Remember This Guy???

Back last fall, I made a trip to Round Top for the fall flea market.  You may recall I shared some of my finds from my shopping excursion ~ read more about it here.  One of my favorite finds was this wonderful old practice shooting target.  At the time, I was unsure of how I was going to display him ~ but knew I would eventually figure it out.  Sadly, he's been been rolled up in my office ever since.  But recently, I decided it was a shame to leave him in the corner as if he were being punished for misbehavior. 

After weighing my options, I opted to bite the bullet and have him framed ~ primarily so he would be protected and preserved.  Custom framing something this size isn't for the faint of heart ~ especially after I received the estimate.  I determined I would save my pennies and wait for Aaron Brother's 50% off sale, then I jumped on it and took him in.  I think they did a tremendous job ~ I love the way the simple frame compliments this unique and quirky piece of art. 

I nestled some other flea market finds beneath the art.  Read more about the metal ballot box here.  The piece of coral is a treasured gift from Nana ~ a memento from her trip to Australia.  

In addition, I added this wonderful thrifted chair to the vignette ~ read more about it here.  The pillow is a newly acquired addition from a sale going on at West Elm.  

The practice shooting target, no longer rolled up and forgotten in a corner, now boasts a prominent position in my home.  I think it only proper he has a name ~ what do you think it should be?  Have a good week!

Relaxing at Horseshoe Bay

Recently while in Austin, spending some time with our sons, we made a trip out to Horseshoe Bay to visit our oldest son's boss and family.  The lakefront property was so serene and beautiful.  I think it's fair to say, we could feel the cares of this life melt away as we stepped foot out of the car.  I had to snap a few pics to share some of the cool interior and exterior design elements of this breathtaking getaway.  

The front door, although not what you may typically see posted on Tattered Style, was contemporary and very hip I might add. 

Calming and soothing to the senses ~ to the right of the front door was this unique water feature. 

When I entered the home, I fell in love with the interior space.  It was so open, airy and light.  I particularly love this art feature in the entry.  How ingenious to use cut circles of a tree as art on a wall.  Notice how the design starts wide at the base and narrows as it reaches the ceiling. 

I thought it was quite clever as well how the tree trunk art element drew your eye up to this funky entry lighting ~ varying size jars that have been wired for lighting.  

 

The living area sported this photo blown up on a large canvas.  It was so fitting for this Texas getaway spot. 

The lighting over the dining table was to die for ~ cool fishing nets converted to large pendants.   

I swooned over this colorful kitchenette in the bunkhouse. 

The pops of color were so cheery in the mosaic glass backsplash. 

The outdoor deck and eating area had a spectacular view.  How would you like to have coffee out here every morning?

Doesn't this whole space just scream relaxation?  As we said our goodbyes and pulled away from this peaceful spot, I was thankful for the time our family was able to spend with Bill and his family.  And maybe even a little envious (in a good way) of all the folks who lingered behind to celebrate the 4th of July week in this most beautiful space. 

Here's hoping you have the chance to take a relaxing break today ~ even if it's only a moment to read Tattered Style.  See you soon!

Go For The Unexpected!

You may remember the gum machine lamp pictured above from this post.  We've most enjoyed the lamp because it spits out a sugary treat for only a nickel and offers up needed light for the room.  But, I must admit, I've often thought the brightly colored gum was a little bit of a stranger in my muted home.  I've been tossing around ideas in my head for a long time and I finally think I've landed on something that suits my style a little better.  I rather like and prefer the new look ~ a whole lot as a matter of fact. 

Who knew that these humble game pieces would take up residence inside of a gumball machine ~ of all things?  Scrabble letters have popped up almost everywhere in endless creative design ideas but quite possibly never as a stand in for gum in a gumball machine. 

I've been toying with the idea of changing it for awhile now ~ and mostly considered replacing the colorful gum with all white gum.  The only problem with that idea ~ I was going to have to buy an awful lot of gum to adequately fill the machine.  So, one day I was poking around my house ~ I eyed the Scrabble tiles and thought ~ "why not?"  It was an easy exchange ~ I merely dumped out the gum and added the Scrabble pieces.

The idea of a cleaner and different look was very appealing to me.  In addition, I would be able to enjoy the lamp in the sitting room without it distracting from the rather subdued design.

I also decided to replace the curvy traditional shade with its colorful trim ~ with a more modern linen drum shade. 

While I hope I don't catch flack for trading out the gum for said Scrabble letters, I must admit I prefer the game pieces and love their unexpectedness.  When designing your space, I encourage you to go for the unexpected!  That said, I hope you stop by Tattered Style again soon!  

Laundry Cart Makeover / DIY

Hi ~ we're back from our family vacation (it's always nice to take a break from life for a few days!) ~ and I'm excited to share this wonderful old laundry cart project with you.  I found the cart at a flea market ~ in this condition.  All that was left of it, was it's skeleton frame and the casters it came on. 

 

I decided to make a table out of it and headed over to Orr-Reed Wrecking Co. ~ a wonderful salvage yard in Dallas ~  to see what I might come up with for a top.  It's always one of my favorite spots for salvaged materials.  This iconic, architectural salvage hot spot has undergone quite the transformation recently (you gotta see it) and is chock full of wonderful inventory.  If you live in the area, you definitely need to pay them a visit and please be sure and tell them I sent you.  

After scavenging at Orr-Reed's for awhile, I decided on some old tongue and groove wood flooring for my project.

Once I got the wood home, I decided to use the backside of the flooring for the topside of my table.  There was no particular reasoning involved ~ I just liked the way it looked and preferred it over a smooth surface. 

After I determined the finished measurement for the tabletop, I cut the boards to the desired length.  Then I interlocked the boards together and secured them to each other by adding a support strip to the back ~ making sure to screw each board to the strip of wood. 

Next, I used electrical strapping and screws to attach the top to the cart base.  

I pre-drilled the holes and screwed the straps to the underside of the tabletop. 

As you can see, I attached two straps to each end of the tabletop and one on each side ~ this secured the top to the base. 

Loving this piece already!!!



Lastly, I sanded the top with a electric sander and then applied a coat of polyurethane to it with a brush. 

If I had a big old loft apartment, I would use the cart as an entry table (sigh...wishful thinking).  Here's how I have it arranged today ~  although I could easily change my mind and move it tomorrow.  :)  I'll be sharing more tattered style goodness soon ~ hoping this week is a good one for you!

That's a Wrap + A Little R&R

I'm happy to share the Dallas Market event is over and was a huge success.  Here I am at the main entrance of the World Trade Center in Dallas.  You may recall the blue receiving desk I'm standing beside ~ I posted about it here.  The market wanted to use it and the yellow signage (read about it here) as part of a display promoting the Vintage Home FINDS venue.  I was happy the two pieces made the cut!

A highlight of market week was the guest appearance of acclaimed chef ~ Curtis Stone.  He gave a lively and most entertaining cooking demonstration ~ and that Aussie accent made it all the more enjoyable.  My only disappointment ~ I didn't get chosen from the crowd to help assist him with a cooking demo ~ RATS!

I have to admit though, after an eventful few weeks of preparation for the show and the actual event itself, I was pooped!  So Tattered Style has been silent as I have regrouped and most importantly spent time with my family.

It's been a welcomed time of rest and relaxation and even included a mini vacation to Austin ~ more about that later.  Our mini getaway was extra special because it was the only time our family could coordinate schedules to get together over the summer.  The photo above was taken at Horseshoe Bay ~ it was the perfect day.

 

To end this post I would like to share this photo of Pinocchio with you.  He was one of the first items to sell from our space (collectively referred to as Stash) at the Dallas Market.  Gloria ~ my friend from A Modern Glo, found him at a literal fire sale.  He was wonderfully tattered and scooped up almost immediately to be used as part of a necklace by jewelry designer, Janet Waldrop of Skip 2 My Lou.  On a whim, as we were staging our place, I plopped him in this molded hand as if he were taking a rest.  I'm going to take my cues from Pinocchio and continue with my rest for a few more days, then I'll be back here sharing more on Tattered Style!  See you soon.  :)