Vintage Chair Facelift

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It’s not easy being green. Or is it? When hunting for new furniture for my apartment – the first place I’ll go is thrift and antique stores to see what I can salvage and update for my abode. Why run to Target or Ikea if there’s tons of gorgeous furniture already out there?!

I came across a set of these vintage chairs while going on a fabric run. A mega steal – the pieces were discounted – costing me only $9 each! After a thorough inspection and sniff test I decided they were a deal not to be passed up. Besides – I had to replace the rickety rocking chair I had in my living room. Or at least, that’s what I convinced myself of! All the chairs would need is a good cleaning, airing, and brightening up. Using some leftover Yolo paint, David and I taped off the wood and gave it a fresh coat.

The result is a fusion of old world craftsmanship with a modern whitewash finish. They’ve become an instant centerpiece in our place and will see many years of heartfelt Scrabbling, reading and pet napping. And people say it’s not easy being green.

Inspiration: Suitcase Dresser

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One of my goals this month is to re-organize my studio to make fabrics easier to find and to ‘unclog’ the creative block messiness encourages.

So I’ve been hunting for ways to do so while keeping things green and aesthetically inspiring. That’s why I fell in love when I found this suitcase dresser! Easy enough to make on your own – this idea take vintage luggage and transforms it into a utilitarian designer’s dream! I don’t have the space to make something like this now – but I am keeping it in mind should I ever decide to do away with my current dresser.

Styling: Mustard Seed Miracles

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So it seems pretty obvious that I have developed a recent obsession with the color yellow. Within the past 2 months I have purchased, made, featured, or photographed at least 20 different things in the hue’s range.

With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that in this “Styling” the main attraction is a warm fuzzy mustard cardigan. This cozy sweater was my favorite find of autumn – discovered while doing a fabric run at a local thrift shop – the saturated color and high quality tailoring forced me to pop it in my cart. Combined with the ever-modern stripes of an old school Old Navy dress, grey leggings, sequined gold peter pan collar necklace, and black vintage boots, this is one of those ensembles I can see myself wearing for years to come!

Inspiration: Duo Tone Hair

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Maybe it’s the unseasonably warm Chicago weather – but I feel like I’m in need of some spring reinvention prematurely!

Back in late December I went to an Aveda salon to get asymmetrical ‘melted’ highlights and am loving the look. The plan is to eventually start playing with the blonde/caramel pieces by adding some manic panic electric hues.

And since hair is on my brain I wanted to share this adorable look that I happened upon on Pinterest. I love the stark contrasts of the two shades and may venture down this path at some point. For now I’ll rock my current do but will keep this bi-polar one in mind for the future.

DIY: Love Patch

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I don’t know what it is – my perpetually dry skin, humidity-free heat, or just the dullness of winter – but my elbows have become sand paper tough and the results are showing on my sweaters. I am rubbing holes into sleeves every which way I turn!

Rather than scrap my favorite cardigans, I’ve begun to bust out the old fashioned elbow patch, but with a modern twist. Using vintage lace fabric scraps, some embroidery thread, and elbow grease (no put intended here!), I stitched my way to some swanky tear-proof sleeves that are now turning heads.

In just 15 minutes you too can add a bit of whimsy to otherwise unsightly holes. Follow the pictorial directions below for a fabulous way to mend your most beloved knitwear and sweaters to get them through the season. Continue reading →