Thrifty Cent

I'm a Gemini.  I'm not so sure I completely believe in all the astrological brew-ha-ha, but I do think there's something to be said for a belief system that resides in the international social subconscious.  Be it the moon's pull or a self-fulfilling prophecy, my Gemini-ness is most evident in my split personalities.  I'm not crazypants, but I do have two equal and opposite forces fighting tooth and nail with in me at all times:  I have expensive taste but I am cheap frugal. Luckily, I have cultivated other characteristics to assist in marginalizing the internal struggle:  I'm a superstar at haggling and I'm not so bad at fixing things up.  Here are 3 projects I've worked on in the last couple of weeks that have satisfied each twin that lives inside this little gemini:

I found this lucite gem at the City Wide Garage Sale last weekend.  Normally I go when the best deals are to be had:  just before close on Sunday.  This time, I tried something different:  I went when the doors opened on Saturday and the, ahem, planets aligned and the gods presented me with this vintage lucite barrel chair.

The price was $130, which is approximately 13 times more than I like to spend on a chair, but my frugal side also knows a good deal when it sees one (similar chairs are going for $800 - $900 online).  I talked them down (of course) to $100 and hauled ass out of the convention center.

Now, don't be fooled by the quasi-good lighting.  That fabric is one thousand percent polyester and had enough dirt to fill a shallow grave.   I ripped it off post-haste.

After taking off the offending upholstery, I realized why the seat was so uncomfortable:  most of the rubber supports were rotten and torn to shreds.  I cut new ones and Matt stapled them on for me.  Look, I'm crafty, I can make things, but few people on this earth are strong enough to work the devil's hand-tool that is Matt's staple gun.  One half-clutch of the handle is enough to give you a life-long battle with carpal tunnel syndrome

Once the internal repairs were complete it was time to spiff up the seat.  I chose to cover the seat with fabric cut from a vintage silk scarf that I had purchased at a City Wide Garage Sale several months ago for two whole dollars.

I then covered the scarf with clear vinyl.  I chose to use the vinyl for several reasons: 1.  Putting plastic on furniture is hilarious.  2.  I wanted to protect the scarf and 3.  I wanted to give the seat the same wow-pizzazz as it's lucite shell.  In person, it looks lovely together.

Because I didn't have enough fabric from scarf #1 to line the outer edge of the seat, I used fabric from a second scarf also purchased from the garage sale several months ago for $.99.  See, Erin, I do have a use for all the fabric I hoard.

Moving on to project #2

I bought this sad little excuse for a chair at a yard sale for $2 a year or so ago.  When I brought it home I could see Matt's little mind adding up the plausibility of filing for divorce.  I promised him glory and grandeur then the chair sat for months.   Now that my office is almost done (pictures coming soon, promise) I finally had a need for it at my sewing station.

I painted it with high-gloss black spray paint, then recovered the seat with this awesome black and white Native American graphic print fabric I purchased when I lived in Albuquerque a gazillion years ago.  I'm almost positive that I got it off the $1/yard table.  I bought every last inch and have used it for several projects over the years, this is the first time it's appeared on an item for my home, though.

And finally, project #3

I bought this lame lion head print from the thrift store for $7.99.  It felt a bit steep for all that mucky beige art, but I had a plan and figured that, even if I failed, at least the frame was worth 3 times the price.

I used a straightedge to draw laser-light-show lines across the background, then taped off each area separately and painted as needed.  It should be noted that I originally planned to cut out the lion head and put him on a new background, but the print is mounted on thick cardboard and I wasn't sure I could cut it out cleanly.  The result?

This little lion was relocated from depressingville to crazytown.  I think he likes it better there.  Oh, I painted the frame black, too.

All of these projects are living in my office now.  Here are all the before and afters together.  Are you starting to get a sense of the color scheme?

State of Lace

Ah - the weekend. For some, a break from the nine to five bore and snore. Families are pumpkin picking, men are losing bets over football, and classes take a backseat as college students booze. Wait, I’m in college, so where’s my vodka bramble? Oh ya, that’s right.. I’m in grad school - different kind of college. My weekend gets sucked into a big vacuum made by Hoover, model name "all work and no sleep", and the remains? Well there are none. The lack of weekend begins Friday evening after leaving my assistantship to go straight to an artist’s lecture. I return to my pad around 9:30, work on half drop repeats until the early morn, and then go back to my assistantship for the Saturday gallery hours of 11-4.

I admit, I make it sound grueling, but every second is worth it when I realize how surreal it is. The home of my assistantship is a 7,000 square foot sprawling ranch called The Design Center. Think Case Study Houses, or the Singleton Residence, now you’ve got the idea. This gem of a house was inhabited by Goldie Paley, the founder of CBS’ mother (a.k.a mom-in-law to style icon Babe Paley), before being donated to my university. TDC contains a huuuuge textile archive, as well as textile-manufacturing relics, apparel, and three lovely ladies behind the scenes. As if this isn’t enough to overwhelm the midwest doe-eyed girl in me, the Design Center also has gallery space where the lace-inspired work of three international artists resides: Demakersvan, Tord Boontje, and Cal Lane.

Ok ok, I’ll stop gushing and show you the damn pictures. First we have Tord. As you can imagine, hours and hours went into making this raffia curtain:

Tord's Design Studio was well-known for their beautiful light fixtures for artecnica prior to this exhibition.

Above: Midsummer Light, www.unicahome.com

Above: Come Rain Come Shine Light, www.unicahome.com

Below: Garland Light  (Give me this, now, in black please):

Good stuff, huh?

But check these one of a kind bad boys out:

Tord's maquettes of raffia designs, based on Quaker Lace sample(in top of photo):

Tord didn't stop at the raffia curtain and light fixtures.

How would you feel about this being front and center in your living room?

Yes.  This is a couch.  Yes, I've sat in it.  Yes, It's super comfy.

above photos: courtesy of The Design Center

With his lace-making approach to the couch, Tord has created a (very) modern rendition of a Victorian love seat, IMHO:

Furniture I found outside of Tord's Lace in Translation work includes the Shadowly Armchair / Chaise Lounge:

www.unicahome.com

Which brings me back to one of Erin's finds, a hooded wicker chair from her Round Top Round Up.

Enough with Tord, onward to Cal.  Cal Lane that is.  She's Canadian, and pretty much amazing.  She's the artist whose lecture I mentioned above.  I had seen her work in these next three photos before I saw her Lace in Translation work, which you may be familiar with also:

That's some durrrrty lace

Seeing her work in person, not to mention at the place I work at, is ten times better than any photograph:

Cal used a Quaker Lace Sample from the Design Center's collection as the inspiration for her burnout pattern in the grass (which as a result of mulching, I was able to give my classmates a whole new way to experience her work: through the smell of cow.)

The same design was used for her massive oil drum sculpture atop the pool.

above photos:  courtesy of The Design Center

Like I said, amazing, right??  Well, that's my rant.  Back to my unweekend plans of relaxing print work.  Ciao.

The Lace in Translation Exhibition runs September 24th through April 3^rd. Visit www.laceintranslation.com for details.

Light and Bright Feels So Right

Today I'm going to keep it casual  -- bathrobe still on, coffee in hand, chillin' on the patio, casual. Summer is over, but fall in Austin is a glorious time. For one thing, it's actually hospitable, in that going outdoors may not induce spontaneous combustion. For another, things start to wind down and transition into the holidays, and it's important to take a breather before the madness of Hallogivingxmas is in full swing. So I've got a double dose of cozy goodness for you, to help get the unparty started. First of all, Alek of the very awesome blog From the Right Bank to the Left Coast is running the "What's Your Style in One Picture" challenge, and Ima gonna play. Of course, I can't really answer this question because I am the most schizophrenic decorator ever born, loving the sleek seventies one day and rustic touches the next. But today is casual day, and having a theme always helps me to winnow the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

Ace Hotel, Palm Springs, via If the Lampshade Fits.

I know, I know. It's so uncharacteristically spartan of me to choose this. But sometimes I feel I need a visual vacation from overdecorated spaces. I like the undone quality of this room, and the carefully chosen furnishings (that metal perforated dresser!!!!) help make it special. Of course, the tv would be replaced by art if it were my own home, but it is a hotel, so don't blame me.

And now, my fine friends, a collection of images to help keep the Om Me Padme Hum going. Sit back and hang out.

Living Etc

Gaelle le Boulicaut

Desire to Inspire

Via scubadam67's Flickr stream. Found on Even Cleveland.

Living Etc

Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects

Jeff Andrews Design

Apartment Therapy

And finally, this crazy inventive hanging bed is courtesy of the very awesome AB Chao, who will be guest posting for us while Karly in on vacay. Hooray! AB is currently leading against some serious pros in the best bedroom contest on All the Best and you peeps need to get your fannies over there and vote for her, not because I said so, but because her room is clearly the winner. Lady knows how to live casual to the max. Y'all know what I mean.