More Cows

 

 

You know how I love my cow painting, right?  Well, my daughter, Amanda, is the one who taught me to paint in that particular style and to just have fun with it.  She has been at it painting cows again.  She says she loves to paint anything with a face.  This painting of a cow and calf  I think is especially sweet.  Love the cow tag, Amanda!

 

This photo was taken with her iphone, but it really looks good in person!  If she had known I was going to post it, she probably would have used her Nikon.  Please excuse the quality.

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: cow painting,calf painting,cow tag,lola's conundrum

Advertising Art

 

Okay, so my house is full of paintings I have done.

And my house is full of paintings my daughter

has done.

I am still a sucker for all kinds of art I find in thrift stores.

Here is an interesting one I found recently.

 

I was drawn to the colors.

I loved the simple mat and black frame.

I hardly ever leave anything in its original condition,

but I didn’t do a thing to it.

Then I read the fine print.

 

 

It’s a Listerine ad.

“Listerine used as a mouthwash quickly overcomes halitosis (unpleasant breath.)”

I could tell by how it was framed that it was vintage.

Then I read the finer print.

It has a signature.

Myron Perley.

I had no idea who that was.

But thanks to the ole internet, you can look up that stuff.

It seems that ad illustrator Myron Perley did this one for a magazine in 1916.

I was able to find other illustrations (lots of cars) he did and I

love his work.

But I really love the quirkiness of this one.

Uh oh.

Pay no attention to that reflection of my cow painting

that is showing on the glass in the second photo.

She is always trying to get in the picture.

 

 

Linking with Vintage Revivals Look What I Found Friday.  Love that Mandi (even before I saw her on Nate Berkus)!

Technorati Tags: Myron Perley,advertising art,Pierce-Arrow Advertising Society,juried art exhibit Chicago 1920,thrift store art finds

Breaking the Bread Code

 

 

Well, my friends, I found this too interesting to keep to myself!  You may already know this, but a tweet from House Beautiful explains that the way to tell if the bread is fresh is by the color of the twist ties or plastic clips.  This article at WiseBread.com was written by Paul Michael.  You can read it here, but a quick guide is in this excerpt:

As it turns out, they indicate when the loaf was baked. The standard is as follows:

• Blue: Monday
• Green: Tuesday
• Red: Thursday
• White: Friday
• Yellow: Saturday

 

I always knew the color of the twisties meant something, but I had never seen an actual guide.  The article also states there are some exceptions, but I think if this is true, I will find it very helpful, indeed!

 

Technorati Tags: bread tags,House Beautiful,WiseBread.com,Paul Michael,how to tell when bread was baked

Recently at the W…

 

I tag along with hubby frequently on trips to Austin.  We have stayed in many hotels there, but recently we enjoyed for the first time…

 

The W

They had me at hello. 

 

 

 

 

This is a hipstamatic photo of the lamp on the front desk.  Notice the lighting in the walls behind.  So different!  There was a problem with our reservation (so often happens) but they made everything right.

I apologize for the Iphone photos.  I didn’t have my Canon.

 

 

 

 

Love that clever signage!  Wish I’d thought of that.

 

 

 

 

Hallway.  The bright red and subdued grey was very unusual and pretty.

 

 

 

Entering the room.  Lots of shades of grey.  Loved it.

 

 

Ah, the bed.  That’s a Sferra throw.  It’s the little things.

 

The dark grey upholstered headboard actually had a fabric paneled wall behind it that was, oh yeah, lit from behind with blue lights.

 

How is this for a lightning bold of color in a sea of greys?  A bright red chaise.  Again, sorry for the quality of photo.

That white thing in the middle is actually a little table that slides along to different areas of the chaise. 

 

 

 

 

The window view.

 

Bathroom.

No tub, just shower.  My preference anyway.

 

One wall of the restaurant had these banquettes.  I didn’t get a photo of the chairs in the rest of the restaurant, but I loved them.  They were different styles of Chippendale and Queen Anne, etc.  all painted high gloss bright white. 

 

There were several of these mirrors in the restaurant.  They are made from small randomly-shaped pieces of antique mirrors.  I want to make one of these.   Wish the photo did them justice.

 

Did I say it’s the small things?  Isn’t this the cutest teeny salt cellar and salt spoon?  Did you know that I collect antique salt spoons?

I really enjoyed staying at the W.

Over the last 10 years, I did not think anything could come close to staying at the Four Seasons in Austin.

In the words of American Idol’s Randy Jackson:

 

It’s a hot competition, baby!

Technorati Tags: The W Hotel Austin,grey decor,salt cellar,salt spoon,grey and red interiors

A Different Look for the Lil French Buffet

 

I can’t be trusted to leave things in the same place very long.  You all know what I’m talking about.  Sometimes you just have to move things around. 

I was going to sell this French plate rack with the chalkware cherub topper, but I decided to see what it would look like in my dining room.  I added a little brown transferware and  just put it on top of my little French buffet that I had redone.  You can read about the metamorphosis of that piece here.

I think this was taken with a flash and a different camera than the first photo.  I use this huge art piece “girl with the bird on her shoulder” all over my house.  My daughter painted it.  I taught her everything she knows.  Just kidding.  Actually, she taught me how to have fun painting.   Sometimes I copy her.  What’s she going to do?  Sue me?   Actually, she says she loves that I copy her.  We copy each other.

Back to the buffet, isn’t it interesting how one thing can change the whole look? 

 

Linking with French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday and Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday.

 

Technorati Tags: French grey painted buffet,French plate shelf with chalkware pediment,huge modern art,brown aesthetic pheasant plates

 

 

 

A Little Somethin’ Somethin’ Surprise

Hubby has been at it again.  He surprised me with this.
If you are a follower of my blog, here are some things you probably know:
1.  It is old.
2.  He bought it at an estate sale.
3.  He expects me to figure out what it is.
So, what is it?
Here are things you probably don’t know. 
Yes, it does resemble a flask, but…..
1.  It is tiny.  Here is the size.   Now that would be one big inch and a half thimbleful of liqueur!
2.  It is covered with leather and has brass touches and yes, it does resemble a lighter, but it has no flint wheel and does not contain lighter fluid. 
3.  Before you get any ideas about what I mean by somethin’ somethin’, the part of the definition that goes with this item is “alluding to something drug-related”. 
4. Okay, enough hints.  I’m getting out of hand.


It is a vintage pill box.
Hope my headache is a small one.


Linking with Diane at A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words and The House Creative for Meet up Monday
and Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home.

Technorati Tags: vintage pill box,somethin' somethin',estate sales

Todd Oldham + La-Z-Boy = Happy Seat

 

 

Recently found at a consignment store:  this little loveseat in a fabric that looks a little retro to me.  I was surprised to find it was made by La-Z-Boy and was designed by none other than Todd Oldham.  It was almost brand new and in excellent condition. The salesman was funny.  He said the owner had called the fabric “happy.”  He thought the owner was silly and just could not understand how a fabric could be happy.  Well, I understood that.  The fabric did look “happy” to me.  I thought the colors would go well with a rug that I had just purchased. It is soooo comfortable…a great little nook for me and a babygrand or two.  I’m not usually into this style of furniture, but maybe I am changing.  I mean, after all, it is so happy.   Sold!

I’m not sure where I’ll eventually put it.  Come on now, I know I’m not the only one who buys something without knowing exactly where it will go!  For now, it is keeping the cow company.  Maybe I’ll paint a smile on her face. 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Todd Oldham,La-Z-Boy,happy loveseat,happy fabric,cozy reading nook,cow art,retro