NEW THINGS

Justin and I spent last weekend in Brooklyn and we ended up coming home with more than a few new things.

For instance, my NEW HAIRCUT!

This might not seem that dramatic because I had been wearing it up in a bun so much...but it was CRAZY long. Like, down to my butt long. Remember this post? That was last November...and I hadn't cut it since then. It was pretty impressive. But not that cute. And I was definitely ready for a change. Sometimes you need a total look overhaul to keep things interesting. You know?

I felt like my new hairdo was demanding a new hemline. Not maxi. Not mini. But something mid-calf. So I got this cute vintage number from Antoinette...

And these leopard print flats from Mini Mini Market...

And Justin and I couldn't resist this old-school Wurlitzer combo organ from Main Drag...which just so happens to match my new skirt perfectly...

And we obviously NEEDED this adorable futuristic pocket piano...which also kinda matches my new stuff...

And then I found this scripty gold D ring at Artists and Fleas...

And Justin got these sweet boots from In God We Trust...

Quite a haul for a mere two days! And then we had to cart all of this stuff on the train back home. Which was kinda ridiculous...but TOTALLY worth it.

STAINED GLASS TERRARIUM

My love for terrariums runs deep...but lately I've been a little terrariumed out. Don't get me wrong. Plants under glass always look magical...but once everyone and their mom jumped on the bandwagon it was all terrariums all the time. Plants in jars...plants under domes...plants in hanging orbs. There's only so much a girl can take!

But my love has been reignited. When I spotted this vintage stained glass terrarium at the Saugerties Antique Center I knew it had to come home with me.

I'm super into all things geometric and faceted right now (water prisms, anyone?)...so this cut glass version is really speaking to my interests. And it's a welcome change from all of the blown glass varieties I see all over the place.

I got this sweet little potted succulent arrangement to put in it...

And here's the terrarium in its new home above the desk in my studio...

COCKTAIL AREA**

Remember that cocktail area I said I was working on? Well, it's finished! It's actually been finished for a while. But I'm REALLY behind on posting. And I hate that. And so does my mom. So I'm gonna try to be better about it. Let me start by finally posting a picture of this...

I found all of the crates and the wooden wine rack at Zaborski's Emporium (A must-see if you are ever in the Kingston area. Four floors of salvaged junk piled ceiling-high. One of my FAVORITE places to get lost for an afternoon.)

Weathered wood! Chipped paint! Rusty Metal! LOVE. IT. ALL.

And look! I found a home for some of my new prize ribbons.

The table came from a local yard sale ($7!).

I dressed it up with a coat of dark paint, a little bit of sanding, and a custom cut beveled mirror for the top. (Fancy!)

The makeshift artwork is a couple of vintage tea towels that I stretched on boards and framed with some old moulding I picked up at a barn sale.

More chipped paint. YESSSS!

Here's the wide angle...and a teeny, tiny sneak peek at what's been happening in the living room. That's our new couch! More pictures soon.

** I keep calling this a cocktail area. Is that weird? I'd call it a bar...but that doesn't seem right. I mean...there is no bar...or real table...or a place to sit. It's kinda just like a deconstructed liquor cabinet. Hmm...maybe that's what I should call it. Deconstructed liquor cabinet. Sounds avant garde.

VINTAGE VALENTINES

I pulled out my embarrassingly large collection of vintage valentines in preparation for today's festivities. (I'm pretty sure only old spinsters with 15 cats are supposed to hoard old love notes like this...but whatever.) I have all kinds: lacy old timey ones, velvet flocked 60s ones, ones with moveable joints, victorian ones that fold out and stand up. But some of my most favorite are the simplest. No bells and whistles...just pretty patterns and pictures of rosy cheeked boys and girls.

These were all made by the Whitney Company in Worcester, Massachusetts in the the 20s and 30s. I LOVE the combination of the graphic deco borders and sweet, soft illustrations. And can we talk about the fashions on these little ones? Vintage dream frocks, peter pan collars, sailor details, perfect bobs, and bows galore. Extra points for the ones with kittens and puppies.

Happy day, Valentines!

TRIMMINGS

Our tree has been up and decorated for a couple of weeks already but I haven't had ANY time to post pictures. I've been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. Working and shopping and silkscreening and crafting presents. And CELEBRATING! We have a zillion birthdays in my family which happen to fall within the 5 days before Christmas...including MINE. Funtimes.

So, without further ado, our tree...

She's a beauty. Decked out just the way I like it. Big old-fashioned colored Christmas lights, aluminum reflectors, clip-on birds and glittery butterflies, vintage ornaments galore, and as many sparkly glass pine cones as possible.