Etsy finds: armchairs

So this week I've been feeling the heat as in 'oh god when will summer be over so I can just wear black and not feel like I'm melting into a big puddle of grossness' that pretty much sums it up actually.  But one thing I will miss about summer when it is finally over is all the fabulous bright prints and fun colours that hang around.  I love autumn and the lovely colour palette that goes with it but summer colours are so much fun.  Luckily it is not yet widely acceptable to redecorate your home to fit with the seasons (other than the obvious holiday decorations duh) so we can have summer brightness in our homes all year round.  And if you're looking for such a thing I have the answer!  It comes in the name of Namedesignstudio and in the form of fabulous furniture.  Get a load of these guys. . .

The actual studio is in Istanbul, Turkey and the items are handmade by Jo Supara and Ali Tarakci.  These chairs are just stunning aren't they.  My favourite is the one at the top, the Patchwork armchair with Suzani and dark purple velvet fabrics.  Its so mysterious and moody.  What's your favourite?

Birthday sale!

As I'm celebrating 23 years of life today I've decided to spread the happy cheer and have a one day birthday sale in my etsy shop Raining Cats and Frogs.  All you have to do is head over to my shop, pick some lovely vintage items you just can't live without and enter this code at the checkout ITSABIRTHDASYSALE23

This sale lasts until midnight tonight and applies to orders £10 and over.  Enjoy!

New Etsy listing: Vintage mens grooming kit

There are some lovely markets and carboot sales here in the North East of England, there's even a vintage fair or two (which I'm getting very excited about).  I love to rummage around peoples rubbish as you may have guessed.  At a recent market in the lovely Chester-le-street I happened across this darling vintage mens grooming kit.  All it needed was a little cleaning and it was good to go up on Etsy.

Isn't it the sweetest thing?  It comes with a removable mirror, comb, brush and two chromium plated dispensers.  Check it out here.

I have a bunch of vintage books prettifying my bookcase but I think maybe it's time to bite the bullet and whack them up on Etsy too. . .

Etsy finds: for the home

I've been spending a lot of time on Etsy lately, basically marveling at how creative and imaginative people can be.  There is so much on there it literally takes hours and hours out of my day when I get 'lost' on the site.  So I fancied writing a blog post about my favourite finds from today.  I could spend all day sharing the things I like and still have more.  So I'm gonna restrict myself to three sellers that caught my eye.

The first is the shop ObviousState which sells literary artworks, cards, posters etc.  Anything that combines books and art is gonna grab my attention and these illustrations are fascinating.  I haven't seen a single one I don't want to own.  Click the images for the links.

Write drunk; edit sober.  So simple and funny.

 

I don't need another notebook. . .or do I?  I know I want this one.  So so badly.

Next up is Oh, Albatross, a lovely mix of homeware and toys.  I really love the styling of the photographs.  The grey background is perfect and the styling simple; they really stand out from the crowd.

Something about this reclaimed paperweight really appeals to me.  It's rustic and chunky and I totally don't need a paperweight but I want this in my life.

I'm still loving the copper accessory trend, especially in minimalistic surroundings.

And last but not least is Dprintsclayful which sells an array of ceramic items from teapots to personalized hand prints.

I think I'm becoming a tad obsessed with teapots and these are beautiful.  The lace detail makes me think of Alice in Wonderland.  Can't you imagine this blue teapot at the Mad Hatters tea party?

They are so delicate looking.  I really love the cream and white versions because they are so classy and understated.

I'm always looking out for new shops to explore so if you have any you'd like to share don't be shy!

Ballot box no.2

So here are some pictures of the second finished ballot box, freshly waxed and feeling smooth.  This time I distressed the paint more and used ledger paper to line the inside.  The paper is actually from the treasure haul from my grans loft.  There were several 'takings' books in the haul and this particular one has lots of stamps and signatures on the pages.  I like to think of them as interesting gibberish.

And it is currently on sale in my etsy shop.  Click the images for the link

New vintage finds for my etsy shop

So I made my first sale which was super exciting.  Although not without its difficulties due to a part of the dining room ceiling falling in and crushing some of the beautiful china.  Sob.  And I have some new finds to share with you today and hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to show you the other ballot box in all its finished glory!

I'm very happy with them.  The gold plates are especially beautiful as they are covered in the gold ivy pattern.  And they are all for sale (with more pictures) in my etsy shop.  Click the images for the link.

Project: ballot box

So I got my hands on a couple of old battered ballot boxes.  They were coated with this awful thick black paint and looked a little bit sad.  Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced my 'before' pictures but I have lots of the finished product.

I got my hands on an electric sander for the first time which was awesome.  I sanded all the gross black paint away and gave it a pale blue paint job.  I actually thought I picked up grey paint but nevermind, I like the result nonetheless.

Then I decoupaged the interior with vintage sheet music.  The yellowy pages are like a hidden detail, I love hidden details.

  

Then I buffed her up real nice with beeswax.  The effect is great, the paint looks really rough but when you touch it it's totally smooth.

The ballot box is currently up for sale in my etsy shop here.  When I found these boxes I had no idea what to do with them, when was the last time I saw a ballot box anyway?  One solution is for storage, like this one here but I think the other should be something different.  Maybes shelves?  Or a really really decorative box.  Any ideas?

Project typewriter

I have finally finished restoring my typewriter!  Well restoring may be the wrong word as I have gone for a more worn look for it but I still think it looks prettier than when I got it.  Unfortunately I wasn't forward thinking enough to take before and during pictures but I do have plenty of after photographs.  

I am currently selling this in my etsy shop here

This typewriter started life as a bland beige, so very sad to look upon.  Now it has attitude and demands center stage!

I used pink enamel paint all over the body and sanded it to a worn, matte look.  I left the keys and base the original grey colour and I think the colours go well together.

It is missing the guiding ruler which is unfortunate but it doesn't detract from the beauty of the typewriter.

And unfortunately I don't have a users manual although I have searched high and low for one.

I have cleaned and oiled the innards and will supply a new ribbon.  The finicky cleaning was actually my favourite part of this project.

What do you think?  It was a love/hate project but I powered through and I adore the result.

Etsy find: Vintage sunglasses

Hi guys, I just happened to stumble across an Etsy shop selling THE cutest vintage sunglasses.  Get a load of these bad lads

Aren't they dreamy.  I have such a thing for cat eye frames.  They're soooo glamorous!  It's really about time I get myself some.  The shop is GreenFlamingoVintage and there are so many frames to choose from.  Here are a few of my picks, enjoy!

Stunning Jean Paul Gaultier steampunk sunglasses

These are so stylin' librarian

Fendi cats eye havana

SO Mod!

Flip-up sunglasses