March 27th 2008

Where oh where is Spring?

Electronics Recycling

I don't know about you but, along side my regular paper and plastic recycling I have been collecting a myriad of other items that I don't think I should throw in the garbage. So over time I have accumulated quite a pile of items that are collecting dust and taking up space in various corners of my home. There is an old TV, well not the whole TV, it was big, once it went kaput it really took up a lot of space. It was too big and heavy for me to move so I took it apart and while it is still too heavy to move it can be concealed much better. But I digress, in addition to this TV tube, I still have my very first computer and monitor (a Tandy) a keyboard, a mouse, broken antenna, busted cd player, a really old cell phone and more but you get my point. Where do you get rid of this stuff?

Now to my point I found this website and it gives you information on electronics recycling by zip code. My Green Electronics.

Playing with Color (again)

We have had these stars for a while now and decided to give them a fresh look with some new paints I have. The dark blue is from a company called Citron Paint and the coverage is great and no smell. The colors are deep and rich. This color is called Suffragette. The greenish star, I used one of the Benjamin Moore Aura paints called Lush. They are resting in this cool antique shopping cart that we just pickedup.

Business Card

Just a little bitty post. I found this in a box of other things that we had gotten.

C'est Moi is Moving to Vintage Pine

Join us on Saturday, February 23rd to toast our time on Damen and celebrate our move to Vintage Pine 11 am - 6 pm C'est Moi 2129 N Damen Chicago, IL 60647 We'll have champagne and goodies galore!!!

We've got about 2 and half weeks left at 2129 North Damen so ...it's time for 40% off the entire store. All times are final sale and this does not apply to special orders. Call if you want something held! 2129 North Damen Avenue Chicago, IL, 60647 773-269-2116

Vintage Bark Cloth

Is that your grandmother’s pillow on the couch? Or is it a trendy new accessory featuring vintage fabric from the 1940s wartime period?

The thick textured fabric – a.k.a. bark cloth -- that seemed mod amidst the décor of homes in the 1940s – 1960s is now showing up in more than just garage sales. In fact, bark cloth fabric is making waves today with its tropical Hawaiian floral, Oriental prints and colorful patterns.

Although the origin of using the inner bark of trees, such as fig, breadfruit and paper mulberry, to make sturdy “tapa” cloth dates back to the 6th century B.C., it was around World War II that the fabric became more world renown. Many servicemen stationed in Hawaii saw first hand the brightly colored bark cloth curtains, home furnishings and even shirts and in turn brought them back to the mainland and abroad. In the late 1940s and through the 1960s, bark cloth became a staple fabric in the home interior textiles market. The most collectible of these are the atomic “Eames era” prints that made a name for themselves in the 1950s and 1960s.

Here are just some of the samplings that we have had here at Island Girl.

Garden Displays

Just some photos of some of our Garden Displays that we have had at one time or another.

Curly Hair Blues

Sorry to have been off the blogging for the past week or so. I was visiting with my family in NY and things have been a little bit crazy. Though I have one or two new subjects for posts from this experience.

On the same day that we met Angela of TodaysFind we met Diane who was with Angela. Well She and I share a similar problem; crazy curly, thick hair that we like to wear straight. I am here to tell you that it is all about the brush. I have tried everything, from infomercial blowdryers, two flatirons one ceramic, I cannot even count the amount of products that I have on my bath vanity to try to make this easier and it still took nearly an hour to fully dry my hair and iron it.
Invest in a really good brush that grabs the hair. I have gotten my routine down to some anti-frizz leave in conditioner my brush and my blow dryer and 1/2 for drying time. Take a look at picture on our Blog home page "Meet Our Wrecking crew". Guess which one is me? In the humidity the mess just seems to get bigger and bigger.

This week I have been staying with my sister whose hair is twice as bad as mine in the humidity. So I let her use the brush and she loves it. Biggest plus in her mind is that it doesn't get tangled at all. I promised to get her one. I got mine at Ulta in Chicago. There is one near my Mom's on the Island so I ran out really quick before the family dinner and of course they are completely sold out of that particular brush. Here is the brand Double S Pro Brush

Customer Photogs

This is short and sweet. A new customer of ours is restoring a 100 year old farm house and he sent us pictures of the house 100 years ago and one current. I would love to be renovating an old farm house.

As I am writing this I got another email from this customer and he sent some pictures of a house he had previously owned and renovated. So correction not so short but still just as sweet.

"This home was used as an orphanage and rooming house for much of its life, so no "improvements" were ever made. It's original interior was almost completely intact and unmolested, including 9 sets of pocket doors, 7 mantels, a hand carved breakfront, and miles of original murals and frescos. I lived in the house for almost 7 years, and did extensive restorations throughout, including the 3rd floor ballroom." The first picture is a collage of the interior and the other is an original photo from 1895 of the exterior of the house.

For the Creatively Challenged

As I peruse through magazines and books I am always envious of those people who can see the potential something. Like a decorator who can look at an empty room with white walls and see a dinner party complete with rich table settings and inviting paint colors. Or and artist looking at a blank canvas but really sees a portrait or landscape. For those of you who are more like me this post is just a reference point of the many books out there on salvage and what you can do with it. This by no means even scratches the surface of the many innovative resources for decorating with found treasures it is a place to start. Anybody out there who have resources that they love please post. Thanks

My Sappy Thanksgiving

Growing up we spent every Thanksgiving at my Aunts house in New Jersey. It has given me some of the greatest memories of family and food and I don't know that it will ever be topped. My Aunt is an amazing cook, this is the stuff to rival Martha. The smells the the flavors the cousins, the laughter, eating too much. A table that looked like a scene from from a feel good holiday movie. Well worth the sometimes nightmarish traffic getting from Long Island to thier house. Years go by and the children have children and some of us move away. We no longer spend Thanksgiving in New Jersey, but it is still my favorite holiday. Every place I have lived I found amazing friends and extended my family to continue to make it really spectacular. There is one item that has always been present a silly little cake. Ask anyone of my brothers or sister what they love the most on Thanksgiving and the answer is the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin cake. (currently baking right now.) It is my contribution to today's dinner bringing a little bit of my family memories to the table.

This is Not Your Mother’s Stove…Oh Wait, It Is!

In our line of work we have come across a number of original appliances in various stages of disrepair and condition. Now, I have spent the better part of the last three years slowly restoring my own 1926 English Cotswald home, using, as much as possible, original items from our own salvaging efforts. After getting a glimpse of these wonderful old ranges, I decided that the only option for me was to replace my stove, whose touchy temperament did not allow me to use the oven and the burners at the same time, or even more than two burners at once regardless of my oven use. You can just imagine Thanksgiving at my house. More recently it had become obsessed with its own cleanliness, on more than one occasion I had found myself unable to open the oven door as it had somehow locked itself into a self-cleaning cycle. So given my situation I decided that the search for my new “old” stove needed to begin and quickly. Finding someone locally who could do the repairs on one of my “found” stoves proved to be difficult. Add to that, the fact that I am limited by space in my quaint kitchen and could not have anything wider than 30 inches.

Not being easily discouraged I dug deeper and searched wider. I found a number of companies that take these vintage gems and completely restore them. Refurbished with completely new valves, piping, insulation, and enamel finishes, these stoves are in the long run less expensive, have far more character than the reproductions, and actually cook more evenly. You might be familiar with Rachel Ray from the Food Network who cooks on an old Chamber stove and swears by it. I purchased a vintage O'Keefe & Merritt newly re-porcelained white gas range circa 1950. It’s been two years now and I still marvel at its simplicity and style. It’s the center of my kitchen. Where can you find these gems? There happen to be a few options.

Here is the picture of the stove when it was first put in and another after the entire kitchen was remodeled (see post on remodeling with architectural salvage.)

I purchased mine at SAVON Appliances and General Appliance Refinishing, Inc. both are owned and operated by Emmett Julian. Originally from Chicago, Emmett has been in the used appliance business for over 30 years, and started SAVON Appliance in Burbank, CA, in the early 1980's. You can call Emmett or Marsha directly with any questions about buying, selling, trading, resurfacing, painting, moving or completely restoring any appliance. When my stove arrived it was neatly wrapped in cellophane and crated to perfection. Not a scratch was found.

SAVON Appliance2925 Burbank Blvd.Burbank, CA 91505phone: 818-843-4840 or 818-843-4908email: info@savonappliance.com

Another resource is Antique Gas Stoves in Montclair, Ca. Since 1982, Antique Gas Stoves has been rebuilding vintage stoves of all types for it’s customers. Contact Terri Smith for more information. Antique Gas Stoves ships worldwide and stoves start at around $3000.00

Antique Gas Stoves
Antique Stoves - Sales - Service - Parts – Restoration
P.O. Box 3175 Montclair, California 91763 USA
voice: (909) 445-0300
email: cookin@AntiqueGasStoves.com


And finally, Antique Appliances.com. Antique and vintage appliance restoration is what AntiqueAppliances.com is all about. Located in the mountains of North Georgia, in the small community of Clayton, their crew of six craftsmen restore all makes of antique and vintage refrigerators and stoves, even adding unique design concepts to the exteriors. Custom colors to fit your decor are readily available. They too ship worldwide and gas stoves start around $1800 up to $50,000.00, electric stoves $1800 up to $18,000.00, refrigerators run about $1800 up to $12-$15 thousand. Restoration takes about 4-6 weeks from the time a restoration begins. AntiqueAppliances.com is currently scheduling projects out two years because of the demand.

AntiqueAppliances.Com30 West Savannah StreetClayton, GA 30525USA
Telephone: (706)782-3132Fax: (706)782-7326
E-Mail Address:John's direct e-mail: john@antiqueappliances.com Sales Department e-mail: sales@antiqueappliances.com

My next project is to tackle a vintage refrigerator. I just haven’t gotten past having to thaw out the freezer every month.

1954 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight

We have a friend that buys and restores vintage automobiles and on really nice days he will take one out and bring it around for us to ooh and ahh at and go for a ride. Well today was just such a day and this car is a beauty. The paint is original and the dash board is a fantastic deco design.

First Coat on the Cabinet

I went with the orange family and I absolutely love this color. It is Benjamin Moore Autumn cover. This is just the first coat and will definately need at least one more. Trying now to decide on the pull that I want to put on. Here are some of my choices. Any thoughts are welcome.

At the Warehouse

We met a couple at Salvage Fest in NY in August and were very intrigued by what they were doing. They have created a Market Place around their Architectural Salvage business, Silver Fox Enterprises www.silverfoxenterprises.com.

Albany’s only year-round Multi Functional Market within the city boundaries offers year round indoor space designed for specialty foods, crafts and antique vendors. A significant portion of the warehouse will support the architectural salvage business which will be dispersed throughout the market adding to its ambiance. They have vendors for the Café, Bakery, and specialty teas, that create an atmosphere for the public to relax, shop and explore. And a Dance studio that offers space for creative expression.

During the warmer months, the market expands outdoors to include a Farmer’s Market, Antiques & Crafts, and garden statuary. Individual shelters are constructed to enhance the permanence of the venue, eliminate the look of a “tent city,” and ease the set-up process. Under consideration include plans to host small festivals such as Medieval fairs, “Llama Days”, and Antique car shows. Additional ideas are always welcome for discussion.

To visit the Warehouse online go to www.atthewarehouse.net

Tab's Dreaming Again...

I've been dreaming about re-doing a ranch. I know it sounds completely out of character for me but I finished remodeling and decorating my current home this summer (look in the archive for photos) and so I'm itching for a new project, a new adventure. And I recently tumbled down my stairs in the middle of the night and broke my wrist. First thing my husband said was "we should buy a ranch". It's what he grew up in and finds familiar comfort in but...a ranch? It's been nearly eight weeks and I'm out of my cast and in occupational therapy now (totally hurts) and for some reason the idea of a ranch has permeated my dreams at night.

My parents are famous for finishing a restoration and then placing the house on the market and unfortunately I think I've got this disease as well. I'm thinking something a little sparser and open with a much greater mix of periods and styles. This keeps bringing me back to a ranch where I can play with mixing and not feel guilty about staying true to the architectural integrity of the original design. Who really cares about the integrity of 70's ranches? Is there even any?

I've been wondering through blogs and websites for ideas to convince my husband that we should get serious and start looking for a ranch while the interest rates are down and housing prices are falling. All I need is a house with good bones. All else can be reconfigured to suit our needs.

Here's what I'm thinking... white on the walls in the hallway/entryway

and a mixture of my favorite French gilded empire mirrors along

with paintings by my husband Pete.

I nabbed this photo from LivingEtc. Magazine.

This is a clean line design and I think I'm moving towards this kind of decorating. I would use my existing antique furnishings from my family but streamline my choices a bit. I'm feeling the urge to unclutter and accentuate some of the great pieces I already have. Now if I could just get my husband on board...

Tab

Meet the RoboJunker

Some people look at a window and they see a window (for the most part I would have to say that I fall into this category) then there are some people who see a window and in their mind's eye it is actually a greenhouse, or backdrop or some other equally creative and so NOT a window anymore. Anyway in my wandering the web looking for just such creations I found Robo Junker and I would like to share what she and others have done with "windows?" and some other great uses for salvaged house parts etc. Here are some of her wares.


I am going to take some of the ideas to heart and for my first project I am going to put a door on this little cabinet in my office and paint it some really funky color. My office is a disaster area and I can do better so I will start with cleaning out this bookcase and putting a door on it and we can keep all our non-perishable food stuffs and napkins etc here rather than in the whole top drawer of my file cabintet. I still have to find the right piece to make it work. So far everything is much too tall and not easily cut down to size. Stay tuned.

Fred Claus

Fred Claus has lived his entire life in his brother's very large shadow. Fred tried, but could hardly live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect, well, saint. True to form, Nicholas grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar opposite: a fast-talking repo man who's run out of luck and money. Over Mrs. Claus' objections, Nicholas...

Ever wonder where film crews get all the cool stuff for sets? They shop at stores like ours. We're very excited about the release of Fred Claus Nov 9th! It was filmed here in Chicago last year and we've been looking forward to seeing our goods on the big screen! The cast includes Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, John Michael Higgins, and Elizabeth Banks

Should be a great film!

Tab

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