New additions to our collection

The past two weekends in a row we have been furniture collecting. Two weekends ago we went to the Pasadena Swap Meet. We found a couple nice things, but overall we thought it was too big. There were so many vendors selling the new, cheesy swap meet stuff like socks, t-shirts, and toys. We quickly found the antique section, but there were very few mid-century vendors. Here is what we got...



Two really cool barstools. Now we just need a bar. Possibly happening right after Thanksgiving.A Catherine Holm bowl. She was a famous kitchenware designer in the 50's. I think I might become a collector!
A cool mid-century style frame. You cannot really tell from this picture, but the edges of the slant in and the mat is a burlap texture. You should have seen the picture that was in it. It was a watercolor of a joker holding some flowers. Bright greens and blues. We got several compliments on the painting as we carried it through the swap meet. Tim and I decided immediately that he better take it out to the car.

This past Sunday, the day after Syd's 4th birthday party, we headed out to Long Beach to search for some more frames. Here is what we came back with...

A cool wooden bench. It fits perfectly.


Another MCM frame. Not in quite as good of condition, but still a neat style. This one has a wooden frame with a thin wooden mat. It will need to be repainted. The water color in this one is not as bad, but it will still be replaced by picture (probably of Mason).

We would have left the swap meet with a Nelson Saucer Bubble Lamp also.

We found one early on in great condition for only $45. We thought about it a little as we walked around the swap meet, but got caught up looking for other stuff. Then it suddenly hit us that this was a cool lamp for our patio and this was a GREAT deal! We ran back to get it, but it was already sold. Tim looked it over again and realized that it was from Modernica, a cool modern furniture store in LA and new these lamps cost $300. It was a total downer to our day. We could not stop thinking about it. So Tim has been obsessed since then trying to find one on Craiglist. Wouldn't you know it...He is actually in LA as I write this post buying one. Unfortunately, our indecision cost us $100. Oh well, that will teach us to think twice.

A New Addition to the Family

This is Smokey (surprised the name is not Princess? We were too...Tim had a gray cat named Smokey when he was little, so Syd loved that name right away). Sydney will be turning four on the 17th and this was her birthday present. Smokey lives on the patio and loves her climbing tower and array of toys Sydney picked out for her. She is so playful and spends hours chasing around a big marble or string. Tim agreed to get her (he has always said he HATES cats) based on the fact that she will be our rat exterminator when she is grown. He already has plans to train her with a life-like looking rat on the end of a stick.

Every once in a while we let her in the living room and watch her jump from expensive piece of furniture to Mason's toys. It is hilarious how much she likes all of Mason's stuff. Her favorite is his ball track and a scarf I let him play with.
(Yes, that is our stove top. It has not quite made it back into the kitchen since the hole. I am kinda enjoying the excuse not to cook!)

As I type this Smokey is sitting on my lap purring. I just said the other day that I don't even care if Syd grows out of the "cat frenzy" because I am loving having Smokey. She spent hours next to me keeping all of my fabric warm while I quilted last week and played with all my fabric scraps. Uh oh, I am becoming an old cat lady!

Firmament

Here is our Christmas present to each other. A C Jere wall sculpture. We have wanted one for that wall since the day we moved in, but had trouble agreeing on which one. This was Tim's immediate first choice, but it took me a while to fall in love with this one. I am now totally convinced that this was the right choice. I love it! When our track lights shine on it it makes the coolest shadow on the wall.

Holey Moley!

Well, we did it. Tim and his dad punched the hole in the kitchen wall. It is SO spectacular. They did this in one day. That is Tim's dad for you. All it needs is some molding and paint and a bar built out in to the living room area and then it is finished. Of course the demolition has inspired a whole new array of remodeling ideas. The latest is that we "need" new counter tops. Especially, if we will be building out the bar, then we might as well make all the counter tops match. We'll see...We have done some research and Formica is the counter top of choice. We now have several samples laying all over our kitchen trying to decide which color will look the best. More pictures of that to follow.

Mason can be playing on the soft carpet while I am cooking or Sydney can be watching a show while I throw her snacks. It is GREAT!