Yesterday the hubs and I took a little "field trip". He needed a break from building and repairing furniture...and I needed a break from painting it. So...we headed over to see my favorite "chandelier guys". They are two men that clean and restore vintage chandeliers and sell them to women like us that just can't get enough of them!



I was lucky enough to make it into the treasured storage space for all their chadis. I swear as I made it to the bottom step and into their basement angels started to sing...well, not really, but they may as well have!

I was in h.e.a.v.e.n.

Now, be warned. These photos are not pretty, but the chandis were. Taking photos in a basement just does not do these beauties justice, and I couldn't bear to ask 2 men in their late 70s if we could haul each one upstairs so I could get better pics outside. So, they are what they are...but I wanted you to see what they had.

This was just one corner...the chandis went all down one side of their basement. There must have been 75 of them too choose from...and their prices were very, very good.


All I heard from my husband behind me was "Oh, boy. Here we go."

There were chandis that were all glass and crystal...I always love those the most.


Some heavy on the crystals...some a little more simple.


There were some reeeeallly cute petite chandis, too. I would LOVE a little one like this is my bathroom...or above my kitchen sink as a pendant. I am going to have to remember this one since I will be starting a kitchen reno in a few months.


This one would be great in a foyer...it does hang straight, but the crystals are so heavy it won't be straight until it is up on the ceiling.


This is the one I bought for my office. I think it am going to paint it gray and distress it. My office is all white, so I think that will be perfect!


And these two were my FAVS! Seriously, I stared at them for so long, my husband finally just said, "so why don't you buy them so you can stare at them at home". I love that man. He is just the best!

But, I have a house with ceilings too low to handle these, and I am still sad about it this morning. I asked my hubs if we could move just so I could have a place for it. He agreed.

Isn't she a beauty???

The metal that holds the crystals is my favorite part. All made by hand. This chandi is stamped with the manufacturer name and the year it was made on the inside. I believe it was 1927.

This style is called a 'wedding cake chandelier'...love that. Can you imaging the house this came from? It bet it was stunning!


This little mini one matched it. I love the bits of old paint on the ceiling cap.


I really, really, really wanted this one for my foyer...be he didn't want to separate the pair.



I love days like this when I can escape the paint fumes and sawdust and go look at beautiful things.

A wonderful friend I have made here in blogland reminded me the other day just how lucky I am to be able to what I do for my job. I am so glad she did...because it is so true! I would be so unhappy working behind a desk all day. This is what feeds my soul. Searching through old barns, finding those out of the way junk shops, meeting people unexpectedly that sell great things out of their basement...it is so much fun!

I can't see mylself doing anything else. My little biz is celebrating its 10 year anniversary April 1st...here's hoping for another successful 10! Because I will take wearing my favorite dirty boots over heels any day!

Yesterday I set out with intentions of finding a dresser for a client.

I swear.

In my mind I kept telling myself "you are not shopping for yourself. Don't look for anything other than the dresser."

The word "focus" was repeated in my head over and over.

But it didn't work.

Nope.

Never does.

The bling always catches my eye. I can spot a chandelier from 40 yards.

And in one store today...I saw four of them! They looked so sad hanging there waiting to be taken home. The shop owner all but begged me to buy one.

I could feel my mind start to wander. Within 30 seconds I had plans in my head. Which room, what color walls...the whole 9 yards, as they say. Why, oh why do these shop owners play with my mind this way??

This one was my favorite...but it needs a few modifications...I would remove the hurricanes and shine her up a bit...but she is oh-so-pretty in person! And she is an 8-arm chandi, too! Those are a tough find!

Last month, I did a post about 92 WWII love letters I bought at a farm auction. I have been beyond thrilled to read through the words of Irwin & Helen...I read each letter he wrote her, then her response...it is like being in their converstation.

I love how he starts this letter...

Just like everyone before and after it...

and then he calls her his "little ray of sunshine"...isn't that just the cutest thing ever??

I have to admit something to all of you.

I am not a girly-girl.

Maybe I am...I don't know. But yesterday, I was not.

I was climing through piles of old junk...getting dirty and loving every minute of it.

It was one of the most fabulous, fun days I have had in a long time! I am happy down to my toes today...and it is all thanks to a whole lotta JUNK and a drafty old 6-story warehouse!

I love how the men in the place are in awe of a girl that loves junk. A girl with french-tip nails, and a super-cute bag on her shoulder, that is. At first they always think I am going to require their "help"...I just thank them and continue on with my digging.

As most of us do, I have an adgenda every day of my life. A long list of "to-dos". I work too much...usually 6-7 days a week...sometimes 8 depending on how many orders I have go get done that week. Did I ever tell you I have my own little business painting furniture?...I really need to do a post about it sometime. Oh, and we build furniture, too. Out of salvaged materials...and I love, love, love it! I don't sell those pieces at my shows...usually I sell those to stores...but this year I think I may bring some and see how it goes.

Yesterday, I needed a break from my paintbrush. We were just spending too much time together lately. So I headed out for a little inspiration at my favorite architectural salvage warehouse.

Did you know you can find beauties like this at a salvage yard??

 The building iteself was incredible. It is a beautiful old thing from the 1800s. Exposed brick walls...old creaky wood floors...floor to ceiling windows. In its prime it was a factory for millwork. They had photos on the walls. Some of the most incredible fireplace mantles, doors and mouldings came out of that place. As I looked around at all the reclaimed goods I couldn't help but wonder if some had found their way "home" again. 

 I saw chippy, layered paint...thick beveled glass...and some of the most stunning doorknobs I have ever laid eyes on! As I am typing this...I can't help but wonder if I am the only person that has ever used 'stunning' and 'doorknobs' in the same sentence.


There were old wavy-glass windows as far as the eye could see. And old ornate ceiling tin...it was everywhere! Stacks and stacks of it! There was one room dedicated to sinks, toilets and bathtubs. Seriously, even the toilets and sinks were beautiful back in the day!

If you have a place like this in your area YOU MUST VISIT!

You never know what you might find! I brought home old keys, antique hardware for my furniture, a fabulous mirror. a couple chandeliers and loads of doors and windows! Oh, and 2 English Ironstone pitchers now have a permenant home in my kitchen, too! When the weather gets a bit warmer I am going to build a few armoires with those old doors, so I will be sure to keep you posted!

I'm off for another day with the paintbrush...

Happy Friday!

I seem to be on a roll this week in the shopping department!

Yesterday I started my day with a trip to Target...one of my favorite places on this plantet by the way...and came out with $39 worth of groceries for $14.06! Did you know you can go onto Targets website...print their grocery coupons and then combine them with manufacturer's coupons?? If you didn't, I am hear to tell you...yes you can! I only bought what I had coupons for, but they were items I usually buy each week anyway. But that is truly another post. I could write a book on the whole coupon thing. I love the game of saving a buck.

Speaking of saving a buck...I love decorating my house...and don't mind admitting I am totally cheap about it, too! After Target I paid a visit to a couple of the thrift stores I missed the other day. Tuesday is half-off day at a couple of my favorites...so of course I was there when the doors opened! Here is what I found...I hate it that I can't make my pictures larger, so click on them if you want to get up-close-and-personal.

You may remember me talking about the wire baskets in Monday's post. The one where the owner thinks I am some poor stupid girl that can only afford or want the cheap junk the store doesn't see as 'valuable'. Fine by me...and I am not about to tell him there are a whole bunch of us that actually love it! After I made my purchase, I had to ask him about these wire baskets I saw sitting in a curtained-off area. (A tip from me to you...ALWAYS peek in the area behind a curtain. That is where they keep the new stuff!) He said they were not worth making a tag for...and that I could have them! Thank you Mr. Rather Condescending...I will take you up on that!

This one is going in my new studio work space. I think it will be perfect for rolls of vintage wallpaper!

Usually, I would say...no...but today...I have to give it a big fat YES!

I had a day all to myself today. It was so nice...I rambled from thrift shop to antique shop throughout my city searching for just the right things that needed to come home with me!

I keep my "style" a pretty good secret around here. Not many people in my area are into the same look I am...so I always seem to luck out with these beautiful treasures for such a small price. They laugh at me and one old man today actually said "little lady, we need to teach you what actually has some worth...and it sure isn't this old stuff!" I never correct these silly men, I just smile and play the dumb girl role to make them happy.

 I scored some lovely bits and pieces for around the house, so thought I would share my finds. I could not believe my luck today! Don't you just love it when that happens? There is nothing better than coming home with a trunk full of old stuff to make a girl feel good! You should see the wire baskets I brought home. Seriously to-die-for! The 'man' I referenced above thought I was nuts for wanting them, so gave them to me free. Not such a dumb girl afterall, eh??

It has such a wonderful ring to it...doesn't it?

I am so happy today.

I crawled out of bed extra early to stand at an auction all day...and did I mention is was only 5 degrees here?

Yikes.

But it was all worth it...because I came home with these.

92 of the most beautiful letters...lovingly written back and fourth...from Irwin to Helen during WWII.

Have you ever really read a letter from that era?

 "Dearest Darling Helen,
Twilight is gradually coming upon us..."

They are so sweet...so romantic...so genuine.

That is why they made my list of "99 things I love".

Notice the letter was written 65 years ago...almost to the day. Somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean that night was a ship...with a lonely young man that missed his wife.

I can't help but wonder where Irwin and his bride are today. Did they live a long, happy life together? Do they have children? If so, why would they not want to keep the letters? In one of his letters, he mentioned he had written one to her every single day before he went to sleep.

Tonight, my hubby will build a fire...and I will curl up on the couch...immersing myself in the words of Helen & Irwin.

The most perfect winter Saturday night.

I don't know about you...but I've been shopping my socks off this week!

I unpacked everything today...getting ready to bust open a bottle of wine with the hubby tonight and crank up the Dean Martin Christmas album for a good old fashioned wrapping party.

As I was unpacking I was shocked to see just how many bags were piled all over my bed. Can one woman really kill the planet with plastic store bags?? If she can, I am the responsible party.
* Insert guilt here *

So this made me think...should I do the "green" thing and carry my own bags to the store? I have tried this in the past...I bought a few super cute grocery totes thinking I would carry them with me into every store...ha! I think I have forgotten them in the back seat of my car 99 out of 100 times. Seriously, I don't even remember I own one until the girl at the checkout whips out yet another plastic bag for me to bring home. Geesh! (I have a serious lack of short and long term memory...but that is another story...we could be here a while)



So I have to know...do you girls bring your own bags when you shop?

I just gotta know if I am the only one destroying the planet with these things.