check out the ever changing display at months end, what will it be next month??? stay tuned!

Color of the Month October 2016 and Rehearsal Brunch!

It’s mid month and yep, late on the color of the month post. BUT, for good reasons like getting married!!! And for not the best reasons like recovering from surgery. So, this month I give you color of the month in aqua blue along with rehearsal brunch bits too! I have been saving up aqua vintage because, well I love it…and I always imagined using it for a wedding shower or party of the sort. SO, when it came down to our rehearsal wedding brunch I knew exactly which direction I was headed! Color of the month, here we go!
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! Fave vintage: speckled melmac bowl, flowered mugs, McCoy bowl, bird glasses, melmac cup n saucer, n plaid napkin.

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Again using pieces from our aqua vintage wedding rehearsal brunch. Fave vintage: melmac of course, tablecloth, plaid napkins, Pyrex bowl, artgoodies ring towel, and ship glasses we picked up on our honeymoon.

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Just a part of my vintage aqua collection. Yep, plenty of melmac plates, cups, glasses, mugs, and serving pieces, add in a few vintage tablecloths and this was no problem at all!

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This is my grandma’s punch bowl. A perfect occasion to break it out and make some mimosas to go along with our late breakfast themed brunch. We also set up crock pots with potatoes, sausages, eggs n spinach, with fruit, coffee, apple fritter holes-homemade from a little place down in Vandalia, MI, they are crazy delicious…Back on track, the punch bowl! Long ago before I was born my grandma gave this to my mom telling her that someday she was going to have a daughter who loved beautiful things and this would be for her. Yep, that would be me and my grandma was a very very wise woman, how I miss her but she was a part of our day in many ways, starting with the celebration here. Oh and I bought these little metal signs awhile back, put chalkboard stickers on them to mark the food items for the day! I used her 40 cup coffee percolator too!

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My parents rented a beautiful cottage I found on VRBO for the wedding weekend. An awesome way for family near and far to relax together and have some quality time. Stephan and I popped in and out for dinner through the end of the week too. Plus it was a perfect relaxing rehearsal location! Check the listing out here if you’re looking for a fabulous retreat near Grand Rapids! NOW let’s talk about this awesome guy here! The one and only Danny Godinez! You guys, this friend is an amazing musician! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him play out in Seattle at several venues, around the house, and here around the lake. He can PLAY, it’s amazing, beautiful, inspiring, exciting, and if you ever get a chance to see him play a show near or far, GO! Plus you can also hire him to play events, weddings, etc, and he travels too. Dude, he’s played with Santana among other famed folks, I don’t know what else to say but Check out his website here!

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Some shots from the day, there are just so many I could go on and on. I’m still trying to figure out how to blog about all the wedding details too! See those little swan cupcake pics, I bought those years ago and they were just waiting for this occasion! Another vintage swan themed item, a planter holding some cute mums. Friends and family hanging around visiting. It was so amazing to have so many of our faves together, meeting each other for the first time in some instances and seeming to become fast friends. This was SO awesome! There were also kayaks, a sandy beach, paddle boat, omg so nice and so relaxing and we lucked out with beautiful weather for the weekend too! We loved it! What a great way to start off our wedding celebration weekend! 

Stay tuned, more wedding details coming soon! 🙂  
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Color of the Month September 2016!

September! I’m a bit behind on the post but it’s Wedding Month! SO, lots to do at home and out and about, thinking, planning, doing, figuring out, gathering. So, back to color of the month…tomorrow is Stephan’s birthday and so this month he requested orange!
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Fave vintage: plaid napkin, striped plastic mugs, awesome Florida juice glass. orange Florida salt and p’s, plastic juice cups, old kentucky home song mug, and key car!

 
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Fave vintage: an absolute fave tablecloth of mine, divided plates, striped cups, dandelion pitcher, plaid napkins, and tea towel.

 
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Color of the Month August 2016!

Woah, hello August! I’m a few days delayed with my color of the month. Distracted by wedding planning and adjusting to my new awesome life with Stephan. 51 days to go as he informed me today! SO, this month I incorporated a few of his pewter pieces in giving a gray and pink theme. Kinda fun to have a little twist on my usual setup!
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Fave vintage: pink n gray melmac, small McCoy bowl, souvenir glass, roly poly glasses, gray file box, aluminum pitcher, and forbidden fruit liquor bottle.

aug 2016 table

Fave vintage: great tablecloth, napkin under flowers, awesome black and white plates, pink melmac bowls, silver rim roly poly glasses, pewter drink ware and little pitcher.

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July 2016 Color of the Month!

July, bam, here it is. Let’s celebrate sunshine and warmth with yellow! I find this time of year super dreamy with all the plants and flowers and gardening that’s abound. The cottage garden is looking great and producing delicious pea pods, onions, radishes, lettuce, and herbs. Here at home we’ve been doing a major overhaul on the yard. It hasn’t looked like this since I put the gardens in about 10 years ago! Turns out my fiance is an amazing yard machine digging up the bamboo grass that wandered all over the zen side. Let me just say I could barely even get the shovel in the ground and he was digging trenches. The man is utterly amazing in all ways. Friends who have so far seen the yard in progress are speechless. I’ll post some pics when it gets all mulched up. So back to cheery color of the month! Three cheers for being able to enjoy the outdoors, nature, cottage time, picking fresh food and flowers from the garden, and being with people you love.
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July 2016 Color of the Month VIgnette! all available in the vintage shop! Fave items: awesome glass striped salt and p’s, plastic toy car, spice shaker set, recipe box, and glass mugs, anchored by a napkin.

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July 2016 Color of the Month Table setting! Fave vintage items: tablecloth, plaid napkins, melmac plates n bowls, love the striped glasses, little doily, and fresh flowers from the garden.

 
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Color of the Month June 2016

June, full garden revamp is in effect! Plants, plants, and more plants, digging, moving, removing. The cottage garden is in, my veggie gardens are in and my backyard is in the midst of a mini makeover so color of the month is GREEN all the way! On a more serious note, I’m dedicating this color of the month post to our family friend Jim. He passed away Memorial Day and will be greatly missed by my family. His inquisitive mind, quarky sense of humor, and kindness will not be forgotten. I could never thank him enough for how much he believed in me and my business. Always following what I was doing, buying pieces, even though I would be just as happy to give him whatever he wanted. Jim, maybe you’re still reading these from a new place of comfort, peace, and rest-we love you and will miss you, and thank you.
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Fave vintage: melmac cups n saucers, striped glasses (I have a bunch in shop!) Tiki mug, mom n pop mugs, a striped vintage runner.

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Fave vintage: tablecloth, napkins, melmac, and flowers from my garden. Melmac available now in my vintage shop! I’m using 2 different vintage napkins here, one as a place mat and one to use.

 
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APRIL color of the month!

Yes! April! Spring is now official! The cottage is back open, I haven’t been yet but soon, soon! I can’t wait for some quiet island time, bird watching, and starting the garden there, and the garden here at home for that matter. Plenty to do in the meantime. April is a busy month traditionally with family activity, work, and the commencement of rummage sale season. Spring is a great time to dig deep as we renew and refresh from the winter. With my upcoming birthday, giving me my last year before I hit the next decade, and going into my 10th year in business I’m digging extra deep these days. SO, I give you red this month, an emotionally intense charged color.
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Fave Vintage: the kitschy wood salt and pepper bird saying salt and p’s, add-a-matic, tiny play cups, red honey jar, Hazel Atlas shot glasses, juice glasses, Welsh candy tin, plaid thermos, wind up ducky-too cute when he spins his cane! cast iron initials- bought them at a flea last summer, looked down there were my initials, it was a sign from the flea gods. All anchored by a sweet vintage tea towel. Head over to the vintage shop as usual to find most of these treasures!

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Fave Vintage: Let’s start with linens! This new to me vintage tablecloth is going into my personal collection for now with its cool plant motif, the red star napkins MINE, and the napkin in the middle, yep keepin it! Now for you: vintage glasses, I love this shape for wine, and these Fire King primrose pieces are in shop ready for your collection or own setting! Proving once again a few colorful pieces make a great table setting! BOOM!

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Color of the Month March 2016!

March! Yes! Getting close to Spring and green and gardens and plants, my fave! I got a nice dose of Spring while I was out in Seattle. I also got a nice dose of seasonal allergies there at the end of my trip which I was mindful to just embrace while I enjoying the daffodils, crocuses, gorgeous blooming camellias, and other amazing flowering plants and bushes that really popped. Plus, I find that having a dose of pollen from a trip pre at home allergy season helps in an immense way, so I should be all set this year! Anyway, ode to all things green with this color of the month. A bit of a dingier green mix, the kind that starts to surface from the grungy muck of post winter.
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Fave vintage: melmac cups, kitschy snake mug, toy cups, lamp salt and p’s, McCoy pot, Fire King bowls, Hollywood Extra cold cream jar, and MI Mackinac Bridge glasses, anchored on a pretty springy floral napkin.

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Fave Vintage: Bold tablecloth, daffodil tray, melmac, and pale stripe napkins.Thinking Spring over here! Just a few pieces this month make a stellar statement! And the tablecloth is a round one I tucked, the magic of styling and cropping 🙂

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Color of the Month February 2016

Jumping right into February! Slowly creeping closer to Spring, my favorite. Here’s some perky pink to help guide you through this drab month by adding a little extra bit of color. Wherever you are, I hope you’re getting more sunshine than we are here in MI, blah. I’m feeling a bit under the weather as I write this so…extra blah. Cabin fever is setting in and it’s waivering between 99.1 and 101.6 degrees. I think I’m on the mend, but seriously, I could use some real vitamin D from that thing we call THE SUN.
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Fave vintage: salmony pink laundry sprinkler lady, fire king custard cups, raffiaware mugs (already sold), McCoy bowl-part of a set, Pyrex loaf pan, Miami salt and p’s, anchored by a pink crochet edged runner. Most of this and more, as usual, in the vintage shop, except my pink sprinkler lady, that weird collection is mine all mine 🙂

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Fave vintage: gorgeous vintage tablecloth, I love tablecloths with either gray or this yellowy limey color that looks fresh with my walls. Pink melmac platter under another McCoy bowl from the mixing set, raffiaware tumblers, matching Fire King saucers (to the custard cups), gorgeous pink rose bowls, and oh so lovely pink squiggle napkins. I should have thrown in a pink artgoodies cupcake tea towel! Also, I want to mention, check the vintage shop if you see something you like, many times I’m setting a table for 2 but have pieces for 4 or six or more!

 
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Color of the Month January 2016!

Hello New Year! I was working on another project which slightly delayed my color of the month post but here it is in its sunshiney glory. I think warm sunny yellow seems like a bright way to start off the New Year! As usual I have an optimistic list of ideas, dreams, and things to do in 2016.
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Keeping it simple in the vignette this month. Fave vintage: 2 little planters, cute little horse one huh? melmac cups, straw raffia mugs, plastic pig bank, and flower linen. As a little reminder you can purchase most of the items in my color of the month posts in my vintage shop right here!

JAN 2016 TABLE SETTING - BLOG

Fave vintage: melmac as usual 3 different styles this time, Pyrex carafe, tray, McCoy bowl, straw weave tumblers, gorgeous metal tray with gold edge, cute plaid napkins, all grounded by a new to me vintage tablecloth I just thrifted. Yay for yellow!

JAN 2016 ROOM - BLOG

Sometimes when you take down your holiday decor, especially when it’s an entire wall display, your house feels bare. The poinsettias really help fill the void and I get to enjoy them a little longer. I just love how they blend in and complete the look in vintage bamboo style ceramic planters I already have. I adore how this room came together.  

   
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Home for the Holidays Part 2

I’m a little delinquent on my post here. Because well, I wasn’t home for the holidays for a week, I was off doing my Magical Pop Up Shop! I’ll do another lengthier post soon on the tree shop. I came home from that and literally got out of the car and ran down the steps into the studio and starting shipping like crazy! Bing bang bam packages and product flying everywhere and out the door to all my awesome customers!  I was shipping through the 23rd, with a half a day escape to put my tree shop display in storage so I could park in my garage, and a lunch visit with a dear family friend on the 22nd. Then with a half a day to prep for family coming on the 24th and 25th and a project in between, well, my legs felt like noodles from exhaustion and there’s not much rest here still.  And here in the exhaustion, the rest of the holiday decor happened, so last minute, there was almost no real tree this year, and then there were 2 because I was so late they were half off, so why not. Enjoy the decor, and Happy New Year to you and yours! Stay safe if the weather outside is frightful. The Christmas eve and day walks were welcome and the dandelion sighting was odd, we knew it couldn’t last.We’re now in the middle of an ice storm here in MI, yep, winter has finally found us again.
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Christmas Day table setting, well, almost, I had to add another row of tables and seating for the rest of the gang but I was almost there. Lucky for me my vintage closet provides a nice array of props when I do my color of the month settings, and at holiday and for special occcasions 🙂

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You may have noticed I moved the small aluminum tree and replaced it with a real tree in it’s usual place of honor, smells so good! A view from the kitchen into the dining and living room.

   
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The kitchen nook. All is calm all is bright. Custom aqua artgoodies doily stockings, a vintage bottlebrush tree on the table with my Marcrest Stetson Swiss Chalet plates, pinecone shaped lights, and tinsel wreath with blue vintage bells and ball accents. I love the icy holiday magic here.

 
dining room window side

A rare look at the other side of the dining room. Switched the drapes out again with a pair that hung in my grandma’s dining room. A clock from my great grandmother, grandpa’s stereo, an array of gold holiday decor and globe atop a vintage George Nelson and Assoc tray, amazing vintage Peabody fibgerglass chair, vintage flokati rug accent, and handmade vintage deer trim pillow., oh and a mid century planter as well.

front porch closer look

Here’s a new space for my holiday decor. I got a skinny mini tree and some new blue, green, and white lights and thought, YES, a blue and green front porch vintage style holiday! The little tree has vintage blue and green ornaments with handmade bead snowflakes and a few new ones too. A vintage angel topper, and a little handmade vinyl vintage tree skirt complete the look. artgoodies recycled felt stockings in snowflake and elf hang above, snowflake pillows, and elf stuffies replace some of my usual pillows, and the awesome vintage hand painted reindeer sign fits perfectly on the wall! And you can see it from outside, so bonus, it greets guests with a happy holiday vibe!

living room tree window

Here’s where the little aluminum tree went, which worked out great since I could light up both little blow molds! The perfect size to be featured in the window, and I decided to keep that antique stand I had for sale, it worked perfectly for this tree!

vintage toolbox arrangement front door

And speaking of greeting guests. I just love this little vintage toolbox I thrifted a few years back. It’s really fun to change out seasonally. It’s amazing how much your little city yard can provide. Look at all the magic stuffed into this little box! 3 different style pine cedar branches, pine cones, berries, dried flower seed pods, some silvery sage. It’s so welcoming at the door and always fun to design! This year as I pulled my geraniums out I even had one with a bud, on Dec 23rd!

 
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