Mug Shots

I have to attribute this clever title to my dear, sista friend Robyn who recently took this awesome photo, with the caption Mug Shot, during a weekend in Orcas Island, WA. You can purchase one of these beauties at Orcas Island Pottery.

 It's also home to this beautiful treehouse. Swoon.

Anyhow, it triggered an idea for a blog post. I love mugs. Big mugs, small mugs, mugs that are borderline big tea cups. It's more than likely due to my great love of warm beverages-- coffee, tea, hot cocoa, cider-- you name it!

My sweet friend from Atlanta, Jenny, and I used to have tea cup dates once a month where we'd load the babies up in strollers and go to Anthropologie to buy a tea cup (which was actually kind of a dainty mug) and have lunch afterwards. Sadly, our teacup dates only garnered us four cups, as we moved shortly after our tradition started. You can see the four floral teacups in the right side of my cabinet.

I've seen some beautiful mug collections on Pinterest lately and thought I'd share some of them with you.

I do so enjoy a good, french bottle rack!

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You can see my blogger friend Lesley from Atlanta's bottle rack for mugs in her gorgeous kitchen below. Follow her, folks. You'll love her blog; it's one of my favs!

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Hopefully this put you in the mood to drag out and display your mugs, brew something warm to drink or both!

Our Breakfast Nook Plate Wall

I have always loved plate walls. I think what I love most about them is their ability to bring such a wide array of color and pattern to a room for mere pennies. This summer I took some of the plates I had been collecting and started crafting our breakfast nook wall into a plate gallery of sorts. It's, of course, hard to know when to stop. If you are like me, there is always another opening/color needed/ pattern you are itching to throw up there.

I first blogged about the wall last summer, as my collection grew I had hoped to do an update sooner. I thought I would get it to exactly where I wanted, but alas, I have come to the conclusion that I will never feel it's done and I think my husband fears this plate wall will overtake the entire kitchen!

So, here is where it's at now.

I decided to make the plates cascade from right to left down the West wall of the kitchen. If you are planning on making a plate wall, you can also configure your pieces in a circle, diamond, square, haphazard cluster or even as a border around the perimeter of your room. The possibilities are endless and there really isn't a wrong or right way to make this kind of magic happen.

The plates are a mixture of new and vintage. My favorites are the jadeite and milk glass. You may recognize a few from Target. I love end-cap sales! 

In case you are wondering, the Vintage Alphabet Splat Mat on the floor is by SugarBooger and our best attempt to contain toddler mealtime messes. We've had it for a few years and it works pretty well. You can purchase one here.

I used wall plate hangers like these to secure the plates where I wanted them and vinyl stick-on letters to create the Give Thanks plate as my focal point. It took me about seven tries to get the letter spacing right, but the great thing about stick on letters is that they are repositionable!

Some people are big into measuring and spacing plates equidistance apart, but I am more of a go with the flow kind of a person. In my summer blog post I shared about how I traced the plates on butcher paper and cut them out. This allowed me to play around with configurations till I found what worked best with our space.

I strived to have a good balance of warm and cool tones, new and old plates, floral and solid, big and small... you get the idea. You don't have to go crazy like I did. If you are a fan of a particular color or shape, concentrate on amassing a collection of similar plates. I've seen some absolutley stunning plate walls where the plates are all white. 

Since our curtains (a favorite thrift store find) are dark blue, I made sure to have at least one or two plates in the same tone on the wall.

And so, that's our breakfast nook. I do so enjoy looking at my colorful plates every day!

Seeing Things in a Different Light

Hi friends!

Hope you are well. We had a couple of scary, stormy days here in Joplin over the weekend, complete with Tornado sirens and time in the basement. Thankfully that was the worst of it. My heart goes out to the people of Oklahoma City. Here's to hoping  praying the worst of tornado season is over!

On Saturday we finally got around to switching out some of the light fixtures around the house that weren't exactly in keeping with the time period/style of our digs.

I present to you our before and afters from the kitchen! Buh-bye 90's, hello vintage, schoolhouse charm!

 My husband is such a rockstar! Thank you, babe for your handiwork. I am so thankful we don't have to hire electrical work out!

On Saturday evening we had our neighbors from across the street over for dinner. What a lovely couple! We so enjoyed getting to know them better. Leslie is the director of the reference library in town and a published Joplin historian and Dale is an English professor at MSSU, specializing in Tolkien. They are also avid music fans and dancers! Needless to say, we had lots and lots to talk about. They even took us over to their house for a tour after dinner. What a neat, craftsman home the live in!

We have just been blown away by the friendliness and openness of all of our neighbors and can't wait to have them all over soon!

Plate Walls and Dinner Parties and Haircuts, Oh My!

Hi friends,

We've been busy around our house. I just finished up a blog design project for a client and can now get back to this ol' blog for a spell. If you have a chance, take a look at the blog and read about Hope at Home's amazing ministry to adoptive and foster parents.

Last week I tackled a project I've long been wanting to do, even in previous homes-- a plate wall in the kitchen! If you know me personally, you know I'm not exactly a measure it out kind of a gal. I typically just throw things up on to walls and play with their placement. 900 empty nail holes later, I have a a satisfactory configuration. This time, I decided to go out of character by tracing my plates on to butcher paper in order to create a bit of a non-comittal schematic.

And below is how it turned out! I have a few tiny, vintage plates currently missing in boxes, but once those surface, they'll go up on the wall too.

On Friday night we had some sweet, new friends over for tapas. Our whole married lives all we've ever had is a small kitchen table (which we crammed astounding numbers of people around and food on), so you can imagine the feasts our new, big table can hold! It was really fun to prepare a spread and still have room for everyone's place setting. This was, of course, the first of many dinner parties in our home. We do love hosting and toasting. I couldn't help but miss our dear Atlanta friends and wish I could somehow combine all of our worlds into one place. The pretty, white Anthropologie vase is a gift from the mother's group I was a part of in Atlanta, so it felt like they were with me in spirit! For all those reading this, feel completely and totally free to send me Anthropologie goodies whenever you feel the urge! Haha. ;)

Aaand, this week Collin got his second big boy haircut. I cannot keep the mullet at bay! His hair just keeps getting longer and longer in back and staying relatively short on top. He was such a cutie pie at the salon. The stylist gave him two combs to play with and that, coupled with the fun cape, was enough to keep him happy and distracted. Good boy!

Nick's parents will be in visiting for five days, so we are gearing up for some fun family time. I keep telling Collin Gooma and Grandpa are coming and he says "um hmm!" like he knows already. It will be great to have them in town. Then, we have a week of no visitors and the following week my parents come! It's going to be a good May.

Love, 

Steph

A Very Vintage Christmas, Room by Room- The Kitchen

This marks the first installment of a series of posts entitled "A Very Vintage Christmas, Room by Room." The kitchen is the most fitting place to begin. Where else does family congregate this time of the year? Needing ideas on how to make your scullery scrumptious? Maybe there is a lover of cooking or baking on your Christmas shopping list. For inspiration, take a look at this curated collection of vintage goodness. I can smell the cookies now!

You can go a number of routes when crafting vintage Christmas decor for your home. I like to mix flashy pieces from the later fifties and sixties (like tinsel trees or big, outdoor holiday lights) with more rustic, rugged pieces such as plaid curtains and checkered fabrics from the 40's or fresh cyprus garlands. Blend your modern Crate & Barrel or sophisticated Pottery Barn pieces with playful reindeer ornaments, mossy terrariums filled snow capped model trees, homespun fabrics, and White Christmas inspired Vermont firewood bundles. Remember, you are aiming for a vintage feel in your home, not a vintage stage set for a play. 

1. Display your Vintage Cookbooks. Don't have any original editions? Snap up a few classics re-done in their original covers like Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook and Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. They make great gifts and they'll provide you with a tasty array of old-time Christmas recipes for your holiday feast.

2. One can never have too many Tea Towels-- especially if they are retro as can be like this Airfix Kitchen Dish Cloth, $15 from Etsy. Wrap a bottle of your favorite bubbly in one of these cuties, tie it with a ribbon et viola! An instant hostess gift-- sure to deliver some holiday cheer.

3. A Kitchenaid Mixer's design has withstood the test of time and deserves a special place in every vintage-inspired kitchen. If you already own one of these cullinary workhorses, it's time to shine it up and get cracking on those holiday treats! Consider bequeathing one to the newlyweds in your life, they will be ever so grateful.

4. Bring Mason Jars into your winter decor-scheme by making Vintage Jar Snow Globes or Christmas terrariums to adorn the tops of your cupboards and windowsills. Check out a tutorial here.

5. Framed Chalkboards are the perfect way to spell out your favorite Christmas messages. This looker in teal is a respectable 24x30 inches-- large enough to hold its own atop your kitchen hutch.

6.  Bring on the Fresh Christmas Greenery- Unlit wreaths and garlands look stunning hanging over cabinets and sideboards a simple striped ribbon will tie it all together (source). 

7. Who says you can't look festive whilst you make a mess? I'm loving this sweet, vintage-inspired Cherry Pie Apron from Anthropologie.

8. Checkered Tablecloths aren't just for picnics or Italian dinners. They offer a sweet, homey touch to your holiday tablescape. At a mere $13.99, this spread is a no-brainer.

9. Bring on the Tinsel Tree! You already have a formal tree in your living room, liven things up with a vintage standard in your kitchen. Buy an affordable tabletop sized tree and pop it into a cherry red, enamelware bucket it will make an sweet table centerpiece. Decorate it with vintage ornaments such as these and your kiddos' popsicle stick creations or, to keep things strictly kitchen-themed, vintage cookie cutters looped with colorful yarn or ribbon. 

More ideas:

Ornaments in Large Jars and Cake Stands- Pull out your glass domed cake stands or glass canister jars of varying heights and fill them with vintage ornaments. These will add a great pop of color over your kitchen cabinets or on a table as a centerpiece.

Vintage Thermos Vases- Line up your kitchen table with a grouping of vintage thermoses from the 40's and 50's. They come in every size and color/pattern, from awesome red and green plaids to ribbed silver aluminum. Clip a few branches off the back of your Christmas tree (the side no one sees), fill your "vases" and presto! Instant, rugged centerpiece!

Hanging Cookie Cutters- String vintage cookie cutters up on ribbons of varying colors and lengths. Hang them in your windows to add bling to your kitchen.

Secrets to an Effortless, Industrial Farmhouse Kitchen

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It's hard not to love the effortless look of an industrial farmhouse kitchen. In my tenure as a lover of said style, I've come up with a few common denominators that will help your kitchen evoke less of a cookie cutter and more of a "like butter (freshly churned)!" look. 

Disclaimer: This is my interpretation of the industrial chic/ farmhouse kitchen "look" and is therefore a bit more infused with color and vintage elements than other, more minimalist interpretations of the style.

#1. A Reclaimed Barnwood Table and/or Kitchen Island (or something similarly rustic)

You are looking for something that can handle wear and tear with grace. The more scratching, smudging and scuffing, the better! 

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2. Mismatched Chairs! Go for various shapes, sizes, colors and materials. An option would be to do mismatched chairs on one side, and a wooden bench on the other. If it feels too disjointed for your sensibilities, consider matching, neutral chair pads.

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3. Utilitarian Lighting. Consider bringing outdoor light fixtures inside! You could spend some serious money at places like here and here, but check out this sweet Home Depot option for a fraction of the price!

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4. A farmhouse sink! Lovely, lovely, lovely. Perfect to roll up your sleeves and scrub a pot or get a painting project off your hands.

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5. A a vintage statement piece. This could be a vintage fridge, a salvaged sign or galvanized storage shelves. The sky is the limit. Many of these items seem impossibly expensive, but I'm convinced that a bit of yard saleing, thrifting, rummage sale sifting, and craiglisting will soon yield me a statement piece without breaking the bank!

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I've come very close... I found an awesome vintage refrigerator a few months back, through word of mouth. A lady was trying to get rid of her mother's old appliances and was willing to sell it to me for $70. It was aqua and chrome and super charming... Only problem, it worked for about 10 minutes and then went kaput, at which point she was willing to give it to me for $40. As swoony as it was, I just couldn't justify bringing home a broken fridge!

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6. The right accessories. I, for one, love to fill spaces with junk! When accessorizing an industrial farmhouse kitchen, however, excessive tschotskes are to be avoided. The key is for everything to feel useful, gathered over time, and interesting. These are the items that will warm up, an otherwise sterile style.

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Awkward Space Solutions- Above Kitchen Cabinets

If your home was built in the past century and has standard ceiling heights, chances are, the tops of your kitchen cabinets boast excellent storage opportunities. The age-old question, however, would be, "what to store up there?" It can't be something you use on a daily or even weekly basis, in order for your collection to shine, you'll have to commit to dusting a bit more, and for goodness sake it can't look cluttered! This awkward space can prove to be a challenge.

Well, here are a few ideas I found to share with you (and no, fake ivy is not one of them!):

Plates- Snag some plate hangers are your local craft store and display a fun collection up high. You could go for a mono-chromatic look or embrace the beauty of vintage, mismatched plates!

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Industrial Salvage- Whether it be letters, signs, panels, you name it! Large scale pieces of history will look awesome above your cabinets. The chippier the better!

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Cake Stands! Stack these beauties up (safely) for a lovely, tiered look. If your cake stands aren't clear, you can prevent slippage when stacking by cutting out discreet circles of the rubber no slip pads that go under rugs!

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Baskets- A great hiding spot to stash extra, non-essential items. Decor and storage at the same time!

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I couldn't find any photos of these looks on top of cabinets, but I think they would be great: Vintage mixers, vintage blenders, or any vintage small kitchen appliance in a collection! Vintage bread boxes, wire crates filled with rolled-up vintage tablecloths, large vintage fans, apple crates, the sky is the limit!

What I'm In The Market For...

When it comes to furniture, I'm sure many of you are like me and do not have the budget to pick something out of a catalog and have it shipped and assembled on whim. This can, at times, be frustrating, but it does force me to be creative and always on the alert for items with potential at Goodwill, on Craigslist, or at a granny estate sale.

So, without further ado, I present to you my long term wish list:

A vintage china cabinet that is narrow enough to fit in our dining room. I have a whole set of lovely china from our wedding and a bevy of retro cake stands just itching to be displayed! Alas, they will remain in boxes, nestled in their newspaper cocoons, until I find the right home for them.

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Nightstands for our bedroom. I have paid our bedroom only a fraction of the attention I have given the rest of our little farmhouse. I'd really prefer not to go buy crappy mdf side tables at Ikea, so I will wait until the perfect little set (or even mismatched pair) with character pops up. My husband hates me even mentioning that I want to paint real wood, but I think he'll get over it if the nightstands are cheap enough;)

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A new Sofa. There's pretty much nothing in our house, furniture-wise, that we've spent over $100 on. In fact, the great majority of our items are hand-me-downs or estate sale finds. Go us! That being said, when we are ready to purchase a couch we will probably not go vintage. Why? Well, vintage is great for accent furniture and side chairs, but nothing beats the comfort and durability of a modern sofa. I've hunted down a few models that have a nice vintage look without the smell and discomfort factor;)

So, in a magical world, I'd stumble across these beauties in a bargain basement...

Love the Anson Sofa from Room and Board!

Azure Sofa from Crate and Barrel

Greenwich Sofa from Pottery Barn

Ahh, isn't the internet fun for window shopping? What's on your wish list? Maybe I'll come across it the next time I'm thrifting and can snag it for you! Just leave me a comment with a few links!

Mid Century Modest with Pam Kueb

Here is a follow up to my post on mid century kitchens! I love what Pam says about the difference between mid-century modern and mid-century modest. She has atriculated a decor style that I absolutely love!

Mid Century Kitchens

We've tossed around the idea of purchasing a mid century ranch-style home and updating it where needed, but keeping and highlighting all the features that make it charming. It's in our dream stash. Here are a few fabulous mid century kitchens that have me swooning:

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Below are some modern renovations of mid century kitchens. Love 'em!

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