Bamboo Friday #7

Are y'all bored??

I could go on about bamboo - vintage, faux, painted, thrifted, etc. forever.

I just love it. 

I remember it from beach homes of my childhood.

I used to look around the rooms and think how I would decorate if it were my beach house and what color I would paint the faux bamboo headboards in the bedrooms.

See - this is not a new addiction/affliction.

Anyway, the star this week is my "new" coffee table. 
You may have seen it on my Instagram.

Big, almost square vintage-y goodness. 

Plus drawers for storage. 

There's been a little wear here and there,

 but that happens here anyway so we like things with a little "patina" to start with.

She replaced a perfectly good British Colonial Bamboo coffee table that I really liked.

But this one just works better - for propped feet and in a house with 2 big dogs. 

And I like room to spread out my finds on top of my coffee tables.

The last of the hydrangeas - papery and green.

Oyster shells because I am a Lowcountry girl and I love oyster shells. 

Oyster anything, actually.

Blue and white.

A brass crab. 

And it will probably look different next week. 

Big, old bamboo coffee tables are good for that!

Bamboo Bar Carts - Not Just For Happy Hour!

 I know bamboo bar carts have been a topic on every lifestyle/shelter/decor blog for years now but they do not seem to be fading in popularity.

I love them and wouldn't care if they were trendy or not.

 (We have discussed this. More than once. )

Of course, it does make you feel good when you google "bamboo bar carts" and this one from 1st Dibs pops up for $895.00.

It's circa 1965 and mine are considerably older!

I've talked about my great luck in receiving 2 antique bar carts 

that belonged to my moms dearest friend.

  I showcased them at Christmas and NYE.

 But we can't party all the time (insert perplexed look here!) 

so I needed to decide where the biggest of the bar carts was going to live

 when we weren't whooping it up.

Enter the bar cart as an end table. 

We had this narrow spot at the end of the couch 

and no place to perch a drink except the coffee table if you are on that end of the couch.

It's on wheels which is actually nice.

It's located directly across from our wet bar closet. 

That is very handy if we do want to style it up for drinks when we entertain.

We use the blue and white saucers and salad plates as coasters.

They work great and are prettier than a lot of coasters. 

And they have all been thrifted!

This is not the first time I've used a bar cart for something other than drinks.

A few years ago I used this one that I found at GW in my Master Bath 

to hold towels and a few bath necessities. 

(Sadly, no pics of it all styled up in the MBR)

Then I replaced the towel holding bar cart with a china cabinet.

Yes, a china cabinet in the bathroom.

We have no respect for "job titles" around here.

So, bar carts aren't just for happy hour.

What have you used your bar cart for?

Happy New Year!

The first blog post of the year on 1/1 !!

Don't be impressed.

 I'm putting off the inevitable- using lopping shears to trim the branches off the tree to be able to get it out of the house.

 It grew - a lot- when we took the mesh off at the beginning of December.

We had friends over for NYE - small scale and quiet-

 but I wanted to do a little bit of festive decor to welcome 2017 in the door!

I justified the glittery 2017 banner because I am giving it to the only girl in my youth group to graduate this year!! 

She can repurpose it into Graduation Party decor!

And of course the fabulous Bamboo Bar Carts made a reappearance!

I bought amber colored Christmas lights on clearance because I thought they would add a warm glow to the bamboo and brass pineapples I was planning to use on the carts.

I used one bamboo cart in the foyer again - just like for our Christmas Brunch - 

but I put party hats, horns and noisemakers on it. 

Target and Dollar Store all the way.

Just inside the Family Room Door I placed the other Bamboo bar cart. 

It held the essentials for our under 21 guests!

(I forgot to take a picture after it was completely stocked - oops!)

It wasn't very cold but we also had the new Keurig corner

 (one of Mollie's Christmas surprises - coffee is important to her!! Isn't the color fab??) 

stocked if anyone wanted Hot Chocolate, Hot Cider or Coffee!

I hope you got to ring in the New Year with family and friends.

 I'm headed to "undecorate" some more, cook our traditional Southern New Years Day meal 

(Hoppin' John, Greens, and pork roast) and then we are headed out to a rockin' worship service called "Day One" (complete with food trucks afterwards) to get this party known as 2017 started!!! 

Feelin' Pretty Good About My Thrifted Lamp...

This one is $695.00 on the One Kings Lane website!

(I was reading the article about the Madcap Cottage boys!! #holypatternmixingbatman 

That white painted brick house is fabulous!)

And this one was 

$4.95 at the thrift store.

I mean it didn't have a fabulous black shade but I should be able to find one for less than $690.05  dontcha think?

Then it will qualify as a really good find!

National Thrift Shop Day!

I saw on Instagram earlier that it is #nationalthriftshop day.

That's a holiday I can get behind!

So in honor of the day I decided to post about one of my "newest" vintage finds.

 My husband actually found this wicker couch. 

In perfect condition.

 For $45.00

He sent me a picture and I loved it and then I said don't get it.

 I really didn't have a spot for it. It's big and solid and heavy.

 The cushions needed to be recovered. 

You can't keep buying fabulous vintage wicker if you don't have a place for it - said no one ever. 

But I did. And then I was sorry all night!! I won't do it again. 

#pinkypromise

I told him I made a mistake but it wasn't meant to be because I'm sure its gone. 

Trying to be philosophical and self - soothe. 

(Didn't really help but I was trying to be an adult about it.)

But he went back the next morning, it was there and he got an over 50 discount so- tada!! 

It was mine for under $40.00!!!!!!

Then last week before we had a large group over I decide to stay up half the night 

and make some slipcovers for the cushions 

which were in good shape foam-wise but the fabric covers were not good at all.

Here's a pic taken at 11 p.m. as I was getting started. 

Porch light is all the light to be had for the photo op!

So it was late, last minute and, oh yeah, I don't sew.

I'm a sewing faker. 

#truestory

#confession

However, we have the internet and I found this amazing tutorial and I followed it.

I used a drop cloth from Sherwin Williams that I had on hand - cause, you know, midnight.

I couldn't believe how amazing the tutorial was.

 It was quick

 ( I still have to go back and finish the handstitching on the back. A few still have "temporary" safety pins. It was midnight on Thursday before we had forty people for dinner on Saturday, so... pins) and I think they look amazing.

And worked a lot better for me than the $45.00 plus fabric quote I got per cushion when I started pricing "real slipcovers!" 

And then since I was in a major time crunch I decided to pull down my "stash" and make envelope covers for some IKEA pillow forms I had on hand!

#thisishowiroll

This vintage beauty is big - stretch out and nap big. 

Don't worry- I sprayed the cushions with wrinkle relaxer before everyone came over. :)

#thisishowiroll

Thank you Thrift Shops for existing!!

I'm glad you got your day!!

PS. Can you spy Biscuit in a couple of pics??

He is our porch dog. He loves it out there!!

more from my iphone...

If you need us for the next two weeks...

We have our feet propped up, fans blowing straight at us 

( It's been over 95 waaaay too often), 

appetizers made and the Olympics on the porch TV!!
(and, yes, the cords are unattractive but necessary to get Rio on our porch!)

This IG account has the most colorful, fun, eye candy posts!!

#porchgoals

Trying to stay out of politics and controversial world events 

but maybe if we all practiced this quote everyday then things would be better. 

And I might add, if you don't think you see something beautiful to mention about a person then keep quiet!

Went to a cool burger place the other night with these three beauties. 

Girl talk and catching up.

Moxie Burger, if you are in Roswell or Marietta, is delicious!!

And they have GF buns and a turkey burger!!

Major props on that.

(And can I just say that the young lady on the left is wrapping up an internship at the CDC and the young lady on the right is on scholarship to College of Charleston? And they both took a week off from studies and summer jobs, etc. to do a week of mission work.)

And Mollie graduated a year ago in July. Wow!! Time flies.

The reminder showed up on FB's Time Hop last week. 

We celebrated with a Low Country Boil. 

We are gearing up for another one when it cools off a bit because I bought shrimp when I was in Charleston a few weeks ago!!

And the Boules Court got lights this past week so things are looking up in our backyard.

 I blogged about the early stages and it wasn't this pretty!

We've already had a ton of fun on it - our Honduras Mission Team had a reunion Saturday night and the court got plenty of play and the porch was full of fun people and good food. And it was hot ( like Honduras hot!!)

(Isn't the ladder an attractive touch? We have a little  somewhat large roof/storm damage issue going on.

 UGG! Two steps forward, one step back!)

I finally got my pelican print framed. I've had it for ages... I like big shore bird pictures. 

What can I say?

It has ended up in the Black is Back Library - for now.

 I intended it for another spot but we are liking where it's perched for now.

And I found a fabulous bamboo dresser for a steal on a thrifting app on my iphone. 

 It got a little cleaning and a glossy coat of paint last week. 

And last but not least...

A copper flamingo punch bowl!!! 

WHAT????

Talk about coveting something frivolous!!!

I can't stand how awesome that is.

Oh, the frozen punches I could serve out of that!!!

#excusetopartyeveryweekend

My Lucky Day!

I was unexpectedly downtown (Atlanta) this week 

because Mollie had a little dental emergency 

(not the lucky part of this story) 

and I decided to swing by the Salavation Army store

 on my way back to the 'burbs. 

 Did you know the Salvation Army store has sales?

Well, I did not. 

I'm often late to the party, so to speak. 

The parking lot was packed. 

People were double parked. I couldn't get in, then I pulled into a small open space and a guy yelled that I couldn't park there because the big trucks were coming and I had to pull out on a road I didn't know and circle around. 

I almost left but for some reason I did circle back and park on the street and walk back to the store. I figured that all the people already in the know about the sale and jamming the parking lot had gotten all the "good stuff" but right there in the window was a dream piece. 

On sale. 

Discounted from the already awesome Salvation Army great price! 

( Like less than $40.00)

I was giddy!

The size of my car is no deterrent.

 I act like I still drive a Suburban :)

#nobambooleftbehind

I drove straight home, booted the previous coffee table right out the room 

and brought this beauty in.

( Chloe was giddy, too! Haha!) 

 Yes, we are those people who have dogs on the furniture. 

I did not say "let" because we didn't let her. 

She just decided that spot was hers 

and she's been right there ever since. Mollie calls her "Princess"!

It's everything I love in a coffee table. 

Big. Bamboo. And caning!!

 Trifecta!

I know that it would look so much better sitting on a beautiful rug.

But Chloe eats rugs. 

Sisal, bamboo, jute, wool, hand hooked. She loves all flavors of rugs. 

So hardwoods it is.

I had to pull out some accessories I had stashed and start styling it up!

I haven't finished tweaking it but we all love it! 

#thriftingforthewin

Texture

Our family room walls are white. 

Glossy, regular old Sherwin Williams "white."

(They've been burgundy, tan, greige and
 an unfortunate gray blue that looked like baby boy nursery blue in our light in that room.
 That was repainted in a flash!)

 Nothing fancy.
( But the glossy part is important to me. )

I just love white.

This picture was taken with my iphone on a rainy afternoon. Sorry it's not better :)

My parents gave me a 1 time deep house cleaning as a gift back in July  (right before Mollie's college graduation party) and a team of 4 ladies spent about 6 hours at my house.
 They cleaned everything. It was a.maz.ing!!

 Even though the pic is grainy everything is spotless at the same time!!! #trueluxury

And right there smack dab in the middle is the scary fan!

It has been replaced with a ceiling hugging bamboo fan without a light fixture.

 #muchbetter

There's a lot of white in that room but there is also a lot of texture.

Shiny tortoiseshell bamboo and sandpaper rough coral.

Natural elements like turtle shell, glossy green leaves, small sea shells.

Green glass, blue and white pottery.

(The turtle shell is a musical instrument from Honduras and was a gift. They eat the turtle meat and repurpose the shell.

And I just noticed a Sharpie on the wicker tray. I'm never far from a Sharpie!)

Wicker and rattan and more bamboo.

And lots of textiles. 

Quilted and woven. Ikat and Velvet.

(The blue and white blanket was woven in Honduras and brought home on our previous trip.)

More coral, pewter, shiny book jackets and painted wood.

And glossy white walls, shiny black lamps, textured oil painting, carved wooden boxes and shiny, shiny conch shells from a Bahamas trip with rough brick below 

(and, oh, how I want to paint that brick white!)

The trim is glossy white, too.

 I love light reflecting off of glossy surfaces and it helps in a room that doesn't get much light.

More bamboo  and wood and mixed metals. 

Texture is a game changer and a best friend to white walls!