Oh, You Silly Goose

My nostalgia hit pretty hard when I saw this goose print dress from Unique Vintage.  I decided then and there that this would be my Easter dress, not just for the holiday itself, but also for a ladies' tea that I was attending.  Unfortunately the dress arrived without a belt.  I contacted UV and since the dress was already sold out in my size they offered a partial refund if I wanted to keep the dress and find a different belt that would work.  I was so smitten with this dress so I decided to take the refund and make it work.  And, I did.  I wore this dress to both occasions and even ran into someone who remembered the goose wind chime I used to have hanging above my bed as a child (see previous post for context) because she had hit her head on it a few times when she'd spent the night.  The dress was a hit and I even managed to find this belt that matched it well enough.

 Outfit Info:  Unique Vintage Blue & Goose Print Cotton Shirt Swing Dress, shoes are old from SheIn

You Silly Goose!: Calling All Collectors

I was there; I participated.  That's a phrase I rarely get to say when it comes to the vintage trends I adore, but if we're referring to home decor featuring geese in bonnets and/or blue ribbons, I can confirm that not only was I at the party, but I inhaled.  It was cottage core before the term existed and it was darling.  This was a decorating trend over which my paternal gramma and I bonded instantly.  Ceramic crocks, metal tins, wind chimes, and wall art, we loved them all and unofficially collected them together.

Geese.  Wearing ribbons.  And bonnets.  If you're not familiar with this niche, let me give you a mini-history lesson of this micro trend.  It began in the late 1980s and lasted only a few years until about 1994, but during that time if there was a blank surface in a home, it could be covered...with a well-dressed goose.  It sounds simple, but really it was a bit of a rebellious outcry against what I like to call the New York Business Power Couple aesthetic we saw in all the movies.  It was a prototype for the sad-greige-minimalist aesthetic embraced by...well, pretty much everyone right now.  This was a rustic rebellion and I wouldn't mind if it made a comeback.

Looking back it sounds like such a silly thing to catch on and be trendy for years.  But, I suppose all trends seem silly in hindsight and if I'm being honest, I still love this look not just because it reminds me of happy times and shared enthusiasm, but because it's so sweet and wholesome.

My oldest daughter was moving out and mentioned that her new roommate loved and was collecting all the goose goods she could find in her excitement to decorate their apartment.  I decided to make a contribution in the form of some tins and a set of salt and pepper shakers.  

Of my own childhood stores of goosey decor, I have kept only one tin and this goose windchime which my grandmother gave to me.  I hung it in a corner of my room which I later moved my bed directly under.  Every time I had a friend sleepover they would invariably hit their head on the windchime, setting it clanging.  I started calling it my Guest Alarm because it always let me know it was time to get up because my guest was up.  It broke somewhere around 1993, probably from a guest who's had just about enough, and I've always kept it because my grandmother died not long after and it just a small nostalgic piece of us.  It's been tucked in a drawer for years now, but this year I finally decided to mend it.  I want it back in a window reminding me of happy times.

Having Your Cupcake And Wearing It Too

I love fashion, love it so much.  And photography.  When I was a photography student so many decades ago, I could never get people to model for me.  Long before smart phones and the endless supply of selfies that everyone now takes, the world was once filled with shy violets who were just to modest to model.  It was a simpler time, but definitely more frustrating for a blossoming photographer.  

On the rare occasion that I could get someone to come for a session, they were always totally inexperienced and sort of clueless as to how to work with the camera.  And, since my own skill set was also still in the early stages, I had trouble effectively communicating what I wanted without just waling up to someone and outright posing them head to toe.  That's why I started being my own model.  It was just easier to work out where I should stand to be in focus and then pos accordingly than it was to go through the model process.  

Years later as I left the single room in our home in Japan where I took my outfit photos and then edited in an interesting background, I had to teach my husband how to use the camera and work with me.  To his credit, he patiently took the notes I gave him, kept clicking until we had the shot I wanted, and learned exactly what I wanted so that now I prefer to work with him above anyone.  It's just so much simpler and easier.  

One of my favorite aspects of photography back in the day was my time in the dark room.  Now it's Lightroom, but I still love tweaking here, adjusting there and making something beautiful.  So, for today's post, I thought I'd share some previously unshared photos from one of my favorite sessions (5-ish years ago) in one of my all-time favorite style dresses, the Cupcake dress.

The Library: Part I

My husband and I have not always agreed on home design or decor, but one room where we always found common ground was a library.  We have both always wanted one, preferably something a Victorian Wizard would feel at home in.  Armed with some inspiration photos (yes, some of them are most likely A.I.), Mr. Bleu and I began to tackle building a library.  Mr. B has not always agreed with the decorative choices I've made, but we have both always wanted this sort of library space, so this was a room to unite us if ever there was one.  You'll notice all my inspo pics contain green couches.  This is because I initially wanted this to be the room that housed my green couch.  But in the end, there just was not enough space for all.  

Things that were a must were: sconce lighting, deep colors, lots of books, a fireplace, and plenty of wall space to hang my collection of antique oil paintings.  During the construction of this room, Mr. Bleu built a catwalk so that he could reach the ceiling and I wondered aloud, why we couldn't just keep it.  After a brief discussion, we did and I'll likely do a separate post about that.

Installing laminate flooring has been one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of all our renovation steps.  Apart from all the cutting, it's very easy and we managed to get the flooring done on this room in only a couple of hours.  Wallpaper on the other hand is less simple.  I ordered this William Morris print from a company that emphasizes sustainability and zero waste.  I didn't realize that meant that I was ordering numbered sheets that had to be used in order.  I ended up being one sheet short of a wall and thankfully Mr. Bleu is a Tetras Whiz, so he pieced together enough to finish the wall and we had enough left over to cover the small wall above the fireplace as well.  After all that, we decided to go ahead and wallpaper the remaining walls and this time, I ordered the right lengths and just bit the bullet on the cost.

Building this faux fireplace was its own job and I'm going to create a separate post for that project.  For this post, however, I will show you where it all began.

The "Billy Bookcase Hack" is all over the DIY internet scene, so we decided to give it a go.  Initially we were going to build our own bookcases, but in the end opted for the speed and convenience of ready-made pieces that I could assemble on my own and then we could install together. We did end up buying two extender units for each shelving unit so they would reach the catwalk, but this photo only shows the assembled units without extensions.

Very important step here is to either sand or prime or both before painting.  I got started only to watch the paint bead up and scratch off easily after drying.  So, I went back and primed all the boards and that allowed the paint to cover nicely, but it will still scratch off easily for about a year or so while it cures if my experience painting MDF panels on the wall or kitchen cabinets has taught me anything.

I got very impatient to get my books back on the shelves.  They've been dominating my dining room table and floor space for a year and I would love to have that room back.  I cut strips of wax paper to lay down under and at the sides of the books while the paint is curing.  I don't want it sticking to my book collection during what is sure to be a typical humid summer.  I chose to put antique books at the bottom and new books at the top.  

I also ordered fabric baskets from IKEA to fit in the cabinets and water hyacinth baskets to go on the shelves.  I applied a light coat of the same stain we used for the baseboards and trim to the water hyacinth baskets so that they would better match the colors of the room.  I really didn't know if this would work, so I started with a test basket.  It took only two coats of stain to get it to a nice shade and cured nicely.

This project was way too big to fit into just one post, so I'm breaking this room into at least 3 and maybe 4 posts.  Join me for Part II of this renovation project to see how the library wall turned out.

Putting the Shine On: Renovation Tools

During my time doing this massive home project, I have had an assortment of micro projects as well and I've discovered some very useful tools along the way.  I thought it might be nice to start a little series where I can share the things I've found to make these touch-ups a cinch.  

My great-aunt was an avid collector.  She was not, however, as enthusiastic about maintaining as she was in acquiring. Much of the beautiful things I have from her estate we're dusty, moldy, crumbling and in need of some TLC.  So, in this post I thought I'd share some of my tips for breathing new life into old treasures.

First I should mention that I'm not a pro, just someone with experience gained through trial and error, so take that for what it's worth.  Second, I should mention that I'm not selling products/ have no affiliate links.  Just mentioning some things that I have found useful while restoring these treasures, the first of those being a little something called Rub 'n Buff.  

Rub 'n Buff is essentially a wax metallic finish that is simply rubbed onto a surface.  It's not cheap, but a little goes a long way.  To date, I've used a single tube to do picture frames, lamps, clock filigree, and two sconce lights, and still have plenty left over.  Let's start with this antique clock.  The metal has become dull and brown and I can't really polish it without harming the wood.  So, after a thorough dry scrub with a toothbrush, I applied some rub and buff.  Check out the before and after:

Next I'll show you the before and after of this little table lamp.  I purchased this at a flea market and the top coat is peeling in many areas.  Once again I scrubbed it with a dry toothbrush and then applied the Rub 'n Buff.  Check out the difference:

I've really used this product a lot in my home makeover.  It has been so helpful, I wish I'd found it sooner.

Artist Spotlight/Style Crush: Dora Abodi

It's been a while since I've done a Style Crush or Artist Spotlight post, but after seeing the art and designs of Dora Abodi, I knew I had to share and really couldn't fit her into just one category since she is very much both artist and a style crush.  Sadly these pieces are far too couture for this humble fashion lover to afford, but I also don't own any Pre-Raphaelite paintings and that doesn't stop me from looking and enjoying.  So, feast your eyes and heart on the work of Transylvanian born artist Dora Abodi who not only makes beautiful clothing, but beautiful artwork around the concept of each design.

Find her work at https://aboditransylvania.com/