STARVIEW SONNET

Grab A Fork and Check Out This Makeover

2012-01-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

We picked up this pretty cute table last year. I t sat in the store for months and months and didn’t sell.

Well…maybe it was just a little TOO ROUGH. The top was splitting and it needed some love. At first I tried to work with what I had, but, alas it just had to be repalced.

Once the new top was in place, it’s charms were able to really show through. Nice size, nice shape, great little drawer.

So…I decided to go Provence Blue with it (because I had that on hand). A new handle really helped achieve the look I was going for.

How about a little whimsy? That’s almost ALWAYS good in my book.

So I added the silverware details on the drawer.

Lined the drawer with some nice soft brown textured fabric..

I didn’t take a photo of it, but though back of this drawer had a secret compartment. It would be a great place to hide a little mad money….Fun…right?

I added a couple fun yard sale chairs that were super well made and sporting that colonial home maple finish. I painted them Old White and added the form and spoon details to both the front an d back of the chairs.

Now…let me apologize for my far and few between posts lately. I’ve been really BUSY keeping up with my Etsy shop (always a good thing).

I am always amazed by those woman out there (you know who you are) who manage to post just about every day, no matter what. I have fallen short on that lately and hope to improve in that area.

Heck….we can only do so much, right? But aren’t you just AMAZED at some of these SuperWomen???

Glad I had a moment to check in with you all today. My furniture inventory is getting really LOW. In fact, we could probably park TWO cards in our three car garage now…Wow!

I’m ready for yard sales to start up again.

Thanks for checking in with me and hanging with Starview Sonnet, even though the posts are slow in coming.

I appreciate it more than you could know!

Have a wonderful evening.

Cori

It’s A Good Sign…

2012-01-17T09:46:00.000-08:00

The new year has arrived with a splash….

I was contacted by a boutique owner who wants to include 12, yes TWELVE of my dress forms in her newly renovated historical building.

She will be featuring vintage couture bridal wear and event planning services.

THE, I was contacted by a magazine editor just this morning. She wants to feature one of my forms in a photo shoot for her magazine and advertise the shop.

Can you say WOW?

2012 is off to a great start.

I had fun making these fun signs to add some color and pizazz to my space.

EVERY little this “IS” gonna be alright.

AND

I AM holding the pen as I continue to write the story of my lif…

I believe life is truly an adventure.

Follow your dreams and have fun while you are doing it.

So glad you stopped in today.

See you soon!

Cori

Planning Projects For A New Year

2012-01-13T14:05:00.001-08:00

What projects are you planning for 2012?

We all have our plans. Some we get done AND some we don’t.

My daughter will turn 13 this year…yikes! Well…she want to re-do her room already (after less than 3 years…sigh).

She wants it more “modern”. She says she doesn’t share my affinity for the shabby, chippy, old, vintage stuff.

Ok….I can appreciate that.

BUT, this is my house and I need to be ok with the changes. First off, she wants to go from her two twin beds to a queen size.

She has taken up a love affair with music, old and new.

She received a very special Christmas gift this year. Her uncle (my brother) gave her this very vintage Beatles mirror that he has had since he was a teenager.

Perfect! She wants to do her room in black and white and have some of her favorite black and white posters.

I made this sign for her and wrapped it up and put it under the tree…

Yesterday I had a minute to sit down and open up my new Cratge and Barrel catalog and found this fabulous bedding…

Guess what?

I showed it to her when she got home from school and she absolutely LOVED IT!

Yeah. Bedding is huge and we have come to a mutual decision.

I am in search of an old chipping fireplace mantel to use as a headboard.

I want to upholster the opening and tuft it with cool buttons (preferably vintage).

I posted a “WANTED” on craigslist this morning. Hopefully one will turn up.

This will be a fun project to work on and I know she will be happy when it’s done.

So….I guess we will say goodbye to her sweet brown/blue/cream Paris themed room….

Thanks goodness we will still have the pictures.

I’ll be sure to share the progress as we move along on this project.

What do you have on your list for this new year?

Have a fabulous weekend and I’m so glad you stopped in.

Cori

Trying To Keep All The Balls In The Air

2012-01-06T08:10:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

I haven’t posted since before Christmas. It’s been a busy time around here. I’m juggling as fast as I can right now.

We had a wonderful Christmas with our oldest and his girlfriend here for Christmas. Then we had a great visit with my husband’s childhood friend and his delightful girlfriend.

We went to Hood River OR a few days before Christmas and this photo above was taken in front of the most beautiful REAL Christmas tree in the restaurant where we had a yummy dinner.

2012 is here whether I am ready or not…

I did get to the store to bring a few more pieces and just plan freshen up the space and remove any holiday items that were remaining.

I’m loving this super rustic work table that I modified to a rolling cart/island.

Here’s how it started out. Funny side note: When I asked the guy running the estate sale how much the table was, he didn’t think anyone would want it, but sold it to me anyway…

Go figure : )

This is what it looks like now. I covered up the hold in the front with a piece of trim and then added a wooden towel bar to the side for fun and functionality.

I also added some nice caster wheels to make it easy to move around.

Here’s a little table/desk I finished and brought in.

A gorgeous old dining table that I updated by painting the detailed base and apron in ASCP Old White.

and here’s a piece of local subway art that I did featuring historic streets in my town. The first one I did before Christmas flew out the door in a day or two..

Yep, 2012 is off to a busy start and my head is buzzing with all the projects I can complete this year. I’m lucky to have my Dad with me here for a few weeks to run around with me and deliver furniture.

He even brought some treasures from home.

I guess collecting treasures runs in the family.

It’s feels good to be back here posting and I look forward to a great year of learning, growing and creating.

I hope your off to a great start.

Welcome 2012!

Cori

Fun Red and White Christmas Hutch

2011-12-21T20:27:00.001-08:00

I kept most of my Christmas decorations on the simple side (for me…not for NORMAL p[people…LOL)

I kept most of my decorations in the soft neutral colors, but I really had to get my red and white on for this whimsical, vintage inspired kitchen hutch.

FUN…right?

It really makes me smile….

so glad I was able to share this with you : )

Cori

Decorations Around The House

2011-12-21T19:04:00.001-08:00

Only a few more days until Christmas….time continues to fly by…

I want to enjoy the decorations around my home and share some with you here.

I made a fun little white forest for my mantel…I lit them from behind with flameless candles…so pretty at night.

This small tree holds are ever growing collection of Christopher Raadko “Celebrate Adoption” ornaments.

We began the collection in 2000 when we adopted our beautiful daughter.

I hope your shopping is done and you can enjoy the days leading up to Christmas…

So glad you stopped in for a little holiday cheer.

Cori

Grace of Angels Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T21:55:00.001-08:00

So happy you stopped in today!

I’ve been a very busy girl trying to get the house decorated, keeping up with my furniture upcycling, creating homemade gifts, shopping for Christmas (mostly online at Amazon and Etsy), and preparing for a wonderful Christmas here in the Northwest.

My oldest son and his girlfriend are driving up from California to spend the holiday here. I’m SO happy and excited!

Today I want to share our tree with you.

It is filled with grace. I decided to feature the mostly white angel collection on this tree. About 14 years ago I made dozens and dozens of these angels…staying up all hours of the night and burning myself on the glue gun. I gave so many away as gifts, but managed to keep a nice grouping for myself.

I used angel wings as a the tree topper.

I included all my favorite and meaningful ornaments.

I added a beautiful pair of white feather wings to my dress form and had her become part of the tree…I even tied some gorgeous vintage ice sjkates to the base of her form.

I made a couple dozen of these red rosettes with sheet music staars mounted on dollar store snowflakes…

I tied the randomly to the white sheer ribbon draped thorugh the tree…

Here’s one of my most precious snowmen. I made DOZENS and DOZENS of these two years ago and they are actually the first thing I really made and SOLD!

They me smile every tie I look at them.

I found the tutoriaal at Dawn’ Feathered Nest. She is definitely one of the women who drew me into this wonderful world of inspiration.

I DO Believe in the Magic of Christmas. I ADORE this timeof year and the way our home feels

I hope you are slowing down the pace as we go into this week before Christmas.

Enjoy each and every moment of this special week.

I will share more decorations with you this week.

Cori

On This Day…

2011-12-14T11:52:00.001-08:00

Eleven years ago my sweet Jackson came into the world.

He happily went off to school this morning. I made about 75 cake pops yesterday and he has enough for at least two for each classmate (and of course some left over for him).

What a blessing it was to have this sweet little boy at 42 years of age.

Time is flying by and I’m trying to grab onto each and every moment with my kids that are still here with me.

I also wanted to share an early Christmas present I purchased for myself that I absolutely LOVE.

Ok…I know these may be a bit too WILD for some of you, but I just found them irresistible!

Get this—they are Cowgirl Rain Boots from J. Peterman and you can get them here for just $59.00.

These boots are so absolutely comfortable and waterproof. I’ve tested the out over the last week or so wearing them most of the day shopping and running errands.

A great find for those of you who are bold enough to add a little fun ad color to your feet.

I’m continuing to decorate, shop and wrap in preparation for Christmas.

I’m enjoying every minute of it and I hope you are too.

Cori

Christmas Tea Table

2011-12-09T20:11:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone!

I’ve been busy all wee decorating, shopping, and just getting ready for the holiday.

We had a full week of clear and sunny skies, which was nice. Today we had the freezing fog and I feels lie there is snow on the ground since the frost remained all day.

I wanted to share some photos of the Christmas tea table my friend and I hosted last wee.

We were very happy with the festive and fun feeling the table had. The little birch trees , the polka dot plates, and the snowmen meringues made a great combination.

Everyone took home a birch tree and a snowman as a favor.

I had seen a pasty chef make these ADORABLE snowmen on the Martha show a year or so ago. Then, Romantic Homes featured them in their Christmas Issue here;

II had to give them a try. Here’s one of the little fellows sitting in a sweet little plate at each setting..

It was a wonderful night of holiday celebration and the tables and decorations were all so delightful.

I hope your holiday preparations are coming along nicely.

Have a wonderful December weekend.

Cori

Reindeer Games

2011-12-06T08:19:00.001-08:00

Hi there blog friends!

I’ve been busy decorating for the season and there are still boxes everywhere.

My problem?

Well…I get distracted with things. I decided I needed to paint all my winterberry wreaths white this year, want to create a new and special ribbon garland for the tree, and find constant inspiration in blog land.

Anyway, here’s a fun project I did for my iron gate table in the great room..

I took an old window and added a deer design with my die cutter. I also made a few of these wonderful poinsettia wreaths with felt.

Six years ago Starbuck’s Christmas theme was white and red poinsettias and I have always loved that design concept

So…I finally made some of these wreaths.

This creates a fun ad whimsical corner in the room I put a few flameless candles behind the window to make it even more magical.

This time of year is about decorating for me, but also about CREATING. I like to CREATE at least one new thing to add to my decorations.

Reindeer Games Anyone?

Have a fabulous holiday season day!

Cori

Mini White Birch Grove

2011-11-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Now it’s down to the serious business of decorating for Christmas.

Here’s my first project for the season. I’m hosting a table at a Tea Party at church Friday night. I created these mini birch trees for favors and centerpiece for the table.

The table will be done in red and white and we are using polka dot plates (oh how I love polka dots).

The trees are pretty simple to make.

Start with some wood dowels. I cut my 4 foot dowels into 3 trees.

Then drill hole in the dowels to insert your brances.

Then I painted the dowels off white and added some bark “detail” with a brown marker (I referred to photos of white birch trees online).

Then insert your pipe cleaners through the holes. I used the kind of sparkly iridescent ones. I started with lengths about 11” and went shorter as I worked my way up the trees.

I used silver and red beads for ornaments. Just slide them on. I found some that were a little less expensive in the kid’s craft area.

You can use all different kinds of bases. I found these ceramic boxes at the Dollar Tree and removed the lid, inserted a piece of florl foam so that it was a tight fit and then inserted the base of the tree.

I covered the floral foam with some little squares of white chenille that I had on hand. I will add a little glue on the underside of the chenille to keep it from shifting (I can see in my photos that the green is peeking out).

A fun project that you can do in a lot of different variations. The kids can get involved too.

I have such a thing for white birch trees. I remember beautiful groves of them when we visited Colorado.

They just say “Christmas” to me.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Cori

A Sweet Dresser

2011-11-21T09:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

Just a quick post to share this dresser with you.

I purchased this from a gal who is moving to California. I was going to paint it, but decided to leave it just the way it is.

It is so unique with it’s blue accents on the bottom of the mirror and the hardware.

Talk about great storage…five large drawers and so much personality.

Sometimes a piece is just “right” the way you find it.

My space seems to have a “blue” thing going right now.

It’s funny how that happens sometimes, without planning.

Hope you are checking things off your list as we count down to Thanksgiving.

Cori

My Week With Marilyn

2011-11-18T20:54:00.001-08:00

The movie is coming out in a few days. I’m looking forward to seeing it. I must admit I’ve always been drawn to the Marilyn mystique, like most people.

Well…my latest dress form customers are HUGE Marilyn fans. They follow my friend Diane’s blog and saw some of our dress form creations posted there. They decided that they would love a Marilyn form incorporating some of their favorite Marilyn photos.

SO…I spent a Week With Marilyn too…

They sent me the photos and I really enjoyed looking through them, many that I had never seen. After months of thinking about this project and trying to settle on the best way to display their photo collection, we decided on the classic white halter dress.

Here’s how she turned out…

I added an, oh so “Marilyn” “tattoo” to her upper back.

It just seemed to work. I love those lips…those eyes…and the signature beauty mark.

I incorporated some of their favorite Marilyn quotes…

I have to admit this one was my favorite, and, yes, the one I can most relate to.

I”ive been on a calendar, but never on time”.

I decided to add a quick “choker” made with a bit of vintage lace and a black and white button”

She also has a crystal doorknob top befitting this sexy siren.

Well…she’s off to West Virginia and set to arrive just before my customers, Ruth Ann and Brad, arrive home for their hometime and Thanksgiving with their family.

I hope they love this sweet homage to their girl….

I’m guessing they will be trying to catch the movie over the Thanksgiving weekend too???

Have a fabulous weekend y’all.

Cori

A Coco Desk Makeover

2011-11-14T09:06:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday Blog Friends!

I’ve got a busy week of projects planned and wanted to do a quick post before I “get ‘er done”.

I recently purchased a new Annie Sloan Chalk Paint color – Coco.

Here it is in the can…

Well…I had a poor little desk in MAJOR need of a makeover.

Someone had done quite the “decorative” paint job on this piece…

So I got to work on it… (I almost forgot to take before shots..that would have been a shame…LOL).

I went with a roman numeral “clock” theme for this piece.

I did the drawers in Old White. I really like the way the Old White complements the coco color.

I think she looks pretty good in her new colors. She will make a great laptop desk for a lot of different spaces.

The verdict is: I LOVE this new color. It took only two coats to cover that dark green that was on the desk when I found it. Not bad.

I’ve got another piece just about done in the same color scheme.

We’ll see how this color sells in the store.

Linking up to:

Habitat Heroes Link Party

Restore It Wednesday

I hope your week is off to a great start….

It’s super chilly and windy here in Eastern Washington this morning.

I’ll check back in soon.

Cori

Etsy Shop Love

2011-11-09T18:45:00.001-08:00

I am just crazy for Etsy!

I plan to do the majority of my holiday shopping there….

Where else can you buy fabulous vintage and handmade items while supporting small business owners who work very hard?

This is my latest Etsy purchase from one of my very favorite sellers.

Ticking and Toile.

The owner is Shellagh (who has a blog with the same name). She create absolutely beautiful linen goodies. Everything is finished to perfection and her items show so much pride of workmanship.

When I painted my counter stools in the cottage a month or so ago, I just knew that they needed some sweet chair covers from the Ticking and Toile Linen Shop.

Aren’t they just so gorgeous?

In spite of being oh so pretty, they are washable!

Talk about a great update for your chairs.

Here’s what mine looked like before the Provence paint job and the great covers..

Now I’m off to Etsy to look for a birthday present…

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods..

Cori

Halloween Fun & A Personal Challenge

2011-10-31T13:41:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

We will be going trick or treating downtown this afternoon. We live out in the country, so we don’t get any trick or treaters here at our house.

Although, I must share that my 12 year old daughter informed me that she wasn’t going to trick or treat tonight.

Yes, it’s started. The dreaded pre-teen and almost teen years.

Although it gives me comfort that my youngest (10 now) will NEVER want to stop trick or treating because he is absolutely a CANDYAHOLIC…LOL!

I also want to wish my Dad a wonderful Happy Birthday today. When I talked to him on the phone this morning I said…

“Dad, you’ve spent at least 50 of your birthdays handing out candy and taking your kids and their kids trick or treating”. Not a bad way to celebrate your special day. I miss you Dad and hope you have a great day.

I have a little something else I wanted to share with you guys today.

Six weeks ago I saw Dr. Joel Fuhrman on television. Something made me stop and sit down and listen to him. He spoke of better health and healthy eating.

I had been feeling sluggish and in need of a chance. I downloaded his book “Eat To Live” on my Kindle. The next day I began a personal challenge. I challenged myself to follow his plan and eat a plant-based diet for 6 weeks. YES, plant based means no meat and no diary. I had never tried an eating plan like this before and wanted to give it a try.

WELL. today marks the 6 week point of my personal challenge.

I met my goal. I ate ABSOLUTELY no meat (or chicken or fish) or dairy for a full 6 weeks.

Now….don’t get the idea that I didn’t EAT…I did!

I made a wonderful “Green Smoothie” for breakfast each day, at a HUMUNGOUS salad for lunch (with yummy dressings that Dr. Fuhrman provides recipes for), and delicious filling soups and cooked veggies for dinner. Every day includes a least a cup of beans or legumes. I really believe that the beans are a lifesaver for a sweet craver like me (it really works).

The result?

I have dropped quite a few pounds….I feel A LOT better, my energy level has soared, I don’t feel sluggish, and I’m just generally happier and NOT HUNGRY (that’s right).

I won’t stop here. I plan to continue with my new way of eating and living. This book may have changed my life for the better.

Don’t worry, my blog isn’t going to turn into a healthy lifestyle and eating forum…..

BUT, I may be turning out more projects than ever with my new found energy and vigor

I’m proud of myself for giving it a try, meeting my first goal of 6 weeks, and allowing myself to discover a new way of eating that really seems to agree with me.

This is the book if you are interested….

Thanks for letting me share.

Have a wonderful Halloween, and, no, I want me stealing any candy from my son’s bag tonight, but I WILL enjoy wearing jeans that aren’t snug anymore : )

Cori

Gather Ye Chairs

2011-10-30T20:33:00.001-07:00

I can’t pass up a great chair…..

So…I found myself with four chairs and a greet little “bench”.

They went to the “chair repair center” for a little TLC…

got a nice fresh coat of paint (I actually mixed Old White and Old Ochre ASCP for this project) and became part of a great dining set here

See the blue and white stereo cabinet on the right from a couple posts ago? WELL….it already sold and was sitting in the front of the store with a wonderful “SOLD” sign on it.

Gotta love those super fast turnarounds!

I had to try out a fun lampshade project I found at Vintage Revivals here.

I even cut some of these beautiful roses from my garden to complement the room (I’m sure these are some of the last blooms of the season).

I found this fabulous fabric at JoAnn’s last week. It’s actually an outdoor fabric. Luckily, it wasn’t on sale so I could use my 40% off coupon.

I love the way it works with this set…just adds a bit of modern flair and a “just right” pop of color.

I was happy with the way the space looked when I left on Friday.

It’s so much fun to have an ever-changing “room” that’s not in your house that you can “play” with.

If you’ve ever thought about having a space at an antique mall and you love doing this kind of thing….

Give it a shot! It’s really so much fun.

You will learn a lot about yourself, the retail business, and NEVER run out of projects (if you are a project junkie like me).

Heck, you might even make a little money : )

Cori

Amazing Grace

2011-10-29T09:43:00.001-07:00

Happy Weekend!

Today I want to share my latest project with you guys.

I’ve been wanting to do a girl’s dress form for quite some time. I’ve done a few forms that are in beautiful baby girl’s rooms and I thought having a beautiful form in “her” size would be wonderful.

What little girl wouldn’t want a form like this to audition her favorite outfits and play dress up with her life size form?

I was inspired by one of our favorite creations—Amelie—who was done in neutral stripes and was, oh so pretty.

I did Grace in white and cream vertical stripes.

I used beautiful trims, including a rosette trim for her neckline and a favorite ecru vintage crochet trim around her drop waist.

Her tutu and wings were purchased from a ffavorite new Etsy shop –Angel Baby Couture found here.

She looks beautiful without her tutu with her special “slip”.

She doesn’t need to be dressed up to be super special in your little angel’s room.

I will be listing Grace in my Etsy shop today.

I think she would make an extra special Christmas gift for one lucky little princess.

I’m so glad you stopped by today.

I’ll check in with you again soon-

Cori

Stereo Cabinet Upcycle

2011-10-24T09:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday Morning!

I want to share an upcycle piece I completed this past week.

It started out like this…It was a stereo or hi-fi cabinet. I fell in love with the shape and scale of the piece.

I also loved some of the trim detail.

Even the hardware was nice.

I gave it a frenchy look with some Old Ochre ASCP. I also did the door insets with ASCP Provence. I followed with clear wax and then dark wax.

I would like this piece for an entry way or a great little bar in a living space. There’s plenty of storage for glassware and wine bottles or cocktail ingredients.

Lemon Drop anyone???

Hope you find your week off to a great start…only a week until Halloween.

Can you believe it?

Cori

Farm Fresh Table

2011-10-18T13:47:00.001-07:00

Hello!

Just a quick post today. I wanted to share this fun project I ffinished last week.

We had this table in the store for quite awhile. It just wasn’t going anywhere.

I decided to do something different with it.

I turned it into a “sign” table. To add some local interest, I did

“FARM FRESH Walla Walla Produce – 1 mi.”

It’s a fun, whimsical table that would work great in a playroom, game room, eat-in kitchen or any space that needs a little fun and color.

I used Graphite ASCP for the top and acrylic paint for the lettering. I distressed the tabletop to give it the appearance of an old fruit stand sign.

I did use two coat of polyurethane for the top since this table may be used for eating or game playing.

This was a really fun project and I’m hoping someone just “has to have it” and it will be going home with someone soon.

I’ve got some other signs I’m working on and will be sure to share them with you very soon.

So glad you stopped into Starview Sonnet today.

Cori

One Pie Safe–Three Looks

2011-10-13T08:10:00.001-07:00

We purchased this great pie safe at the beginning of the year. We planned to bring it to the big Farm Chicks show in June.

We decided to paint it a dark red.

We left the interior in the dark wood, complete with paint “circles” on the shelves. It appears this was used to store paint cans sometime during it’s long life.

It worked out nicely at our Farm Chicks booth and created a great focal point.

Unfortunately, it didn’t sell there. We brought it basck home.

Now let me tell you—this is one HUGE and heavy piece.

I finally got a chance to give it another look a couple weeks ago.

I painted the exterior with Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint in Old White. I also followed with a coat of clear wax and a light coat of dark wax.

I wanted the interior to have a big of a contrast, so I decided to go with Paris Grey (also ASCP).

We delivered it to the space on Saturday.

It looks great!

Although it makes a fantastic display piece, it IS for sale. As those of you who have retail spaces already know—everything needs to be for sale—everything has a price.

One of the most frustrating things for customers who fall in love with something is the dreaded “NFS” on the tag.

For now, it looks great and provides five great shelves to display smaller items…

Hope your week is going great.

I’m super excited because my brother and sister-in-law are flying in from San Francisco to spend the weekend with us! I’ll be getting the cottage guest ready (and putting away all my dress form art supplies for a few days).

Have a wonderful autumn weekend!

Cori

Finding That Perfect Piece

2011-10-11T08:38:00.001-07:00

Well hello to all my blog friends out there…

I wanted to do a quick post this morning before I get started on a very busy day.

I have been looking for a long horizontal piece to place above my headboard for quite some time. A few weeks ago I found it! We went to a great antique mall in Lincoln Beach, OR. This great vintage wood mirror called out to me.

The mirror wasn’t in the best shape. It has an aged patina and a “blurred” feel. That was absolutely ok with me. I just want it to bounce light around the room from the two chandeliers that are opposite the headboard.

It has a sweet carved detail on the top center…love that!

I added a few details in white….a chandelier and a couple of flourishes in the corners.

I love the shape and scale of this piece…AND, The price was right…just $39.00!

Out mast bedroom is probably my favorite room in the house…this is where I actually stop “doing” at the end of the day and start “resting”.

This great vintage mirror is another piece of “jewelry” that make this space my sanctuary.

So…keep looking if you are in search of a certain type of piece at a price that fits your budget. You will find it eventually.

It will make you happy when you do.

I’ll check in again soon…

Cori

Touches Of Autumn

2011-10-07T09:45:00.001-07:00

Hi there!

I haven’t posted for awhile…but I am enjoying my favorite season…AUTUMN.

I haven’t broken out ALL of my decorations for this time of year, but I thought I’d share a few touches showing up around the house.

I’m still cutting lavender and bringing it inside to enjoy it. It makes a great backdrop to one of my favorite hors’d’oeuvres plates.

A beautiful bouquet of daisies and lilies sent by my oldest son and his girlfriend to brighten my table.

a sign I made a couple years ago that makes me smile…

candles on the mantel that make the whole house smell like autumn…one of my favorite things.

some fun light up bouquet flowers setting in an old wine jug b basket…

pumpkins, my lady bug boy and a crow atop the silver-plate…

one of the bottle witches I made last year brewing up a spell behind my silver martini glasses filled with billiard balls from the 1920’s…

a tall bouquet of fall blooms I put together with branches from our trees…

our yellow lab, Bella Rose, fits right in with the colors of the season..

some mini pumpkins the bird bath..

a wreath with fresh oregano and lavender from the garden on the front door..

and finally, one of my favorite yard sales finds—a painting that reminds me of my favorite time of year all year long..

I love blog hopping and enjoying all the creative autumn decorating that is going on out there…..So many wonderful ideas and inspirations. I’m reminded how lucky we are to have this blogging community and a way to share what we do in our homes…

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are watching the leaves turn..

Bye for now,

Cori

Inspired By Nature Buffet

2011-09-27T18:37:00.001-07:00

Well Hello My Blog Friends!

Are you enjoying this wonderful fall weather? I just love when the seasons start to change….a big plus to living here in the Northwest.

Today I want to share this b buffet that I just finished.

Here’s what it looked like when I found it. Basically in great shape, but in need of a brand new look…We drug it out of a barn yard ssale a couple weeks ago.

I wasn’t exactly sure what direction I wanted to go with it…BUT THEN, it came to me.

I gave it a wash with ASCP in Old White. I love the way the wood grain comes through the wash technique.

I kept the great wood knobs and painted them with Graphite.

I also added some fun nature inspired hand-painted details.

I picture this piece in a living space below a flat screen television. I staged it accordingly and added a shaker and a couple of martini glasses….

I love the way it turned out and it’s one of those pieces that I was tempted to keep for myself..

But it didn’t….it's in the store and waiting for someone to come along that “just has to have it”….

I spent a couple of hours rearranging the space and giving it a fesh new look.

Oh how I love this time of year….

I’m so glad you stopped in today…..

I know we are all so busy, BUT if your time is limited, and you want to get the MOST inspiration in one place, make sure to go to Kim's Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style. There are some amazingly createive and talented women out there people! I'm linking this project up there today.

Also be sure to go over to Kelli's RESTORE It Wednesday here for even more things to get your creative juices flowing.

Stay tuned for lots of furniture projects that are in the “que”…

Cori

A Coastal Landmark With Style

2011-09-21T21:05:00.001-07:00

We took a wonderful trip to the Oregon Coast this past weekend.

It was wonderful to be on the coast and get my “ocean fix”. I spent 50 years of my life on the California coast and I probably took it for granted.

Now that I live in Eastern Washington, I feel the need to see the ocean at least once a year..

This lighthouse, Yaquina Lighthouse, in Newport was one of the highlights of the weekend for me.

It was well worth the climb to this spectacular dwelling..

This is what it looked like after it was left in disrepair…..

It was rescued and preserved back to it’s original glory.

I have ALWAYS had a “thing” for old architecture. I have memories as a child driving in the car and gazing at old houses and wanting so badly to be able to walk through and explore them

So…home décor blogging really is a dream come true for me : )

Take a look at this gorgeous lighthouse. It is decorated with period pieces, but I have to say that this décor with it’s simplicity and beautiful lines would work just fine in today’s world.

Look at this gorgeous water pump faucet and kitchen cabinetry.

and this “to die for” stove…

the quaint and serene bedrooms….

check out this dress form! I was swooning.

a wonderful living space..

Did I mention the view?

and then we walked (or, in my son’s case, skipped) down the stairs and path to the beach below…

with our toes in the sand we were able to gaze back at this beautiful piece of history.

Priceless.

So glad you stopped by and I hope your week is going great.

Cori

My First Project With A New Toy

2011-09-13T19:17:00.001-07:00

Hello to you all!

I haven’t told you guys this…BUT, over two months ago I purchased a Klic N Kut cutting machine from a friend of mine. She was getting ready to upgrade to the larger size of the Klic N Kut. I had been wanting a die cutting machine for a very long g time.

My friend assured me that I would be able to learn the software and helped me set it up and get started.

I felt intimidated by it.. I sat down a few times and was a bit overwhelmed.. Finally a couple weeks ago I just started cutting. I had been watching lots of video tutorials available online and flt like I could get up and running,

So…on to my very first project. I found these two frames on Saturday at a yard sale at my neighbor’s place…..Nice frames, not so nice 70’s art (I left the matching bedspread and curtains behind…LOL).

I painted the frame with Paris Gray ASCP, distressed them a bit and applied some wax.. I painted the “painting” with Old White ASCP and let it dry.

I wanted to do some pieces with one of the most beautiful and classy women of our time- Audrey Hepburn..

I used these two classic images of Audrey along with a couple of her quotes that I LOVE.

I added chandeliers because I LOVE chandeliers, what can I say?

Here’s the machine. It’s one of the earlier Klic N kuts, but it is really AMAZING. My mind is just buzzing with all the projects I will be doing with this machine and the software. In addition to the software that came with it, I purchased the Make The Cut software. It is super user-friendly and there are LOTS of video tutorials out there to help you get going.

The sky is really the limit with these machines. You can use just about any image or graphic to cut paper, vinyl, fabric, and even fondant for baking!

I know I’m a little late to get on this bandwagon, BUT, I’m sure glad I did.

I know the learning curve will continue as I explore all the features of this great fool. I am amazed at how technology has inspired craters to levels that we never could have imagined just a few years ago.

Sometimes I feel like we just took scrap-booking elements right into home décor and there’s just about nothing we can’t create with inspiration and few fun tools like this one..

So glad you let me share this fun new adventure with you…..

I guess you can occasionally teach an old dog new tricks : )

Here’s to learning new things and conquering our fears..

Thanks so much Marlee!

I'm linking up to Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesday. You've just GOT to hop over. You just won't believe all the inspiring projects she is featuring this week. The mantle upholstered headboard still has me swooning..

Cori

Duck Egg Blue Dresser

2011-09-12T13:57:00.001-07:00

Hi there blog friends!

Happy Monday to you!

I did my first project with Annie Sllaon’s Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue.

Can I just say that it was love at first sight?

Here’s the before shot of this great dresser. Extremely well-made piece with great bones.

I also picked up these cure chairs on the same treasure hunt weekend….

How about those great mucking boots in my size?

I used two coats of the Duck Egg Blue, used some Old White to accent the lines on the drawers, and then applied a coat of the clear wax and then some dark wax.

I was going to buy new hardware, but decided to paint the existing in Old White and I’m very happy with the result.

The chairs went Duck Egg Blue also. I recovered the seats with a vintage tablecloth we found several months ago.

I love the yellow/gold with this wonderful shade of grey/blue/green of the paint.

Another great find—these two smaller scale matching bookcases…

I didn’t hate the red, but decided they needed to go more neutral.

Old Ochre paint was used. I did need two coats to cover this red.

I added the clear and then the dark wax. I read somewhere that the Old Ochre with the dark wax looked liked aged paper.

It does! It’s a great neutral color with an aged and yummy look.

If you haven’t given this paint a try….

What are you waiting for?

It is truly amazing.

I order mine from these wonderful vendors:

Classic Wall Finishes.

Check them out.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Mine sure is!

I'm linking up to one of my favorite parties- Kelli's Restore It Wednesday. Check out the great features over there this week.

Cori

On This Day….

2011-09-11T04:32:00.001-07:00

We will remember.

Ten years later we reflect on how our world has changed.

We will think about where we were and how we felt.

I will look into my children’s faces.

They were babies when it happened.

Tokay we will pray.

Meg’s Tiny House

2011-09-06T08:56:00.001-07:00

I’ve been watching Design Star on HGTV since the very beginning.

Needless to say, there have been some disappointments since David Bromstead was chosen the first year..

BUT, last night one of the finalists, Meg, hit it completely out of the park.

The challenge was to decorate and style a teeny tiny house.

This space is about the size of the $599 sheds you see outside The Home Depot.

Meg went with a kitschy cottage style that really did “sing”.

She tied that little space together with the kitschy green and it really worked. I was totally impressed.

Now she is down to the final two. Check it out next Monday night if you haven’t had a chance yet

CUTE!

Loving all things design….

Cori

Mid Century Marilyn

2011-09-06T08:33:00.001-07:00

On Saturday we went out to yard sales determined too come home with some good pieces.

We found a few things that were fun, but really wanted to score a dresser or two. Feeling a little discouraged, we pulled up to a country yard sale that had only a pair of mud boots I was interested in.

As I was paying the very nice woman, I asked her if she had any dressers. She said no, but her friend had a couple. She called her on the phone and asked her if we could come by. “Yes!”.

We drove about a mile down the road to her house.. She had two mid century dressers that were worn and tired.

If you read my blog regularly, you know I’m not a bid fan of the whole mid century trend (although I can appreciate spaces that are done well in this style)..

I’m sure this is due to the fact that I’m mid-century..

The definition of vintage that I love most is this one:

“Anything that is older than you are”

So….since the nice lady unearthed these from the dusty and spider infested sheds they had been sentenced to…I offered her a pretty budget friendly price for both.

They really did have good bones and some pretty cool hardware that I intended to keep.

Clean lines that could definitely work in today’s spaces with a little lov.

Here she is!

The Marilyn dresser got a coat of ASCP in Paris Grey. Then I washed over with Old White. A couple coats of clear wax to finish it off.

The hardware was painted Graphite Grey. Great contrast.

These photos don’t really do the color justice. It’s a beautiful cloudy soft grey. It really works with this clean lined piece.

It works great with some pops of sunny yellow.

I’ll be sure to share Marilyn’s sister with you once she’s done.

I think I’ll call her Bridget (for Bridget Bardot).

Thanks for coming in this morning…

Cori

Saying Farwell To Summer And The Taylor Dresser

2011-09-05T09:20:00.001-07:00

Hello….I hope you are enjoying the final days as summer slips away.

Our weather here in the Northwest has been fabulous—not too hot, just right for early September.

Here’s the way this sweet Taylor dresser started out. It was purchased at a yard sale last week.

Although it definitely needed some love, it was in fair shape structurally.

I started with a first coat of ASCP in Aubusson blue. This blue does go on pretty bright at first, but don’t be afriad : )

I then followed with a “wash” of Old White. I mixed almost 50% paint and 50% water.. I applied the wash in sections and had a clean rag to wipe away the excess as I worked.

This technique does a lot—it tones down the brightness of the color, provides a nice epth to the piece and adds that wonderful aged look that we are all after.

I thought the Taylor dresser really called for vintage crystal knobs…so that’s what I accessorized her with…

I finished her with a coat of clear soft wax and then a bit of dark wax after a bit of distressing…

Here she is at the store waiting for someone to take her home and call her their own.

I live in a college town with two universities. This time of year we sell a lot of dressers, desks and bookcases as the students move in.

I think the students appreciate being able to purchase something “different” that the regular thrift store find that it still in their budget.

So glad you stopped by…

Cori

Welcome To My Favorite Month

2011-09-01T09:14:00.001-07:00

Why is September my favorite month?

Lots of reasons.

Yes, my birthday is in September. My oldest child was born in September (on my birthday).

I always loved going back to school.

Now that I’m a stay-at-home Mom, I LOVE when my kids go back to school : ).

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area near the coast. We usually didn’t gt “summer” type weather until September. Sundresses for back to school : )’

The days are a bit shorter, but still plenty of daylight in the early evening.

The promise of autumn is in the air and I LOVE that.

All the fun fall magazines and catalogs start arriving in the mailbox.

On this first day of September 2011, I have something else to be excited about.

My next door neighbors at the antique mall gave their notice. I was able to rent out their space—right next to my first space.

So now I have a 20 foot by 10 foot space all together.

Imagine the possibilities.

In a tight time frame yesterday I moved everything from my space down the hall into the new expanded storefront..

Another reason to love September….

I had dreamed of having this space next door for a year now…

I can’t wait to get some of the pieces I’m working on right now into the space.

Hopefully lots of people will be going shopping this weekend!

This is fair week in our small town. That means corn dogs, cotton candy, chickens, pigs, cows, horses, rodeos, and frozen cheesecake on a stick! (I wait all year for that one).

Savor the last days of summer and be excited that SEPTEMBER is here!

Cori

Late Summer Picnic–Vintage Style

2011-08-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

Hey there….can you believe August is over and we are about to celebrate the last weekend of summer?

I wanted to share this really cool yard sale find from last weekend with you.

The woman at the sale told me this was a picnic set from her parent’s Model T. It attached to the back of the car.

It came with the dishes and utensils.

It also came with this incredible blanket.

I couldn’t resist it.

I’m not sure if I will keep it or sell it….

I know this—it makes me smile.

I hope you can fit in a picnic or two before we say goodbye to summer…

See you soon-

Cori

The Bee Happy Desk & Chair

2011-08-24T14:46:00.001-07:00

Here’s the Bee Happy Desk and chair.

Something tells me it truly is happier now than it was when it looked like this…

It was very structurally sound. I liked the idea that it wasn’t real “heavy” with the right side being open. Seems like it would make a perfect laptop desk.

Since the top was some sort of laminate, I decided to cover it with some vintage book pages and a few fun images of bees and a crown.

The existing hardware was pretty bad….SO…I got four wood knobs, painted them and added the bee detail.

I painted the main body of the desk with Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint in Old White,

Then I painted the drawer with her Provence paint. I finished with a couple coats of clear and then dark wax on the drawers.

The small chair was also painted in Provence and I used some of the floral fabric in neutrals.

Thanks for stopping in to take a look at this desk makeover. I am in the mood to transform more “lost” pieces…hoping that the yard sales are lucrative this weekend.

See you soon …

Cori

From Rough to Rich

2011-08-21T15:51:00.001-07:00

Hello there!

Just a quick post to show you a before and after.

Remember this dresser?

It was in pretty sad shape.. It had stickers all over it and drawers that didn’t function very well.

I scraped off the stickers with Goof Off and sanded it down a bit. My husband replaced the drawer bottoms and placed new drawer stops so they wouldn’t slide in too far.

I painted it with Old White Chalk Paint. I finished with a coat of clear wax and then used some dark wax (heavier on the drawer fronts). I like the subtle two-tone look that resulted.

A diamond in the rough is now a pretty piece…

Now on to the next project.

Hope you are enjoying these last weeks of summer.

Cori

Back On The Treasure Hunt

2011-08-17T14:04:00.001-07:00

After taking a break from the yard sales, auctions and thrift stores for awhile, I’m back on the hunt.

Here’s a few pieces I picked up this last weekend.

The dresser above is definitely in need of some love and a few minor reapirs. But I do see the potential. Nice size. Good shape, All the original hardware.

Now….get a load of all this stuff…..Hard to believe we have replaced all this with an IPod that is smaller than a book of matches…right?

All of this stuff came out of this old radio cabinet. It was a bit of work to un-bolt everything and get it out of there.

But check out the cabinet……MAJOR potential…right?

Don’t you just love this original hardware? It will make it’s way back onto the cabinet.

I can’t wait to show you the “after” of this piece. I’m not sure exactly which way I am going to go with it…but it WILL come to me : )

A fun little ladder will get up-cycled for a great room accent…

I’ve got some fun plans for this great desk….

It feels good to be back on the hunt again…Kids go back to school next week and I’ll be busy recreating some great old pieces into useful home décor for today.

Fun.

Thanks for coming by today…

Cori

A Special Gift

2011-08-11T12:15:00.001-07:00

Last week my niece celebrated her 14th birthday.

I wanted to create a dress form just for her. It needed to be young and fresh and fashionable. She was attracted to a black and white scheme.

She loves the glamour of starts like Audrey Hepburn.

So I crated CoCo (after Coco Chanel) just for her.

This form is completely different than anything I’ve done before.

I hope my beautiful Michelle Belle enjoys Coco through the years.

Creating a one-of-a-kind gift for someone you love really is PRICELESS.

Cori

Scenes From A Swap Meet

2011-08-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

Hi There!

This past Saturday I teamed up with the Cayuse Cowgirl to stock a booth in the parking lot of our consignment store.

The weather was warm and the people came out to shop.

OK, we didn’t sell as much as we would have liked to….BUT,a lot of the people who stopped by are regular customers of our booths inside the store. It is always great to meet your customers and find out what they may have purchased from your booth.

We had ice cold Cokes, sparkling water, yummy chocolate blueberry muffins, lemon poppy seed scones and fresh blueberries.

Yum.

some great old windows painted blue…

As summer flies by….I hope you are enjoying the warm days and activities that only summer can bring….

Cori

Welcoming A Fresh New Month

2011-08-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

August 1st….my how the summer is flying by…

I woke up with the feeling of new beginnings this morning. The last full month of summer is here. I want to make the best of it and live each day with happiness.

Today I wanted to share a batch of blue Ball jar soap dispensers I got ready yesterday. We brought a bunch of these to the Farm Chicks show and they sold out there.

So….I made up some more for a big swap meet I’m going to be a vendor at on Saturday.

I love the way these soap dispenser look and have the in my own home. I never liked the ones that are available through retail, no matter what the cost. These are just fresh and clean and look great with just about any décor.

I use a oil rubbed bronze high quality soap pump and I also use the jars with the zinc tops. I do paint the tops with a special paint used for metal. I like them better when the jar top matches the great pump.

I also started adding these fun “charms”. It’s just a great vintage lemon images that I print out on Shrinky Dink. They are attached with fishing line and can be washed when It’s tie to wash out your soap jar.

Some of you have requested that I list these in my Etsy shop….

They will be available or sale there.

They are currently available in both the quart and the pint size.

Embrace this first day of August and make the best o the last part of summer.

Cori

Learning To Sew

2011-07-27T10:36:00.001-07:00

Hello Blog Friends!

I know my posts are still far and few between. I promise I will be getting “back to work” soon and share some of my projects with you. I am participating in a big swap meet sale on August 6th and need to get some furniture pieces ready for that sale.

In the meantime, I just wanted to brag al bit about my daughter. She took a great sewing class last week. It was a sort of “camp” for young seamstresses.

The local fabric store and sewing shop called STASH (cute name, right) offered the class. In addition to making this great backpack, she learned the basics of the Bernete 46 machine.

At the end of thee class she took hoe not only the adorable backpack, but the machine too! What a fabulous concept and class idea. Thanks to Ann who owns the shop and teaches the classes.

She has already helped me with a few small sewing projects.

We are going to get a few simple patterns for her to work on this summer.

I hope this is a skill she continues to develop and love.

Here’s to learning a new skill and exploring your creative side!

I’ll check in soon.

Best,

Cori