Vintage wedding topper

I found and fell in love with this vintage wedding topper still in its Drexel box.  It's in beautiful condition with the perfect amount of patina. I filled the bottom of this terrarium jar with the vintage cotton that lined the topper box. I love the way it yellowed in some areas and stayed crisp white in others. The jar is decorated with a sea horse charm because the bride and groom are getting married in Hawaii. I found the gorgeous cake plate at Home Goods.  I'm in love and hate the thought of parting with it.  

Sigh...

Kelly

Chippy paint obsession

I fell in love with the shabby look of chipping paint way before it was cool. I loved the way the peeling colors exposed layers of the past and created a lovely patina. The shabby look of chippy paint creates a feeling of comfort for me. The pieces that used to be thrown in the woodpile or left by the curbside are now coveted by their owners or at the very least sold to friends with a passion for old. I used to wish that others felt passionate or understood how I felt about the shabby look of old furniture. I was so thrilled when friends began to get excited about my finds and ask me to find or refinish a piece for them.  We'll I think I've changed my mind because now that shabby is in and chippy paint is all the rage it has become difficult and very expensive to find a really cool piece. I thought I wanted others to share my passion for character and see the beauty of dingy corners and peeling paint but now Im not up for the high prices and the availability of chalk paint has made everyone a DIYer.  If I ever fall in love with an ugly duckling or unpopular trend again I'll be sure to appreciate "one mans trash is another mans treasure."

Do you have any outdated or unpopular passions?

Velvet crush

There is nothing like vintage velvet. The lush softness and  the yummy patina make me crazy. I fell in love with this vintage sofa from the moment I walked inside the door of a local estate sale. I pushed my way thru the door and flung my body over it. I was prepared to fight for this piece. Well it never came to this, as it turned out everyone else was more concerned with the Hummel collection and could have cared less about my beautiful sofa. Yes you heard my sofa ...it's all mine!
My love for velvet has inspired me to start a velvet crush board on pinterest.  I have decided to open this board up to friends, acquaintances or just about  anyone else who loves velvet as much as I do. Follow me on pinterest and I'll add you as a pinner. You can find me on pinterest as kelly Ruehle. www.Pinterest.com/kellyruehle/

I can't wait to see all your beautiful pins and share my love of velvet with you. See you on Pinterest!

Vintage travel

Hey, I found this really awesome Etsy listing at https://www.etsy.com/listing/208898404/travel-alarm-clock-vintage-turquiose

Bohemian tea party

Hey, I found this really awesome Etsy listing at https://www.etsy.com/listing/208365314/bohemian-tea-party

Join the tea party at www.etsy.com/shop/studiopink

Helen says goodbye to her old friend Phoebe

Hey, I found this really awesome Etsy listing at https://www.etsy.com/listing/208731819/phoebe-is-a-country-french-jewelry

you can find this madonna and many other interesting items at www.etsy.com/shop/studiopink

Through the looking glass

Sometimes it's not so much the collection that inspires. More times than not I am more inspired by the way the collection is displayed. I used this display at my latest dinner party. It was a big hit!

Timely collection

Where has the summer gone? School is in and hints of fall color are everywhere.  When the season's change I get the itch to redecorate. It's easy to change the look of a room with a collection of like things. I love, love these little vintage alarm clocks.

Shabby chic makeover

How many of you have a tired old jewelry box from the 80 ' s shoved away in your closet? While wandering the many sales along the 127yardsale I came across a lovely large jewelry box or miniature armoire that looked tired and dated.
   After a few coats of homemade chalk paint in the perfect shade of green-turquoise this vintage chest was better than new. I distressed it sightly with aging wax and sand paper. The interior mirror is covered with complimenting wallpaper. I love how it turned out.

The thrill of the hunt for vintage treasure

I find the perfect shoes, a comfy pair of jeans and a bitching bag. It's time to focus on my list of must haves. I'm so easily distracted with the the Shiney babble in the corner or that table with the perfect patina. A sucussful hunt is an art.
        My last junking trip across three states was a success because I finally found my mermaid. I've searched for Mercy for years. I had the perfect name just waiting for the perfect find.  Although I swooped in and grabbed her before she became somebody else's score, I managed to play it cool with the vendor and haggled the price down $50.
Tomorrow's adventure is a little shorter commute to an estate sale 140 miles away. Roadtrip!

Urban chic makeover

I allowed myself to be more adventurous maybe even a little bit reckless in my outdoor room design.  I didn't need to follow the rules no specific design style necessary. All that was required was a place to sit for a cup of morning coffee or evening glass of wine. No need for function or long term comfort just fleeting moments of pondering.
      The space didn't turn out as shabby chic as I had intended. It's more urban country than shabby chic. I love the way the chair turned out. It went from hideous 80 ' s to very chic and stylish. I'll admit it took way more paint than I anticipated but after 30 dollars and hours of watching paint dry it was perfect. 

          The pink and yellow rug is so playful with turquoise furniture.  It really brings the space to life. I think my favorite part of the whole makeover is the milking room door adorned with Charlie ' s skull. It's perfect for an outdoor room. I love the unexpected.

Possibilities

My toe slowly peeks it's way out of the softness of my toasty bed. The floor boards are cool to the touch. This crisp awakening guickly shapes my ward robe for a chaotic day of picking.
      The barn is simple and neatly packed.  The man who proudly claims it's eclectic contents is fair  and anxious to strike a bargain.
     My pick is swift. I know within seconds what I can't bare to leave behind. My heart beats faster,  images of a past life race by.  The moments are fleeting as the voice of possibilities speaks to me. This old door that once graced the milking room of a pristine dairy farm will marry well with the weathered skull of a proud steer that long ago freely grazed the ground beneath my feet.
       I am drawn to the the history and stories of my salvaged finds. The organic simplicity of the pair is perfect for my vision of a shabby chic porch. Layer upon layer of earthy patina with just the right pop of color will transform an urban deck into an eclectic oasis.
   I have several days of work to come before this perfect transformation is reality.
   Stay tuned...

Lost and found

The yard is damp and  the air feels crisp and cool against my bare legs. My heart beats heavy in my chest as I stroll passed piles of a life unfinished and a past untold. My mind is full and my hands twitch as I ask myself; where did the journey begin for these discarded items. Who would dare part with such intriguing relics? Surely this stretch of patchy grass is not the final chapter.

        Each and every shade of patina holds  a secret and hints of a life unimaginable to me. It's hard to contain my excitement at the thought of re homing and the idea of writing a new chapter for the discarded treasures in the sunset junkyard.