Gifts From My Ebay Watch List to Yours

I guess if I were a "professional" blogger I would have written this post three months ago, but as it stands I'm lucky to blog anything at all. I miss you guys.

Well. Ahem. Verklempt. Anyway, I spend a lot of time on the 'bay (we're close like that) shopping for clients and maybe probably definitely OCD shopping for myself. I learn a lot about what's interesting or desirable or unique by looking at ebay. It's a completely uncurated onslaught of mostly junk, but also some seriously amazing finds you won't see or be able to afford elsewhere. As a result of my compulsive shopping, I've amassed a watch list that must be pruned like a delicate bonsai on an almost daily basis. Part of that pruning process involves you, my friends. Vintage is my thing, but there are some fresh picks in here too. Everything is either dirt cheap or extremely well priced for what it is. I hope you enjoy.

Can we talk about how striking that art is? It's a vintage serigraph (screenprint) by Carmen Herrera and I so wish Pantone had gone with something more in that vein for the Pantone color of the year.

Gorgeous vintage French copper mirrored sconces/ Carmen Herrera Rojo y Negro art/ Vintage modernist necklace/ Vintage Stark 8x10 carpet/ Donghia fabric.

This is all about chillaxing with neutrals grounded in solid graphics. Nothing too crazy here, but you might wonder how you ever lived without these anchor pieces.

Vintage modernist painting/ Large brass Stilnovo style sputnik chandelier/ Kelly Wearstler Barcelo pillow ($12!!!!!!!)/ 8x10 Tibetan hand knotted rug/ Sascha Brastoff surf ballet teapot.

Animal print. If you follow me on instagram then you know I really do have a problem. But I loves it all the same.

Kelly Wearstler Barcelo pillow in alabaster/ Tibetan tiger rug/ Psychedelic Roy Ahlgren serigraph (that means some person hand printed this)/ Large cheap lucite ribbon chandelier (why am I not buying this again?!)/ Pierre Frey panther fabric.

Hi, I love the 80s. And the 40s. Basically I love statement pieces that pull your hair out and demand attention.

Vintage French sconces/ 40s Italian miniature volcano paintings (bigger is not always better)/ Op art screenprint by Leviant/ Contemporary Tibetan hand knotted rug.

So there you have the tippy top of the iceberg that is my watch list. Ebay and craigslist posts are not good blog fodder. They are terrible for SEO because there is no one to link to. It's dirty, thankless work. Nobody gives you a high five for pimping their page/blog/stuff. The links expire.

So hold this moment like a snowflake in your hands, precious friends. Buy the cheap stuff asap, for tomorrow surely it will be gone...

Merry Christmas.

I really and truly love and miss you all!

2nd Dibs

First of all, thank you for tuning in for the One Room Challenge series and sorry about the technical snafus brought on by extra traffic... I'm working on some hosting ch-ch-changes. Anyway, after spending six straight weeks cranking out decorating-as-spectator-sport posts, I'm still feeling a little frenzy whipped. The pace was INSANE. But the whole experience was super fun and I learned a lot and I also bought a lot of stuff along the way. When I say a lot, I mean I can't park my car in the garage anymore and my husband is pissed offus maximus. Let's review just a few fruits of my recent shopping labors, shall we?

If you follow me on instagram, then you already know I scored these vintage Italian arc lamps at Round Top a while back. My buying inhibitions were precipitously low on the day we hit the market so I have a smidge of buyer's remorse over a few things, but not these. I do need to call around and get some plating estimates, though. Anyone have experience with brass replating?

Whilst at Round Top I also bought this 80s painting by a Dallas artist that dealers kept going nuts for, but I can't remember his name and the vaguely legible signature is not helping me track down any info.

I do know that basking in the glow of that mustache might give me sunburn. I can tell this is a really good painting... wish I could figure out who done it. I also wish a new frame would jump up on that because birch wood is not doing the dude any favors.

Not content to buy just one (million) paintings, I also nabbed this Jenny Andrews Anderson jellyfish inspired masterpiece. Can't wait to get it in my house and figure out where "Abyss" wants to live. I keep selling all my good stuff to clients when they bat their cute little eyelashes, but this one is mine.

Meanwhile this picture is full of stuff I plan to sell. I already sold the needlepoints and you may recall that the cobras and black vase were employed in the service of my dinette reveal. I know someone out there desperately needs a giant brass boot vase... right? And I am dying to do a super chic moody kid room with those silly Master Simpson and Chums prints in them. I hope the child bearing world is listening to my pleas.

And then there's this. At a flea market I spied with my gimlet eye a filthy ice bucket... I'm not sure what turned my head, but I bought it and what do you know? It's a beat up Christofle piece designed by Luc Lanel in the 30s. The pits and dings were really bugging me for a while, but I'm starting to love the patina.

So to summarize, I have way too much stuff. This is not even a teeny tiny molecular fraction of the stuff that's wrapped up in the garage. Apparently I can't stop buying things "for clients," so I'm wondering if I should rent a storage unit? Would that make me a hoarder? Is it too late for that anyway? Should I open an Etsy shop? Would people buy my junque?

I even have one of these lying about. I have EVERYTHING.

Off to catalog and inventory the warehouse. Send in the jaws of life if you don't hear from me in a week.

Be the Decider. Please.

Ok guys and gals, I have two major decisions to make today. This would be doable, except that I am a used up, burned, crispy charred piece of toast. This weekend we cleaned, hauled trash, painted, and moved Ike into his big boy room. I woke up at 2am feeling like I had done a speedball -- all hot and anxious and confused about where I was. This morning is not faring much better, and that is why I desperately need your help. Let's get to it.

Decision #1: Buy a Damn Table Already

I am driving the poor sales rep at the furniture store crazy with my waffling, so I'm determined to order something today. Ok, but do I get a marble tulip table, a white painted tulip table, or a walnut tulip table?

Marble tulip cons:

Most expensive. Unknown quality -- the table I'm getting will not be carrara, but some other unknown white marble with less veining (no pictures are available because the marble varies so much). Fragility -- how does a giant elliptical piece of marble stay balanced on a small pedestal without breaking???! Staining -- am I going to wish I had chosen something easier to maintain? Redundancy -- I hope to get marble counters someday and I'm concerned about marble overload.

Pros:

IT'S MARBLE. Is marble overload even possible? I seriously lust after this table.

White painted table cons:

Diminished sex appeal -- it's basically white painted veneer. Unknown quality -- no pictures of finished product available. Durability -- will it chip and gouge out to reveal veneer underneath? Cleanability -- can I scrub the crap out of this without abusing the finish? Length of ship time -- it'll probably take three months to get this table into my hot little hands... gross.

Pros:

Inexpensive (relatively). It's plain white, so it'll go with anything. Easier to move. Not concerned about breaking it.

Wood veneer cons:

Wood is bossy -- rosewood or walnut will limit my chair options in a major way. Durability -- this is veneer so will it gouge out? Not refinishable (veneer). It may clash with my (to be installed in the future) white oak floors.

Pros:

Relatively inexpensive. Available soon. Lighter than marble. Will not limit my counter choices.

Ok, which table should I buy?

Decision #2: Maybe Buy a Cheap Rug While They're On Sale Today

West Elm has 15% off rugs today. I have sample for this denim and jute rug, and it's cute but maybe a little juvenile with my coral/pink walls?

Look at me, I made a mockup. Shocking.

They also have plain jute flatwoven rugs. I'm looking at the fourth one down -- the flax color. This is kind of boring, but it would allow me to do some fun seating upholstery. No mockup. Sorry, I got tired.

Meanwhile, Overstock is also having a sale. I like this two tone herringbone jute rug, but I'm concerned about staining. Is jute easy care, or is that only seagrass? I know sisal is the worst.

Finally, I could just not buy a rug. I would be missing out a bit on the sales, but perhaps I'm trying to make too many decisions at once...

Who, me?

Opinions? Concerns for my mental health?

I have to go to the doc in a few to do my third trimester blood sugar test... even though I haven't gained much weight so far, I'm worried that my steady diet of donuts is about to backfire. Anyway, I may not be able to respond to your comments but I will be reading them while people stick needles in me and examine my hoohah.

It's a good day all around.