Saturday, March 24, 2012

decorating with vintage trophies

I found this amazing, vintage, Swedish Swim Trophy while visiting family in Maryland. My uncle took me to a few antique shops including Klaradal, in Olney, Maryland. It's a great little shop filled with beautiful antiques and vintage finds in a charming old home. Stop by if you're in the area!

Read more about this 1935 trophy at my Etsy Shop where this Trophy is for sale.

Some inspiring uses for decorating with antique and vintage trophies.

(source)

Have a great weekend.....

school of vintage

Today, I sold my 55th item from my Etsy Shop. I'm feeling like a true Etsian, as they say. I listed my first Etsy item back in October. October 22nd. It's been about four months since then. My first semester. At least that's how it seems. I've been attending the School of Vintage.

I've been so inspired by my finds that I've been pulling apart my first floor and re-working colors and layouts. I've been studying the art of composition and arrangement. Dark colors against light backdrops. Mixing modern and aged pieces. Layering textures.

Thomas O'Brien is a master of mixing vintage, antiques, and newly purchased possessions in livable and artful ways. I've blogged about his inspiring modern vintage here.

Thought I'd share some of my favorite finds... although my favorites seem to change every day.

The ram's head is made of cast iron. I thought about picking up another and creating bookends. The antique shop where I found this piece had several old cast iron pieces. Right now, he sits upon my foyer table. If I created bookends, I'd have to turn him. I like having him face front. Such character. The old books we've had for years. Actually, they were puchased up in Washington, DC when my husband and I were dating. A co-worker had opened a used book shop. You can even see where our dog (many years ago) had chewed the corner of the top book.

This print art came from an antique shop just south of town. One of my favorites, The Covesville Store. I really don't know what it is a copy of. I'm sure it's something I should recall from my art history college class.. oh so many years ago. But, it had to come home with me. I passed it up the first time I saw it. The frame has a slight warp to it if you lay it flat. But, I kept thinking of that haunting face. It's a gentle face, but a bit haunting. I went back a few days later to find him. So glad he was still there. I've leaned the frame upon the antique dresser I found from the same shop.

These next photos are of busts that I've collected. I've included them in some previous posts. This bust seems to be cast of plaster or cement composite of some kind. I use a picture of this bust for my Etsy profile picture. All the pieces on my mantle are vintage finds.

This chalk bust was the first bust I purchased. This came from an antique shop north of town. A very elderly shop keeper still runs her own shop, filled with very valuable period pieces. This chalk bust was probably the only thing I could afford. She told me she was thinking of keeping this child bust. She wanted to paint it white and make it into a lamp! Pretty hip idea for a woman her age. (Mind you, she was waaayyy past retirement age...) I knew right then I had to buy this chalk bust. I love its age, markings, chips, scratches. And sill has such character. I'm glad it's still intact.

This chalk bust is the only bust I have for sale in my Etsy shop... and I almost couldn't part with it. Although, it hasn't sold yet.

I recently came across this chalk bust listed online from a British Antique catalog. So similar to both my chalk busts. Maybe both of mine were once mounted on marble bases.

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And, that's the thing with all these vintage / antique pieces. Between Google Image, Ebay, other Etsy listing.. you're able to learn so much and so quickly about so many items.

I've always enjoyed digging through old antique shops, but have always been more drawn to furniture or what I find to be the more obvious items. Now I'm a picker. Or at least that's how my husband refers to it. Well, it's true.. I'm proud to be a picker. And, I try to pick at least once a week.

There is always something new to learn. I love the one of a kind feel these pieces give a home. While I may not know all the history, I know others have cared for these objects. I love having my Etsy shop, thinking of new ways to display unique pieces, and passing the story down the line.

Lots of "new" vintage items will be photographed this week and listed over the weekend.

decorating with Audubon style prints

I don't ever think I've seen a bird print I didn't like! I recently listed several prints for sale in my Etsy Shop. Here's a few of the bird prints now available. Some are large and would make a wonderful, dramatic statement matted and framed.

Designer, Katie Ridder's use of Audubon style prints in this dining room is just artful. It's an unusual placement of framed art over the sideboard and around the wall sconces. The neutral coloration of the bird prints look amazing against the strong chartreuse wall color.

(photo credit: Katie Ridder's book Rooms.)

A great mix of modern and vintage. The scale of these bird prints are amazing.

(photo credit: Chicago Home and Garden)

Below is a collection of Swedish bird prints from the home of designer, Bunny Williams. Bird prints make for a wonderful, classic framed art collection, a great way to fill a large wall.