Saturday, February 9, 2008

I've gone shabby, and I love it!

Well, well, well. Thanks for coming back to me, my little chic-a-dees. We've made a few changes around here. But more on that later. I have a new passion in my life - shabby chic!
It all started with an inooccent enough link that my auntie sent me regarding a "barn sale" in my little town of Temecula, California. She urged me to go, saying that "they never have anything like that around here- ever!"
So I went to the sale. It was in Wine Country (which is more horse country then wine country), in a big barn with 3 very nice ladies running around. I arrived about 20 mintes after they opened shop for the day, so I pretty much had the place to myself to browse. They had some really cute stuff. A lot was out of my price range, but I loved the way all these pretty things made me feel.
I noticed the main focus of the sale was several white metal objects that had been well weathered. Many items made of wood also appeared to have stood out in the elements for a while. And the more beat up, water damaged and crooked things were, the more charming they looked!
And you know what I learned?
If you leave anything out in the rain long enough, you will get a pretty good return!
First, a candle...
(before)
And then after leaving it out in the rain for a week...

(after)


Cute, huh?


And then I tried the milk carton...

(before)

And now...

(after)

Moo!
I also looked at things that are always outside...

(before)
And learned that they, too, have hidden potential!
(after)

Isn't Mother Nature awesome?
But seriously, I really love all this stuff! I love getting my hands on something old and sprucing it up, adding some sparkle and calling it 'chic.
I'll leave you with this tonite, ladies... This is the China set that the boy's grandfather gave to us last year. He said it was old stuff he wasn't going to use any more. I loved it when we got it home, and now? I'm smitten!

Cheers, folks! And happy 'chicing!

3 comments:

Andrea - Under a Blue Moon said...

Oh yay! You are back. I can't believe you unlocked the secret to shabbiness. Rachel Ashwell better watch her back.

Anonymous said...

YAY keep blogging!! I am so proud of you for braving wine country and going to the sale! I wish I had been there with you!
Seriously having an issue with my husband. He wants to name the puppy Aero (a name i did mention after a few glasses of wine and surfing dog name wesbites) BUT i want to name him the very french and shabby chic name of Remy! It's very creole, don' tyou think? I dont' care if he's a scottish dog.

Nicole said...

Andrea is the queen of shabby chic! Go visit her and you will get so many ideas your head will spin.