Repurpose Heaven

I hope everybody is enjoying their extended Easter weekend! For me, it is an opportunity to do some DIY and repurposing - not very successfully, I must admit! However, even if my attempts have failed, it has inspired me to take a look at  'proper' repurposing - and I must say, these people are geniuses! These ideas are great and beautiful in their own way:

Beautiful chandelier made of milk plastic crates by Made. Picture from Apartment Therapy. 

 Love the quirkiness of this fish tank fitted in an old tv! Picture from Aquahobby.

Such a gorgeous idea: a desk made of books! Made by the Architecture students at Delft University of Technology. More pictures at Inventorspot.

Grace from Poetic Home gave a new lease of life to this antique horse carriage and the result is stunning!

Unique furniture with a twist: repurposed suitcases by SalvageShack (etsy shop)

Such a simple but pretty idea: using spoons as wall storage hooks! From Country Home.

Love this one: an old dresser turned into a home garden! Instructions by Kate on Shelterness.

And here is a new Etsy treasury I just did with some great other repurposed items! Enjoy ;-)

ElizabethSt $58.00	Artistique $62.00	lightexture $115.00	daimblond $12.00
JeanRameyArt $20.00	reeveswilliam $26.00	SaveTheBarns $42.00	redelephantsto... $9.00
SwedishGuyDesi... $145.00	TheDoorStop $56.00	Artistique $46.00	electricheirlo... $285.00
TRWpainted $26.00	twostringjane $54.00	RusticDuck $100.00	WhiteWeathered... $20.00

What do you think about repurposed items? Have you ever tried yourself? Please share in the comments below ;-)

Great Etsy treasury by Thelongacreflea: The 1885 Home

robinseggbleun... $78.00	TurtleHillShop $125.00	thelongacrefle... $180.00	EitherOrFinds $35.00
robinseggbleun... $298.00	marypearlsvint... $112.00	Dentwood $40.00	phunctum $10.00
MISSIONMOD $49.00	ohiopicker $24.00	marypearlsvint... $4.95	momentofnostal... $18.00
LizAArt $40.00	ourtimecapsule $45.00	RustAntiques $12.00	SusieQsVintage... $10.00

Just spotted this great Victorian treasury on Etsy: so many fantastic finds!
Congrats to Thelongacreflea :)

Bon appetit! Using still life pictures to decorate your kitchen

When I noticed that a neighbour was throwing away this vintage painting, I couldn't help but ask him if I could keep it. My lovely neighbour was happy with me taking it away and I was excited to have finally found THE picture I was looking for to decorate my kitchen!

Okay, the painting was in a grim frame and had a nice layer of dirt on it. However, it was worth spending time cleaning it as I love the idea of decorating kitchens with this kind of pictures. Here are some stylish kitchens with this type of vintage-style still lifes:

(Above the chopping boards, on the right) Katrin Arens's kitchen, photograph by Jordi Canosa.

Above the stove - from the CountryLiving website.

Susan Jenkins's colourful kitchen / art gallery

On Etsy, one can find any kind of still life pictures, vintage or not, often for a very reasonable price. Here are some of my favourites:

Pomegranate and Turnip, original oil painting by SuzannesStudio, $35.

 

Paint by numbers still lifes by Kitschcafe, $22.

Vintage still life oil on board by Vintagehomerecycled, $31.

 

Something a bit different: beaded still life by LoverlyVintage, $18.

Jalapeno and a Half by Polly Jones, original still life, $50 at PollyPainting.

 

What about you? Do you dream of a vintage kitchen? How would you decorate it? Please share your ideas in the comments below ;-)

Happy leap year day (or the day your girlfriend may propose)

Happy leap year day! 

According to an ancient British tradition, leap years are the only time when women are allowed to propose marriage to men. Some claim that this tradition dates back to the 5th century, when St Bridget of Kildare complained to Saint Patrick about women having to wait so long to get a proposal. Saint Patrick then decided that women would be allowed to propose marriage to men every leap years, thus balancing the relationships between genders in the same way that leap year day balances the calendar.

In 1288, Queen Margaret of Scotland passed a law forcing any man refusing a marriage proposal to offer the poor girl a kiss, £1 or a silk gown (which is quite cheap and insulting compared to the girl's disappointment, I think). In Denmark, he would have to offer twelve pairs of gloves (to cover her shame of not wearing an engagement ring) and in Finland, enough fabric for her to make a new skirt (I don't quite get what is the explanation or symbol behind this tradition, though).

Finally, the traditional way of dressing up for proposing on leap year was to wear breeches. However, probably because of the low success rate, breeches were replaced by a pretty red petticoat.

Personally, I don't give a Mason jar about leap year day. However, good luck to anybody who knows about this tradition and plans to propose today! If it is the case, you may be interested in these Etsy finds:

Pretty 1890s breeches by Greatestfriend, $380.

Red crinoline petticoat by Pistolpoppy, $28.

Vintage leap year comical postcard by Imagesofthepast, $6.

Victorian man wedding ring by AncientAdornment, $70.

And for more comical postcards about women proposing on leap year, take a look at this Slate magazine page.

Happy leap year day to all again!