Showing posts with label shabby chic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shabby chic. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

And I Thought I was the Queen O' Crap!

I am obsessed. I really am. I am totally in love with The Junk Gypsy's. Or is it Gypsies? Either way - LOVE these girls!!! They inspire me and make me happy just to watch them in action.  I love how they dress; sorta cool, cowboy, rock, funky, romantic, eccentric with torn up jeans, awesome cowboy boots, gypsy t-shirts, sorta goth-meets-rock jackets....love it! These girls are sweet too - the kind you want for sisters or best friends. I even want their parents! And that dad -so darn handy to have around!

Ok so on to the nuts 'n bolts of WHY I love them.  So for years, I've loved decorating my house, porch, just about anything really. If I went a little edgy, I'd rein myself back in thinking that's NOT how you're supposed to decorate a home! But then, enter the Gypsies... they do all the stuff that I wanted to do 20 years ago! The result: gorgeous rooms bustin' with personality and kick! And they use the neatest pieces of dare-I-say "junk" to really showcase the personalities of each of their clients.
I think my fave room so far was the bedroom they did for this cowboy couple. The headboard was this barn gate, and the draperies were muslin drop cloths trimmed in torn up wedding dress lace. Love that girls!!! Soft dusty pink paint on the walls, then lots of shabby chic stuff all over. And of course, there's always the chandeliers - very blingy and most definitely unique.

Ever since I saw my first episode, I've been dreaming of doing my family room a la Junk Gypsy. Pull out all the stops. Decorate with things and colors I love. Heck with what's "proper" decor. Get rid of that dull, boring chandelier and bring on the bling!

And here's a die-to-attend-event! The Junk-O-Rama Prom!!!! Wear your old prom dress or head off to the nearest Goodwill or local thrift store, buy yourself one fancy formal, put on your favorite cowboy boots, and don't forget your tiara, then drive on down to Texas for an evening you won't forget! And for sure you won't, cause you can take your pic in their awesome photo booth. I definitely have put this event on my bucket list! 


Don't y'all just love that spunky Miranda Lambert!?? Well she's wearing a JG t-shirt in a lot of her videos. Pay attention next time. The Gypsies even decorated Miranda and Blake's (Shelton) wedding reception. And you wouldn't believe the Airstream trailer they decorated for Miranda!
So yep, this ol' Bags wheels are spinnin'! On my wish, or rather to-do list for the coming New Year, is to maybe expand By Way of Salem into some junkin'!  You know the old saying, "One's man trash is another man's treasure."  In my case it's more like, "Wouldn't THAT make an adorable table?!!!"

Friday, March 26, 2010

Decorating with Halloween Collectibles


Did you know that decorating for Halloween is second only to Christmas decorating and the gap is rapidly closing? And although many vintage or antique Halloween pieces are both rare and expensive, that doesn't need to stop you from finding lots of fun stuff to collect and display!

In Washington state where I live, there's a little town called Sumner, that luckily for me, is right down my hill about 2 miles. It's a main street of little shops featuring folk art collectibles, antiques, Saltbox prims, and shabby chic. It is one of my favorite places to find pieces to add to my Halloween collection.
This summer while shopping at a small antique store, I stumbled upon an old candy tin shaped like a pumpkin which I picked up for a song. I'm always on the look-out! Right now, I'm finding that I really enjoy the handmade items lovingly created by other artists. I know the work that goes into each piece, so I try to buy them when I can to support my fellow artists.

When I bought my rustic black buffet to go with my old farm table, I realized it was the perfect place to display my Fall and Halloween collection all year long.
The top is decorated with bittersweet berries and papier mache pumpkin people


A Dan DiPaolo collectible, amongst candles, metal signs, crows, pumpkins and witch hats!

And don't forget about the porch!