Chic Shelf 2

Y'all, last week, major dreamzzz were fulfilled when I scored a lucite shelf to display my Dansk cast iron candleholder hoard on:

Now, this fabulousness needs to be hung, and hung well-- if y'all know what I'm talkin' about! OH SHIOT! Seriously, the candleholders are cast iron, so safety must be accomplished here, but I'm certainly not sacrificing chic-ery in the process either. I'm not THAT giving! I want the shelf to appear as if it's floating on the wall, like this:

I've seen those brackets for glass shelves-- surely there's something out there for an 8' long shelf? I mean, 8' is pretty standard in terms of shelf length, right? Here goes PJ down the diy rabbit hole...see folks, this shiot happens to me ALL THE TIME. Cool idea, then trying to find the pieces and parts to make said cool idea a reality-- isn't always cool. In fact hardly EVER. Many, many a day/week/month is spent searching all over for the right piece to make an idea work. And more oft than not, I have to end up making what I need. Guess that's how I got my DIY groove on in the first place. Custom IS next to Godliness. But for this, I really didn't sink too much time into finding a potential bracket, b/c we were already trolling Big Reuse when we found the shelf, it didn't take too long to uncover this baby, which, naturally, someone had put in a corner...the SHADE:

This is a chrome, glass door metal bracket of sorts (think it was originally intended for a shower door?)...it's almost as long as the shelf and has pre-existing mounting holes. It's almost a perfect fit on one side of the shelf. And it's only $8. This place is SERVING ME SERIOUS VALUE, y'all!

There's gonna need to be some hardcore safety mounting to my wall for this scenario-- but honestly, y'all, ALL mounting should be safe -- YES! I'll also have to secure the lucite shelf from below (note the pre-existing holes on underside of bracket) for even more OCD safety. In theory, this SHOULD work. I think. Dylan, cast here as 'hunky engineer', seems more confident about this method, but kindly reminds me that the SAFEST solution would be to use L brackets...how thoughtful. 'Cause y'all know looking at a narsty bracket holding up all my cast iron sculpture is the very definition of artful display. But what if my L brackets were pretty AND functional? Enter lucite L bracket from stage right, betch:

Are you kidding me with THIS? GORG! The problem here is these brackets are custom and run $15 EACH. I need at least 4. Kinda spendy for me, since the shelf was only $5. Then I started thinking about alternate L brackets made from metal that I wouldn't mind looking at and immediately I thought of brass! Holla! If y'all aren't aware, brass is baaaaaack! Way back. And the combo of brass and lucite is giving me a raging case of style chills. Taking to the interwebs like a brass bat outta hell, here's what I dug up:

Simple, straightforward and available in a few sassy finishes from Signature Hardware, but the polished brass shiot cost $32.95 EACH. How rude.

These antiqued brass babies from Liz's Antique Hardware are also kinda hawt:

But at $95 EACH they got real ugly, real quick. Damn! Why has brass gotta break a betch?! These kids from House of Antique Hardware are cute, and at $11.95/each, they're not cra cra, but I'm not convinced I could write home about them:

Then, I started searching for generic, simple brackets that I could potentially spray paint gold. Rabbit hole, right? SEE!!! Though, gotta say that the spray on metallics don't always melt in my mouth. But then shut the F&$K y'all, look what I found on Ebay! WHAT?!?!?!?:

2-set of vintage Baldwin brass shelf bracket babies for $10 value dollas!!! Betch got me 2 sets (total 4 brackets) for $20 + shipping!!!! Now, that's some good and tasty, DIY y'all...Yum!

I mean. #brassobsessed. Needless to say, I'm MORE THAN happy about these brackets and how amazing they're going to look paired with my lucite shelf! Be sure to check back for the big brass betch REVEAL soon!

A blouse becomes a room!

Y'all I was style-slapped full on when I spotted this fab blouse/coat at an upstate vintage boutique several months ago:

The colors, the pattern, the quilting...I mean...shut the F%&K YOU?!:

photo 2 (2)

I've been known to SLAY THEM with all kinds of blouse realness in my day, but rather than rock this betch as intended, I got revved up thinking on how amazing she'd look as a room! So behold, y'all...using this blouse as my jumping off point, here's what I came up with:

Slide1

Apologies for my lame photoshop skillzzz...but, y'all get what kinds of living room dreamzzz are being fulfilled here, right? Are you just DYING?

Slide2

Lurv! The fuschia sofa is just serving LIFE. Then the mix of leather and rattan side chairs provide great texture, but also help dial down some of that sofa LIFE. 'Cause believe it or not y'all, I DID try and imagine that a man might live in this room (see green leather chair), along with his scrumptiously chic, wife-about-town. Oh and they're unlimited budget. To this end, I also thought the moroccan inspired rug really helped to ground all the glamour that's oozing all over the place b/c of it's neutral color and texture. And I just lurv how the trellis pattern plays off the quilted pattern in the blouse. Same with the tufted seat cushion of the LIFE sofa. The coffee table, light fixture, console, mirror, floor lamp (yes, that giant gold leaf thing is a floor lamp and sad panda alert: sold out on eBay), bench (also sold out on Huntersalley, pillows (1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)...even the artwork (1, 2, 3) are just slaying me. Oh and I can't forget that sheepskin slung in that rattan chair and that sweet side table-- both IKEA-- I KNOW, right?!

Y'all, this room is BEYOND HAWT! Of course, I could've kept going for days, adding more and more 'licious...but, I think it's an awesome mix of high/low, chic/silly and totally nails the concept of blouse as room. What do y'all think?

Wrap it UP!

Y'all, sometimes a fab pair of lamps just land in your life! Like these Restoration Hardware sconces I scored for a clients' bedroom, I mean:

I think we snagged these polished nickel princesses for something like, $125 for the pair...which isn't full-on VALUE BEYOND BELIEF, or anything, but the chic black linen shades came with and overall they were in excellent condition. Plus, they plug in, which was a necessity for this particular project b/c Betch Budget wasn't having any kind of hardwiring of electrical. So I got my light source for the dressing area and the client didn't have to worry about costly wiring/electrical light installation drama. Win win-- except for the ugly cords dangling off the sconces. Like most plug-in wall sconces, there's about 24" of electric cord channel/cover running off the fixture, like so:

This isn't normally such a bad thing since most folks hang this style of sconce above a bed or sofa and the remaining dangle is hidden from view. But y'all know that's not how I roll. or Hang. Oh SHIOT-- COMEDY GOLD! These gals needed to put off more light for dressing area and they just made more of a statement, in tandem with the other elements, when hung higher on the wall. Rather than worry about hiding those heinous cords with some janky solution, I decided to highlight them, by wrapping them in silk cording! WHAT?! YES Y'all-- IT DOES GET MORE HIGH MAINTENANCE-- LOOK!

In the pic above, I wrapped about 9" of electrical cord in pink satin from where the metal cord channel ends. It's lookin' HAWT! Here's how I did it:

**Start where the electric cord exits lamp base-- usually at the end of the cord channel-- and dab a pea-sized amount of hot glue or fabric glue (even wood glue-- yes, y'all know this Betch forgot my glue gun the second day and had to employ wood glue for the other lamp!) on the electric cord.

**Press one end of satin cord, or whatever cording/twine/ribbon into glue. Now, holding the glued satin cord in place on the glue spot, begin to wrap satin cord around and around the electrical cord, leaving NO SPACES in between the 'wraps'...make sense?

**Eventually you can let go of the starter glue spot and use your other hand to help guide the wrapping around electric cord. You will need both hands (and if available, hands of willing friends) to help untangle and guide the remaining satin cord to you for easier wrapping.

**Once you've reached the end/electric cord plug, place another dab of pea-sized glue on electric cord and gently press the satin cord in place. Trim off excess satin cord, if necessary.

And then look what you get:

Ok, y'all that pic is slightly horrid but you get what's happening...here's another shot of just the cord...

It's definitely a subtle detail, but I think it's cool...gives that cloth-covered wire look. This same process could also work on regular table (or task, etc) lamps...now get to wrapping!

It's Thursday...and THAT Means...

Thrift Whoring has gone down, in a BIG WAY, y'all! Here's a round-up of the latest 'liscous from my recent troll:

Wedgewood, Limoges, Italian rock crystal and shut the F&$K YOU ironstone transferware!?! Y'all won't believe what all this YUMMY set me back?

$24.87 VALUE DOLLARS! Salvation Army made me a satisfied thrift whore to-day! What's your latest score?! And YES, I do want all the steamy PICS!

Thrift Whore Thursday Pictorial

Disclaimer: GRAPHIC SCENES OF HAWT THRIFT WHORES GETTING DEALS TO FOLLOW!!!!

Yes, that's $7.99 for a vintage, marble-topped side table. Tag also reads, 'Must Go Today'...well, I can certainly help with that:

And:

We came. We conquered. We Thrift Whore'd.

Betch-Slapped by Brass!

Last week there was the cutest little mid-century dresser featured on Free Shiot Friday, and this week, it's this dining set! Presenting Brass Regalia Realness:

She isn't even attempting to trick y'all into thinking she's real brass, but cleaned up, re-upholstered in something fab and given a new glass top, she could help you WERK your hostess skillz beyond belief:

The table base design is giving us all kinds of Dynasty...it's on it's side on the end:

Happy Friday, y'all-- now go out and score some Free Shiot!

Thrift Whore Thursday-- Twerk Time!!!

Shake yo butt up & down, side to side, Betches, 'cause today 's Thrift Whore Thursday is 'bout to go off!:

And:

Confused? What y'all are looking at is a gilded entertainment center from back in the day when they knew how-to make an entertainment center! You've got built-in's for dayzzzz, like this record player shiot:

And these compartments for your album collection:

And y'all see that mirrored panel? That whore just so happens to lift up, holding one of the chic-est bars on earth! WHAT?!? Oops, guess I didn't snap a pic of that, but TRUST it was Shut-the-FU$K you amazing!! There's also two speakers tucked behind the compartment doors on both ends that look like this:

This shiot is SLAYING me-- and for only $200, it could be in y'all's living room SLAYING you too!!! Get on it! Happy whoring!!! And Twerking!

Free Shiot Friday!

Y'all, this little lady greeted me on my way out of my building:

How sweet! Just minding her own business, all cute-like with hits of mid-century details, trying to stay out of everyone's way behind that gate...I sure hope someone scoops her up & takes the best care of her with some fab paint job or a refinish...she is FREE after all, and it IS Friday! Enjoy!

Purple Perfection

This luscious combo will soon be installed in one of my clients' bedrooms...wallpaper + paint + carpet= one chic teenage girls bedroom...I mean!

Check back soon to see the progress!