Monday, June 28, 2010

Tattered Vintage Wallpaper Picture


I am a lucky girl.
I have one of a limited edition of the immensely talented
Beth Neumann’s vintage wallpaper fragments from her studio Tattered Vintage.

They are even more beautiful in real life.
Unparalleled grace and romance.



Beth's art has been featured in Victoria, Country Living, and The New York Times.
I’m proud to share this with:






Please join in the fun!

Until next time, stay shabby!


Thursday, June 24, 2010

In NY: Sandra Foster and A Twee Catskills Victorian Cabin



Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

I read Joyce Wadler's feature on us.
I laughed!  I cried!
I didn't recognize my life.  It's different when you're cleaning the coop.

Trevor Tondro's photographs are...beyond words.  Spellbinding.
I just left him alone and he waved his magic wand of a camera.

Please have a look at the story!

In the Catskills, Comfort in a Gingerbread House

I'm delighted the Times mentioned a few of my pretty handmade wares
from talented artists.  Though I gave names and links for everything in sight,
not everything made it in (including the URL for my blog)!
Today, someone asked how to ‘get the look’.
The short answer: buy handmade, buy salvage.

Here is a complete listing:

Vintage-inspired printed paper book covers under the mirror
and wallpaper painting in the loft – artist Beth Neumann of Tattered Vintage

Pink sachet with silk roses and rhinestone brooch – Roberta Comeau,
Whispers From the Past.   No web presence but I can put you in touch with her.

Demi-lune table under mirror – Andes Antiques & Art,
173 Main Street, Andes, NY 13731 845-676-3420
Email: popperartsy2@aol.com

Oval mirror over mantel – Vintage Chic

Architectural inspiration – Driving around the Catskills,
and the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

 The Small House Society

Miscellaneous:  My handmade linen dress was $2 at a yard sale,
my pink wellies were $30 on clearance at Tractor Supply,
$2/yard Wal-Mart lace graces the loft,
and I made ZuZu’s hair bows out of wired organza ribbon from Michael’s.

Obviously, we have excellent yard sales in the Delhi-Bovina-Andes area.
If you're up one Saturday, treat yourself to lunch at these restaurants:

Crossroads Café, Rt. 28 & Rt. 10 (Main Street), Delhi, NY – art on the walls, coffee bar,
WiFi, sweet staff, old New Yorkers in the magazine rack, open year round. 607-746-7007

Russell’s, Main Street, Bovina, NY – eggs sandwiches from local hens, market.

Lucky Dog – Main Street, Hamden. Café, organic food, antiques.

Great shops offering recycled wares:

Clementine Vintage Clothing - 7 Main St, Andes, NY, 13731. (845) 676-3888

Steinway Books – 114 Main St., Delhi, NY  (845) 746-8060.  Now featuring a café.


Until next time, stay shabby!





Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times


Our New York Times Interview

Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times


The real reason I locked my blog for a month is because the Times
wanted to feature our farm, and they insisted on being first to break the story.

I am writing this post twelve hours before I read it.
And, I still can’t believe my good fortune.
Thank you, Joyce Wadler, for seeing something in us;
and thank you, Trevor Tondro, for your camera eye seeing something in us!

Most of all, thanks to every one of my confused followers that emailed me
because they missed my blog.





The night before I got the ladder out after Swiffering the floor.




 
Trevor worked for nine hours.   He was very patient with us;
my King and I don’t take much seriously.   When he asked us to walk hand in hand,
we spontaneously starting singing, ‘Hey, Hey, We’re the Monkees’
while doing that step they did on their show.


And, he was obliged to climb the infamous 7 foot ladder to get shots of the loft.


We were obliged to pose more than we ever have in our lives--like the spurious weeding
and slow motion wood splitting--but we didn’t mind.
I’m really making a paper rose in this picture,
and my King made fresh rolls for Joyce and Trevor.



Little Miss ZuZu on my chair as always.



While Trevor worked, I picked some antique roses - Blush Hip and
Konigin von Danemark - for the shoot...







...and wild fraises des bois for him and his wife and baby daughter.


Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Trevor had the idea to set votive candles all around my porch as dusk fell.
I wish I thought of that!

Until next time, and thank goodness next time finally is here,

Stay shabby!

xoxoxoxo




Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Catskills Gardening in Early Spring



May comes in like a lion, out like a lamb in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
(March and April come and go like lions.)


It started with my newly planted crabapple Malus ‘Indian Spring’.

Soon, all the country lanes and driveways are green…




…and little calves are born…



…and farms leaf out…



…and farmers make hay for the cows to eat!



I stopped to enjoy Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis) growing on the roadside…





…and picked some for my studio.



Back at my house, all the crops we eat are safe under a cold frame until June or so.
But, I do have some self-seeded pink forget-me-nots…



… and some of that Dame’s Rocket which hopefully will make lots of
babies all over my garden so it looks like this with my foxgloves.




Until next time, stay shabby!


I’ll be sharing this with:


Come over and visit the pretty gardens!

Monday, May 24, 2010

I'm On A Blogcation!

...I promise to be back soon!

Tootles,

Sandy

My Angela Harris French Paper Roses





These are my very favorite Angela Harris creation -







I think they were about $10 for 6,
a bargain for handmade art.

I will be sharing this with:








'Till next time, stay shabby!




Friday, May 21, 2010

My Chippy White Iron Langley Bed


I saw a Langley style iron bed in a magazine around 1995, and fell hopelessly in love.  
 For nearly ten years, I passed many a 19th century chippy iron bed in antique shops
and yard sales because they were so ‘square’.  
My apologies for the 'bare and spare' look in this room in my old house
when it was on the market. 

It wasn’t until 2002 when I visited Zaborski’s salvage warehouse in Kingston, NY
I found this and had to have it, even though they wouldn’t
come down in price from the $300 on the tag.  
That’s a lot of money, but I’ve never seen a good one for sale before or since.



A Langley’s sweeping curves are so much more feminine, don’t you agree?


It’s one of the few antiques I’ve bought that didn’t require repainting or shabbifying, too!


May you always find what you seek, gentle reader.

'Till next time, stay shabby!



Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Antique Shopping in Delhi, NY - The Fisk Barn




Come shopping in the Catskills with me! The prices are better than in New York City!


The Fisk Barn opened up a new store in Delhi in March, and I paid them a visit to see what they had.     Nothing except for a votive candle was in my price range, unfortunately, but I would have bought this pair of dreamy mercury glass canisters for $155 right away if I could.



An elaborate pier mirror with marble table for $895.


Two of a set of four wall sconces for $525.
I am so wishing for an Italian tole wall sconce with macaroni beads.


A pair of mercury glass finials for $135.



Cast iron brackets for $275.



Golden mercury glass urn for $165.


Cast iron coal grate for $1,200.



Awesome antique nickel-plated bath hardware for $65.



19th century dress form for $175 (sorry about the blurry pic).



And last but not least this ultra sweet French demi-lune console for $195.


Give the friendly folks at The Fisk Barn a call if you’re interested in any of these beauties!



‘Till next time, stay shabby!