Roid Rage

EmbROIDery, that is. I'd been scoping out skirts and dresses with embroidered designs (and some prints that have that embroidered feel) and now I just keep coming across skirts and dresses that I would love to wear.

Anthropologie

ASOS

Zara skirt, via Atlantic Pacific

Harper's Bazaar, via

Givenchy

I finally stumbled on one that might be in my price range!

via What I Wore

Target $23

Or I can wait for that Anthro option to go on major sale. Any patterns that keep appearing for you? Emerald stripes? Blue ikat? Metallic dots?

Making Headway

I showed you the process for painting some thrifted head sculptures here, but I've been on a roll in discovering some interesting heads or busts lately.

I was able to pass this up from a craigslist seller (I was purchasing something else from her and took a little time to check out all the offerings):

And debated on this at a thrift store:

from Merchant Square

And just spotted this on a One Kings Lane sale today:

Authentic Models, Cool Character

Anything that keeps popping up in your outings lately? A color or a texture or a pattern?

Foyer Light

I'd been looking to switch out the foyer light for, well, 4 years now. So when I came across a worthless looking vase at Goodwill--I mean, who wants a vase with a hole in the bottom?! Ha. It was a glass pendant lampshade among the vases, I went ahead and shelled out the $5 to bring it home.

I had heard there were light kits at hardware stores and was pleasantly surprised at all the nice-looking options! I bought a simple oil-rubbed bronze look kit and then shelled out for a fancier bulb since it's so visible under the glass pendant and I wanted the bulb to be a big larger.

 Your days are numbered, former light!

And after my fabulous father installed it...

Remember that sneak peek from here? I should take a close up of the lightbulb for you...sometime...

Another great note, I listed the old light fixture on craigslist and it sold to a vintage-loving couple which made this project cost zero dollars overall. Hooray for the circle of secondhand selling and buying!

Anyone else find something in an unexpected section of Goodwill? Any other successes replacing something for no cost?

Painting Heads

Sometimes I see something at Goodwill and I debate the purchase and don't end up buying the item(s). And then I think about it more and decide to go back and get it. And it is NEVER still there! But instead of dwelling on the ones that got away, I'm focusing on a pair of weird items that I actually purchased, and I'm happy I did. They're not useful, but I think they're fun. But they needed a little work before they got put in places of honor in the foyer and breakfast nook windowsill. 

Remember these from this post? Here's a peek of them after the coat of white spraypaint that they needed. 

Awesome job taping off the bases right here:

Taping off the bases worked pretty well for getting the sculptural faces spruced up, but I still needed to cover up Delaney's written enthusiasm for soccer.

I used a mix of acrylic paints to speedily cover up the pencil marks and dings and scratches.

And voila, 2 heads that are still weird, but a bit spruced up.  Ok, this is just one and these were the only photos I had handy. They are post-pumpkin-carving party, hence the gourd abundance.

Gourd hat optional.

The other head is on the window ledge in the breakfast nook with succulents in white pots. Hooray for quality Goodwill purchases. Or at least interesting ones!

PS, aren't these little pumpkin branches that a friend brought over cool? I think they're via Trader Joe's. Love their flowers, too.

Pretty Presents

I'm always impressed at some friends' abilities to give perfectly wrapped gifts. Since I love receiving prettily presented gifts (well, or any gifts for that matter), I thought I should try to carry that to the gifts that I give.

Here are a few recent attempts with items I had handy...

A reusable wine gift bag (my talented friend Amber makes these from scrapped fabrics--yay multi-leveled recycling!--and they're sold at several Arizona stores and boutiques, including Handcrafted) and a paint chip tag.

Paper bag "wrapping paper" and a scrap ribbon from this tragically un-photographed event and coordinating card. I like getting (or being gifted, ha) a big pack of multi-colored blank cards so I can use them for any occasion and personalize them for the recipient.

 I felt a little lazy for not unpacking this and putting it in an unbranded box, so I attempted to camouflage that with some silk flowers and wide ribbon.

I thought I had some other photos stored somewhere, so I'll add them if I ever find them!

One of my pet peeves is having to purchase wrapping materials--especially tissue paper. That's the worst! Is anyone with me on this?