A Curated Life: Work in Progress

I think it's easy to look at pretty, styled photos of other people's homes and think- if only I could just get my home to look that good, then I'd be happy. After all, what we see online and in magazines is the best version- not the real life version.

In real life, even in the homes of interior stylists, things are constantly in flux. I'm constantly scheming up better ways to style things, and new projects I want to work on. Things are also not always pretty in real life. There are several areas in our home, now and in the past, that I am always unhappy with because they just don't look right, but sometimes I just don't have the time or energy (or money) to do anything about it. Real life can be messy and is always a work in progress.

Today I thought I'd share some before and after photos of a few areas I've recently refreshed. There are still a million things I want to change- namely I'm itching to paint most of our wood furniture (except the misters pieces) white- but I do like these little changes, and sometimes, it's all about the little things.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

(Of course, going from a bathroom with no windows and an insanely low ceiling to one with high ceilings and lots of light helps immensely too!)

Before:

After:

(Not as dramatic a change as some of the others, but enough of a change to make me happy).

What changes are you craving around your home? Are there little changes that would make you happy for now?

P.S. This post has really driven home for me how much better my photos look since I started using a 50mm lens. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm kind of blown away by the difference it's made. If you have a Canon DSLR, I definitely recommend getting the 'nifty fifty' lens- it's so affordable and makes a big impact. (Nikon users- a 50mm is still a great investment for you, but will cost you a lot more than the Canon lens- sorry).

A Curated Life

Today I thought I'd share a few peeks at the book I hope to make someday, which I recently mocked up, thanks to a great coupon from Blurb Books sent to all the Alt attendees.

Inspired by the same concept that inspired this feature on the blog, I want this book to be a collection of images to inspire others to curate their own life and create a unique home filled with beautiful and treasured objects.

Want to see your home featured here? I'm always looking for well curated lives to share with all the G&H readers so email me and we can talk details.

a curated life: editing

as i alluded to in my monday post, i've been doing some thinking about life, work, and this blog lately. i won't drop all of my realizations on you at once, but one thing i've discovered about myself in the last year or so is that i definitely enjoy the styling aspect of the work i've been doing, far more than the retail  side. after sitting with that realization for a while now, i've decided to move towards doing styling work. i'm starting small- reading a book about the career of photo styling, studying photos to focus in on what i like and don't like, and honing my own styling identity by rearranging things and plotting changes i want to make to our home (which is totally crazy-town given that we're moving in a few weeks i realize!).

so today, with all that said, rather than sharing a collection with you, i thought i'd talk about an important part of curating in your own home- editing. 

editing can be an easy thing to overlook. when you're really into a collection, sometimes it seems like the more items you add to it, the better. that's not always true though- especially if you're interested in living with your collection and not feeling like it's swallowing you whole. editing may downsize a collection, but it can make the collection feel more important in your home. 

to demonstrate, let's take a look at an area in my home that i have been unhappy with for years:

now there are several little collections contained on those shelves, and while there are a lot of cool items there, the cluttered look has been bugging me. in fact, when we moved into our current apartment, i was so annoyed by all of it (and totally overwhelmed by all that needed to be done at the time), that i had the mister put it all out and haven't really messed with it much since then. 

let the editing commence. 

first, decide on what your overall goal is. make the area look less cluttered? get rid of items you're not loving anymore? what are you ideally trying to accomplish? for me, i wanted to both pare down some of these collections, and make the space look more stylish and less cluttered. 

i've been tiring of my deer collection for awhile and while, so i know i need to either put them all away or find a way to love them again. 

i also haven't really ever loved the way the 'Bill and Danae' vignette looks, so it's time to fix that. 

now that you have a goal, take all the items out of the area you're editing. this applies to a whole room- if you're editing furniture, an entire bookcase, or just one shelf. in my case, i started with two shelves of this larger area. you want to be able to see the space you have to work with in it's raw form. this is also a great time to dust the empty shelves. you may also discover work you want to do to make the space a better foundation- in this example, i'd love to cover the back of this cool little shelving unit with something prettier than this water stained panel. of course, since we're moving, i think i'll wait until we're in our new place. 

now, take all the items you'll be drawing from and put them all out together. this helps you to choose what you like best, what works well with the space you have, and which items look best together. it can also help you realize just how large your collection has become. 

as with the shelves, since you'll be handling all these items anyway, it's an opportune time to dust them.

the next part is a bit trickier, but try and cut the number of objects down to half of whatever you had to start with (you can always add more later if you want to). focus on which you love the most, which have special memories attached to them, or which fit with your current style the best. you'll want to choose a variety of sizes and heights to ensure your new vignette will look it's best. a mix of finishes also looks best, so try and avoid only choosing objects of one material. 

take your pared down collection and arrange them in the available space. try and focus on making the most beautiful or impact-full display with the smallest number of objects, while still keeping a 'collected' look. 

step back, and see what you think. if it's not quite right, try rearranging, adding or subtracting objects. continue just messing around with things until it pleases you. 

these are my finished, edited, shelves. 

for the 'us' shelf, i focused on the items i loved the most- the typographical elements and our wedding photo (it's the only wedding photo we have displayed in the living areas). though i love the bride and groom salt and pepper shakers Bill gave me as a wedding present, i decided to save them for a vignette in our bedroom instead. i also ditched a few elements that either didn't stay standing up well or distracted from the typography theme. 

on the other shelf, i picked three deer items to keep- the candle deer because the original Dear Darling Vintage logo was based on it, the deer in the picture frame because Melissa made it for me, and the Victoria, BC deer because it reminds me of our honeymoon on Vancouver Island (although i didn't find it there). the shelf needed something more though, so i picked out a few books in a slim color palette to display with the deer. 

a few more tips:

-i find it helpful to take photos of each version i create, including the original state, so that i can compare and if i like an older version better, i can refer to my photo to set it back that way. 

-don't get rid of objects you edit out right away. once you've lived with the new version for a few days you may want to swap some items out or add something back in. 

-unless you're the type of person who just loves being surrounded by your collections, in general, less is more. a collection of 3-5 objects can be just as, if not more, dramatic than 100 items, if they are displayed well. 

well, i hope you learned a little something from today's post. i had fun with this one and i'd love to know if you'd like to see more posts like this here.

a curated life (non-vintage edition)

today's curated life post is a little different than usual- today i'd like to share a little collection i gathered over last weekend, only it's not vintage- it's handmade!

while vending at Urban Craft Uprising, i met a bunch of cool vendors who were new to the show. one of my favorites was Oh Little Rabbit, or rather, the talent behind Oh Little Rabbit, Jason and Cara. i was immediately drawn to their booth, both because of the great way they designed it, as well as the hand drawn illustrations printed in bright colors on all their goods.

i've been needing to toss a few of our worn out dish towels anyway, (plus i'm a sucker for a good dish towel, especially if it's flour sack material) so it was a no brainer to pick up a few from Oh Little Rabbit. choosing the design was the hard part- they have so many good ones! initially the mister picked out two (the peanut and the octopus) and i picked out one, then we ro-sham-bo'd for the last one. i ended up grabbing a few more before we left as well.

aren't their designs so fun? that re-usable snack bag? it makes me smile every time i look at it! the are great- nice, soft flour sack material- just how i like them. even better- everything at Oh Little Rabbit is eco-friendly and printed by hand.  

i hope you'll stop by Oh Little Rabbit and see all the fun things they have to offer- i think you'll find something you'll love too!

a curated life: balanced collecting

i'm so excited to finally be back to blogging! between my road trip to Wyoming and then getting slammed with a migraine for the past three days, the blog has taken a backseat, but hopefully things will get back on track now!

some landscapes from my roadtrip (clockwise from top left: near Laramie, WY; Columbia River Gorge, WA; near Riverton, WY; Pilot and Index peaks, MT).

while i was in Wyoming i got into an interesting conversation with some friends about collecting. for those of you who have collections (vintage or otherwise), you may have encountered people who don't get collecting. folks who see collections as 'junk' or think that collecting is equal to hoarding. now i certainly don't suscribe to these ideas, but i have been thinking a lot lately about balance in collecting-aka how much is too much? 

{three photos above via Science Hax}

now when i look at collections like the images above, i feel slightly claustrophobic, but for the collectors themselves, i'm sure these collections are a source of pride and provide symbolic markers of time. i wouldn't be surprised if the gentleman with the key chain collection remembers where and when he found each of those key chains.  

my personal collecting style is definitely more minimalistic- i generally stop once something fills the shelf i've arranged them on. i also have very few collections that i've had my whole life- often opting to sell an entire collection in order to make room for something new. i find this gives me a sense of balance (and keeps my super minimalistic husband from growing concerned at the amount of 'stuff' in our home). for me, balance is key to most everything and my balance is best maintained with a one in, one out philosophy. for others, balance may be found in different ways, or maybe isn't important at all. 

what about you? do your collections lean more to the minimal side or are you hoping to have an entire room full? how do you find balance in curating your life? 

a curated life

i'm excited because today we have another curated life submission via my bestie and fellow blogger, Melissa from re.stock.

about her vintage suitcase collection, Melissa had this to say:

in my super cute old house we have one closet. yes, you read that right, one. and it is tiny. my solution? vintage suitcases. i store everything in them: summer clothes, coats, craft stuff, things i'm saving, things i can't part with, things i don't want my husband to know i'm storing (ha)! they are cute and functional. i like to stack them up (obviously). i also keep a few empty for when we go on trips because i like to travel in style. 

fun! thanks for sharing your suitcase collection with us Melissa!

do you have a collection? i'd love to share it here! send me a message and we'll set it up!

a curated life

today i had this great plan to feature one of my mama's collections (you know, since it's Mother's Day week and all). unfortunately, i didn't plan the photo taking far enough ahead of time and my mama isn't feeling well today, so we had to cancel the shoot. that leaves us with one of my collections instead...

this vintage scissor collection is kind of an accidental collection. i started buying them at estate sales because they're always low priced and i love the look of them. i intended to sell them once i had enough to create a good display, but i've yet to be able to part with them. 

i'm contemplating displaying them all on a big old board or something- wouldn't that look cool? i may also bring them to The Farm Chicks Show this year and let them go live with someone else. it's a tough choice! 

do you have an 'accidental' collection? i'd love to hear about it! leave a comment or send me a message. 

happy Thursday! 

a curated life

today's collection is one that was mine, but is now looking for a new curator.

i found most of this set of Brusche 'Contempo' dishes at one of the most memorable estate sales i've ever been to. my pal Abbi and i arrived at a sale that looked less than promising: it was in 'no sidewalk land' (which if you ever read Yard Sale Bloodbath, you know is never a good sign); it was a newer home in a new sub-development; and there was hardly anyone there. we decided to check it out anyway and at first weren't finding much. then we noticed a big pile of trash bags and boxes and asked if any of the stuff in those was for sale. the woman replied- 'oh, that's Goodwill pile. if find anything you want you can just have it'. seriously? well, we accepted her challenge and started digging through this mountain of stuff. sure enough, this is where all the good stuff was! vintage clothes, dishes, an entire set of china, linen, and more. we tried to get her to take money from us, but she wouldn't accept much. we even told her that the stuff she was giving away is what she should be selling (i don't think she believed us). it was by far the biggest haul we had ever scored, for the smallest price tag.

these dishes were in one of those boxes and they caught my eye. i didn't recognize the marking on them, but they were fun colors (there used to be a few more grey pieces, and there were also some burgundy colored ones that i foolishly left behind because i didn't like the color), and i liked the clean and simple style. i took them home, researched the mark and discovered that Brusche was a sister line/offshoot of Bauer, made by one of the potters there, that had a limited production run so they're actually a bit rare. what a find! i decided to replace the new Fiesta Ware we had with this fun set. over the last 4 years i've added a few plates, the cups, and the soup bowls, as well as some plates that aren't Brusche, but complement the set.

while i still enjoy these dishes, lately i've been wishing i wasn't so limited by their palette, which is why i decided to move on to white milk glass- more flexibility. since we'll be moving soon, and will be living in rentals for a while to come, it doesn't work to have more than one set of dishes, so these get to find a new home! they're currently in the Gather and Hunt space at the Fremont Vintage Mall, so if you're in Seattle and like them, feel free to go check them out! i kept the price low, since i received such a nice deal on them!

don't forget- i really prefer to share your collections here, so email me your photos and a bit about your collection and you can have your very own curated life post!

xo

a curated life

today we're taking a look, not at one of my collections, or even one of yours (which i love best), but at a rather famous collection- the Musee Mechanique.

{photo via Wikipedia, edits by moi}

the Musee Mechanique, located in San Francisco, is a museum of working antique and vintage penny arcade games and mechanically operated musical instruments, and is one of the largest privately owned collections of such games. Edward Zelinksky, the collector of all these contraptions, began his collection at the age of 11 and exhibited it at Playland, an amusement park that operated from the early 1900's until 1972 in San Francisco. after the closure of Playland, the collection was moved to the basement of the famous Cliff House until renovations forced another move, this time to Fisherman's Wharf, where it remains today.

'Laughing Sal', one of the more well known (and slightly terrifying) attractions.

the mister and i visited the Musee Mechanique last winter, and though the pictures are not amazing (very bad lighting in there), i thought it would be fun to share some of the highlights.

the mister conquering some sort of space themed arcade game.

though i look happy, i'm pretty sure i lost at this hi-ball esque game!

such an unusual pin ball theme!

skee ball- our favorite! of course we had to play a few rounds.

this is one of my favorites

love the 60's era photo booth they have!

now that's a dedicated collector, right? if you're ever in San Francisco, i'd encourage you to check out the Musee Mechanique. admission is free, and the games are only a quarter or two to play- well worth your time and quarters!

as always- i'd love to see your collections too! send me a message at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com, and we'll talk!

A Curated Life

{all photos by The Ravenna Girls}

today's curated life collection comes from Brianne, one of The Ravenna Girls...

about her collection, Brianne writes:

"About ten years ago, turquoise became my favorite color by far, and many a collection was born. All my friends and family know that I love anything turquoise and vintage, so they're often on the lookout for perfect finds, along with me. Since becoming a homeowner, I've amassed a beautiful collection on turquoise vessels for use around the house. From pitchers and carafes, to vases and glasses, and even sale and pepper shakers, I can mix and match a turquoise table top in mere minutes. My favorite item is the enamel Dansk pitcher that I found at an estate consignment shop in Connecticut. I also very much treasure the pair of Vernonware Anytime salt and pepper shakers that were given to me by my grandmother while she was still alive. As you can see, I love love turquoise and incorporate one of these pieces into almost every table setting to me smiling".

thanks so much for sharing your turquoise collection with us Brianne! there are so many fun pieces in there! i think i like the glass carafe/decanter the best.

do you have a collection you'd be willing to share with us? i'd love to talk to you! just email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com.

a curated life

i didn't have a reader submission for today's curated life, but last night as we pulled into our motel in Pasadena i spotted a cool old motel sign and a little inspiration hit me, so instead of sharing a collection of things i've gathered, it's a collection of photos i've snapped over the last few years!

i love old metal signs, especially if they also happen to be neon and i can never resist photographing the really great ones when i see them.

Pasadena, CA

Pasadena, CA

i'm a little curious if they really still have waterbeds! can you imagine?

Pasadena, CA

Coney Island, NY

Coney Island, NY

Coney Island, NY

Yakima, WA

how are you curating your life? i'd love to share your collection here at Gather and Hunt! email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com.

as i mentioned yesterday, i've been under the weather and stuck in bed for a bit now. last night as i was wracking my brain for curated life post ideas for today, i happened to glance at the mirror on my dresser and noticed this great hat i've had hanging off of it for a few months now- inspiration struck and today i'm sharing my vintage hat collection with you!

i think i started collecting hats around age 7. i would pick them up at the garage and estate sales my mom would take me to. unfortunately i've gone through several phases where i decide i don't want to keep collecting them so i'm on collection #3 now, and don't have any of those hats from when i was a kid.

despite missing those hats i found all those years ago, i feel like the current collection is pretty wonderful. from these colorful numbers above...

to a few classic black options...

to some extra fancy toppers, they are all lovely in their own way. oh, and if you're wondering- yes, i actually wear mine!

a Christmas card from a few years ago

heading out to some antique stores with my mom

one of our wedding portraits

at the Dear Darling opening with Melissa

how are you curating your life? i would love to share your collection with all the G&H readers! just email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com and we'll talk!

i couldn't be more pleased to have another curated life submission that isn't one of my own collections! it really is my dream for many of the weekly features at Gather and Hunt to be a place to showcase you- dear readers- and the things you love, so it really delights me to have some submissions coming in!

today's collection is from my bestie, and fellow blogger, melissa, who i know you've heard a lot about lately! her collection of vintage blankets has kept yours truly nice 'n toasty in her lovely vintage home many times.

Melissa writes:

the first time a guest stayed at our house i realized i only had one blanket to offer them. since our house is very much on the chilly side i was a little embarrassed. from this my vintage blanket collection was born. i am a sucker for vintage quilts and fun patterns and now that we live in a house and have out of town guests i have a reason, and space, to store them. i also like to mix and match blankets, sheets, and pillow cases on our bed, so this collection is cute and practical. well, maybe not exactly practical because i have a lot of blankets now!

{all photos by Melissa. editing by moi.}

a great big thanks to Melissa for sharing one way she's curated her life! i'm still a bit jealous of that green stripe-y blanket!

how have you curated your own life? i would love to share your collection with the world! please email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com. i'm nice, i promise!

stay tuned tomorrow for an extra exciting finds to fancy for me- Melissa's coming to town and we're hitting the estate sales together! it's been forever since we've been able to do that and i am so excited! this friday's post will be the first ever, live-from-the-hunt finds to fancy, so stop on by and see what we find!

 i am so excited to have our first curated life post to feature a collection that doesn't belong to me! allow me to introduce you to Heather, from Joy of All Crafts. i met Heather at Alt Summit and we discovered we have quite a bit in common- we both love vintage, we both live in the Pacific Northwest, and we're both crafty, although Heather is a far more talented crafter than i! (her crafty business cards created quite the buzz at Alt- check them out on papernstitch's business card inspiration post). Heather has a number of collections and she is so kind to share one of them with us today- her vintage pyrex!

Heather shared some of her thoughts about her collection with us too...

I've only recently started my collection of pyrex. I love how it reminds me of my childhood, I remember baking with my mom and loving how the mixing bowls were the perfect shape for mixing cookie dough. Since then, I've never had a mixing bowl that I liked quite as much! As my husband, Chris, and I started estate sale shopping about a year ago, I started finding pyrex. I bought a few pieces and loved using them! They are so durable and have already endured so much love that it's easy to give to them new life. I love the patterns and bright colors, and that it's easy to start collecting them. I still don't have the same set that my mom had, so I'm on the lookout for it. It's easy to buy pyrex online, but I really want to 'find' all of my pyrex in person. I'd love to have one piece of most of the patterns, and collect all of the special holiday patterns! For now, I'm really enjoying my small, but growing, collection!

all photos by Heather Joy

as someone whose pyrex collection is limited to a few patterns and colors, i love how Heather's collection includes such a great mix of patterns and colors and compliments her beautiful mid-century dining room furniture so nicely! and aren't her blue cabinet doors cute?

thanks so much Heather for giving us a peek into your home and sharing your great pyrex! if you want to know more about Heather, pop on over to her blog and explore all the crafty, vintage goodness she's sharing with the world there, or visit her etsy store!


do you have a collection you'd like to share? i would love to talk to you! email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com and we'll chat!

milk glass has been around since the 16th century and actually comes in a variety of colors, though white is the popular choice- i prefer it for it's simplicity and versatility. while many of you might recognize it as something your grandmother collected, i believe milk glass can look very current when styled well and can fit a wide variety of tastes.

milk glass has become a popular centerpiece vessel, like these great moss pieces from Christina at Flores del Sol. there's even a how-to over on Ruffled, so you can make them at home!

i began my own collection about 9 years ago, and though i try to keep it in check (the mister isn't a fan of my collections getting too big!), i do manage to add a new piece every now and then. i've been keeping my collection limited to vases only, but milk glass comes in a variety of items from glasses to plates, lampshades, planters and pitchers.  

the big one in back was my first piece- i love the larger size! the one in front is my newest acquisition, found on a recent thrift outing with my bestie.

lately i've been enjoying the look of milk glass so much i'm considering taking inspiration from it and adding a new collection to our home- vintage Fire-King dishes in white. we currently have a set of Brushe by Bauer dishes in chartreuse/dark green/grey (that i scored for free at an estate sale!), but i've been craving a simpler palette on the table and love how well the white Fire-King coordinates with my vintage Pyrex.

two mugs and bowl my mom recently gave me

i love the shape of the handle on these mugs

if you're interested in starting your own milk glass collection i have good news- it's generally easy to find at thrift stores and is usually very affordable. if you can't wait long enough to gather a collection, there are many great Etsy stores that carry it, some, like Oak Hill Vintage, even offer sets that can serve as instant collections!

set of three milk glass vases from Oak Hill Vintage.

next week, i hope to have a collection to share with you that isn't mine! as always, if you have a collection you'd like to share please email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com.

for this week's curated life feature i'm sharing one of my longest running collections- vintage flower frogs. i've been gathering frogs since i was a teenager and while i prefer the more utilitarian, industrial styles, i never cease to be amazed at how many different materials and designs flower frogs come in. from ceramic, to glass, metal, plastic, and even ornate decorative pottery styles, there's a frog for every taste. 

{photo via Jarvis House Gallery Collectables}

there are many ways to make use of frogs, the most obvious being their intended purpose- arranging flowers! Martha Stewart has a helpful video if you're interested in learning to use frogs in your floral arrangements. 

{photo via Martha Stewart}

beyond their original function, frogs can be used to organize items, display things, and can even made into wall art. Haylie from H.B. Goods had a DIY featured on Design Sponge last year where she shows us how to create a functional and lovely wall display using frogs.  

{photo via Haylie, for Design Sponge}

frogs can even be used as functional household items. my good friend Melissa at re.stock uses frogs as soap dishes.

{photo originally via re.stock}

beautiful, useful, affordable- frogs are easy to find and make for great collections. here's a look at my own collection...

in their everyday environment

up close

don't forget- i want to share your collections! if you have a fun collection of things you love that you're willing to share with us, please email me at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com and we'll make it happen! 

introducing- a curated life

i've always loved museums. at one point i even wanted to be a museum curator or a museologist. the closest i've come is volunteering as a docent at the Laramie Plains Museum at the Historic Ivinson Mansion in junior high and high school.

photo: Ivinson Mansion via Laramie Historic Photos

over the holidays, Bill and i visited the Smithsonian's Museum of American History, and while we were there it dawned on me that though i may never work for a museum, i am a curator- of my own life. we are all curators really- if you collect things, decorate your home, save letters or birthday cards, or make photo albums- you're curating your life.

photo: pocketful of pretty's vintage fan collection

it's in that spirit that i'd like to introduce a new weekly feature- a curated life. each week i'll share a collection with you, either one of mine or one of a reader or fellow blogger/shop owner. to start us off, i'm sharing one of my collections...

brooches aren't just fun and beautiful, they're a portable collection! i love wearing mine on my vintage coats especially, but they really make any outfit more interesting and they're an easy way to add a little bit of vintage every day.

want to see more great vintage brooches? my pal Jenny at Frecklewonder is doing a week-long series on her favorite collections and today she's featuring her brooches! apparently great minds think alike! take a look and stick around to explore her site- you'll love it!

now it's your turn- i want to see your collections! send me a message at danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com and i'll send you all the details!

happy curating!