New Little Project
I love finding odds and ends to fix up, remodel, or work on that I can then add to our home. These little projetcs are fun for me and keep me busy. This new task is a stool from my grandmother. Its not new, not antique, not anything special really. I almost truned it down. But, she said that it opened up. That caught my interest. Then, she suggested that maybe I could keep some interesting photos in it. BINGO! I snatched it up in a hurry. I love a bit of unexpected, and her idea of putting snapshots in the stool was perfect. I plan to recover the top with some funky material. I’m not sure if I will paint it yet. Then I will add some old, random photos to the inside for company to explore. Cute! Any suggestions on print or paint? Let me know what you think!

So much potential...

Vintage photos tucked away in here would be perfect!
My Favorite Place In The World
Nope, not Hawaii. That ranks very high on my list, but not my top. My favorite place in the world is my grandparents’ house. That’s it. Simple. Ever since I was little they have had the coziest house (even after moving). Not only are they interesting people and amazing story tellers, but they have such a great home that brings back memories of staying there as a kid. They have always been antique collectors, and this is probably why I have an antique obsession. Their basement is packed with antiques, and trinkets, odds and ends, and so many goodies to look at. Now that I am older and have a house of my own, they have been slowly passing along some of my favorite gems to me. We went to their house for Christmas this year, and I ended up coming home with a truck load of goodies. I hope to someday inherit some more of their great furniture, but I also love the littles they send home with me. Here are a few of my favorite finds from my recent trip to my favorite place in the world:


A close up of the doors and some things stashed inside already.

This is an old pin cushion made from a hoof that we used to play with as kids. I know, kinda creepy, but I think it is totally cool!

This is an old lamp that needs some cleaning. It hangs from the ceiling and you put oil in it. The oil drips down the clear threads that run from the top to the bottom. The oil then glows colors when the light bulb is on. I think it looks kind of like early fiber optics. Its very neat, but has been stored and needs TLC. A project! YAY!

This is a Christmas tree made out of my grandma's antique jewelry. What a cool idea! It is framed in a very old frame and there are Christmas lights behind the black velvet. It is really so cute that I might have to leave it our all year!








When I get excited about something I lose all patience. Tony tells me constantly, “Calm down Jess, one thing at a time.” I’m trying, but just can’t control myself. Here is one small project we have completed. Just before we moved in here we went to an auction. We found this old little kitchen cupboard and scored in for $10. It’s back was burned and the sides were wrinkled, and paint was falling off. People probably thought we were crazy for even taking it home. But, a new back, a few dollars, and a lot of work later, we have a cute vintage kitchen island. The kitchen was too big not to have a table for more counter space, and this little guy solved our problem. Take a look! (I need to get better at remembering to take before photos of our projects! oops!)
