ThriftN-Retro

When I go furniture shopping for something to fix up, I look for a good price.  If it catches me eye and most of the time something that I think is just "wrong" or "needs a little help" catches me eye.....and if the price is right (cheap)...I buy it!

I went looking for some chairs last week and found these great chairs from one of my favorite stores to go to in the Heights.  I went right before closing time and before the owner wanted to leave for a tennis game.  My luck because he was ready to go!  I negotiated the chairs down 30% off his original offer.  I had a vision for these chairs...but, they looked pretty sorry....and I am a business lady...gotta think in terms of profit.  The manufacturer is Stonehill and the sticker is still on one of the chairs....really cool retro logo.....btw, I love logos!
Here are the chairs before I worked on them....

I couldn't decide which print to go with, but I ended up doing a light blue and white colorway inspired by one of my branch photos...and I refinished them in an ebony stain.   I covered the seats so, that there would be a left and right chair.  The main circle design is one the left of one chair and right of the other.....very retro in design-if you ask me!  See below...Just love them!

P.S. I am going to add some better photos, but I just could not wait to post these fabulous chairs!

A thought...

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I do....making things...finding things....about what I might be the best at and what I should "focus" on....if I should focus more one thing that I do...fabric designs, photography, sewing, painting, etc...... 

There are so many definitions and opinions of art.....and so many opinions on what is "good" art.  The definition I like best is from good old Encyclopedia Britannica online from my google search tonight....

"the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others".

Just the thought of sharing "imagination" with others......or sharing anything with others....puts a smile on my face!  Someone I know thought my "bird on the wire" print looked like drumsticks not birds.....and he didn't like it...thought I should redo it.  It made me feel a little insecure and made me want to new take new photos of birds on wires....and make a new print....to start over...that was before I sold my first pillow with the print...or before I sold many more of the pillows with the print.

My point is art and creativity is something you should do for yourself to express who you are...what you like...to share that with others....whatever it is....even if it is considered "good" or even (the feared).... if someone might consider to be "bad".....

A drumstick to one person......just might be the perfect pillow someone was looking for with a representation of something...we all see everyday....a "bird on a wire"...or "birds on wires".


                              

             Below.....my photograph "Bird on a Wire" in a found frame that I refinished that
             I use as inspiration for fabric prints that I sew into pillows.  I took this
             photo on my street in H-Town and bought the frame at a thrift store in Katy.

getting back to blogn'

well, i haven't posted a blog in a very long time....and want to get back to doing it! it has been a busy couple of months for me....and exciting!  most people who know me....know that i am not naturally the most organized person (let's just say I am not organized like the rest of the world).  a few weeks ago, i reorganized my place. i was sewing in my kitchen, painting on my living floor...crafting hair pins on my bedroom dresser......just working in chaos. my living room is now my studio and organized....and now i am even more inspired to create!

wall of fabric designs...and my sewing machine.......

                          wall of photography and new product ideas.....and frames i am painting....

                                yes....i bought boxes to organize from ikea (and they are labeled)....

tabletop display with my photo "lone flower" in a vintage brass frame and that had handpainted glass when i found it...love this frame!

some of my fabric prints as pillows on my sofa.....

have a great week!  :)

The Glass Menagerie (Family Heirloom)

"Then all at one my sister touches my shoulder.  I turn around and look into her eyes."

These words make me think of my family and how important they are to me.  I love finding things that remind me of my family, old photos, things, furniture, being sorrounded by family heirlooms and memories.  I always have!  However, the I older I get and due to some of the changes I have had in my life, I really appreciate those memories....simple memories....good memories more than ever!  I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and have been thinking about family lately.   

Below...are some old family photos that I love!  They are of my brother and I riding our rocking horses, the only thing is that the photos were taken about 18 years apart, he is the younger one.  He always says that :). I luv my big bro!



Below...I have a collection of family photographs hanging on my wall.  I have photos of my dad as a kid, mom as a kid, aunts, uncles, my brother, cousins and a Navy photo of my dad. I don't think you can ever have enough photography of loved ones around your home.  I bought most of the frames at "Dollar" stores and thrift stores.  I repainted them to be mostly black to tie in the different shapes and styles. 



The Glass Menagerie

I am going to continue with The Glass Menagerie as inspiration for a few weeks into November.  I think many of the words go along perfectly with what I have been doing over the past few months and are great art and design ideas.    

"I was pursued by something....Perhaps, it was a familar bit of music.  Perhaps, it was only a piece of transparent glass." 

Below....I found the desk for about $30 at a thrift store and it was green, the finish was very 90's.  I added decorative molding to the drawers and aluminum leaved the desk for a new finish.  The finish a reflective like glass...."a piece of transparent glass".

 

Below....is a window frame with glass that my neighbor had out for trash.  It creates a great visual piece on my wall and once again refers to "transparent glass".  I have always been attracted to old windows and doors for art and decoration.    

  Below...A photograph that I took of an old door from my house that

  was hanging in my garage.  I call it, "Rusty Chipped Knob". 

 



The Glass Menagerie

Tonight is my first blog!  I am going to be finding inspiration from literature and relating it to my artwork and trends in interior design.  My first blog finds inspiration from the words of Tennesse Williams in his book The Glass Menagerie. 

"The cities swept about me like dead leaves, leaves that were brightly colored but torn away at the branches." 

The photographs "Twiggies I and Twiggies II" find inspiration from those words.  I took the photos on one of my walks and you are seeing twigs, branches and ivy hanging from trees in front of the woods near my house.  They also look incredible as art pieces hanging on a wall! 

Below....I have my photographs in frames that I found at thrift stores, refinished and put my branch/tree inspired photographs in!