Modern Desk with a Vintage Touch

One of my very first posts on this blog was about a lovely Asian fretwork desk topper that I found while treasure hunting in Traverse City, Michigan at Wilson Antiques. Thanks to the good folks at UPS, I finally managed to get it home to Oregon and voila!...

I had already upgraded my desk this year, with a new one from Macy's. I then had a custom glass top put on it (a necessity when you have little pets with big claws at home). When I saw the fretwork piece in Traverse City, I wasn't sure whether I was going to keep it or sell it; and if I kept it, where I would put it. Alas, this was the first place I put it and I am pretty damn pleased with it. What do you think?

BTW...in case you are curious. the lamp was also a splurge from a great store called Rejuventation. If you've never heard of it, I'd encourage you to check it out!

Flea Market Travels- Ann Arbor

As I've mentioned before, I proudly "hail" from a little midwestern college town called Ann Arbor. One of the things I loved most about living in a college town? Life was never boring. There is always some event going one; whether it be a sporting event, concert, museum exhibition, etc... associated with the University. Furthermore the diversity of faculty and students at the University make this a wonderful place to pursue one of my favorite hobbies...treasure hunting at vintage stores:)

This last visit to Ann Arbor, the good folks at Google helped me discover a place that is literally just steps away from where I attended high school in Ann Arbor, a place that I never knew about...but will now always consider a Mecca when it comes to treasure hunting. Tucked away in the posh Kerrytown section of Ann Arbor (in the shadow of the famous Zingerman's deli) is an unassuming store called the Treasure Mart. To think of all the time I spent trying to get boys to notice me in high school, when I could've been searching this three story slice of awesomeness for great vintage...my heart breaks a little bit :/.

Alas, it has been discovered by yours truly. Better late than never; and given the amount of people there on a random Monday afternoon after Thanksgiving, most of Ann Arbor has been picking this place for years. No worries, there is plenty to pick from; like these two matching Chinese prunus blossom vases that I found (and left there). My haul from this store on this day included a cathrineholm lotus teapot, a retro mod plastic desk organizer, and 2 vintage blue apothecary bottles. Once again, I was limited by this unfortunate case of pnuemonia and did not want to over-tax myself in terms of carrying things back to Oregon. Fortunately, I head back to Ann Arbor in a couple of weeks for Christmas, when I'll be rested and ready to reap the treasures at the Treasure Mart!

Flea Market Travels- Chicago/Evanston

Last week for Thanksgiving, I ended up in Evanston, IL (just north of Chicago) eating turkey with my parents, my brothers, and their friends. One of the things I love about Chicago is that this city has just as rich of a history (if not more so) than any other city in the country. Hence, I was more than a little excited to check out some flea markets and antique stores in the area.

I had identified a couple of stores before I even set foot in Chicago that I wanted to take a look at, the top of my list being the Broadway Antique Market in the northern neighborhood of Edgewater. This store was indeed impressive in terms of the quantity and quality of its selection. Indeed, if you are looking for some awesome midcentury modern pieces to furnish your home, start on the second floor of this store. However, if you are like me; an etsy seller looking for cool items at good prices to put in your store, beware as BAM a little pricey. Nonetheless, it was worth it just to see the items that they had, displayed in a nearly museum-like fashion.

A cool vintage suitcase on display at Broadway Antique Market in Chicago

 Not to be discouraged, I ended up finding a much more affordable little gem in my brother's neighborhood of Evanston on Howard Street. Lost Eras is primarily a costume and theater prop store; but don't let that fool you. This family-owned store is packed to the gills with all kinds bits of Chicago history that they are willing to sell at very reasonable prices. The store itself is dominated by old built-in cabinets that they have rescued from Chicago pharmacies. Perhaps fortunately, I was battling a case of pneumonia while I was there, otherwise I would've tried to take the whole store home with me...including this beautiful greek key mirror that I had my eye on...

In retrospect, I should've strapped it on and added the mirror to my list of conquests. However, I did manage to find a couple of smaller objects that were much easier to get home. Including this green depression glass art deco perfume bottle and Fire King glass flour canister.

I will definitely be visiting Lost Eras whenever I visit my brothers in the future!

Snow Day

I'm sure many of you are waking up to familiar scenes covered with snow this time of year. However, for those of us on the Oregon Coast; snow storms are a pretty rare event (thankfully). Nonetheless, it did snow last night...just in time for me to decorate my Christmas tree :)

New to the Shop- Vintage Ornaments

As with everything else, I love adding a touch of vintage to my Christmas decor. A great way to do this is to look for vintage ornaments at flea markets and thrift stores. I hit the mother-load on Friday and added all sorts of vintage Christmas ornaments to the shop over the weekend. Stay tuned as I still have a couple more sets to post, but for now...

Entryway Remodel - Flooring Choice

So I posted last week that my entryway is in desperate need of a remodel. One of the main reasons being that one of my two cats has decided to "decorate" the carpet. That being the case, replacing the carpet in this 40ft. long hallway is the top priority and thus the first project on my list. At first, I thought I'd put tile down the hallway, but then I got some quotes on what the installation would cost (in excess of 10 sq/ft.); that just ain't gonna happen on my budget. So I started considering other options. Although laminate flooring is reasonably priced, I have an issue in that I already have existing engineered maple wood flooring bordering the hall. I don't want to continue this engineered wood throughout (another cost issue) and I couldn't find something that would complement the existing floor. 

So, the good folks at Home Depot talked me into something I never thought I'd put in my house...vinyl flooring. They sell a product called TrafficMaster Allure, which is vinyl flooring that is installed in planks such that it kinda actually looks like wood! After much deliberation, and a vote put out to my parents (my brothers refused to participate on the grounds that I was going with vinyl). I opted for the Lisbon Cork floor. My hope is that it will go well with the existing flooring and hold up to my cats' antics while deceiving people into thinking I actually put cork down.

We will know in a couple of weeks when Home Depot installs the floor. In the meantime, my weekend project is going to be ripping up the carpeting and priming my concrete subfloor in order to "repair" the damage my cat has already done. Given the fact that my DIY skills leave something to be desired...this relatively simple task may turn into quite the adventure. Stay tuned...

Crockpot Taco Ranch Chicken

I confess, I am in love...with my crockpot. I love the fact that I can stick something in it...and leave it...for hours...while it cooks. Minimal mess and minimal fuss for a person who is not quite a Martha Stewart when it comes to the kitchen. One of my favorite crock pot recipes is this pesto ranch chicken that I found on pinterest; which basically involves throwing a jar of pesto, some chicken, a packet of ranch seasoning, and chicken broth in a crockpot for 3 hours. It is very yummy, but not very waistline friendly at 16 WW+ points a serving. So, I decided to change it up a bit and replace the pesto with a packet of taco seasoning to give it more of a Mexican flair. This variation is only 8 WW+ points a serving and is still very yummy.

You can also take the excess sauce when the chicken is cooked and cook your favorite veggies in it. I usually serve the ensemble over rice.

New in the Shop- Antique Chinese Rice Barrel

Happy Veterans Day, everyone. I made another couple of awesome scores over my long weekend. The most interesting piece I found was an antique Chinese rice barrel. This piece dates from the 19th century and (despite some condition issues) remains a really stunning work of art in terms of the carving and the painting.
It makes those ceramic garden stools pale in comparison, I think.

Good Fortune

Happy Friday! I thought I'd share a fortune that I got yesterday...the best kind of fortune an Etsy seller can get :)

My Ugly Entryway

It's time to show you something I'm really embarrassed about...the entrance to my home :/ For several reasons, it has become this huge elephant of an eyesore. First my cat has "decorated" the carpet by peeing all over a large section of it (hence the black rubber mats). We are trying to resolve her problem with my vet; but everytime I leave town and have friends come check on her she goes on a yellow strike :/. Second, this hallway is huge and awkwardly sized 40ft long with 6 ft 6" wide hallways, with several nooks and one wall does not have an electrical socket to be found on. Lastly, it is just dark and builder-grade ugly :(

I've finally had it and I'm going to do a remodel. The first thing to fix is obviously the floor...stay tuned :)

New to the Shop- Bohemian Bar

As much as I love the 1960's Mad Men trend in terms of bar cart styling...sometimes you just need to add a little color and something different. I've placed these two "Bohemian Chic" items in my shop over the weekend.

 I finally found one of these this weekend for a great price at a nearby antiques market over the weekend; it's all I can do not to keep it for myself! It is a vintage beautiful blue seltzer bottle. Before plastic bottles, these were once the only means of storing carbonated water. What a beautiful way to mix a gin and tonic!

This vintage Murano glass cordial set is also quite a find! These sets were produced in the 1960s and trimmed with real 22 or 24 karat gold; a perfect way to glam up a bar!

My Ideal Entryway

My Ideal Entryway by kmarko featuring brass home decor

Robert Abbey ceiling light
burkedecor.com

Handmade rug
zincdoor.com

Dessau Home bamboo home decor
purehome.com

Gold mirror
lampsplus.com

Elephant wall art
society6.com

World Market handmade home decor
worldmarket.com

Brass home decor
shopterrain.com

Display unit
cottageandbungalow.com

Narrow accent table
horchow.com

Reclaimed furniture
$910 - oliverbonas.com

Etsy Item of the Week- Milo Baughman Bar

I found this beautiful Milo Baughman Brass Bar Cart in an Etsy shop called JulesModerne this week.

This bar cart just so happens to match these chairs I found a couple weeks back hiding at my local salvage store, chairs that are now in my own etsy store. Imagine if you re-upholstered the chairs in an awesome navy or emerald fabric...or go with a bold graphic print? Either way, set them next to the bar and you have one helluva swanky place to mix and drink cocktails!

Elephant Parade

My grandmother (Mimi) collected elephant figurines for as long as I could remember. After she passed, some of her trunked treasured made their way to my home, where they now sit proudly on my desk. As a child, my mother and I would constantly be searching for the perfect elephant to add to Mimi's collection; the only rule being that it had to have its trunk up for good luck. During the course of my vintage discoveries, I've found a couple of wonderful elephant pieces. My latest find was buried in one of my favorite antique markets in Portland, OR.

This cobalt blue elephant stool is now featured in my etsy store. He also serves as the inspiration for this design collection of trunked treasures for other elephant lovers...

1. $40 zgallerie 2. $9.99 Nate Berkus for Target 3.$129 orientalfurniture.com 4. $25 at rachellelevingston on Etsy 5. $62 at Home Depot 6. $38 at DenizErcelebi on Etsy 7. $25 at VintageandVictorian on Etsy 8. $45 OfAlltheFishVintage on Etsy

New to the Shop

After a long cruise around the Caribbean and Central America (which has given me plenty of material for upcoming blog posts) I'm back this week and trying to get back into the swing of things. New to my Etsy store this week is this wonderful Chinoiserie double happiness ginger jar. The jars are often given as presents upon a marriage or the birth of a child.

Hood River, Oregon

Last week, I had some free time and made a spontaneous trip up to Hood River, Oregon with my brother, Dan, who was in town from Chicago on business. If you've never been to this part of the country, trust me...you need to go. Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge, Hood River is the essence of living in the Pacific Northwest. This is a major destination for windsurfers seeking thrills on the Columbia River, skiers and snowboarders wanting to shred powder on Mt. Hood, and for tourists in general who want to experience the beauty and bounty of the Northwest. Full Sail beer is brewed here, and it is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the country.

Being me, I decided to dink around downtown to see what flea markets or thrift stores I could find. Turns out that Goodwill just opened a "boutique store" in downtown Hood River that features the higher end items that have been donated, at slightly higher prices, but still not unreasonable. I found a lot of Coach purses, a couple of Christian Dior clothing items, and unfortunately, someone had nabbed a pair of Tory Burch shoes before I got there. Nonetheless, I was able to find some items for my etsy store which I will be featuring in subsequent posts. Here is a glimpse at something that I liked inside the store...

I didn't nab it for the store, so this item may still be at the boutique. Regardless, I highly recommend a visit when you are in this neck of the woods!

New in the Shop

I went a little crazy this past week and picked up a bunch of new items for the store. I will drop a couple of hints about where I've found these treasures in subsequent postings this week. In the meantime though, here is a taste of what is new in the store this week...

 Atomic Mid Century Bar Glasses, Set of Six

 Chinoiserie Planter, featuring Chinese symbol for "long life"

Pre-War Handpainted Japanese Maruhun Ware Plate

Etsy Item of the Week - Samantha French

It's time to do a plug for something on Etsy that is not in my own shop. I can't remember where I first saw Samantha French's artwork for the first time, but I know that I have seen it in more than one place, most recently on One Kings Lane. I love her stunningly colorful yet serene paintings that depict people underwater. As someone who grew up as a competitive swimmer (albeit a bad one) I am still drawn to the confines of the chlorine world. There is just something about being in a pool that puts me at ease. Perhaps it is the sense of being weightless and my body being able to move in ways that it cannot on the ground, or it may just be the simply relief of floating. Regardless, I love these images for being able to capture what I (and I suspect others) feel in the pool. One of these days, when I finally get around to doing that gallery wall I've been thinking about doing for quite some time, one of these prints will likely be featured in the center.

Barcelona - Palau Güell

One of my very favorite things about Barcelona is the architecture of Antoni Gaudí; a visionary architect whose works include La Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, and Casa Batlló. I had visited all three of these sites on previous visits to Barcelona, and my personal favorite is Casa Batlló. In the not too distant future, I will devote an entire blog post to that dragon-shaped building. On this previous visit, I went to perhaps one of the lesser known Gaudi sites in Barcelona, Palau Güell, a building located right off Las Ramblas that was recently restored in 2011. I found this building to be unlike Batllo or Pedrera. The Palau literally is a palace, a monument of iron and stone with a mutli-story central hall. Although the interior is as organic as the rest of Gaudi's work, it was very dark and heavy, characterized by touches of art nouveau with a heavy hand of gothic architecture. In this house more than the others, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief when I got up to the rooftop terrace, which in typical Gaudi fashion, is characterized by a series of colorful tile mosaic chimneys.

One of the tile mosaic chimney vents on the rooftop of Palau Güell

My favorite chimney in the foreground, with a view of the Barcelona skyline behind.

A close up of one of the mosaics.

After spending the morning in Palau Guell, I walked across Las Ramblas to Plaça Reial where I kicked back with a big, fat, delicious glass of sangria and watched the world go by. This is an awesome place for a pit stop in the city.