Happy New Year 2014!

 

Well hi there and Happy New Year! Today and tonight I will be going through, lookin back, and enjoying the happy memories of 2013 with a smile!

 

I have a big pot of veggie soup in the crock pot, the house smells wonderful, and I wanted to wish you and yours a wonderful, healthy, safe and happy new year to come!

 

I have changed up my lifestyle quite a bit, especially this year, and have become a full on vegetarian moving close to vegan-ism. 

 

I hope you will enjoy some of my future links and recipes, learning along with me with this style of cooking, and becoming more healthy within.

 

I have also moved closer to my passions, sewing, pincushions, and fabric of all kind! I have been remiss in posting to my other blogs and that is one of the top ten on my list of things to accomplish but I am not going to beat myself up about it either :)

 

That being said, what is on your list of fun things to do this coming new year? I hope you will be able to fit in your passions too! I know I am going to for sure!

Ive got the music up loud, dancing around, cleaning and enjoying the Sun today! I found last years picture of my home, and of course, since I'm playing with Photo shop, here is the final product!

 

Cute wooden characters, a gift from my neighbor and the oh so many lights :)

 

Love to you and yours, and again, the best to you in 2014!

 

Kat xo

It's a sickness! I'm in love!

Apparently I collect, covet, hug, love, touchy feelie, can't get enough of, have you guessed yet?

 

F a b r i c!

On my old Martha furniture in the patio I used a sweet old comforter. I sink in that in the summer time and sleep very well there in the afternoons. I can wash it, as you can see, someone, is sittin there waiting for me! lol :) I love you mr. socks parker!

 

Yes I am a fabric hoarder! There I finally said it. And no, I am not ashamed!

Vintage sheets, doillies, linen, textured, all colours, half sewn, not completed, hand embroidered beauty, you name it I must touch it and if the darn thing talks to me, well, it comes home! I just cannot help it! Buttons are another post and another addiction! Sewing!

 

I think I got this affliction from my Nana. My beloved Mother's Mother. There are many Nana-isms that I use daily! lol!

 

"So how are you feeling Kat?" she asked " Great! As good as "two shakes of a dead sheep's tail!"

 

What the heck does that mean! I don't know! lol :)

 

 See the pink lace drapes here? Pink lace and solid pink satin. Wow, they are gorgeous, Thrift find oh so many years ago! like new! stored away, found and just like Christmas for me I jumped up and down! lol! I must stop doing that cause I'm "seasoned." :)

 

Lace drape covered the table, in cream, covered metal ol fashioned chair, was white linen.

And the piece de resistance was in the middle of it all, are you ready, peach drapes with pleated tops, they were a custom job for sure way back when, about 20 feet in length and wow the texture. Sheer beauty in the sun. And worked as another way to display my cottage sale this past weekend.

 

I was so happy with just looking at all the fabric! Silly? :) no :) I'm in love with fabric!

 

 

Vintage sheet on the left table; purple and sky blue muted textured and stripped huge pieces of fabric, think maybe tablecloths and some are shower curtains, burlap bags, and of course the gorgeous Mexican blankets with fringe! So very soft. These are so soft and wonderful and I carry in my car! I have about three of these, some thinner some not!   If I ever see these, they are mine in a minute!

 

So I started another blog, "linen picker" way back when, here, and I think now is the time I should address it.  I will be updating that soon and will start blogging on it more, simply because I must do this now.  I have so much fabric, vintage, antique, some of it given to me by my beloved Mother.

 

I started with one post and it stopped there. Not sure why, maybe I was just so busy, but now I can almost see the light! :) The editing of the home takes so much time not to mention the organizing.

 

 I am so in love and so appreciate beautiful material,  fabric, laces and "handmade with love" pieces, that I think I must start blogging about it. And more importantly, using it and or sharing it.

 

I think I will be able to part with it, maybe an Etsy store or online sell, not sure which road to take,  because there is so much. Really I just enjoy looking at it and all the colours and the vision of what any given piece might become.

 

 

A lover of anything Toile!

 



 

someone made this, it covers my "salt container" next to the stove

 

 

this beautiful piece is Waverly and so very floral, one of my faves.

 

Thrift find and just enough fabric to cover my cubbies for the sale! There are two bookcases behind curtain number 2! lol

 

 

Peek a Boo! lol Garden Humor!

 

Lovely all vintage denim clothing for children. I can see lace on some and puppy dog tails on  others :)

 

 

My dream is to start sewing, in the F. W. (my fashion wearhouse) creating and possibly selling down the road. Selling yardage as well.

 

There are times when I simply cannot sleep, my brain will not shut down so I am constantly with pad and pencil writing, drawing, creating or repurposing something in my head. :) I love the creativity! the eyes, not so much! :) Bag city! lol

 

Ok, now that that is off my chest, I'm going to bed! I'm freezing here, chilled to the bone. It's very cold here in the desert at times, like 22 degrees! Really? Yes! right now!

 

Hope you have a good evening! I'm planning a post in my head for Linen Picker, but I think will snuggle with the 3 amigos, my yarn, the radio, and my long john nightgown! lol

 

Have a good night! Stay warm and cozy everyone!  xo Kat

 

 



The Character of a Chair

Hi there! Have you ever wondered how a chair is born?

What is the inspiration on each design, where was it made, where did the fabric come from and who was the designer?

What drives us to purchase, love, sit for hours, read, snack, watch our favourite show, or play a game on this wonderful comfy piece of furniture?

 

I believe it must be a combination of love at first sight, our history of what we grew up with, and our personal love of whatever sparks our interest when we walk into the room.

It's called design.

 

The above chair, one of many I've re purposed, was a tiny version of a rocker, no arms, very comfy, done up in my cottage signature design of homemade chalk paint a sander and finishing wax, a lovely piece of fabric.

 

She has a home in Las Vegas now, and was loved by many, especially the lucky one that found her first! I love that she went to a  lovely home!

 

I personally love vintage style kinds of chairs and couches.

 The history, the feel of the wood, the design, and above all, how comfortable it is to sit in, and what would be the function, what room will it go in.

 

 

This is a chair that lives with me! She has the French influence, did have upholstery on her arms, but I made the decision not to do it again. This has been professionally upholstered and she is a beauty! Gorgeous Bird Dwell Fabric in grays blacks and white. Lovely soft hues, perfect with the white painted finish.
 

Where would you put her? At a desk? The living room, or at the dining table? She sits proudly in my living room in front of a credenza. She is the statement piece in there.

This little peacock chair needed some freshening up! Love how she turned out, she went to live in a big house on a large patio!

  

 

Here is a before and after. She needed a little help! The Peacock Rattan Chair, circa 1960s.

I have found that I love very different designs in chairs. From mid century modern to French accent to the heavy English designs. But how does one decide what they like? 

Research and finding a place for inspiration with lots of wonderful articles and lots of pictures! Found the place!

One Kings Lane Home Decor Resource guide!

These are my favourite chairs and I've saved the best for last!

These two chairs, 1950s era, by American of Martinsville, are my statement chairs in my personal Library. Yes I am a bookworm, tons of books, and my home had oak bookcases on one wall and I ran with it!

English, a little gothic, gold patina and marble, accents of French design as well.

I will share with you, that I have found in researching tables, chairs, mid century modern and all kinds of style of furniture, a good place to start is the Home Decor Resource at One Kings Lane!

For instance, you can type in the Search area, rattan chairs. You will find just a ton of articles regarding rattan chairs plus origin, year, style, and other pieces that may have rattan on them listed right there with links to information regarding any specific detail.

A great place to educate and inspire!

You can purchase from them, and learn your style.

I did a post a while back on the Library Chairs here. But here is just a brief recap.

 

Original condition. I absolutely loved the fabric, velvet, but so dirty I couldn't clean it.

 

Did you know that fabric on upholstered furniture usually has a "fabric code?"

 

 This combination of letters code will tell you whether you can use water or not, and how to proceed so as not to ruin the fabric.

 

So I ended up updated with white paint and got them ready to go off to the reupholster. Sadly, I tried to clean but to no avail.

 

Fini!

 

 brocade, green velvet, tons of texture and oh so charming!

 

Love them and all the little details.

 

So very comfy! I am loving my Library, it is still not completely finished but almost! :)

 

So if you love to re purpose furniture, especially chairs, what is your design sense?

 

Where do you go to do your research to find your specific style?

 

What are your statement pieces? Where are they in your home?

 

Remember a good source for inspiration and education will be One Kings Lane so be sure to stop over, but grab that cuppa something first! You will be there a while! :) 

 

Be sure to let me know how you loved the Resource center! I sure did!

 

Have a wonderful week! xo Kat

 

 



 

 



Cottage Vintage Sale!

 

Hi there! Well the yard sale was a huge success! We had such a great time and sold tons of neat vintage items and some new lovely handmade things too, that we are planning another sale in the Spring! I will be editing the house again (still lol) and gathering more stuff! Wow you never know what you have until you start organizing things huh! :)

 

 

Ok, if I was going to have a sale it had to be somewhat cute and cottage-ie!

 

My friend Miss K is an amazing lady! She worked her fingers to the bone making beautiful hats, shrubs, shawls and magnetic jewelry of all kind! She is the gemstone gal! All of her items have meaning.

She also made the lavender body wraps, which I sure used that evening! Helped with the back!

 

Anyway, I've been missing lately, recouping from the two day sale, and now my other friend is moving and the other one is having knee surgery! I'm not sure where I will be in the next few days either! :)

 

Hope you had a great week! We are off and runnin this week with snow, wind, rain, you name it and now it is darn cold! Burr! I'm not a "cold" person! lol!    xo kat