Schoolhouse Electric and Supply Co.

 

 

Well, I'm smitten with Portland, Oregon.  On my recent trip to this great city, along with my friend and partner in crime, Kelley, from the Hidden List, I fell in love with this beautiful place.  The people were so friendly and I'm all about the relaxed atmosphere the Pacific Northwest has to offer.  An added bonus ~ this time of year, the leaves sport a plethora of color and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  

At the top of my list of favorites was Schoolhouse Electric and Supply Co., a store that my friend Holly, a Portlander, told me was an absolute must for us to see.  Situated on a corner in an industrial part of Portland, this fabulous shop (housed in an old red brick building), had us lingering for hours.  The owner has taken iconic pieces from the past and replicated them so beautifully that they gel masterfully with the latest design trends. Below is a glimpse into this fabulous store.

Here's a couple examples of some of the store's wonderful lighting ~ I hope to own one of these amazing lamps someday ~ note the Edison bulb!

I also love the assortment of colors the Radar Lamp comes in!  You can watch a video about this cool lamp here. 

The store also boasts a wide assortment of beautiful textiles ~ from bed and bath linens, to blankets, pillows and throws.  

Additionally, they carry kitchen accessories, linens and unique tableware.  

Here's one of the many beautiful upholstered pieces of furniture.  I love the pop of mustard yellow!

 

And last, but certainly not least, they also house a yummy coffee shop that is a absolute must part of your visit!

Quite obviously, I don't have time or space enough to tell you all the wonderfulness about Schoolhouse Electric.  So why not pay a visit to their online store here?  You'll be glad you did!  Thanks for stopping by!  XO

Enter Here ~ Pause Here

I've been busying myself with a number of design projects here of late and thought this inviting entryway was blogworthy.  I recently installed this space for one of my clients.  Cozy and simple ~ it offers up a charming bench as a place to drop a bag of groceries, a backpack or briefcase on. 

On another note, there's lots going on this Wednesday, October 17th.  A pause and shout out to my  oldest son, Reagan, who is celebrating his birthday today ~ be sure to read more about his thoughts on his blog ~ here.

And lastly, I'm exploring the beautiful city of Portland this week with my friend, Kelley, of The Hidden List.  If you have any suggestions of places we can't afford to miss please email me here.  We're off for today's adventure!  XO

Round Top or Bust

Rain or shine ~ it makes no difference to me.  I'm off to Round Top with my dear friend Kelley ~ who blogs at The Hidden List.  Together, I'm sure we're going to wrangle up all kinds of goodies from one of the best flea markets in the country.  I hope to be sharing some pics of all the cool stuff we come across soon. 

The vintage amber apothecary jars and industrial wheel were flea finds ~ and now rest in the niche of one of my clients living rooms.  I love the mix of the glass and iron together.  Along with a personal photo, it makes for a cozy vignette.

Finds like these, are bountiful at flea markets across the country. I'm headed out now to one of my faves! I'll see you soon. :)

Stash / Our Last Day at Dallas Market!

In January, Tattered Style came together with three other friends, Gloria of A Modern Glo, Kelley of The Hidden List and Lisa of Cut and Paste to form Stash.  The Dallas Market Vintage FINDS show was our first opportunity to share and show our many varied vintage finds.  This past week we came together again at the second Vintage FINDS show at the Dallas Market.  It has been a week filled with excitement as we have made new friends and have had the opportunity to display and sell many wonderful unique and one of a kind vintage items.  If you are a designer or part of the retail trade, please drop in today.  We would love to brainstorm staging and display ideas with you!!!  Here's a sampling of some of the many varied treasures we carry: 

Kelley, Dana, Gloria and Lisa

We would love for the opportunity to meet you ~ please stop by today.  We are located in Market Hall ~ in the building marked "Vintage."  We are a cash and carry vendor ~ open today from 8:30 ~ 3:00.  Mention you saw this post and receive 10% off your entire purchase!  Also, if you are interested in purchases any of the above items and aren't able to make market today, please contact me here.  Hope to see you soon!  :)

P.S.  Check out this wonderful new vendor I met this week ~ Tinsel Trading ~ on my FB page!

Rachel Ashwell and The Prairie

~ This is the floor in the foyer of Lilliput Lodge ~

This is the place where you enter into Rachel Ashwell's world and her life on The Prairie ~ the house where she stays, when she is in Texas.  It's lovingly named Lilliput Lodge ~ after her daughter, Lily.  

You know the question that we've all been asked one time or another, "If you could invite five people to dinner, who would they be?"  Well, for me, one of those people would be Rachel Ashwell.  And if you were to have told me years ago, when I was a young mother, that one day I would have a chance to have a chat with Rachel, I would have let out a little chuckle and said "Yeah right."  Monday ~ I had the honor of meeting this remarkable lady ~ at a blogger's luncheon.

~ Rachel pausing to chat during lunch ~

Let me share why I have so much admiration for Rachel ~ mind you the reasons are in no particular order but are merely how they popped in my head on this day.

First, I respect her as a mother.  From reading her books, one can't help but appreciate her unfailing love for her children.  Through the years, she has tenderly shared snippets of Lily and Jake's lives.  I was always impressed by her devotedness to them and moved by her desire to create a beautiful environment they could live in without worry of mussing things up.  Perhaps my deep respect for Rachel as a single mom, stems from the fact that my widowed mother raised four children alone.  

~ Rachel giving a tour of her home on The Prairie ~

Secondly, through her signature Shabby Chic style, she validated my love for tattered things.  She dared to be different and gave me the courage to march to the beat of a different drummer.  She was true to herself and consequently, she has significantly impacted the design world. 

 

And lastly, I appreciate Rachel for her genuine heart ~ she's the real deal.  She is a gentle and gracious hostess and comfortable in her own skin.  She loves blue jeans, t-shirts and cowboy boots and likes them all the more when they're worn and comfy ~ my kind of gal.  She's a lady and speaks softly and sweetly ~ surely she must lose her temper every now and then.  :)

~ A snapshot taken at Shabby Chic Couture on The Prairie ~

I left the ranch that day, feeling rich ~ happy our paths had crossed and so thankful to have met Rachel and her gracious staff ~ they all are truly a special bunch.  Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you.  I hope you have a happy weekend!

Calligraphy Name Tag Project

A quick, short blog today about a project I've been working on for the last little bit.  I've been crafting name tags for a Blogger's Luncheon I will be helping out with next week at Round Top.  The luncheon will take place at The Prairie, by Rachel Ashwell.  The event will bring together 35 bloggers, most who have never met before.  So, I decided to create a unique personalized tag for each attendee ~ I adapted them from a previous project that I did here.  It begins with the pocket-sized French book pictured above ~ I found it one day while shopping here. 

The first step was to pull pages from the tiny book ~ it was indeed an unfortunate part of the process.  It felt as if I were committing a crime ~ at least in my mind anyway.  I had a friend of mine (thanks Shannon) hand calligraphy the bloggers names on the torn pages from the book.  Shannon was recently inspired to learn the art of calligraphy specifically for the reason of hand addressing all of his daughter's wedding invitations.  A pretty special gift to his girl, Madison, if I may say so myself.

After the pages were penned, I laminated each of them.  

 

Then I punched holes in the top so I could loop a ribbon through to serve as a lanyard.  

Lastly, I strung ribbon through the holes and knotted the ends.  The "ribbon" is actually vintage hem tape I bought from a vendor at Brimfield.  Below, the name tags hang from a vintage I.V. pole I landed while fleaing one day.  I think the tag would also serve well as a luggage tag or would be quite beautiful hanging on a chair ~ as a place marker at a dinner party.

  

Just hangin' out ~ Round Top or bust!

I'm anticipating a great trip filled with good things.  Thanks to Bud, "The Pieman" from Royers Round Top Cafe, in advance for the wonderful grub we'll be partaking of at the blogger's luncheon on Monday.  Also, thanks to my friend, Kelley, of The Hidden List, for coordinating the event.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Dwell With Dignity.  Shopping at Rachel's new store, Shabby Chic Couture is sure to be one of the highlights of the trip.  I'll be sharing photos and some of my experiences here as well as on Facebook and Twitter.  Have a good weekend.  :)

Round Top Reward

Last spring I made a trip to Round Top for a flea market excursion with some friends.  Besides getting away to have some much needed girl time, I was also on a quest for a few specific items.  I was particularly interested in finding an iron twin bed frame ~ one to fill a corner of a spare room.  The room also doubles as my home office ~ also known as myspace.  I ended up acquiring the iron bed, pictured above. for a reasonable price of only $40.00.  I cleaned the bed up and deliberated over how to incorporate it into its new surroundings.  Typically, I would never paint over perfectly good rust, but I ended up changing my mind this time around.   

I eventually had the bed sandblasted and then powder coated it a bright white. I'm sure there are plenty who would question why I painted over the rust.  It certainly wasn't something I took lightly and I gave a lot of thought to it.  But ultimately, I determined the dark bed frame ate up too much space visually ~ and quite simply the small room demanded a bed frame that would fade into its surroundings. 

It really turned out beautiful ~ I wish my photos gave it the justice it deserves.  Oh ~ and I do love the box pleated bedskirt with its covered buttons ~ it's definitely a keeper.  I found it here. 

I've also been considering options for the rest of the bed coverings.  For now, I've tossed an inexpensive white quilt on the bed and draped it with a ruffley tablecloth I found on sale here.  Recently, my friend Kelley, of The Hidden List, has been featuring a series on how to "Build a Better Bed" on her blog.  I've been so inspired ~ I hope to make this guest spot as luxurious and inviting as the beds I have read about.  Check them out here.

Shortly after finding the bed, I also ran across the rusty medical cabinet that is standing in as a nightstand.  My original plan was to leave its finish untouched too, but after I have lived with it for awhile...

 ...my choice is to paint it a crisp, fresh white to match the bed.  I'll complete its makeover and accessorize it with clear glass knobs.  Be watching for "Before" and "After" photos.

And speaking of Round Top ~ I have more to share about the upcoming Antiques Week and some pretty exciting happenings.  I'll be back on Friday to fill you in on it, so be looking for my next post.  Until then, you might want to check out Tattered Style on Facebook where I'll be posting "Thrifted Finds of the Week."

P.S.  Thanks to the following blogs for recently featuring Tattered Style:  Handmade in TX, Etsy Fort Worth ~ "Organizing With Vintage Finds" and Etsy Fort Worth ~ "A Rake By Any Other Name."

Lighten Up

I believe that a home is a living, breathing organism with life happening all throughout it.  That being said, this place I call home is always changing.  Although I'm sentimental about some things, I'm not attached to most and I find it relatively easy to let got of some belongings in order to bring in new additions from time to time.  Especially, when I happen upon a cool find or great sale, or better yet ~ the two combined together.  I made the mistake of going into Anthropologie the other day and spotted this little guy, lurking in the clearance room shadows.  I've had my eye on him for awhile now ~ surprisingly, he's been sitting on a shelf collecting dust for weeks.  I finally decided he needed a new home ~ mine! 

  

Up until now, I've had a smaller, nondescript thrift store lamp on this old dresser and it served the purpose nicely.  But I've been eyeing this oversized gooseneck lamp and I was so happy to still find it available (I think he sort of resembles the Pixar logo lamp ~ do you?).  The mirror was a flea market find for a mere $10.00.

 

Since this is my bedroom, I really prefer to keep this area as uncluttered as possible.  A space that offers up minimal doses of visual stimulation ~ and instead promotes a calm and restful atmosphere.  I did add one pop of interest with this black and white striped rug I found at Ikea.  If I recall correctly, it also only set me back $10.00.

A nice reprieve from the hectic pace of the world within which we live.  

The dresser belonged to Nat's family when he was a young boy ~ I cleaned it up and gave it a couple coats of creamy white paint. 

I opted to use only a 40 watt bulb in the lamp ~ it casts a nice soft glow to the room in the evening.  I realize this isn't the most expensive or opulent room, but for me ~ it's certainly peaceful and relaxing.  Just what the doctor ordered after a busy week like this one.  Here's hoping you have an enjoyable and restful weekend as well. :)

P.S.  Some exciting news!  Here's your chance to meet and greet Rachel Ashwell at a Blogger's Luncheon during the upcoming Round Top Antiques Fair.  My friend, Kelley, of The Hidden List along with Bud Royer of Royers Round Top Cafe, is helping host this event ~ please go here for all of the details.  It is limited to the first 35 people who register.  It's not to late to secure your spot ~ I hope to see you there!

 

Additionally, thank you to my sweet friend and graphic designer, Lindsey Sobolik, for designing the lovely invitation! 

An Antiquing Adventure

Read more about this little find below ~

After the sweltering 100+ degree heat has continued to wafe its way through Texas, it was a nice reprieve on Saturday when temperatures only reached the mid 80's.  I noticed people actually venturing out for awhile to take advantage of some cooler weather.  That's exactly what my dear friend, Kelley, from The Hidden List, and I did as we hit the antiquing trail.  We eagerly whiled away the hours going from store to store ~ and happily ~ we didn't leave empty handed.  We did pause long enough from our excursion to stop in to have lunch at Patina Green's.  I must tell you everything they serve is locally grown or raised and is whipped up from scratch ~ it was absolutely delish!  If you're ever in McKinney, TX :) you must stop by.  Afterwards we took advantage of their wonderful shop and scoured their store for all of the great French antiques they had in their inventory.  Kelley scored a great find I'm sure you would love to see ~ check it out here on The Hidden List ~ and here's some of my found treasures:

 

This miniature French book has so much charm ~ I fell for it's demure size and was attracted to it because of the beautiful foreign text.  I have great plans for its future ~ to be used in goodie bags for an upcoming blogger's luncheon.  I can't wait to share the finished product with you.

Generally globes with brighter colors are a little more easy to locate, while those similar to the one above are becoming increasingly more difficult to find.

So, when I stumbled across this old vintage school globe (obvious due to the fact there is no longer a USSR) with its soft muted shades of blue and green I nabbed it.  It suits my love for calmer colors just fine.

I couldn't pass up this interesting old oil painting.  Thanks to Kelley who has quite a wonderful collection herself ~ her love for beautiful oils is rubbing off on me.  Its colors are quite soothing and grabbed my attention ~ it abounds with so much wonderful detail.  I'm not really certain where this may end up in my house but it will work nicely in a number of spaces ~ I'm sure it will find its way to the perfect spot.  Another fine day of treasure hunting ~ so much better when shared with a friend. :) 

On another note, I'll soon be having an online tag sale for Tattered Style (it's high time to pass some things along for others to enjoy for awhile) ~ more about that soon!

Sucker for Signage

It's no secret, I'm a sucker for vintage signs. When I run across a good lot, I go weak in the knees. Last week at Round Top, was no different. I fell head over heels for these vintage bus roll transit signs that are originally from the UK ~ a little deviation from your typical signage, but oh ~ so incredible!

I was so glad to meet DeWayne, the owner of Home Economics located in Grants Pass, Oregon, who carries the vintage signs. I also learned that he sells these wonderful old bus rolls on Etsy ~ find them here. DeWayne so generously shared a wealth of information about the history of the signs. I think you'll be intrigued by their story.

Before buses had digital readings of the stops they were making on their routes, the names of the stops/streets were printed on a roll of calico cloth. The bus driver would use a hand crank to roll through the various stops to display the destination.

These wonderful cloths are now used not only as art and wall hangings, but are also being used to make pillows and upholster furniture.

I can't get over this wingback chair! Find it here.

If you're not blown away yet, then check out the line of clothing DeWayne has developed using the material from the bus rolls.

I love this dress ~ find it here. What will he think of next?

Back to my story ~ Most of the bus rolls were black and white, but there was one grouping that had pops of yellow ~ so cool and colorful!

After much deliberation, (thanks Kelley, from The Hidden List, Sharon, from Bless Your Neighbor and Gretch for your patience), I made my decision.

I settled on this beauty. I've been looking for the perfect (or not so perfect) piece of "art" to go above the mantel in my living room for the past ten years ~ I think I finally landed it. :)

I think it's right at home above my fireplace mantel.

I think these vintage bus rolls have character out the wazoo and are so graphic. Someday I'll probably have mine matted and framed ~ but hey, who's complaining! Oh~ and by the way, I scored a vintage lawn chair from DeWayne at this booth. He was using it as a prop for a display and he didn't want to haul it back to Oregon ~ so he gave it to me for free! Thanks DeWayne! I'll share it's unveiling with you in the future. :)