Before and After: Vintage Vanity and Mirror - Together at Last!

 An incredible stroke of luck brought me to this piece that I had been searching for since last March! My husband and I were on a summer road trip through Oregon and he was kind enough to let me go pickin' along the way! 

Our trip started in St. Helena and we then traveled north to hit the Oregon Coast. With absolutely no reservations or plans we were free spirits - we both love 'winging it'! We've been pretty successful thus far with this modus operandi, finding hotel gems such as Ireland's Rustic Lodges (next blog post!)

After stopping at numerous thrifts and antique stores, I received a recommendation from a shop employee to visit another Antique store just up the road - but I had to hurry since they closed at 5!  We arrived at 4:45pm and the owner was kind enough to let me take a 'quick look'.

It is REALLY hard to take a 'quick look' at a beautiful antique store full of treasures and this one even had an upstairs! I was going to have to go fast!  I whisked along, my eyes darting to and fro, taking in as much as possible without causing sensory overload!

That turquoise blue always catches my eye and this beautiful milk glass piece jumped out and stopped me in my tracks!  I set it on the counter and then I almost took the stairs by two. When I got to the top I turned left - and then I saw it! The bottom half I needed to complete my vanity!

You see, I bought this mirror (shown here without the glass!) at a consignment store in 
St. Helena nearly two years ago.  I thought for certain I'd be able to match it up with a bottom half fairly quickly and then refinish it for resale.  But it wasn't as easy as I thought, since the mirror was huge and had a part that dropped down with no frame - I was going to need a special cabinet to complete the set.

  

 My husband said, "How do you know its going to match up with the mirror?"  I told him it was karma and I had been looking for a long time so I just knew it would match up! I quickly paid the lady and loaded it into our car.  I had no idea how well it would fit until I got home and took the mirror out of storage - it was the exact same width! The cabinet had two piers, which accommodated the mirror, since the mirror extended below it's frame.

I took the mirror out of its frame and sanded it down. 
Then I did a quick sanding of the bottom cabinet part of the vanity as well.

After a few coats of Annie Sloans' Old White, the pieces looked refreshed!

 I then distressed each piece to bring out the beautiful carvings and details . . 
.

 (Monet likes to give me advice!)

 . . . and added a coat of clear wax for protection. 
After almost two years, it was time to finally see the finished pieces together!

I carefully replaced the massive mirror and secured it with the holds. . .


and replaced the glass knobs on the drawers. Now for the  big marriage,
I heaved the mirror up to place on top of the vanity cabinet.

I absolutely love it!  My long lost vanity is now complete 
and I can't even think about selling it!

This is one piece I will hold on to - a piece to cherish 
and hand down to the next generation.

I guess it's true - good things come to those that wait!

 

I've joined these link parties! 

 Wow Us Wednesdays!

Chic on a Shoe String's Flaunt It Friday!

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Delightful Dress Forms!

Walk into any shabby chic or french boutique

and you'll see a dress form in one way, shape or form!

Dress forms are made of so many different materials, they make

versatile display pieces. Scanning through my photo album over the last year, I realized I photographed many creative dress forms and I thought I'd share!

 At first glance this looks like a tumbleweed! I spotted this outside a dress shop in Biloxi, Mississippi. The dress shop owner said after Hurricane Katrina, this dress form appeared on the front lawn of the shop! The owner felt if it landed there, it was meant to be there, so she stood it up and it has welcomed her customers since then!

Some dress forms are actually working forms seamstresses 

can adjust to the size of the person they are creating a garment for -

and its my experience many shabby chic lovers do not care what condition they are in
- the shabbier the better!

Many a dress form grace shop windows to draw in customers and spark conversations.

A friend and I were window shopping in St. Helena, CA when we passed by this window -

the top half was like metal armor pieced together and the bottom skirt was made from  burlap and linen fabric pieced together!

One of the most unusual dress forms I have encountered was this striking 'mermaid' form!

The texture of the wicker top half is a great contrast to the grassy ruffled skirt, and I love how the bodice is cinched together. Seeing this form from a distance grabbed my attention and made me cross a street to check it out much closer - AND I ventured into the shop where it welcomed me!

Natural materials were also used for this 'angel' dress form 

seen outside a florist shop during the holiday season!

This shabby angel is an artistic assemblage welcoming visitors to Magnolia Pearl's space
 in Round Top, Texas.  With so many unusual details in this piece of artwork, it draws you in closer to check them out!

I love how this satin blouse is a stark contrast to the rough burlap skirt!

Dress forms are used by museums to display historical attire . . .
and 'haute couture' from all eras!

The peacock feathered skirt on this dress form takes the cake!

 
 Seen in Benicia Antique Mall,
 it's all tied up with a big red bow!

 This is one of the most beautiful draped dress forms I've seen!
Spotted in Anthropologie's window, whoever created this. . .

was an expert at draping fabric and using quilter's pins!
I just love how the pins follow the contour of the dress for
and create a design that becomes the focal point.

From elaborate dresses and high fashion to simple uses for display.
dress forms are essential to retailers, dress makers, and designers.This dress form displays multiple brooches at Cobwebs Antiques, in Bishop, CA

And sometimes they are just another cherished treasure in your home!

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!