Life has a funny way of being in accordance with the seasons. As change sweeps over the trees in the form of golden leaves and copper hues, my life is taking on new color too. For one, I am a new wife.
But, as is typical of life, more than just my relationship status changed. After working in a restaurant for the last two and a half years, I got a new job. I. Got. A. New. Job. !!!!!!!!
It's not just any job either. It is one that suits me and the things I love most- local food, connecting with people, writing and creativity. More than that, I get my nights and weekends back. By far, the greatest gift.
For the last two years, I have lived on opposite schedules to that of my husband and friends. I have missed out on opportunities available only to those with free time in the evenings. I have had to squeeze a full day of tasks into half a day. I have had to endure rejection and loss. I have had to be patient and proactive. For all those things, I am so grateful because I can fully appreciate what has been given to me. No squandering here.
It's time to "Brang home that bacon!" Last Friday, I attended the NODA All Arts Market, a monthly market of local artists and vendors for the first time in a loooong time. The Mister and I, newly married and stoked for a "real" Friday night out strolled around wide-eyed with excitement. Now that we're all domesticated and stuff, we sought out some new pieces to hang on our walls. Of course, there is food involved. The bacon print is a hand-printed piece by Human Shaped Robot, a one man screen-printing operation featuring pieces that "speaka" my language. Seriously, I say things like "Brang it!" all the time and how appropriately motivating for this new time in our lives. The next piece we bought was this lovely sentiment captured on a wood block by Bethany Hadden of m.i.i studio which stands for My Invisible Ink. There are two loves in my life, the Mister and big fat cups of coffee. This piece was obviously meant for me. It's a new week, y'all. As far as I'm concerned, everything is new. Look out for new food posts and a few backlogged gems from our Denver trip plus our wedding projects for your viewing pleasure. Happy Monday!
As you all know, I am an episode of Hoarders waiting to happen. Wait, no! I'm a collector. An avid collector. Unfortunately, with all the wedding hubbub (95 days to go!), my collector's eye has been keenly focused on wedding decor- milk jugs, mason jars, crates, tea tins, galvanized tubs and books with little time to scout much else. My trips to the antiques mills come with a mission and a timetable so I've been quieting my inner collector. For the most part.
I still pop in a few places here and there at random, you know, just in case.
Last weekend, I lucked out and received an extra hour due to a random breakdown of the Mister's car. I had to cancel plans with a friend to drop him off and was left with a whole hour of unplanned time. Lucky me.
Naturally, I spotted a sign for an estate sale and decided to check it out. When I rounded the corner of the street, I saw it. My own personal Shangri-la of antique items. The entire yard was littered with furniture, big items too, that trailed all the way into the backyard where there was, get this, MORE!
Apparently, the sellers were trying for the last time to get rid of their parents (now deceased) stuff. The couple had been trying to unload the sizeable inventory for some time and the cost to store the items had become a financial burden. They were ready to give away the farm. Squee!
I spotted the dresser immediately and asked about the price almost before I even said hello. When the chain-smoking seller quoted $30, I knew better than to let this one go.
Did I plan on buying a mid-century dresser at 7:15 in the morning? Well, no, but when the opportunity presents itself, it's carpe furniture! I'm still basking in the glow of this proud purchase. Turns out, it was a mid-century dresser made by Drexel in 1959.
Before leaving with my estate sale score, I milled around for other items. I've been into kitchenware lately, plates, utensils, linens and other items for use in photo shoots and recipes. I found a box full of linens and towels. Beneath that were tons of aprons. The seller's mother, I was told, loved to cook and was never seen without an apron in the kitchen. I was also told that her mother had one requirement of her aprons- pockets.
I grabbed an armful at once. The best part is, I got the aprons for free. The woman was so happy to unload the stuff that she simply gave them to me. I think, too, that it gave her comfort to send these aprons, small memories of her mother, to a good home.
I love that about collecting. Everything has a story and with it, a connection. I think that's why I love it so much. I look for those authentic encounters, drive around for them even, in hopes of finding something more than just a new purchase.
Do you have any collections of your own?
You like? It's my newest multi-purpose purchase from Fab.com and Roll and Tumble Press. It pretty much sums up the meaning of life for me. I'll be strategically placing this lovely hand-cranked print somewhere near the NC-inspired spread when the Mister and I marry in October and then will retire ye old sign to the kitchen where it will serve as my daily reminder of what I like to do best. Yup. I like to eat.
I am so excited to share a sneak peek of what will likely be a staple "spot" for vintage clothes and stylish notions come tomorrow. The traveling trunk show known as the Frock Shop has found a permanent home in the MONA (Museum of Neighborhood Art) building, a local art gallery and studio space, which sits happily on the corner of Central Avenue and Hawthorne in Plaza Midwood. The Frock Shop Style Lounge fits perfectly into the renovated space which already houses a delightful assortment of locally made art, jewelry, sculpture and other Charlotte-centric goodies. I was introduced to the Frock Shop and the adorable Caroline Cook-Frers last year by friend and proverbial shopping instigator, Nikki Mueller, who dropped in on one of Caroline's trunk shows hosted at Eco-Licious. That day, we arrived early and got our own sneak peek shopping experience before the droves of women came in to devour the racks of well-curated clothes and accessories. I found my most favorite pair of red vintage flats along with an armful of one-of-kind clothing. I was hooked and have been stalking, I mean, following Caroline and the Frock Shop ever since. The Style Lounge is charming and the MONA house itself is laid out in a way that invites exploration. Natural light floods the space, the wood floors creak with character and the handcrafted archways gently lead you from one carefully curated area to the next. Caroline has put the same care into her new space as she does with her collection of handpicked clothing and accessories. The drippy chandelier that hangs above the Style Lounge is her grandmother's, the wallpaper is vintage and the mirrors that adorn the space are bright and colorful. It's all the perfect accessory to her unique collection. Have a look!  Frock Shop Owner, Caroline Cook-Frers INSIDER TIP: Frock shoppers that visit the Style Lounge will get first dibs on all new arrivals before it hits Caroline's online shop and ongoing trunk shows. The Style Lounge opens to the public tomorrow with a Grand Opening celebration beginning at noon until 8 p.m. MONA is located at 1200 Central Avenue. I'm thinking I'll be there quite often. Maybe the handsome MONA owners, Dan and Brian will be so kind as to let me pay rent. Happy Frocking!
Collecting vintage clothes and purses has long been at the top of my list of "things that make me happy." There is something truly wonderful about discovering treasures in unlikely places and creating an individual style. It's a creative outlet that really resonates with me. I was trying to pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with vintage clothes and can trace it back to the garage of an ex-boyfriend's Argentinian mother who happened to be a hoarder and a little cuckoo. Her best friend was a bird and she hoarded everything from scraps of cardboard to fake flowers to receipts from the 1970's. She also happened to have insane treasures like vintage Emilio Pucci and Gucci handbags. I was able to pry the Pucci and a few purses from her grips which began my love for collecting vintage fashion and made the days spent cleaning her garage and listening to Klezmer music on vinyl all worthwhile. I wish I were making this up. When it comes to clothing, I have always been a bit impractical. I gravitate toward statement pieces that would be far too obvious to wear repeatedly. If I did, people would say things like-.... "There's that girl with the red Hawaiian muumuu again!!" or " If I have to see those saddle shoes one more time, there's going to be hell to pay!" For me, vintage pieces offer that "one-of-a-kind" quality without draining my wallet, which means I get more statement pieces (so I'm not always wearing the same thing) at a fraction of the cost. I always wondered how broke New Yorker's managed to have impeccable style, pay exorbitant rents and still eat. Well, this is how. I wanted to share some of my most recent purchases from my trip to Philadelphia where I stumbled upon the vintage boutique Puss in Boots. They were in the process of relocating so the items below were on sale for a grand total of $23.00. I mean, does it get any better?  South Street, Philly  Vintage Belt  Purse Score!  Vintage Blouse with Ruffle Collar and Bow detail  This is a dress that I made into a shirt- love the lace detail! I hope to continue to share my finds with you and the outfits that come out of my shopping adventures. Please feel free to share your treasures with me. Leave a comment or send me a photo at keia[at]the-sunnysideup.com. Happy Tuesday!
One week ago today, I took my very first trip to the Metrolina Antiques Classic to peruse the plethora of new, old stuff. Having never been before, I wandered in like a baby deer in the woods and soon fell victim to sensory overload. There were objects as far as the eye could see and any semblance of rational thinking was out the door. My head began swimming with a million ideas and the temptation was too much. I lasted three hours before I lost my will to go on. I did, however, manage to find a few random things: - Five small, amber apothecary bottles - Two R&B records for my vinyl collection - One milk crate with two glass milk jugs - One ditty bag (a.k.a. stinky military bag chosen by the Mister) Suffice to say the show was A-MAZING despite the overstimulation. It was huge and vast and oh-so-delightful! I'll be looking forward to tackling the beast when the next Classic rolls around. Speaking of A-MAZING, my lovely buddy Nikki of Not Made in China has been a busy bee. Not only did she rock out a fantastic series dedicated to antiques, she has been cranking out new goodies for a vintage NMIC collection. Since this past week was an insane series of scheduling nightmares for myself, I encourage you to take this Sunday afternoon and check out her Antiques Week posts.
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