Bridal Shower ~ Soft Spring With A Touch Of Vintage!

With my sister getting married this summer I jumped at the opportunity to host a bridal shower for her. I love throwing parties, coming up with themes and feeding my desire to source out thrifted items to use throughout the decor. I definitely upped my weekly quota of thrift store shopping on this one! I think I'm going to take a much needed break from the second hand stores for a while ;)

My sister lives in Prince George and only had a couple of weekends to chose from to come down for the shower. We decided on the Easter long weekend so that she could also get in some required wedding appointments as well. I had already decided to use a soft vintage pastel colour palette for the shower which turned out to happily coincide with Easter as well.

All of the material used was sourced from local thrift stores. The tablecloth on the buffet is a scrap of fabric that happened to fit perfectly and the fabric panels above happen to be our canvas prints that already live on the wall covered in a fitted bed sheet.

I wanted to play up our British heritage so I decided have an afternoon tea party. 

I had purchased the mismatched tea cups and saucers last summer from Craigslist and recently picked up the glass punch bowl set at a thrift store. The milk glass vases came from a local online mum's swap.

I sewed the cloth napkins out of  thrifted old bedsheets.

In keeping with our British heritage, I made the same afternoon tea goodies that we enjoyed at our grandparents house growing up. I had attempted to make a jello mould but it didn't work out so well, only half of it came out of the mould. Possibly because I was in a hurry and didn't let it sit in warm water long enough ;)

The tissue paper flowers seem to be starting to become a trademark around here :)

Using the frames we already had on our water ski shelves, I swapped out the originals for scraps of co-ordinating fabric along with tea cup prints.

Also placed through out the house were small silver frames with ten steps on "How to be a Good Wife" taken from Housekeeping Monthly 1955 edition.

A few of the steps were::

No. 2 ~Prepare Yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

No. 6 ~Some Don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared to what he may have gone threw that day.

No. 8 ~Listen To Him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
To read the rest, go to How To Be A Good Wife.

The pastel blue cushions I got at a thrift store for 0.75 cents each and the doilies were $1 each. I used iron on tape to affix the doilies to the cushions. It probably took 15 minutes in total to do 3 cushions. Talk about a quick, cheap and easy project ;) I think they are darling and am considering leaving them as part of our decor for a while.

Using the same thrifted bedsheets I cut scraps about 4" in length and tied them to a few pieces of ribbon to create fabric mobile of sorts to hang above the food table.

And finally a photo of the morning after. Bella was doing her best to distract me from cleaning up :)

Window Shopping ~ Craigslist Part 3

I haven't done a Craigslist post in a while, but that's not to say I haven't been looking. I usually browse for a few minutes in each of my preferred categories every few days.

Over the past few months there just hasn't been anything worthy or interesting up for grabs. I find that the same items are listed over and over again which makes my time spent quite boring. I have honestly said out loud to myself a couple of times, "will someone just but that _____ already!"

Even though it's the Christmas season and not really the 'right' time to be spending money on things that aren't presents for others, I did come across a few items today that caught my attention.

Wooden desk chair - $25

This isn't too bad of a price for this vintage wooden desk chair. I picture it in an old study where the walls are lined with the classic worn novels and the lucky owner is sitting behind a large desk, wearing cosy slippers and sipping a hot mug of tea.

 

Vintage Small Wicker Purses With Decorative Metal Clasps - $15 (Burnaby)

 I really like these little wicker purses! I'm not a purse person normally but I could definitely see myself proudly carrying these for a night out on the town. They kind of have a rockabilly feel to them. I may just buy these as a Christmas present for myself.  

 

Laundry or bakers table - $25

If you can look past the junk surrounding the table, you will see that it is quite fabulous. Even though we don't really have room for it at the moment, it would look great either used as a kitchen island or in the laundry room as a folding table. It would also be perfect as an office desk. Hmmm....

 

Antique Dresser - $75 (PNE)

The price is a little above my limit but I love love this dresser. The photo is pretty dark and you can't see the drawers but the shape, size, mirror and legs are exactly what I dream of in an antique dresser if I were ever to pick one up.

 

Shakespeare comedies and Tragedies - $15 (Abbotsford)

Speaking of old studies lined with novels...this Shakespeare set caught my eye. I definitely have a thing for old worn books but never pick them up when I see them as I have no idea of their real value and what I should pay for them. Anyway these would be good to use for staging or to have out on a side table for when one is in the mood for some light reading.

 

BANK MONEY BOXES - $45 (CHILLIWACK)

These president brass money banks were produced for promotional purposes in the States around the 50's to 70's.  I think one or both would be such a great addition to a bookshelf and/or as a conversation piece. I don't know if I would pay $45 each for them but after doing a bit of research some are selling online for quite a bit more. These two kind of remind me of Night at Museum 1 and 2. If you have seen the movies hopefully you will understand why.

I notice a theme taking shape in today's Craigslist window shopping installment...Do you? Maybe because the winter weather has me dreaming of cozying up with a good book by the fire with a hot cup of tea :)

Tea Time ~ A Craigslist Find

My sister is getting married next summer and the theme is English Tea Party Chic. I found this mismatched set of pastel coloured cups and saucers on Craigslist last week for $20 for the lot. They will be a great addition to the center pieces and would look super cute with little flowers in them, especially the blue sets.

They are also great to have in stock for other tablescapes I decide to put together in the future or a perfect excuse to throw impromptu tea parties every once in a while. The bright pastel colours scream Easter and spring time to me which is a nice change from the cold November weather outside.

Thoughts ~ TLC's 'Extreme Cheapskates'

I believe it was Tuesday night that I was flipping through the channels during  HGTV commercial breaks and stumbled upon the season premier of  TLC's 'Extreme Cheapskates' (Season 1). As with most (OK all) TLC shows these days it left me just shaking my head. But the difference with this particular show was that it was still bothering me the next day.

Now what I am saying is purely my opinion and others may definitely have different thoughts and feelings regarding the topic. Also there are always two sides of every story and folks that choose to become extreme cheapskates I'm sure all have different reasons and mindsets.

The thing that bothered me from watching parts of this show was that for some reason I felt personally offended by it.

It wasn't that Kate ate dumpster food or that she washed her clothes in the shower. It wasn't even that she never bought toilet paper or used her dishwasher as a storage unit. Some of the things she did to save money I totally agree with. Such as signing up for free samples and jogging to work. I'm all for spending as little money as possible and saving the planet at the same time!

The one thing that really bothered me was the way she chose to live in her apartment and the portrayal of that living on an extreme budget equals not having nice things.

The apartment was a complete mess and it seemed it wasn't important to Kate to have a decent kitchen table or even a proper bed. Which could be a very true statement in Kate's case.

Now hear me out....it could also quite possibly be that she isn't aware that good quality furniture is available for free if you know where to look and have a creative eye. I must say the wooden slotted chair she pulled out of the dumpster was a great score. But that was after she turned down the other chair because it was 'dirty'. A bit of soap and elbow grease could have done wonders to that piece of patio furniture.

This is where I start harping on about Craigslist and other sites that are out there with FREE sections.  I am always blown away by some things I find that others are getting rid. I have scored many great pieces of free furniture either from friends, family or online (mostly vintage) and I'm damn proud of it.  The reason they are free is usually simply the owners don't have the time, resources or energy to hold a garage sale, take items to the thrift store or have a large enough mode of transport. During this last move we put our entertainment unit up on Craigslist for free because it was large, heavy and we didn't want to break our backs moving from one place to the other.

Now that being said, Kate does live in New York and doesn't have a car but if she put her mind to it she could definitely furnish her apartment for free or close to it with quality items. To add a little decor she could use waste paper from the office to make paper mobiles to hang from the ceiling or pick some greenery from a local park to put in an empty glass jar.

Nature is actually a wonderful resource for those that don't want spend a lot of money on their home furnishings. An old tree stump can be made into a side table, dead branches can be used wall art, even stray rocks and bricks can be put to use.

In the second episode that aired right after the first we take a tour through Terence's house who lives with his wife and two teenage kids. This one bothered me even more than Kate's apartment because Terence didn't even bother to acquire furniture for his family. The house was practically bare with a single TV placed in the living room on the floor. The only other items in the room were a small table and single chair. There is absolutely no reason why this family couldn't have found or even made a TV stand using scrap lumber if need be. The kids and wife joke in the episode about how Terence won't allow them to get anymore furniture but I'm sure it's not an enjoyable environment to live in.

All said and done, I would rather see a show produced where folks' homes are furnished using only recycled and/or free items. Because I love a good design challenge show, such as HGTV's Design Star, you could have two designer's spar off to decorate two homes of families in need with an extremely minimal or zero budget!

OK rant over ;) And because a post isn't fun without pictures.....here are a few wonderful FREE items I spyed on Craigslist today.



Sofa (Tsawwassen)



Desk (Main St )



Free furniture (White Rock)



Ikea wall unit and television (Richmond) 

What are your thoughts and feelings towards Extreme Cheapskates?
Do you have any creative ways of saving money without sacrificing style and comfort?

Sharing The Love ~ Owen's Room Reveal

I couldn't help but share this absolutely amazing little boy's room designed by Nancy over at Owen's Olivia. The room reveal was featured on YHL this week and it is full of many of my favorite design elements.

This is an excellent example of how a toddler's bedroom needn't be frilly and pink (for a girl) or filled with race cars and blue (for a boy). I am so in love with the monochromatic colour scheme. Surprise surprise ;) Nancy has achieved the perfect balance in the room with the small pops of colour in the art, pillows and accessories.

It is also a perfect example of how redoing a room doesn't have to break the bank. With resourcefulness and creativity the entire room makeover only cost $305! The majority of the large items were either found on Craigslist or at thrift stores (the dresser was even rescued from the dump), and Nancy made most of the fantastic art herself. A little bit of paint, an excellent eye for detail and a bit of elbow grease can produce magical results.

Along with the art, Nancy also made the pallet wall, the floating shelves, the chevron curtains, the blankets, pillows and stuffed toys. I truly can't say enough how much I love that crib blanket! It is Ikat, chevron, black, white and grey goodness all piled into one.  

To be honest I could sit here and list off every single item that I love in this room, which would be every single item. To name a few that I feel I can't stop myself from mentioning are....the grey fabric bunting, the acorn pom-poms hanging from the shelf, the pallet wall, the cloud pillows, the antique rocking chair, the nail head art, the Death Cab for Cutie poster, the little brass whale, the.....OK seriously I am in love with it all!

I just want to stare at these photos all day. Find more photos of Owen's Room Reveal along with the full post here.

While you are there you will want to check out the rest of Nancy's blog. She also shares my love of fabric. Actually there are a few things we have in common....procrastination...umm ;)

Collections ~ Fabric

My shades of grey thrift store fabric collection is growing. I claimed each of these for no more than $6.99 a piece. I look forward to putting them to use on some furniture finds, maybe some cushion covers...

Window Shopping ~ Craigslist Part 2

The theme of this Window Shopping installment are items that are priced higher than I am willing to pay, that I believe are slightly over priced, or maybe I'm just a true cheap skate.



 



1930's Boy's book - $25 (White Rock)

I am a sucker for vintage books. Especially children's books. The posting includes photos of some really great  illustrations. $25 seems a bit pricey but if I found this at a thrift store that I was already at, for slightly cheaper, I would definitely give it some serious consideration. (Yes sometimes I'm pretty lazy as well). At the very least I would take the time to leaf through and soak in the vintage stories.

 

 

Antique wood bed frame - $70 (Cloverdale)

This antique bed frame has been listed for quite a while and I have been admiring it from afar. I'm quite surprised it hasn't been snatched up by now. I think it's absolutely  gorgeous and would be a great addition to our spare bedroom. It's a single, so only one guest would be able to visit at a time (obviously a double would be ideal) but design over function right? ;) The owners have just dropped the price from $100 to $70. I still don't know if I can fork out that much right now though. I think I would be comfortable with $50.....

 

Antique Cabinet/Shelves - $60 (Marpole)

This piece would look spectacular in a rustic country kitchen, dining room or just about any room in the house really. It looks great in white but could be painted any colour to match your decor. It is perfect to use as a collection cabinet or as a book shelf.  It looks like quite a large piece so definitely worth $60 (just not to cheapskate over here). I also love that this piece plus the bed above come with a story.



Bamboo bench - $45 (East Vancouver)

This bench is a combination of a few of my favorite things......it has a rustic feel, it's rattan/bamboo and it's black. It would look fabulous at the end of our bed as a catchall for magazines, books or clothing at the end of the night. Unfortunately I'm not willing to pay the asking price right now.



Vintage coal bucket - $20 (Vancouver)

This vintage coal bucket is super cool. It is an excellent way to add a pop of colour to any home decor. It could be used as a toilet roll/extra towel container in the bathroom, a place to store books/magazines in the bedroom, or a wood container next to the fireplace. I would jump on it if it were perhaps listed for $10, maybe even $15....





Box of vintage maps - $20 (Vancouver)

I have always wanted to find a really awesome vintage map to hang in a frame. Excerpt from the posting...."Not sure what the hell is in there but some look kinda cool and go back to the thirties and forties. Kind of an as is deal as I don't have time to go through them all"....Would you pay $20 for a box of maps at the chance of finding the perfect vintage one??.....

Of course almost everything on Craigslist is listed OBO or is negotiable. We will have to wait and see if anything pushs me to take the leap while it's still up for grabs!

Window Shopping ~ Craigslist

So I thought I would let you in on a couple guilty pleasures of mine. My love for thrift stores and Craigslist.

I was wandering around one of my favorite thrift stores after work last night and started thinking to myself...."man I'm glad I have a tiny ounce of self control because I could end up spending a small fortune at these places if I allowed myself to".

Because of this I have come up with a second hand shopping system. I start by slowly scanning my favorite sections and taking inventory of what I would love to take home but I leave everything where it is on the shelf (sometimes hiding the really good finds behind larger objects just in case). Then I retrace my steps and ask myself a few questions.

1. Do I really NEED it?
2. Do I have a specific spot in the new house for it?
3. Is it a one of a kind item that I probably will never see again?
4. Do we have room to store it before we move?

I usually end up finding anywhere between 2-6 things that I would love to have but only end up purchasing 1 or 2, sometimes leaving the store empty handed.

I have also set a price limit for myself.

1. Ceramics and small household items, nothing over $5.
2. Larger household items, nothing over $10 (unless it's really special).
3. Furniture, nothing over $20.

These guidelines keep me from taking home everything in sight! I must admit I'm slightly addicted to shopping at thrift stores. I'm also slightly addicted to scanning Craigslist whenever I have a few minutes here and there. 

I have scored some awesome finds from Craigslist in the past. The free kind and the super good deal kind. I will share those items once we move into the house.

I also end up finding things that I would love to have but the sensible part of my brain tells me to just let them be. Usually because we don't have room for them or they aren't really worth the effort or gas money to drive out and pick up.

So to share the love and found goodies with others, I have decided to start a Window Shopping section. Here I will post Craigslist and thrift store items that I come across and love, probably won't jump on for whatever reason, but maybe someone else out there will!



Round Rattan Coffee Table - $20 (Downtown)

This rattan coffee table doesn't come with the glass. Even so, a piece of something could be cut and attached to the top as a base, turn it upside down and now it can be used as a laundry hamper or other type container. It could also be cut in two and the bottom half turned into a drum lamp shade. Basket lamp shades are hot right now.



Vintage Desk - $20 (Fir and 12th)

 I'm actually pondering picking this desk up. I have been thinking of putting a small desk in our guest room under the window at the new house. This would look super cute paired with a bright turquoise chair. I also have a love affair with black furniture (as you will soon find out).



Mid-century modern home stuff, credenza and more - $5 (East Van)

The glass orb on the right hand side of the photo is the only $5 item. Everything else is under $30 (except antlers are $50). I could find a home for all of these goodies, especially the little yellow bubble desk lamp. That lamp has been haunting my dreams the past couple of nights. It is listed for $20 and would be perfect in our bedroom on one of our nightstands. Not sure if I can bring myself to drive across the bridge for it though......



Vintage dresser - $40 (West End)

I love this dresser but unfortunately I don't have a specific spot for it in mind or a place to store it at the moment. BOO!


 I'm sure as my thrifting obsession progresses there will be many more of these Window Shopping posts. Stay Tuned!!