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“MonkeyPod” is a word you will often see stamped on the bottom of wooden Mid Century pieces. But what exactly is and how do you identify it? Today we will explore this mid century staple.
I don’t know about you but when I think of vintage art, one of the first things that pops into my mind are paint by numbers. We have all seen them, those little kits with the canvas that has light blue or gray lines with numbers inside of the lines. The cute little plastic paint packets with just the perfect shade of blue for your sky.
I feel like sometimes I find folks on Instagram and I fall into a black vortex of investigation. Holly Holden is one of my latest new instagram loves! If you don’t follow her, you should do so immediately. I love knowing what is considered “proper” and “appropriate etiquette” if situations ever present themselves. Also, I think it is just great to get a little refresh of some basics, like how to address an envelope properly. Ya’ll need to sign up for her Mummy’s Monday Manners newsletter!
For years anything that was a porcelain blue and white jar that had an Asian motif was simply a ginger jar to me. I had no idea until I opened my Etsy shop that there were differences. AND that there all kinds of differences in ginger jars.
Here, my friends, is your Asian Porcelain Jar Tutorial….
Last week we talked about the difference between Wicker and Rattan and it got me thinking about how I am probably really butchering the names of the fibers that actually make up different materials. For example, any basket I see is basically “rattan” to me. Or any natural fiber rug is “jute”. But that’s obviously not the case.
Today I thought it would be helpful to identify the difference in all these natural fiber materials. What’s the difference between bamboo and rattan? Or what is the difference between cane and rattan? Check out the information below:
I had always heard these called “Crumb Catchers” and was planning on doing an intro joke about how they are a mom’s best friend. Then, once I researched it a little further, I realized they were called “The Silent Butler.” Turns out they aren’t the mom’s BFF…they are actually the Mom.
I was going to post something the other day on my Chairish shop and described the item as “rattan”. Then I stopped and said “wait, is this wicker.” Then I realized I didn’t really know the difference and I, incorrectly, use them two terms interchangeably.
I wanted to share what I learned from the ole Google machine because, you know, we can’ know everything.
I don't have a tattoo. But if I did, it would probably be of my monogram. It is the only thing I love that much. Literally. I would put a monogram on a monogram and top it with my monogram.
I am so excited to announce a fun collaboration with a dear friend, Katharine Dore of K Dore Designs. When you come visit me this year at the Luckett's Spring Market, you will have an opportunity to have Katharine monogram the vintage napkins I have for sale.
Monogramed vintage napkins are such a great gift idea or the perfect little happy for yourself.
I asked Katharine to introduce herself and share a little bit about monograming. I am so excited to start this collaboration with her and look forward to more fun projects in the future with my fellow Louisiana Lady!
Milk Glass. You've heard the term but do you really know what it is? Today we are going to briefly explore what it is and how to determine if it is older or a reproduction piece.
A few years ago, I was thrifting and found some milk glass. Not knowing much about it, I did some googling when I got home and realized there is WAY more to know than just seeing a piece of white glass and declaring it "milk glass". I never considered myself a real fan of it until I realized what all was categorized as milk glass.
I used to get so tripped up trying to figure this out. (Don't get me wrong, I still run across things that make me have to second guess myself). But here are a few tips to help you know the difference between crystal and etched glass.
Today is going to be a short basically because Daylights Savings has totally kicked my ass and I can hardly function enough today to type.
These spork like items are ice cream forks!
You are out at a flea market and you glance over and see it. It is perfect. It has that one hard to find color you have been lusting after. You go over and they quote you a price that you aren't so sure about. Is it fair? Is it overpriced?
One of the best ways to tell if you are getting a good price on a rug is to know if it is handmade or machine made. Obviously, if the rug is handmade, the value (and price) is more because of the skill, time and talent.
Last week we looked at Depression glass and explored some of the manufactures who make it. Today I thought we would dig a little bit into Elegant Glass. I also thought we would do a little exploring into how to spot original depression glass vs a reproduction.
Can you even imagining opening up your box of Cheerios or whatever and finding a piece of shinny colored glass in there? That might actually be enough to get my lazy ass out of bed in the morning.
Depression Glass was produced in mass quantities at an expensive price point between the 1920s and 1950s. It was distributed for no or little cost and often included as a "gift with purchase" (like including in food packing).
I remember the first time I ever saw the famous Eames Lounge chair. It reminded me of something my grandfather would have had. Something he would have curled up in at night to read the paper and have a drink. It was beautiful and filled me with the comfort of familiarity.
Caviar (sturgeon eggs) is a such a delicacy it requires its own spoon. The spoon is usually small (about 6 inches or smaller) and has an oval or shallow bowl to serve the caviar. But, you will also find some spoons larger and more ornidate in size.
You see his name everywhere these days..."Milo Baughman"...."Baughman Style"...it is literally all over the place! And with good reason, his simple lines and chic style can be put in pretty much any space from contemporary to traditional.
Today, we are going to explore Milo Baughman's (it is pronounced "My-low Boff-man") background, some of his most iconic pieces and do a little detective work on what exactly is this "Baughman Style".
One of the most common things I find at flea markets are brass mid-century animals. The beauties were all the rage in the 1960s and still very popular today. They are the perfect touch to warm up a mantel, to add some depth to your bookshelves or to add visual interest or height to a side table. I absolutely love them and find them so useful in decorating.
Ohhhh, you wanna see a bunch of ladies to go at it about a topic that doesn't revolve around the Real Housewives (thank you, Beverly Hills, for bringing the heat this season)....then tell them your silver pattern is the prettiest.
That there...dem is fightin words.
There are three kinds of people in this world...ones that prefer champagne flutes, one that prefer champagne coupes and one that would rather a bourbon out of the bottle.
It doesn't take much of a genius to figure out that the retro charm of the coupe has my heart. It was one of the first things I registered for when I was engaged, I used them at my wedding and we drink OJ from them on the weekends. It is obvious that I adore them.
Oh, Shiny Brites....you really are the grand daddy of all the Vintage Christmas decor, aren't you, you little devil!?!?
The popularity of these have exploded again. And thank God for that. They are stunning. I am absolutely loving all the creative things that folks have been doing with them.
Now having a family of my own, I have been giving a lot of thought to our Christmas decorations. I am sure this isn't going to come as a shock to you but I am incredibly sentimental. And while I now have a healthy does of Melissa and Doug Christmas items in my house, I am thinking a lot about what types of items I am going to have in my home for my son to have an attachment to his childhood memories.
I remember opening my Grandmother's box of silver and seeing this when I was a kid. I just KNEW it was a comb for my baby doll's hair. As I grew older, I figured a comb probably wasn't hanging out next to the butter knives in a box of silver. As a young adult, I assumed it was for serving pasta because of the tongs.
If you saw my post earlier this week on creating a happy and a vintage Thanksgiving table, you may have seen an obvious omission. The Turkey Platter. It is, if you ask me, the grand pooba of T-Giving.
We recently went through and talked about the different types of silver and their marks. Now we are going to learn how to read these marks and go into more details on some of these terms.
So, let's start with a little refresher. As you may remember, the hallmark (or mark) is the stamp on the silver that tells you the content of the metal. According to ModernSilver.com, the hallmark MAY include a makers mark but a maker's mark alone is not considered a hallmark.
Like any good Southern woman, I love my initials and monogram. I have an EBay saved search for "Vintage SH Initials" and squeal when I get the alert on my phone something has been listed.
One of my most recent purchases is this adorable Sugar Spoon with "SH" on the handle. (This one got a BIG squeal). I don't even use sugar in my coffee or tea but I have a soft spot in my heart for this piece.
One of the first things I learned about when I started doing my hard core thrifting and flea gig was the various types and forms of silver. While I am still no expert, I have learned to interpret better all those crazy stamps on the back of pieces. I thought it would be helpful to go through and really dive in so you can, hopefully, start identifying what you are holding. Let me just say right here that most of this information was collected from Martha Stewart. (Obvs).
Often referred to as the “Mother of American Country Decor”, Sister Parish is often credited as being one of the most influential interior decorators in American History.
Born into a wealthy family, Sister Parish’s youth was spent between homes in New Jersey, Manhattan, Paris and Maine where her travels and surroundings shaped her eye and style. Born as “Dorothy”, her brother dubbed her as “Sister” when she was a child and the nickname stuck.