. F&F’s space in its current corner but reused college boy’s desk from his bedroom – it’s a more functional L-shaped configuration than the basic folding table that was his prior desk.  Here’s the overview of the whole apartment now…

apartment overview

...hello Mr. F&F...

My desk area is on the right in the overview picture…my prior desk was too small and cramped and messy…so I reused my old kitchen table…

...old desk area...

...new desk area...

Behind the desk area is the kitchen cabinets and counter area…lots of seasonal stuff stored in cabinets and counter is staging area for stuff needing work and pricing…

...kitchen area...

Fabrics and pillow inserts (best down inserts and best price) were more problematic and taking over the apartment.  Reused an old shoe rack that I’ve had for years…it has served as shelves in my kitchen to hold cookbooks and hang pots…and later, it stored kids’ toys in baskets.  It has been a handy piece for years and is now “in vogue” with the current industrial look…

...fabrics before...

...fabrics after...

We have a “fake” fireplace which actually helps heat the apartment, so I added some folding chairs and an old grain scale in front to  act as a coffee table…it’s not fancy and not upholstered but it adds needed funtion to the space.  The grain scale will eventually be sold…but for now…

...kids can actually come up and visit...

The black folding screen in back conceals stuff I don’t want to deal with right now…

...crap...

Stuff that’s ready to go is by the door on two temporary tables…

...staging tables...

…and then there’s the beer my 12 year old found at the park across the street…Mr. F&F has been pouring cans down the apartment toilet since we’re not sure how long it was in the park…we only know that there’s some pissed-off kids who hid the beer and cigarettes and other stuff…a park party averted…

...beer, eh?...

My twelve year old came home from school today and approved the redesign.  I think he likes the idea of doing homework up there with dad.  Eventually I’ll get a better staging area (perhaps reuse an old folding table) and reuse some other containers and maybe some used upholstered chairs I’ll acquire on my travels…but for now it’s much cozier and usuable…form AND function.