Friday, March 30, 2012

Friday Fun: Downton Abbey Parodies




Will I ever get tired of Downton Abbey and its parodies? Nope!

If you're also a fan of the show, check out some of my favorite parodies below!


Downton Arby's:



The Fresh Prince of Downton Abbey:




What's your favorite Downton Abbey parody? Leave the link in the comments!

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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Joey's Mom: Renovating Union Street



I took an inadvertent break from the Joey's Mom series the past few weeks, but we're back now!

Fueled by the success of the Barclay Street renovation, Joey's Mom and Jerry began work on expanding the house with a 2-story addition followed by renovating a property on Union Street.

I'll turn the story over to her now! As always, check out Joey's Mom's photos on flickr and see the rest of our Joey's Mom series here.


After our 1950 success with renovating the large bedrooms in his mother's house into small apartments, Jerry saw the wisdom of enlarging the building. There was space on the lot for a two-story addition that could add two apartments.

Jerry drew and re-drew the plans at our dining room table in early 1951. He had to factor in where the entrances to the new apartments would fall in the old structure. He needed to consider what effect blocking existing windows would have. The city demanded that we stay X number of feet from the lot line. I asked him to also bear in mind how the addition would look in that block of lovely historic houses.

His plan was masterful, really, in that he also thought about and planned exactly how a person would actually live in the small space. He provided for the maximum storage space possible. His plan then needed only an architect to validate it before putting it out for contractor bids.




Having built a two-story addition and finished renovations of our Barclay Street rental property, we knew our calling and purchased this building on Union Street. It had endured a bad changeover in the past from a large single-family house into a four-unit. We re-did it, committing sins with abandon. Natural woodwork was painted over; this clawfoot tub undoubtedly wound up in a landfill.

The newspaper heard of our work and published a glowing account of the young couple moonlighting evenings and weekends, and ran a story on our renovation projects. "By the way, we're having a home improvement contest; you should enter," the reporter advised.



We immediately planned to enter the newspaper's home improvement contest and mapped our strategy. Jerry drew up plans to demonstrate how we moved walls, redesigned smaller, tighter kitchens to add more space to the livingroom/bedrooms, constructed built-ins around a jutting chimney to hide it, etc. We took before and after photos along the way.



We documented our work photographically as renovation of the Union Street building progressed. We planned to enter the Grand Rapids Herald's Home Improvement Contest.

Installing these small square bathtubs saved space. Jerry handily applied plastic tile around them, creating roomy shower stalls for those who chose not to soak.

This was about the time "little Ricky" was born. We rushed home from work early on "I Love Lucy" nights to catch the show.






We took photos of each other in the finished apartment to include in our contest entry.

We were now preparing our contest entry with before and after photos, drawings of old and new floor plans, and a little story of explanation. We bound it all in a leatherette cover.





I bought a red celluloid device at the camera store to assist in making a montage to sum up our work on the apartment. Joey chose this one from among the different combinations I created, maybe because of the good action photo of Jerry in the center and his enthusiastic work at the table saw. I like it too.

On the Saturday night before the contest winners were published, Jerry and I talked of our certain win.

In the morning we went out for the Sunday paper, smiling knowingly at each other. We spread the Sunday feature section on the dining room table.

Astoundingly we didn't win first prize. A homeowner who had replaced a big old octopus furnace did. A photo of the winning entry showed a basement with a furnace. Period. No good lighting effects. No beaming owners. Really dreary!

Our eyes skipped to the second place winners. Not us. Third place. Same. Desperately we perused the honorable mentions. We were missing.

There wasn't much conversation that Sunday. But somehow we got over it. Life was busy and eventful; we moved on and put the contest that dominated our lives the summer of 1952 out of our minds.

It wasn't until 55 years later, while re-examining the leather-bound entry book and reading the newspaper announcement of actual winners, did it hit me like a brick. The basement-improvers and others who won were true homeowners. We were commercial landlords. We were homeowners making good improvements, but not on our own home.

Jerry, in your current home in heaven, please take comfort.



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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Favorite Finds: Lisa's Record Console



Fellow Nashvillian Lisa of My pretty Baby Cried She Was A Bird lives a very vintage life with a house full of amazing vintage finds. I asked Lisa if she'd like to contribute her Favorite Find and happily, she obliged! She details her Favorite Find below!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My favorite find, the find of the (mid) century, is my late 1950's Magnificent Magnavox console hi-fi record player. It was waiting for me in the dark recesses of a finished-basement-only estate/moving sale I went to about a year ago.




What were your first thoughts when you saw it? Did you know right away it was coming home with you?

The rest of the sale had been 100% lighthouses. You read that right. The woman who lived in the house aggressively collected lighthouse memorabilia, apparently for years, and was looking to liquidate her collection before moving to retirement. Afghans, figurines, clocks, pillows, windchimes, music boxes...you name it, and if it had a lighthouse somehow incorporated in to the design, she bought it. I love people having serious collections, but I'm not much into maritime themed items, and felt a little disappointed I hadn't chosen another sale on my list to go to first.

So you can imagine, as I came across a little kitchenette/dining area in the basement and saw this pristine, metal-grate-havin', unusually diminuitive (compared to those mile-long 70's console stereos you see sometimes) piece, I was pretty heart-struck. The woman's daughter and I set about trying to see if it would plug in, light up, and play music (in that order), and we eventually flipped enough of the right switches to hear the crackly strains of Johnny Mathis's recording of "Shenandoah" coming out of the sixty year old speakers. Jubilation!

The quoted price was out of my range, so I asked if I could leave a (wildly low, but all I could afford) bid. When the daughter ran it by her mother, she accepted my offer on the spot! I couldn't believe my luck. In the year since I've got it, I've been to many more estate sales and seen many more hi-fis, but I still feel like this was the one for me.




It works! Tell us about playing music through it. How does it sound, what does it make you experience emotionally?

There is not a better sound, in the whole world, than putting on an old Charles Aznavour record and listening to it on that hi-fi. I feel like Anna Karina every time. The sound isn't as crisp at it would be on a cd or on stereo speakers, but something about the *depth* of the sound, and the quality of the tone, is really, really nice. I like to turn it up (and it gets surprisingly loud!), high enough to get a good booming sound but not enough to worry about damaging the speakers, and sprawl out on the couch to read magazines on my day off. Feels like a mini-vintage-vacation every time.

Give us some details on that record collection - what is your most treasured album?

I started collected records in middle school because everything I listened to was from the 60's or 70's, and picking up a record for $3 (or less) and transferring it to a dollar-blank-cassette via my dad's tape deck/turntable set up was less expensive than buying the cassette from the store. I fell in love with poring over liner notes and band pictures, and there are so-o-o-o many records and 45s floating around the house that I'm not really sure what all I have. The portion in the record storage space under the record player is for the MVP's of the collection that I listen to on the often...and there's everything from Lou Reed to Chad & Jeremy.


My most treasured record at the moment is the double album "Judy at Carnegie"-- my sister gave it to me for Christmas after years of only having a (beloved, but way less picturesque!) cd version. What a *sound* Judy Garland can make, coming out of those old speakers!!

Why do you love buying vintage?

Style, girl! It's all about the equal amounts swagger and elegance of clothes from an earlier era. And quantity and quality over new-ness is another interest. I could have one department store dress, that someone else could well be wearing on the same night at the same event, for $28, on sale, and it would be a "deal". Four sixties' dresses, hand-hunted from the wilds of Goodwill, practically if not actually one-of-a-kind, for the same amount, makes them a "steal". We love steals! And it's not that I don't ever buy new, but the thrill of not knowing what you're going to find at the thrift store or the flea market has just about ruined me on actual retail stores. I can express my taste and aesthetic without breaking my budget.

Love it! Thank you so much for sharing, Lisa!


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Monday, March 26, 2012

Pinterest: The Jealous Thrifter

I didn't do any thrifting last week (I've been trying to take it easy since I have already shopped a lot in March and my booth isn't doing as well as the past few months so I don't want to over-spend) so unfortunately I don't have anything for today's Thrift Report!

But! I do scour the internet for other people's amazing finds and pin them to a board I started called "The Jealous Thrifter."


I think it's so fun to see what other people find and it helps me curate my style even better. Look at all the chairs I've pinned! Obsessed! :)

Check out The Jealous Thrifter here
and see all my boards here!


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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Favorite Finds: Lindsay's Chair



If you've ever shopped for jewelry online, then you are most likely already familiar with Simon and Ruby, an amazing jewelry shop run by Lindsay Farrer. Lindsay and I met years ago through very dear mutual friends and I've loved seeing her business flourish! She and her husband Micah recently moved and I have been eagerly awaiting photos of their new house - so I was very pleased when she agreed to contribute to Favorite Finds!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

Gosh, it is so hard to narrow it down! My favorite find lately would have to be the awesome bright yellow velvet chair that I found at the Habitat Restore downtown.



Did you know right away it was coming home with you? Were you looking for a piece like this or did you have to rearrange to make it fit?

As soon as I rounded the corner and saw it in all of its brilliant lemony glory, I knew I had to have it. What sealed the deal is when another lady glanced in the same direction as the chair and I suddenly couldn't get to the register fast enough. I knew it would clash terribly with my sofa, but I was willing to find a home for it. I just could not have passed it up and I'm pretty sure I did a little dance when I found it. You can't pass up the things in life that incite a little dancing. Plus, it was my birthday. You get anything you want on your birthday, right?



Did you have to do any restoration to the piece?

The chair was in such great shape, I haven't had to do anything to it. There is a small little rip in the bottom hem of the skirt, but it also happens to be blocked by a little side table, so you would never know. It was definitely loved in its previous home.

Where does it "live" now in your house?

In our new home, we have an empty spot in front of the fireplace. The room is large and open, so it was nice to bring another pop of yellow in. Apparently, my new favorite color is yellow, I keep finding myself drawn to yellow and gold. I'll probably move it around and add some floor cushions near it at some point, but so far so good!



Any other details we should know?

From the moment the chair came in the house, my cats now fight over who gets to sleep in it. They even sit on top of each other sometimes (which NEVER happens anywhere else in the house.) I'm convinced that the little old lady that owned it before me must have stuffed it with catnip.



Why do you love buying second hand?

I love the idea that an item was previously loved. It has a story, it has already lived another life before it even makes it to your home. I prefer to be surrounded by things that have a history, there is a certain romance to it.

Lindsay, thank you so much for participating! That chair is GORGEOUS and I love the way you've styled it! Those pillows are so cute!

If you have a favorite find you would like to contribute, please email me!

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Our Lego Life


Well, I never really thought I'd say this, but: I played with legos this weekend and I liked it. :)

Andy collects special lego sets - mostly the Architecture series. He told me about a series of lego modular buildings in which they all connect and look like rowhouses. He won me over when I pretended that they were a block in Brooklyn and that we could pretend we lived there. He had enough lego points to get some sets for free so he ordered them up and the first set arrived last week.

I put together the brownstone and he put together the pet shop. Gotta admit, I was envious when I saw the cute things he got to put together for the pet shop and the loft above it. Apparently the brownstone has someone moving in - the second floor has mysterious accessories and the third floor just has legos that are meant to be cardboard boxes! Kinda strange!


BUT, it was really fun to put them together with each other and then take photos of "us" in the buildings. Our friend Emily gave us lego mini-figs that resembled us for our wedding so we've built a hybrid version of us for "normal" lego life in these buidlings.


I love the details - the doors all open and some of the windows do too. There are flowers everywhere and cute surprises like dog bones and letters you can stick in the mailboxes.


It was fun! We are getting the "Grand Emporium" next and it's a huge corner shop that I'm definitely going to research first before choosing which floor I want to make. :) I don't want to miss out on putting together cute things and I definitely don't want to put together empty floors like the brownstone!

Are you a lego fan? Have you ever been surprised by enjoying your significant other's hobby?? I liked it so much more than I expected to!


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Monday, March 19, 2012

Thrift Report: Estate Finds!


You know you're busy when the only chance you have to take photos of your finds is as they're being packed into your car!


On Thursday, I headed to an estate sale before work. I was laaaate in line and boy was there a line! The best part was that I finally got to meet Rae! She took photos inside the estate sale and posted about it - check out her recap here!

I didn't really do my research on this sale - it was a little bit of a last minute decision to go - so I didn't know what to expect. Most people were disappointed by it. I found a few things - a nice suitcase (that I now realize smells - I couldn't tell down in the basement of the house! I'm hoping febreze and stuffing newspaper inside helps!), a uniquely-sized file drawer, a really funny KY bumper sticker (OH! Kentucky. You'll come to love it.), an accordion hanger (I like to hang my aprons from accordion hangers in my booth), and a hot plate - is what what you call them? I really like these plug-in 60s warmers. I will re-sell it (it would be perfect for tailgating) so maybe I will hang onto it for the fall.

Another item I will be holding onto for later this year:



I definitely have a weakness for vintage ceramic Christmas trees and I've never seen one like this - it's "flat" - it looks like it's meant to be part of a scene. I love it!

In other news - this is what our dining room table looked like most of the weekend:



This was a really great "weekendy" weekend. For so long after we got Lucy, I felt like I never left the house and I was beginning to get stir-crazy. This weekend was a great blend of Andy-time, family time, friend time, and Jamie-time. Friday night, Andy and I started putting together a new Lego set (more on that later!). Saturday, I got my hair done and then hung out with girlfriends for hours - and it had been so long since I had done that! I sewed a lot this weekend, too. I made a few of these dresses (short versions - more on those later, too!). Sunday, we spent time with Andy's whole family to celebrate his cousin Matt who is heading to Afghanistan soon to be a journalist for the military. (He has already served 3 tour of duties overseas and has been back for a few years and now is going back to be a journalist. Incredible!)

We took Lucy over to aunt Belinda's and she played with one of their pups for awhile and she has been so sleepy ever since. I love seeing her play with other dogs! She has only played twice but both times, she had so much fun - and everyone loves her!

I hope you had a "weekendy" weekend too!!


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Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Fun: Shamrocks rock!


My junior year of college, my mom gave me a little planted shamrock plant. I was really obsessed with my Irish heritage at the time and loved having a little bit of green in my room. I lovingly took care of my little shamrocks and brought them home over the summer, back to college, back home, and then to Nashville where guess what - they are still alive. It's true - I have kept a plant alive for EIGHT years!



These little guys must be indestructible because I certainly do not have a green thumb! I met a woman once who said she had the same shamrock plant for 30+ years - amazing! They are the perfect little houseplant and kitchen sink adornment.

I recently re-potted them in miracle gro potting soil and I've been using a miracle gro supplement every time I water and they have flourished! They look a little saggy in the photo because it was so gloomy outside. Did you know that shamrock leaves close up at night and re-open in the day? It can be a little freaky - like they have a mind of their own! When it's not very sunny, they droop a little and don't open up much.



But the really exciting part is that my plant is going to bloom for the first time in years!!! I have the beginnings of 2 little white flowers! I water my plants on Saturdays so I'm hoping that after tomorrow's boost of miracle gro, the flowers will open right up!

If you can get your hands on some shamrocks, I highly recommend them! I kill just about every plant I come in contact with (including hardy cactuses!) and these have lasted for so long and are still going strong. We have re-potted them a few times (whenever the soil starts looking really dry and yucky) and now that I'm using the supplement, I think they will continue to grow every stronger!

PS - Happy St. Patrick's day!

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Thursday, March 15, 2012

February's Whimsey Box!

Remember when I mentioned earlier this week that I'm really behind on stuff and hectic? It's very true! Which is why I'm posting about my February Whimseybox in mid-March!



Us Whimseyers received a Becky Chase print, glitter, satin fabric, leather lace/craft cord, and rhinestones!

Find out more about Whimseybox here and let me know what you would want to make with those supplies! I still haven't made anything with my January goodies! Shameful!!!

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Favorite Finds: Emerald's "Mad Men" Outfit


Before we get to today's awesome Favorite Find, I have a TV alert for you! Tonight, TLC's new show "My Crazy Obsession" features "Doris May Day," a young woman who lives as though she's in the 50s! She wears only vintage clothes (including undergarments!) and decorates with only vintage items, etc. The first half of the show profiles a very bizarre couple (who don't seem to be very family friendly, so beware), but I am excited to see her segment. She says she started living this way because she didn't like the way her peers dressed and behaved. From the preview I saw, she seems beautiful and classy. I can't wait to see more!

I found this week's Favorite Find by scouring Pinterest for pinners' favorite finds. (Sidenote: last week was the first "Favorite Finds" post I missed since I started the series on July 27th! It's not easy finding contributors each week - if you have a favorite find, email me!)

I stumbled across Emerald's "Mad Men" outfit and thought she and her outfit were so cute! I am not big on fashion blogs, but I immediately bookmarked her blog and I have loved scrolling through and seeing her adorable outfits. I love her style and I love that she wears pigtails (like me!).

I asked Emerald if she would share more about her adorable dress and shoes! She gives us details below!



What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My favorite finds are my floral pumps and yellow dress.

What drew you to the dress and shoes? What were your first thoughts when you saw them?

When I saw the dress, I was drawn to the print. It may be difficult to tell in pictures, but it's actually has polka dots on them, which is a huge obsession of mine. Yellow is a tricky color for me so my first thought was, "I have to have you; please don't wash out my skin tone!"

When I saw the shoes, I was drawn but could not figure out exactly why since I have always played simple and safe with footwear. I was wanting to broaden my horizons and what better way than feminine pumps by Ralph Lauren?

What is your favorite memory in this dress?

My favorite memory was actually during the shoot for the dress. My photographer said, "You look amazing; that dress is so you."


How do those amazing shoes make you feel?

I feel so ladylike in those shoes, like they were my ticket into adulthood fashion or something. I bought them last year so you can imagine my joy that floral and bright pumps are so big right now.



What is your approach to style/fashion? How do you work vintage items into your wardrobe?

My approach: I like to dress for who I am. There are many trends that I adore and appreciate, but it's important for me to look comfortable and classic with what I wear. Self-discovery and fashion go hand in hand so when I try to embrace the essence of romantic, feminine looks that do not appear too refined.

While I do not have the eye to see if something is truly "vintage," I think it's wise to bring vintage piece into present day. I don't go for full-on vintage outfits, but try to pair vintage pieces with modern trends.

Why do you love buying secondhand/vintage?

I love buying secondhand/vintage/thrifted clothing because it makes the most sense. First of all, fashion is always recycled in some way, so why spend ridiculous amounts of money. I like to buy what I want to wear and not because a department store is telling me what to buy. You also are way less likely to be seen wearing the exact same thing as someone else!

Thanks so much to Emerald for contributing to Favorite Finds! Be sure to check out Emerald's blog, Sunday Crossbow for tons more outfit inspiration!

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Owl Really: March New Additions

I got all out of order with taking photos and adding items to the booth! Last week was pretty hectic and I never had a chance to take photos before hustling new merchandise to the booth. March is not going as well as Dec-Feb, so I wanted to make sure to stock up so there would be lots for potential shoppers to check out. Because I was in a rush, I had to take photos as I placed the items in my booth instead of taking pretty "thrift report" pictures. Blah blah blah, here are the photos!


New tea pots and such! I found a great set of a tea pot, sugar pot, creamer, and 4 teacups! Adorable! Also 4 gold rimmed glasses and the owls you saw last week. The ubiquitous mushroom container, a white & yellow pitcher, and a cute juice pitcher. (You've seen some of these before!)


A detail shot on the brass cart - I love it so much but have no room or need for it at our house! I have tried to slightly stage it so shoppers can get a sense of using it in their own home! And then just some overall shots of some of my favorite items.

Come shop! Help out Owl Really in March. Take some tax-season-stress off by picking up a little trinket for yourself or someone you love. :) 654 Wedgewood Avenue, Nashville TN.

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Monday, March 12, 2012

Thrift Report: Don't Be Crewel


Are you a vintage fan who appreciates crewel work or do you pass it by when you see it? I admit, I have a love affair with crewel. Some styles I will pass up - like the log cabin scenes... not a fan. But I love flowery crewel - especially the brightly colored pieces.

This week, I hit the jackpot on crewel pieces. The first piece is medium size but the other 2 are huge - really, really big! (They are not to scale in the collage below, woops.) It's rare to find a piece that is framed that is still clean and doesn't need washing! (If yours does need cleaning, though - you can easily clean it to restore it!)

Here are the 3 pieces I found last week:


These will look perfect in a vintage-lover's home! I'm excited to add them to my booth.

Keeping in line with my granny-chic vibe, I also picked up this awesome rainbow zigzag afghan at an estate sale:


Speaking of Lucy, here is a new photo of our little girl. She's 4 months now!


Isn't she the cutest??? :)

Linking up to:
Apron Thrift Girl
Her Library Adventures

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Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday Fun: To Buy Or Not To Buy?


I was driving past my favorite thrift store the other day and had to turn around and stop and check on a vintage desk I saw sitting outside. It definitely caught my eye!



What do you think about it? Would you buy it? Should I buy it for my booth? It's slightly affordable - I wish it were $5 cheaper - there would be more "meat on the bone" if it were. If you were shopping for a cool desk, what's the most you would pay if you saw it in an antique mall?

I'll be transparent - it's $14.99 at the thrift store. Is that high? Low? Just right? If I pay $14.99 for it, how much should I charge for it? I have no experience with this kind of merchandise!

In the fall, I bought a $14.99 table at this store and recently sold it for $75! Cha-ching!

Let me know what you think - you might be able to sway me to buy it!!

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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Joey's Mom: Renovating Barclay Street


We're back with another post in our Joey's Mom series! After Joey's Mom and dad were married, his boss at the barbershop generously offered to give up his apartment for the newlyweds. In the housing shortage post WWII, this was a big sacrifice to make and Joey's Mom theorized that Mr. Ripmaster didn't want to lose his star barber.

The enterprising newlyweds got to work renovating the Barclay Street house, turning the upstairs into separate apartments. Jerry and Joey's Mom did most of the work themselves on nights and weekends. You can read below about their work on the house and stay tuned for more fun renovating stories from Joey's Mom on a second rental property - including photos taken for a DIY contest they entered!

Below, Joey's Mom shares about the experience of renovating Barclay Street!



Our life was now constantly work, work, work, but with we did it with relish! Day jobs, then a quick Kewpee oliveburger, then evenings at Barclay Street. Days off and Sundays too. We weren't having a lot of fun but we committed a lot of "sins." Most of them consisted of painting over beautiful old wood!



Our tenants could walk into an apartment with a suitcase of duds and start living. Electricity, heat, and water were "on," and we provided furniture and window coverings. Above, Jerry updates a good sturdy chest found in the building.



Our combined skills got the job done. Jerry's knowledge of carpentry expanded daily as he worked. He was the better of us to draw plans from scratch when we built new. I was quick to visualize how to renovate the old: where heat runs could come up from the basement through the first floor, where we could fit in a bathroom, etc. I "invented" a 3-foot-by-9-foot bathroom that took only a narrow slice off a former large bedroom to create an entire apartment.



While Jerry did most everything himself, he didn't hazard the intricate plumbing maneuvers necessary for this job. Ed the plumber was a customer of Jerry's at the barbershop who agreed to do the work. When the bill came later, Jerry was surprised and angry. Litigation ensued. I learned a lesson from the sidelines: Have a clear understanding up front, preferably in writing. The knowledge served me well later in contracting work on my own, as I purchased buildings and renovated them in Lansing and East Lansing.




Jerry continued to hone his cabinetry skills on this building. Such small amounts of space for complete apartments almost dictated built-ins, and they were the rage in the 1950s anyway. Here Jerry designed and built space for clothing in deep drawers and cupboards, while to the right he hid a chimney behind bookcases and shallow cupboards.



Jamie here: We see these kind of renovations all over "blogland" these days and it's so fascinating to know this DIY culture is not a recent phenomenon! I love peeking into Joey's Mom's world! Want to see more? Check out Joey's flickr stream!

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Booth Updates: Feb/March

Goodness gracious. I am having a really hard time keeping up with blogging every weekday! Hopefully I'm just in a busy time and things will slow down soon and I will have more time to dedicate to blog posts because I love posting every day!

In the meantime, here are photos of my booth after February - I feel like it's really bare! I'm sure it doesn't look as bare to everyone else, but I know where the holes are. :) I will have photos soon of what it looks like now - my overhead light was burned out when I was last there and I took photos on my phone, so I'm not sure how well they turned out.







After I sold the white enamel table, I moved the cosco shelf that was on the diagonal and added the shelf my mom recently got for me side by side. I like it ok, but it leaves a small corner in the back un-utilized.

Sunday, I moved some things around and added the brass cart - I will post those photos soon!

Thanks for hanging in here with me as I try to find time to do everything I need and want to do!

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