{31 days} interrupted

October 14, 20144 Comments

~secondhand and thrifted~

I interrupt this program for a little bit about our weekend road trip. We went to Idaho to see long time friends. We are dog people…namely, Grand River Labrador people.

Each year, we meet up in a small town in North-Central Idaho to talk and learn about dogs. It’s been a couple of years since we had been. This year, we took Ben and Oak’s ashes up there to scatter in one of the rivers. It was a beautiful tribute to the dogs that have been a part of our lives since before we were married…really, Grand River has been the only constant in our life for 15 years.

The kids explored…

…and played with puppies.

{I bring a thrifted quilt in the car wherever we go…it comes in handy at parks, on vacation, for baseball/football games, the beach, etc. You might also spy one of my thrifted thermos’…for hot chocolate, of course!}

Eight week old puppies.

Almost two week old puppies…their eyes weren’t even open yet.

I don’t think I have ever seen her smile so big.

They learned about dogs.

They met lots of new people.

It was a much needed retreat for heart and soul. I like to call it the “church of dog”.

I did make a stop at a local secondhand store…

When I get a chance, I like to stop at thrift stores in the places we visit and bring home something to add to my collections.

Hoping to spray paint this fixture and hang it near the craft table where we need more light!

This was the LAST thing I picked up after about 10 rounds around a tiny little store packed with stuff. It is a chip and dip set with a nut bowl…all three for $10. It is GORGEOUS!

And, of course, another thermos to add to my collection!

home is…{31 days} secondhand and thrifted with a good dose of puppies.

Join me while I link up with The Nester every day in October for #write31days.
Click here to find a list of all 31 posts as they are published.

{31 days} pyrex collection

October 9, 20145 Comments

~thrifted~

Remember back on {day 4} where I posted a photo collage of a bunch of the things I collect and then encouraged you to display your collections? Well, this post is about how I display some of my pyrex collection as storage in my sewing hutch.

{That little jar was covered with a vintage tea-towel that I received from my grandmother. Just used mod podge to stick it on and the wrapped twine around the top and hot glued it!}

The pyrex is stacked on top of other items, stacked on top of other pyrex, and used to hold trim and fabric.

And, a mini-globe bank that I picked up in Central Oregon.

I also use some of my vintage scale collection to hold the pyrex.

{I also have a huge collection of Mary Engelbreit stuff…not thrifted or secondhand, but from the dollar bins at Michaels.}

Through thrifting, I have been able to finally turn my house into the home I had imagined on a budget that is realistic.

home is….{31 days} a thrifted pyrex collection.

Join me while I link up with The Nester every day in October for #write31days.
Click here to find a list of all 31 posts as they are published.

{31 days} collections

October 4, 20144 Comments

~secondhand and thrifted~

Collections add your personal touch to your home. Display them!

home is…{31 days} secondhand and thrifted collections.

Join me while I link up with The Nester every day in October for #write31days.
Click here to find a list of all 31 posts as they are published.

lighting up the world

January 24, 20144 Comments

Globes.

They are everywhere.

Really, they have been the last few years.

A few weeks ago mother in law emailed me asking if I had seen the February issue of Country Living because a project looked similar to the globe lights I was selling in my etsy shop, colton+cadence, last year.

country living::february 2014

When I finally got around to buying a copy it was similar, but not the same. {I love the idea of drilling the holes and may give this a try if I find a globe thirfting}

Then, when I flew to Colorado last weekend I picked up the new Vintage Style magazine and found another photo of a globe light just like the ones I was selling on etsy.

The fact is, I wasn’t the first one to come up with the idea.

I mean, I had it in my head, made one for a graduation gift a few years ago, and then started selling them on colton+cadence.

When I started selling them on etsy, there wasn’t anybody else selling them, but I did see a few photos of similar lamps on Pinterest.

There are still only a handful of shops that sell them and I am not sure why.

Maybe it’s because they are so easy to make on your own.

Anyway, they seem to be HOT right now, so I thought I would share my tutorial {originally posted in August 2013} on how to make them once again.

It’s much like my tutorial for the mason jar pendant light, but easier!

Supplies:

globe
pencil
exacto knife
light kit (i get mine at IKEA)

How to:

1. Cut globe in half…most globes are made of cardboard or chip board and are put together as two pieces at the equator. You can cut along the equator with an exacto knife, but there usually a supporting ring of thick chipboard at the equator that you cannot cut through. I actually put pressure on the equator (with my hand, elbow, or knee) like you do with those pop open cans that cinnamon rolls come in. I do it all the way around the equator…careful not to crush the globe…and it usually comes apart on it’s own without any cutting!

2. Trace around your light socket at the top of the globe and cut a hole with your knife. There is usually a metal ring in between the layers of the chip board at the top and bottom of the globe (where they usually attach to their stands). This is usually the same size as the socket, so if you hit metal, just cut to the outside of the ring and you should be OK.

3. Insert your light kit into the hole and secure.

4. Insert light bulb. I always use a low wattage (40 watt) or fluorescent bulb for safety since the globes are made of paper.

You can also embellish you globe on the inside or outside like I did with these…

home is…making the world a little brighter.

{thrifting} curating christmas

November 8, 2013Leave a comment

I know, I know.

Thanksgiving is still 3 weeks away.

We are not forgetting to be thankful around here, I promise.

Here’s the thing.

I generally avoid Goodwill and Value Village (where I do the majority of my thrifting) from the end of August until Halloween.

However, once November 1st hits, the Christmas begins to trickle in. You see, they hold all the Christmas stuff that comes in throughout the year and put it ALL out between Halloween and Christmas.

So, I curate.

I gather to add to my collection from years past.

Here is what I have found in the last week or so…

I collect Santa’s and love these handpainted clay molds from the 1970’s.

Thinking about painting this guy…or maybe glitter!

I passed on one of these last year and wished I hadn’t. So, I bought one from Etsy at the end of summer. My friend, Erin, (@tweetpotatopie) told me where to find a star topper (my other one has a hole in the top) and I purchased some extra bulbs…just in case. Well, I found this beauty for $7! She was missing most of the bulbs, but that was OK because I had an entire bag of extras at home!

I can’t pass up a blow mold.

Or, a good santa mug from Japan.

And, this stitchery…well, it practically jumped in my cart!

This little guy is a bank…so cute!

home is…the most wonderful time of the (thrifting) year.

{collecting} vintage playroom

February 25, 2013April 6, 202014 Comments

When I started thrifting less than a year ago I also started some new collections.

My collections are of items that I have always had a fondness of, but never knew how to find them…until I started thrifting.

One of my favorite collections is my vintage fisher price collection.

These toys come from the days of my youth. I am not sure I ever had any of them, nor do I recall playing with any of them (although I am sure I did at some point), but they take me back to when I was a little girl.

I say it is my collection, but it is really for all of us…as are most of my collections.

The toys fill the shelves in the playroom (remember the playroom…something I thought we would never have).

The kids, most days, will pull the vintage fisher price off the toy shelves before they choose any of the newer toys.

For me, I love…

…the simplicity…

…the graphics…

…the bright colors…

…it all just makes me happy!

I imagine that these toys will go into the attic (or my creative cottage) to be stored until my own kids have children of their own.

And, just like my kids do when they visit their grandparents in New York, they will play with the same toys that generations before them have been playing with.

When I come across duplicates of what we already have I put them into colton+cadence or post them for sale on instagram.

If you are interested in starting your own collection you can follow @coltoncadence on instagram or visit the vintage playroom section of colton+cadence on etsy!

home is…collecting something that makes you (and your home) happy.

{hello friday} 2.15.2013

February 15, 2013Leave a comment

2.15.2013 10

just a quick hello to you on this beautiful friday in the pacific northwest. it is supposed to be 60+ degrees today, so i am trying to get errands and cleaning done so the kids and i can play once reece comes home from school.

thrifting: i already have a few vintage typewriters, but when i opened the case for this one i knew i couldn’t pass it up. it is probably one of my favorite finds so far…

colton+cadence: i have a few new items that i will to add to the shop soon. here’s a preview…

2.15.2013 1

creating: new things from old things…

projects: batman went the way of the buffalo. reece’s new room design is almost done…

2.15.2013 4

{promise to do a tour when it is finished}

celebrating: valentines day, of course!

playing: new vintage toys…

learning: he remembered all his classmates in alphabetical order when he was labeling and signing his valentines…

enjoying: make believe…

that’s it for now…

home is…a sunny friday in the pacific northwest.

{hello friday} 2.8.2013

February 8, 2013April 6, 20201 Comment

Where did the week go?!

We spent ours…

drawing and writing: the kids love to make books. Reece draws the pictures and then sounds out the words to write what the picture is about. It is amazing to see him learning so much! Lorelai mimics her brother and likes to draw “naughty scribbles”.

cleaning: Inside and out. Ryan cleaned up the yard last Sunday. The kids and I cleaned out their playhouse…the stinkbugs had taken up winter residence in there!

thrifting: Treasure hunting for the shop. Treasure hunting for us. Enjoying a solo morning thrift while the kids were in school.

playing: The kids absolutely LOVE all of the vintage Fisher Price toys I have collected.

creating: New items for the shop and for our home. It fuels my soul to create.

savoring: Moments like these. Holding little hands will only last for so long. I cherish every moment.

trying new things: Sewing a doorway puppet theater. This was my second attempt (the first one was tossed because the striped fabric was going to give me a migraine). The third attempt turned out much better…after we added a second tension rod at the bottom of the “stage”.

building: I bought a bunch of cups at Costco. Reece just started stacking…and stacking…and stacking. They played with these for hours…together…not squabbling (who doesn’t love Charlie and Lola?!).

home is…a weeks worth of activities.

spring fever

January 19, 2013April 6, 20201 Comment

I’ve got a bit of Spring Fever in the middle of winter.

I posted this photo in my Instagram feed yesterday and a few people asked how I made it.

I originally wrote a post about it here…May 2011.

{when i looked at the post i couldn’t believe that there were Instagram photos on it…i guess i was an early adopter}

I used a tutorial for a ruffle wreath from Jones Design Company.

Her tutorial for rolled paper flowers is basically the same technique for how I made the felt roses.

Anyway, that wreath has been around for a while and has held up pretty well.

I may even make a few more…maybe even put a couple in the shop.

routine

Otherwise, I’m just trying to figure out a routine around here with the kids back in school.

For the last 3+ years I have had housecleaners come every other week. While it was a sanity saver when the kids were babies, I decided it was time to give up that luxury this year. I have found a great sense of accomplishment, and even joy, in keeping my house clean. I want it clean ALL THE TIME now, instead of just one day. In fact, I think I’m becoming a bit obsessed with cleaning…that’s not a bad thing, though. I am even making my own natural cleaning products to use and I will eventually share what’s working with you here.

That being said, I am trying to find time for all of the things I enjoy…creating, running, thrifting, blogging, learning.

As you all know it’s a juggling act, but it’s fun to learn how to keep all the balls in the air.

“snow” days

In the last week the kids have had two “snow” days due to ice on the roads. They really weren’t snow days as the ice was caused by freezing fog, but we took advantage of them by making morning fires in the fireplace and doing some crafting and Valentine’s Day decorating.

I used Emily’s rolled paper flower tutorial to make these Valentine’s Day roses last year.

This paper garland was another Valentine’s Day craft from last year (similar to the Christmas paper garland from Christmas 2011)…I did make some more this year with patterned paper and larger hearts that I will share on another post.