Blog Archives

Image

Croquet Balls Repurposed

We had a croquet set at our house growing up; did you? We brought it out for parties in the summer and for something to do on a lazy day. I’ve always loved how bright and colorful croquet balls are and when I found a lonely set that had lost their mallets at a garage sale a while I back I had to find a way to repurpose them. So my dad cut them in half for me and then also cut a slit across the top. I think they will be perfect for summer parties as…
Place Card Holders…

Croquet Ball Place Card Holder

 

Menu Holders…

Croquet Ball Menu Holder

Picture Holders…

Croquet Ball Picture Holder

Party Favors…send your guests home with one with a picture from your event.

Croquet Ball Party Favor

They’re already listed in my Etsy shop and waiting for your summer party!

Upscale Downhome on Etsy

So they left the subject and played croquet, which is a very good game for people who are annoyed with one another, giving many opportunities for venting rancor.”

Rose Macaulay

Do you have a croquet set?

Image

Solving Mysteries as Furniture Detectives

Riddle:
What has 6 sides, 28 joints and is red all over?
Answer:
My latest antique purchase!

19th Century Red Six Board Chest

Mr. Upscale and I enjoy a good mystery whether it’s a movie plot or an antique so we purchased this six board chest at the auction house on Sunday. I loved it for its milky red paint and he for its dovetailed joints. We hauled it home and started to clean it and discover some of its mysteries.
Case in point: Notice the different types of woods between the chest and the trim.
The trim is oak and the chest is pine. This means that the trim was probably added at a later date. Sometimes the maker did use different types of wood on the same piece but these two just don’t look like they go together at all. Different types of woods would be used because people used what they had on hand and also because they planned on painting the piece. Most likely it was someone’s effort to restore it. We believe it had trim originally and here’s how we know for sure. We removed the nasty oak trim and found this underneath.

Red Six Board Chest with Trim Removed

Notice the nail holes. There are small ones where the oak was nailed in and there are larger ones which means there was another type of trim on the chest. It was most likely made of pine like the rest of the piece. Now that the trim has been removed another question has to be asked…Is that red paint that I love original? What do you think? Are you a furniture detective, too? I don’t believe that the red paint is original because of the gray look of the boards underneath. It could have been painted red with the trim on and then this top piece would still have a gray border but this picture of the back leads me to believe it was originally  gray.
The back of the chest has no red paint on it at all but can you see the traces of gray in the picture above? I do believe the red paint is quite old just because of it’s lovely worn and milky patina.
Even though this six board chest is missing some of its original elements, like it’s original trim, paint and hinges it’s a lovely example of 19th century handmade furniture. It’s called a six board chest because it is made of six individual boards and there was no joining of wood to make wider pieces. Think about how big those trees had to be to harvest wood that wide.
Now it sits in my living room as my coffee table and I will thoroughly enjoy it in all its handmade glory. If you’d like to see more examples of antique chests, I found this Pinterest Board called Trunks, Chests. It’s definitely eye candy for the antique chest lover!  I also found this example of a blue six board chest that is earlier than this one but with all its original parts.

Uncertainty and mystery are the energies of life. Don’t let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.

R. I. Fitzhenry

Do you love a good mystery?

Image

Antiques as Souvenirs

The summer travel season will be here before we know it and with the cabin fever that most of America has experienced this winter, I’m sure it will be a busy one.  Tourists have collected travel kitsch since the Crusaders plundered their way through the Holy Land.  Postcards, pennants, shot glasses, spoons, as well as,  a plethora of other items have topped the list of must haves from exotic and pastoral locales. These items are readily available at estate sales as they lose their meaning once their purchaser has passed. I have a different take on souvenir purchases; I try to find an antique or vintage piece that I can use and enjoy in my home decor. For example, two summers ago we did an old-fashioned road trip, packed our mini van and headed to Maine and all points of interest along the way. One of our favorite stops was in the Hudson Valley of New York where we did some antiquing. We  picked up this unique sign made of cast iron for a jewelry shop.  Originally it would have hung on flange outside the store. This purchase carried special meaning for us because we also visited the American Clock and Watch Museum in Connecticut. This wonderful souvenir now hangs in our living room and is a daily reminder of our special trip out East. So forget those shot glasses and t-shirts and purchase an antique as your souvenir of your next trip. It definitely won’t wind up in your estate sale.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.”—Augustine of Hippo

Antique Sign from Jewelry Store

Image

Antique Dough Bowl Restoration

Several months ago I purchased an antique dough bowl with some serious patina for only $5 at an estate auction. After doing some internet research and getting some recommendations from friends on Facebook I decided to try Bee’s Oil made by the Holland Bowl Mill to restore it. I started by cleaning the bowl with soap and water but did not submerge it. I let it dry out and then gave it a light over all sanding and then wiped it down to remove any dust.  After that I just applied the Bee’s Oil and buffed it with a cloth according the the package directions. My bowl soaked up most of the oil because it was in such a sad state, but now I have a beautiful antique wood bowl with its natural beauty and patina restored.

Dough Bowl Restoration

Life is just a bowl of cherries, don’t take it serious, its mysterious. Life is just a bowl of cherries, so live and laugh and laugh at love, love a laugh, laugh and love.

Bob Fosse

Image

Upcycled Piano Headboard

When we put our house on the market this fall, my realtor told me my antique quilt headboardwas too taste specific so down it came.  I’m totally on board with the whole design to sell concept but I missed having something behind my bed besides a vast expanse of  white wainscoting. So, when I spied this fun salvage piece at the auction, I immediately thought…headboard. I didn’t even realize it was the front panel from a piano until the auctioneer enlightened me. With the addition of a couple of picture hangers and a coat of Briwax this piece of a piano became my upcycled headboard for only $20. Have you repurposed anything lately?

Repurposed Piano Panel as Headboard

Image

Choose Your Own Adventure Decorating

When I was a kid, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books. Do you remember them? At the end of each chapter the reader gets to choose from several scenarios and each time you read the book it ends differently.  I realized the other day that this was also my approach to decorating. Who knew?
Case in point…my new to me dining room rug  lead me on a new adventure in decorating. It was a steal at auction for only $27.50; it’s a hand loomed antique and measures 9ft. x 10 ft. Now I needed to figure out how to add blue to my dining room to make it more cohesive with the rug.  If I had an unlimited budget and could purchase any rug I wanted to perfectly coordinate my room, I wouldn’t have the fun of noodling on this decorating dilemma! Thus, this decorating dilemma becomes a decorating adventure! The search for blue accent pieces took me to thrift stores, estate sales, auctions and flea markets in search of the perfect pieces at the right prices.

Decorating analysis:

Plate Wall $35–various blue plates purchased at thrift stores–this price includes the Disc Hangers I used to hang the plates
Lamp $24–$4 for the thrift store lamp from Savers and $20 for the shade from Bed, Bath and Beyond
Porcelain Carpet Balls=$8–consignment store find from Ivana’s Trunk in Thiensville, Wisconson
1920s Walnut Dining Room Set–a family antique inherited from my Great Aunt
Victorian Dresser with Marble top–purchased at antique store in Cedarburg, Wisconsin to hold clock–see next note
1820s Ives clock–purchased on Ebay and drove to New Jersey with 3 kids to pick it up
Vintage oil painting dated 1907 from Door County artist–purchased on Ebay
Stone fruit–vintage and antique Italian pieces purchased at garage sales
Royal Worchester China–$22 for whole set purchased at auction
Window Treatments–Infinity Curtains and Infinity Tie Backs from my Etsy shop
Antique Oriental Rug–$27.50 “stolen” at auction

I love the art of mixing antiques, thrift store finds and vintage accents to put my signature look on my home.  What decorating adventure have you been on lately?

Tips for Being An Adventurous Decorator:

*Keep an Open Mind–you never know when you will find something unique that will lead you to rearrange your whole room

*Shop Everywhere–thrift stores, online, flea markets, the clearance section, high end stores–look everywhere for items you love–even your Grandma’s attic

*Purchase What You Love–don’t buy things to just fill a space. Search for pieces that mean something to you

*Take Your Time–Embrace the adventure and go on one often

Image

Vintage Twine Kits

Vintage and industrial are two words that you hear a lot of in design and decor these days. I love the use of vintage utilitarian items that were used on a daily basis and worn to a wonderful patina. That explains why a few weeks ago I purchased a box lot of vintage industrial spools at auction. I wanted to do something different with them instead of just selling them as is so I decided to create vintage twine kits. I added an old metal scissors made in USA to each spool as well as red and white baker’s twine. Of course, I had several scissors on hand because like I told you earlier I have a hard time not buying vintage utilitarian items. Let’s face it; isn’t organization more fun when it’s vintage? These are the kits currently listed in my Etsy shop. They also would be a quick and easy gift idea for those who love the vintage industrial look.

A vintage spool and scissors paired with baker’s twine makes a fun and unique gift.

Image

Create a Collected Look with Second Hand Finds

In times past you had to be a world traveler to achieve a collected look but today you can achieve it in a much shorter time period by visiting a few thrift stores, estate sales or flea markets. Today I’ll be breaking down the time and cost of a vignette from my master bedroom and showing you some of the great finds from second hand venues that  I use to decorate my home.The lamp on the left is a garage sale find for $1 and the shade is one I had on hand. The mirror was also purchased at a garage sale for only $5. It was treated to several coats of bright white spray paint. The dark blue wooden tool chest is an estate sale find from 2 summers ago; I paid $35 for it.

Vintage boxes

The tool chest is topped with a vintage biscuit tin with a beautiful pastoral scene lithographed on it. I splurged and spent $25 but it was something I really loved. The large shell was also an estate sale find ringing in at only $2.

Antique marble bust

I won the antique marble bust at a local auction house for only $25. I like how she looks modeling my vintage beaded chokers. The whole vignette sits on an antique chest that I found at the Maxwell Street Days flea market in Cedarburg, Wisconsin over 12 years ago. It’s handmade with traces of original paint and was $350. I’ve used it in many places in my home—in the dining room as a buffet, in the living room to hold board games, and now in my bedroom to hold clothes. I adore it’s patina and how versatile it is. The key to a collected look is to mix old and new, with higher priced and lower priced items. It can take a little time but the result is a home that reflects your true tastes, interests, and passions.

TOTAL COST=$483 TOTAL TIME=12 years

Image

Treasure Hunting

American Pickers, Storage Wars, and Pawn Stars are such popular shows and have shined the light on the resale and antique industry. You might think with so many people aware of the value of antique items that it’s almost impossible to find something unique at your average thrift store. Today I am going to debunk that thought and let you know that there are still treasures out there. Case in point…

Victorian Shell Cameo

I found this Victorian cameo pin which was hand carved out of a shell and surrounded by  gold at a Savers store…for $.99.

Victorian Shell Cameo

Keep on hunting you never know when you will stumble across a treasure large or small.

Image

This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Doily

Last week I shared a few projects to make with dishes and this week I’ll be highlighting another easy to find second hand item…doilies.  You could raid your grandma’s stash but I promise these ideas are anything but old-fashioned! The first idea is doily place card holders that will give your holiday table a festive touch and make your guests feel special.  

Doily Place Card Holder

Doily Place Card Holder

Doily Place Card Holder

The second idea for your inspiration is doily ornaments or gift tags.

Snowflake Ornament

Snowflake Ornament/Gift Tag

To make either of these projects, simply dip your vintage doily in liquid starch and allow either to dry flat for the ornament or on a cardboard tent for the place card holder. Click on the links for more specific directions at my blog.

It is difficult to see why lace is so expensive; it is mostly holes.

 Mary Wilson Little