More Chair Love
This weeks chair love: a recent find of Apartment Therapy reader Alex. Alex found this chair and is now asking the Apartment Therapy readers to help him identify it. Some of the readers think it might be a Gastone Rinaldi chair from the 70’s, worth quite a but of money if it is genuine. To me, money or no, it is really cute. I think it could be even cuter with some new funky fabric or leather cushions (which is what Alex is thinking about doing).
If you know anything more about the chair or it’s style, check out the post and let Alex know the scoop. Otherwise, if you are like me, just sit there and drool away.
Need Your Expertise
On Sunday Tony and I visited my grandparents. My grandma gave me some dishes and also two antique picture frames. She didn’t know much about them, except that they are old. I’ll say! The back of one picture has some writing on it that says 1898! I know the frames are cross corner with leaves, and that they used to be quite popular. Do you have any more information on these frames or the pictures inside?
This is the writing on the back of one picture. We can't make out all of the words, but we can read 1898!
I would love to know more about these, so if you know anything, let me hear it!
Vintage Cuteness
The past weekend my dad and his wife brought us a little vintage present. They had been cleaning and we about to get rid of this find when they realized Tony and I would probably love it. Which we did! What they found was a set of eight drink glasses and a party dish in a carrier. The glasses have gold leaves on them. So neat!
Isn’t this great!? It was just sitting down there in their basement! This will be great for our next party.
Chair Love This Week
A little late this week, but here is my new chair fling:
This is a mid-century modern chrome and velvet armchair that is for sale on Craigslist here: http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fuo/1003947247.html
I just think it is so cute. It would make an odorable desk or vanity chair.
Little Coaster Project
Tony has Dallas Cowboys coasters. I have Chicago Bears coasters. Neither were going to be displayed in our nice living room. I love football as much as anybody, but the football paraphernalia is reserved for the basement game room/bar. So, we needed some nice coasters to protect our living room tables. I change my mind frequently, so I wanted something inexpensive or changeable. That’s when I found these. The Dollar Store had a pack of four glass coaster for a couple bucks! Not only are they cheap, but they are changeable. They are the kind of coasters meant for inserting a picture under the glass. I decided to put a piece of black and silver damask wrapping paper in the picture slot. Here was my process:
My supplies. All I used was a scissors and the material (wrapping paper).
I used the blank piece of paper that came in the frame as a guide to cut a rectangle out of the wrapping paper. It then slides into a clear picket in the coaster frame. It was really THAT simple.
This is what it looked like slid into the coaster frame.
Here they all are with the wrapping paper inserted.
They even have their own little wooden holder.
It was so simple and I can change what is in the frames any time I want to. The glass is also very easy to clean off. I wish they were all black, as I am not so fond of the different colors, but it does make it easier to keep track of your drink. And, for a few dollars, who can complain?
I’m A {Wedding} Geek
Yup, its true. I’m a geek. I love to plan, and organize, and make lists, and check things off…
So, planning for the wedding is no different. I decided to put the wedding planning ideas onto paper and stay organized. There are so many thoughts bouncing around in my head right now, this was the only way to keep sane!
I checked into wedding planners. But, they seemed like a crazy waste of money, as they can be upwards of $50! Some are very cute, and yes, it is a great way to keep the memories of the process, and even pass the information along to other brides-to-be, but…
I decided (after very little debate) to make my own. I got a thin, white three-ring binder and put tabs in it. I labeled the tabs into categories I thought would be most helpful. These tabs have changed a few times, but I think I finally have it. I also bought some cute post-it notes and sticky tabs to make notes and mark things. I have scoured the blog world for ideas and inspiration, and have used these resources to put the information into the planner. Everything will be at my fingertips. I even found printable versions of budgets and timelines to keep the planner organized. Other images in the planner have come from various bridal magazines. As we get closer to the big day we won’t miss a single detail with my geeky planning skills and my beautiful, new, handmade, planner.
These are the tabs I have used so far:
- Guest List
- Budget
- Resources
- Dress Ideas
- Brides Maids
- Tuxes
- Invitations
- Music
- Food
- Reception Ideas
- Gifts
- Day Of
These tabs could be different for everyone, but since I am doing almost everything myself, I had to keep many different categories. I am also splitting some of the categories down further into sub-categories, such as Reception Ideas. There will be tabs for things such as cakes, flowers and tables. I also inserted to clear pocket pouches in the binder, one for contracts and one for reciepts. This way the items in the pockets do not need holes punched in them.
If any of you other planning brides-to-be out there need any help getting organized, or have helpful hints, feel free to send me a message!
All of my materials, magazines, and books spread out on the floor to work!
My Planner! I simply printed up this simple, but pretty cover on the computer, printed it, and inserted into the binder pocket.
The inside of the planner. This is a budget page. You can see the tabs as well as some post-it notes.
One of the images in the planner. I simply love this suit, the vintage pinstripes, and the bow tie! It is even in our colors. The boutonierre can be made with Martha Stewart's help. We might be reproducing the whole picture!
P.S. My materials for this planner all came from Wal-Mart. They are very inexpensive, and have a pretty good selection. Yes, there are beautiful papers online, but I was to impatient to wait for something to come in the mail. The black and white damask post-its are adoarable and affordable there. That print is also available in many other supplies!
Little Christmas Shelf
For Christmas, my Secret Santa (my sister-in-law-to-be, Jess) got me the cutest little shelf. We have been debating where to hang it since then! After we arranged some things the other day, we found the perfect place in the living room. The colors match perfectly! She also got me the little diamond studded candle and the LOVE sign that are sitting on the shelf. It was just so adorable I had to post it. Take a look!
I know its dark, but this is the shelf hung in the corner of the living room behind the Eames lounger.
My Christmas gifts from Jess!
Finally Framed
Last night we finally found some square frames for the vintage fruit crate ads we have been wanting to hang in the kitchen. Square frames are hard to find! We got these at Micheal’s (what a great place!). We hung the ads on either side of the vintage Absinthe ad we already had hanging in the kitchen, just as we had planned. The colors look nice and bright, and they do fill that empty space above the landing strip. But, we still feel like maybe there is something missing here. Is it that the desk still looks dwarfed on that big wall? Are the ads just wrong there? Hmm… we will have to ponder that for a while. But, if any of you have any suggestions for us, we are all ears!
This is pretty much what the "finished" landing strip wall looks like.
A close up of the framed ads
I love how bright and fun the ads are! What do you think?
His TYPE Of Bride!
I have just the cutest ideas going on here. I wanted to add some vintage inspiration to the wedding, but didn’t want to overwhelm with it. I figured it out! Vintage typewriter keys! We have decided to give our groomsmen and other males in the wedding cufflinks with their initials made from vintage typewriter keys. They are cute and affordable. The same company makes necklaces which could be given to the ladies in the wedding.
http://www.estiloweddings.com/VINTAGE-TYPEWRITER-KEYS-CUFFLINKS-/cart.php?m=product_detail&c=1&p=668
There are other ways in which we could incorporate the keys into the wedding as well. We could use them to announce which table guests are seated at, or other embelishments. We have also been considering using an old typewriter at the reception for guests to type us a personalized note!
I think these ideas are so adorable! We will have to sort out which ideas to use in order to not go overboard, but we are definitely getting the cufflinks for groomsmen gifts. What do you think?
DIY Photobooth
My most favorite wedding idea that I have so far is a photobooth at the reception. I have see this done and it looks like so much fun! But, renting a photobooth would probably kill our entire budget. So, I have decided to make my own. I am going to enlist the handy help of my dad and grandpa in this project, so in order to save them some confusion I made a sketch of what I am imagining. I am no artist, but here is my idea so far:
I love the idea of guests taking random photos and leavign them for us as a surprise. Our only real question with this idea is what kind of camera to use. My fist thought was to use a Polaroid camera. I am planning on using my Polaroid to photograph guests as they first walk in also. They can sign these photos to make a unique guest book. The problem with using the Polaroid for the photobooth is the actual taking of the photos. Some one would either have to man the station the whole night or you would have to try to do the self-shot, which is rarely good. I read somewhere that you can set up a digital camera with a cord and button so the people can take their own photos from further away. Now I seem to be leaning more towards this idea. Any suggestions?
Image and more how-to info found here: http://est1976.blogsome.com/2007/09/10/how-to-make-a-photo-booth-for-your-wedding/
Make Mine Eclectic 