There will come a time

when you believe everything is finished.  That will be the beginning.  -Louis L'Amour

Wow.  What a week we had at Abode!  If this is any indication of what kind of year it will be, bring it on 2011!

We sold this retro diner table and a whole lot more, so if you have items (especially furniture) you've been waiting to consign, this week would be the ideal time.  Feel free to email us at abodeabode@gmail.com with photos of your items before bringing them in so we can make sure they are the right fit for our store and schedule the perfect time for you to stop by!

I'll leave you with some cupcake themed inspiration found out there in the blog world:

 

This delightful man cut out pictures of his guests and placed them on top of cupcakes at a dinner party.  Great idea, or GREATEST idea? I'm kind of obsessed. 

 

Head over to Relatively Reagan to steal  her recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes AND her brilliant idea of sticking them in a jar.

Love it.  Love all of you. Be sure to stay tuned into our blog and emails next week as we have a fun little give away to announce!

Funky tip.

Fill a cool bowl with photographs and place it on your coffee table for guests to rummage through.  You can use vintage photos, family photos, or even Polaroids you snapped yourself.  It's just as fun to peruse through as any coffee table book and you'll get bonus points for originality. 

Book page wallpaper.

I saw this image of a very stylish room with walls covered in book pages and I swooned. 

  

Earlier this year I did my own little book page wall but I made it 3d.  I sewed the pages together using my sewing machine and then looped them around and around, pinning them randomly to the wall.  

But now my interest in book page covered walls has been re-sparked and I'm thinking...could I make a "headboard" out of book pages for over my bed?  Hmmm...

UPDATE: Just got the best idea from some of our ridiculously creative customers!  They suggested using pages from vintage children's books as wallpaper in a nursery.  We love it. 

Ethan Allen.

I kept seeing these funky fabrics online and I just knew I had seen them somewhere else.  I couldn't figure it out for weeks and then today out of nowhere I realized that they are the same prints that we have in our giant books of vintage Ethan Allen wallpaper at the store!

Mystery solved.  Just call me Nancy Drew.  Photos via i suwannee.

Yesterday

was a madhouse here at Abode!  We sold oodles of fabric, a gigantic book case made by a local carpenter out of reclaimed barn wood, a fabulous art deco dining room table, and much much more. 

AND we replenished our stock with some lovely little treasures from some of our favorite consignors so there's still plenty more where all that came from!

So come on in today and browse the new merchandise, we'll listen to some good tunes and chit chat about all the projects we have going on in our homes for the new year. 

All our lovin,

The Abode gals:  Merm, Kt, and Manda

Bird cage baby shower.

 While hunting for some creative baby shower ideas I found these ridiculously fun pictures on the social secretary and now I'm obsessed with the idea of using a bird cage as part of a table-scape. 

I own a pretty little bird cage that I've filled with candles but maybe I'll have to work it into the forest themed baby shower I'm throwing later this year.

If you love this idea you should stop by the store and check out our plethora of bird cages.  They're fun, funky, and can be totally functional!

Dear Country Living,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing us new ways to use vintage doilies. They are beautiful, interesting and unique and we have a rolling French laundry basket full of them just ready for creating!

Dream big in 2011.

  

"What I fear most, I think, is the death of the imagination...If I sit still and don't do anything, the world goes on beating like a slack drum, without meaning.  We must be moving, working, making dreams to run toward; the poverty of life without dreams is too horrible to imagine."  -Sylvia Plath

Brooch Bouquets.

By now these pretty babies have invaded blog land, but I can't help but to post about them!

This wonderful woman makes bouquets out of vintage jewelry, mainly, brooches.  I'm in awe.

Do you see the tiny little fan brooch?  How about the clock?  I could stare forever.  Check out her Etsy store here.

And if you're feeling confident enough to try and make your own, don't forget that Abode is practically brooch heaven.

My only question is, if the brooches are vintage does this bouquet count as your something old or your something new?

A ballerina's bedroom.

I recently sat down and watched a documentary on the famous ballerina Margot Fonteyn and was completely inspired by her life.  I could not stop dreaming about her as a child growing up in Shanghai as little Margaret Hookham determined to be a Prima Ballerina. It all seems so fancy. 

So, today's post is in honor of the beautiful Margot, and any other little girl with big dreams.  I composed a short list of things found at Abode that would go just perfectly in the bedroom of such a little one.  Enjoy. 

At $99 this beautiful bust is one of our pricier items but worth every penny!  Look at all the details!

Vintage floral hat boxes are a simple storage solution in a child's bedroom.

Oh hi lamp.  I love you.  (This shade is made by a local artist.  Double oo-la-la points.)

This set of candle holders with matching mirror is only $49!

 

And here is a clip from the documentary, just because:



"One just loved her from the moment she came on stage to the moment of her last curtain call."

2011, here we come!



This table would be perfect to play cards on!
Art Deco Table on SUPER SALE - only $60!! First come, first serve!



Are you hosting a New Year's bash? I think one that was casino-themed, with poker & roulette tables would be so fun!! Or maybe 60's suits and cocktail dresses? Either way, we've got you covered - tables, cards, dresses, you name it!

Decks of Cards from Peppermill Casino $3/deck

I remember learning how to play rummy in Spain, this old lady taught us at a train station really late one night when we were waiting for a bus to Portugal. I have forgotten to play since then, but that was such a neat experience!

We want to know why you haven't come down to visit us at Abode yet!!

tea cup flower pots.

so lovely.

ps katie just did a markdown on a bunch of cups and saucers at the store.  now you're in the know.

DIY doily table runner

from heaven.

  

Get the full DIY from Ashley Ann's lovely blog (remember the pallet day bed from this post?  It was her work too!)  and then come on into Abode to pick up some doilies!  Heaven knows we have a million.

PS We also just happen to have a dining room table that looks A LOT like this one.  Butcher block top and white legs?  Yes please.  

Oh hi.

Oh hi cutest little Christmas tree ever.

(We have little squirrels and birds at the store right now that would be PERFECT for this look!)

Oh hi cutest wedding video ever.


Max, Margaux, & The Marvelows from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

(Have you seen the 1950's baby clothes we have @ Abode?  Your little one would be the fanciest wedding guest ever in these get ups. Come check 'em out.)

Oh hi prettiest window frame art ever.

(Made out of a window frame and vintage bird/flower prints bought at Abode.)

Okay bye.

Christmas done right

When I issued the challenge to myself to buy only local, hand made or secondhand for Christmas this year I had no idea what I was taking on!  What an adventure this has been, searching for ways to support our local economy while coming up with gifts that would be welcome and appreciated (no, I didn't even consider whipping up fruitcakes for all.)

As you know Mr. Abode's robe has been a concern from the beginning and I found a fun flannel fabric at Pine Needles fabric shop in Gardener Village, also these frilly fabric pens for stockings.  Fabulous candy creations from Sweet Aftons and stocking stuff for my sister from Anastasia's Attic.  The cherry on top being a vintage Huckleberry Hound lamp in hot and handsome orange for my just started college nephew - found at Aunt Elsie's - it is truly funk-a-liscious and I even managed to find a small local family shop (Fox's) to ship it for me.  They were kind and sweet and gave me and Huck the kind of TLC you will never encounter at Fed Ex, they are now my new shipping boyfriends and we all know how valuable that can be!

Finding gift cards locally was as simple as a trip to Harmons and Zions Bank has those o so nice Visa cards.

Overall I rate my experience inimitable - a 10 - yes, it took a lot of creativity and a bit of sheen on the upper lip (sweat, for those playing at home) but I met fun people, shopped funky places and found fabulous functional gifts, all while never standing in line, having a shopping cart roll over my toes or giving the one-gun-salute to that kid who stole my parking place!

Now, I fall on the sword . . . I had to cheat and buy a robe pattern for Mr Abode from JoAnn's Fabrics, o, how I tried to find that perfect thing on etsy and in the quilty shops, alas, no cigar. . . can you ever forgive me?