Nostalgic Nest

The International School of Color and Design offers a quiz on your decorating style here. My results were Nostalgic Nest which apparently means I am sentimental, not driven by trends, down to earth, and make my own treasures. 

Spot on! Besides, I love an internet quiz that doesn't involve spelling errors and checking boxes. 

Sadly, after coercing the hubs to take the same quiz we discovered his tastes are quite a bit different. His style personality is Sleek New Earth which apparently he considers the technological side of our space. Whaaaaatevs! The plus side is that supposedly he loves the outdoors and loves to bring the into his space. That would complimentary to my results except for the fact that he hates the sun. Which gives me a whole new idea for a blog on the crazy things the hubs abhors. Tune in next week! 

'Tis a Puzzlement

So these are my newest acquisitions: 

They are old tin ceiling tiles. I got the largest at an antique store in Burnet, TX on my birthday and the other two I got off Ebay, because I could not wait to stumble upon them on my own. I also needed them RIGHT THEN so I could hang them all together. 

As it always goes, they are just leaning against the wall in the dining room a month past when I HAD TO HAVE THEM. Just like how I HAVE TO explain this with capital letters. 

So, here enters the dilemma. How to hang them? Below are some pics of the empty wall that NEEDED HELP RIGHT THEN. 

I am concerned about balancing the three shapes. I also need to figure out how to Superglue some sort of hanging contraption onto the back of them. 

Of course now I am looking at the pictures and thinking about how plain that wall looks, and should I paint it first? I probably should have whispered that so that hubs doesn't have a conniption. 

But I do think the tiles will look great with the sea shell centerpiece and white curtains. Which I intentionally brought up JUST SO I could show you the picture! I picked up the shells in May at Shell Beach in Florida. The beach had perfect shells there, but most had living creatures in them, and I was not down with committing a senseless murder just for a shell with no specific purpose.

Maybe I should clarify: Not down with senseless murder for specific decorating purposes or any other reason. 

There was also the question of the plane ride home, so I opted for the already busted pieces to take with me. Some broke even more on the way home, but that was fine given I found this fantastic woven plate charger on sale before I left, which made me a girl with a plan. 

I have never been one for shells or sea themes. However, I have enjoyed these shells immensely. Maybe because they are not perfect. Maybe because the entire centerpiece cost $5 including the doily runner I picked up at a garage sale. Maybe because it was the first vacation I have ever taken with the purpose of relaxing and not SEEING. 

So, the dining area. A work in progress. I'll keep you posted. 

Real World

Well, there is a model home sale on Thursday and I will be working. Sigh. 

Here is a picture of what Isabelle will be doing while I work and others shop. Huckleberry, naturally, will be asleep. 

Happy Hunting!

Happy Sleeping!

More Isabelle Approved Items

I got these fabulous finds at a random INDOOR sale! Woo-hoo for shopping in air conditioning. I remembered the hubs and dug through the dude's record collection to find Johnny Cash and John Denver for him. I found for myself the Buddy Holly record Sis and I used to dance around to when we were kids.

The framed mirror is solid wood and here is an up-close shot of the corner detail. 

Isabelle obviously still thinks Buddy Holly lives, so we will just keep dancing and keep it quiet. 

The mirror tray was $1 and the pots $2. I also snagged a vacuum cleaner for $10, but it just wouldn't have looked good in the picture. Not to mention I didn't want to empty it or vacuum before the picture taking. Priorities people! 

Treasures

So, it all started with a model home sale nearby a month ago. Since then, garage sale-ing has fast become my new favorite form of shopping. 

I think garage sale-ing is all about THE HUNT. I am bringing home the decorating bacon.  I feel like a hero when I get something great!

Here is my first ever blog tip: On craigslist under "garage sales" start off first with a search for "model home". The items they furnish model homes with will be slightly more expensive than garage sale prices, but they have never been used and are solid. 

Here are some buys from my first model home sale!

This same lamp retails for $120 at Hobby Lobby. 

And in another stroke of good fortune, it came with the tassles! 

As you can see, Isabelle has given it her stamp of approval. Always important. 

At the same model home sale I got this wall hanging/fake wood thing at the top of this post and here below. I am thinking I will have to paint it, because I am not fond of the gold sponge design on the border. Minor detail. 

I also got this fabulous plant cart! Next project: plants that match the iron cart in niceness and aliveness. I am considering moving it to the front stoop. But since yesterday was 107 degrees, I might wait. Let's all not zoom in on the carpet I didn't vacuum in my excitement to take pictures. We all know where our priorities are, and vacuuming before fun is not one of them.

At the same sale I also picked up this little framed wood carving number for Sis' new grown-up apartamento. It is super heavy and matches her new couch.

Once again, Isabelle gives it her seal of approval. Huckleberry did as well, but he is not one for having his picture taken. You can also see the sad little plant table my new iron cart is replacing!

All in all, a good sale. I filled the Civic. It would have been even better, but I managed to get there only 5 minutes early instead of 30. Tip #2: If your hubs is going to come and carry things and pay for them, you must let him buy you lunch first. It's the only decent thing to do. 

Misfortune and Redemption

This morning I woke up to set out to buy, buy, buy! I had my handy list of directions with garage sales and times all ready and I had on my good juju garage sale t-shirt. I was ready to conquer Georgetown. I have never "shopped" in Georgetown, but had visions of golf course homes, sterling silver, and jewels for quarters. 

The whole way there my adrenaline starts pumping, I am singing along to The Killers, and getting this unshakeable feeling that I am going to find something great. 

Cue the violins, this is where my tale of misfortune begins.

So last night I noticed a craigslist ad I had marked had been deleted. Doh. 

But then I found it reposted. Yay! 

Then all my homies cancelled. Doh! 

Then I found a post where someone had already mapped out the Georgetown garage sales and their times on google. Double Yay! 

Who needs tag-alongs anyways? They only slow a sister with a list and directions down. 

I put my marriage in jeopardy by setting the alarm for 6:15am, and was on the road by 6:45am. The sun is shining, Mac Brown is being hilarious on the radio, I mean things were going good. 

So I hit the first 2 sales. Or should I say I drove repeatedly by the same 2 houses looking like  a stalker since there was no movement. I brush it off. After all, people can change their minds at 6:30am. I'll swing back by after the others.

Two more sales and nada, zip, zero. I am still not upset because the whole reason I came to Georgetown in the first place was a purported Warehouse Sale with antiques. I knew it was for a charity, but I was not on my A-game. The "warehouse" description is what swayed my better judgement. I should have known that a Maternity Home was going to mean donated baby crap. I am not dogging charity, but this girl has a goal. And well worn child's crap is not it. Sigh. I trudged back to my car. 

Back in the car I gave it a good 'ole college try and stopped one last place before getting on the highway. Nothing. At this point I gave up and called my mother to get sympathy for getting bamboozled. I still cannot understand why a person would do that. Lead me on a goose chase all over Georgetown? What high do they get out of that? How do they even know anyone followed their advice? Argh. Sigh. 

So, I am headed home - going the speed limit all the way home. Sigh again. There is now nothing on the radio. There is now traffic. It is looking like a Very Bad No Good Rotten Day. I figure my good sale juju of the last month is gone. 

But cue the trumpets, a SALE sign on my way home! Oh, to have seen it on my way out! I got a Tiffany lamp, 4 Pier 1 pumpkins, and a box! The sun began to shine and I came home a hero!

P.S. The pumpkins were originally $10 at Pier 1, and I got them for $1 each!