Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year! Top 10 Ivy & Co. posts from 2013


It's the end of the year. In general, I like to reflect. Let's take a look at Ivy & Co.'s top 10 blog posts of 2013. Starting with #10!












And the top post of 2013 was.... 


I guess you guys like to be organized! 

 Thank you to all my readers in 2013!
As we say in Hawaii, "Hau'oli maka hiki hou!"
(Happy New Year!)

Aloha, Rebecca

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Monday, December 30, 2013

Before & After: Herringbone Chair and a Vintage Sewing Table

Did anyone else do a dump-run post-Christmas? I mean, with all the junk, not all the new gifts you just received. Well, we CLEANED HOUSE. Also, while we were in Oklahoma and Arkansas, a few rats decided to move in to our laundry area and car tent. So it was a necessity. My husband was clearing out EVERYTHING, and in order for me to keep my beloved trash vintage furniture that I planned on working on, I had to get my butt in gear and look like I was working on it! So here's 2 projects that transpired out of the urgency of Kit's dump run:

kids herringbone chair blue yellow

antique seing table before and after

 Aren't they fun? 

This kids herringbone chair was lots of fun to do.
herringbone chair grey yellow

You can see it in the foreground of this photo, in all it's wooden glory. Ivy was helping me that day.

herringbone chair
After spraying it with a little Kilz, I painted the seat yellow, then taped out a herringbone pattern.

Then I painted the whole thing in a charcoal grey satin, and distressed the whole thing.

herringbone chair grey yellow


herringbone chair grey yellow

I just want to live in the picture below, with that driftwood and Coco the monkey:
herringbone chair monkey bunting driftwood

For Sale on Etsy for $25.

Now, on to the Vintage Sewing Table that was in horrendous shape, which is how I scored it for $5 at a garage sale. 

antique seing table beforeantique seing table before and after

That's aluminum foiled stuck on the inside of the table, in the upper right photo.

antique seing table before and after

 After wondering the best way to salvage this piece, I decided it just couldn't be a sewing machine table anymore. I removed the entire inside sewing machine piece, and just screwed the top on. Also, the wood was just in such poor shape that I couldn't preserve it as a wood piece. Look at all that water damage!

antique sewing table

I still wanted some wood to show through, so I went for an ultra distressed look with the following layers:

1. charcoal grey on the whole thing
2. tomato red dry brushed on the top and sides
3. "shiloh" grey/beige color on top and sides
4. distress with a medium grit sanding block
5. Miss Mustard Seed antiquing wax
6. Miss Mustard Seed furniture wax
7. Sand the original hardware

antique sewing table with wizard of oz book

antique seing table grey

That rug is from The Nest here on Maui. My mom got it for me for Christmas. I love it. So does Godiva, because she keeps sneaking in my room to sleep on it and I have to shoo her off of it.
That bunting is up for sale in the Etsy shop. Click here to see it.
That's my DIY votive I made last year. Click here to see that post.

antique seing table grey with bunting books

One last look:

herringbone chair grey yellow

antique seing table before and after

I just love a good 'before & after.'
-Becca

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Friday, December 27, 2013

Home Tour - 1914 Bungalow

We had the chance to visit my brother and his wife in Oklahoma over Thanksgiving. They just bought their first home this year, and it was so fun to see what they had done with it. The house was built in 1914, but was recently remodeled, so they weren't dealing with gutting an older home and starting from scratch. The previous owners had really prepped the place well. 
Who doesn't love a ladder bookcase? Or a globe? Or a mid-century ottoman? Or a green velvet arm chair?


Let's zoom in on the upper right photo and gaze at that gorgeous avocado train case on the perfect industrial cart. 
And yes, that projector screen up above is vintage.


When my bro and sis-in-law were on sabbatical in Maui a few years ago, my sis-in-law started picking up furniture off craigslist, giving it a fresh paint/decor job, and reselling it. This hutch defines her style perfectly, down to the pyrex inside. She's kind of the one who got me into refurbishing furniture. I used to attempt it as a kid, (this one garage sale side table comes to mind, on which I spray painted green and pink flowers...not pretty). I had a lot of learning to do.

This piece is adorable. Radiator metal sheeting with kelly green. 

My sis-in-law is also the one who introduced me to bunting! It was not at all a "thing" in Hawaii (and still really isn't). I love it and give it as a gift for every baby shower and house-warming party! Here's her mini-bunting hanging in a vintage window! I love it because all the fabrics have a little memory attached to them, as to where and when she used them. 

Here's their living room and gallery wall. Speaks for itself!

Again, swoon over the mini bunting. :)

It wouldn't be Oklahoma without a little ode to the U.S. of A.

This little Christmas tree was in the room we stayed in, and when we were leaving I realized the "ornaments" were costume jewelry pieces. How clever! I'm also in love with that emerald glassware. There was more of it in the kitchen window (see below)

Get ready for a bath tub that you've only seen in your dreams...



Isn't it gorgeous? The previous owners had it installed. 


The outside is just as cute. I love looking over the fence to the neighbors' house. It's very whimsical!


Backyard. I envy their screened in porch.

Yellow table and chairs!!

Pops of distressed red!
Back inside to finish the tour, more red accents. Love the empty red frame.


My brother said they had other plans for these chairs, but they ended up like this. Looks good to me!
When I asked him to give me a few words to describe their home style (btw- they both participate equally in the decorating), he called it a "doing-what-we-can-with-what-we-got" style. He then brainstormed the following descriptive words:

*repurposed
*upcycled
*thrifty
*garage sale
*craigslist
*semi-vintage
*semi-mod
*semi-antique
*cheap-chic


And here's the family all together for the first time in quite a few years, on their front porch:


Thanks to my brother and his wife (on the left) for letting us into their home! Both literally, and figuratively. 

Aloha, Rebecca

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