a few of my favorite things

tricot, otter pops, antiques and decorating

What is tricot you may ask….only my new favorite fabric.  It’s a kind of slightly stretchy silky fabric that I can’t get enough of.  This fabric is probably old news to many of my sewing girls, but I had no idea this fabric even existed until just recently.  It’s great.   It’s easy to work with and doesn’t fray after it’s cut!!  Hallelujah.   I’ve made the girls some fun fancy jammies with it and would make a few more pair if I had the time, energy, and if my sewing room wasn’t so hot. 

Otter pops (some generic kind that comes in a red mesh bag).  We have been living on these lately and I can’t get enough.  They are deliciously delightful.  There is something so yummy about this particular brand, they get all slushy and have the best tropical flavors not just the boring normal ones.  Mmmm.

Antique furniture.  I am pretty much loving anything antique these days - this includes real antiques and anything made to look antique (clothes and furniture in the forefront of my mind).  I love this new piece we found on craigslist.  It is easily my favorite furniture piece we own.  Every time I walk by it I smile. 

Another recent find.   We got this at the mile high flea market.  I love that it’s so huge and functional.

Yet another craigslist purchase.  Have I mentioned how much I love craigslist?!

I have been so antsy for some kind of refinishing project.  We refinished this little end table this weekend.  It was our first stab at a new antiquing technique.  It made for a fun Saturday of painting and sanding. 

Ryan will attest to my obsession with antique clothing.  I love the styling and laciness.  I wish I had tons of books and magazines filled with pictures of old clothing styles throughout time.  I would love to flip through those and come up with new modern twists for patterns/designs for myself and my girls.  I just wish it was easier to take an idea on paper and turn it into a wearable clothing article.  It just takes so long to make up a pattern for each individual piece/size…..  my dream would be to go back to school and take clothing design/pattern making classes to learn all the handy techniques.  Someday I will. 

Ryan and I have the decorating bug right now.  It comes and goes with us, but when we have it we get it strong and that’s all either one of us can think about.  I seriously love that Ryan and I get equally excited about decorating or refinishing projects.  These are some of my favorite nights when Ryan and I grab all the decorating items in our house put them in a pile and then figure out how to rearrange them.  We compliment each other so well in this area I’m so glad we share this passion. 

One of our favorite decorating techniques is bringing the outdoors in.  Cheesy sounding??  perhaps.  There’s something about it that freshens any room.  We have many examples of this in our house….

One night as we were watching TV, Ryan said, I’ve got it!  We need vines!  And thus the vines were born.  And they grew….and grew…..  They started out as a little vine family behind the TV, but we all know vines naturally spread, and now they seem to be popping out at every corner.  They just might take over our whole house.  Only time will tell.