Fresh for Spring!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  We had amazing weather that just reassures me that we are getting closer and closer to spring!  Aside from enjoying the weather, I was busy working my fingers to the bones making some new pieces for the shop!  I thought it would be fun to show you the transformation of the pieces I found this weekend and what they turned into.

Remember the goods?

I started with the white filigree brooch.  I really wanted to make something fresh and happy feeling and this is what I came up with.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  Just what I had in mind.  I think this one could be dressed up for work, or dressed down with jeans and a pretty blouse or an easy sun dress.

Next, I used the pink brooch.  This one is really fun and easy to wear!

Lastly, I wanted to share another necklace I made this weekend.  I have made one like this before and it sold in minutes at the "Ladies Night Out" event I did last week!  It takes hours to make, but is worth it in the end because the look is so dramatic!

I'm in love with this color combo!  The pink and the grays are so soft and pretty.  Well I'm off to visit Hobby Lobby!  We got one recently, and I have yet to go so I think it's definitely a place I need to checkout!

More Vintage Goodies!

I went to a local flea market today, and came across some things that I could not pass up!  I have always admired vintage fans, because honestly, they were made much more attractive back in the day!  New fans in all the plastic glory are just not so appealing.  I came across this amazing aqua blue one today and I am in LOVE!  I was originally thinking I would list it in my shop, but once I got it home I realized there is no way I can part with it!

She needs a little cleaning, but is in near perfect condition!  Isn't she a beauty?!  This fan would go in almost any room in my house too, which is also nice.

Next up are some jewelry bits and pieces that I will likely turn into necklaces.  I love the flowers for spring!

I think I had a bit of a blonde moment though!  You see the little oval pin with the "B" on it?  At first glance I thought it was an "R" for Rachel!  Oops!  Now I've got a random "B", maybe someone out there will want it!

And lastly, I could not pass up these charming brass deer!  They will get a fresh coat of paint, and into the new shop they will go!

I'm thinking white for these guys.  Well, I hope you are enjoying your weekend and it is filled with all the things you love to do! 

Treasure Hunting

I'm excited to show you guys some new arrivals from The Golden Nest!  I have been doing tons of treasure hunting lately, and had some time today to take some pictures(in between clouds and sunshine...darn finicky weather!) and get some things listed in the shop.

Up first is a fun iron wall sconce.  When I first found it, it was a hideous gold/white, hard to even describe but take my word:  It was Ugly!!  Anyway, I freshened it up a bit with some turquoise paint and here she is!

Next up are some charming vintage spoons.  I found an eclectic mix of them and thought they could be used for all sorts of projects.  Lately, I am seeing alot of people using them as garden markers.  You hammer the head flat, and stamp "basil", "thyme", or whatever else you want to grow.

They're old and worn and I love them!  Plus, they have the prettiest details.

Speaking of old and worn, these keys are just that!  But aren't they cool?  I made a necklace using a vintage key for my sister in law.  The patina they have all developed is so charming to me :)

It was really hard for me to not keep the milk glass vases for myself.  I have developed quite the collection of milk glass.  There's something about it that's so simple and pure.

And lastly, a perfect pair of these gorgeous, sunny, yellow planters!  I have to say, I really wanted to keep these too!!  This is going to be really hard to give up all the amazing finds I come across ;)

Hope you have a happy weekend!  I can't believe it's here already!  I've got some more painting to do for a few other goodies, and can hopefully share those with you soon!

Doily Inspiration

I have had this photo saved in my computer for some time now, and I don't remember where I found it, but I have been wanting to recreate this runner.  I like the white alot, but I have a white farmhouse table so it wouldn't really stand out at all if I used the white doilies. 

While searching Etsy I found some fun, bright alternatives.

I already have this vintage pink crocheted runner, but I really want to change things up.

Another thought would be to collect a bunch of white ones and dye them a pale aqua blue.  What do you think?  White?  Multi colored?  Or aqua??

Ladies Night Out!

This evening was so much fun.  I was invited to sell my jewelry at a "Ladies Night Out" event, and thought I'd share my table display with you!  The night was filled with women, food, wine, and shopping!  What a great combo, huh?!  My amazing friend Elizabeth(who has an awesome blog) accompanied me and I put her skills of displaying goods beautifully to work!  She and I met while working together for a local design firm, so this girl has got the creative eye too!  Plus she's a great friend to chat with to pass the time :) 

Elizabeth let me borrow these gorgeous trays from her Stella and Dot business. We used them to display fun necklaces.

I came up with display for my post earrings last minute and I love the way it turned out!  I found the teeniest, tiniest clothes pins!

All in all it was a very successful event and now it's back to work!  I have lots of new, exciting things to come!

Oh Happy Day!

Today was an amazing, and unusually warm one!  We hit temps around 75 degrees!!  Not our typical February weather, but I'll take it!  I have been dreaming of spring lately, and today was such a teaser as I know it's not going to stick around for too long!  However, I did spot a definite sign of spring today.

Our bulbs are starting to shoot up!  Woohoo!  I love seeing that because I know that spring is within grasp now!  We've got bulbs all over the place.  Two falls ago I planted over 100 bulbs in different varieties in addition to the ones we already had.  We've got the most common hyacinth, daffodils, and many variations of tulips, as well as some others that I don't know the name of off the top of my head but they were pretty on the package so in the ground they went!

Now if only my dahlias would come up.  They're amazing!  They're "dinnerplate dahlias" which litterally means they are the size of a dinnerplate.  I still have a while to wait for those though, they don't start blooming til mid to late summer.  I'll leave you with a stunning picture so you can dream along with me ;)

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Unfinished Business

Remember the 2 bathrooms I renovated with my brother and sister-in-law?  Well before those, came mine.  Last summer my husband and I decided to take on the task of tiling our guest bathroom.  This was something we had not done before, but with the projects we had done together we were confident we made a good enough team to get it done!  It all started with a frisky little feline....

(He's a cute little booger isn't he?!)

You see, Salem doesn't like to miss out on any action.  When my husband and I are hauling something big in, like a piece of furniture, and we have the door wide open, he loves to be in the middle of everything and usually bolts out the door to eat grass.  But he's an indoor kitty so this is not allowed!  I promise I'm getting back to my point...usually we have to close him up in the bathroom to avoid squishing under foot, or missing kitty.  Hence this....

 
See that lovely hole in the lovely sheet of linoleum?  Yes, thanks Salem.  So as you can see, we needed a little updating, and freshening up!  Out with the old, and in with the  new!

I chose a white on white vintage style hexagon tile.  I also chose to customize it with a green glass tile border.  It was a lot of work, as I had to lay out every single tile, mark where the border would go, and cut the white tiles out so I could lay the green in.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  Wish I had thought about how fun it would be to clean white tile with white grout ;)  Oh well, you live and learn!

The problem is, we kind of ran out of steam after all that!  I'm a little embarassed to say that we have yet to add the quarter round to finish it off!  So with the next couple of days forecasting in the upper 60's to mid 70's I am vowing to finish this project!  I am pretty handy with a miter saw and the nail gun I got for Christmas, so I think I can get this done while hubs is at work!  Maybe I'll just suprise him ;)  Wish me luck!

I love Ikat!

Ikat prints have been around for a long, long time, but they have been gaining a lot of attention and popularity lately.  Let's take a look at some ways these gorgeous ikat prints are used, shall we?

(by ModernMarvelousHome)

(by Anthropologie)

(by Company C...love their rugs by the way!)

(by Anthropologie)

(by Company C)

(by lilcoletterpress)

Aren't they fun?  I love the bright, bold colors most commonly used in these prints.  Wouldn't those cards above make beautiful framed prints?

Vintage Love and a Grand Opening

I don't think I have said this before but I have a background in Interior Design.  And while I have worked on many high end homes, and enjoy all design styles, my personal taste(partially because I am young and broke so I have to be thrifty!) is vintage/eclectic.  I love the thrill of the hunt and finding that amazing piece to come home with me to have a new life!   To me, vintage brings a comforting, warm feel to a home and reminds me of simpler times.

Now onto my exciting news!  I have been working on opening a new Etsy shop to share my love for all things vintage!  So I now present to you...



The Golden Nest is my new Etsy shop!  I am offering fun, unique vintage finds, as well as upcycled, repurposed vintage items!  Here's a little sample of what you might find in my shop!

Painted Mirrors

Funky Wall Decor

Upcycled Chalk Boards

Retro Accessories

Fun, right?  I think everyone could use a little vintage in their home ;)  I hope you will stop by and check out my new shop!


And remember the "Sneak Peak" I posted about a while back?  Well, I decided that I needed a chalkboard for my kitchen!

(sorry for the poor photo quality here, lighting in my kitchen is terrible!)


Do you love it?!  I do!  Remember my crazy, colorful kitchen? It fits in just perfect in a strange corner between my fridge and cabinets.  A chalk board is the perfect piece for keeping lists, or just telling a sweet someone you love them ;)  I found that ugly old painting and knew it was the perfect size and style for what I wanted to do with it!  I think the blue adds a fun touch as well.

I hope you and your special someone have an amazing Valentine's Day!

Not Your Mama's Stencils

While browsing my favorite website:  Etsy(duh!), I came across these really cool stencils.  They give the look of a high end wallpaper, but on a shoestring budget!  Imagine the possiblities...the powder room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom feature wall, entryway, and on and on!

(found here)

(found here)

(found here)

(found here)

Now I'm just trying to think of where I have an available space left in my house to do some stenciling!  My favorite is the Moroccan style geometric 2nd from the top.  What do you think?  Would you tackle this kind of DIY project?  I think they are amazing and all under $50!

Giveaway Alert!

I have teamed up with the beautiful Collette, from Statements in Fashion for a fun giveaway!  This necklace is one of my current favorites.  Turquoise and red are the most vibrant, gorgeous mix and I think this would add some fun to any hum drum outfit!  ;)  So head on over and visit Collette for your chance to win!

(Go Here for details on this necklace)

Good Luck!!! :)

Dreaming of Spring

Don't get me wrong, I like winter...but I love spring and summer.  These winter months tend to be long and tiring.  I find myself shortly after fall is over longing for the warmer days when all you need to do is throw on a dress and some sandals and out the door you go!  Ruche is one of my alltime favorite boutiques and they have introduced their new spring line.  If you have not heard of them yet, check out their site!!  You won't be sorry!  It's equivalent to Anthropologie in style, but much more friendly on the wallet.  I have many of their pieces and love every single one of them! 

Here are some items that have made it to my wishlist:

This dress could work for so many occasions!  Throw a cardigan on with it for work, or cute sandals for backyard parties!

*love*

Polka dots and lace?  Who wouldn't love that?!

Jeans and sandals and it's the perfect "run around town" outfit!

So, really I think I would take one of everything from Ruche!  But for now, this is my more realistic wish list. 

So what's on your wishlist?  Are you longing for spring yet?  What's your favorite shop/boutique to perk you up when you've got the winter blues?