time flies

How is it DECEMBER already??

My brother gets married in less than one week!  I have been working on a little bit of decoration for their reception (pics next week!) and I made them an envelope box.  I also whipped up a lined zipper pouch as a bridal gift for Jenny.

Look!  Pictures of garlands in action!  They look great and I love how everyone is using them a little bit differently.  You know you want some...

a tree in Charleston, SC

a living room in Durham, NC

with greenery in Chapel Hill, NC

Exciting new product coming for L&L in January.  We decided to get something fun as a Christmas gift to each other.  Can't wait to get to work!  More details on the L&L blog.

Also, coming this week: the Winton Annual Photoshopped Family Holiday Greeting!  It is going to be out of this world (yuk yuk yuk).  Check your emails, check the facebook.

I will have a few days off for Christmas and I am excited to relax in Gibsonville. I will help David get those drawer fronts out of Dad's workshop on on to his desk.  We are also going to check and see how manageable it will be for us to refinish those Gunlocke chairs.  Fingers crossed!

midcentury madness

I am a sucker for anything mid-century design.  IKEA has some new furniture.  The Stockholm collection is pretty great.

Stockholm Sofa Table

Preben Dining Chair

I definitely have my eye on the dining chairs.

David and I made a run to a local thrift store to make our usual clothes & things donation.  They had almost all of the furniture out in the parking lot, so this chair caught my eye.  Then as we were inspecting it, and deciding if we really NEED it, and how much work it is going to be to refurbish it... an employee let us know that it was half price furniture day!!  So here it is... sitting in out house.  I LOVE the legs, and it is actually comfortable.  The seat depth is perfect.

Although there are a TON of furniture upholstering how-tos out there, I think I am going to ask a pro to handle this one.

A couple of weeks later, I stopped by this same thrift shop as I saw the furniture out in the parking lot again.  I drive past this place on my way to and from work so I decided just to stop for a minute and peek.  Found a pair of Gunlocke chairs!  They have official stamps and everything.

They have seen better days, but the bones are good.  David is going to take them to Gibsonville and take care of the wood refinishing.  I HOPE we can salvage the wood underneath the seat back.  If not, we will upholster again.  But I am really hoping for wood.  The bottom part will definitely be recovered.  I can't wait to go hunting for fun fabric for all of the chairs!

easy as pie

One of David's longtime pals is getting married in just a matter of days. She asked around if anyone had cake stands or pie plates she could borrow for her wedding, and we showed her the ones I had made with thrift store finds here and here. So, she requested that I make some for her wedding! Glass is harder to find than silver or brass candle stick holders, and the same goes for platters and plates. But I did it. I think I found some awesome designs, and we know that NOBODY will have anything like this at their wedding, or at their house. Amelia, I hope you love 'em!

big picture

We have this big blank wall. It is along the stairs at the front of the house, above the door. There is one lonely sconce, but otherwise it is completely blank. We couldn't decide how to dress it.... a mural? a giant photograph or poster? a bight color painted all over? a long tapestry or banner?

While cleaning out the office, we discovered several blank canvases. I suggested a collaboration piece to cover several canvases. We decided on printing a giant photo, and affixing it to these arranged canvases.



Ta-da!!

And while we are on the topic of before & after... I recovered my desk chair with leftover fabric from Mary's apron: