Snippets of Ferndale, California

One of our first stops in California last week was the town of Ferndale. I'm pretty sure the place has not seen a single change since sometime in 1950. And I get the idea that the locals like it that way.

I always get so excited when driving past fields of cows on the highway, so seeing these guys just a few feet away made me giddy.

We stopped in an antique shop, and I'm not sure if it was the feel of the old town or the four hours of sleep we had, but it felt as thought we walked through the door and back in time.

The couple that owned the store had a huge collection of vintage backstock. Rows and rows of these black shoes were lined up atop their original boxes. I felt as if I were June Cleaver back-to-school shopping for the boys...

Fremont Flea Market Finds

Hands down, one of the best markets in Seattle is the Fremont Sunday Market. It's open all year long, there are tons of antique and vintage vendors, and the street food is unique and delicious (cheap, too!). Yesterday I found a baker's rack/plant stand which stands about 6' tall. Damian was not happy to load it into the subaru, but he was overjoyed when I pointed out that it could serve as a bookshelf since we've been dying to get rid of his old target bookshelf for many years. When I reminded him that he would never have to move the old, decrepit bookshelf again, he practically cried. While this was a great find (and a deal, to boot!), my favorite treasures from yesterday's trip are two pieces of vintage decorator fabric. 

This pattern puts me right back on my grandmother's wing-backed couch. And best of all, the fabric even smells just like her house!

I might just have to make this piece into a pillow and rest my head on it while watching reruns of The Golden Girls; our favorite way to relax after a long day of four-leafed clover hunting. 

This one is a little more masculine. It reminds me of some of the fabrics at Ikea right now, but much better, of course, since it's the real deal...

And the colors are absolutely amazing. The vibrant blue behind the orange hues really pops. This piece is a little smaller, but it was the last of the lot, so I just had to snatch it. I'll think of something to do with it one of these days.

 

Silver Tray = Shiny, Pretty Display

Whenever I'm thrifting, I always find myself drawn to rusty, silver trays piled en masse. I've come home with a few, and I've just now discovered the perfect use for them. While they work great under a plant collecting drips of water, on a dresser collecting jewelry, and on the kitchen counter collecting each day's pocket miscellany, I think they look great as magnetic bulletin boards.

I placed this one on a shelf behind a couple of my favorite vases. The silver-flecked bud vase is from an Anthropologie sale and the milk glass is another thrift store find. The monkeys belonged to Damian, and I saved them from the donation pile last week and slathered them in a fresh coat of paint which was leftover from when I painted my bedroom dresser.

I found a copy of Grey's Anatomy, circa 1970, at Half Price Books. As soon as I got it home, I rifled through the entire 600 pages or so and carefully tore out all of my favorite diagrams. This is page 407, The Muscles of the Right Hand. 

On my tabletop

A love letter to my grandmother, Mary Jane Carey, from one of her many WWII boyfriends. They called her "Rusty" for her gorgeous red locks, which keep turning up in the boxes of her belongings stored at my father's house. Apparently, she liked to keep the red curls that fell victim to the hair dresser's scissors.

A fresh bunch of flowers from the market that Damian brought home for me. Sunflowers and dahlias; fall is arriving too soon!

Fabric Scarps = OOAK Present for Grandma

The last semi-successful craft project I completed was an envelope pillow for my grandmother's 70th birthday. I found the silk fabric in the sale section at Urban Outfitters. It was originally supposed to act as art; it was stapled to a wooden frame like canvas and the sea-green flowers were painted on the silk. I rescued it for $5 and figured it had a fabulous future ahead of it. 

It looked so perfect with a tapestry I had draped over the arm of the couch that I was tempted to keep it for myself. 

 

This was my first attempt at an envelope style pillow, and I messed up on the envelope part. The canvas (left over from a grocery bag project) is supposed to be on the inside and the silk is supposed to flap over. But grandma will never know the difference...

Beautiful day in the Neighborhood...

Our lease is up at the end of September, and I'm not sure where Damian and kitty will end up while I'm gone. I'm really going to miss my neighborhood, though...