Lucite Shelf Lovely

Consider y'all-selves STYLE SLAPPED full on about the face!!!! Yasssss! Presenting lucite shelf & vintage brass bracket REALNESS:

SO thrilled at how this project turned out! I just LURV everything about it-- the combo of materials: lucite, brass and cast iron. The fact that the candleholders appear to be floating sculpture. Also j'adore that I was able to utilize the wall space BEHIND the shelf for even MORE value hanging style storage. Also lurving: the whole situ doesn't feel heavy. Sometimes display shelves that are mounted really high like this have a tendency to visually weigh down the room, but this just feels so light and airy to me.

And TRUST that it's super SAFE-- there are two screws and two anchors in each bracket. Speaking of, the installation (thx Dyl) was really straightforward and just involved measuring the overall length of the wall, the lucite shelf and then dividing out equally where each brackets were to go. Then we traced the bracket holes, installed them and put the shelf in place. When we started, it looked like this:

I'd say for the $30 or so I spent on this project, total lucite shelf dreamzzzz have been fulfilled! What do y'all think?!

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!

It's FRIDAY and there's FREE SHIOT

This lady was hanging out in front of our building:

Real potential for chic-ery? Or is she just too exhausted to even bother?

The upholstery decided it was DONE prob a decade or more BEFORE she even landed here, so obvi, re-upholstery would be in order. I do like her overall silhouette, which I find slightly...clutch your pearls...MODERN, despite the cra cra REGALIA woodwork that's absolutely style-slapping us all quickly about the face. She's boxy yet bodacious-- which makes for a HAWT combo:

Imagine this gal's woodWERK lacquered in black (or white, even) with some incredible fabric, like these?

YASSSSSSSSSSSS!

I mean:

I think this lady has a lotta life left in her! Sure hope somebody scooped her up and is gonna do right by her! Now, go do right by y'all-selves, take to the streets and get you some free shiot-- happy Friday!!!

The Shelf that Style-Slapped Me

Y'all, it's gettin' all DIY Dirrrrrty up in HERE! Uh huh! One of my collections needs a serious real estate upgrade in our salon/office. YES betch, we call the second living room/office our salon-- y'all don't? I mean. My vintage Dansk cast iron candleholders need a new perch-- There's at least 15 in the hoard, prob more. Here's what they look like now, more or less:

That's the LESS shot, b/c what y'all don't see is how they're all kinds of jimmy-jammed together so closely they're pretty much stacked atop one another across the entire length of that 6' long slate ledge. And there's some on an adjacent bookcase. And some tucked inside a drawer. And on the bar cart. Y'all get the point.

I've always been a big believer in making my walls WERK for me-- esp. in a NYC apt, where floorspace is limited and/or there's no furniture to properly display a 15+ collection-- say, a 20' dining table, or 15' wide china cabinet, for instance. Y'all feel me. Initially I was thinking a glass shelf b/c the candleholders are so sculptural, viewing them from below, as well as front view, seemed way cool to me. But that's a logistical nightmare beyond belief b/c y'all did see that part above wherein the words, CAST IRON were typed, yes? That wasn't just me trying to be all 'fancy descriptive writer'...this shiot is HEAVY. Then I thought of a reclaimed wood shelf, like everyone else on planet earth...and I do live in Brooklyn, where it seems to grow. But I can't get on board with that. Pun intended-- comedy GOLD! Same with metal, b/c y'all know, vintage industrial...blah blah...BLART yourselves! What to do? THIS!:

That fine hunk of man is holding a lucite shelf! WHAT?! Also known as plexi-glass or acrylic. This bad boy was found recently at a salvage surplus building materials store called, Big Reuse. And the shiot cost $5!!!!!! Shut the F&*K YOU, I'm not kidding! 8' long by 6.5" wide by 1/4" thick. $FIVE DOLLAS. Let's get another look at that value nonsense:

OK, so, y'all see my glass shelf dreamzzz are totally becoming fulfilled with this piece of plexi-glass perfection, yes? It's not quite as wide as I'd like, but for $5, baby can WERK with it. Now, how to hang it safely and chic-ly? Y'all are gonna have to check back into the 'dazzle a little later for that...trust that there's all kinds of hanging shelf realness that y'all don't want to miss...oh, and happy Friday-- time to rage 'til the break of dawn!

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 takes a WHITE PLATE (& a village) to raise a child...

Y'all it's been MORE than a minute since I've dispensed with some blog lovin'-- sorry Dazzler's-- Blog Blackout! Aside from the usual busyness of the holidays that we're all prone to, I got hit with a mild case of the social media meltdown! #socialmediameltdown Uh huh! All this 'socializing' just gets bed, bath & beyond exhausting at times! Right? In the midst of all the pinning, tweeting, posting, liking, sharing-- of which, I've actually kept pretty consistent with throughout this blog blackout (in fact, click my new Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, FB widgets to the left of this post and follow me, y'all! HOLLA IRONY!)-- I just couldn't find the energy for blogging too. But Betch is baaaaaack!

Excited to share the latest cover I styled for All You magazine:

I mean, as y'all no doubt suspect, this cover tested all my skillz as a prop stylist. The detail, the nuance...the WHITE PLATE. I mean, Shut the F$%K you with this WHITE PLATE REALNESS! Have you ever seen a more beautiful WHITE PLATE in all YOUR LIFE?! This will forever be etched in y'all's memories as the WHITE PLATE that defines white plates. I'm truly sorry for y'all b/c there will never be another white plate. Done. Period.

But in all seriousness, I thought this would be a cool example worth sharing in reference to the peeps who ask 'what is a prop stylist?' or 'what does a prop stylist do?'. So, for the cover above (shot by Kate Sears & food styled by John Bjostad...John baked & iced that scrumptious cake), I was responsible for sourcing and bringing that WHITE PLATE (and LOTS of other white plates) as well as the pink surface (and LOTS of other pink surfaces) the white plate is sitting on, to the shoot. They call these OPTIONS, in my business. I also brought other elements that might go along with the ubiquitous "generous slice of cake cut out" scene: napkins, dessert plates, tea & coffee cups, saucers, etc., b/c y'all never know what else you'll need when you finally sit down to eat that cake, right?

These additional elements can help 'seal the deal' if a shot needs a little somethin'-somethin' extra to make it pop, give it a sense of real place, or mood/energy. This is where being a prop stylist can get really fun, b/c, budget permitting, you get to be really creative and bring things to help 'tell the story' that may have never even been requested by Creative Director. And though y'all only ever end up seeing the WHITE PLATE OF YOUR DREAMS on a pink surface, here's part of what was actually brought to the shoot that day:

And

Note the Pantone chips...these colors were specified to me by the Creative Director, so we were both on the same 'color page' and I'd pull the exact shades of pink she was after. In addition to fabric as surface options, to suggest a tablecloth, for instance...I also pulled wood & plaster surfaces with pink finishes, like these:

So next time y'all see an image in a magazine, print or online, a book cover, a catalog spread, etc...don't be fooled: A LOT of time, talent and energy went into creating that moment...even if it is just a WHITE PLATE. OH and follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, FB! :)