Lovely Springtime Birthday Party Themes for Girls

 Little Gnome via Piece of Cake Party

My little Ellie is going to be 1 soon, and she gets more confident in her walking each day! She is my one and only girl and so when I see all of these fantabulus birthday party ideas, I think they would ALL be perfect for my special, toddling baby! Babble has put together 25 lovely spring party ideas, and these are a few of my favorites.

 Water Color Party via Handmade Home

 Ice Cream Social via Chic Cheap Nursery

 Sweet as Pie via Pizzazzerie

 Make a Wish via Frog Prince Paperie

 Vintage Pony, via Hostess with the Mostess

 Vintage Chic via Zsa Zsa Bellagio

Thrifted Vintage Master Bedroom Makeover

For those who have followed my blog over the years, many of you have seen my sporadically different bedroom changes, in three different homes. The first was the diy painting of the garage sale headboard here. Then the vintage linen room, then the plate wall  and total bedroom makeover (my favorite), and now in this yucky rental (with the nausea inducing mustard orange accent wall.) Well, it's the end of an era, because I just sold my pretty white headboard and my adorable vintage french provincial dresser last weekend. A bit is due to earning some cashola to get new baby girl gear, but I'm also going through a mega purging phase right now. I have boxes and boxes of clothes/decor/craft supplies/linens and stuff just waiting to get out of here. My room feels naked now without a headboard, so any free/cheap/diy ideas for that would be awesome.

But, I did find these two amazing vintage lamps the other day for only $12. I have been looking for lamps because all of ours have broken. I never find quirky/cool lamps in a pair that actually work at a thrift store.... and these lamps are definitely pretty quirky. A woman at Goodwill commented that she liked the lamps... if the shades were different, but I happened to love the silky drum shade and the pretty pale robins egg blue color, even though it does clash a bit with the interesting pink and green glass/acrylic (?).

The wall sconces were another find for $2 and the vintage crewel embroidery art was $3. I am not usually a big symmetry decorator, like my blessed grandmother, but I love the simplicity it brings to the space.

 I have a beautiful vintage crewel embroidery on a down stuffed wool pillow that accented this art beautifully, (as seen on a chair that I also sold, *sniff*)... but I RUINED it! I wasn't thinking and washed the thing... now it is all moldy and the embroidery colors ran. I am so upset with myself. I may just cut the front part off and try to frame it?

My little boys love picking me little flowers they find. I put one in my hair the other day and they thought I had magically transformed into a princess.

Of course, the end tables usually have medicine bottles, glasses of ice water, cell phone chargers and a way huge ugly alarm clock. But you know, gotta look a little gussied up for pics right? Since the thrifted tables are pretty banged up, and I still haven't sanded and painted them, I cut this vintage thrifted lace panel in half and now we don't get splinters on our end tables at night.

 

 My hubs' Far Side looking elephant piggy bank. And his studly glasses. He looks so cute in those glasses.

 A few slip covered pillowcases my aunt, the professional seamstress made for me. I stuff them with cheap (and washed) thrifted pillows. I love how she made me so many covers, I can change them throughout the seasons and always have a fresh update. That is the beauty of slip covered pillows people. I really need to get over my fear of sewing machines and just do it. Rae Gun has a great envelope pillow case tutorial here.

So, I got me a little mini makeover for now. I have a challenge on my hands on how to make this space a little more comfortable while spending zero money on a headboard alternative. I have found a few cute ideas out there, that I will likely be posting soon, do you have any free/diy headboard ideas?

Linked to:
Thrifters Anonymous 
Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds 
Nester's It's Not Perfect But It's Beautiful 
Between Naps on the Porch 
Chic on a Shoestring Budget 
Remodelaholic

A Jaunty Antiquing Tour

After living here almost a year now, I can't believe it took me this long to find a nice antique shop, The Red Queens Attic. And not only that, but it's on a small town square with about 2 other antique shops a few doors down. It's not as epic as my favorite one in Fort Worth, but still nice. So, here are a few of my finds on this visit. I kind of love this creepy paper mache' rabbit mask.

 Doll parts, baby shoes, an an antique baby scale in the back. Interesting, cute, creepy.

This room smells how it looks. Like fresh, white cotton and potpurri from a scented wax burner.

Hello, I so want this nifty carousel horse. It would be adorable under a vine covered garden arbor.

This was a fairly large statue, nestled in a room full of glorious aged vintage books, assorted by color. Love it.

I have never seen this artwork of Jesus and child before. But for $10, I can see it every day because I brought it home with me.

 This vintage beaded dress was absolutely stunning. And that chair! (but not the grapes)

 He is just so adorably mischievous. There is another painting of a girl in this series, but I didn't get a good pic.

 A mostly white room. I liked how this dealer used mini tea stained playing cards as the item's tags.

 I just love portraits and this one is precious. I wish I could bring her home.

 I actually think the bust would look better minus 50 seashells, but who am I to comment on someone's art?

Stereoscope, 3d photograph viewer, with lots of neat images. My in-laws have one, and thus, my husband quite naturally loves them.

There was an entire section of military and naval antiques. Medals, uniforms, photographs and so on.

Well, I have many more images to share, but I'll reserve that for another time. 

Do you have a good antiques shop near you? What are you usually drawn too?

Inspired Home: Gardener and Marks White Natural History Cottage

White, shabby, natural, light filled, old, rusty, sparkly, vintage, ethereal, industrial... some of the words that come to mind when I see these lovely images from Gardener & Marks, an Australian design firm, that also specializes in renting out props for a myriad of uses. This home was once a 1900's mattress factory.

Seriously, between the plank floors, exposed beam ceilings, natural history vibe, powder coats of white paint on the beadboard and brick for this industrial cottage feel, when can I move in?

Inspired Home: Natural Winning

 love the airship art!

Amazing designer, Design star winner and host of the show, secrets of a stylist, Emily Henderson recently shared her home with Victoria of sfgirlbybay. She posts some of her styling secrets here, and blogs here. Her little interview is wonderful, so be sure to check it out.

Her collection of old portraits and paint by number art is not only interesting, but fairly easy to acquire, I see them all the time while thrifting at thift shops, flea markets, garage sales, etsy and ebay...

 Chairs! my fav. And do you notice there is a lot of greenery in her home?

There are also a lot of natural elements to be found. Something I am needing to work on.

 

I've been on the lookout for a good aztec vibe rug... you can see a little peek on one here.

 Kind of loving the cow hide rug, and the cognac tones.

 

 

 You know, I haven't put up my daisy chandelier yet in this home, in part due to the chain.

This photo is making me rethink that decision.