Creating a Montana Vignette

I have always loved creating vignettes. As a kid I would rearrange the shelves above my bed on a regular basis. They held favorite books with Raggedy Ann and Andy bookends, a Hawaiian doll, a tiny wood table and chair set painted pink, some favorite stuffed animals, a patriotic Bugs Bunny figurine from Great America--all objects that held memories for me, but probably not very similar in their style and look. 

I am thankful that today I still enjoy creating vignettes, both in my home and in my pop-up shop. Recently sourced items came together in the perfect Montana vignette.

Keep reading to see the details in this display. 

I recently purchased the book Vignettes by Sean Sherer. This book is beautiful and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an antique booth or does vintage shows or who wants to create great displays in their home. (Affiliate link) You can buy it HERE

I have learned a lot from the book. Sean says, "A great vignette embodies...meaning and history." And that still life arrangements were the precursor to vignettes. Objects give us information to the past and hold memories. He shares about how to mix things up in vignettes and still make them look connected and put together.

These objects or curiosities share a common western, Montana theme. Let's start with the Ralph Lauren fabric piece hanging on the wall. Hanging a rug, fabric, a strip of wall paper is an easy way to add color, texture, and pattern without making a huge change. I thrifted this fabric and love the classic, American West pattern on it.

The log turned candlesticks and vase incorporate a natural, organic feel.

Any self-respecting Montanan knows a CM Russell print when they see one. This one from an 1849 painting, needed a new matte. The rusty, hand painted, tin box picks up on the red inn the fabric on the wall. The flat wood box sitting in front is handmade and has a gorgeous wood grain. On top of the Russell print sits a piece of Montana river driftwood found on a recent hike. 

A dear friend bought the Will James photo at a garage sale. She gave it to me as Will James was the name of the junior high that we attended. A rare, brown and white, graniteware spittoon is upcycled into a planter. The wood flowers came with the thrifted wood vase. The cowboy and horses print behind hanging on the wall is a copy of a photo. I found it at a thrift store as well and it is in an old frame.

The height of the candles on the left helps to balance the height of the hanging horse photo. Repetition of colors, materials and subject matter helps to make a vignette that is pleasing to the eye. Interesting objects with a history produce a still life that is both exciting and creativity and one that inspires further inspection.

Simple Summer Vignette with a Bit of Whimsy

I don't know about you, but when warmer weather hits I want a less cozy feel in my home and a more simple and organic vibe. That means tucking away some of the "stuff" and fluff--fewer pillows and blankets, vignettes that are a little less busy, and more natural, earthy objects. I put together some recently thrifted items as an example of a centerpiece, display, or vignette that feels easy and breezy for the summer months.

While these recently curated items are going to be for sale in my POP-UP SHOP, I love how they came together to create a visually appealing display.  Keep reading to learn the details.

This thrifted, sturdy stool got a quick paint makeover. It provides height and a bit of color to the centerpiece. I set it on a thrifted cutting or charcuterie board that I revived with a light sanding and some coconut oil.

I always like to arrange my table displays on something so that it is easy to remove for big family dinners. The wood cutting board adds a gorgeous, worn patina. The color reminds me of something from a boat or beach cottage.

The rope and jute, macramé, hanging candle holders or vases hold a candle and some greenery. They further enhance the beachy, summery feel. An old. leather bound book and cedar trinket box introduce more organic textures.

And the solid brass, vintage Donald Duck figurine is simply a bit of whimsy, although his sailor suit coincides with the beach mood. 

Do you like to lighten up your home decor for warmer weather? 

Recent Neutral Earthy Sourced Goods

My POP-UP SHOP will be open again next weekend and my theme for April is "Global Home". With Earth Day being in April I thought focusing on more organic, natural, earthy decor would be fun. Choosing second-hand, upcycled, refurbished finds is such a good way to help our planet. 

My thrifting word I have been keeping in my mind is "GLOBAL" and I have curated some lovely neutral items recently.

Keep reading for all of the details on some of these goodies!

These wood candlesticks are HEFTY and have a great light wood patina. The greyish/brown thin wool blanket underneath has a nice, nubby texture. The basket needs some fixing, but I loved its style. The cream colored, needlepoint pillow has the softest, terra cotta colored, velvet back.

A couple wood, pool racks make great wall art and can even be used as a small shelf to prop photos on. The cream and navy, cotton table runner is new and brings a nautical, summer cottage look to the home. I loved the star design and the dark color on the round basket. This would be great in a gallery wall grouping or makes a nice bread basket.

This gold, plaster or chalkware, noble chief has some damage, but I do love him. The copper patina on the lantern is lovely and the heavy, brass teapot aren't old, but they are well-made. The homemade deer shelf mimics a Victorian era piece and the small basket has a hook or hanger on it to hang it on a ledge or off the back of a chair. I sourced two, long, vintage needlepoint wall hangings or tapestries. The work on them is amazing. The pom-pom curtain panels were in a free box. I will hang them in the shop and then I think use them across the top of my gazebo.

The verdigris patina on this heavy copper bowl is swoon worthy. The oval basket under the deer shelf makes a great tray for a coffee table or kitchen counter.

This little black case has a time-worn leather handle and sweet, pink, flowered fabric inside. The chair seat needs recovered, but someone else had already done the hard work of sanding the dark stain and replacing the caning. 

I love sourcing new items for my home and for my customers. These light and organic natural finds and colors have me ready for summer days and will blend well with a variety of home styles and decor. 

From Mail Cubby to Modern Storage Piece

Sometimes when I thrift items, I do not know what I am going to do with them, I just know they have potential. Such was the case when I recently purchased this mail cubby or paper sorter. I knew it had great storage options, I just was unsure of how I wanted to upcycle it. 

I removed the paper labels (I wondered if it came from the school I taught at here in town, it seemed familiar) and wiped it down with vinegar. I knew I would need to spray paint it to get inside the cubbies. I spray painted it green to start but it was too green and reminded and just not right. So I switched to a Navy Blue spray paint.

I knew I wanted to put some kind of feet on it to get it off the ground, but originally I was planning on something shorter. When I found these hairpin legs at the thrift store I decided that they would elevate the mail cubby into a more modern storage piece. The taller legs allow for a storage piece underneath it such as this vintage, baby blue tool box. A basket or wood crate would look underneath it too.

The top was a little unfinished looking with the plywood so I added some thin, reclaimed barwood tongue and groove.

I think this piece makes a fun, modern buffet in a kitchen or dining room. It is perfect for open kitchen shelving storage to hold plates and bowls, linens, cookbooks and wine bottles. 

Art and other objects rest easily on the top of the storage cubby.

This piece would work well in an entry for mail and mittens and even shoes. Keys and bags could be set on top. It could store folded or rolled towels and toiletries in a bathroom or be used in a family room for book and magazine storage. I think I would be keeping it if I had a spot for it, but I do think it will be for sale in my pop-up shop.

Sweet Sewing Stool Makeover

A sweet sewing machine stool found its way home with me from the thrift store.

The wood on her was pretty, but the turquoise tweed was a bit dated and dirty and didn't match the stools style, so I gave it a makeover.

I started by removing the turquoise fabric, using a hammer to pull out the upholstery nails. 

I tried a few different fabric pieces on the stool and decided on the same duvet cover fabric that I recovered the chair in that I shared in the previous post. I used the old fabric as the pattern and placed it in a spot on the fabric that I wanted featured, the blue flowers.

I used the staple gun to recover the seat, keeping the original padding. 

This little stool makes a great side table for a reding chair.

The stool has storage for magazines or books or chocolate.

These little stools work well as extra dining table seating when you have a crowd or can be used at a desk or vanity for a seat.

Wherever the new owner uses it (it will be for sale), I am happy to have given this vintage stool a fresh start.

Quick Thrift Store Bookshelf Makeover

I was happy to find this $5, wood bookshelf at the Habitat Restore. Even though it is dated, it is solid and I knew I could give it a quick makeover.

Some paint, stain and a few new additions, and it has a fresh and updated look. 

Keep reading to see how I completed this quick makeover.

I removed the flimsy back and gave the piece a light, hand sanding and then painted it a color I mixed up, a muted peacock green.

I thought there was only one shelf, but when I removed the shelves, I realized there were two sandwiched together. I sanded the shelves.

I stained the shelves and some thin, reclaimed wood for the backing. I had four cedar feet from the cedar chest I redid a few years ago, I sanded and stained these as well.

I attached the feet

and the wood backing. Everything got a spray on clear coat. 

I love that the shelves are adjustable. A small profile bookshelf like this adds a touch of color and is a fantastic piece to add some organization and display to a space.

Upcycling a Vintage Chair

I believe we should love our home spaces and make them personal and unique to us and I KNOW to do that, patience is necessary. So, when I bought this vintage chair two months ago, I took some time to find the right fabric to recover it.

Waiting to find the perfect fabric for our home was worth the wait as I love the chair makeover.

Keep reading to see how I recovered this piece.

I could see the chair had great bones and with a thrift store price of $20, I knew it was coming home with me even though it needed recovering. It had a very brittle tag on the bottom of it.

 From the tag I discovered that the chair had been shipped to a high-end department store in downtown Detroit. The store was open from the 30's to the early 80's and is called a promenade wing chair.

Then the hunt began for fabric to recover the chair in. I love finding fabric for upholstery at the thrift store. I will use curtain panels, blankets, comforters, tablecloths, etc. After two months I finally found this two sided, king duvet cover for $6. The colors and pattern felt just right for this lovely, vintage chair. 

After washing the duvet cover, I decided on the brown side of the duvet cover for the chair. I laid the fabric over the bottom seat to figure out pattern placement and then cut around it. I did use both layers of fabric to recover the chair so that it was thicker and would ear better.

I used a staple gun to attach the fabric to the bottom seat.

For he top cushion, I did lay out he pattern, but did cut around the top cushion for the sizing. I cut about 2 or so inches wider on all sides to create a fake gusset for the back cushion, which is how it had been sewn on the cushion it came with. 

To create a fake gusset, after sewing around the three and 1/4 sides, I pinned across the 4 corners and then sewed across the corners. If the fabric is particularly thick, you would want to cut off the corner after sewing.

This creates a nice corner that wont pucker.

After stuffing the top cushion, I machine sewed the bottom closed. I made a pillow with the duvet fabric. One side is the white fabric and one side is the brown.

I love the bobbin spindle details on the side and this chair is so comfortable.

This lovely vintage chair sits next to my TV buffet in our great room. Everything you see in this photo except the TV and One plant is from a thrift store or garage sale. I didn't go to a craft/home decor store and buy a "canned" display, but rather took the time to find items that I love, that have a history and character. Before this chair sat here, another cute thrifted chair filled this hole. It worked in the in-between time while I waited to source something that is perfect for my home. 

So, the lesson of this story is--patience pays off. Create a home that is unique to you and your personality and style. Let's say no to boring, bland, cookie cutter decor. Oh, and have fun looking for just the right pieces!