vintage

Making It Happen at Home – Episode 3

clothedwithjoy 3 Comments

making happen real

Fact: Not being married negatively affects the state of my house.

This is a  follow-up/weekly post  where YOU my blog audience “come home” with me to see if having you here helps me get home improvement projects done. For previous post go here.

Premise (same as last week – if read previously – skip down to Project.)

I find being unattached affects the status of my home improvement projects in two ways.

1. The fact that there is someone coming home kind of gives me a kick in the pants to get stuff done. Clean up, pick up, make improvements.

There is no one coming home.

2. I am so much more motivated to do home improvements when someone else is doing it with me.

I’ve lived in this apartment for the last three years and it’s really only been over the past six months that I’ve started to feel like this is my home. (I briefly wrote about this in my post, Dwelling.)

Then, a recent post where I discussed my cleaning habits got me thinking that maybe what I need is motivation. Since no one is coming home to motivate me, dear readers, YOU have become my motivation. I plan to post two small home improvement projects that I would like to work on during the next week and then follow up with you next Wednesday to see if this kind of accountability works for me.

Project: 1. Make curtains for dining room. DONE! I did it!!

BEFORE

lace

AFTER

win 2 good

Had we gone to the fabric store and attempted to find a material that matched the LEAST with our dining room wallpaper – we could not have done any better. 🙂

Let me be VERY clear – I’ve had this material since before Christmas – there is No Way these curtains would have been made this week had not I challenged myself on this blog. 

Project: Cut More Quilting Blocks

The other thing I wanted to accomplish last week was to continuing cutting quilting blocks from vintage bed sheets I got from Goodwill. I didn’t need to make the whole quilt – I just wanted to start cutting out the blocks.

quilt 1

Two dozen more blocks cut! I had to push to get this done last night, again – but – WE DID IT!

It is amazing how you can find time and energy to do things when you commit to it and have people keeping you accountable.

Has anyone else tried this? Thinking of trying it? I’ll be your virtual person coming home if you’d like me to.

Projects for this week:

1. Clean inside of car. Yuck.

2. Finish cutting quilting squares and start piecing together. 

Blog Series – Free Stuff – Vintage Jewelry…

clothedwithjoy 2 Comments

The best things in life are free, of course. Love, friendship, forgiveness, family, salvation, laughter… The list goes on. We all know this. What I’d like to explore are those things in my life that may not be the best  but they’re still free (or close to it) AND bring me joy.best

Vintage Lapis Lazuli Brooch.

059

I love just about everything vintage, but my passion is vintage jewelry. Specifically, I love to SELL (and repurpose) vintage jewelry. Check out my Etsy shops for what’s available. (shameless plug)

Two years ago I helped my Dad with an estate clear out of an elderly woman’s property. Soon after, I was charged with selling her costume jewelry, of which she had a ton. So entered I into the wonderful world of eBay.

I do adore research, so I enjoyed learning all about vintage jewelry makers and the quality of the pieces. There is nothing quite like putting an item on a seven day eBay auction and watching the price just keep on rising. I get a thrill every time.

PicMonkey Collage

Stuff I’ve sold.

I rarely keep pieces, but this little lovely lapis lazuli brooch was just too exquisite to part with. I purchased it at a yard sale with several other items. The price: 30 cents.

Is it real? I don’t know and, frankly, I don’t care. I love it.

Making It Happen at Home – Episode 2

clothedwithjoy 12 Comments

making happen real

Fact: Not being married negatively affects the state of my house.

This is a  follow-up/weekly post  where YOU my blog audience “come home” with me to see if having you here helps me get home improvement projects done. For original post go here.

Premise (same as last week – if read previously – skip down to Project.)

I find being unattached affects the status of my home improvement projects in two ways.

1. The fact that there is someone coming home kind of gives me a kick in the pants to get stuff done. Clean up, pick up, make improvements.

There is no one coming home.

2. I am so much more motivated to do home improvements when someone else is doing it with me.

I’ve lived in this apartment for the last three years and it’s really only been over the past six months that I’ve started to feel like this is my home. (I briefly wrote about this in my post, Dwelling.)

Then, a recent post where I discussed my cleaning habits got me thinking that maybe what I need is motivation. Since no one is coming home to motivate me, dear readers, YOU have become my motivation. I plan to post two small home improvement projects that I would like to work on during the next week and then follow up with you next Wednesday to see if this kind of accountability works for me.

Project: Paint the Chifferobe. DONE! I did it!!

BEFORE                                                               AFTER

chif 2Chiffer DONE

PS – I Like my Christmas decorations on there…

Ewww – Remember this?                                                          Look at it now!

chif 1Chiff side by

This blog audience accountability thing seems to be working!

Project: Cut Quilting Blocks

The other thing I wanted to accomplish last week was to start cutting quilting blocks from vintage bed sheets I got from Goodwill. I didn’t need to make the whole quilt – I just wanted to start cutting out the blocks.

BEFORE                                                                 AFTER

Vintage fab 2quilting blocks 2

Three dozen blocks cut! I had to push to get this done last night – but – WE DID IT!

Thank You Blog Readers – this blog accountability thing works!

Projects for this week:

1. Make curtains for dining room

lace

These are nasty and gross.

I have the material, hooks, and double sided hem tape. I’m gonna do it!

2. Continue cutting quilting squares. (not too exciting – but let’s get this done!)

Thanks for being the person coming home – it’s working!  XO. Rebecca

Free Stuff – No Job is Finished…

clothedwithjoy 7 Comments

paperwork

The best things in life are free, of course. Love, friendship, forgiveness, family, salvation, laughter… The list goes on. We all know this. What I’d like to explore are those things in my life that may not be the best  but they’re still free (or close to it) AND bring me joy.best

No job is finished til the paperwork is done!!

paperwork 2

Amen. I wish someone would convince my 7 year old of this.

I got this lovely vintage bathroom wall art from an estate. My dad is an estate Executor and I am often dragged in to help with clean outs. It’s amazing the stuff family members – if there are any – leave behind. Half my house is furnished (and decorated) with free stuff, much of it from estates. 

This morning my five year old brought down a small jewelry box that, yes, came from an estate. She asked me if it belonged to the “dead girl.” 

Yes, my love, most of what we own once belonged to currently dead people.

Making It Happen at Home – Episode 1

clothedwithjoy 6 Comments

Make it happenFact: Not being married negatively affects the state of my house.

I find being unattached affects the status of my home improvement projects in two ways.

1. The fact that there is someone coming home kind of gives me a kick in the pants to get stuff done. Clean up, pick up, make improvements.

There is no one coming home.

2. I am so much more motivated to do home improvements when someone else is doing it with me.

I’ve lived in this apartment for the last three years and it’s really only been over the past six months that I’ve started to feel like this is my home. (I briefly wrote about this in my post, Dwelling.)

Then, a recent post where I discussed my cleaning habits got me thinking that maybe what I need is motivation. Since no one is coming home to motivate me, dear readers, YOU have become my motivation. I plan to post two small home improvement projects that I would like to work on during the next week and then follow up with you next Wednesday to see if this kind of accountability works for me.

Truthfully, it could totally fail. We experiment and see.

Project 1: Paint the Chifferobe.

chif 2

Ah, my pretty chifferobe.

Ready for the close-up?

chif 1

tisk tisk

In the early days when I moved here with a 2 year old there was a lot of drawing on the – everything. I’m hoping we’re finally past this stage.

I painted this chifferobe in the late 1990s – that was probably the last time it saw fresh paint. It’s time.

I have paint.

I have a brush.

I’m gonna do this.

Really.

Project 2: Cut Quilting Blocks

The other thing I want to accomplish this week is to start cutting quilting blocks from vintage bed sheets I got from Goodwill. I don’t need to make the whole quilt – I just want to start cutting out the blocks.

Vintage fab 2

These two small projects might not seem like much, but for a single mama of four children under the age of 13, who works & mothers full time, anything on top of feeding, cleaning, dishes, wash, grocery shopping, homework, pickups & dropoffs – plus the full time job is A LOT.

For example: It is presently 7:39 PM and I. Am. Brain. Dead. (and my back hurts)

I hope to come through for you beloved readers – I’ll let you know next week.