Dressing Up

I've posted before about my obsession (one of many, thank you very much!) with dress-up clothes. I plan ahead for lots of things, but this one is rather specific. You see, I would adore a granddaughter someday. I'm such a girly girl when it comes to my home and my lifestyle. I could make Marmie's house into a super fun girl retreat. If nothing but boys come my way, I'll make do in other ways, but for now, collecting dress-up clothes is too fun to consider stopping for the obvious reasons that 1) my daughter is a mere 18 and not close to marrying age much less motherhood, and 2) if no grandchildren or only boys come into my life, I've got big ol' tubs of vintage negliegees, boas and high-heels cluttering up my attic space.

I started collecting dress-up clothes when I was pregnant with Harleigh, and they were one of her most favorite things to play with! Hours and hours of imaginary play. Loads of great picture opportunities. And all of that collection has been saved, and that is what I'm adding to. Here are four new dresses I found on the $1 rack at a thrift store this weekend. They're all smaller junior sizes.



This is the back, with all the lace and the two ribbon roses.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

Apparently this stylin' plastic lace-like bicycle basket has been around forever but I've just discovered it. And for $24.95 at The Container Store (plus an additional 20% off), I picked up one for the Candy Spelling Gift Closet and one for me! I'll use it just to haul stuff back and forth from car to house. Ain't it darling?!?!?


Chairs. I'm obsessed. Chairs remind me of dollhouses. Why? Have no idea. When I see them at a thrift store, they always seem to be saying to me "Take me home." Help me. I only have so many opportunities to sit in my own home. These two are some of my favorites.
Nests. Found ones. Empty. Sometimes with a long forgotten egg nearby. This one is especially sweet as it's on the tiny side.

Ridin' in Style

This chair cushion, found at Cost Plus World Market, was too dern cute to pass up. I have no chairs inside the house with a naked seat, and so I had to turn to the one chair I probably spend way too much time in and therefore is deserving of a little pick-me-up. Call me an old character.

26 days . . .

. . . until we pack it up and head off to college. We wrapped up another round of shopping yesterday. With a dorm room that contains a kitchen, living room and dining room, plus the two bedrooms, the needs list seems endless. In the meantime, I take one day at a time, and enjoy my girl every day that I have her at home. Here is a text message picture I got from her last week, asking if the Goodwill skirt she just bought worked out as a dress. Yes it does. Yes I love you. Yes you are sweetness and kindness. And yes you are growing up and will be leaving soon. Yes I will miss you beyond words.

Vintage Sears Roebuck Courier Bag and Baseballs for the Boy

Running errands on Saturday morning. With Harleigh going off to college, the thrifting isn't happening with the vigor it used to (every penny goes toward what the HOPE scholarship doesn't cover), and so pit stops at my favorite places was not an option. But I did see a yard sales sign that was written in elderly lady writing. Ya know what I mean? The letters have that lilt and deliberateness to them. Detour.

Indeed, it was an older widowed woman making a move to California. Getting rid of as much stuff as she could. I got a few items I'll share in later posts (along with a good story), but here is one that at 50 cents I couldn't resist. I've been wanting a new tote bag, preferably one that zippers. Have eyed the vintage airline bags but they're so doggone pricey. This Sears Roebuck Courier bag has a missing piece that locks the zipper in place, but who cares. Perfect for toting around all my loot.


Also got a box of old baseballs. Gideon has had a blast with these. Inside, in the evening, I can sit in my chair and roll these across the room. He's in heaven. Back and forth. Back and forth. Drop the ball in my lap. Roll. Fetch. Drop the ball in my lap. Roll. Fetch.
And last night, after a rousing game of "baseball," he fell asleep with his head on the clean laundry. Pure cuteness, if I must say so myself.

French Larkspur turns one = oolala giveaway

Take a stroll over to French Larkspur for this loveliest of giveaways. But do it quickly as it closes midnight on July 10.

She'll be giving away these be-U-ti-ful items from Maria at Dreamy Whites. Take a look . . . (photos by Dreamy Whites).

Lavendar pillows made from vintage French ticking —
A vintage zinc pitcher from France —
And a European grain sack pillow —

Happy Independence Weekend!

Harleigh went to the Duluth fireworks on Saturday night, and then she and I went to a picnic and wonderfully orchestrated fireworks show at a neighbor's house on Sunday night. The fact that they crossed state lines to purchase the pyrotechnics leads me to believe that what they shot off was probably illegal, but I suppose the magic of the lit-up sky while sitting in a lawn chair in the driveway made me quickly forget.

Then this morning was the Dunwoody parade, the largest Independence Day parade in the state of Georgia. I've never been before, which surprises me because 1) I love parades, and 2) Dunwoody is the next town over from Norcross. It was small town at its finest, but on a grand scale. Can't wait to include it on next year's 4th of July agenda!

This darling magazine cover has been hanging in my craft room, in a found frame with an ill-fitting matte. In desperate need of being reframed. I kept the painted wood frame and got rid of the matte, exchanging it for a background of scrapbook paper. The magazine cover is glued onto a piece of poster board and lays on top of the paper. Much much better.

College Orientation

Headed out of town yesterday around noon. Got into southern Georgia early enough that we decided to head straight to Savannah. Neither one of us had been there before, and we were both charmed by its . . . well, Southerness. We walked around, shopped — lots of vintage clothing stores (Harleigh found a great pair of worn-in Dingo cowboy boots and jeans) — ate dinner, witnessed the throngs of fans waiting for seating at Mother & Sons (Paula Deen's restaurant) and standing in line for her live cooking show at the theatre around the corner, then made it back in time to shower and lie on the bed with the laptop watching episodes of Modern Family and replaying portions that had us in pants-wetting laughter.

Up this morning and ready to head off to today's orientation!

The drive to Georgia Southern is quite desolate. Came across this gas station on one of our pit stops. El Cheapo . . . only here in the South.

A little footstool redo

I gifted my retro footstool, the one from the ken, to Ali's mom who fell in love with it on one of her many craft-day visits preparing for Ali's wedding. It fits better with her decor anyway! I've missed having a place to park my tired feet at the end of the day. My plan was to go thrift. Go for bigger (so that I could use it as a table as well as a footstool). And, of course, that it be, or at least wind up looking, Chateau Gahan adorable.

So this weekend I popped into Goodwill and saw this for $7. Possibilities galore with this little gem.So I channeled one of my most favorite bloggers, dottie angel, who does such simple, sweet things with vintage linens, and came up with this slipcover. It doesn't come close to having the handmade charm and detail that her pieces do, but I think I did OK in my attempt to create her feel. (And bottom line was that I wanted this to be an afternoon project, no painting involved. Done in a few hours kinda thing.)

I cheated big time on the gathered skirt. I used a bed skirt from IKEA, cut off the top portion, pinned it to the stool for size and then took it off and put it aside.
Then I took a crochet-edged table runner, cut it up (had to do this in order to make the edging work within the size of the stool), and added a hanky and crocheted doily. I hid some of the seams with white rick rack. Then sewed the gathered skirt onto this top piece.
Mr. Gideon was the first to test it out. (And no worries if he gets it dirty, since I can simply take it off and wash it).
I'm diggin' the size of it, and that it's the perfect height for my rather low chair. It turned out to be a very relaxing afternoon of sewing, listening to Prairie Home Companion on NPR, drinking iced tea and staying cool.

Love Lasts

NOTE: This might not be as heartwarming as my Carl Bray story, but it's pretty darn close. I just love it when people reach out to others with acts of kindness or recognition. Makes me want to be a good person.

Anywho . . .

When I headed off to college in the summer of 1978, I took with me a poster that wound up living with me through all four years of university life. It was a poster of an Oneida silverware ad. I'd seen the ad in a Seventeen magazine and loved it. Turns out that when the ad appeared many months down the road, it was accompanied by a small-print line that offered a poster sized reproduction of the ad for a mere $5 plus shipping and handling. Apparently I wasn't the only one who fell in love with the image of a lovingly worn teddy bear.

When I arrived at Ohio Wesleyan University, it was tacked up on the wall above my bed, and continued to be through four different dorm rooms. The edges turned tattered and riddled with holes.

After graduation, I framed the poster and hung it in my first apartment, then my second apartment. I kept the poster up until Harleigh and I moved into our house in 1999. Then, in a rather what-was-I-thinking moment, I decided that it had lived a good life and I was ready to send it off to Goodwill.

I'd long since forgotten about the poster until her senior year hit. With Harleigh going off to college, I was nostalgically reminded of heading off to school and the things that made me feel connected to home and just plain happy. I wanted this poster back. On the off chance that I could find it, my intention would be to get it framed and give it to Harleigh for her dorm room. But wasn't quite sure if she'd go for that. So I told her that I was trying to locate it, just to see what her response would be. "Oh, Mom, I remember that poster. I loved it and wondered why you gave it away."

And so I googled 'til I could google no more; for close to a year I searched and searched. In desperation I called Oneida last week. Ya know how sometimes you get a customer service person whom you just connect with? The conversation that ensues takes you back to the old days when you got a person right away and they were truly there to bend over backwards to do whatever it took to make you happy? Well, dang it, I got JUST that person!

I told her my story and the first thing she said was, "I'm going to find that poster for you. I know exactly which one you're talking about. Give me a few days. Give me your phone number." Well, that afternoon I got a call . . . "Dawn, this is Cathy from Oneida. Got your poster and it's in the mail. So glad I could help!" And it arrived, and a flood of memories washed over me. This poster is a tad bit different from the one I had. Mine had a picture of a spoon at the bottom, the "Love Lasts" sentiment was actually on a silver disk on a necklace around the bear's neck, and the ribbon was pink. But I love that it IS a little different; sorta Harleigh's version of the "poster that will follow you throughout your college years."Wondering what kind of thank you I can send to Cathy. Perhaps a picture of Harleigh standing in front of it. Not sure, but this gal will so be acknowledged for something she did out of the goodness of her heart.

Quiet on the set!

Went out today to grab lunch. This is the conversation that ensued between me and the guy behind the lunch counter when I was paying.

He: Excuse me, Ma'am, but are you a movie producer?
Me (with that "what the heck" look on my face): Uh, no. Do I look like a movie producer you know?
He: No. You just look like a movie producer.
Me: Really? Well, I think that's cool. I'd like to be a movie producer.

I left shaking my head and smiling. Me. A middle-aged woman in a large man's shirt, polyester pants, fake Merrells, white socks and a headband in her hair. A movie producer.

Patchwork Cup

So . . . I keep seeing cute things to send to school with Harleigh. Hafta be careful though because while she's been forced to live the girly world of Chateau Gahan for the past 18 years, her dorm room is all hers and ALL her taste, which happens to be a little different than mine.

So my tactic is to buy something and then set it out on the counter. If she reacts "that's cute, Mom!" then I offer it up to her. In the case of this small patchwork mug, I got a reaction that means it's being packed up and heading to Statesboro!

Have Tag Will Travel

Miss Nancy, Ali's adorable mom (Ali — the bride whose wedding I did up in Dahlonega) sent Harleigh these darling monogrammed luggage tags. How cute are these? She is an amazing seamstress and has one of those fancy embroidery machines (she made and embroidered all the napkins for Ali's wedding!). Harleigh says this is one of her most favorite graduation gift, perfect for a gym bag and computer bag, both of which she'll be toting off to college!

Look how cute the backs are with contrasting fabric!

Oneida Melamine Plates

We're just starting to buy all the stuff that Harleigh will need to furnish her dorm room. Bedroom bedding, rug and window treatments are done. Towels, still need more. Kitchen and living room stuff, think we'll tackle that on check-in weekend. Her dorm room is two bedrooms, each with a full size bed (and its own door), a living room, bathroom with double sink, and kitchen (sans stove). Not what I remember having back in the day.

When I saw these melamine plates with daisies on them (and I do have a daughter who LOVES daisies), I knew they'd be perfect for her kitchen. Couldn't pass these up.

Ottoman Slipcovers from a Vintage Bedspread

Remember how excited I was about my new slipcovers? Well, it turned into a rather frustrating mess. When I originally bought the fabric to hand off to the upholsterers, I asked two times if I should wash it first. They assured me it was not necessary. So I'm thinking that they're going to make the sllipcovers super oversized to allow for shrinkage when I wash them. So not the case.

We call the big ottoman "Gideon's throne," and because he sleeps there a lot, it was the first of the slipcovers that needed washing. Shrunk so much I couldn't even get it back on. For two years I've covered it with a quilt. And the chair slipcover . . . needless to say it needs a good washing, but that ain't gonna happen (so I've taken to covering that as well). I figure that soon enough I'll replace both pieces with inexpensive IKEA slipcovered pieces.

On the day before Harleigh's graduation my mom was at the house to help get everything ready. When she asked what she could do to help, I charged her with something I knew she could accomplish with her eyes closed. Got the sewing machine set up and handed her a vintage bedspread I had on hand. Within an hour she had cut and sewn me a cover for not only Gideon's Throne, but for a little round naugahyde ottoman I keep under my coffee table. Voila! Instant Chabby Chic cuteness. Thanks Mamachita!

No Pictures is a Very Good Thing

So . . . there's a very good reason that i haven't shared any pictures of Ali's wedding. And it's a bigee. Southern Weddings magazine will be featuring Ali's wedding in the upcoming issue! Past issues of this magazine were inspirational to Ali and me as we planned her wedding and reception. Keep your eyes open for it on the newsstand, I believe in August. What an honor!!!!! (A big thanks to Ali's photographer, Jill Thomas, for making this happen. She made the submission one day and heard back the next that they wanted to include it in the issue they're working on now!!!

Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Post-Grooming Nap, Memorial Day Bunting

Two things draw me to the series of Reader's Digest Condensed Books (and neither has anything to do with the stories inside). One is the spines. I have several of these books on my mantle, displayed simply for the pink and gray spines that tie in with my living room colors. The second thing is the patterns on the front and back covers. Found these two yesterday at the thrift store and dang, they're too pretty to shelve with all my other books and so they are displayed on a table.
Giddy got his summer shave and came home exhausted from all the attention. Spoiled rotten is all I can say.
I've always thought patriotic bunting is so Martha's Vineyard. Found this bunting at Dollar Tree and although I don't have a sweeping wraparound porch to hang it from, they worked rather well in my windows.

Giddy's New Bed and a Kickin' Cute Bath Mat

How very refined (and feminine — but Chateau Gahan is rather girly) that Gideon has a Cynthia Rowley patchwork dog bed, found on the cheap at TJMaxx.
When it comes shower and bath time, there's nothing like white. White towels, white plush robe. Found this round bath mat with crocheted trim at Cost Plus World Market. It goes well with the other white rug I have in my bath as well as the matelasse shower curtain.

Setting the Stage for Graduation Day

So much preparation went into the big day. Thank God for such wonderful family. They all worked their tails off to make the day as special as it was. The following pictures were taken the day after graduation, so the settings lack the personality that they oozed when they were filled with people, food and love. But still wanted to share.

Moved the potting table from the garage to the back patio to use as a bar. Mom cleaned it up real good and then Fred, my workhorse of a stepdad, was my designated bartender on the big day. Potting table put to perfect use! And my outdoor rugs dressed up the venue nicely.
Found this darling metal table painted blue and perfectly "chippy" at a thrift store a few days before for $10. Loved that it had the double holes to hold an umbrella. Umbrella found at Garden Ridge for $9.99.

Harleigh saw an old swing set at a neighbor's curb with a big "Take Me: Free" sign. She loved the swing part of the set and luckily we were able to remove it. Fred hung it from the treehouse, warmed it up with a quilt, and it became a favorite spot for the kids who came to the graduation festivities.

The steps off of my back patio had become a mud patch and so Fred laid these pavers for me (in the drizzle the day before graduation; thank you thank you thank you!). I can't believe how much they help with dirt being tracked into the house.