Garage Sale: Lounging Around

I heard on the news that snow's already starting to fall in parts of the country. That means the start of cozy nights in while the temperatures outside slowly start to dip. So grab a book, fire up the games, or snuggle in with a nice cup of tea.

Clockwise from top: Atari Game System, $375 (Cozy Studio); Orange Enamelware Mug, $9.50 (Birdie1); Set of 3 Popcorn Bowls, $12 (White2); Nancy Drew Vol. 1 & 2, $18 (Handsome Raven); Popcorn Maker, $19.99 (Nostalgic Treasures); 1970's Handmade Afghan, $19 (Renaissance Professor)

Etsy Shop of the Week: Decoy Lab

Three weeks ago, I started a feature on the main Apt528 website called "Etsy Shop of the Week."  Each week, I highlight a different Etsy shop that I can't live without.  Of course I forgot to share these great shops with my awesome blog readers!  From now on, I'll post a link to the Shop of the Week page each Monday...now you can be as obsessed with Etsy as I am!

This week's shop, Decoy Lab. (Updated 12/14/09 - Decoy is now a part of the Apt528 Store)

Lovely. That's what comes to mind when browsing through Decoy Lab's Etsy shop. Every item is more beautiful than the next! Decoy Lab's items fit into all sorts of decor, from mid-century modern (I want that owl clock!) to cottage chic. Have a little one at home? The Decoy Lab also has a line of clocks and prints designed to make your baby's nursery the best on the block!

Don't forget to check out past shops Get Ready, Set, Go! and Funky Chicken Design.

Vintage 528

I'm super excited to announce the opening of Vintage 528, a new section of the Apartment 528 Store.  Vintage 528 is your place to go for, well, vintage items!  Check back weekly for new additions to the store as I scour New England to find new and exciting pieces.

Wood Veneer Charges - $15

Jonas Roberts Snack Set - $15

Ingrid Snack Set - $15

If you're not into kitchen items, don't worry, other items will be added shortly!

The Weekender: DIY Art

The Weekender is a new weekly DIY series . Check The Weekender every Saturday for easy, affordable DIY projects.

For renters, wall art can be the difference between living in a boring box and living in a space that's all about you. Especially if your landlord won't let you paint. But good art can be a pricey investment and isn't always worth it if you're someone who moves alot or often likes to change their decor...like me!

Solution: DIY art.

Unfortunately for me, creativity doesn't automatically give you artisitic ability. So I go the easy route with my art by using wood and watered down latex paints. The wood grain adds texture and visual interest so no matter how bad I am at painting, the finished product still looks great! I recommend using plenty of water to help you blend colors. The picture below is my latest creation and final piece to complete my dining room. I did the whole piece in about 10 minutes. Now all that's left is adding a frame.

Don't be afraid to try something new or bring in new materials. I used Ikea accessory hangers to make the piece below. The creative possibilities are endless.


For easy canvas art, try something simple like a splatter print...paint the canvas one color and let dry. Then dip your brush in paint and fling, shake, and splatter accent colors all over the canvas. It's an easy way to get "abstract" art! To save money, hit the thrift store and pickup a few used canvases. For just a few dollars, you can turn an 80's monstrosity into an awesome piece.

Looking for other DIY art ideas?

Hit the Paper Shop - Your local paper or craft store is one of the best places to start when doing DIY art. Browse through the wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, and decorative papers till you find one you like. Throw it in a frame for instant art. To take the art up a knotch, buy a frame with a matt or buy a pre-cut matt that you can add to your frame.

Get Personal - If you know your way around acrylics, watercolors or a camera, try creating your own art to add a truly personal touch.

Stay tuned for next week's Weekender when we make our own frames to finish off our awesome pieces!

Garage Sale

Thrifty Thursdays have officially ended. Don't worry, I'll still be here to help you find great second hand goods but this time under a weekly post titled Garage Sale.

Garage Sale will run on Fridays and feature finds from Craigslist, Etsy, and Ebay. Enjoy!


Ikea Fusion Dining Set (Boston)
$60

The Fusion set retails for $299 at Ikea, but you can get it here for only $60! The chairs tuck under the table which is perfect for small spaces.


Mustard Yellow Chair (Atlanta)
$20

What a bargain! For just $20 you get a great mustard yellow chair that's perfect for use in a bedroom, home office, or foyer. It seems to be in pretty good condition too.




Mid-Century Dining Set (Boston)
$150

I want this set. I love the vintage dining room furniture I already have but I just can't pass up these chairs...they're gorgeous!


White Leather Sofa (Carrollton, GA)
$300

This sofa is great for any retro-inspired home. Coming in at 8ft long, it's sure to hold all your guests during the holidays. It's in pretty good condition for now but if you have the money (or the skill) you should probably reupholster it when you get a chance.



Boomerang Corner/Coffee Table (Houston)
$50

Corner tables can be awkward when laying out a room but I think this one is worth the trouble! You could even use it as a coffee table if you have the room.

Just a Little Diffraction

Today is all about Diffraction Fiber, one of the awesome designers you can find in the Apartment 528 Store.

Diffraction Fiber is a master of all things quirky, unique, and incredibly awesome. Need proof? Take a look at some of their products now available in the Apartment 528 Store, including their new coasters that are so fun, your guests will love using them!

Clockwise from top left: New! "DRINK" Coasters - $18; Mix Tape Mousepad - $14.99; Paper Dolls Mousepad - $14.99; New! Punctuation Coasters - $18; Action Pillows - $20 each

As an added bonus, most all of Diffraction Fiber's products are eco-friendly and made with eco-felt which comes from recycled bottles. Pretty neat!

Go to the Store for more products from Diffraction Fiber and others.

The Boston Globe Goes Retro!

I'm a big fan of Jenn Ski. Her art is so fantastically retro that you feel like you're traveling back in time. Apparently, I'm not Jenn's only fan...her home was recently featured in the Boston Globe! For more pics and a sneak peek into her mid-century abode, head over to Boston.com or check out Jenn's Etsy store.

Etsy Shop of the Week

This week's shop: Get Ready, Set, Go!

Before your next vacation, stop by Get Ready, Set Go! Their vintage, upcycled luggage will have you traveling in style. Made for the "unique and the geek," each piece is hand drawn with a different design. You can even customize your luggage with a design of your choosing.

Update: This post added 12/14/09 with text/photos from the original post

Wedding Stuff: The Reception

I've shown you a couple pics from my wedding, now here are a few from our super fun reception. I'm still waiting to get pictures of the food table, our wedding favors, and all that jazz. I'll post them as soon as they're ready.

I used to nanny for Nico (pictured) and little Zach (below). Now they're all grown up and knocking down pins better than all the adults!

Yep, that's me bowling in my super cool red and blue bowling shoes that perfectly matched my dress! I didn't knock down any pins :(

The defiant pins that refused to fall.

Did I mention Jerome and I love bowling?!

We bought a bowling pin from Sacco's for people to sign instead of a guest book. It's such a unique way to remember our wedding. Bonus: it's a truly retro piece that goes great in our apartment!

Jerome and his brother taking a break from being bowling rockstars. Jerome's grandmother later told us that we all sucked at bowling. We know. We know.

We had such a blast bowling and stuffing our face with BBQ and cheesecake that I wanted to make sure I gave props to all the great vendors who made our wedding so special.

• Bowling Alley - Sacco's Bowl Haven - Super awesome 1950's bowling alley in Davis Square
• Catering - Blue Ribbon BBQ - Even my grandpa who's a BBQ master thought it was good!
• Cheesecakes - Montilio's - We got one plain and one turtle. DELICIOUS.
• Drinks - Hometown Favorites - In keeping with our retro theme, we had glass bottle pop. You can't find full 12oz. bottles in grocery stores, so we ordered them online. We did Big Red, 7Up, and Orange Crush. They were perfectly packed and came in no time! We got IBC root beer bottles from the grocery store.
• Sundae Spoons - Eastern Baker's Supply Co. - My whole family (grandparents, mom, and sisters and my then-fiance) all descended on the Eastern Supply store the day before the wedding, frantically looking for long sundae spoons for our root beer float station. Thank God they had them!
• Root Beer Float Cups - Webstaurant Store - The perfect place to find large sundae cups to go at the root beer float station.

RIP Kramfors

We're here today to mourn the loss of a very important part of my life.

Ikea's Kramfors modular sofa has been discontinued.

The teal color I chose for my Kramfors.

Usually, I'm a "retroist" of sorts. I've slowly gotten rid of all my modern furnishings in favor of only vintage pieces. But the Kramfors was different. It was perfect. No, I never owned the Kramfors. I never had such an honor. But I did dream about the sofa almost everyday. I imagined myself sitting on the sofa, wrapped in it's teal goodness, snuggling in the corner seat. I thought about it's many color choices and how much fun I could have dressing up my Kramfors to match my ever-changing paint colors.

The configuration I wanted: two love seats and a corner chair

About once a month, Jerome and I would go to Ikea and sit on the sectional in different poses, oblivious to the crowds of customers bustling around us. We'd bounce happily from seat to seat, thinking of all the fun parties we would have and how full our Kramfors would be.

I check the Ikea website often just to catch a glimpse of the Kramfors. That's how I discovered that my Kramfors bookmark no longer worked. I googled around forever trying to find what happened to the Kramfors. After finding no info, I called Ikea directly.

As it turns out, the Kramfors fabric series has been discontinued and they no longer carry the full leather version of the sectional. The lady on the phone warned me that there are just two full sectionals left in the state of Massachusetts and that if I want to own the Kramfors, I'd better act fast. To sweeten the deal, she told me that the couch is on sale and I could have the whole sectional - two love seats and a corner seat- for just $1060.

I almost fell over.

Unfortunately, even at that unbelievably awesome price, I can't afford to make such a big purchase right now. So for now, I mourn the loss of my Kramfors and wait for the day one pops up on craigslist.

RIP Kramfors. I'll always think of you.

Time to Get Fixed

Whether you just moved in or your still in the same apartment, there's always something that needs to be fixed. Sometimes your landlord will take care of it for you, other times, you're on your own.

Thankfully, there are sites like FixItClub.com which offer tips on how to repair virtually ANYTHING! Break your remote control? Fix it club can fix it. Stuffing fall out of your favorite stuffed animal (don't be ashamed, I still have mine too)? Fix it club can get your furry friend up and running in no time. Your roommate's annoying friend drop gum on your carpet? Don't fret...fix it club can unstick anything.

As a renter, this is an invaluable resource for keeping your apartment in tip-top shape and making sure you get your security deposit back at the end of your lease. For owners, this website will be your new best friend for home repairs.

Happy Fixing!

Etsy Shop of the Week

Etsy Shop of the Week: Funky Chicken Design

Looking for a way to add some excitment to your space? Change things up with new lightswitch plates and outlet covers. Funky Chicken Design has the coolest, most unique switchplates around. But that's not all. Funky Chicken also has cool clipboards to energize you while you do paperwork, pillows to help you relax in style, and the coolest magnets you'll ever see!

 

 
 
Update: This post added 12/14/09 with text/photos from the original post

Livin' the ModLife

I can't stop thinking about ModCloth. I check their website on a weekly basis and eagerly await tweets from @ModCloth everyday. As always, I'm going to share my new obsession with you in hopes that I'll get some of it out of my system and not go broke buying everything from their website.

Clockwise from top: Born-Again Vintage - $24.99; It Takes Two Plate - $7.99; Toast and Boast Water Bottle - $19.99; St. Petersburg Pillow - $27.99; Petit Chat Noir Pen Case - $13.99; Pour Little Owl Pitcher - $13.99; Night Watch Door Mat - $27.99

My thoughts...if you like Urban Outfitters, you'll LOVE ModCloth. It's got the funky vibe of Urban but is 20 times better.

Don't forget to checkout ModCloth's apparel section. They carry super awesome clothes from carefully chosen, talented designers. I would show you pictures but I'm afraid everyone will buy the things I want before me!

Apt528 Reads: Atomic Ranch Magazine

Atomic Ranch Magazine

Subscription Price: $19.98

Apt528 Rating: 6 out of 10

I had such high hopes for this magazine.

As a mid-century lover, I have all the Atomic Ranch books on my Amazon wish list. The houses they feature are simply amazing. When I discovered the Atomic Ranch magazine the other day at Borders, I was simply ecstatic. I couldn't wait to dive into the crisp new pages and read all the exciting articles. I was like a kid in a candy store.

That night, as I read Atomic Ranch, I realized that I liked the magazine less with every page I turned. The articles were full of architect/homeowners with a penchant for name-dropping and the houses were typical and uninspiring. After reading the whole magazine, there was only one article that I wanted to keep for my clip book, and I only liked it because of a couple of the pictures.

What was I expecting from Atomic Ranch? I'm not sure. I guess I was hoping for a mid-century version of Domino with neat house tours, vintage-inspired product finds, city guides showing places with great 50's architecture and funky little antique stores. I wanted something useful, practicle, and inspiring.

My thought, Atomic Ranch should stick to books to avoid becoming boring and monotonous like Dwell. I used to LOVE Dwell until I noticed after a couple of months that every issue seemed to be the same. I get the same been-there-done-that feeling from Atomic Ranch.

On the other hand, Atomic Ranch is a great way to keep up with mid-century collectors, designers, architects, and businesses...I found several great shops and mid-century focused realty agents through the ads.

Overall, Atomic Ranch is a decent magazine but I'd suggest buying it issue-by-issue.

For more books and magazines from Apt528 Reads check out the Apt528 Amazon Book Store.

Hello from Ohio

So I'm in Ohio visiting my family. I'm only here for a couple of days...I had to renew my license before Monday. I planned on doing a mini house tour of my mom's home, but I forgot my camera cord at home (ridiculous, I know) and the pics I took with my phone just aren't blog worthy. Oh well! In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday...I'll see you Tuesday :)