I love good surprises and when I got my mail today, boy was I surprised!! Â My sister, Â who recently began working for Glamour, sent me these two goooorgeous books.
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I can not wait to crack open my new books and get lots of new decorating inspirations from them.  Easy Flowers is just perfect for me.  I love flowers and love displaying them in my place. Easy Flowers not only gives you great arranging ideas, but also gives great tips for how to achieve the desired look (and it’s great just simply great eye candy). Creating Vintage Style is another great find.  It gives step by step projects on how to create various vintage looks…and I looove vintage.  Here’s a sneak peak 
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Thanks Ash!!!!!
I was over on one of my favorite inspirational blogs, The Inspired Room, and something told me to click on the advertisement for Heather Bullard and boy am I glad that I did!  As I mentioned here and here (and a bunch of other places lol) I love love love vintage.  Vintage clothes, accessories, home decor, you name it.  Designer, Stylist, and Photographer Heather Bullard has an amazing eye for elegant vintage and flea market finds.  As soon as I opened the page to her online Boutique, I was in love. Browsing through Heather’s portfolio is like going to another place and time.  There’s nothing on her site that I wouldn’t LOVE to own.
I could sleep all day in this gorgeous bed…Â
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This Tufted Chaise is timeless and look at the detail on the woodwork. Â This is a piece that you could keep forever. Â It could go from room to room seamlessly, and it would never go out of style.
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My condo doesn’t have it’s own outdoor space, but I do have plants indoors and I’ll have a window box soon. Â How cute is this antique European watering can? Â When it’s not being used to water plants, it can fill in as a vase!
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I love vintage Jewelry, and crosses especially. Â This one has such character and charm…and for anyone who’s interested, my birthday’s coming up in a few weeks 
*hint hint*
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For those of us that come in the house and drop off earrings, keys, etc., on the first hard surface in the house, this tray is perfect and so pretty! Â And when it’s not being used to hold miscellaneous items, it can hold your favorite scented candle.Â
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All images courtesy of Heather Bullard
It took me about a year to find my condo that I am currently living in. Part of the reason it took me so long, was due to the outrageous price of homes in the DC Metro Area (you would think we were in the middle of Manhattan or something). The other reason it took me so long was because I was determined to find a place that had “character”. So many condo’s were being built or renovated, that to me, they were all starting to look the same. There were many nice condo’s that I had seen, but I felt like I wanted something with a little more “charm”. I know it’s not for everyone, but I have a thing for old homes. I would love to own one of those beeeaaautiful Victorian homes down in Savannah, GA. I can picture myself sitting out on my porch, drinking a cold glass of lemon ice tea (with mint!), while my crisp sheer white curtains blow in the wind…
Image courtesy of Curious Expeditions
Image courtesy of Savannah Best
So, when I was hunting for my own place to call home, I was looking for things such as beautiful old molding, aged hardwood floors, or vintage tilework. While I love old character and charm in a home, I also like to throw in a little new. With so many of us looking to save money these days, and save the earth as well, vintage is more popular than ever! For those who love that old charm, restoration is the thing, and for those who want something more modern, its all about transformation. For a fraction of the cost of it’s modern-day equivalent, you can own a top quality vintage piece that may just need a little sprucing up. In addition to saving money, a great benefit of buying vintage is the fact that many items constructed in years past, are much more sturdy and durable then items built today (and that goes for homes too!).  With just a few touches, you can go from something with potential, to something stunning!
Images Courtesy of This Young House
Other finds are just gorgeous and full of charm just as they are. Â Throw a little windex on this mirror and it’s ready to go!
For sale on Craigslist
For those working with the interior of an older home, thinking about buying a “fixer-upper”, or trying to figure out how to enhance the look of your moldings or chair rails (such as my sister and brother-in-law), check out these awesome inspirations…
Image Courtesy of Architectural Digest
Image Courtesy of House Beautiful
Images Courtesy of The Domino Magazine Files Pool via Domino Magazine
Check out my new finds from NY Housing Works…all of which you can purchase ONLINE!! The proceeds from these purchases go toward a very worthy community cause, which you can read about here. What a perfect way to add to your summer collection or make one of these great housing finds your own. All of these items have so much character, I wish I could have them all! lol I really love those Baker Chairs. The great thing about them is that you can easily remove that seat and add your own fabric, and then change it up with the season if you feel inclined to do so.
While perusin’ through Habitually Chic, written by Interior Designer and Freelance Writer Heather Clawson, I came across Heather’s review of The Find:Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details (which I can’t wait to read!) which introduced me to Housing Works.   Housing Works is a PHENOMENAL community-based organization committed to ending the AIDS crisis and homelessness.  Based out of New York City, Housing Works raises millions every year, through their stylish Thrift Shops and Bookstore Cafe, to help pay for “housing, medical and mental health care, meals, job training, drug treatment, HIV prevention education, and social support to more than 20,000 homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS”.  I can not say enough about this organization.  I personally believe that EVERY person deserves a place to call home and every person deserves to live a happy and fulfilling life.  Housing Works embodies this belief and more.  I have found that you can find the greatest satisfaction when you lend a hand to someone else, and we all have this opportunity in many different forms
Check out some of the items for sale at the Housing Works Thrift Shop…Everyone’s looking for a bargain these days right? Â What a great way to be green by re-using, save money, and know that your purchase will be helping someone along the way
Diane von Furstenberg Party Dress $75
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Hey everybody! Today my sister Ashley, who will be working for Glamour Magazine this summer, is visiting to share some tips for shopping and staying fabulous on a budget. The floor is yours Ash
With every screech of the metal hanger before, the search for the perfect fashion piece becomes more intense. Browsing through the racks and racks of shirts, dresses, skirts, and pants, brings about the excitement and thrill of finding the perfect item in any vintage store. This store in particular hosts garments and accessories from the 1940s to the 1990s. Each piece, unique and one-of-a-kind, subdues any shopper’s passion of finding items seemingly created solely for them. Looking through this quaint vintage store, the super short, shapeless mod dresses from the 1960s and the knit off the shoulder sweaters from the 1980s all hit the right spot in my fashion-filled mind. But as I glance over to the accessories counter in the little vintage shop, I notice a 1960s vintage Dooney & Bourke bag that only my grandmother could have owned. When I realized Dooney & Bourke bags cost about $300 plus I knew I had to have it. Retail price: $60. The all leather, emerald green, navy blue, and cream handbag with brown detailing is the perfect fit for my purse collection, actually, the perfect fit to anyone’s collection. So of course, I got the bag. A unique find like this can be achieved by anyone. Having a good eye and knowing where and when to shop are all factors of buying on a budget for any fashionista, or anyone interested in fashion, that is. With some tips and hints I’ll show you the best places to shop when you want to buy a great piece on a tight budget.
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