From Hideous to Haute Part 1

I love going on thrifting adventures...the other day I was at Goodwill just browsing, when a very unusual chair caught my eye. I looked at it and thought to myself, that is one of the most hideous things I have ever seen. But I kept on looking at it...and then I started thinking to myself that maybe it had some potential for a makeover. What will your husband say if you come home with this monstrosity? I thought. I almost passed over it. But it just seemed to be staring at me forlornly,  as if resigned to its fate. So, I picked it up, gave it one more good long gaze, and proudly dragged it up to the checkout counter.

Isn't it hideous? The plastic cover was cracked, and the seat cushion had some water damage. After  unwrapping it, a closer inspection revealed yet another charming feature- the chair had been broken in half! And screwed back together....they didn't even bother to line it up properly or use wood glue.

 My next step was to disassemble the upholstery. I began with the cushion; this is what remained after a lot of cutting, ripping, and staple pulling. I threw away the foam cushion because it was disintegrating. All  I kept was the wood base.

The next step was my favorite part so far. I maybe had a little too much fun attacking the seat back with a pair of scissors.

The foam inside the seat back was so deteriorated that it looked like red clay. I almost thought that a mud dauber had built a nest inside the chair. It didn't help when my brother told me that he hoped I didn't catch typhoid.

This is what it looks like now! I'm ready to repaint and reupholster and can't wait to see the end product....stay tuned for the reveal in part 2!

Birds of Paradise

My grandmother seemed to have a fascination with birds.....I own some of her vintage jewelry, and her collection includes pieces with an owl, hummingbird, flamingo, and some type of blue bird. My grandmother and I share many similar interests so it is not surprising to me that I love to wear birds too! Spring is almost here, and I can't wait to wear these pieces..

My favorite thing about this enamel pendant is that it is reversible!

Snow Bunny

It is snowing!!! A lot!! For those of you that don't live in the south, this is a big deal. So my darling husband went gallivanting into the winter wonderland with me to capture it on film. There are quite a few more shots on this post than I  usually include....I probably got a little carried away. But, how often do I get pose in the snow?

Bird Cage

I finally got my wedding gown preserved...almost a year after the event. Anyways, I took it to my parents house to store and decided to look through some of my wedding decorations.  I can't believe that one year ago I was  furiously folding origami hummingbirds and fans (which of course, since I am one of those people who over-prepares, made about 100 hummingbirds and only used about 15). It was all worth it though!

Vintage Valentines

I got these vintage valentines from a sweet lady in her 70s who has an Etsy shop! You buy the graphics and then you can print out as many as you want....check out her shop here.

My Valentine

Valentines Day. The holiday that I eagerly anticipated every year in elementary school slowly morphed into the holiday that I most dreaded as a college student.

 In elementary school, everybody decorates a cute box to bring to school on Valentines day. On said day, everybody gets a valentine from everybody in the class. And candy. How fun is that? In high school, I held my breath, hoping that this would be the year my crush sent me something through the gift delivery. Nope. Of course he didn't. He had know idea I wanted some stupid overpriced teddy bear from him. By the time college arrived, I just rolled my eyes every time I saw girls walking around campus with flowers, candy, and huge stuffed animals(which, their boyfriends ended up carrying for them anyways because they couldn't do it in high heels with a book bag). Most of those girls weren't dating the same guys by the end of the semester anyways.  

Now, however, I love Valentines Day! I finally found the man worthy of my time and attention. I've spent the day with him as both my boyfriend and fiancee, and now I get to spend it this year with him as my husband!

Here are some adorable candies I found at the Dollar Tree, which has some of the most irresistible holiday merchandise!