The Cottage Cheese

IBM Design (Part 1)

2011-02-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Brochure illustration by The Office of Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen Associates (for IBM Pavilion for the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York).

via point.line.plane.volume

Ruche Springtime Teaser

2011-02-08T19:23:00.000-05:00

Ruche has me craving warm sunny days...

Sunshine, where are you?

Go Pack Go!

2011-02-06T17:48:00.000-05:00

Are you watching the Superbowl tonight? Good food + good beer + good football = one fun evening. My Titans and Chargers may not have made it to the big game this year, but I love watching Green Bay play, so I'm pumped about this matchup.

here

And Aaron Rodgers is pretty easy on the eyes, too. (But check out the circa 1982 'stache here, Aaron's January '09 look.)

here

Go Packers!

The Dream Green Chair Pair

2011-02-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

I literally gasped when I saw this fabulous pair of Grete Jalk chairs on eBay this morning. My longtime readers know that I'm gaga for kelly green. Pair that affection with my love of Danish Modern lines and warm woods and you have what I consider to be THE perfect chair. And there are two. But at $1,225 with reserve not met, alas they will not be mine. My heart hurts a little.

The Loveliest Veil

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Had I seen this perfect, delicate birdcage veil by myrakim two years ago, I would have surely worn it in my wedding. L-o-v-e.

Style 028

Spring-like Weekend

2011-01-30T17:15:00.002-05:00

We've enjoyed the most beautiful weekend weather; it has me craving spring and digging in the garden. I wanted to plant some pansies yesterday, but alas I could not find any for sale. I had to settle for opening the doors and watching the breeze blowing the leaves of my little gold tree.

Perspective

2011-01-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

via

DIY - Paper Heart Garland

2011-01-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

Dottie Angel - one of the cleverest crafty gals ever - has posted instructions for this lovely paper heart garland. I may have to put my newfound sewing skills to the test on something other than pillows.

Warm.Wood.Windows

2011-01-25T16:53:00.001-05:00

Via Old Chum

Scandinavian Cottage Kitchen Inspiration

2011-01-21T13:00:00.001-05:00

Combine the two kitchens pictured below and we're getting pretty close to my idea of the perfect cottage kitchen. All of that wood and 60's vintage enamel & glassware - oh my...

Images via My Scandinavian Retreat and Design is Mine

I'm looking forward to the weekend, although I am feeling a bit blue today. Two of our close friends were in a horrible accident while on a road trip to California (they were hit by a Semi on an icy bridge in Arkansas). They are very lucky to be alive, but I'm still wearing my worried face. I have a great distraction though - I'm lucky to work with a group of characters who keep me laughing even on my dark days.

Awesome.

2011-01-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

Available here.

Goodbye Snow

2011-01-16T17:12:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to see sunny skies and temperatures above freezing, but I must admit I will miss the snow when it's gone. As will Molly and Dodge.

No, we did not adopt another dog. The cutie above is my neighbor's puppy, who had just found his new home the day before the snowstorm.

Eames Chairs and Aaaaayyyyyy...

2011-01-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

My favorite finds of the week:

Set of 4 Ebony Eames DCW's (Dining Chair Wood)

My Friend the Cow (dairy ad/kid's book with the BEST mid-century illustrations)

Tiny fawn from 60's Japan

14" Fonzie Paper Doll - unused

We found a dozen really fun items over the past week, now I just need to buckle down and get them listed. But wait, football is on. I'm so easily distracted...

Snowstorm Menu (or - "I ate Everything")

2011-01-13T22:21:00.000-05:00

On the rare occasion that it does snow here, our pantry is typically a bit bare. However, to prepare for our first big snowstorm in almost 20 years, we loaded up on food and were quite prepared to channel The Pioneer Woman and This Oddball Grill Master and proceeded to stuff ourselves to the gills. So before I post the last of my snow pictures for a while (I promise), allow me to share my dining experiences over the past 4 days. Vegetarians, look away.

Pictured in no particular order: hot dogs (which we topped with chili & everything else), fried egg sandwiches, the best-ever grilled turkey burger, chili, beer, banana bread french toast (yup) and cinnamon-nut wheat french toast. Not pictured: Oreos, Mexican food, potato chips, black cherry juice, cake & ice cream, mucho coffee. Where are the vegetables you ask? Well, there were carrots and onions in the chili and a few in the Mexi-rice... At least we took two nice long walks - one to the grocery store (beer run!), and one to the Mexican restaurant.
I do believe it's time to eat a salad.

Random Interiors: a few old favorites

2011-01-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

A little "best of the web" random design post...

Back a bit later with a "how I spent my snow days" post. (And no, the pics won't all be of the white stuff).

Pups in the Snow

2011-01-10T11:11:00.001-05:00

Snow Day! The pups are as excited as we are...

As you can see, Dodge is recovering quite well from his accident. (Although he will be exhausted and quite sore for a few days after such active play).

Wanderlust: the Treasury

2011-01-07T10:36:00.000-05:00

Wanderlust. (My newest treasury - inspired by me & Mr. Cheese's love of road trippin' and vintage stuff).

See something you like? Visit the live treasury here.

Something Old, Something New, Something Blue

2011-01-05T14:50:00.001-05:00

I spied this lovely unique bouquet on Natty Michelle. The grouping includes flowers that one would find in a cottage garden, but take a closer peek and you will also find vintage brooches. If the desired look was old-fashioned and romantic - meets - classic modern, I think the floral designer hit a home run. Beautiful and fun!
More captures of this wedding here.

Baby It's Cold Outside...

2011-01-04T14:40:00.000-05:00

Brrr....! My office has a low window that runs the length of it, 25 feet or so. While I love to look out at the woods and see the chickadees, woodpeckers, squirrels, chipmunks, and lots of other assorted woodland creatures - my feet are oft numb from the drafty window. I'm hoping that gazing at these warm images will trick my tootsies into warming up.

The fireplaces seem quite appropriate after my last cold post. And of course, I'm still dreaming of that home with a working fireplace. (I've owned 7 homes, 4 had fireplaces - not a one that was in working order). A fireplace would morph me into one log-splitting lumberjack lady.

Sources: solid frog (1), old chum (2,4), carpe diem girl (3), she is the war (5)

Happy New Year my Friends!

2010-12-31T10:58:00.002-05:00

(Please forgive my belated holiday recap.) The forecast called for the snow to begin around 5pm on Dec25, and no meteorologist wanted to make anything more than a vague prediction of how much, how long, if it would stick, etc. So imagine my surprise when - after a very late night of our big family celebration, and 40 degree temp still at 1am - my sleepy, stuffy headed self awoke just before 10:00, threw open the drape, and saw 3 inches of snow had already fallen. I woke my Mr. Cheese with the oh-so-ladylike "Holy s**t!" Truly stunned, we dressed as quickly as possible and ran outside to soak in the joy of the white stuff. You see, this was our very first white Christmas, and one of the best presents ever!

Before heading over to my mother-in-law's house, we went for a walk on our mile-long pedestrian bridge, from the North Shore to downtown. A pointy chinned snowman greeted us at the foot of the bridge.
The cupola of the building that houses the carousel at Coolidge Park.
The Delta Queen (Now a hotel - I wonder how many guests were aboard?)
Walking the Walnut St. Pedestrian Bridge.
The Hunter (Art) Museum perched atop the bluff overlooking the Tennessee River.
Coolidge Park...as quiet as I've ever seen it.
My mother-in-law's house.
Mother-in-law's pup loving her new doghouse (note how it matches the colors of her Tudor home).
The snowy woods in our back yard.
It's been a busy but fun holiday season for us. My parents are visiting from Tx, Mom is teaching me to sew today, we are attending a party tonight, and we're off to Tellico Plains tomorrow for my girl Jenn's wedding. By the end of next week, we should be back to our regular schedules and I'm looking forward to catching up on blogging, reading, and sleep.

HAPPY NEW YEAR my Lovelies!!! Have fun and be safe!

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah!

2010-12-25T21:46:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! I'm a little late with my glad tidings, but I hope you have all had a safe and wonderful holiday! Mother nature had a fantastic surprise for us - our first ever white Christmas. And it's still snowing! I will share more pics tomorrow.

Sweet 70's Ride

2010-12-15T20:56:00.000-05:00

My husband recently cleaned up and sold this sweet 1976 Yamaha Moto-Bike. It was screaming to be photographed.

Etsy Shop Shipping Schedule & Discount

2010-12-14T15:04:00.001-05:00

Just a little reminder, purchases from The Cottage Cheese's Etsy shop must be made by December 15 for USPS Priority and Fedex shipping to the lower 48 states. (*Books are set up to ship media mail, so if you need a book by Christmas, please contact me in advance for priority shipping rate).

AND... type "blog follower" in notes to seller on purchases through December 15 and receive 10% off your order (item price, via Paypal refund).

Happy shopping!

Christmas-y

2010-12-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

We picked out our perfect 8 foot skinny frazer fir tree on Tuesday, and after spending three hours that night fighting with troublesome lights (it was like a scene out of a movie, instead of joy and cheer, it devolved into explatives flying from my mouth), it was almost midnight and we were as pooped as the pup below (although not looking as cute). So our tree is still naked except for lights. Even though only partially "dressed" it's still looking quite lovely. We won't have time to finish the decoration until later this weekend. But I did find a little time today to share some of my favorite (thus far) Christmas-y images from the web.

Sources:
1, 3,4 - Merry Christmas Bitches
2,6 - Dottie Angel
5 - Cable and Cotton via six oh three

My weekend plans: Tonight - Swanky office Christmas party (I hear these get quite crazy, in fact the CEO told a co-worker of mine who has had the flu all week to stay home and save her strength for the party). Tomorrow - possibly recovering from said party, estate sales, shipping, shop listings, raking leaves, decorating the tree. Sunday - shopping for gifts online, catching up on sleep, and general hibernation. I plan on wearing head to toe fleece, not leaving the house, and having a blanket and cup of tea or cocoa nearby at all times. Oh, and if it snows, building a snowman.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Oh my...

2010-12-08T16:30:00.000-05:00

Uh-huh, I could live here:

sixohthree

Scenes from Autumn

2010-12-04T08:22:00.000-05:00

Now that almost all of the leaves have fallen, I'm finally getting around to sharing a few scenes from my Autumn. Hiking in the Smokies...

Making apple crisp...
Driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains...
While I haven't had enough time to to enjoy more moments like this, I relish the ones I've had. Today I'm helping Mr. Cheese's aunt with a Christmas fundraiser for her animal rescue group. My evenings this past week have been spent baking goodies (for people and for pets), It has been quite fun puttering around the kitchen so much. Puts me in a festive mood.

Yours truly,

Mrs. Cheese, domestic goddess.

New couch! White walls!

2010-11-30T12:03:00.000-05:00

After a year of searching for an affordable, comfortable, modern couch, we finally found one! We scored an amazing (half price) deal on a floor model in excellent condition from Smart Furniture. The Blu Dot Large Animal Sofa will be delivered today! Our Eames Lounge chair (a summer craigslist find) will have a fitting companion and will no longer be crowded in a corner by a big hulking brown sectional. We also just finished painting the walls white. Now we just need a new rug, floor lamp, and coffee table, although those will have to wait because the vet bills put a big hurt on the decorating budget. I will share pics of the room in a couple of weeks when it is all put together. For now, enjoy this Big Animal sofa from Desire to Inspire's "pets on furniture" post series...

And you MUST check out this post from Design Addict Mom. Dreamy white interiors.

P.S. Dodge is healing well. He goes in for his follow-up visit in about 10 days and the orthopedic surgeon will tell us whether or not he will need surgery on one of his legs. The leg does appear to be healing on it's own, although Dodge's playful nature makes it difficult for us to keep him as immobile as he should be. Thanks to all of you for your kind thoughts and words!

Home for the Holidays

2010-11-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, I won't be able to spend the holidays with my family this year (although my parents are coming for a post-Christmas visit, yay!). As a tribute to my family, I composed this treasury filled with items inspired by several generations of holiday traditions: cutting the tree, those big old-style Christmas lights, baking snickerdoodles with my Mom and my sister, heated Scrabble games, special meals with family, goodies found in our advent calendars, and snuggling by the fire. See something you like? Click here to view the treasury and link to the item.

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving my friends! Have a wonderful holiday!

Image: Martha Stewart

Green Dining

2010-11-24T11:45:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a couple of gorgeous green dining rooms, and went on the hunt for more. I had a surprisingly difficult time finding green dining rooms that really work. These five are fabulous!

(I'm not too keen on the chair bases in that last pic, but the rest of the room is so amazing that I can overlook them.)

NPR Calendar

2010-11-21T11:28:00.001-05:00

How cool is the cover of NPR's 2011 calendar?

November Stats

2010-11-17T10:48:00.001-05:00

68 cheese-wrapped pills slipped to my pup Dodge

6 average hours of sleep per night (not enough)

31 parcels shipped

532 work emails sent/received (perhaps why I'm not on the computer as much at home?)

3 blog posts, including this one

I promise to return to more regular blogging this week. I miss it, and I miss you guys!

Image above is a batik, available here.

The Talented Ms. Sedaris: Glue Guns & Googly Eyes

2010-11-02T21:27:00.001-04:00

I'm giddy! Amy Sedaris's new book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People has just been added my Christmas wishlist (you listening Santa?)
This Etsy interview with Sedaris had me grinning from ear to ear, and feeling inspired to go collect acorns and whip out the glue gun.
Photos via Etsy

Update on Dodge

2010-11-01T12:05:00.000-04:00

An update on my last post: My pup Dodge is home now and doing better than expected for a dog who got pummeled by a fast-moving truck. He is heavily medicated and pretty immobile, but incredibly lucky to be alive and in one piece. My husband spent the afternoon reinforcing the fence, although I doubt that Dodge will be pulling his Houdini act anytime soon. Thanks to everyone for your sweet comments!

The Horror

2010-10-31T13:04:00.002-04:00

That famous painting above, well that was me this morning. Let me preface the following by saying that all will be ok, or at least appears that it will be. Unfortunately my Halloween actually did begin with a scream (mine) as I watched my dog Dodge (who had escaped from the fence) get hit by a truck going 30 piles per hour. The vet at the emergency animal hospital was downright amazed that all 12 or so x-rays showed no broken bones and no internal injuries, so it looks like he will be ok. Dodge has some pretty bad "soft tissue" injuries and ugly wounds, so the vet is monitoring him for the day, but we hope to be able to bring him home from the animal hospital tonight. We feel VERY lucky to have such a tough dog. I will keep you posted on his condition.

Enjoy your Halloween everyone - have fun, stay safe!

Rover

2010-10-27T22:21:00.000-04:00

A must-have for the well-dressed dog this season: ROVER peacoats and trenchcoats.

I've been missing blogworld these past few weeks, life has been a little over-booked lately. Mr. Cheese and I have been enjoying time with family, including numerous birthday celebrations and a trip to North Carolina for a family get-together. On a less pleasant note, two tornados hit a few miles from my house over the past two days. Scary stuff, but no lives lost and our city is very lucky to have sustained as little damage as we did. I'm also moving into a new position at work, which I'm a little anxious about. Hopefully after the weekend I can sit back, relax, and catch up on my reading!

Just Sheds

2010-10-19T19:42:00.000-04:00

My new favorite flickr group: Just Sheds.

Because Two Pandas are Even Better Than One

2010-10-08T18:56:00.000-04:00

This morning I heard the joyous news of the birth of twin Pandas at the Madrid zoo. Baby bears are the cutest.

Images via the Toronto Sun. Have a great weekend!

(Naturally) Pretty

2010-10-06T22:52:00.001-04:00

A couple of (kind of geometric, organic) images that brought me happiness this week.

la marquise des anges

shock the bourgeois

Plagiarism!

2010-10-06T21:47:00.003-04:00

I'm mad. This is the fourth time that I've found an eBay or Etsy seller who has plagiarised my copy word for word. NOT cool. Sorry, just had to vent.

A weekend of good simple eating

2010-09-27T22:20:00.001-04:00

As usual the weekend flew by far too fast. Mr. Cheese and I took a much-needed day off on Saturday and drove up to Crossville, TN for the Homestead Apple Festival. We brought home some regionally made and/or grown goodies that I'm super-excited about (yes, I get that excited about food): Mutsu apples, hot sauce, 4-year cheddar from a local cheesemaker, and blackberry jam and pickles from the Mennonite community in Sparta.
We also bought some Norwegian Ski Queen Gjetost cheese at the cheese shop. I sampled a tiny cube of it at the cheese shop and was intrigued, but it was the cool packaging that convinced me I had to have it. Ohhhh myyy....If you're a cheese lover, you must try this unusual cheese. The creamy texture and caramel color and flavoring are unlike anything I've ever tasted. We tried it sliced super-thin on a crusty wheat baguette and it was heavenly. I could eat this every day. Mmmmm...breakfast cheese...
How was your weekend?

Oh Sunset...

2010-09-26T00:11:00.000-04:00

Darn you Sunset Magazine, you stir feelings of great envy within me. Heavy (but happy) sigh...

Willkommen Autumn

2010-09-23T10:10:00.001-04:00

Although we generally have a spell of "Indian Summer" in October, I do hope that tomorrow will be the last of our mid-ninety degree days. After the hottest summer on record, I'm ready for this:

(All photos taken by me last autumn).

Goodbye Summer

2010-09-22T20:40:00.001-04:00

Goodbye Summer 2010. We had fun...
Watching Sailboats at St.Augustine Beach...
Camping in Florida in record breaking 98 degree weather...
On lookout for bison, wild horses, and alligators at Payne's Prairie...
Lovely lazy days and sunsets in Cedar Key...

A weekend of kitsch in Cherokee, North Carolina...
Teaching a nephew to ride a bike...
Good times, summer. See you next year.

Caramel Pumpkin Spice

2010-09-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hello my friends! Although temperatures here are still in the 90's, our trees are already beginning to show their fall color - a month early for our area. Mother nature seems to be so confused this year. Inspired by the early appearance - visually anyway - of autumn, I curated a "Caramel Pumpkin Spice" treasury. (Go here to see it bigger and shop for something yummy).
Come on cool weather - I'm ready for sweaters, boots, hot chocolate, spiced apple cider, and pumpkin everything! It just seems wrong to be wearing shorts while surrounded by towering trees of yellow, orange, and red.

P.S. Thank you all for your kind, supportive, encouraging comments. I've been contemplating giving up on the blog or taking a long hiatus, because I haven't had the time to be a good member of the blogging community. However, I treasure the friendships I've made through the blogworld, and all of the beauty you guys have brought into my life. So I'm not ready to give up yet! (I just may be a little irregular with my posts).

Slowly making my way back...

2010-08-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

Hello my lovelies! My "short break" turned into two and a half weeks, and I thank you all so much for sticking around while I was gone. I do have good reason for my unexpectedly long absence: some severe headaches forced a break from time on the computer (outside of the 40+ hours a week I spend staring at the screen due to work). I have also been dealing with some very sad news regarding family members who are seriously ill and tragic losses in my friends' lives that have caused me to be quite contemplative about life and love and how time is not limitless. I won't get into all of this, but will remind everyone to try to LIVE life with adventure, and no regrets.
On a brighter note, I did enjoy several weeks of good estate sales, and some good times with close friends and family. Laughter really is therapeutic. Why the picture of Paris? Because recent events have me thinking about places I absolutely must see one day - from remote backpacking trips within the States, to exciting cities all over the world.

It will probably take me a week or so to catch up with everyone, and I promise to be back with regular posting soon. Please know how much I appreciate all of you!

Photo Source: Urban Nature

A Little Break

2010-08-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

I'm going to imagine that I'm living inside this vintage ad for a few days, would you like to join me on a fabulous virtual camping expedition?

via Flickriver

My crazy schedule this past 5 weeks has made me quite the bear to be around. See, it's even driving me to make bad puns....

via Treehugger

So I think I'll take a break from blogging for a few days to catch up on laundry & housework, seeing friends, and spending a little time with my bored and lonely pups. (Moll y has been acting out lately to get attention). I will be back in a few days my lovelies!

The yellow chairs...

2010-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

The chairs, the chairs! A perfect table setting for a casual dinner party or wedding.
Via Ebom

Molly and the Tandem Chairs

2010-08-11T08:00:00.002-04:00

My girl Molly is a "den" doggie; she likes enclosed spaces. She is also quite the wiggly pup, so it's tough to capture her in pics. I was quite happy to get this shot of her under the Eames Tandem (airport) chairs in our living room.

The Return of Flipping Out

2010-08-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm super-excited for the tonight's season premiere of Flipping Out. This is one of the few reality shows that I watch, and is a true guilty pleasure. My favorite animal-loving obsessive compulsive home renovator, Jeff Lewis, is sure to create more high drama this season, and I for one can't wait. (And shame on you Ryan Brown, I thought you were a nice guy...)

Premieres tonight on Bravo. Photos sources: here, here, here, and here.

The Vintage Cabin

2010-08-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I love, love, love this home. Some rooms are playful, others classic and serene. Can you believe the house is 185 years old?

See more pictures (here), read more about the home (here), see the homeowner's cool shop "The Vintage Cabin" (here), and read her blog (here).

Birthday Weekend

2010-08-08T19:47:00.000-04:00

Hello my lovelies, did you have a nice weekend? Mine started off with a whimper - a nasty headache put me in the bed Friday night. My husband bought me this beautiful cake. Why? It was my birthday :) Like I needed another excuse to play with my new iPhone Hipstamatic app (which I learned about through Amy. Her photos are much better than mine.)
Mmmm... chocolate cake with the best buttercream frosting ever.
We spent yesterday roaming up and down Highway 127 browsing the World's Longest Yard Sale. I found a few cool things for the shop, and highlights of the day included fresh-squeezed lemonade, the best blueberry fried pie in the whole world, and dinner at a local old-school favorite Italian restaurant. Oh, and the cake. Did I mention the cake? Every year I see some unusual stuff at the 127 sale, but this was my favorite weird thing this year: a Peter Griffin (Family Guy) Painting. And what I just noticed - it even says Happy Brd.Day!
This was one of my shop's busiest weeks ever, so today was spent packing parcels. Carving out some time to spend with friends this week is a priority. I have no social life these days...

Random Pretty Spaces

2010-08-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

A little mid-week design inspiration...

what's blogging my view

head over heels

apartment therapy

10th Ave

I'm exhausted. Working 70 hours a week at one job being self employed isn't so bad, but working two is not so easy. I'm still adapting, so please forgive my shorter, less frequent posts and sparse commenting on everyone's blogs lately. (I'm still reading, but I've been a lurker).

Much more interesting than my prom dress...

2010-08-03T22:23:00.000-04:00

Did you see this yahoo story about the duct tape prom competition? Over 240 couples across the U.S. and Canada competed for scholarships by designing and making their prom outfits entirely out of duct tape.
I'm seriously impressed.
See more photos and read the entire article here.

Moonbow

2010-08-02T08:30:00.001-04:00

One night last week I dreamed that I saw a moonbow. It was so real in my mind that I had to ask my husband if it had really happened and that I had somehow forgotten about it.
Source

The Easiest Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream + Weekend Links

2010-07-31T09:32:00.000-04:00

My husband loves ice cream (and really loves bananas). I'm going to make "The Easiest Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe Ever" for Mr. Cheese's birthday in a couple of weeks. It looks divine.

via automatism

Smile-inducing links:

Seattle by Sailboat. Beautiful.

Ooh, pretty bikes.

Dreamland.

Even as an adult, I can't say this phrase without giggling.

Dogs as typefaces.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Etsy Mid-Century Furniture Deals

2010-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Looking for unique mid-century furniture for your home? The following pieces are priced quite reasonably, and can be found on Etsy.

Retro Rocking Chair (Child's Size) $72

vintage sectional sofa (reupholstered) $800

Vintage Handpainted German Child's Cupboard $75

Set of Three 1950's metal tables $75

1950's Eames Armshell with X-base $200

Edward Cullen Comes to Town

2010-07-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

I'll admit, I haven't seen any of the Twilight movies yet. I'm an odd girl and sometimes I hold off on caving to pop culture for as long as I can. Perhaps this would be a good weekend to get my Edward on. Tweens, teens, and 20-somethings within several hours of my city are freaking out right now over news that Robert Pattinson (and Reese Witherspoon) will be in my area for the next few days filming the movie "Water for Elephants".
Star fever is catching. I'm tempted to hang around downtown this weekend to watch the rabid fans trying to catch a glimpse of 'Edward' coming and going from his hotel. Web rumors are already flying: "My friend saw him by the Sting Ray tank at the Aquarium, and he blew her a kiss." (so not true)
Filming locations include the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (where scenes from other big movies have also been filmed in the past), and this house outside of Chickamauga, GA - about an hour from downtown Chattanooga. The film crew really wanted an authentically aged house. The house had been vacant for 12 years, and was without any electricity or water.
P.S. This post is dedicated to KS at While We're Waiting. Girlie, if I had known in advance that your man was going to be right down the road from me, I would have invited you down south for a Pattinson party :)

Source

2010-07-28T16:00:00.000-04:00

I must find an industrial age pulleys and levers poster like this one. The hunt begins...
Photo Source

A Bed with a Petticoat

2010-07-28T08:00:00.005-04:00

My taste typically skews more modern, but how sweet is this loft?
The bed has it's own petticoat!
The tiny all-white Victorian cottage in the Catskills used to be a hunting cabin.

Read more here. Source: Moodboard.

A picnic by the Lake

2010-07-27T07:38:00.000-04:00

I wish this was my plan for today, instead of sitting in an office...

Source

Pretty Girl. Cool Chair.

2010-07-26T15:00:00.000-04:00

See more mid-century round wicker chairs here. Source

More Mad Men...

2010-07-26T08:27:00.001-04:00

Mad Men Illustrations from Stanley Chow.

Regarding the Mad Men season 4 sets, holy cow! Eames chair madness indeed (with many fabulous Knoll and Saarinen pieces thrown in, plus I spied a Jere sculpture in the hallway). Mr. Cheese pointed out how clever it was of the set designers to include the Eames Time Life Chairs on the set, which were originally designed specifically for the Time Life building where the new ad agency's offices are located. I need to re-watch the premiere just to catch more details of the sets!

Montclair Made

2010-07-23T15:00:00.002-04:00

I just discovered the shop Montclair Made, which offers lots of great travel-themed (and other cute) handmade items.

Gift Tags made from Vintage Empire State Building Postcards $5
Paper Airplane Embroidery $20
Road Trip Mini Notebook (with repurposed Brown Paper Bag Cover) $5
Custom Mini Map Garland - Your State or City $5

I have no real plans for the weekend other than catching up on blog reading, working in the garden, and (hopefully) working on the Etsy shop - all of which I'm looking forward to after being on the go pretty much the whole summer. What are your weekend plans?

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

2010-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

This WAS me.
Source
This IS me.
Source
We are going through some bittersweet changes right now. As much as we love renovating houses, we decided that it was time to return to the safe path and end our 5-year term of self-employment. We both accepted jobs at a pretty cool eCommerce company, temp to permanent type positions. It's great that we still get to work together, although my husband is considering a position with another company that would be long and odd hours (but worth it for the pay and benefits). I really miss working on the Etsy shop these past few days too, but we will continue to sell vintage goodies part time. We have a vintage obsession, after all...

Sad to see it go...

2010-07-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while I sell something in the shop that I instantly feel regret about not keeping. This fabulous black globe sold two hours after I listed it. It looked so good in my office :(

2010-07-22T07:22:00.000-04:00

My inner Preppy is trying to maintain her cool, yet is all the while giddy over this kelly green Grosgrain Peaks dress...

Madmen!

2010-07-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

My sister-in-law MadMen'ed us. Me:
Mr. Cheese (plaid jacket):
I can't wait for the season premiere of Mad Men on Sunday!

P.S. So sorry for the lack of posts this week. I'm reorganizing as my schedule has changed, and this week is a little crazy. I should be all settled in by next week. I'll catch up with everyone soon, I promise!

Summer Fun - 70's Style

2010-07-16T08:51:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before, my city is hilly and most yards do not have large flat grassy areas suitable for lawn games. But I have fond memories of childhood vacations to Maryland and Connecticut to visit my Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, where we spent our days on the beach...
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by the pool....
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running through the sprinklers...
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picnicking in the backyard...
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flying kites...
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playing croquet...
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badminton...
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tetherball...
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and Jarts (lawn darts)
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We are headed out of town again this weekend to visit my grandparents and spend some time with my sister's family at my Aunt & Uncle's house in North Carolina. I fully expect my 7 year old nephew to again beat us at croquet. He's a natural.
(Source)
It looks like some big life changes are ahead for Mr. Cheese and I starting next week. Perhaps it's fitting, since Sunday is our 1-year anniversary :) And no, I'm not pregnant. I promise details soon...

Disclaimer: DO NOT allow your three-year-old to play with lawn darts! Did parents have no sense in the 70's?

Modern Pixie

2010-07-15T15:23:00.000-04:00

I love the uncluttered, earthy style of Modern Pixie.

Not my size :(

2010-07-15T00:07:00.001-04:00

Why, oh why aren't these fabulous espadrilles from Dear Golden Vintage my size?
Many thanks to you guys for your comments on my last post. My day did indeed get much better and we had a good time hosting dinner at our house tonight for some of my family and Mr. Cheese's family, who hadn't seen each other since our wedding last summer. I'm already looking forward to the weekend, which will likely include lots of laughs with my family, my 7-yr old nephew beating us at croquet (he's a natural), good North Carolina BBQ, and a family tradition called Samauri watermelon.

Feeling Blue

2010-07-14T09:40:00.001-04:00

Ever have one of those days that you were looking forward to, but it starts out just horribly, and it ruins your whole day (or possibly week)? Well, that's my morning. Ugh.
Hopefully hugs from my adorable little nephews will make it all better. Photo Source

Baby Finches!

2010-07-13T14:06:00.000-04:00

This year's baby finches! Please forgive the poor quality of my pics. The ponytail plant where the nest rests is quite sheltered, and I didn't want to risk Mama bird believing that I'd somehow tampered with her babies. The babies left the nest a couple of days ago, which quite surprised me.
They were all piled atop one another crammed in the nest, then they all moved out in the flower pot, but didn't look nearly strong enough to fly. And then poof they were gone a few hours later.

Mama finch always watched from nearby when I peeked into the nest, and was quite vocal.
I miss those little guys already...

The Baby Ghost

2010-07-13T08:45:00.000-04:00

I first sighted the lovely little piece that I call "the baby ghost chair" a couple of months ago, and I was instantly smitten. The real name of Kartell's child-sized chair, designed by Phillipe Starck, is the "Lou Lou Ghost", and it's available in lots of colors.
As with the full-sized Louis Ghost, the "Crystal" is still my favorite.

Using clear lucite in a room is a brilliant way to visually create a larger space. I like the way that the computer and fax/phone appear to be floating in the room. More on this topic in a later post.
I went to an amazing estate sale over the weekend that included a huge art collection, including an original Dali painting (which was gone by the time we got there). There were several very reasonably priced pieces we considered buying as an investment - small Howard and Roy Finster pieces - but we decided it wasn't the right time to spend the money. What we would have bought - had it not already sold - was a thick lucite side table.

Photo Sources: Hive, Real Simple

P.S. I have been having mega trouble with blogger commenting. My attempts to publish comments were thwarted for about 12 hours yesterday, and I know that some of your comments weren't accepted due to some internal error. I also had trouble commenting on numerous other blogs yesterday. My most sincere apologies AGAIN, as this is the second time in a week that blogger has been misbehaving.

Frankenberry

2010-07-12T08:00:00.002-04:00

Although I've never eaten Frankenberry aka Franken Berry cereal (my mom didn't allow pre-sweetened cereals in the house), I was allowed to Snuggle up with Frankenberry for this photo, which I have no memory of. No one in my family seems to remember where or when this was taken.
If you enlarge the pic, you can see that Frankenberry's fingernails are in the shape of strawberries! I'm challenging you guys to find and post an odd childhood photo. XoXo

Late 60's Modern

2010-07-09T14:15:00.000-04:00

How about a little late 60's modern decor to start the weekend off right? (And to get me ready for some serious estate sale hunting). All images from Volumes 1-3 of The Practical Encyclopedia of Good Decorating and Home Improvement, available here.

Yes, that is a real Eames chair. And it's red.

If this van is a' rockin'...

2010-07-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Don't come a' knockin'...
I would totally drive this. (Oh the Eames chairs I could fit in there). Source

Personalized Wedding Maps

2010-07-08T13:30:00.000-04:00

Talented artist, writer, and blogger Natty Michelle is offering personalized wedding maps in her Etsy shop for only $50. Adorable, affordable, and quite a special keepsake for your wedding album or to frame and hang on your wall.

Seriously?

2010-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Bruce Willis has a new line of cologne (plus hair and body wash, deodorant, and aftershave balm), unimaginatively called simply "Bruce Willis". My husband said they should have called it "The Sixth Scent".
Is it just me, or does he kind of look like Malkovich in this pic? Photo Source: the gloss

Sputnik

2010-07-07T15:00:00.001-04:00

I'm so very envious of RetroRuth's Sputnik fixture (but also genuinely excited for her).
See more pictures here.

Embroidered Map Necklaces

2010-07-07T08:15:00.001-04:00

I dig these cool embroidered map necklaces from ilgattoselvatico, first spotted on So About What I Said.

Technical difficulties

2010-07-06T22:47:00.006-04:00

As with many others, I noticed that much of the day my blog has been experiencing trouble with comments disappearing then reappearing, or possibly not showing up at all. My most sincere apologies, and here's hoping that blogger will have the problem fixed quickly.

Scandinavian Modern

2010-07-06T08:15:00.001-04:00

Flickr finds using the keywords "Scandinavian Modern":

source

May I please move into the home with the yellow sofa?

Shop updates: Alexander Girard, Eames & Dansk

2010-07-05T00:05:00.003-04:00

My house is overflowing with inventory just waiting to be listed, and I've recently updated the eBay and Etsy shops with some great new stuff including a 1960's Eames armshell chair with Checker Alexander Girard upholstery and a large Dansk Ice Bucket.
I've been re-working the blog, it's still a work in progress. Does anyone see problems with alignment? Suggestions for improvement?

P.S. A happy belated Independence day to my fellow Americans! I had a patriotic post prepared in advance, but forgot to run it. Oops! Did everyone have a nice weekend? Mine was filled with family, fun, and yummy picnic food (I will have to get lots of exercise this week to work off the thousands of calories - totally worth it!)

Thou shalt not covet...

2010-07-03T08:19:00.000-04:00

And yet I do...

Tecta D-45 Chair

iRetroPhone

The weekend...

2010-07-02T21:32:00.001-04:00

My weekend is packed with activities, including two out of town family get-togethers (different towns). This summer is turning out to be crazy busy - I'm behind on work, blog reading, and "me" time, though I'm enjoying fun visits with family and friends. By the way, thanks to all of you for leaving your reading suggestions in comments of this post.
My poor yard has been a little neglected of late. I cut some dwarf zinnias and made a cheery little arrangement for the dining room table. Oh, and I forgot to share the news that we have baby birds again this year! I'll try to snap some pics over the weekend. I named last year's pair "Bert" and Ernie", and I'm taking name suggestions for this year's fledglings.
What is everyone else up to this holiday weekend? Have a great time, and stay safe!

Wonder Woman!

2010-07-01T09:43:00.001-04:00

Recent rumors of a Wonder Woman Movie have been circulating on the web, complete with the "who will play her?" blog posts proposing Megan Fox, Katie Holmes, Jessica Biel, or even Beyonce. Sorry, but in my mind no one can compare to Linda Carter.

Wonder Woman rocks. I had the underoos to prove what a hard-core fan I was. My cousin had the bathing suit. I was green with envy.
And I'm not so sure I like the new costume that was just unveiled in the 600th issue of the comic book, "modernized" so that today's comic book readers can better relate to her.
I much prefer the spangled hot pants...
Or the original skirt and red go-go boots...
The Cathode Ray Choob posted an awesome article about Wonder Woman here. After reading it, I felt so nostalgiac that I added Season 1 to my Netflix queue.

Sources: jazjaz, the cathode ray choob, juvenile clothing, msnbc, dork dungeon, sublime femme

What I wish I were doing right now...

2010-06-29T09:35:00.001-04:00

I really need a day to "escape" into a good book...

Photos via Slate.

The Golden Age of Couture Exhibit (Nashville)

2010-06-28T09:37:00.001-04:00

Nashville’s Frist Center for the Visual Arts is exhibiting The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947 –1957. When we decided to spend yesterday afternoon in Nashville before dropping my sister off at the airport, we had no idea of the current exhibits at the Frist. We were in for a treat! The Couture exhibition is amazing, and I highly recommend a visit to anyone who can make it. Designers highlighted include Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy, and Pierre Balmain, Hardy Amies, Charles Creed, and Norman Hartnell. The collection of more than one hundred dresses, accessories, original drawings, films, and photographs (by Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, and Irving Penn) was originally organized by the Victoria & Albert Museum of London. There are at least 50 different designers represented. Within the U.S., the collection will only exhibit in Nashville, and runs through September 12, 2010. Find details about the exhibit here, and an interesting article here. The Frist is also exhibiting Chihuly Glass through next year.

Sources: Nashville Arts, Fashion Tribe, Wall Street Journal

Big Sis!

2010-06-24T20:00:00.001-04:00

I'm headed to Nashville this morning to pick my big sister up from the airport. (She's on the right, I'm on the left). Should be a fun visit!

That Dreamy Chandelier...

2010-06-23T09:13:00.000-04:00

Upon viewing this room at Rearranged Design, I literally swooned. I really, really want that green lacquer table and the amazing chandelier.
The homeowner purchased the Gemma chandelier from the wholesaler Made Goods, but mentioned that it will soon be featured by a high-profile retailer. The butterflies are made from mother of pearl and capiz, and it is available in a five-light or three-light size. I'll be keeping my eye out for this one.

White on the Money

2010-06-22T22:04:00.000-04:00

Groan, my title was a horrible pun. But when you see the pretty white rooms, perhaps you will excuse my addled brain. The first three pics are of a Swedish retreat. Pretty close to perfect, eh?

automatism

design public

poppytalk

A Big Surpise in little Micanopy

2010-06-22T09:22:00.002-04:00

Micanopy is a small town a few miles south of Gainesville, Florida. The town is rich in history, charm, and natural beauty, and is the second oldest U.S. settlement in Florida. This was our third visit to Micanopy (we like to camp at the nearby Payne's Prairie State Park and ride our bikes into town). I imagine the view of the town's main street is quite lovely viewed from this turret.
This screened portico looks like a wonderful little place to hide away for an afternoon and read.
Amazing handmade brickwork. This large building has been vacant for as long as we've been visiting the town, about five years. But the outside looks well-maintained.
I love this scene, and keep taking pics of this old car from different angles each time we're in town.
Pretty old church shaded by the Live Oaks and Spanish Moss.
The Herlong Mansion, now a Bed & Breakfast, and the only place to stay in Micanopy other than one divey chain motel near the highway, or camping at Payne's Prairie. Rumored to be haunted by a friendly ghost.
The Garage - one of several good antique stores in the historic district.
Another antique store, I can't recall the name of this one.
And the surprise I mentioned in this post's title? Signed Charley Harper prints from the 70's! We were delighted to find that O. Brisky Books was open on a Monday (the store generally opens now only on Saturdays and Sundays). The shop owner just happened to be there, shipping a package. This is an amazing, quite large, bookstore filled with new, used, and rare books. His selection of Florida books can't be beat. The Charley Harper prints were at the back of the store, tucked away as if they were quite unimportant.
Unfortunately, the cardboard that the prints were backed with is not acid free, and three of the four prints had condition issues. They were priced at $250 each (except for the one which was heavily spotted, it was $125) - a fair price for the large print, a little high for the smaller ones. We just weren't in the position to buy them at the time. I can't stop thinking about the print below. I almost hesitated to share these with you guys, because I selfishly want the prints to be mine one day. However, I realize that they just need to go to a good home as soon as possible before their condition declines further in the not-so-well-conditioned store.
Are you enjoying the journey through Florida? I'll take a break to share some interiors, and resume with Cedar Key pics in a few days.

Island Grove: Florida Ghost Town

2010-06-21T14:33:00.001-04:00

We did quite a bit of driving around the old small towns south of Gainesville, which really give one a taste for what it was like to live in Florida in the early part of the 20th century. I had read about a "ghost town" called Island Grove. While there are still occupied homes and the town still has a post office, there are quite a few dilapidated cracker homes and old churches that made me downright snap-happy, even though getting the pics meant quickly jumping out of the car in the middle of the road, and being chased by a yippy little dog.
We actually drove quite a ways into the country on a dirt road to find an old cemetery, though when we got there my husband saw newer headstones and thought it wasn't worth getting out in the oppressive heat to look around. When we were 10 miles up the road, I read that writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was buried in that cemetery. She lived one town over, in Cross Creek, and immortalized the area in her books The Yearling and the autobiographical Cross Creek.
On a future trip (when the temperature is not 100 degrees), I'd love to explore this town further. The area actually was an island, before the water changed course, and home to some of Florida's first orange groves. While the groves moved south long ago because the chance of winter frost and freeze was just too great, The Orange Hut still stands in the area, where you can buy citrus fruits in season. This place had the best fresh squeezed grapefruit juice ever - perhaps the best thing I've ever had to drink in my life. It was a happy accident - my husband meant to pick up a quart of orange juice. The pic below is actually from last year (I may have posted it before).
More Florida pics to come...

P.S. Today is my big Sis's birthday, and she's flying in for a visit later this week. Yay!

Eames Chair Madness Part V

2010-06-20T13:44:00.000-04:00

I apologize for leaving you for a few days my lovelies. I promise to make it up to you this week with lots of cool pics from hot & sunny Florida. We do consider "the hunt" to be as much playtime as it is work, so even on vacation we searched for gems, and brought back some great stuff including this pair of Eames school desks (pictured on the dock behind our Cedar Key vacation rental).

In addition to the desks, we also have some other gems that will be available soon, they just need a little cleanup (a fabulous 1960's Olivetti typewriter, a teak Dansk ice bucket, and more mid-century gems). I can't wait to catch up with everyone, please forgive if I'm a lurker this week, as I have a super-busy week ahead of me: Company in town much of the week - and the housecleaning that goes along with it - and I'll be in Nashville for a couple of days.

P.S. Is it insanely hot where you live? Florida had record-breaking high temps much of last week, and it is crazy-hot here in TN too.

St. Augustine - It's all in the Details

2010-06-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

During my trip to St. Augustine last year, I became a little obsessed with the details...

Step off the tourist path and walk around the historic neighborhoods. It's much more rewarding.

Kitty Cube

2010-06-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

If they made one of these a little bigger than this size, my pup Molly would love it. She's a den doggie.

Cat House - Atomic Stool

2010-06-11T15:00:00.001-04:00

Although I don't collect vintage Paint-by-Numbers paintings, I have a huge appreciation for them. Especially these nautical and seaside paintings en masse.

Cottage Living via Please sir

This pic seemed fitting - I'm headed to the shore as you read this :) Forgive my infrequent posting next week, I'll make it up to you with some pics of sunny Florida when I return. Have a great week!

I heart Korres

2010-06-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

It's not often that I'm so impressed with a product that I run to the blog and proclaim "buy this now!" I'm saying this about Korres. The products are natural, and the scents are so fresh and clean. Thanks so much to Kerry - who works for Korres and also runs the fabulous etsy shop Vintage Revolution - for turning me on to this amazing product line. My skin looks better than it ever has, and I even look forward to my nightly skincare routine.
What I'm using daily: White Tea Facial Cleanser, Quercitin & Oak Antiageing Antiwrinkle Day Cream (or Wild Rose Cream), Quercitin & Oak Antiwrinkle Night Cream, Evening Primrose Eye Cream. I really like the make-up as well. If I had to pick just one beauty product to use for the rest of my life, it would surely be the Quercitin & Oak Night Cream.

And... Korres also has great special offers. From now through June 16, they are running a "friends and family" promo that gives you 25% off your order and free shipping with a $35 or more purchase. Plus, they have special offers on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Click on their special offers tab for details.

House Crush

2010-06-10T09:10:00.000-04:00

I have a major house crush on the mountain modern Park Model RV.

via Tiny House Blog

On a related (small home) note, my jaw dropped when my husband showed me this Craigslist ad for a 1969 Airstream Overlander. Priced at a reasonable $4600, but what made me think that fate was calling was that the Airstream is in Cedar Key, the tiny island where we got married, and where we will be next week. Alas she's not meant to be ours because we have no plot of land and no truck with a V8 engine to tow her, and presently no money with which to acquire any of these things. But I can still daydream...