Weather-wise, we’re two weeks ahead of schedule, but the garden gate to summer officially swings open this weekend with the Chicago Antiques Market. I’ll be making the scene at Plumber’s Hall on Sunday to see every new and old thing under the sun. An Aside: The garden gate photo above is the entrance to the gardens [...]
May 26, 2010
From Martino Gamper’s 100 chairs in 100 days. Martino collected discarded chairs and chair parts over a 2 year period in London, then transformed their design and character into 100 new ones. Neat patio divider made from garden hose from Ruthi Auda. Joy Ever After’s cottage charm porch redo for less than $200. Ken’s desk, now in the [...]
May 23, 2010
The road to hell is paved with junk drawers. Acres of them filled with AA batteries that you’re not sure if they’re new or used so you never throw them out, dog-eared post-its, half a deck of cards, all kinds of crap. What’s in your junk drawer? Above is from one in the hallway upstairs. And in [...]
May 21, 2010
These ideas aren’t new, lots of people have done them before me, but what’s great about each is how it can add a little interactive fun in your space, no electrical cord required. They’re easy to do since chalkboard paint is so forgiving. It dries fast – you’ll see the second coat dry in about [...]
May 19, 2010
If you’ve ever stood under a lighting fixture and pondered…..what would it look like if I painted it white….I offer this clue. The before. The after. Good for a bathroom or woof?
May 18, 2010
Filed under G for Great minds…. or more modestly, C for Coincidence….over at Urban Casita, Megan made over a shabby little piece last week, too. She talks about getting that certain feeling that if she didn’t drive down the alley, she’d miss out on something good. Like this cute table she painted grey. I’ve trolled a [...]
May 16, 2010
I thought shabby chic was old hat til I made a trip to Bucktown and The Painted Lady. Love at first site. One of a kind, hand-painted, extraordinarly beautiful things. Chests, tables and chairs are jumbled back to back in the store as if they were just delivered or on there way out the door–both [...]
May 14, 2010
Remember paint by numbers? They were boring, but fooled me for awhile. A relative would pull them on a Sunday afternoon, something to keep the kids busy. Later it would dawn on me—paint by numbers was a glorified coloring book. My Time Out Chicago project this week involves a more experiential paint by numbers. I tore [...]
May 13, 2010
From the coming attractions department, aka the basement, which has a little water problem today due to the heavy storms last night, here are two things slated for makeovers in the coming weeks. This is a piece I’ve held onto for awhile, originally passed on to me by an aunt who lived in a rural part [...]
May 11, 2010
What mind doesn’t love a good double entendre. Table for Eight is the number of places we set for dinner here, and it’s also the name of my Etsy shop. I launched an Etsy site back in 2008. Along the way I’ve hemmed and hawed – how to cross promote? Should I change the name [...]
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May 28, 2010
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