Holiday Flea Marketing

It certainly looked a lot like Christmas at the Alameda Flea yesterday, where the rows of already covetable antiques were decked with tinsel and garland and everything else holly-jolly. I can't show off our purchases without spoiling a Christmas surprise... but I can certainly share some things that caught my eye!

Adam and I always stop to rummage through boxes of flatware on the off-chance that we spot a piece of our goldware pattern. Our silverware already has a mismatched look, but wouldn't it be fun to do a table where every fork and spoon was unique?

We're also scouting finishing touches for our bar cart (which I haven't even shown you yet!). Isn't a well-stocked bar a must-have for the holiday season? I loved the scrolling banner and gold touches on the vintage cognac poster, and the bold type on those ice buckets. What's that they say about champagne taste? I have it. We're working with a stocking-stuffer budget... luckily the Flea had those in endless supply!

And yes, even though we were shopping for others, I couldn't help looking a bit for myself. I had my eye on the tiny adornments this time: the floral pattern on this cookie tin, the whimsical detail of those earrings. Oh, those earrings. To say they captured my heart would be an understatement. But again- champagne taste.

The flea truly sparkled this month, and I have the pictures to prove it. I'll be sharing more photos of my finds all day at the One Must Shock the Bourgeois facebook page.

Shedding Some Light

You didn't have to say it- I could tell. You really wanted anther look at that incredible candelabra I lit up this Thanksgiving. You're welcome.

It is amazing, isn't it? My Mom gave this to me at my bridal shower, adding to the tally of surprising but perfectly spot-on gifts she's given me. SHE, is amazing, isn't she?

It's a traditional shape done (baubles and all) in wire. Dark gray with black tapers, it creates a lively silhouette against the soft white curtains of the dining alcove while casting a warm glow down on the dining table. Romantic and just a little off-kilter. Love it.

Wedding Inspiration: Dusty Lace

What says romance better than the delicate touch of lace? I love it especially in muted gray and shyly blushing pink, looking very much like a "something old."

Images: Jenny Bowker Makeup, Martha Stewart Weddings, here via Pinterest, Tim Walker & Rhea Thierstein via Pinterest

Here & Now: Simple Pleasures

Thank goodness for Friday, an end to a mean little week, a series of pesky disappointments, and (for my poor fiancé) a nasty bout of food poisoning. There's often a simple cure for what ails you. For Adam, a day of sleep and soup. For me, feeling low and uninspired, $10 and some fresh air. I walked up to our neighborhood farmer's market and bought asparagus and a peach (the first of the season), an iced latte from Peets, and a single stem from my friend at the flower stand. By the time I got home, the stings of the week had faded. Today we both feel much better.

I know what you're thinking, dear readers. "Wait a second, Elizabeth- what's that in the picture? Your sofa isn't leather, or wingbacked, or tufted, or trimmed in brass nailheads!" Very true. My old couch was sadly none of the above.

Meet our new couch. It's a beauty. And I plan on spending my Friday in its embrace with cats, coffee, and magazines by my side, watching my peony unfurl. 

xoxo

Elizabeth

Tablescaping for a Tea Party

We modern girls are so accustomed to gulping down our caffeine on the go, out of a paper cup, no less!

Wouldn't a tea party be a luxurious change of pace? 

My great-grandma's good china is fussy (and fragile!) so I cobbled together a more casual tea service out of eclectic white ceramics. A flea market tin offers tasty hamentaschen and Adam's vintage toy milk truck is loaded up with condiments with for a witty way to pass the cream. 

It isn't terribly difficult to find an excuse to sip Earl Grey and savor conversation. Book club? Client meeting? Set the table with pretty paper placemats and a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils for jotting down notes. Keep the water hot and the refreshments at hand, and linger over good ideas.

Do you have an occasion that needs some tablescaping inspiration? Email me at shockthebourgeois@mac.com!

The WarLock Wedding: Pinning Our Summer Ceremony

Are you all on Pinterest? I sure am, curating boards for everything from posh pads to furry critters. Pinterest has been a fabulous tool for organizing my thoughts for the wedding. The creative portion of my wedding planning is gradually winding down, which would be sad if I didn't have another little event to style! Because our priest of choice wasn't available for our big day in October, Adam and I will have a private chapel ceremony with immediate family and a few friends this Summer. It'll be a casual affair, but you know me- I have to fuss over things!

I pinned a few pretty things to show you my vision for a very modest Summer ceremony.

Dolce & Gabbana Pleated Dress from HauteLook, Pearl Bauble Bracelet from Kate Spade, 

Floral Centerpiece featured on Martha Stewart Weddings, 

Giselle Flower Fascinator by Velvet Owl on Etsy, Enzo Angiolini Martini Pump from Nordstrom

Planning a similar occasion? Why not create a look reminiscent of a polished-but-sweet retro courthouse wedding. The coral-colored pumps aren't the only thing that could reappear in your wardrobe. A shorter hemline (or a faint flush of pink) means that your wedding dress could later star as a night at the theater dress, a champagne brunch dress, or an anniversary dinner dress... certainly a selling point for the practical or budget-conscious bride. Wear great-grandmother's pearls, or a new piece that exudes excitement- like this bracelet, clustered with seed pearls and rhinestones. A small-scale ceremony becomes much more intimate when dressed with personal details. Cut flowers from a summer garden have extra charm when bundled in ruby pressed glass goblets (my Cape Cod glass would suit nicely, no?).

Our circumstances allow me to indulge in two very different wedding aesthetics: playfully retro in the Summer, neo-Victorian by candlelight in the Fall. Lucky me! And lucky you, since I'll have many more projects and posts to share...

Girl About Town: Bountiful Home

For those of you who missed this post in its Facebook album form while Blogger was down, enjoy! If you're not yet a fan of the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page, head on over and click "like" for access to photos that don't make it on the blog!

I know, I've posted about Bountiful Home before. If it seems like I'm gushing, I am! Not only is this one of my favorite places to shop when I'm visiting in Washington, I'm also trying to convince Todd that he needs an assistant... (haha!).

Todd certainly has the knack for styling. Something rusty, something romantic, something a little kooky (just check out that mouse in the party hat!). Bountiful Home & Nursery is a visual treat indoors and out. The garden is lush with Spring blooms, the 100-year-old house is furnished with reworked vintage pieces, and every surface sparkles with mercury glass. I want one of everything.

Working with Todd to decorate my wedding has been an absolute pleasure. Thanks to his recommendation, I've selected Maxine's Floral for bouquets and centerpieces. Things are coming together beautifully- and I'm loving this opportunity to collaborate with such creative people!

A Flower Frog Makeover

My first issue of Country Living came in the mail the other day, and it is brimming with goodness. Take, for example, this bright idea:

Image from Country Living Magazine, April 2011

Why did I never think of that? Beyond floral arrangements, I've repurposed flower frogs for paintbrushes, feathers, and writing utensils. Having over a dozen sharpened pencils at the ready? Pretty, but not so useful. An array of makeup brushes? Useful for getting pretty!

As it turns out, I had exactly the same number of makeup brushes as slots in this simple vintage glass flower frog. And it looks just right with the trio of mismatched goblets that contains other beauty basics on my vanity desk. I love the way this vignette adds some glamour to a daily routine.

The February Flea

Antiques, football, and an early crop of freckles- I couldn't have asked for a better weekend! Adam and I  spent our Sunday afternoon soaking up sun and inspiration at the Alameda flea market. We didn't spring for anything, but sometimes a long day of looking is all I need to update my vision for our apartment. 

Though the best deals are often found in piles of rubbish, I can't help but admire the more curated booths. This vendor offers silky tassels and ribbons that glitter with gold thread, and the table itself was elegantly trimmed. I could see this crafty-chic sign working just as well as a bulletin board, or to display table assignments at a wedding.

Sometimes going to the flea market feels like a trip to the pound, with so many sad little things needing new homes. It's hard to say no, especially to furry fellows like these! The green-eyed tiger puppet seemed to be begging for hugs, and the wiry fox terrier with the wonky ear... oh, I almost adopted him.

So, no new things, but a head full of new ideas. I'm feeling quite ambitious this year!

Our Cabinet of Curiosities

I blog so often about cabinets of curiosity, it seems only fair to share my own...

Our petite cabinet of curiosities resides in the living room. The cabinet itself was a Craig's List find, purchased for $50 in Seattle, from a very kind woman helping her elderly friend downsize. I was so in love with the uncommon greige finish and elegant shape, I made Adam take an afternoon off to help me load it into a borrowed car, back down a perilous driveway, and inch it up our steep and narrow staircase. When we finally got it inside, I found a booklet full of neatly penned notes comparing bottles of scotch tucked into a drawer. Imagining that this might have been a little old lady's liquor cabinet still makes me giggle!

We've filled it with treasures, valuable for otherwise. Beautiful art books and vintage ephemera mingle  with found objects and natural oddities. Adam's collection of laboratory glassware stands next to 20 years worth of my beach-combing souvenirs. My alligator head grins from the second shelf, with a mouthful of foreign coins. The cabinet is home to items inherently beautiful and sentimental, like my Great-Grandmother's china teacup (or a vial of kitten teeth!)

I papered the back of the cabinet with pages from a tattered old Japanese & English dictionary: yet another layer of meaning for the curious observer.

How do you display your most prized belongings and mementos?

How We're "Ringing" in the New Year

Welcome to 2011, friends!

I suppose I need to account for my two weeks of vacation? How's this: several lively holiday parties, approximately 36 hours on the road, visits with family and friends in Seattle, Olympia, & Portland, the most beautiful prime rib I've ever seen (and eaten), a pile of presents, an epic New Year's Eve bash in the winter wonderland of Spokane, many champagne toasts, and...

A RING!

Adam and I are getting married! He proposed on December 20th, and we surprised our families with the announcement of our engagement on Christmas. Needless to say, best Christmas ever!

My ring is an Edwardian solitaire from 1915, which we fell madly in love with at Lang Antiques. To me, it's perfect, and proof that the best gifts come in small packages!

I hope you all like talking about weddings, because we've jumped into planning mode and I can think of little else. Cheers to 2011! I can't wait to start sharing ideas...

Beautiful Bounty in Edmonds, WA

Here's a special Christmas shopping word to the wise for my Western Washington readers: try downtown Edmonds for nostalgia, twinkle-lights, and one of my new favorite shops.

Bountiful Home resides in a little old house just off of Main Street. If you pass through its arbor and down the garden path, you'll find yourself on a welcoming porch arrayed with potted plants and rusty finds. Once inside you'll understand how Bountiful Home gets its name. Special things sparkle all around.

The shop is an homage to all things old-fashioned and lovely, from vintage glass bottles and snail-mail stationery down to the creaking floorboards. Forget about just wanting to buy something- you'll want to move in.

Definitely the place to go for romantic holiday trimmings and memorable hand-picked gifts!

Here & Now: Our Dining Room "After"

My dining table has made many appearances on this blog- usually as the backdrop for one of Adam's gourmet creations. I'm feeling brave today, and I thought I'd show you how it fits into our dining room (or our dining alcove, to be more accurate).

For those of you who've started reading recently, last year (at about this time) Adam and I were informed that his job would be moving from Seattle to Berkeley. We had very little time to decide our course of action- and only a weekend to find a new home in California. Our apartment was selected for its practicality rather than its prettiness. In fact, it was downright ugly. If you don't believe me, check out the "before" pictures here. 

The only remotely charming feature of the otherwise bland apartment was the bay window in the dining area. I thought, "I can do something with this." And I think I did.

Announcing my New Etsy Shop: Rappaccini's Garden

Dear Friends! With no more suspense (but a little more ado), allow me to present...

Rappaccini's Garden will feature vintage and handcrafted adornments for yourself and your home. The collection takes inspiration from the Gothic tale Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: a dark romance spiked with mad science and a poisonous flower.

Rappaccini's Garden will open on Etsy next Monday, September 6th!