thrift and vintage - chikaustin

thrift and vintage

May11th

5 Comments

like i need another globe

Posted in: thrift and vintage

I need another vintage globe like I need a hole in my head, but when it’s sitting on the shelf for $5 I just can’t pass it up. Today was a very good day for thrifting. The bebe and I headed into town after dropping the kids off at preschool to hit up my favorite thrift store in South Austin. I was forfeiting a very good morning nap for Chloe in order to head into town and hoped it’d be worth our while. You just never know. Here is our loot that we scored for incredibly low prices. Definitely worth the drive into town. I’d been looking for these vintage linens for quite some time and came home with four pillowcases. I also scored eight doilies, the globe, milk glass vases, and a Pyrex mixing bowl set. I even found a brand new pair of Keds for little Miss Chloe when she starts walking.

A huge welcome to all of you who have arrived here from Ohdeedoh. I’m so flattered that they featured me in their Big Blog Family Series. I love their site so much and am completely honored to be included once again. They have previously profiled Makena’s room and Chloe’s nursery, which is such a compliment. Thank you Ohdeedoh!!
April22nd

10 Comments

i’ve got the whole world

Posted in: home sweet home, in my kitchen, thrift and vintage

I can tell you that we don’t take holidays lightly around here. Earth Day is no exception. So here I am, going about the normal morning time routine. Wake up, sometimes shower, smile at the baby, get the kids up, breakfast, make lunches, shuffle the baby, get the kids dressed, feed the baby, coo at the baby, grab our backpacks and out the door. It’s a hurry, we’re balancing precariously on the line of being late type of morning. Preschool is three minutes away, it’s 8:57 am. Go!

Put the baby in the car, open the hatchback on the car so Makena can climb in only to be greeted by a huge TARANTULA. I kid you not. Sitting on Chloe’s shopping cart cover thingy. I believe he had the same ‘oh my God’ expression and scream but we just couldn’t hear it. So this is what goes down when there is a TARANTULA in your car. Lots of screaming, running in circles, ‘get something, no not that, grab a stick, something bigger, will it bite me, I don’t know, don’t touch it, no Keegan a baseball glove will not work, more screaming, get a picture, quick, more screaming. Escort the tarantula across the street, pray he won’t return and didn’t bring any buddies to the Earth Day celebration in the swagger wagon.

Happy Earth Day, yeah right! I did my part by not killing him. How do you kill a tarantula anyway? I’m not stepping on it, he’d probably bite me. Run him over with your car? I always see them walking across the street when I’m driving, maybe that will work. Who knows. And yes, I am still freaked out.

Scorpions, tarantulas, and cougars oh my!

Seeing as it is Earth Day I thought you might like to see where the globes I bought in Round Top ended up. This is not my idea, I’d seen it on this blog (I think, can anyone tell me for sure?). I love globes, as you can tell and the entire time I was snatching them up I was singing ‘I’ve got the whole world in my hands.’ Yes, I know those are not the right lyrics but they made me laugh. And you have to laugh at yourself when you and your friends are walking around Round Top carrying seven globes. I ended up getting each globe for about $10 each. Not bad, not bad at all. I love me some Round Top.

And here is another shot for you. I also scored the huge number 5 at Round Top, since our family is now a party of five. I’m working on filling up the entire garage door with the kids art. I thought about turning it into a chalkboard, but don’t really want chalk all over the house. And I figure, they are only little for such a short time. Before I know it there won’t be kids art hanging, but schedules for events to shuffle them to.

Happy Earth Day y’all! I hope the earth minds its own business today and doesn’t greet you with a big hairy spider.
April16th

14 Comments

round top, texas

Posted in: out and about, thrift and vintage

It’s really that time of year where not much is getting made around the house. Just a whole lotta livin’. Springtime in Texas is my absolute favorite time to hit the road and explore the hill country. There are so many places to go and the weather is just perfect. Plus, just like the rest of the country, the landscape is covered with wildflowers.

A couple of weeks ago my girlfriends and I descended upon Round Top for a two day adventure. Twice a year Round Top plays host to one of the largest antique fairs in the nation. And since it’s only a little over an hour from Austin, we hit the road. We did learn a lesson last time and rented a house so we could spread it out a little bit. So with the wind at our back, Robert Earl Keen on the radio, and our eyes set on the prize we took off.

You really never know what you are going to find in Round Top. You can go with the most well thought out planned list and come home with not a thing that was on it. You never know what the dealers will have, or what might catch your eye.

Some shots of Round Top…

And this is what my car looked like when we left. Yes the globes are mine and not a one of them was on my list. I came home with SEVEN. I also came home with a huge number 5 from the side of a building. A peace sign made out of an old ceiling tile. An old wooden door certainly covered with lead paint. A ‘porch party here’ sign. And a few other odds and ends. And yes, my girls helped me carry all of the globes around Round Top. We do know how to have a good time.

Until next year!
September7th

38 Comments

the nursery

Posted in: babes in toyland, crafting, home sweet home, thrift and vintage
Sorry about the brief break in postings. I don’t have a very good excuse other than that I am officially nine months pregnant and am using all of my free time for naps. I’m not sleeping well at night. My belly is poking out from under most of my maternity tops. And I’ve been downright grumpy for a few days now. We do have a c-section scheduled for September 29th so at least I’ll have a sweet baby in my arms next month.

The house is quiet. My hubby has taken the kids to the park so I can have some writing time and the best way for me to find my writing mojo is to write up a blog post so here goes. Although, this one is going to be pretty picture heavy.

Without further ado, here is Chloe’s nursery…

The crib is the Jenny Lind style purchased for Makena when Keegan was born. Yup, I had two in cribs at the same time. The decals and wall art are from Etsy. The vintage mobile was found at a garage sale. I picked up inexpensive white bedding here and there. And I made the little pillow and quilt using my favorite Amy Butler fabrics. We decided to paint the bedroom an aqua color and go with the red accents. Makena’s nursery was pink, pink, and more pink and I’m a bit pinked out.

Amy Butler fabric makes my heart swoon.

I found the letter C at Hobby Lobby and spray painted it red. The ABC print is from Etsy. And I picked some of the fabric from her quilt to display in the hoops. The dresser and bookshelf were purchased for Makena about two years ago at Target.

Most of the decorations on her bookshelf are vintage. The owl bank was found at Target.

My really sweet blog friend, Rebekah, made this coordinating block and ball set for my soon to arrive baby. She has mad skills.

I found a ton of inspiration on Ohdeedoh, flickr, and Etsy. Also, while perusing other blogs looking at nurseries. I’ll take another picture of the other side of the room when the light is cooperating.

:: Links ::
- Wall decals – Etsy seller Byrdie Graphics
- You are my sunshine print – Etsy seller The Wheatfield
- ABC print – Etsy seller Orange Ink
- Paint – Behr (Home Depot) Refreshing Pool 500A-2
This place on the web may become a little picture heavy until the baby and book deadline arrives. At the same time!
July7th

12 Comments

nursery progress

Posted in: home sweet home, thrift and vintage

We have been searching for a rocking chair for the nursery. Going back and forth between the new chairs with online reviews that range from good to bad and something vintage. With my two kids in tow, we hit up three Goodwills and then the Salvation Army to see what we could find. This by no means was an easy, care free day. But with thrifting, you have to go and go frequently as their inventory changes by the minute.

The thrifting fairies must have been with me yesterday because I stumbled upon this chair. I now have a new favorite room in the house. The nursery. Where I can sit quietly. Sometimes. And just be. Sometimes.

I can’t remember where I first saw this print but knew that I wanted it for the babies room. It’s well on it’s way and will have a new home by the crib.

Nesting. My favorite part of pregnancy.
June18th

7 Comments

she’s crafty

Posted in: babes in toyland, celebrations, crafting, thrift and vintage

While trying to think of a blog post title for this entry, the Beastie Boys ’she’s crafty’ song popped into my head. So I started singing along and quickly realized that they aren’t talking about the sewing crafty type. Ha!

I have been wanting to make a halter dress for Makena since it’s summer. Of course, I had no pattern. Just a vintage pillowcase with embroidery that I’ve been saving for just the right project. And I love white dresses in the summertime.

She’s a string bean that’s for sure. So after several adjustments to the elastic to keep it on her little body, I think I’ve got just the right fit. I also took pictures along the way in hopes of whipping up a tutorial for you.

Today we are going to a two year old birthday party and the theme is butterflies. The girls are supposed to wear wings and the boys capes. Good thing I made Keegan a cape for Christmas and already had one ready to go. The wings I got at Target (of course).

And for the birthday girl, I made her a tutu using this tutorial. Belly button not included. Easy peasy.
June9th

15 Comments

handmade with love

Posted in: thrift and vintage

Some handmade goodness made it’s way into my house last week.

It all started as an effort to help my mom clean out her storage unit. We opened box after box. Sorting through household goods. Crib… check. Extra set of towels… check. Pots and pans… check.

Until I found a box labeled ‘old quilts.’ Bingo.

So I casually and oh so nonchalantly said, “Mom, what’s in this box?”

“Oh, some old quilts and family pictures.” My eyes widened and my ears perked up. I then tore open the box. Casually of course because I didn’t want to appear desperate.

I then proceeded to beg, to plead for them. “Oh Mom, I’ll take such good care of them. Look at them here in this old box at the bottom of the pile. I will love them forever. I won’t cut them up. I won’t get rid of them. I promise to treasure them.” Can you hear the desperation in my voice? And let me show you why.

This is why I love handmade goods. Because it’s in my genes. And it’s in yours too. This beautiful stack of quilts, that was handmade by my family, is now in my home. On a shelf in the baby’s room.

I also found this white quilt with beautiful blue embroidery all over it.

And on the bottom corner, if you look hard enough you will see my great-grandmother’s name ~ Harriett, 1910. Melts my heart.

At the very bottom of that box was this silhouette. It’s my mama! Made when she was about five years old. I cried when I pulled it out of the box. Then my mom cried because she couldn’t believe that I would actually want it. Doesn’t she read my blog???

Want it? I ran directly to my car and put it in the back. It’s going to hang in either the nursery or the kids room. What a gift to them, a handmade silhouette of their Nana. Thank you Nana. For all of our family treasures.

So why do I love handmade? Because life has not always been easy for our families. There wasn’t a Target and a supermarket on the corner. My family survived the trans-atlantic journey to come to America with little more than their suitcase. Some coming from Italy, others from Great Britain. They somehow made their way to Texas.

They survived the Great Depression. They worked. And they worked hard for what they had.

They appreciated. Everything. They handmade. Everything.

Do not let a moment slip you by that you do not appreciate where you are now and what you have. You are blessed.
May12th

7 Comments

before and after

Posted in: crafting, home sweet home, thrift and vintage

Well good morning. I was up way too late last night sewing clothes for Makena and looking at fabric online. I’ve reached that point in my pregnancy where I’m full of energy. I’m not the best in my first trimester. You might have noticed.

Recently I was the lucky recipient of an antique desk chair that has been in my family for years. I’ve been needing a chair to go in my craft area since the one I’d been using was our dining room chair. And, well, the dining room is downstairs which makes it treacherous for my pregnant self to lug it up and down when we have company. As you can see, the fabric has probably been on the chair since it was made and was in terrible conidition.

Before.

After. I used some Ikea fabric I had purchased many moons ago to liven it up a bit. Now it’s a brand new chair. Ooh, ooh, ooh and did you see my new Ikea cabinet next to the chair? It was my Valentine’s Day present from my hubby. Yes, that is what I asked for. I am so organized in that little spot in my house I can’t even stand it. We won’t talk about the rest of the house.
March9th

7 Comments

shop update

Posted in: thrift and vintage

I’ve been working in the shop. Finally getting some long overdue items listed. It’s all vintage, so go on… check it out!

I hate to part with it, but I’ve got quilts coming out my ears.

These scream Grandma’s kitchen.

You know my love for vintage toys.

And this Shabby Chic vintage candelabra.

Happy shopping!
February26th

9 Comments

Spring Dresses

Posted in: crafting, thrift and vintage

Craft Hope is in full bloom. The mailman was very good to me today. I’ve got pillowcase dresses and tops coming in daily now and will very soon show you all of the beauties before they head to Mexico next week. I’ve also got women signing up daily to be a part of the next project. What a blessing.

Spring has officially arrived here in Texas. With the temperatures in the 80’s the past few days it feels like it’s time to start making spring and summer fiesta dresses. It’s not too early to think about Easter dresses.

I’m now taking custom orders for these fiesta dresses. You simply choose the color and the size. There is plenty of beautiful spring colors coming in right now with white, pink, aqua, purple and yellow. The dresses can be made up to 5t.

I’m off to San Antonio this weekend to get all of my supplies. Contact me if you are interested in a custom order.

Have a great weekend!