Posted: March 10th, 2010 | Filed under: Shoppin' and Junkin' | Tags: asian diorama, bone and shell carvings | 1 Comment »
I picked up a few things at an estate sale this past weekend….and my favorite score is this pair of dioramas….I don’t think the photos do them justice. They make my collection of Japanese tatebanko pale in comparison….
Lovingly carved of bone and shells, (I think) I haven’t been able to find much info on these. Shout if you know asian crafts.
If you look closely, one of the little shell flowers has come off the tree…but no worries…these cleverly designed beauties have a slot at the top so I can slide the glass off and do my repairs without hassle. They’ll need their frames spiffied up a bit, but isn’t that ALWAYS the way?
Posted: March 9th, 2010 | Filed under: Shoppin' and Junkin' | Tags: nashville lawn and garden show | 4 Comments »
I really didn’t know what to expect at the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show. Didn’t go last year, and now I needed to scout out some purveyors of cool and interesting plants. I shouldn’t have been surprised that every garden vignette on display was tragically predictable and traditional. A few nice plants, but all in all, MAJOR disappointment. I have a lot more bad to show you than good.
What did surprise me was that I was the only person in my line buying tickets that was under the age of 65. I’m sure there was another one behind me somewhere, but I hadn’t felt that youthful in quite awhile. I’m going out on a limb and saying that Friday’s clientele had an AVERAGE age of 70…..and the smell of Ben-Gay in the air was palpable.
Here are a few lowlights of the floral gallery:
This is supposed to be the best Nashville has to offer? Some willow branches and wire?!
I honestly don’t get this. Is it supposed to be a scarecrow or what? Blech.
Seriously? It’s a branch in a bucket of tulips picked up at the grocery store. Scale?
On a positive note…there was a beautiful display of orchids….an especially nice selection of lady’s slippers…
and some gorgeous, yet pricey bonsai…
But what I really came for was the bamboo……
Met the owner of this bamboo farm north of here who has everything I will need for my new planting beds. Super nice guy, very knowledgeable…just who I was hoping to find at this show. When it gets a bit warmer, I’ll drive up to his farm and pick a few specimens for the house….he even grows the splendiforous Phyllostachys Nigra, or black bamboo. Bright green leaves with a dark blackish/purplish stalk. YES.
Posted: March 8th, 2010 | Filed under: Booth 50, DIY | Tags: Patio chairs before and after | 3 Comments »
Big weekend for ModFruGal. I attended the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show, scored at the first decent estate sale in months, AND had nice weather, so the outdoor furniture painting extravaganza has begun.
First up was this pair of chairs I picked up for the booth. They needed the lipstick.. some light peeling paint, but no rust and no sandblasting required…YAY. Recovered the seats with a staple gun and this project was done in a couple of hours.
I needed an injection of spring into the booth and I think these will do the trick.
Posted: March 4th, 2010 | Filed under: Just for fun | | 8 Comments »
After a discussion with a family member today….I ask this: For those readers who have their own blogs…..do your parents/family members read it….or even know about it? If so, what’s the reaction?
Posted: March 4th, 2010 | Filed under: Shoppin' and Junkin' | Tags: Odessa Begay | No Comments »
I’ve been following The Museum of Modern Tweets, and now the artist, Odessa Begay, is making her Twitter inspired illustrations available on Etsy. Her shop is here.
Anderson Cooper for $25.
Nick Jonas, also $25.
I think she’s just getting warmed up…..stay tuned.
Posted: March 3rd, 2010 | Filed under: Just for fun | | 2 Comments »
I have mentioned that I’m an amateur-ess before, and today, once again, I proved it.
Sorry to those alarmed by the big error message today…..
You weren’t the only one. I got the same message when I tried to go to my dashboard….”Uh…NO I DI’N'T DELETE MY BLOG…..”
My first thought, for about 5 seconds, was that I’d been hacked…then…”puh-leez, who gives a s**t about this stuff enough to hack it? Those peeps have better sites to hack…” After a little digging, I realized my domain had expired yesterday, but none of the links to renew it were working in my dashboard..I felt like I was locked out of the house without a spare key…for about 6 hours.
I won’t get into all the hairy details it took to get back in the house, but I’d like to warn all Wordpress.org users who were previously on Wordpress.com….put your domain expiration on your calendar! They will NOT e-mail you to let you know they are about to pull the rug out from under you, they put an alert on that Wordpress.com dashboard you don’t use anymore….helpful eh?
S0….fellow amateurs and amateur-esses…learn from my foibles and go forth…
And my dear professional and tech savvy readers….yuk it up and enjoy….I lay my dumb-assness out here for your entertainment.
Now, I need a drink…it’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 | Filed under: Lottery Picks | Tags: wright21 | 2 Comments »
….I forgot to check Wright’s retail site while auction trawling… there’s some exciting new items I had to share..some are almost painful….
Gaetano Pesce Sofa c. 1969 $4,500
Pierre Cardin lamps c. 1975…..Aghhhhh…these are so, SO lovely. $1800
AND these..
Oh, so nice…Arredoluce c. 1965 $5,500
….and I’m a sucker for Jere sea urchin-y starbursts……c. 1979. $1,800
These French chairs speak to me…c. 1960 $4800.
OK…that’s quite enough….starting to feel unhealthy….
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 | Filed under: Lottery Picks | Tags: Wright 20 Modern Design Auction | 2 Comments »
Ah, another auction, another wish list…..
Ingo Mauer c. 1970 = Serious lamp lust. Estimate: $3k
Michael Thonet Mirror c. 1910 = Timeless. Estimate: $3k
Joe Colombo c. 1962 = LOVE this little lucite number. Estimate: $3k
TH Robsjohn Gibbings Daybed c. 1955 = Well, if you insist. Estimate: $7k
Jens Quistgaard for Dansk c. 1971 = Pepper Madam? Estimate: $5k
George Nelson Catenary chairs c. 1962 = What’s not to like? Estimate: $5k
Angelo Mangiarotti Sterling Vase c. 2004 = Already a classic! Estimate: $5k
Shiro Kuramata lucite bar cart c. 1968/2008 = All that fab makes me thirsty..cocktails! Estimate: $7k
All photos via Wright20 – Modern Design Auction Catalog March 23rd.
Posted: March 1st, 2010 | Filed under: Building Materials | Tags: floating stairs | 5 Comments »
I mean, for real. I get hard time because of our yet to be redone railings, but this post on Emma’s Designblogg got me thinking….
What kind of “favors” are the homeowners slipping the code inspectors for these houses?! I think these are stunning to look at…as an art installation. Scares the crap out of me to think of climbing them after cocktails.
Seriously, I LOVE the look, but, practical or safe…uh…no. How is this allowed?
I ask my architect (and lawyer for that matter) friends to educate me on how this is legal, when I couldn’t have 3 measly steps to the driveway without a honkin’ railing to meet code. REALLY. I need to know. Is there a waiver you sign that says “…whoever lives/visits here can be maimed/killed with a single misstep (heh), yet the stairs will remain blameless….”
via Stair Porn
via stair porn
From where I’m sitting, some code inspector must be planning his next vacation home purchase when he sees plans with these in them, cuz frankly, I don’t think a night out with some lap dances will suffice here. Thoughts? Insights?
Posted: February 27th, 2010 | Filed under: Shoppin' and Junkin' | Tags: nashville flea market | 3 Comments »
So sad…and COLD. Apparently, I only missed a few booths being open yesterday b/c today still had empty spots. 24 degrees may be chump change to our northern neighbors, but our southern sensibilities like it a bit warmer..and the vendors obviously agree. Did I get anything else today?
So, I’ll stick to my Friday strategy next month and see what’s shakin’…should be much warmer.
