[ a hankering for hankies ]

I'VE ALWAYS had a love for vintage hankies - perhaps it's the images they conjure up of ladylike olden days. I come across pretty ones every so often at antique shops and flea markets and it's such a shame to hide them away in a drawer or box.

How about making them into something so they can be admired? 

maybe some cushions...

or a table runner...

framed art...

or grouped as a headboard...

some pretty bunting...

a tablecloth or quilt...

a skirt...

or even a dress...

some lavendar sachets...

to decorate a party...

joined into a lovely scarf...

or charming curtains...

even if you don't sew, you can tie them like this...

So are you as smitten with these lovely girlie hankies as I am?

lisa

[nanasaidsew; martha stewart; country living; poppytalk; bellemaison23; etsy; 

polkadotchair; pinterest; thefabledneedle; skiptomylou; williamwedding; 

darbyharden; jollygoodegal; 2.bp.blogspot; themotherhuddle; nana'shouse]

[ coffee mate ]

OH HELLO little birdie! I was sitting here this morning enjoying my cup of coffee when I was joined by an unexpected guest. Say hello to my little friend. Isn't she a beautiful green? Does anyone know what kind of bird she is?

lisa

[ spicing it up ]

ONE THING about being in a small apartment, kitchen storage space is limited. And I needed to find a solution for all the random jars and bags of spices that were jammed onto a shelf and difficult to sort through.

I would have loved an in-drawer spice organizer but I didn't have a spare drawer to devote to it. I also couldn't install a spice rack on the back-splash. hmmm...

While browsing around IKEA {what would I do without that place?}, I came across their Grundtal magnetic spice jars that are designed to adhere to metal rods that you screw into the wall or back-splash.

But, being magnetic, I realized that these would simply stick to the side of the fridge - no need to buy the rods! {I've had a stainless steel fridge for years so I had forgotten about magnets!}

And sure, I could have spent some time creating some fancy labels but instead I went the cheap and cheerful route...

masking tape and a marker!

Nothing fancy but I kind of like the simple look of it. I can add more as I need them and it's easy to see how much of each spice I have on hand. Do you love these as much as I do?

lisa

[ green with envy ]

I CAME ACROSS this pic the other day and fell in love with this chair. Not only was I drawn to the green of the chair, but I love how it's been upholstered using burlap webbing done in a basket weave. Now all I need is to find an old chair!

lisa

[vintagerevivals]

[ ribbon ribbon everywhere ]

I'M ALWAYS looking for clever ways to get organized and dealing with ribbon is high on my list. It's one thing that seems to get out-of-hand for me, with all the rolls and remnants that I can't seem to part with.

I think I need to implement a new storage solution. Maybe one of these...

How do you store your ribbon?

lisa

[pinterest; michellewooderson; creatingkeepsakesblog; centsationalgirl; everythingetsy;

spunkyjunky; martha stewart; centsationalgirl; pinterest; country living]

[ under my console ]

YESTERDAY I showed you some inspirational pics of what to put under a console table. Thanks for all of your great comments! I loved hearing which ones you were drawn to and what you've done in your own home.

Here's my console. It used to be behind my sofa, but now that it is against the wall, I find the empty space makes it look a little wimpy {I may give it a painted facelift but for now here it is}.

I love the idea of stools but I'm thinking that since it likely won't be in the entry, maybe something other than stools would be nice. And with so many other options of how to fill that empty void, I've decided that my favourite is a stack of baskets {great way to add texture}.

something like this...

I love the idea of being able to store things in them, especially in a small apartment - I need all the hiding places I can get!

So I started looking around and was having a hard time finding anything. I finally found these at Pottery Barn...

But at about $70+ each, I just didn't want to spend that much on baskets.

So I kept looking and came across these...

Did you see that price?? $8! At Pottery Barn! I don't know if they were priced incorrectly or what, but I wasn't going to pass up this bargain! They weren't exactly what I was looking for, but I figured I could make them work.

I grabbed 4 and check this out...

They stack nicely and I gave them some little numbered tags - I think they do the trick. Great for magazines or I can even make some liners to store smaller things  - all for a grand total of $32! What do you think?

lisa

[ what to put under consoles ]

CONSOLE TABLES are one of those pieces that are so versatile. Great behind a sofa, in an entry, a hallway, or anywhere to fill an awkward blank space.

I've had one behind my sofa for a few years that we shipped here from Canada. But since our sofa is now against a wall, I've got to find a new spot for it. And, I've been looking for something to put under it to fill the empty void.


perhaps a stool?

or maybe a box?

or a vase?

or baskets?

Which one is your favourite? Do you have a console?

lisa

[west elm; 2,3,5,6,10 houzz; elle decor; pottery barn; house beautiful;

design sponge; amber interior design; west elm; simple urban style; interior divine]