thevintagelaundry

Emerge-Hair-Care and Tire Center

2011-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre and Open House was a huge success! The event gave me the chance to see old friends and make a lot of new ones. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated - you are all greatly appreciated!

One last bit of business before I spin a yarn I'd like to share concerning my failure to announce Day 5's prize and the winner of Day 4 in our Vintage Laundry 5 Day Giveaway. The winner of day 4 was Kate Rowe. Congratulations Kate, you're the winner of the hotel silver creamer! Our final day of the 5 Day Giveaway is a 20% discount on any merchandise in store or online.

Now to spin that yarn . . . . .

To celebrate the triumph of our Bizarre and Open House, I came down with a stomach virus or the flu, or something equally as dreadful. And, if you're gonna go and get yourself a really nasty ailment, it's always best to do it at 2 o'clock in the morning after all of the reputable medical facilities have closed their doors for the night. That way you can be forced to seek help at the Emerge-Hair-Care and Tire Center located at the corner of A Hoot and A Holler.

As the Hubbs and I waited to be seen by the Dr./Vet/Nail-tech, we were privileged to hear some of the most colorful and interesting conversations.

For instance, to the left of us sat a delicate little old grey-haired lady about the size of a Triscuit who, clearly using her outside-voice, complained about her hemorrhoids. She said and I quote, "'They' tha size a throw pillows . . . . Those 'big-uns' from the Mart!"

Another fellow to our right who was sitting next to a young man who had his foot propped up on the chair beside him with his foot wrapped in a couple of terry cloth towels confessed that, ". . . . My brother shot 'his-self' in the foot on account a he's a dumb ass!" Don't you just love how this season makes those family ties stronger while bringing out those loving sentiment between siblings? Kinda makes you all gushy and warm inside doesn't it?

Trust me, I know about gushy and warm . . . and insides!

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Image courtesy The Healthy Home Economist

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Day 4: Hotel Silver and the Winner of Day 3

2011-12-09T05:44:00.001-08:00

And the winner of one of your choice of three Vera Neumann scarves is . . . . . . Insert Drum roll . . . . . . Scott Lindberg!

Congratulations, Scott, and thanks for participating and supporting The Vintage Laundry!

Today we move on to day four of The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre Five-day Gift Giveaway! And just as before, all you have to do is "like" this post on our Facebook page and you're entered to win the item! Today's item is a piece of hotel silver. It's a cream pitcher with that lovely patina that only hotel silver has. It would make for a great starter piece to begin a hotel silver collection or perfect for that silver aficionado on your Christmas list!

Happy clicking!

Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook page each day following a giveaway post.

Don't for get to get your tickets for tonight's Preview Party here and register for discounts for the free days at The Vintage Laundry Open House this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10th and 11th here!

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Day Three of Our Holiday Bizarre Giveaway

2011-12-08T06:04:00.001-08:00

And the winner of the set of 3 silver plated frames is . . . . . . Insert Drum roll . . . . . . Bettielou Lane!

Congratulations, Bettielou, and thanks for participating and supporting The Vintage Laundry!

So, we move on to three of The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre Five-day Gift Giveaway! And just as before, all you have to do is "like" this post on our Facebook page and you're entered to win the item! Today's item is your choice of one of these three signed Vera scarves. Vera Neumann was an American textile artist and entrepreneur best known for her boldly colored linen patterns and scarves signed simply with her name "Vera." They are all marvelously vibrant and happy- perfect to give as a gift or to add to your own personal arsenal of winter accessories!

Happy clicking!

Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook page each day following a giveaway post.

Don't for get to get your tickets for the Dec. 9th Preview Party here and register for discounts for the free days at The Vintage Laundry Open House on Dec. 10th & 11th here!

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Tell 'em What They've Won Bob . . . .

2011-12-06T20:27:00.001-08:00

And the winner of the set of 12 vintage napkins is . . . . . . Insert Drum roll . . . . . . JoAnn Jackson Garnto!

Congratulations, JoAnna, and thanks for participating!

So, we move on to day two of The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre Five-day Gift Giveaway! And just as before, all you have to do is "like" this post on our Facebook page and you're entered to win the item! Today's item is a set of three petite silver-plated frames. The set is a mixture of different designs and sizes. They are all polished and styled with a black and white photo within - perfect to give as a gift or use to display your babies, grandbabies, nieces, nephews . . . . .Well, you get the picture . . . . get it? PICTURE - yeah, I sleigh me . . . get it? . . . I typed SLEIGH, instead of SLAY . . . . . cuz, it's Christmas time . . . and there's Santa . . . .OK, enough!

Happy clicking!

Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook page each day following a giveaway post.

Don't for get to get your tickets for the Dec. 9th Preview Party here and register for discounts for the free days at The Vintage Laundry Open House on Dec. 10th & 11th here!

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The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre Gift Giveaway!

2011-12-05T21:09:00.001-08:00

Tis' the season for giving, so, today is day one of The Vintage Laundry Holiday Bizarre Five-day Gift Giveaway! Just "like" this post on our Facebook page and you're entered to win the item! Today's item is aset of 12 vintage Damask napkins. The set is a mixture of different Damask designs and have hand-stitched hems and measure 24" square. They are all laundered and pressed - perfect to give as a gift or use on your holiday table - happy clicking!

Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook page each day following a giveaway post.

Don't for get to get your tickets for the Dec. 9th Preview Party here and register for discounts for the free days at The Vintage Laundry Open House on Dec. 10th & 11th here!

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I'll Take Things That Are Magical for $200, Alex

2011-12-05T14:25:00.001-08:00

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

WOW! This video is breathtaking and as my friend Victoria over at SFgirlbybay says, ". . it is pretty magical." This has made the rounds on the internet so, you may have seen it already. But, if you haven't, you've got to take a look!

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Get First Dibs

2011-11-13T13:26:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season for parties and presents. At The Vintage Laundry we're going along with the joke and have planned, along with some of our favorite vintage vendors, a shindig to beat all shindigs. We're calling it The Vintage Laundry Bizarre Holiday Pop-Up & Open House. If you should like to join our stable of marvelous vendors, you can fill out an on-line application here. We will review your submission and get back to within 24 hours with approval and a link to pay for your booth.

Yeah, we know, we used the wrong spelling - but, we mean both a "bazaar" as in a shop or market while at the same time meaning "bizarre", as in odd or unusual. We ARE in Austin and we have an obligation to keep things weird, right?!

We'll feature tons of vendors selling vintage linens, decor, furniture, clothing, housewares, art and up-cycled items and accessories, plus awesome holiday gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Preview Party
Friday, December 2, 2011
6pm - 9pm - $15 (Ticket gets you complimentary goodies, one drink ticket, and first dibs!) You can purchase tickets here.

Regular Bizarre Shopping Hours:
Saturday & Sunday, December 3 & 4, 2011
9am - 5pm
3406 Glenview, behind the Burger King on 35th Street

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Say Four Hail Marys and a No You Di-ent!

2011-11-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

I will start by telling you that my entire existence can be summed up by one experience. And that is: You know how you walk into a room and as soon as you enter said room you can't remember why you're there? . . . . . THIS is everyday of my life. Well actually my life is more like a cocktail of that feeling and the cold sweat and the full-body paralysis you experience when you drive past a police officer going 50 mph when the speed limit is 35 mph. Basically, I wake every morning feeling like I've shown up without my homework, . . . . late, . . . . . . naked, . . . . most likely having burst into flames on my way there.

You know those driven, ultra-organized, over-achiever-type creatures who can do that multi-task thing? . . . . I'm the opposite, other kind of creature. The thing that blows my mind (and there are quite a few, which explains how little of it I have left) is how I'm the hogger of all the ADD and loser-moments in my little family. I will get my "to do list" finished . . . . eventually, but there might be a few mishaps along the way. Which brings me to a couple of funny stories that I wanted to share.

The first is a funny thing that happened on the way to an Etsy post. Last Saturday I received an email from an Etsy friend. She graciously complimented the piece I had listed and then mentioned a typo that existed that gave her a laugh, but was sure it was not what I had intended.

At the bottom of my furniture posts I put a little shpiel mentioning that due to the furniture's size, the piece requires a quote for shipping and instructions to e-mail or call me prior to purchasing. Well, where it would normally read "because of it's size" I had mistyped "because of tits size" . . . . . Gives a hole new meaning to "flat-rate," huh?!

My second flail occurred as the Hubbs, the kids, and I were shopping around in a local Catholic thrift store that we frequent. The store is run by the nuns - with the hats . . . . just like in The Sound of Music and everything! So, I find some goodies and take them up to the cash register and visit with the lovely sister about my purchases, when for some reason, feel the need to tell her that my husband is Catholic ( which is true). I continue by saying, "So, I guess that makes me a little Catholic by association (which I'm pretty sure is totally not true.) I do this . . . . I babel on and on in front of nuns, priests, ministers, pretty much all clergy types make me rattle on endlessly. Finally she hands me my receipt and says, "Have a blessed day," to which I would normally respond, "You as well" or "You also." Only this time I had a "typo" of the mouth. Instead of saying, "You as well or you also," I rearranged some letters, or my teeth got in the way of my tongue or something and I say, "You asshole" . . . . to a nun . . . in a Catholic thrift store . . . . . while my husband, children, and the parish priest stand staring at me with the most interesting looks on their faces. One enormously pregnant pause later, the nun looks at me, then to the priest and my family, and then back to me and says, " Oh no you di-ent!"

It's official, I'm going to hell . . .

Photo courtesy Fanpop

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City Wide Weekend!

2011-10-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

I always get excited at the prospect of selling and shopping at City Wide Garage Sale, on account that it's the most fantastically amazing thing ever created.

Whenever I started shopping and then eventually selling at the City Wide, I felt a little bit like Markie Post or Meredith Baxter Birney in one of those Lifetime movies about the perils of addiction - "Unraveled: The LeAnn Stephenson Story" - in which I rob from the kids' chore money and pawn my pancreas to get one more shopping fix.

The way I figure it, everyone has a vice of some sort or another. I probably will never have a drug addiction, or gamble my inheritance away, or take up a smoking habit in which I smoke so much that I spontaneously combust.

My vice is vintage and antique shopping.

The first time I experienced this particular show, my eyes immediately caught fire and my heart raced when I saw booth after booth of vintage goodies awaiting me. In my opinion it's the finest example of vintage shopping porn in central Texas. I recall having to catch my breath, sit down, and put my head between my knees so I wouldn't pass out the first time I visited.

I always find amazingly groovy junk, I mean treasures, from the many vendors at City Wide. And because I had specific request from a faithful stalker, I mean reader, I want to show you some of the goodies I picked up at this fall's Antique's Week that I plan on bringing to this weekend's sale.

Lots of beautiful needlepoint . . . .

. . . . . tons of new vintage frocks . . . .

. . . . . rainbow colors of vintage crystal inventory . . . .

. . . . . and of course piles of vintage textiles, napkins and damask tablecloths.

The sale is at the Palmer Events Center here in Austin. I'll be set up near the red skirted info desk. There is a $7 charge to park in the garage or there is a free parking lot at One Texas Center on the Southwest corner of So. First and Barton Springs Road, as well.

Saturday morning between 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m., City Wide offers early shopper passes for $10 each. This allows those who so choose to have early access to the show and get first dibs on vendors' merchandise before the general admission customers enter at 10 a.m.

I hope you get a chance to come and see me, cuz I have some really marvelous goodies this show!

Have a great weekend and I'll see every back here Monday!

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I Don't Think That's a Thing: Dude!

2011-10-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

OK, so, I have a story . . . . Not just any story . . . . . But an "I Don't Think That's a Thing" story. And I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the eighty-something year old little lady that was an essential part of making my day last Friday.

To begin with, I should share some pertinent information prior to relaying the details of the story. Just a few blocks from my house is this great car wash that will wash and dry your car by hand while you wait out on a patio and lounge in one those humongous cedar rocking chairs and watch them detail everything on your car, down to buffing the rims of your tires and hubcaps.

"Well, . . . . I don't know what to tell you, that's what the guy said," the lady sitting next to me hissed defensively into her cell phone. "Yeah," she continued "a 'HAND JOB' . . . . a-a-a-a-and he even said he'd throw in a 'RIM JOB' for free since it was Senior Day!"

I decided at that point that it would be an opportune time to put on my sunglasses and turn my head so that she wouldn't see me bite my bottom lip in an effort not to laugh. As I turned, I caught a glimpse of the little high school guy sitting on the other side of me. His jaw had dropped and his gaze was fixed on the little old lady - he leaned slightly my direction, without taking his eyes off the lady and loudly whispered, "Dude! I can't wait to get old!"

Image courtesy IMDB, Alcon Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox

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Simply Brilliant: Hoxton Street Monster Supplies

2011-10-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

I had to post about this amazing establishment in London called Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, and their work through The Ministry of Stories. Being this close to Halloween I also couldn't resist posting some of these images!

The Ministry of Stories was founded by Nick Hornby and co-directors Lucy Macnab and Ben Payne. Hidden away at the back of The Monster Shop, the Ministry of Stories provides a free space for young people to write. Mentoring is provided by volunteers, local writers, artists and teachers, all giving their time and talent for free.

The aim of the The Ministry of Stories is to inspire young people and to help transform their lives through writing. They believe that unleashing a young person's imagination can build confidence and self-respect. All forms of writing are encouraged - from song lyrics to play scripts, screenplays to journalism, blogging to games, poems to graphic novels. In short, they strives to inspire a nation of storytellers.

Love these rules written on the front doors!

Too funny!

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Photos courtesy The Ministry of Stories, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies and Mark Wu

Update on The Vintage Laundress

2011-09-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

Under the cover of night, The Vintage Laundress ran away from her shop in Austin and is now hold up under a circus-type tent at The Texas Rose Antique Show during Antiques Week. She loves treasure hunting in overstuffed markets like this one and is under the impression that she has a lot of self-control when it comes to purchasing vintage goodies and that she looks good in skinny jeans (sadly, neither is true.) Amazingly this is her tenth year to participate in this event. The show began Saturday, September 24th, and will run through Saturday, October 1, 2011.

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Simply Brilliant: Vintage Scarf Dress

2011-08-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

A dear friend sent me this thinking that I might like it . . . . . Uhm . . . yeah!!!

Now if I only had $3450.00 and that model's body.

Photos courtesy Comme Des Garcons

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Madam Secretary

2011-08-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

At The Vintage Laundry we believe in being aggressively pink and this marvelous Louis XV Style Secretary/Roll Top Desk meets our manifesto.

It would be just the thing for "A Room of One's Own." I'm thinking Virginia Woolf herself would have put this secretary on her wish list! It has 3 small drawers above the interior cubbies and one large drawer below the writing surface. Patina-d brass drawer pulls and a retractable roll top all perched on 4 elegant cabriole legs. Painted a glossy black with The Vintage Laundry signature pink covering the interiors of all of the drawers and the cubbies.

Check it out in our new bricks and mortar store, on our site or our Etsy. And don't forget our 20% Off promotion we have on our entire inventory. Offer valid through August 10, 2011.

Don't forget to like our Facebook fan page and join our mailing list to receive coupons and other info about events, workshops, book signings, etc.

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You Can Do It!

2011-07-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with that saying, "Taking the world by storm?" Well, that's what I had imagined would happen when I officially opened the doors of The Vintage Laundry shop last week. Well . . . it seems that storm I was anticipating has been downgraded by weather experts to the equivalent of having someone spit out of their car window as they drive past my shop.

We opened our doors on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, at 11:00 A.M. and were an instant hit - like meatloaf at a vegan potluck or the Santa Dreidel. We brought a spoon to a knife fight, basically.

We were not a hit.

But yesterday was a different day because we had customers who must have seen something of value in my quirky little shop (20% off coupon) because they decided for some reason (20% off coupon) to come in and shop and make actual purchases. "This is it," I thought. "Here comes my storm!" I don't know why I'm so confident (20% off coupon,) I just am. So, I'll just keep on keepin' on in my usual overwhelmed state, reacting to these little traffic hiccups with grace (20% off coupon) and optimism (larger discounts coming soon.)

Like our Facebook fan page or join our mailing list to receive your coupons and other info about events, workshops, book signings, etc.

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First Liar Doesn't Have a Chance

2011-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

"You name it."

These are the three words that leave my mouth when the subject of what I carry in the shop arises. Which it does, and quite often, and not without a twinge of self-promotion and most often with a little competitiveness thrown in for good measure. I find myself thinking, when listening to what a customer collects, "I'll see your salt and pepper collection and raise you a mess of printed tablecloths from the 1950s. I'll see your Eames lounge and ottoman and raise you a Louis XV armchair. And I'll see your Vera Neumann scarves and buy 'em." These conversations have no end and no goal, and frankly I have no idea why I carry on so, except maybe I'm just one more vintage find away from starring in the next episode of A&E's Hoarders . . . . check your TV listings, I may already be there.

From the moment that I caught the vintage bug until today, I have lived by the philosophy that it is better to have dumpstered and dived than never to have dumpstered at all. I have acted as host and restorer to just about every vintage item I could squeeze through the front door.

The other day my son began to question a new friends long term viability, noting that he lived in a house with his mom and dad and no old stuff.

"Not even any vintage knickknacks!"

"Not even," he says like his parents were unfit and smoking crack for lunch.

"But how does that work, exactly?" he asked.

"I don't know, I guess their family just likes a minimal look to their home." I try to explain.

"Sounds awful." he says.

So, apparently it's genetic.

I can't think of a smooth segue from there to photos of the shop. So, here they are, the "can't-get-no-minimal" shop photos. Oh! . . . . and don't forget to join The Vintage Laundry on Yelp, Foursquare and check in when you visit and receive a discount on any purchase or you can join us on our Facebook fan page or follow my Tweets to get updates on new merchandise, deals, invitations to exclusive events, workshops and lots more. Special grand opening specials begin next week and you don't want to miss out!!

Comes see our collection of vintage china, crystal and silver . . .

. . . or peruse our vintage chandeliers . . .

. . . or linger in our vintage clothing room . . .

. . . . and don't forget about our Grey Gardens Collection, where you can customize and furniture purchase with paint and upholstery of your choosing . . .

. . . or maybe you have a wedding, dinner party or event that you're planning . . . . check out our vintage rental inventory . . . .

. . . and of course there is always our vintage textiles and linens to Ooooh and Aaah over!

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Epic Facepalm: A Celebration of Fogetting and Frustration

2011-07-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

If you are unfamiliar with the word facepalm let me explain . . . . According to the Urban Dictionary, a facepalm is the act of dropping one's face or forehead into one's hand. Usually accompanied by a
"thunk" or a cry of "Doh!" As in: Today I locked my keys in my car. Again. *facepalm*

Well, unfortunately, I'm all too familiar with this experience as you will gather from the following story:

Things have been slipping my mind for years - at least since I was twenty-eight. I know this because the year I celebrated my twentieth-eighth birthday was the year I was pregnant with my daughter, Olivia. I can even prove it, because after her birth was when I started forgetting the names of people and words - they would just slip away without warning. This marked the time when I had to begin scrolling through my mental dictionary, trying to guesstimate what letter the word or name I was frantically searching for began with. Sometimes I even tried to figure out how many syllables were involved to speed the process. When this first began, the lost name, word, or thought would drift back into my head, recovered, kind of quickly.

But here's the thing: it's gotten worse in the past few years. And now if my daughter, with her talent for remembering everyone's name or my son and husband with their ability to play charades with me aren't close by, I have to fake it. Olivia can actually gather that I'm trying to remember Tina Fey's name when I gesture with my hand in a certain way and Noah and the Hubbs can tell me the name I'm looking for is Julie Andrews when I say, "You know . . . she's that chick that sings on
the mountain in that movie and makes matching clothes for that guy's kids out of the family curtains . . . . and there's nuns . . .?"

I try to comfort myself by insisting I'm too young for dementia to be setting in and that it's not so much a "Senior moment" as it's a Freshman or Sophomore moment, instead.

But here's my point: My forgetting has taken on a new slant. Now I can't remember if I've shared important information or not.

So, just in case I forgot to mention it . . . . . .

THE SHOP IS OPEN!

We will be closed Sundays and Mondays and open from 11PM - 7 PM Tuesday through Saturday. The address is 3406 Glenview, Austin Tx, 78703. You can join The Vintage Laundry on Yelp, Foursquare and check in when you visit and receive a discount on any purchase or you can join us on our Facebook fan page or follow my tweets to get updates on new merchandise, deals, invitations to exclusive events, workshops and lots more. Also in the works is The Vintage Laundry TV on our YouTube channel that I'm really excited about!!! More on that later. I can't wait to share more info and photos! So, check the blog in the next couple of days to take advantage of all of the goodies that we have planned to celebrate our new store opening!

See you soon,
LeAnn

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So's Your Mom

2011-07-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Something funky is going on in the world of women's underwear . . . . Well, at least in THIS woman's world. Don't freak out, I'm not about to over-share or anything, it's just you know how they say that you should always be sure to wear clean underwear just in case you're in a car accident and have to be taken to the hospital? Well, I have a story to tell you and it's kinda like that . . . kinda.

Until Monday night, last week was shaping up to be marvelously productive. All day long the kids and I had been zooming around from one task to another, like protons spinning out of control (I may have the science wrong there) when all of a sudden, I had a complete and total nuclear melt down.

For the past month the whole family has been working in the shop trying to prepare for its opening by painting walls, chairs, etc., hanging chandeliers and mirrors, polishing silver, and pricing merchandise. Monday had been particularly great because it seemed that we were at "full steam" and getting all matter of things accomplished.

And if that wasn't magnificent enough, many, many Diet Dr. Peppers were involved.

So I was working on putting a couple of metal contraptions on the back of a rather large mirror that needed hanging, when it happened. I was sitting on the floor power-drill in hand just about to make my first pilot hole in the template that came with it when my hand slipped, making a lovely pilot hole in my left thumb, instead. I quickly reversed the drill and removed the bit from my thumb and then debated upon which to do first . . . vomit or spout a creative stream of obscenities. Turns out there was a third option which was to burst into inconsolable sobbing - complete with lakes of tears and snot and lots of snubbing just for effect. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't being a complete wussy for nothing, this puncture ranks as one of my more severe injuries. I mean, when I held it up to the light I could actually see all the way through to the other side. And there was blood - lots of blood - like in that episode of SNL where Dan Akroyd, dressed as Julia Childs, has just cut his finger and is spurting blood everywhere. My children quickly grabbed the roll of paper towels and crafted a mighty fine bandage consisting of about twenty-seven sheets of Brawny held together by 2-inch blue painter's tape while the Hubbs located his keys so that we could dash off to the emergency room.

As we ran into the emergency room I became immediately aware that something was wrong, I mean other than my perforated thumb. I was getting some interesting looks from everyone in the waiting room, which prompted me to turn to the Hubbs and ask, while I tilted my head back and pulled my upper lip over my front teeth, "Do I have a bugger?" or, as I looked down at my pants, "Is my fly open?" Turns out neither was the case so, I just smiled and stared back at my audience. The second time I was aware that something was amiss was when the handsome young male nurse led me back to the examination room.

I need to interrupt the story here to share a couple of things about my appearance. When I dress to go to the shop and paint and sweat and move furniture and sweat and sweat some more, I don't take a lot of care in my appearance - I typically choose a pair of Nike running shorts with one of my husband's "seen-better-days" t-shirts and a tragic looking pair of pink flip flops. My attire says, "When I'm not in prison, I enjoy a day of looking homeless." So, just in case I have to go out in public, each morning I grab a change of clothes from the fresh from the dryer pile that is currently residing on my sofa, clothes that I quickly changed into before heading off to the emergency room.

Okay, so I'm there with the handsome nurse asking me all the usual questions, "How current is your tetanus? . . . . yadda, yadda, yadda. when I notice that he keeps looking at my chest or rather right below and to the side of my chest. So, the next time he turns to write on his clipboard I take a quick look at my shirt . . . . . and there "it" is . . . . containing enough static cling to start a small electrical fire . . . . a pair of my underwear stuck to the side of my T-shirt.

As he turns from his clipboard I ask, "Why didn't you tell me I had underwear stuck to my shirt?"

"That's just how I roll. It's nice underwear though - my mom has the same kind." he says.

"Oh, your mom?" is what I said, but this is what I thought:

YOUR MOM!

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Girl Friday: Hammer Time

2011-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Right after my fifteenth birthday, my dad strongly suggested I get a summer job. And by "strongly suggested" I mean every morning, while we were at the kitchen table, he'd stare at me for several moments - kinda blankly, but in a "summing-me-up" kinda way, and then shout over his right shoulder, "This kid needs a job!" I'm not completely sure who he was talking to because it was just the two of us in the kitchen, but he had a point. I mean I hadn't taken any steps toward my dream of becoming a millionaire or a rock star, so it was obvious that I needed a little nudge in the career department. My Mom was a vocational director at the high school where she worked and suggested that I enroll in the vocational program at my high school. I did and was placed at a beautiful china shop called The Brownie Shoppe. A lady named Boots (I have no idea what her real name was, this was her nickname) was my manager and I loved her to pieces. She taught me a lot about the world of work and tutored me in the manner in which to conduct myself while at work. Plus, she talked me through some occasional teenage angst and like to take soft-serve yogurt breaks!

So, I tell you all of that to tell you this - this summer I'm doing my best impersonation of Boots. And by that I mean that I have hired my children to help me get the shop ready for opening day and then requested that they continue on as sales staff for the few weeks before they are off to camp at the end of July. I'm not sure if I have given them any valuable information to take with them on to future jobs but I have learned a little something about myself - I have quite a healthy "micro-manager" streak developing - and I'm sure if you were to ask them, they would say that it's actually a fully developed "micro-manager" streak!

So my kids have become my full-time, on-location carpenters slash painters slash electricians slash plumbers slash landscape experts. Needless to say neither one of them had previously done a lot of this kind of work, so there has been quite a bit of on the job training. The other day I was perched on a ladder changing out the gawd-awful florescent lights that came with the space to something a little more attractive when I had this interaction with my kids:

ME: Okay, lets see . . . Oh, it looks like I need a different screwdriver than the one that I brought up here with me . . . could one of you go fetch me a Phillips? The tool box is in the bathroom . . .

NOAH: Right . . . I'll go get it . . .

OLIVIA: . . . (smiles and let's out a sigh and kinda sways from her heels to her toes as she swings her arms out in front of her and then to the back of her)

ME: . . . . . . wait, wait and wait some more . . . .

NOAH: I don't see it anywhere. . . . . . . What IS a Phillips?

OLIVIA: (with a facial expression I'll never forget, like she was amused and tickled and overwhelmed all at the same time said this) You named your screwdriver? . . . . how sweet! . . . . What's the hammer's name?

And after that I got nothin' . . . . except to say that my children and the Hubbs have worked the booties off along side me and I love them to pieces and thank them more than words can say!!

So below are a few photos of my children becoming familiar with the tools of their mother's trade and a glimpse or two into the decor choices for the shop.

Color inspiration photo courtesy Boden

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BREAKING NEWS!!!

2011-06-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I flunk blogging. I'm inconsistent and I take loooooooong breaks in between posts.

But today, I have news . . . BIG news!

If my blog were one of those 24-hour news channels like CNN or MSNBC, it would be running an endless loop of white banners at the bottom of your computer screen with phrases like VINTAGE LAUNDRESS SIGNS LEASE and LAUNDRESS TO REOPEN BRICKS AND MORTAR SHOP. And, under the white banners would be "the crawl," - you know the endless moving line of script that reports the steps that I have taken over the last several weeks to prepare for opening day, from the paint colors that I have chosen to cover the walls of the store, to the number of friends, family and even customers that have come out of the woodwork to help get this venture up and running, to how much paint I find in my hair, under my fingernails, and on every single t-shirt and pair of shorts that I own on a daily basis. I might even resort to using one of the most oversold phrases on the planet and slap a bright red banner that reads "BREAKING NEWS" across my blog header just for funzies.

All of which you might think a little excessive, but I'm really excited about reopening the shop and want to share the details. I mean, you have to admit, it's not like my BREAKING NEWS is something obvious like; BREAKING NEWS: NUNS DON'T CUSS or BREAKING NEWS: IT'S GOOD TO HAVE EARS.

So, back to my point (and I've buried my lead as usual);
BREAKING NEWS: I'M REOPENING THE SHOP!

Below are a few photos of the shop before I got my hands and paint on it. Thursday and Friday I will share "after" photos and supply the "what", "when" and "where" details of the grand opening.

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Contain Yourself: Narrowed Minded New York Nest

2011-05-26T05:08:00.000-07:00

In past posts I have made it abundantly clear that I have a bit of crush on Cary Grant. I think he's dreamy and he makes my heart do the cha-cha. He always seemed to portray in his films some version of the "man-of-the-world," or of himself, which seems to me to amount to the same thing. I believe he was the last of the truly elegant men. He was cosmopolitan but strong, absurdly good looking, but self-effacing, a cutup who could be a bit of a scoundrel, even a little wicked, but in the end, he would always do the right thing. In short, he was the man women yearned for and men yearned to be. He was one-of-a-kind, just like his former residence in New York.

If you missed last week's post featuring a home constructed from shipping containers you can check it out here. In today's Contain Yourself post, I'd like to share photos of Mr. Grant's former home at 75 1/2 Bedford St. in New York City. At 9½ feet wide, it's the narrowest house in Manhattan. And you're in luck because it is back on the market. But, you will need long pockets if you want to live there because the asking price is a whopping $4.3 million, which is twice what it sold for in 2010. Other luminaries who have slept between its narrow walls are Pulitzer Prize winner Edna St. Vincent Millay, actor John Barrymore, anthropologist Margaret Mead, and cartoonist, William Steig.

The home has been meticulously renovated.

Just enough room for a bathtub.

The house has become part of New York's tourist trail

Photos courtesy Curbed, Daily Mail, and Alamy

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Brilliant Bergeres, Barbara Barry Wannabees and Chinese Take-out

2011-05-20T04:16:00.000-07:00

As I've said many times before, I think custom furniture is like couture in the closet. Take this pair of beautiful vintage Bergere chairs, for instance, and have our studios reupholster it in a fabric of your choice and maybe jazz up the woodwork with a new stain or a painted effect.

These 1950s reproduction Bergere chairs would look marvelous re-worked in a heavy linen or maybe a rich velvet. The square upholstered back joins a padded arm above a down and duck feather cushion with a serpentine apron raised on graceful cabriole legs. These simply exceptional pieces would elevate the class and grace of any room. Their frames are sturdy but present fabric is worn and needs replacing - each chair will need 6 yards of a solid fabric and 7 yards of a fabric that is patterned. The leg can be either left with the original patina or can be re-stained or treated with a paint effect.

Second in line are these signature chairs that possess a back design that is composed of a couple of graceful wood ovals that create a beautifully intriguing form. There is something about these chairs that remind me of Barbara Barry's Bracelet chair. The clean lines and elegance of the back make them timeless pieces and the seat cushions can be revamped again and again. The wood can be left as is with its worn patina or can be re-stained or treated with a paint finish. I have three of these chairs available.

Last on the list of new inventory is this vintage reproduction Black Chinese Chippendale End Table is stunning! It has a removable rectangular lacquer tray with repetitive gilt border on a black lacquer stand. The faux bamboo turned legs have marvelous gilt accents and are connected with a second fixed black tray.

Hope you all have a marvelous weekend and if you get a moment, I hope you can check out my other new inventory listings here.

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Want It Wednesdays: Cerise's Pieces (get it like Reese's Pieces!)

2011-05-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy Lomography, Design Shop UK, 1stdibs and Shrimpton Couture

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Contain Yourself: Debbie Glassberg

2011-05-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their porn. Mine is home design. I also dabble in DIY, which I'm pretty sure is a kinky subculture - the S and M of home decor, if you will. I'm not entirely sure how this happened or when, but this much I AM sure of, shelter magazines, home improvement shows on TV, and big-box stores constantly enabled me. I futz around my house with the tenacity of an obsessive compulsive - think Monk or Rain Man only with ovaries and a paint brush. Don't misunderstand, a neat freak I am not - far from it. As a matter of fact, there are times when my house can be so cluttered that one might need a sherpa to find his way safely from the bedroom to the kitchen. I'm sorry to say that my housekeeping skills don't serve so much as a good example as they are a horrible warning. I've never claimed that cleaning and organizing are my thing. I flunked "tidy" but I'm top of my class in "topcoat," "tack hammer" and "painter's tape."

So, with that in mind, today I would like to begin a new series of weekly (unless I get lazy) posts called "Contain Yourself," where I will share photos and links to what other home design junkies choose as containers for their families, their stuff, and their lives.

Today's home is from Debbie Glassberg, an industrial and toy designer from "Our Man Stan's" hometown of Kansas City, who recently took on something a little larger, seeing homes where others saw only metal boxes.

You know those metal shipping containers that you see on rail cars? Yeah, the ones with the graffiti and the rust. Well, Glassberg has designed a home, made from those metal containers and placed it in the aging Kansas City neighborhood of Brookside.

The home is made from five shipping containers. It’s a little over 2,000 square feet. Her container home is green with geothermal heat, soy foam insulation, bamboo flooring, and LED lighting. Debbie’s father, who owns a factory in China, was able to negotiate with individual Chinese manufacturers for all aspects of the interior of the home cutting thousands of dollars from the cost.

In the middle of the house is a galley kitchen. She didn’t have a lot of space because she was using just the container space. So on one side she made a more of a shallow counter and filled it with energy efficient appliances. There is also a window in the kitchen to serve your guests outside.

The master bedroom is constructed of two nine and a half foot containers that are joined together. She made a his and hers closet that is designed very simply with two boxes and rails making for really sufficient hanging space. Then she created one nice drawered piece of furniture to hold all her other things. Additionally, on the second floor adjacent to the deck is a rooftop edible garden.

Cargo containers are now gaining the attention of many architects, engineers, and designers as a useful architectural material. Glassberg joined with many other container lovers and had the Home Contained built. Aside from the cargo containers, the Home Contained has other earth-friendly features, which include green roof, geothermal heating, insulated walls and solar panels. With these features, occupants will be able to save on their energy usage and money as this will surely keep their electricity bill lower than it should be if they chose to use first hand materials, opt not to have solar panels, and the like.

Photos and video courtesy Home Contained, igreenspot, and YouTube

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The Honey Trees: Magic in Music Form

2011-05-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

If you have a pulse, it's likely that you have seen Audrey Hepburn perform Moon River in Breakfast at Tiffany's. This is a beautiful cover done by The Honey Trees that I can't wait to share with you.

Artists Becky Filip and Jacob Wick are The Honey Trees, and according to their very brief bio, are a band that tries to create magic in music form.

I think they're a couple of very talented "Houdinis!"

Video by Meg Isaacs and Luke Severn, audio by Travis Whitney, editing by Kyle Hammond, produced by Ben Ayers, video courtesy The Lofi Sessions.

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Ladies of the Land

2011-05-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is my sister D'Aunn presenting my Mom with flowers on a Mother's Day many years ago.

On this Mother's Day, I would like to honor a group of women I like to call "The Ladies of the Land." They consist of not only my mother, my daughter, my aunts, sisters, and nieces but of all of the women in my life, past and present. I want to thank and honor not only my mother, but all of the women who make up a small, but critically important circle of support; support and love that I have had the privilege of receiving my whole life long.

These women sail through their lives and mine while doing that "limping-one-minute-carrying-the-next" thing that women do. I have conferred with one or the other of them about bumps and moles, teachers, carbs and stained rugs. Together we have worried about who seems down, who looks happy, and who has lost their figure and/or their mind. Many have offered guidance when I'm spiritually perplexed, held my hand through heart-breaking loss, and celebrated with me in times of great joy. They can tell something is wrong by the way I say "Everything is fine," and have lived their ordinary lives with extraordinary grace and strength while teaching me how to star in my own life. If I killed someone, they would show up with shovels and help me bury the body - accessory after the fact be damned. They have rallied around me and held me up when I was bringing a new life into the world and stood beside me and honored the memory of a loved one as they left this world.

More often than not, over the past forty-five years, I have been the fortunate recipient of wisdom passed out around kitchen tables while questioning the pros and cons of parenting, marriage, Spanx, government, and the minutia of life in general. My life has been built upon the bones of these conversations and I find myself referring back to these talks for answers. My life would not have been as full or as happy without the influence of all of these women and I am immensely grateful for the education, love, and comfort they have provided for me.

I love you all more than you can ever know,
LeAnn

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Cantilevering My "Buttress"

2011-05-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's getting warm and my garden is getting a little overgrown and I need to tend to it. When I'm working out in the garden my attire consists of a swim suit, running shorts, a crappy pair of tennis shoes and zinc oxide on my nose, to add to my hot-ness.

When I was younger swim suits were fun and sexy. Bikini's were one of the main implements in my seduction tool kit - the other was being really cling-y - men love that! Anyway, my point is this, swimwear used to work for me - I couldn't wait to get out on the lake in my new suit.

Well, that was then and this is now.

Now, I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini. Now I buy costly one piece contraptions that Isaac Newton would marvel at. I ask a lot from my swimsuits these days, to begin with they have to lift and separate. And if I'm really fortunate I can find one that helps cantilever my "buttress," if you know what I'm sayin', while generally defying gravity.

So the other day, after I had delayed the inevitable as long as I could, I dug last year's suit out of my drawer and began the arduous task of squeezing into it. First I guided my left and then right foot into the appropriate leg holes and proceeded to tug and heave the Lycra up over my hips, then past my waist (also known as a floatation device,) finishing by wiggling the "breast-icle" portion of my frame into place by slipping the straps over my shoulders with a snap.

As I walked over to the mirror to check the fit I noticed a few things. First and foremost, I couldn't breathe and I was getting a little light headed from lack oxygen. Also, I noticed a sharp pain in the booty area - Seems the crotch region of the suit was giving me a do-it-yourself colonoscopy without the benefit of anesthesia. Additionally, there was a lot of homeless flesh hanging around looking a lot like my own personal floaties. The only upside to this whole deal was that most of the heft that has taken up residence in my mid section was being relocated up toward my chest. And for the first time since the birth of my son, I had knockers! Big-huge-men-would-struggle-with-maintaining-eye-contact-kinda-knockers! But, even that had its downside because the suit had forced everything up so high that it's possible that I had an extra pair of breasts above my collar bone. Not only that but, I noticed a new mole on my neck that I suspect used to be a nipple.

Anyway, as usual, I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

Last year about this time began a particularly trying and stressful time in my life. Without trudging through the details I'll just relay that life was dealing me and my little family a lot of hard blows and our spirits were pretty low. So, I did what I normally do when things get stress-y and little too intense I broke out the 3 P's; First I panicked, I and then I prayed and then I planted. I got this notion from Lady Bird Johnson who is credited with saying that where flowers bloom so does hope. So, after receiving a few rose bushes for Mother's Day and then a few more for my birthday in June and even more for an anniversary in August I began with this garden. And I'd like to share some photos of how it looked then and how it looks today.

My front yard had a spot at the corner that refused to grow grass. Every spring I would put new sod down and every summer it would burn to a crisp. So last spring I decided to rent a tiller and turn that corner into a rose garden and add a river rock path to my front door. And since I'm the "Queen of Cheap" most all of the supplies like garden edging, mulch and river rock cost me nothing thanks to a daily habit of scouring the "Free" section of my local Craigslist. After the $50 dollars it cost to rent a tiller for a day, all I was out was some sweat equity.

So here goes:

Above I have pictured just a few of the roses that I planted. The names of all of the roses are: Heirloom Hybrid Tea Rose, Arizona Grandiflora Rose, Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose, Sunsprite Floribunda Rose, Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose, Royal Highness Hybrid Teas Rose, Diamond Jubilee Hybrid Tea Rose and three bushes that were labeled simply Rose.

Below are a few pics of the river rock path, the garden edging and the mulch I picked up for "free" on Craigslist.

And pictured below is how they have grown a year later. They are all at least a foot and a half taller in height and have been covered in blooms since the middle of March.

Now that is a lot of bloomin' hope!

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City Wide This Weekend

2011-04-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope those of you who are brand loyal to Jesus enjoyed your Easter weekend. I myself am of that persuasion and had a lovely weekend with my kids, my niece and my brother-in-law. We attended our church services as a group and then my bro-in-law treated all of us to a marvelous lunch at one of our favorite restaurants.

This weekend my plans are a little different - I will be showing at the City Wide Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center here in Austin. I've been preparing other goodies for this weekend's (April 30th and May 1st) City Wide Garage Sale at Palmer Events Center here in Austin. My booth is #221 near the red skirted info desk. There is a $7 charge to park in the garage or there is a free parking lot at One Texas Center on the Southwest corner of So. First and Barton Springs, as well.

Saturday morning between 8:30am - 10am, City Wide offers early shopper passes for $10 each. This allows those who so choose to have early access to the show and get first dibs on vendors' merchandise before the general admission customers enter at 10am.

I hope you get a chance to come and see me, cuz I have some really marvelous goodies this show!

Have a great weekend and I'll see every back here Monday!

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I Don't Think That's a Thing

2011-03-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not very good with "idioms." I've been known to combine two different expressions resulting in a lot of puzzled reactions from the people to whom I am speaking. For example, I've found it necessary on many occasions to say, "I just can't seem to get all my ducks on the same page," to suggest that I'm unorganized. And I warn my kids all too often to not, "Count their chickens before they get their heads cut off."

I misunderstand the wording of things, as well. For instance, when I was a little girl I was deathly afraid of weasels because I thought that that was what was being said in the Lord's prayer. You know, the part were you're supposed to say, ". . . lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil?" I thought I was supposed to say, " . . . deliver us from weasels." And I couldn't imagine how weasels could be so dangerous and why we had to impose on God to protect us from them. Additionally, instead of the Virgin Mary I thought they were saying "the Verg and Mary," which spurred lots of questions like, "Who's this Verg guy? and what were his intentions concerning Mary?"

So, my family has come up with a mechanism to deal with my misinformed expressions and misunderstood words. When I happen to turn a phrase the wrong way my family says, in the nicest possible way, " Honey/Mommy, I don't think that's a thing."

I find it fascinating how people always bring their own stuff into words and in return can create some really hilarious interactions and situations. We, my family and I, have actually started collecting "I don't think that's a thing" examples from the world at large. We share them with each other on an almost daily basis and I thought maybe you might get a giggle or two out of my most recent addition.

Today's "I don't think that's a thing" happened last week while I was getting the brakes fixed on my soccer Mom van. I was sitting in the waiting area reading a two-year-old issue of People magazine when a really flustered young woman walked in. She had what my children might refer to as a "I'm-trying-not-to-catch-on- fire" look about her. As the young woman began to open her mouth to address the man behind the counter, he gave her the finger - no, not that finger, but the index one - which even I know is the universal symbol for, "Hush up! Can't you see I'm on the phone?" As he hung up the phone he turned his gaze back to the young woman and asked, "May I help you, Miss?" She responded with, "Yes, I think my car is out of gravy!" He scrunched his eyebrows together, retracted his chin back into his neck, took a deep breath, and shot me a look that seemed to say, "Really?" and then responded with, "Miss, I'm pretty sure neither one of us knows what you are talking about." She then replied, "Yeah, that little Aladdin's lamp looking-light keeps flashing at me - and I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to drive without gravy cuz' it might stall out and then I'd have to be jacked off."

All I can say after that is . . . Money can't buy happiness but it can buy me new brakes and supply me with a funny story and lots of laughs, which is kinda the same.

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Grafters: ¡el grupo!

2011-03-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's Grafters day on the blog. And today, I have a whimsical piece by a group of designers and craftsmen with a passion to create and influence the world around them called ¡el grupo!.

This playful piece of street art, entitled Moustache Rides, is a see-saw built for waiting customers at East Austin's El Chilito taco stand. The see-saw was built from discarded phone booths and lined with rhino liner, a covering typically sprayed on truck beds for weather protection. The sunglasses and seat backs are made of wood that is burned using a weatherizing process called "shou sugi ban," which is a process traditionally used on Japanese homes. Sugi is known as Japanese cedar, but it's really more of a cypress and it is burned to resist rot and fire.

This is the first project by, a creative collective recently formed in Austin, Texas, as part of The Pay Phone Revival Project back in November of 2010. They have a blog where you can go for more info and photos about the process.

Great fun and very Grafter-esque!

Photos courtesy Nicolas Rivard, ¡el grupo!, and The Pay Phone Revival Project

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Grafter: Frederique Morrel

2011-02-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone, welcome back to my Grafters series. If you missed the two previous posts I featured Shannon South of reMade USA and Carolina Fontoura Alzaga. Today I would like to introduce you to Frederique Morrel.

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of taxidermy. It just seems a bit gross and gory. But that was before I discovered Frederique Morrel˙s marvelous work. Her sense of humor gets me initially, and then the upcycling element or "decycling," as she puts it, grabs my attention next. I so enjoy her work. It makes me giggle and stand in awe. She's truly an original!

Vintage tapestries are gathered by family and friends to fit fiberglass taxidermy molds that have been injected with expanding foam. Realistic details such as teeth, tongue, hooves and ears are finished with resin or latex and then airbrushed. Real antlers, discovered by her "horny" husband, are fixed to the head and then the entire mold is covered with the vintage tapestries.

The special ingredients and materials she uses tell stories of simple and ideal happiness. These enchanting heirlooms have elevated taxidermy to a new level and I would love to have one of her works in any part of my home! Hope you are as taken with her as I am!

This is Frederique Morrel. She began this quest after being troubled by the fact that her grandmother's needlework was discarded when she passed away. Ever since, she has been obsessed with the idea of making them come back to life, obsessed with the redemption of her grandmother's ardent work.

And this is Aaron Levin. He is the guardian of the Frederique Morrel brand. He is often on the lookout for rare tapestries. And together this power couple has taken on the task of re-enchanting the world. And, in my opinion, the stories told through these marvelous works of art have more than accomplished that goal.

Every piece is one-of-a-kind.

Meet Tony and Eva.

Images courtesy Frederique Morrel.

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Want It Wednesdays: Out of the Blue

2011-02-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Photos courtesy Etsy, Quench Metalworks, Brooklyn Retro and Gardenhouse

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Eco Art Youth Recycling Contest

2011-02-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I just learned of this a few moments ago and the entry deadline is today but, I had to let you know about a great event shared with me by a reader after reading today's Grafter post. Eco Art Youth Recycling Contest, to quote the reader that shared this with me," This is where young grafters are at work!"

According to their web page the Rodeo Austin's Eco Art Youth Recycling Contest gives students the chance to revitalize recycled items to create a work of art, a functional piece or anything else that showcases innovation through re-used materials.

Here are a few of the contest details:

• Eligibility: Open to any Texas student 5-18 years of age. No school or organization affiliation required.
• Individual Divisions: 5-8 years of age, 9-13 & 14-18
• Team Divisions: 14-18 years of age, minimum of 2 or maximum of 6 students per team
• Entry fee: $10 per entry
• Entry deadline: February 15, 2011

The entries will be displayed March 24th from 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM. I'll have to get back with everyone about the location.

Photos courtesy Rodeo Austin and Rodeo Austin's Eco Art Youth Recycling Contest

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Grafter: Carolina Fontoura Alzaga

2011-02-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

If you missed my first post on my new Grafter series featuring those folks that have a talent for making something out of nothing, no biggy, you can go back and read it later. Last week I featured Shannon South of reMade USA and today I would like to introduce you to Carolina Fontoura Alzaga a multidisciplinary artist with a penchant for re-purposing castoff materials.

Carolina Fontoura Alzaga upcycled lighting designs are a step above the rest. At first glance I thought that maybe one of the components looked a little bit like a bicycle rim and then slowly I started to realize that the beads were not beads but bike chains! Inspired by Victorian chandeliers, DIY culture and bikes, the bike chain chandeliers designed and made by Carolina start out as anything but artistic but end up exquisite works of art.

She combines the elegance of a Victorian age with discarded bike parts resulting in a stellar example of grafter art, as well as upcycling done right.

If you are a Grafter or know of someone who is please get in touch with links and photos of your creations.

Photos courtesy Carolina Fontoura Alzaga and Re-Nest.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy Wikimedia

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My Little Happy Place: Would you ever?

2011-02-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Alison over at My Little Happy Place!

Simply Brilliant: Local Natives and la Blogoteque

2011-02-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

One of the best things I've ever heard said about music is this; Music is what feelings sound like. Before you get all "wow she's profound" about me - it's a quote, I'm just borrowing it. But isn't it true? Music produces such pleasure for me and my family that it would be difficult to live fully without it around our house. My "indie" children, Olivia and Noah, are both marvelous singers and my niece Morgan, plays the piano with élan. Noah strums the strings off his guitar and visitors to our home are subject to impromptu "jam sessions" on a regular basis.

Recently, my daughter introduced me to a marvelous band called Local Natives an "indie rock" band based in Los Angeles. Their debut album, Gorilla Manor, was first released in the UK in November 2009, and later released in the U.S. in February of 2010. According to Wikipedia, their sound has been described as "afropop-influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies." Clash Music has also described their style as psych-folk, or modern worldly folk. All I know is that I like 'em and I hope you do, too.

So, here's the video Olivia shared with me - it's a magical video from la Blogoteque filmed in Paris and posted on their video series called Take Away Show. La Blogoteque describes these shows as a weekly film session with an artist or a group who has been invited to play in the city, a bar, the street, a park, an apartment, with the passage of incidents, hesitations or those moments of madness. The videos are free of mounting cosmetics, with a gross capturing the moment, filming music as it comes, without preparation and without tricks. This video was directed by Nathaniel Le Scouarnec. Members of the band are Taylor Rice, Kelcey Ayer, Ryan Hahn, Andy Hamm, and Matt Frazier.

Watch the Take Away Show Here.

Local Natives will be preforming in Austin on Mar 11th at Stubb's Barbeque. Off to get tickets!

Images, film and sound courtesy of Nat Le Scouarnec, Sound by JB Aubonnet and François Clos, Mix by JB Aubonnet, Production Management by Hedwige Hénain and was produced by Chryde for la Blogotheque. The song title is Who Knows Who Cares and is off of their Gorilla Manor album.

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Want It Wednesdays: Caught Me Red-handed

2011-02-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

Photos courtesy Shrimpton Couture, Etsy, Joe Vintage and The Vintage Supply Company.

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Grafter: Shannon South

2011-02-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

In the English language we have a several descriptive expressions to suggest a talent for making something out of nothing; you know, those people who can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and turn convention on its ear. In Italian the phrase is creare qualcosa dal nulla.

In the urban dictionary these folks are referred to as grafters and are defined as follows: A Grafter is a person who sets his stall out and proceeds to market and trade with whatever currency is available . . . a creative person who is capable of turning a blank canvas into a masterpiece . . . a free enterprise, a freelance entrepreneur, a freedom fighter who lives to work. A Grafter controls his own destiny.

The honorable profession of grafting is a way of life. To be a grafter you need to be self-motivated, a go-getter. Well, as luck (and a lot of snooping around on the web) would have it, I have found a lot of these go-getters and decided to start a weekly post called Grafter to showcase these marvelously talented people and their work. Today I would like to introduce you to Shannon South the artisan and brainchild behind reMade USA.

reMade USA is a design company founded by Shannon, that upcycles used materials to make one-of-a-kind accessories. She says her mission is to create beautiful, long-lasting, well-made products that positively impact the environment, our users and our makers. All products are hand-crafted in her studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY.

This is her marvelous Doily Pendant Lamp

"Every bag we make at reMade USA is made by hand," says South. And she not kidding - You've got to check out this extremely edited-down photo journal that tracks the steps taken to make this amazing bag below. The amount of work that went into making this bag exhausts me just to look at!

You can become a fan on Shannon's Facebook and check out tweets on her Twitter, too!

If you are a Grafter or know of someone who is please get in touch with links and photos of your creations.

Photos courtesy Shannon South, reMade USA and Inhabitat.

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I'm a Good Fork

2011-02-04T06:04:00.000-08:00

I looked in the mirror the other morning - after wiping a clear spot in all the caked-on tooth paste splatters and the reflection I saw looked like Chris Farley with a hemorrhoid. That is to say - I don't look my best first thing in the morning. But who does? Right? But here's the thing, I don't improve as the day goes on - I just kinda ripen, if you know what I'm sayin'.

So, this year I've pledged to improve a lot of things, my health, my mind, my body . . . well, you get the idea. Anyway, one of the things that I've decided to do is learn Italian. I think it is a beautiful language and it's been on my "To-do list" since my sophomore year in college. I mean since there are so many Italians in Texas and I thought it would be nice to be able to converse with them . . . . . huh? . . . . Exactly!

To give you a rough idea of the pace at which I tackle my "To-do lists," I'd like to share a little snippet of my daily activities. The other day I found a letter that I had written to a dear friend concerning my daughter that I'd forgotten to mail. I figured it just needed a little updating to send, so I steamed it open and after "Olivia is . . ." I whited-out "teething" and wrote in "driving." I think, perhaps, this particular instance speaks volumes in describing my whole being. Just to be clear, I'm what comes after the snail when referring to pace.

So, what was I saying? Oh yes . . . . Italian . . .

I bring up the Italian for two reasons; (No. 1) Yum! and here I refer to the men and the food . . . . Am I right?! and (No. 2) I'm, as they say in Italian, una buona forchetta - which means that I'm a good eater or rather, quite literally translates to - I'm a good fork. Please pay particular attention to the "r" in the translation - because without it I sound a little slutty. And to be honest, I have been a bit of a food floozy lately and in 2010 my diet would have probably fallen on the slovenly side of things more than anything else. I'm not suggesting that I'm a glutton, but in my family gravy is considered a beverage.

So, it's back to gym with me. But this time I'm taking the whole family and we are gonna get healthy and in shape and all that junk. Things have been going really well so far. As a matter of fact, I've already been to the gym three times this week and yesterday I was named "Miss Varicose Vein" for my region. Last year I shared stories of Naked Nana and others, but this year my gym stories will probably revolve more around the frightening fact that while I was asleep and away from the gym I went out of style.

So, I think I will close this post the same way I closed last year's rant on exercise and getting in shape. Though none of this has anything whatsoever to do with the "vintage" or the "inspirational" premise of this blog, my reasoning behind sharing this is to tell you that there are muscles in my body that have not been flexed since the last Bush administration . . . and now they HURT!! . . . and I feel VINTAGE!

Image courtesy CafePress

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My House Is Staring At Me

2011-02-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

There's something you should know about me, I have a shortage of personal restraint. I can turn away from the computer, a book, or some task that I need to finish and see it. Paint me, my bathroom walls so clearly pleads. Pull me up, my nappy-seen-better-days carpet begs me. My entire house, inside and out, can stare at me so intently sometimes, like it's on the verge of speech. I haven't yet learned how to arrange my thoughts in that reasonable way other folks do. Thoughtful arrangements like; maybe you should finish the last project before you begin a new one. Or, perhaps, you should evaluate your abilities before taking on a major renovation single-handedly.

I have over the past year, begun and not yet finished a stair redo and a master bath renovation without having the slightest idea when I might finish them. So, the only logical thing in my mind is to start another project . . . . . and for those of you who know my battles with Do-it-yourself Deficit Disorder, I enthusiastically invite you to STICK A SOCK IN IT! and play along.

My new project is my garage, also known as the dumping ground and my storage unit. The mere thought of my over-stuffed garage makes my hands tremble and my mouth go dry from sensory over-load. But no more, because I've begun AND finished the cleaning out process and am moving on to the patching, painting, and transforming part of the job. So, I'd like to share a few photos to give you an idea of what I started with, where I'm goin' and measures I've taken to get organized.

See you soon with the finished project . . . . and for those readers who are skeptical . . . again, I enthusiastically invite you to STICK A SOCK IN IT! and have a little faith that I'll actually finish this one!

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Sneak Peek at The Vintage Laundry Spring Catalog

2011-01-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

The past couple of weeks I have spent a lot of time washing, ironing, steaming, sizing, and fitting clothes - vintage ones, which is more or less, as pathetic as it sounds, but not entirely without purpose. I broke out the domestic goddess imitation in preparation for The Vintage Laundry's Spring Catalog photo shoot. And, today I thought I'd tease you with a little sneak peak. The catalog will be published in February - so stay tuned!

These marvelous photos were shot by my beautiful daughter Olivia Stephenson on first or maybe her second paid gig! I'm slightly biased and everything, but I think she's an amazingly talented photographer.

Photos courtesy The Vintage Laundry and Olivia Stephenson

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Little Love Notes

2011-01-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy Reform School Rules

With Valentine's Day looming in the next couple of weeks, I've decided to start leaving little love notes for everyone. I've got some that are a little bit mushy, some that are a little bit funny and some that are little bit jaded - just to cover my bases.

The above image makes me think of something Lily Tomlin has been quoted as saying, "If love is the answer, could you please rephrase the question?" That would be a combo of funny and jaded or a "faded" love, if you will.

Next up is something I read as a teenager, wrote down and used as a kinda check list when dealing with affairs of the heart.

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Inspiration: Color Me Happy!

2011-01-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

Janis Nicolay is a marvelous talent and a dear blog friend.

This breathtaking image can yours, check out her Etsy.

This marvelous image can be purchased on her Etsy .

Debi Treloar is originally from Zimbabwe, studied art then photography and she has lives and works in London. She shot this fantastic photo for Emily Chalmers .

Courtesy Debi Treloar

Best selling author and stylist Selina Lake has always provided such inspiration for me.

Courtesy Selina Lake

Courtesy Selina Lake

Photos courtesy Selina Lake, Debi Treloar, Emily Chalmers , Janis Nicolay, Etsy, and Pinecone Camp

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Simply Brilliant

2011-01-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

Tim Walker Photographer

Artist Shane Waltener

Decorated tree outside of Penelope’s Durston‘s beautiful shop Cottage Industry

Photo courtesy The Design Files

Tim Walker Photographer

Images courtesy Tim Walker, clmus.com, Penelope’s Durston‘s, Shane Waltener and The Design Files

Narrow Waist Seeks Broad Mind

2011-01-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

At the moment, I'm doing what I normally do every January . . . . that being, looking at the pattern of my life and deciding that I don't like it and working on a plan to change it.

So here's what I've been thinkin' . . . . In June of 2011, I will celebrate my forty-sixth birthday. The thought of being a middle-aged person has never appealed to me. It doesn't seem like a job I'd apply for. I always imagine a personal ad that reads something like this:

Narrow Waist Seeks Broad Mind

Narrow waist seeks opportunity to change places with a broad mind. Warning: When waist trades places with mind everything on your body will hurt, and what doesn't hurt won't work any longer. Also, your body might develop some food allergies, and every time you eat, it will break out into fat. This will cause self-loathing through most of your 40s and 50s, and a few years afterward, and intermittently for the next twenty-five years or so.
Requirements:
Applicant must have degree from the School of Creative Mathematics so that you honestly do not know how old you are. Also, when calculating your age in dog years, you must be dead.
Pay:
No pay. Possible opportunities for "pay back," "paying it forward," and "paying very little attention" but, no actual compensation.
Education:
Nursery school or equivalent.
Benefits:
You won't have to drink alcohol anymore - you can get the same effect by just standing up fast. Also, you get to boast that you're not forty-five years old, but eighteen with twenty-seven years experience.

To get a jump start on the New Year, my therapist has suggested a daily regimen of finishing what I have started, and I have stead-fastly stuck to it, too! Here's proof... so far today, I have finished a 6-pack of Diet Dr. Peppers and a Haagen-Dazs Dove Bar and I feel pretty accomplished. Next she suggested a "do-not-do-that" list. First on the list is making statements like "Jeez I'm getting such a muffin top!" or "Would you look at my ka-donkey-donk butt?!" -Inevitablly I get a response like "You look great," which is a lie but said out of kindness and love and is code for "I noticed that you've put on a little weight, but if you think you're going to get me to agree with you, you're nuts."

In a nutshell, my New Year's Resolution plan includes these rules of thumb:

• Change my exercise routine. Instead of running my mouth, pushing my luck and jumping to conclusions, do an occasional sit-up or take a jog.

• Avoid contact with things that raise my blood pressure. Including, but not limited to, things that possess tetanus, tires, or testicles.

• Stop eating food and switch to bark so that I can look better naked.

and finally . . . .

• Die young as late as possible.

Happy New year everyone . . . see you tomorrow!

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See You In 2011!

2010-12-27T01:23:00.000-08:00

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it”
-Lily Tomlin

At the close of 2010, I'm looking forward to 2011 with much anticipation. I am so grateful for the opportunity you’ve all given me to share the things that inspire me, make me laugh, make me cry and make me reach for the "happy pills". Thanks to all of you for your friendship - I'm so very thankful that this past year brought each and every one of you into my world! I will see you after a few days of fun, family and goofin' off.

Here's to a little less stress and reality, for that matter, in 2011!

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Funny How My Finest Hour Lasted a Minute and a Half

2010-12-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

So, I'm all a twitter cuz I'm in The Austin American Statesman today - on the front of the Lifestyles section even, yet, already!! And, what's even cooler is that my presence there has nothing whatsoever to do with my being dead, imprisoned, or part of a scandalous news story!

Freelance lifestyle journalist and good friend, Amy Gabriel, chose to feature me and my home in her new-ish series called Inner Space. According to the Statesman, it's a monthly look inside some of Austin's most stylish nooks and nests. How groovy is that? I'm stylish and I have a nook AND a nest! At least for today anyway! Many thanks to Amy, the Statesman, and the talented freelance photographer, Ashley Landis, who shot these photos.

And if you're interested, you can read the full story here. And you can get a sneak peek at the newly designed Vintage Laundry website here.

Happy almost Christmas Eve!

Photos courtesy Ashley Landis and the Austin American Statesman

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Want It Wednesdays: Blue Christmas

2010-12-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

Photos courtesy Mallett Antiques, Corinne Robbins, 1stdibs and Guinevere

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Fire-resistant Menus "R" Us

2010-12-21T06:48:00.000-08:00

I don't remember exactly how long I was in the grocery store, but my presence there began on a road not so much paved with enthusiasm as sporadically littered with an enthusiastic resistance. This is my first, and most likely my last, time to be solely responsible for Christmas dinner. Being blessed with two aunts, a mother, and three siblings who are thoroughly marvelous cooks, I can say with a solid degree of authority, that I am a lousy cook. I spontaneously screw up the order and amounts of ingredients in cakes, of course, unless I buy them in a box and all I have to do is add an egg. I will, without thinking twice, serve a steak so rare that with a little help from a vet, it could recover. I cook so poorly I'm amazed my children and da Hubbs have not put in for transfers.

Over the years (45 to be exact) I have taken cooking as seriously as someone like myself could. I knew my motivation was rooted in fire-resistant menus; I wouldn't cook it if it was likely to burst into flames. Clearly roasting was out of the question, as was braising, sauteing, and everything involving a ladle. I've been thinking about our Christmas dinner menu for some time now, wondering what food items I deemed durable enough to withstand my underqualified, indifferent, likely-to-send-send-you-to-the-emergency-room-with-food-poisoning" culinary skills. And then it hit me . . . . we'll begin with cheddar whizzy shot straight out of the can into our mouths, along with little square Spam bits eaten with toothpicks a -la-the Rainman followed by fruit roll-ups and Altoids. But I had a hunch that the family might object. So, I closed my eyes right there in the snack aisle and shook my head like a Magic 8-Ball waiting for a different idea. I think it it is fair to say that I am often epicuriously lethargic.

The good news is that "fully cooked" has turned out to be the magic password for cooking for the holidays, just the way "let's get take out" would on a weekday or "there's no food in the house" works on the weekends. In theory, this should solve my problem . . . . . right? . . . . . well, I'll keep you posted. But in the mean time here are some marvelous food blogs that keep me laughing and inspire me to solve my "crappy cook" conundrum:

The ever creative Amateur Gourmet

The witty, tongue twister of a blog named Spork Or Foon

And a blackly hilarious blog called Suicidefood

Photos and logos courtesy Amateur Gourmet, Spork Or Foon, Suicidefood and Amazon

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Girl Friday: Dollars for Dreamers

2010-12-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl, the second I heard and understood the definition of the word entrepreneur, I knew I wanted to be one. To me, it seemed the most cool, wayward, underground, and flat-out liberating thing there was. I wanted to own my own business immediately, largely because I had no idea what it entailed. I had no thoughts of cash flow or financial deficiencies. I figured that all an entrepreneur had to do was just raise their hand in a "please-hand -over-all-your-cash" manner as they explained their vision and passers-by would simple empty their pockets in an effort to support their spunky creative gumption.

Well, strange as it may seem, I wasn't far off. Because today I ran across a company called Kickstarter, whose basic premise stems from just that thought process. It's a fundraising website co-founded by Yancey Strickler and Perry Chen. The thing that sets this company apart from other crowd-sourcing ideas is the fact that it's an all-or-nothing situation. Here's how it works: You set a fundraising goal and a timeline that can stretch up to 90 days. Pledges are tiered, with each tier offering different incentives. If your project doesn’t reach your pre-set monetary goal in the time limit, nobody pays. If you reach your goal before the time limit, you continue to raise money until the time limit is up. The implications of this are that b ackers simply can't lose — if you can’t complete the project, they don’t pay. And if you can, they get both their tier award and the satisfaction of knowing they were instrumental in helping a dream come true. Kickstarter and Amazon have teamed to make payments seamless and safe. Amazon acts like an escrow service — if pledge goals are met, the pledges are automatically charged the moment the funding time limit is reached.

You can read more on this marvelous company in Wired, NPR and The New York Times.

One of Kickstarter’s earliest success stories was Polyvinyl Record, an indie record label that has released albums by of Montreal and Asobi Seksu.
I, myself, will be wasting no time in getting started!

Logo courtesy Kickstarter

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"Urine" For a Treat"

2010-12-16T05:47:00.000-08:00

There is no etiquette, no protocol for asking one's husband, " Did you by chance take a whiz on the bathroom floor this morning?" It's just awkward. This seems an obvious "good manners" faux pas, but there are certain aiming mis-judgments that polite society will permit. People have been known to miss the boat, miss the point, and one's heart might miss a beat, and we simply shake our heads, shrug our shoulders and move on. I mean I don't claim to be Emily Post or anything and nobody's perfect, right? All of us are only human after all. But, stepping in the contents of someone's bladder first thing in the morning is outlandish - and just a little antagonistic - it is sufficient to say that no one is prepared for being questioned about such matters. It's a far cry from "Is that your wet towel on the floor?" And besides all of that, who would own up to such a thing?

Luckily, before I could even put the question on the table I realized that it was not da Hubbs but our kitty, Eva June, who had sprung a leak. And being the opportunistic creature that I am, I would like to take advantage of this good segue opportunity . . . . So, I have another little leak to share with you about some newly posted inventory on my Etsy and "urine" for a treat! Ha! I sleigh me. Get it? "Sleigh" instead of "slay" - just a little bathroom slash Kris Kringle humor to get your Thursday goin', don't cha know?!

To begin with, I would like to show you this prissy pink perch in the photo above. How great would this reproduction Louis XVI style tufted chair look at a mirrored desk or parked in front of a glam-y French vanity. It has been re-upholstered in a marvelous pink linen with two inch diamond tufting and the wood work has been guilt with a gold paint finish.

Next on the list are these elegant reproduction French Louis XV carved side chairs have an arching crest above a cartouche-shaped upholstered back with a serpentine apron raised on graceful cabriole leg. The wood treatment is a satin white paint and has been newly upholstered in a silver grey damask blended fabric with a double welting that gives them an amazing tailored yet feminine feel. I can only image how marvelous this pair would look on either side of a sofa table in a dining room or as intimate seating at a romantic table built for two.

And last you could take this stunning set of (4) vintage Parson's chairs and have our studios reupholster it in a fabric of your choice. Because you know how I feel about customization in the home - I figure it's like couture in the closet.

I've been envisioning this set of vintage Parson's chairs around a Saarinen pedestal table or pulled up to a curvy French farm table. They each have a six button tufted back with a straight apron at the seat raised on sleek squared pillar legs. The present vinyl upholstery is stained and worn so, they will need to be reupholstered - each chair will need 2.5 yards of a solid fabric and 3.5 yards of a fabric that is patterned.

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Want It Wednesdays: Ninja, Ginga and Holiday Splenda

2010-12-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

Photos Courtesy V and M, Bob Graham Lighting, Fred and Friends, Ebay and Copper Maven Collectibles

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Retro Redo: Master of My Domain

2010-12-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, have it your way, I'm a procrastinator.

You know how they say that procrastination is like masturbation because in the end you're just screwing yourself? Well, the only thing I have to say to that, is at least I'm the master of something.

Now, to be fair and maybe a little less inappropriate, I did accomplish one or two things that I'd like to share with you. So, in today's Retro Redo, I'd like to show the "before" and "afters" of a couple of vintage armchairs that our workroom has done.

I'll begin with this mid-century club chair that I had listed on my Etsy store. This handsome mid-century piece has great scale with great pieced button tufts on the back that emphasize its tailored silhouette. Even in its original velvet fabric it made a marvelous statement. But the fabric my client chose to re-upholster it in simply blew my mind. The piece finished up beautifully and though I didn't think it was possible, it is more gorgeous than before!

Another piece that proves my theory that customization in the home is like couture in the closet, is this great vintage reproduction Louis XV Bergere chair from the 1940s that I had also listed on my Etsy. It is a beautiful example of craftsmanship with its fantastic carving on the curvy french feet and arms. This client decided to guild the arms and feet and re-upholster in a lustrous chocolate pinstriped velvet. I think the results are spectacular and it is a simply sensational piece!

See you tomorrow with a "Christmas-y-themed" Want It Wednesday.

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If Procrastination Were Dirt, I'd Be About an Acre

2010-12-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

I have been trying for weeks to write about my plans for The Vintage Laundry, but it hasn't been easy, and for one simple reason: Redesigning the website and implementing new services and aspects to the business has taken up so much of life lately that I have had no time to sit down in front of the computer to post blogs.

I hate that I procrastinate. I absolutely hate this about me! If procrastination were dirt, I'd be about an acre - or maybe 40. If you're one of those people who is all together and perfectly prepared for all that life presents to you on a daily basis, don't even bother reading this because there will be nothing for you here. This is for people who put things off claiming that if you can't do tasks perfectly, why do them at all, those who are bad at multi-tasking, and those who feel that their disorganized houses, and their hopeless and chronic inability to finish their "to-do-list," somehow makes them less than.

There was, however, for exactly 10 minutes in 1993 right after the birth of my first child that I, LeAnn Stephenson, was thought to be the most on-top-of-things woman on the planet. It's true, just ask my breast pump. In any case, I would like to NOT procrastinate. I would! But every time I try to get all organized, something goes wrong and makes it impossible. I want to make sure I make this clear: Every time I try to get all organized, something goes wrong.

I have observed people who are overwhelmed by their "to-do-lists" (and are often procrastinators) - and I've also witnessed the parallel universe of folks who are freakishly efficient (but are often overwhelmed, as well.) I myself swing between the two universes, spending larger portions of time in the land of the overwhelmed slash procrastinating. I have periods of time being wildly committed to finishing my "to-do-lists" and being on top of my schedule; then some little glitch or fire ignites needing my attention, and then I spend time solving the problem and putting out the fire. Then I slowly make my way back to completing tasks in a timely manner, then something new and urgent comes up. So far, in the "urgent-must-put-this-fire-out" department, the past month and a half has managed the following: I have broken four metatarsal bones in my right foot, one right after the other which leads to visits to multiple doctors to see why this is happening and an oh-so-stylish boot cast to hobble around in; my internet provider has been malfunctioning making it usable only 2 out of every 7 days for quite some time now, making designing the website, emailing clients, posting blogs, and listing new merchandise a little tricky; My children, Olivia and Noah, both had birthdays and celebrations that had to be planned, invites designed, and parties to be had; extra pockets of time to be alloted for my daughter who is now driving here and there and everywhere to accumulate hours she needs to get her license; problems with damage and shipping on some of my reworked furniture pieces, causing loss of profit and general disappointment in certain people; and now I'm entirely destroyed by the imminent arrival of Christmas and all that that implies, not to mention that I can't perform the simple act of a hair flip to remove my bangs from my eyes without becoming a candidate for traction.

So, here's what I know now that I didn't know then:

• Take calcium EVERY DAY and make sure you have some Vitamin D with it so it will absorb properly.

• There are no brakes on the passenger side floorboard of my car.

• Stop doing what does not work - get rid of the things that work against you.

• Take more pictures and spend more time with family.

• It's okay to say, No.

• Keep your bangs trimmed.

• There are people will take advantage of me.

. . . and finally . . . .

• The Earth will not stop spinning because I didn't finish my "to-do-list."

Photo courtesy Blogging Innovation

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Sometimes I Feel Like a Figment of My Own Imagination

2010-10-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here I am last spring with two of my favorite bloggin' buddies, Adrienne, of

The Flying Bee and Angelique, of Six In One Hand . . . . at least I think that's me!

Hi everyone - I'm back, and I'm full of it - "IT" being up to your own personal interpretation.

After a long antique show like this fall's Antiques Week, a couple of quotes by Lily Tomlin always spring to mind. One goes something like this: "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." And the other goes like this: "Sometimes I feel like a figment of my own imagination."

When I get the opportunity to be immersed in my business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the better part of a month while preparing for, setting up for, and selling for this twice-a-year event, I always feel that I have a clearer, more specific grasp on the direction that I would like to take my business. As I visit with friends and customers about what they are searching for or brainstorm with fellow dealers about the state of the vintage/antiques business in our present economy, or iron a dozen vintage napkins or polish a pile of silver flatware, my mind tumbles around with idea after idea of ways to expand, grow, and refine my business.

My posts for the rest of the week will consist of ideas and specifics about how The Vintage Laundry will be changing, growing, and expanding our scope and offerings. I'm really excited and I can't wait to share - So, stay tuned!!

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Kankles, Karma and Kittens

2010-09-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

Friends, there's something about me that you should know: I'm a wussy, cry baby, whiney pants.

I'm talkin' cranky baby squared! And to prove my point, I'd like to present you with some ex-post facto - which is Latin for "Lord, that girl can complain!" So, pay attention, there will be a quiz later.

Fact #1: I'm in a circus-type tent in the middle of a cow pasture for this Fall's Antiques Week.

Fact #2: All of my vintage crap, I mean merchandise, is placed in and around said circus tent.

Fact #3: It is hurricane season.

Fact #4: It has been raining off and on for the past 4 days.

Fact #5: I have taken up yoga to calm my over-caffeinated mind and slim my over-fed body.

Fact #6: There are fire ants in my socks.

Fact #7: I'm a teensy weensy bit allergic to said ants of the fire persuasion - I have "kankles," which the urban dictionary defines as calves that become feet without taking an ankle break.

Fact #8: Flea markets and antique shows medical facilities usually have to shoulder other responsibilities. For example, the First Aid slash Central Office slash concession booth that administered a dose of Benadryl to me came with a kettle corn chaser and a bar-b-que'd turkey leg - now that's health care reform!

Fact #9: And before any of that happened, our new kitty decided today would be a good day to have violently explosive diarrhea . . . in my tennis shoe . . .

So, here are the 2 questions on my little quiz:

How many downward-facing dogs will have to do to find my center? And, how many hours will I have to sit and rub my blanky against my cheek to find my happy place again?

Photo courtesy Consumerfriendly

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Treasure Hunting at Antiques Week in Texas

2010-09-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

Our Golden Retriever, AJ, does this little prancy-dancy thing when we go out to play with or feed him. He wags his tail with such enthusiasm that I think sometimes he might take flight. He's just so overwhelmed by his anticipation and excitement that often he jumps off of the deck and takes a couple of "turbo-rear-end-in-low-gear" laps around the backyard. Well, I gotta tell ya, this is the way I feel about Antiques Week in Texas. And, apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way. Our man Stan Williams, author of The Find, has put Texas Antique Week at the top of his own personal list of favorite antiquing spots and Shelterpop has included it in its Top 5 Flea Markets in the Country. Stan described it this way: "If you want big, expensive items, they're there. If you want junk, it's there. It really has everything."

So, if you find joy in treasure hunting in overstuffed flea markets and are planning on attending Antiques Week this fall, I would love it if you would come by and see me at my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at The Texas Rose Antique Show, located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. You can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, September 25th, and runs through Saturday, October 2, 2010.

Hope to see you there and happy hunting!

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Austin-centric Vintage-Type Thingys

2010-09-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, just thought I would share a little Austin-centric vintage-type thingys with you.

STAG will showcase 10 looks, including some one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, on Wednesday night, September 22nd at 8pm for Tribeza Magazine's first all-men's ROCK + RUNWAY FASHION SHOW. You can get more info here.

And another little goody I'd like to share comes from Yelp. To quote their site, "Get ready to lose your prohibitions" for Yelp's 2010 Open Party. They suggest that you just knock three times and whisper low . . . and say that Yelp sent you! Some of the things to expect are big-band, burlesque, a casino and free cocktails sure to knock you back a few decades. See more details here.

Image courtesy Tribeza Magazine

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Salad Bar: The Joys of Owning Your Own Business

2010-09-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday to everyone. I hope your weekend was restful or productive or fun or whatever you wanted it to be!

Most of my weekend consisted of trying very hard to harness the divine act of accepting my (and a little bit of da Hubbs') most tiresome and irritating character faults. The remainder of my weekend was spent mopping myself up off of the floor because I have more enthusiasm than I have actual energy, and have taken on more work than I can physically and emotionally handle, have over-extended myself and have fallen apart . . . . . Ahhhh . . . owning one's own business . . . . ain't it grande??!!!

See you tomorrow with some great stuff on some really groovy people.

Image courtesy Keep and Share

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Want It Wednesday: La Vie En Rose

2010-09-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy Magis Gallery, 1stdibs, DejaVu a Deux, Ruby Lane, and Objets Plus Inc.

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Bohemian Rhapsody

2010-09-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

I know in my head that the best things in life aren't things. The best things are supposed to be experiences and relationships and junk like that - Right?! But BOY, in my heart I would love to have one of these things! I would also sell my pancreas for half the talent and imagination that Jeanne Bayol and Jean-Marie Marécha possess.

Deep in the heart of Provence, along the foothills of the Chaine des Alpilles Mountains, there are some of the most beautiful gypsy caravans in the world being restored by these two. During the restoration process, Jeanne and Jean-Marie try to make sure and honor the essence of these marvelous pieces by staying true to the history that the caravans hold. I can't help but feel a sense of mystery and enchantment of times past when I look at these sacred gypsy spaces. It seems to me that the idea of traveling towards the unknown is what inspires and sparks my imagination. After all, isn't that what the gypsy's spirit entails? Jeanne and Jean-Marie want to capture just that in their restorations, which is what they call "a subtle mix of temporary and eternal."

Apparently, it has now become quite posh to accessorize one's gardens with these lovely caravans. Others, I've discovered, use them for a tea room, a guest house, a playhouse, or just a nice escape to sit and read a book. All are options I find simply delightful!

Jeanne Bayol, a native of Provence, is a woman of many talents. She can transform any event with her Bohemian touch, whether it be professional like fairs, seminars, or festivals, she can decorate private interiors, as well. Her sense of color and creative taste have led her to design clothes that are genuinely unique and bear witness to the liberty to dress oneself in an audacious fantasy. You can find images and information on those here. She is also a prolific writer and those titles can be found here.

Photos courtesy Gipsybazar, Les-Verdines, and Jeanne Bayol

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Punch Buggy!!

2010-08-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to expose you guys to as much fun, imaginative junk as you can possibly stand, I would like to share some images that I came across from a couple of my favorite designers.

This is the "Bokja Bug" and it was created by Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri of Bokja Design. These wildly talented designers have taken an iconic Volkwagen Beetle and covered it entirely in a patchwork of handmade vintage fabrics from the Middle East, tapestries, and car stickers. It was on display at Spazio Rossana Orlandi during Milan Design Week 2010.

The 'Bojka Bug' was auctioned off on Ebay this past April with all proceeds going to
benefit the children of Haiti.

Photos courtesy Designboom

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Girl Friday: Big Thinkin'

2010-08-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I do some of my best "big thinkin'" when I'm preforming tasks like ironing a load of vintage tablecloths or painting a vintage find. The topic of most of my "big thinkin'" recently has been how I'm going to re-finish my master bath walls and how, using my original direction of Chinoiserie wallpaper, am I going to make them my own. My original thought was to just flat-out copy the design of vintage Chinoiserie wallpapers, and then I remembered a couple of pages I had pulled out of some shelter magazines last year.

Those pages and two of my most favorite "big thinkin'" spots - my garden and my bathtub - gave me my direction. I have found that given enough alone-time in either place, I emerge a new woman - a new woman with a million ideas! The ideas range from ones of global significance, like how to solve all of the world's problems, to ideas with very little global significance, like how to re-decorate every inch of my house. Below are examples of some of the latter:

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Slightly More Intelligent Than Dryer Lint

2010-08-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Deep into the renovation of my master bath I realized that the world is made up two types of people: (1) Those who have undertaken a timely and not-altogether-necessary remodeling project all by their lonesome and (2) those who are sane.

Super-extra-crispy-crazy has become the order of the days that have made up the last 2 months that have surrounded this remodel. So much so, that I'm beginning to question my intelligence and judgement and have come to the conclusion that I'm only slightly more intelligent than dryer lint.

However, on a more positive note, and I don't want to brag or anything, but Home Depot loves me.

And I mean loves me!

So, without further ado, I'd like to share some photos of the progress that has been made in my master bath remodel. I'm hoping to have photos of the hand painted Chinoiserie design up tomorrow or Friday - so, stop by and check 'em out!

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Want It Wednesdays: Saffron Nice

2010-08-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Installations Antiques, ebay.com, Essential Oils and Animation Art, Nelda's Vintage Clothing, ArtFire

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Casa Couture

2010-07-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

It is my own personal belief that customization in the home is like couture in the closet. For example, you could take any of these chairs I just listed on my Etsy and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice.

One of the listings is this elegant reproduction French Louis XV carved armchair. It has an arching crest above a cartouche-shaped upholstered back joining bowed padded arms above a down and duck feather cushion with a serpentine apron, raised on graceful cabriole legs. I was thinking that you could take this beautiful vintage reproduction French Louis XV chair and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice. There is a tag on the bottom of the chair that states that it was made by the Charlotte Chair Company in Charlotte, Michigan. The Charlotte Chair Co was founded in Charlotte, MI in 1912. The company specialized in upholstered antique reproduction seating. At some point, I believe around 1973, the company changed its name to The Charlotte Co. Inc and is still in business making wooden upholstered seating and case goods for the institutional market in Belding, MI. It was formerly in an estate in Dallas, TX.

Also listed is this pair of reproduction French slipper chairs. They has a classic frame and sleek silhouette - Just the thing to glam-up any room - think Mad Men decor! You could take this pair of beautiful vintage slipper chairs and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice, too. There is a label on the bottom of each chair that reads Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh, PA. Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann. In the the post-war years, the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States and was last owned by Federated Department Stores. At the height of its existence, it had some 59 stores in 5 states. The former flagship Kaufmann's is in downtown Pittsburgh. Formerly part of May Department Stores prior to that company's acquisition by Federated on Aug. 30, 2005, Kaufmann's operated as part of the Filene's organization in Boston, Massachusetts.

And finally, is this pair of handsome sling club chairs with attached cushions. They have sleek chrome frames in the manner of Milo Baughman. You could take this pair of beautiful vintage mid-century chairs and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice, as well. There is a tag on the seat cushion of the chair that states that it was made by Landes Mfg. Co. The Los Angeles-based company was founded in 1953 and had a constant presence in the California Design exhibition from 1961 through to 1976, and I believe is still in operation today.

I've listed them on the site here, here and here - so, make sure and go check them out!

A Hole In One

2010-07-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

I can handle going to the doctor because, in theory, they are supposed to help you and I like my doctor. She's groovy and good at what she does. Typically, I just see her once a year for physicals and the occasional Rx refill.

Well, as luck and my right foot would have it, I've gotten to see a lot of doctors in the last 3 weeks.

I'm pretty sure that my foot, the one that has seen so many doctors recently, was my favorite foot.

It usually behaves while carrying me from place to place with little complaint: a long, slender kick stand, located perfectly at the end of my right leg.

I thought the foot liked me, too. I did everything I could to be kind to it, I bought it jazzy shoes, and scheduled pedicures for it and its brother, Lefty, now and then to express my love and appreciation for its never-ending hard work.

But being kind to something doesn't necessarily mean that it won't revolt someday. My foot's revolt involved a rather large nail piercing the outer edge of my foot followed by a slight amount of blood escaping and a rather significant amount of swelling. I wasn't doing anything particularly unusual when the revolution began; I was pulling up carpet in my master bath reno when a gi-normous nail that had anchored the carpet tacking strip down to the sub-floor of the bathroom decided to work its way through my tennis shoe and continue on into my foot and then on through the top side of my shoe - kind of a tennis shoe-foot-tennis-shoe-shish kabob kinda deal. Well, long story short, as they say, 2 visits to a clinic, 2 visits to my own doctor, a tetanus shot, 4 different antibiotics, and trip to orthopedic surgeon I'm finally getting some relief from the pain, the swelling and I'm able to walk around again.

But, while I was propped up in my bed being a good patient and staying off said foot, I read . . . . A lot . . . I read books . . . I read labels . . . I read a ton-o-magazines and I read lots and lots of blog posts. There was great inspiration in these posts as well great links to tons of marvelous products, artists, designers, etc. Check out the photos and the links below- cuz I'm givey-sharey like that!

See you tomorrow with some pics of the progress on the master bath reno!

The Massey Bros. and their teams have imagined and developed public projects focusing on the human condition for 15 years now. Together, they have led social issues-related, public education campaigns dealing with women’s rights, education, pluralism, bigotry and extremism, civic engagement, social responsibility, and volunteerism, among other themes. They are the co-founders of the Portraits of Hope art, education and creative therapy program for children in hospitals and schools. A striking and very colorful public visual component is a signature of their projects and campaigns and I'm so very taken with their program and its concept and of course all of the beautiful color.

Photos courtesy Portraits of Hope and Loren Philip

These photos from Interior Design Magazine above are of Karim Rashid's New York apartment and they perfectly illustrate his rosy world view. Part of Rashid's manifesto states that design is about the betterment of our lives poetically, aesthetically, experientially, sensorially, and emotionally - And I could not agree more!

Photos courtesy Karim Rashid, Eric Laignel and Interior Design Magazine

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Bit Off More Than I Could Chew

2010-07-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, July 8th , the phrase "Bit Off More Than I Could Chew," collapsed and later expired while making a guest appearance in The Vintage Laundress' master bath re-model. The cause of death was officially determined to be "an understatement." Although the idiom has had a successful career at the Stephenson household, having had long-standing roles in the popular DIY series What Were You Thinking?, a series about a staircase and a stencil and Are You Smokin' Crack?, a series about the special relationship between blue painter's tape and a living room wall, both episodes produced by The Laundress.

"Bit Off More Than I Could Chew" is survived by her husband, "You're Gonna Do What?", and her children, "Oh No She Di'int" and "Did You Take Your Meds?"

Discovered in a Home Depot in Austin, Texas in the late 90s by agent and DIY legend, "Measure Twice Cut Once," "Bit Off More Than I Could Chew" signed a lucrative contract and found herself starring in multiple productions at The Vintage Laundry Studios.

"Pretty soon, 'Bit Off More Than I Could Chew' was everywhere you looked," remembers her husband, "You're Gonna Do What?," who met his future wife on the set of The Love Shack, a series about owning your first home. A fellow actor in that series, "Do It Your Own Self," was quoted as saying, " She was one of a kind and will be missed very much."

In lieu of flowers The Vintage Laundress requests that donations be made to the Comment Section below.

Photos courtesy House Beautiful, David Kaihoi and Ngoc Minh Ngo

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Matt Moore: Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Gentleman Extraordinaire

2010-07-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of the types of guys I dated before I met da Hubbs:

1. Basketball players
2. Art majors
3. Rednecks who viewed the movie Deliverance as a motivational video
4. A kind of sub-category of the above type: Guys who at one point in their lives have strayed into illegal activity involving rifles, shotguns, body parts and/or Hefty bags.

But . . . . never, ever, did I date a guy like this:

Matt Moore, author of Have Her Over For Dinner and Nashville-based singer/songwriter, knows that the way to a woman's heart is through a home-cooked meal. A lesson learned from an early age from his mother and grandmother.

Fine dining and expensive nights on the town are all well and good, but there’s something very intimate about a date at home. To be honest, I'm more likely to remember and appreciate the preparation, forethought and effort da Hubbs has made for a night in, complete with a homemade meal, than I am a pricey nosh at a restaurant. And I think it is for that very reason that I'm draw to Matt's book. Whether you are an expert in the kitchen, or a novice who relies on the microwave, Matt has got you covered. His secret to a great meal starts with great ingredients. He suggests that rather than waste your time on expensive marinades and seasonings, instead spend your time and money on quality ingredients. Using great ingredients and simple preparation are the keys to an outstanding meal. The book offers more than 100 recipes ranging from Italian to Southern Eclectic to Vegetarian. Matt’s recipes emphasize the basics, without requiring dozens of ingredients, and even covers stocking the kitchen, pairing beer or wine with food, lighting, and cleaning up. You can find copies here and here. I found Matt through a great online magazine called Southern Flourish. You can find more info about Matt and his book on his blog or Facebook fan page.

I plan on getting my son, Noah, a true gentleman in his own right, a copy of Have Her Over For Dinner. And if he would like to test a few of the recipes out on his darling mother - well, then . . . . I guess that would be okay . . . . I'm "thoughty" and selfless like that!

Photos courtesy Matt Moore

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Want It Wednesdays: Stars and Stripes Forever

2010-06-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy Biggs and Powell Interior Design and Antiques, Thomas Hayes Gallery, 1stdibs and Beach Dwelling

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June 28th, 2010: If Life is a Salad Bar, Am I Anywhere Near the Croutons?

2010-06-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

For several months, going on almost a year, I have been traveling through my days with a combination of afflictions namely, brooding moods, failing eyesight, and a body so out of shape it would make Jesus weep. I suppose the conventional term for such afflictions would be "aging," but to be honest, I'm truly uncomfortable with that term, it's not my favorite, so I'm not using it. In fact, I'm not a huge fan of the whole concept of it at all. Growing older was not something I ever spent much time thinking about. I figured I would cross that bridge when it appeared and would do so in an elegant poised manner. But providence and reality have interfered with my plans, which is why Monday's on the blog are designated for a weekly post called "If Life is a Salad Bar, Am I Anywhere Near The Croutons?" It's a journal entry of sorts - kind of like an open invitation to "The Land of Too Much Information" mixed in with a lot of "so that happened and that's why I am the way I am."

Today's journal entry has to do with my experiences over the past year and how they have left me taxed and decidedly suspicious of the joys of growing older. Like anyone who has walked this path through "The Valley of The Shadow of Distress," I have reluctantly accepted a few truths: that every year carries sequestered beneath its surface, the makings of a more wisdom-filled understanding of the world and its workings accompanied by an extra special emphasis on regret, anxiety and isolation. I'm figuring right about now you're probably thinking to yourselves: (A) There are drugs for that sister! and/or (B) Should someone be on "suicide alert?" And to that I answer (A) Yes, I know, I have a Psychopharmacologist on call. And (B) No, on the "suicide alert" I'm just flexing few of my more finely honed skills - those being melodrama (think Scarlett O'hara) and over-thinking (see Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) with a extra helpings of self absorption just for fun-zees!

Growing older was never something I doubted that I would do, I just thought I would proceed in a more elegant manner with a great deal more grace. So, to help me find my voice in this aging deal I have decided to vastly narrow my scope of examples. Instead of looking to magazines, doctors, psychopharmacologists, and others, I have decided to derive inspiration and strength through exactly twenty-one people. I won't be so precise as to give the names of these people but I will say that these twenty-one folks constitute a critically important circle of relatives, friends, and such that have helped form who I am. Over many years, tons salad bars, dinners, oceans of Diet Dr. Pepper, and a little bit-o-booze, I have sat with these wonderful creatures and have questioned aloud life and its hardships and rewards. The collective presence of these extraordinary women, men, and children have influenced my life enormously and I am eternally grateful. My days have been quieted, comforted and my knowledge expanded, simply by their existence.

They range in age from their mid-teens to their early centenarian years. One of them happens to be my mother; another my late grandmother. One is my daughter; another my son and yet another my husband. Ten are mothers; four are fathers. One is my newest friend; four of them are my oldest friends. One of them is an old boyfriend - with whom, after twenty years of no contact, I have reconnected with as old friends. Two of them are my aunts; one is my uncle; another my grandfather. Three of them are my siblings; another my niece; one I've never actually met. Five are no longer living; and the rest alive and well. One was born in Syria; the others in America. All of them have genius-level senses of humor and wit. Heartbreaking loss has been experienced by all of them. Some have some sort of relationship with a divine being; some are devout; some I suspect are completely uninterested in the subject. Six of them are teachers; eight of them are writers; one a mechanic; one a nurse; another a coach, one an attorney; there is an accountant, a few editors, a designer, a couple of entrepreneurs; a pianist; a guitar player; a singer. My life is rich, informed, secure, and full of love and support because of these people and their influence has given me and, if you pardon the obvious reference, a Life Less Ordinary.

I'll continue next Monday . . . see you then!

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Girl Friday: Vintage Airstream Porn

2010-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

I figured I would kick off the weekend with a little of what I like to call "Vintage Airstream porn."

As I've mentioned before, when I was a little girl, my younger sister and I called Airstream trailers "baked potatoes" because of their obvious resemblance to how a russet potato looks when wrapped in foil before being placed in the oven for baking. As an adult I have an inexplicable need to own an Airstream and fix it up with some quirky, fun paint and upholstery and stuff. I periodically just put the word "Airstream" or "vintage Airstream" into Google and see what comes up. Just last week I came across some great inspiration via the marvelous blog Green Wedding Shoes.

Vintage Airstreams create instant nostalgia wherever they are, so it only seems a natural choice for intimate events like weddings, girls night out gatherings, etc. I'm thinkin' they could also be perfect for a bridal shower or rehearsal dinner. One I came across that could easily add a unique flare to your festivities is a piece of cake - literally! Cupcakes to be precise from cupcake entrepreneurs Amber Joy Vander Vilet and Kevin Vander Vilet. Known for their inventive flavors with nods to California's wine country like: Vanilla Mascarpone Chardonnay, Caramel Pinot, Cherry Apple Chardonnay, Tangerine Mint Mimosa, and Cherry Vanilla Merlot. Their business is Enjoy Cupcakes. Can't you just imagine your guests' delight in being served those yummy treats out of an adorable restored vintage Shasta trailer, no less. The marvelous photos above and below are courtesy of Jose Villa.

How fun would it be if you had a vintage airstream come and serve as your bar? Well, one such place, based in Portland, Oregon called the Tin Cantina, offers their airstream for private parties and does just that. I'm having another "wish-I-would-have-thought-of-that" moments! What a marvelous idea - love it! The photos below are courtesy of Blue Window Creative.

Another concept crafted by two New Jersey brothers, Walter and Patrick Hessert, is not of the goodies or drink persuasion but is just as creative. They are embarking on The ULTIMATE American Road Trip. They have named it The Million Dollar Road Trip and it launches on July 4, 2010 from somewhere in the Midwest. Over the course of one year, they are going to drive over 40,000 miles. Along the way they will visit 48 states and 50 of the largest cities in the USA. Their route is planned around notable events that we will attend. Among those are the Milwaukee Summer Fest, Burning Man Festival, Sundance Film Festival, TED Conference, and the New Orleans Jazz Fest, to name just a few. You can follow their travels and discoveries on Facebook and Twitter.

This is more than just a road trip, however. The brothers are selling advertising space on the exterior of their Airstream. These advertisers will be promoted through their Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere on the web. Check details here.

They will be chronicling American small business along the way through their blog. Their feeling is that an entrepreneurial spirit and people who are committed to doing what they love is alive and strong in American, and they want to showcase it and award Inspiration Grants to young Americans who are pursuing their passions. Every two weeks, with their fans’ help, they will choose a young American who has inspired them. The winner will be profiled on their site and will receive a cash grant. Bravo you two - and safe travels! The photo above is courtesy The Million Dollar Road Trip.

Here in Austin it is kind of amazing the number of businesses run out of vintage Airstreams. So, I figured I could check 'em out and report back with a post or twelve on local Airstream and trailer businesses in Austin. But, until then, you can read a few more "airstream porn" posts I have made here and here.

Have a marvelous weekend and I'll see you next week!

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