Home Decor – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

Bubbling Brook Farmhouse Market

Published on July 24, 2017 by Jenna1 Comment

Hi everyone! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. The Hubs and I visited family from Arizona in Kenai and I went on a wonderful garden tour. I’ll be sharing recaps of both of those events this week, but today I wanted to share a bit about the Bubbling Brook Farmhouse Market I attended the previous weekend. This is the 2nd year for the event, although last year it was put on by a different organizer and was called Urban Junktion.

Several of the same vendors returned this year, including one of my faves Rustique Designs, who has made a couple of pieces for our home. I made a bee-line for her booth when I arrived and made sure to check every nook and cranny of her displays to find new unique items. I’ll share what I got at the end of this post. I was so busy shopping her beautiful displays and chatting with her about ideas for some more custom pieces that I forgot to get a picture of her booth. Although I’m sure if I’d remembered to it would have been so crowded you couldn’t see much as she was one of the most popular vendors at the show, but you can see it right after she set up here on her Facebook page.

The next booth was Sweet Louise Designs who had a variety of adorable home decor pieces and furniture. Although I didn’t find anything that screamed “take me home” I enjoyed browsing their adorable displays. I almost pulled the trigger on this heart piece for my nephew’s wedding in October but the colors weren’t quite right. I’m going to check in with the bride and groom to see what they think and may order a custom one for them instead. 🙂

Another booth that drew me in was Snarl Design, eclectic industrial style. They had some ingenious light fixtures that included spigot knobs as the switch! I chatted with the owner for a while about the insulator lights the Hubs and I made for our island and how I loved the history behind them. I’ll definitely be following Snarl online to see their other creations as they continue to grow.

Of course I had to stop by Brown Chicken, Brown Cow’s booth to browse. I’ve been a fan of hers for quite some time and love her style. Thanks to a custom order I placed, I’ll be adding a fun new sign to my kitchen from her in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to see that.

I fell in love with The Distressed Mermaid’s sign. It was a fresh idea for an old window and a perfect fit for her style. If I had a little girls room I’d order one of a mermaid just like that! Although I was in the market for accessories more than furniture I enjoyed browsing her booth and will be watching her online to see what else she creates in the future.

My friend Anne-tiques had a booth full of her Harry Potter themed furniture and accessories, which was a huge hit. I couldn’t get a shot of her booth without gobs of people in it, but you can see the details of several of the pieces on her page.

A well-known local vendor, Blessed and Distressed was also at the market, which is their last show before they relocate out of state. Their new hometown is gaining an amazing resource!

Spunky Monkey had amazing scented candles and wine themed decor. This husband and wife team had a great booth set-up and unique items. I’d never heard of them before, so I’m glad I was able to meet them and add them to the list of vendors I’ll be watching for future gift and home decor shopping.

Right behind Spunky Monkey was Pioneer Peonies – which made for the most amazing aromatic combination! I enjoyed picking a bouquet of white, blush and pink peonies to take home at just $2/stem and learned several helpful tips to plan my own peonies.

The local Hannah Yoter band was playing during the event who fit the vintage vibe perfectly. They’ve been getting some great press recently so be sure to check them out and see them in person if you can.

Outside the event hall there were several food trucks, which was perfect because I’d sure worked up an appetite with all my shopping. The Barbecue Babes truck was super cute, but since I’d just had BBQ the day prior, I opted to try out a vendor who is a sister to a good friend of ours.

I was pretty bummed that I missed Love’s 907 at the Palmer Garden Faire the weekend prior, so I’m glad they were at the market event. I ordered the Philly steak, which was messy but pretty darn tasty. I enjoyed filling my belly in the warm sunshine and wished I’d had room to try their ice cream too!

So here’s a quick look at what I got at the market. This fun wooden bead garland with lace tassels from Rustique Designs. They found a home on the mantel well above Brinley’s reach so it stays as pretty as I bought it!

I also got these Rea Dunn mugs from Rustique Designs. It’s the perfect start to my collection, which will be displayed in the dining room after I pick up the rack I had to have sent to my sister’s house since they wouldn’t ship to Alaska. First world problems here….

I also got this fun sign from Rustique Designs for the guest bathroom. I thought it was a perfect for for the space. 🙂

And lastly here’s my bouquet of peonies in my recently upcycled vase. It’s been a wonderful addition to my desk and I love enjoying their fragrance when I’m editing photos.

It wasn’t a huge haul, but like I mentioned, there are a few custom pieces in the works so you’ll be seeing more from these talented vendors. Next year’s market will be held June 23-24, 2018, so be sure to mark your calendars now and follow Bubbling Brook Farmhouse on Facebook for updates!

Recent Thrifty Finds

Published on February 28, 2017March 6, 2017 by Jenna2 Comments

Today I wanted to share my finds from a few recent thrifting expeditions. I haven’t been out to the thrift stores in a while as I was trying to pare down what was already in our home, but I couldn’t stay away forever. I love the hunt too much. My motto when thrifting is always if I don’t have a spot in mind for an item or am absolutely in love with it I don’t bring it home. This motto is only amplified by my desire to simply this year so this is all that made it home from three different trips! I’d say that’s pretty good will power.

My three trips were to Goodwill, the Salvation Army shop near my office and a local home decor consignment shop. The Salvation Army used to be a great source for cheap home decor items, but since the massive Goodwill opened a few miles away the inventory at Salvation Army has suffered. I think they are also loosing some of their volunteers to the competition or the changing economy because the store seemed very disorganized this visit. The Goodwill was well organized but I notice their pricing is often higher and not always consistent as it depends on which volunteer handles each item. But I was still able to find some good bargains, so without further ado – here’s my latest thrifting haul!

First up is this sweater I found at Salvation Army. I’ve been wanting to make some sweater pumpkins the last couple of fall seasons but can’t ever find good textured sweaters at the thrift stores that time of year so I decided to start looking for them all year and preparing a stock pile. I think I can make two medium to large pumpkins and a few smaller ones out of this sweater and it was half off clothing day so I only paid $4!

There were several pumpkins at Goodwill that day, but this one caught my attention with it’s unique stem and pretty colors. I may eventually paint it to be a bit more neutral, but we’ll see how I feel about it closer to fall. I think I paid around $5, which is much less than I’d pay in a department store.

I found this cloche tucked away on a bottom self at the Goodwill and was immediately smitten with it. I’ve got a few cloches already but I like using them in different vignettes and knew if I tired of it after I give it an update I could easily sell it so it was a no brainer. It was a bit pricey but these types of pieces don’t come around often at my thrift stores and the dome was real glass not plastic so I could see the value. Plus I had a coupon for 20% off which made it a bit more acceptable.

I also snagged this wooden candlestick as soon as I saw it at Goodwill – although I have to admit I walked past it and didn’t notice it the first time because it was tucked behind an assortment of other decor items. It’s solid and chunky, which is just what I’ve been wanting. Nice big candlesticks like this don’t come up often around my stores so at $5 I didn’t hesitate. I plan to give it a white wash paint and distressing to match two other similar candle sticks I got on the buy/sell page for $20 to create a coordinating trio for my spring mantel.

This little Princess House glass container caught my attention at the Salvation Army where I found the white sweater. I’m not sure where I’ll use it exactly but could think of several possible scenarios which fit my requirement for purchase and at $3 it was a reasonable option.

Lastly was this cool copper pot I spotted at the consignment shop. It came as part of a fire starter kit, although I really was just interested in the container as decor or a planter. My mother-in-law has several similar – albeit larger – pieces that I’ve always adored so I couldn’t pass this one up. It was $15 which was a bit pricey, but I figured that there was a bit of value in the fire starter pieces as well and because this was consignment rather than a thrift store I wasn’t expecting bargain basement prices.

I set the fire starter pieces aside for when the fire pit is back in use this summer and have been thinking up options for my new little pot to decide which I like the best. Current ideas are as a decor vase, a planter, or a small fire pit for our patio table come summer using a citronella candle or table top tiki torch. Which idea do you like the best?

Linking up at Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

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Easy Faux Planters

Published on February 24, 2017March 8, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

As I promised earlier in the week, I’m sharing how I made some cute little faux plants. It started with a variety of small containers I had previously had succulents in along with a few new items. The succulents had met an untimely fate during one of Brinley’s “puppy moments” and had been empty for a while so I wanted to refill them but with Alaska still well in the grips of winter there weren’t many options to choose from. While browsing Michaels the other day I spotted these little faux succulent stems (ignore my supervisor’s photo bomb – LOL!).

I knew they’d be perfect to fill several of the small containers so I picked up a few. As you can tell from the empty spots on the holder above, I’d tested out the stems on a small piece before I decided to write a post about the process. But since it went well here we go. We’ll start with this cute glass cup I picked up at IKEA the last time we were in Portland.

I fill it 2/3 full of moss I already had on hand to create a base for my arrangement.

I pulled several of the grassy stems from the holder and started bunching them together. Once I had a grouping I liked I put them down into the center of the moss in the cup.

I fluffed things around a bit until I liked how everything looked and called it done. Next up was this cement bowl I found at a local boutique shop.

Since this one was larger than the glass cup and solid I filled most of it with crumpled up paper from an advertisement that came in the mail. I was enjoying the pretty spring colors on the paper, which was a nice little inspiration.

I added moss on top of the paper, leaving a small area in the center open to put the stems.

After I added the grassy stems I randomly placed some of the small succulent stems around the perimeter. It was ok, but looked a bit crowded and not really what I was envisioning. So I kept fussing with it, trying a variety of arrangements.

Eventually I pared it down to just the grassy stems and some white flowers left over from a project long ago. Its the perfect look for early spring.

Here’s a quick shot of the other planters I whipped up using the same method. This little galvanized container came from a boutique in Portland and looks sweet next to the lamp in the guest room.

You might have spotted the succulent grouping in the small crock on the sewing table I shared recently. It was a little too much brown in here until we refinish the table so it’s moved to the laundry room, which I’ll share soon.

And of course the succulent planter you saw earlier this week with my fun little scroll art.

I love how real they all look, yet they require zero maintenance, which is perfect for my schedule these days! 🙂 I’ve got a few more of the succulent stems so there might be a few more arrangements in the coming months, but for now I’m enjoying having a bit of green around the house even though it’s deep white outside.

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town, Tater Tots & Jello’s BFF and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday, Stone Gable’s The Scoop and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

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More Gallery Wall Additions

Published on October 8, 2015October 14, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

If you’ve been around the blog for a little while you know I’m slowly curating our gallery wall around the TV in the Family Room. Today I’m sharing a few recent additions I added over the weekend. The first is a rustic mirror I got from Michaels for free thanks to a great BOGO sale when I purchased the frame for my whale breach collage. It originally came with a rope hanger attached to the sides, which I liked but not in this grouping. So I removed it and will re-use it on another project I hope to wrap up this weekend.

MirrorClose

The whitewash creates a weathered patina that immediately drew me to the piece. I placed the mirror on the side near the fireplace where it can reflect natural light from the windows. I think it also helps balance some of the bigger items in the whole collection and I love that the round shape breaks up all the square corners.

I also added this lovely rusty cross votive holder I scored on the local buy/sell page for $15. I had planned to use it on the deck, but didn’t want to constantly be emptying the votive holder when it rains, so I decided to find it a spot inside and am in love with it here. Next to it I added a freebie frame I got on the same Michaels BOGO order. I filled it with a free chalkboard printable I found online. I might change the chalkboard print seasonally, but I like that this one can transition from season to season if I opt not to. Plus I love the simplicity and thought behind the quote. 🙂

I plan to DIY a long narrow Alaskan themed sign to fill the space just above the cross and chalkboard print and a shorter narrow piece to fill the space between the fireplace switch and the stone, but it might be a while before those happen. I also have a piece of family history on the hub’s side that I want to add under the metal 7, but need to figure out how to make sure it’s secure because it’s pretty darn heavy. Stay tuned to see how this space continues to evolve!

Shared on Knick of Time’s Vintage Inspiration Party #209!

Updating Our Décor With New Treasures

Published on August 5, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

Remember, like forever ago, when I promised I’d share all the items we picked up on vacation and how we used them around the house? It’s finally that time! Some pieces worked just how I planned and others had to be tested out and ‘lived with’ in a few different spots to finally find their perfect placement.

LunaBasket

Several items found homes in the Laundry Room. The first was a basket I snagged on clearance for $10 at Marshalls. It became Luna’s new nap spot! Her previous cat bed was a freebie leopard number that we got soon after bringing her home. While it was functional, it didn’t fit the style of the room so I’d been looking for a replacement for a while and had decided a basket would be perfect. Although I was nervous that she wouldn’t adapt to it the hubs was certain she’d sleep in anything I put in that spot and apparently he was right! She took a couple quick sniffs, curled up and went right to snoozing before I could even put any padding in it for her! Eventually I added a towel inside an allergen pillow case cover so it can easily be taken apart and washed with the whites each week to help reduce my allergy symptoms.

Overhead, I changed out the red basket and hat box for a lovely olive bucket my mother-in-law gave me, a metal sphere I found at Home Goods for $10 and a large blue glass jar I already had. Everything fit nicely around my DIY Laundry Room sign and I added a bit of faux greenery to the olive bucket to balance everything out.

I hung a metal organizer on the wall next to the door to the garage so we have a spot to collect papers that need to be taken to work or for errands. Hopefully this keeps our counters clear and the papers safe from getting damaged in any way. Plus it’s a good reminder since it’s the last thing we see as we head out the door, which makes it harder to forget something. I think I paid around $13 for this at Home Goods. I’m liking all the little hints of black and metal that are now working together – the handles on Luna’s basket, the sphere and this rack. It’s starting to get that rustic industrial feel I’ve been wanting!

I found an amazing large glass jar that was almost identical to one I spotted on a favorite décor page recently for $45, and at half the price and knew I’d make it work somewhere. That somewhere turned out to be the dining room table – for now at least. It may eventually migrate to other areas as I change things each season, but for now I love it here.

The big metal can the hubs found at the junk show for just $25 now lives next to the front door where my holiday tree used to be. Although I loved my seasonally decorated tree, I’ve been looking for ways to be more efficient with my time and that was one of the things that could be given up without consequence. Instead I’ll just use those items in my seasonal vignettes throughout the house. I like that this piece can also double as an umbrella holder if needed. It’s not something we get much call for, but should the need arise its ready and able to corral those dripping covers.

I tucked another junk show find – the little metal oil can, on the other side of the entry table. I’m not sure it will live here permanently, but it works for now. It’s a great little $10 find.

The bubble glass lantern became part of my summer décor on the entry way table. The blue tint to the glass plays off the red, white and blue elsewhere so it was fitting. I got this for around $12 from a store called At Home.

One of my favorite pieces was a large antique wooden crate we spotted at the junk show for just $10. It was combined with a stem of preserved cotton to become art in the corner of the guest room. The chair may look familiar since it’s from the office. We’ve decided to switch to real office chairs that roll and have better lumbar support for my long hours of editing. Although we haven’t found the perfect replacements just yet, the hubs doesn’t sit at his desk all that much so we went ahead and moved his chair to complete the guest room for now. I love how it looks with my hope chest and the old crate art and I hope guests do too.

WoodCrate

Speaking of the office, we also snagged two wire inboxes – one at the junk show and one at an antique shop I spotted across the street from a gas station we stopped at! They are the perfect way to corral all those piles of paper the hubs and I seem to accumulate as we work on things.

So that’s where everything ended up inside. Check back tomorrow to see where the rest of our finds ended up outside, along with a little garden update!

Thrifitng Karma

Published on July 27, 2015 by Jenna1 Comment

As I was driving past the thrift shop around the corner from my office the other day, something said I should stop in and just take a look. I’m a firm believer in trusting my gut so I pulled for a quick peek. I’m glad I did because it yielded a pretty bevy of treasures! I got all of this for just $46. Apparently my gut can sense awesome thrifty deals from a mile away. 🙂

I plan to use some of the pieces as is, like the plant in the small crock and the cloche, but I’ve already got a few ideas for DIY makeovers on other pieces such as that blue bunny sign. I may also update a piece or two for resale at the holiday bazaar I’ve booked just after Thanksgiving, but if they find a ‘spot to belong’ in my home before then I won’t be upset about it.

Have you found any great bargains while thrifting recently? I’d love to hear about them, so share them in a comment below!

Thrift D’ Creations

Published on August 9, 2013 by Jenna2 Comments

Did you know I have an Etsy shop full of hand-made hair accessories, home décor and seasonal items? One of my favorite items to create are customized vinyls like this one I made for my sister with my Silhouette.

Although they can be used on just about any surface, I typically apply them to a platter for display. I’ve also created signage for my photography business Jenna D’ Photography in the same way, which I put on our vehicle windows.

I hadn’t thought to market the ‘monogram’ design as a wedding gift, but I recently received an order for one for just that purpose and think it’s a wonderful idea! It’s certainly a unique gift that the couple will appreciate and only receive ONE of!

I’ll be adding items for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas soon, so be sure to stop by and see if there’s something you’d like to add to your décor or accessory stash. And I’m always open to custom orders, so contact me if you have something in mind!