"Cherish" Room - Opening Day!

After a week of working almost day and night to get the walls of the room and furniture painted, vintage finds researched and priced, and making some holiday decorations, I decided it was time to open the room! After all - it is a work in progress - constantly!  Every time a piece of furniture sells, the room gets a makeover to make room for a new piece that may not fit in the old spot! AND - I have so many more holiday projects I wanted to put in the room before I opened, I realize now that I will never be 'done'! So please join me on a tour of my new space - the "Cherish" room at Fabulous Finds!

Let's begin on the east wall as you enter the room -this is my 'cabin' wall!  The desk is a vintage rancho style desk with a cabin on the front panel.   The red desk top is set off by the red of the child's rocking chair -a vintage Nichol and Stone from the late 1950's.  A hand forged iron cross is featured above a vintage mailbox stuffed with letters to Santa!

 This wall also features a bare wood framed chalkboard, a 'Merry Christmas' banner and some rustic frames.

The vintage metal shelf is a perfect display piece for a pair of vintage fawn salt and pepper shakers and the little boy Lefton Snowball Kissing Bell.

 Moving towards the right, the Christmas Tree is almost camouflaged by the printed fabric sporting a wood pile image, hanging behind it. How I snapped this one so blurry is beyond me but I'll take a new picture tomorrow and fix it!  The table sits on an old "Dancer's" table (see previous post!) and in front of it is an old ammo box. 


Ok - that's a little clearer!  A handmade "wish" banner encircles the tree loaded with glittered word ornaments, Victorian cone ornaments to fill, letters, and more!

The main focus wall of the room is next featuring a huge, beautiful vintage chalkboard and a 48" round pedestal table clad in this season's plaid!  The basket to the left on the floor is filled with two peppermint striped pillows, as does a black iron candle stand.

 On the table there are two apothecary jars filled with beribboned jingle bells,


a box of rusty metal tags with stencil letter cutouts perfect for monogramming a gift bottle for the holidays,


and a metal ornament tree with a flock of spring loaded dove ornaments!

Moving right again, we scan past a wall of vintage frames, a wire mesh shelf hung with stockings and a 'joy' banner, some letters, a small bird hook and other wall decor, to come to the ethereal section of the room!

Topped by a massive baroque style frame, this vintage dresser supports a trio of pastel holiday trees, and two mirrored stocking holders with pewter toned stockings. Look closely and you'll see a trio of little cherubs gracing the negative space!

The pastel tones in this corner offer a completely different holiday decorating choice.  A vintage french provincial dining table is the perfect piece to set the tone.  The white feather tree and vintage aqua tinsel tree add a bit of sparkle and softness, while the white lights add a bit of twinkle to the holiday magic!

 Under the padded 'dream' letters, two small magnetic chalkboards hang from the seven bird iron hook, and a rose cross stitch adds a touch of pink to the wall and ties in the vintage tablecloth.

Zoom in further and a vintage pair of playful fawns welcome you to the fantasy.  The 'cut crystal' platter is really a vintage acrylic piece!

Two more vintage fawns play in front of an old lidded jar with snowflake motif.  The ram ornament wishes you 'Noel".

Finding a home in the feather tree are some glittered owl ornaments, dove wreath ornaments and snow glittered jingle bells. (See that patch of green in the top right corner?  Check back to 'Cherish' Room - Day One to see how the whole room used to be that color!)

We now have arrived at the last wall - and where we walked in!  Another sea blue edged chalkboard hangs between the two room windows.  A spinning card rack is filled with Victorian die cut holiday cards, thank you cards, and other French themed blank cards - all offered for less than $2!  A set of old mattress springs serves as a back drop for the 'info desk' and also is great for displaying the variety of greeting cards, clipped on with clothespins.

The feathered angel wings fly above a photo album filled with pictures of 'special order' projects I've done. To the left -  a basket of raffle tickets wait to be filled out for some lucky person to win the newest Taylor Swift CD and a t-shirt, a special incentive for visiting my new space! Stop by and maybe you'll get an early Christmas gift to give someone, or keep for yourself! 

 Thanks for taking the tour with me - the "Cherish" room will continue to evolve with each new piece of refinished furniture, vintage treasure or handmade item I bring in - you never know what you'll find so stop by often! Let me know if there is something special you'd like for me to find or make for you - giving you things to 'Cherish' is what I love!

Artist Spotlight: Brent Taylor - Cabin Creek Log Furniture

 In the Eastern Sierras, a cabin sits among a small meadow with granite rocks while a cool, crisp creek cuts through the property.

Gathered tree poles stand at attention marking the perimeter.
The buzz of a sander is heard and there are numerous trees adorned with whimsical faces
to welcome you to Cabin Creek Log Furniture.  

 The setting couldn't be more perfect for Brent Taylor,
an artist who hand gathers wood to transform into sturdy home furniture.

Brent Taylor began making his sustainable furniture in 1987.  Inspired by the trees while hiking, he sees a headboard, a chair, a table - as he looks at the uniqueness of each log. 

 Brent hand gathers naturally fallen trees, such as these lodgepole pines from the Mammoth Lakes Basin, cleaning up the forest floors of debris which would otherwise rot.  He hauls the logs to a mill where he has the logs milled into slabs, leaving the bark intact.  Once milled, he hauls the tree planks back home to his workshop, where he cuts, pieces, sands and finishes each one of a kind piece. 

Brent's talent lies in picking out the perfect piece of wood for each project and then finishing it for comfort.  No two projects are alike, even when built to the same specifications, because no two trees are the same, which makes Brent Taylor's pieces highly collectible and sought after.  It may take Brent up to two months just to design, build, and finish one bed, making each creation truly a work of art.  Brent contours his chair seats for comfort - and they are incredibly comfortable!

When finished to Brent's high expectations, each piece is marked with a BT brand to signify a "Brent Taylor Original" - a piece to cherish!

Crafts and Art Shows are his primary market exposure as well as word of mouth and referrals, which keeps Brent busy throughout the year.  

  If you attend Mule Days in Bishop, CA or any of the Arts and Crafts Fairs held in Mammoth Lakes, CA.(check www.monoarts.org for show dates) look for the Cabin Creek Furniture sign - a routered slab of wood that sits atop his display. 

Ask Brent about any of his pieces and he will tell you what kind of wood it is and point out the special qualities of each.  Here is a bench he fashioned out of Aspen and Pine.

  After a recent trip to Oregon, Brent started creating smaller decorative pieces which are perfect for those who appreciate Brent's work but are traveling.

At Arts and Crafts Fairs he generally sells lots of smaller pieces like coat racks,

 shelves, signs, frames, and mirrors. . .

 but people see his larger pieces for sale on display . . .

  and commission him to create beds, dining room tables and chairs, coffee tables,

 bar stools,

 and other built-ins for their homes. What sets Brett's pieces apart from other log furniture is the super smooth finishes and his creative use of form and texture.

 

If you are lucky enough to find him at one of these shows,
 check out his portfolio to see his quality installations. . .

 such as stair rails,

 bars and moldings in client's homes, offices, cabins and rental properties.
Cabin Creek Furniture is a prefect fit for all types of decor
from Ralph Lauren to Pottery Barn and West Elm.

Brent's wife, Missy, is an interior designer, and the two have collaborated on several projects.  This kitchen showcases Brent's work creating these counters and bar stools.

Brent is usually busy at home in his wood shop with sawdust billowing around him, or on a job site doing an installation, such as this fireplace.

 You can contact Brent at 760-387-2194 or email missyt@wildblue.net.  Always leave a message because with saws and sanders, it is not easy to hear the phone!  Show season is starting soon and keeps him very busy with shows Thanksgiving week, 10 days between Christmas through New Years, and President's Day weekend - all in Mammoth Lakes at the Minaret Mall Winter Festival.  These indoor shows make it possible for Brent to showcase his work during the snowy winter months. 

Cabin Creek Log Furniture is perfect for rustic, shabby, or urban farmhouse interiors or any place sturdy, custom furniture, which will appreciate in value over the years, is needed. 
Custom designs, custom made, custom installations - 
Brent and his Cabin Creek Log Furniture 
is beautifully "Taylor" made especially for you!