Open for Business!

Even though I've still got 4 months before this baby gets here, I have been in major nesting mode lately - which I have been quite enjoying since it never really kicked in when I was pregnant with Phoebe. 

I guess I just keep thinking that if I don't do it now, then it will never get done once I have two kids.  Plus, I might as well use all of this energy while I have it.  I remember all too well how I felt last time during my 3rd trimester! 

So we've been doing lots of cosmetic work on the house lately - painting, making curtains, rearranging rooms, hanging pictures, and refinishing some recent thrift store finds.  I can't wait to show you the final reveal on the dresser above - including the amazing price I got it for!  Here it is all sanded, primed, and ready for paint.

This little table has gotten a new paint job, and I just need to pick out some fabric that is going to cover the top.

To go along with the nesting, I've decided to put a few things in my Etsy shop that has been sitting abandoned for way too long.  I'm still not quite sure which direction my shop is going to take - be it quilts and other handmade goods, custom orders, vintage finds, or fabric destash (particularly vintage sheets :), but I'll add a few things here or there until I get a better idea of where it's going.

This quilt was actually made over a year ago as a gift, but it didn't end up being large enough after I used up all of my Jenean Morrison's Moondance line.  However I think it would make a perfect baby quilt and playmat - especially for a boy or gender neutral nursery!

I'm also putting this little gem in the shop as well.  I love it to death, but we seriously just have more quilts than we know what to do with around here.  I'm sure it will find a great home with someone who will really treasure it!

I hope you all are having a great weekend.  Wish me luck in the coming week - we've decided it's time to break Phoebe of her paci, so I'm hoping we can all make it through in one piece!

Some recenty thrifty finds - for both me and you!

If I had a day all to myself, thrifting would definitely be a part of it.  My dad started taking my sister and I to garage sales before we could even walk, and it became a weekly occurrence every Saturday throughout the summer.  Some of my most treasured possessions are from garage sales and thrift stores and I love how my entire house is pieced together with these finds.

I haven't been able to do as much thrifting as I would like because a) I've been put on a budget (bleh) and b) thrifting is HARD to do with an 18 month old.  But here are some pieces that I've picked up here and there these past couple weeks.

I'm lucky in that Ann Arbor has some seriously good thrifting spots to keep me busy all year round.  The pink depression juicer and the cookware above are both from the Treasure Mart.  This place is probably more pricey than your average Goodwill or Salvation Army, but they always have amazing goods and are considerably less expensive than an antique shop.  And with three floors and 8500 square feet, you can always find something you can't live without.

I found this little tea strainer at the State Street Salvation Army for a mere fifty cents.  I usually can't tell one Salvation Army from the next, but this one is seriously HUGE.  I never leave there without finding multiple sets of vintage sheets, and they have a huge selection of glassware, furniture, and wool sweaters for felting.

I also found this child's folding chair at Salvation Army for only three dollars.  Three dollars!  I am so in love with this thing.  I only wish they had a whole set in my size.

Phoebe likes it too :)

This green, cut-glass, spouted bowl was found at the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop.  All of the proceeds from the store go to the Ann Arbor public schools PTO organizations, and they by far have the most gigantic craft section I've ever seen.  More about that in an upcoming post...

And finally, I found this coat at Such a Find Antiques.  

This coat brings me such joy and such sadness at the same time.  Joy because it is so amazingly awesome, and completely my style; sadness because it does not fit me and never will.  Even if I did lose 20 pounds (which I'm working on because my sister is getting married this summer :), it is just too tight across the shoulders and short in the sleeves.  

 

So I decided to offer it up to you guys!  This lovely gal is for sale in my Etsy shop.  I hope that someone will be just as excited about her as I am.

Casaideas

Earlier this month Phoebe and I escaped the cold and snow for a wonderful trip to Miami to visit my sister and soon to be brother-in-law.  Aside from spending time with my family and the fantastic eighty degree weather and sunshine, my favorite part was the shopping.  Unfortunately I struck out as far as fabric stores go (there was one quilting shop chock full of cranky old ladies and civil war reproduction prints, but that was it), but I hit the jackpot when it came to finding the store Casaideas.  

Casaideas is a home goods store that originated in Chile and later opened more locations in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia.  Their store in Miami is the first in the United States.  It kind of reminds me of a Pier One with a Latin influence.  And the best part - amazingly fantastic prices.

 I was going bonkers over all of this crochet/doily awesomeness.  Price for a bedspread or crocheted throw - $40.

 Kicking myself for not buying one of these umbrellas - especially since they were only $10 each.

 

  Ooooo - I didn't see this while I was there, but it would look great in my kitchen!

  I picked up one of each of these crocheted boxes at $5 & $7 - and they just happened to be in my favorite color!

 

 Oh em gee

I got one of each of these dishtowels for only $1.50 each.

 

 

 My sister had to drag me away from buying these for Phoebe's future big-girl bed. 

Another huge plus?  Everyone was so incredibly nice in this store - good customer service is incredibly important to me.  I spoke with the manager who said that more stores were going to be opening up around Florida and their goal was to eventually have stores all over the US.  Here's hoping Ann Arbor will be coming up soon on their list!

Their US website is currently under construction, but you can view their catalog (in Spanish) here.