October 15, 2011
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Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!
I’m in a tight spot again. It’s that time of year. Last year at this time, I thought, “I need to remember this and gear up early next year.” But that’s easier said than done and here I am. Mini Mustard Seed and I are glittering and gluing just about every spare minute. Today we turned our attention to shopping. I need stuff to fill my entire room at Lucketts to the brim, so we set out today to hit an antique mall I’ve never been to. Success. We found four shopping carts full of stuff and a great old farm table. We found some of my favorites…a fan, scales, ironstone… …and wire baskets, galvanized bins and cool architectural pieces. (I have really cool plans for that wagon.) …and I also found a lot of one specific thing I was looking for… …silver. I want my entire room to sparkle
One thing I have thoroughly enjoyed about blogging is meeting amazing, resourceful and creative women who have started their own businesses. I have met some all-around awesome entrepreneurs. One that I had the pleasure of meeting last week was Yasmin (and her sister, Nadia) of Wuslu. We met for dinner in Frederick, MD and I was fascinated to learn their story. I’m going to share it with you one day, because it’s so inspiring. At dinner, we kicked around a bunch of ideas and one thing we came up with was Miss Mustard Seed’s pick of the month. If you’re not familiar with Wuslu, it’s an online home decor shop that offers only one item each day. Because the item is bought in a high volume, it’s less expensive and the savings are passed on to you. Brilliant, right? So, each day they have a hand picked item up for sale
There are times when I see something that is fabulous and I really want it. Now that I have a blog and antiques business, I have a reason to buy some of those “must haves.” Perpetual calendars have been on my radar for a while, but I never felt a burning desire for one until I spotted one on The Savoy Flea. It was all over after that. One must be mine. I needed one. You know, for photo shoots. For my business. Finding one is a part of my job. OK, that is a bit of an excuse, but it is partly true. You are going to see this in a lot of pictures. I purchased it from the Etsy shop AM Radio. Sigh. Love. Are there any “must haves” you’ve been drooling over lately?
I set out Friday afternoon to hit one of my favorite antique shops and I was not disappointed. I found… A small storage caddy that was handmade out of vintage cheese boxes. How resourceful is that? And I love the grass green color. …a tool caddy. Again, I love the color of the chippy, worn paint. …an antique sheet music book. …and some antique primers, readers and other books. I love ones with names or inscriptions inside. I can’t resist the history they hold. All of these things are headed to Lucketts next week!
I tell you…things could not have worked out more perfectly. I posted about my bamboo mat last night and received an e-mail this morning from one of my sponsors, Wuslu, notifying me that MY bamboo mat is the deal of the day TODAY!! (July 27) I swear this wasn’t planned. You can buy it today only, while supplies last, for the great price of $134 plus $5 shipping. It gets even better, though. Wuslu and I thought it was the perfect time to offer one up for a giveaway! To enter, visit Wuslu and browse through their history, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know which past product was your favorite. That’s it! If you are the lucky winner of this giveaway and have already purchased this rug from Wuslu today, a full refund will be issued back to you. So grab one now while supplies last! You
Since first showing the bamboo mat in my dining room, I have received tons of e-mails and questions about it, so I thought it was due time to write a “tell all” post. I initially bought two mats wholesale from a friend to use in my tents at antique shows. When they arrived, I couldn’t resist rolling one out in my dining room, which was rug-less. I was pretty convinced it wouldn’t look right, but I can’t have something new come into my house without playing with it. Well, my gut on that one was totally wrong. It looked great It brought something different to the room. A little quirky and unexpected. It’s been a great back drop for photo shoots… …and fun to test in other rooms… …and made its way into the wedding I decorated… …my booth at the Lucketts Antique Market in May… …and now in my
I love using contrasts in decorating. I’m definitely a “high contrast” kind of girl. Some people like calm, monochromatic spaces. I like deep blue mixed with white. Dark floors in a cream room. A primitive cupboard filled with silver. I think contrasts make a space look interesting. This is one reason why I am attracted to junk haunts as well as higher end antique stores. This is also why I look for things that are humble as well as those that are show-offs. This leads me to my topic today…dough bowls. I’ve wanted one for a long time, but never found one at a price I was willing to pay. I love the hand carved marks, the worm holes, the warmth of the wood, the shape. The Nester wrote a great post on dough bowls a few months ago and that amped up my desire. Have you ever noticed how seeing a friend,
I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.
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