Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Forty Mile Yard Crawl

I have some long-time friends who are kind enough to invite me and my family to their country house in Virginia.   Every year we look forward to relaxing, catching up with our busy lives, and my son's favorite--a slow ride on an inner tube on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.   When my friend called to invite us again, she said she wanted to tempt me to visit.  Obviously we need no convincing, but her temptation was that the Forty Mile Yard Crawl would be held that weekend.  It started in Strausburg, VA and continued to New Market, VA.  We didn't make it the whole forty miles, but I found many treasures along Route 11.


I wanted to share some of my finds from this adventure, but wanted to say that mixed in with them are even more treasures from a beach shopping trip.  No summer vacation at the ocean is complete without a vintage hunt with my friend, Sandy, who is lucky enough to live near the water year round.


And, I must confess that also in my eclectic stash are some things garnered from less exciting shopping trips around home and in Pennsylvania.  Yep, I've been a busy girl this summer.


I'm pretty sure that this classroom map will make it to Sweet Clover's September sale.
Perfect for back to school.




The backdrop I'm using for the photos is some Italian velvet fabric.  Yummy.
I also was excited to find a globe, a book with vintage maps, an architectural fragment, and some binoculars.  I've never seen a globe with a lucite support.  Have you???




I always buy folding camp stools, but this one was so unique.  It has a back rest, nail head trim, AND it is a rocking chair.  Someone added a mirror to an old ceiling tile and of course I bought it.  The brass compote holds marble spheres and tucked under the chair is a book with a fleur de lis spine.  Resting on top of it are two small French readers.




This is quite a jumble.  Empty frames, a weathered box in a fabulous green, a lion book end, a piece of a tree trunk turned into a pedestal, another architectural fragment, some games, and the little clown perched in the middle is actually a juicer.




The wooden floats tumbled around, some into an old garden trug, another supporting a seamstress's pincushion, and yet another provided a riser for an iron deer head.
Behind it all was what the seller described as an army mosquito netting hat,
but I'm going to say it really belonged to a beekeeper.
 Don't miss the artist's brush trying to hide.





Another totally unrelated mix of treasures.  Everything is resting on an architectural blueprint that's curling and cascading on the velvet.  The steps are old library steps outlined in gold.  On the top step is a ceramic horse head.  One step down is a rubber mold of an Indian.
 I topped this old goblet with a seed pod orb.
 One of my favorite things to collect are old document boxes.
 Teeny ones and ones with words are the best.
 I also came across some very unique copper bracelets.  One has an applique and the other is made to look like a belt buckle.  The other is simply linked metal circles.




I love that I have friends who coerce me into shopping with them.
 I hope you have some too.
 I'd like to hear what you've come across this summer.


Kathy




Monday, August 11, 2014

Zillow


I was recently interviewed by Zillow and quoted in an article on their site----along with a zillion others.  But, what I'm excited about is that they chose to use a photo of my foyer in the article about high end/low cost projects for your home.


My Foyer Project

To see the article on their site go here.


If you missed my post about painting stripes around my foyer, go here.



Kathy



Thursday, August 7, 2014

My Stuff for Sale. It's a Mix of New and Vintage.

Yes, it's time for another sale at Sweet Clover
 I have quite a mix of new and old,  French and British, Chinoiserie and Cottage. 
The Cottage is styled by Sarah and Cassie, the owners, with a funky boho vibe. 
 You just have to come and see us.  
We've covered all the bases.



































Hope to see you.  I'm working Friday.

Kathy



Sweet Clover
4051 Stanford Ct
Frederick, MD 21703

August 15,16,17
10-5


More photos from all the vendors on their website here:  https://www.facebook.com/SweetCloverBarn

Directions:  http://www.sweetcloverbarn.com/p/directions.html






















Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Chinese Chippendale Chair and Nail Head Trim

When I purchased my latest Chinese Chippendale faux bamboo chair this photo was my inspiration.
 My intention was to paint it this lovely turquoise.


Via

It was natural when I purchased it and I had every intention of painting it, but then I
found this fabulous woven dresser and decided they looked good together.  




Even though I decided not to paint the chair, I would have to replace the seat cushion.  
The fabric was only stapled in place.  I easily removed it and used it as a pattern. 
 I decided to re-cover with burlap.

Original Fabric That I Used as a Pattern for the New Seat

I used my electric staple gun to secure the seat cover.



I usually cover my staple mess with some sort of trim.
I decided to use some burlap double welting for this project.




I simply started at the back and used fabric glue to place it over the staples.
 I then used nail head to outline the seat.
 The spacing for the nail head trim was easy.  I just used the width of a ruler to evenly space them.
The difficult part is getting the nail heads in a straight row.
 I liked the double welting because the seam in between the cords kept it all straight.
 I made sure to place a nail head over the seam where the trim ends meet.


New Seat with Burlap Fabric, Double Welting,  and Nail Head Trim 

Here's the chair, unpainted, with its new seat cushion, temporarily placed in my sun room.

Chinese Chippendale Chair in My Sun Room



Now I'm regretting not painting the chair and dresser.




  What would you do?

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Blooms in the Summer Heat

My daughter's was born at the end of July.
 It seems that we can always depend on the Crepe Myrtle in our yard to bloom in celebration on her birthday.

Crepe Myrtle
They add some color to a totally green-filled yard.

Crepe Myrtle

My best no-care perennial is my Black Eyed Susan.  I can count on bursts of them in my garden.
 I bring them inside too and enjoy them in a vase on the table.




I love how they always circle around my trellis.





It's even better when they decide to mix in with my lovely but short-lived Phlox.





What thrives in your garden in the summer heat?


Kathy