New Old Medical cart

Here is my latest find, its a craigslist score. I saw it and knew exactly what I would be using it for, storage in my craft room.
What is it you may ask? Well its a vintage medical cart from a company that went out of business in 1959 A.S. Aloe Company in St. Louis MO.


If anyone has any idea what age this cart is, please let me know!


We were thinking it was 60's but we must be way off. I am trying to research the year it was made but it's not easy. I have had some say 30's or 40's. I just don't know? But I do know that it is cool, and really functional. The wheels on the thing make it super easy to move around and it has a ton of storage space.



After a lot of cleaning, and scrubbing with "bar keepers friend" and then a spray with the power washer, it was allowed to come inside the house.


I am going to try to find some glass jars to fit in the rack on top to hold buttons, tools, scissors, whatever. For now the stainless steel counter top is a great new surface to work on top of with my various projects.


I couldn't help add to the "Mad Scientist" look of the cart by setting my glass head on top.
teehee...


I sprayed a few slats of wood with chalkboard paint and attached them to each storage section for labels.


The old tape and bandage drawer with metal dowel make a perfect spot for twines and ribbons.


The open shelf underneath was just asking for a rattan basket to warm up all the metal, I am using the basket to hold all of my yarns.

Finds for the weekend

AAAhhhh, its my favorite time of the year. Not spring, but sale season. It means spring cleaning, and that brings garage sales! My favorite addiction.
I know someday with my habits I will be the one having the garage sale, but until we run out of room and purpose for my things, I am going to keep on hunting for finds.
So yesterday I went out and picked up some $5 goodies. Here are a few.

These old widows are something I have wanted for a while. They remind me of the windows we had is our first place we rented together, it was built in 1914. The old fashioned pulley mechanisms are not the best for use, but these paned old tattered frames look great above the guest bed.



I stuck these handmade letter-pressed card stocks up to the glass for now. They were given to me from a friend (for our house warming gift) inspirational cards with a handmade stand. The stand only holds one card at a time, and I have so many others I thought I would put them to use.
I might change out what is behind the glass later, its fun having the option for a change of decor. But for now these are so cute.





Okay so the next item I found is a little weird, but I had to have it and the price was right. I have no idea what its roll will play just yet. But just look how cool/odd it is. Its a very thick glass head, I mean come on!





These large old looking keys are too fun, I plan to move them around from tabletop to tabletop. Currently I am using them as paper weights for my magazines on our coffee table.

Paint and Demo

Today was Saturday and that means many things to us, usually chores around the house and maintenance, but most importantly its having the time for a walk in the morning with Baxter and Mr. B, then quickly off to drive around hunting the garage sales.

We picked up 2 deals today for pocket change. An 18 foot extension ladder (that we have needed badly since we bought our home) and this funky wood dish shelf that I quickly coated with some spray paint and installed in my craft room.


All these supplies were cluttering up my work table, so it's great to get them up and out of the way.
I really have to do something with that fabulous bag of French lavender sitting up on the top shelf...another day.


That's a little better, but I have plans to straighten up more and have better use for this space as soon as I can find the right desk.



So today we got a little crazy and decided to demolish our fireplace! Doesn't it look great? Well no, but it will soon... I hope. We just have to do a few things first before we can have a mantle.


Oh if you are wondering what Baxter has on his face, those are his Doggles. You see he insists on being near us when we make any kind of demo noise like hammering. He was quite upset outside while we did this but as soon as we let him in he was fine. Of course he has to be literally right under us and with all that rubble flying about he needed to be safe.


Safety first that's what Baxter says!

I should have been working

Yes that's right on Tuesday during working hours I had a brief moment off and drove half way up the mountain to a single day only Estate sale where I found these big Talavera pots. The Ginger gar is huge, and the vase is so tall an narrow I am not sure what I am going to do with them yet.
Here they are currently, but I have a feeling they might make their way outdoors soon.

Too much chair posting?

Well I think so too, so this is the last post I swear!
I finished the 2nd chair today while I watched the USA vs Ghana game. I was yelling at the TV while I struggled with the upholstery staple gun. It was giving me trouble, then Rory fixed it but had to oil it in the process. The oil then got on the white linen after I had diamond tufted the whole back. But I got it out! They are a cute little pair and have come a long way since the smokey and floral mess that they once were.
Before


After

Craigslist latest find

I found this great item on my local Craigslist Monday night and I picked it up yesterday. Below are the craigslist photos.
I have always loved the look of brass carved Moroccan tea tables. Probably what started it was the Moroccan restaurant that I love going to it is full of them and the ambiance is so relaxing and transporting, like you're in another exotic country. The food is awesome too!

I plan to use this vintage brass tea table for our outside patio, in between our two lounge chairs as it's the perfect height. I first got the inspiration from Pottery Barn when I saw this.
Mine came with a round piece of glass for the table so the surface is totally flat. Its huge too by the way 36" diameter, which I love because when I lay out I bring magazines and a glass of water a few different tanning oils, my phone, etc. The traditional dinky little patio tables just don't cut it in size.




Here it is in our backyard.




So here are some fun shots of outdoor Moroccan themed inspiration I'll be using to decorate around my new find. I see some more outdoor pillows in my future!



credit


credit

New Old entry piece

We picked up this craigslist piece today from a friend actually. The man selling it responded by calling my number I left on the reply email. I recognized his voice right away, funny enough and just guessed his last name after he told me his first. Rory has known him and his family for years and we share our surname with each other. He used to work for the guys brother years ago, anywho he delivered it for us in his truck and gave us the friend discount.
Small town we live in, huh?
Now I need to figure out how to decorate around it. If you haven't noticed Jefé is gone, but don't fret he moved just around to the other side of the wall.

Craigslist you rocked today!

I spotted this very plain looking bookshelf for sale on craigslist in town. We are in dire need of a bookshelf, our books have been in a box since the move (August).
So I called the man and he said he had another one for sale too, and to come by and look. Rory and I headed out, only 3 blocks from our house, and as soon as we saw them we knew which one we wanted, the one below. He gave us a very good deal and it fits our decor perfectly.

Here is our new knotty pine bookshelf with drawers, pretty much exactly this. I'll fill it up by tonight but before that, here is a quick shot I snapped of it empty. Please excuse our mess, most of that is soon to be bathroom. Boxes of tile and kohler faucets have been on our floor for the last month.


Oh! Here is Rory with his first pair of glasses. I think he looks great in them, he's got kind of a Clark Kent Lumber jack thing going. :)

I got Good news, and Bad news!

Well lets start with the good. I went out this morning bright and early with a good friend and my mother to hit the estate sales. They have been far a few between as the weather has been wet and rainy almost every Saturday since January. This Saturday was no exception, actually more like poury than rainy. But we went anyway and I'm glad I did because I found the sweetest little vase for our guest room nightstand to hold a fresh flower or two when guests stay the night.
The color is so lovely.


I also scored this old little stool base and I can't wait for the time to upholster a top for it.


I managed to paint the backs, and second coat the fronts of our vanity despite the wet weather, the coats dry fast if you apply thin ones.



Now the Bad. Well you know what happens when people remodel their own master bathrooms, after the previous owners already remodeled it but did a lousy job? Bad things happen. Rory was attempting to remove the mold ridden step into our shower while I was out picking up tools from the folks, when he cut into a hidden water pipe and drenched the bathroom and some of our bedroom. He quickly shut the water off and assessed the situation. We are now on damage control and hopefully this will be a thing to laugh at when we're old.

Our beautiful new expensive carpet is currently in this position until it drys out. I'm trying to remain calm. Excuse my language, but this is my mantra....deep breath...."Nothing is fucked dude."


Here is Rory fixing the "little mistake" and hopefully we'll have water on for tonight.


This shot shows how gross it is where the leaky tile had been, due to the previous owner remodel booboo of not supporting the footing to the shower.


All I have left to say is thank goodness for parents that watch our little mischievous puppy Baxter in these stressful times, without you we would be pulling our hair out. Thank you! And thanks for the plumbing tools to fix this dad!

Shades, check!

We had a long day of errand running. We decided to take the drive north, since the rain took a break. We both needed jeans, we did a Trader Joe's run, & I needed cleaning supplies and a wood floor duster for our new floors. So we went to Walmart for the cleaning supplies, and there I found these two drum shades in the perfect linen material to go on my thrift store find from last week. The two Asian inspired lamps that Rory was apprehensive about, now go wonderfully in our master bedroom. The color matches our linen drapes and I think these lamps are a better size for the room.