U.S. Giveaway: Vintage by Nina Book!

What a fine thing!  What unannoying

            romance; And how beautiful, she

            with the natural stoop of the

snowy egret, gray-eyed and straight-haired,

for whom it should come to the door,--

of whom it reminds me.  The split

            pine fair hair, steady gannet-clear

            eyes and the pine-needled-path deer-

swift step; that is Sweden—land of the

free and the soil for a spruce tree

from A Carriage from Sweden by Marianne Moore

Dear Nina Hartmann has graciously offered a SIGNED copy of the Swedish version of Vintage By Nina for a giveaway!

Nina needs your help.

In order to get this delicious English version, interest must be evident in the U.S. in the form of pre-orders.

Won't you send Atelier de Champagne an email to pre-order today or at least leave a comment about your interest?

Let's make Nina a big success in the U.S.!

To enter: leave a comment.
Extra chances will be given to those who spread the word via social media.  Don't forget to leave a comment for each.

Winner will be chosen via random.org.
Giveaway ends midnight 30 May 2010.  Open to U.S. and Canadian residents.

From Atelier de Champage:

Title: Vintage by Nina

Language:English 

Hardcover: 164 pages

Dimensions: 10"x 8.5"

More than 300 colour photographs

Those interested in acquiring this book for resale should contact us via

e-mail infoatelierdc@gmail.com for details and info on cost.

Title your e-mail Wholesale VBN

We need to take pre-orders ASAP in order to get the book to you by mid September.

Those who are interested in purchasing a copy or two for themselves send an e-mail to infoatelierdc@gmail.com.

Title your e-mail Retail VBN

Until next time, stay shabby!

Sharing with:

White Wednesday at Faded Charm 

What's It Wednesday at Ivy & Elephants 

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style  

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine's Corner 

Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse  

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage 

Feathered Nest Friday at The French Country Cottage  

Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home 

'Vintage by Nina' in English!

The lilacs lift in generous bloom

  Their plumes of dear old-fashioned flowers;

Their fragrance fills the still old house

  Where left alone I count the hours.

High in the apple-trees the bees

  Are humming, busy in the sun, --

An idle robin cries for rain

  But once or twice and then is done.

from At Home from Church by Sarah Orne Jewett

Look who's here!

Nina Hartmann and Maria-Isabel Hansson's groundbreaking interior book 'Vintage by Nina' in English.

(Distributed in the U.S. by Atelier de Champagne in September 2012.) 

I've scanned a few images of my Swedish copy echoing the purples of my lilacs.  I absolutely don't mind books I can't read, but discovering more about Nina's aesthetic surely is better.  Corresponding with Nina a few months ago I relayed: America needs you.

Romantic yet minimalist, sentimental without saccharine.  

This is the first in a series relaying how Nina's influenced my cottage...så vackert! 

Until next time, stay shabby!

Sharing with:

White Wednesday at Faded Charm 

What's It Wednesday at Ivy & Elephants 

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style 

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine's Corner 

Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse  

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage 

Feathered Nest Friday at The French Country Cottage  

Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home 

Catskills Yard Sale: IKEA Blekinge White Ektorp Sofa & Loveseat For Sale $300

23 May 2012 - UPDATE: Looks like we have a buyer!

Sofa ($200 neg.) & Loveseat ($100 neg.) will be sold at a 2-family yard sale.

Unused sofa and loveseat in storage.  Sofa's slipcover is still in the original packaging.

9 am
SATURDAY - SUNDAY MAY 26 & 27
515 ACORN HILL RD., OLIVEBRIDGE, NY 12461


A barn full of housewares, antiques, entertainment electronics, TVs, audio & music equipment, computer desks, coffee tables, chairs, shabby chic, tools, 2 refrigerators, books, something for everyone (except baby and kid stuff).


Memorial Day weekend is the hottest yard sale weekend in the Catskills.  Stop at ours first!

Until next time, stay shabby!

Second Acts: Karina Gentinetta Featured In "More" June 2012

Karina Gentinetta

'More' June 2012

Photo: A.J. McAlear

Read about her dreamy photoshoot here.

More magazine "celebrates women of style and substance with articles on style, health, work, spirituality, and relationships.  Let there be more women living in a state of constant possibility with youthful energy, intelligence, achievement, and sophistication."   

More - Facebook

More - Twitter

Get Karina's Look:

Karina's in New York at 1stdibs in the NYDC on 200 Lexington Ave.

My next place will be under her spell.

Waiting for the winds of change

To sweep the clouds away

Waiting for the rainbow’s end

To cast its gold your way

You don’t get something for nothing

You can’t have freedom for free

You won’t get wise with the sleep still in your eyes

No matter what your dreams might be

from Something For Nothing - Neil Peart (Rush)

My dear friend Karina’s feature “Second Acts” in the June 2012 issue of More magazine is THRILLING.

And reprimanding.  I need to find my second act.

How bad is it?  I waver between getting a master’s degree (to support myself better) or breast implants (to get a rich man to do it). 

I am hardly the first person to be heartbroken and others have it much, much worse. 

I’ve picked up and started life over before.  I thought after I bought my studio for cash I’d just cruise.  What a fool I used to be.

Close friends urge me to go home to my studio and visit.  I haven’t held my Maltese dog Zuzu since February and won’t see her until Memorial Day weekend (days from June).  I live absolutely alone.  Home and/or nearest family is a 5 hour drive away.  With gas over $4 a gallon I must choose between feeding Zuzu and seeing her.  I’d rather pay the bills and keep my great credit than see Zuzu and dodge collection calls.

That’s messed up. 

My studio is on the cover of Romantic Homes.  I haven’t seen it yet, but surely it’s the old ‘fantasy come true’ angle.  What bitter irony!  In truth I’m a grieving old fat fart disinterested in everything that used to please me whose greatest hope at the moment is a higher paying night job in addition to my full-time job.

Then…

           

…along comes an email from a dear friend.  A woman that’s lived in heaven and hell.  Karina’s inspired me.  She’s so action-oriented.  I’m just merely stubborn.  So, instead of whining I'm thinking about my next project.  It will be much more rustic.  (I can get a tree stump side table from my woods. Free.)  It will be uncluttered yet cozy, cushy yet unsentimental.  All white, of course.

It better not take 13 years to get there this time.

Thank you all.  I really have the best 'gentle readers'.

P.S. – Special thanks to 'Romantic Homes' for the feature story on my studio.  My copy is at my old address and I won’t get to it until Memorial Day weekend.  I’ll post about it in June.  People say it’s nice, I’m very grateful and thankful.

Until next time, stay shabby!

Sharing with:

White Wednesday at Faded Charm 

What's It Wednesday at Ivy & Elephants 

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style  

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine's Corner 

Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse  

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage 

Feathered Nest Friday at The French Country Cottage  

Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home