Deck the Halls

Despite a super-busy weekend, which included the amazing holiday Lowcountry Artist Market and my friend Gino's second-annual Plaid Party (such a fun birthday theme), we managed to finish decorating the house today. It feels so warm and cozy... I might not take this stuff down after the holidays.

The amazing gold kraft garland comes from Lowell and & Louise. 

After the decorating, we rewarded ourselves with fondue and Champagne. Not a bad Sunday.

Thrifty home finds.

While on our regular thrift and junk haunts, we've recently found some pretty great things for the house:

 This cool, vintage Steelmaster index catalog drawer now houses all of our Wii controllers.

 I fell in love with this lamp at Target. A few months and $8 later, it became mine (with tags still on!)

This vintage portrait from the 1960s was too cool to pass up. $8.

If anyone else has come upon thrifted gems recently, I'd love to hear about them!

Have a seat.

Steven has been looking for a good desk chair for quite a while. Like me, he likes old things. Things that look like they probably have a story in them.

So, when he saw this chair in our first junk shop stop in Columbia, he was immediately smitten.

When I see a piece of furniture I like, I immediately look under the piece and around its edges for identifying information. It didn't take long to find the circular brass logo for W.H. Gunlocke and Co. I quickly googled the company and saw that this chair's twin was for sale on eBay for nearly $800.  Once we saw that, we didn't even flinch at the $20 price tag.

The details on this chair are incredible, from its hand-tacked leather seat (with only one scratch!) to the pristine mechanics underneath. It's a 1940s wonder and is still amazingly comfortable, even after over 70 years.

W.H. Gunlocke chairs have an amazing American history, starting in 1902, when they began in a New York factory. They managed to survive the Great Depression, and FDR even chose a Gunlocke chair for his seat in the Oval Office. Eight other US presidents, including JFK  chose a Gunlocke chair for their time in the Oval Office.

Finding out interesting historical facts about seemingly forgotten pieces of furniture or articles of clothing bring them back to life. I think knowing where something came from can explain why it still exists today--from its craftsmanship to the care its previous owners took over these pieces.

(One of) the cheapest corner(s) of my house.

So...while taking pictures of my Christmas decorations, I stopped at this little tableau. I love this little nook of my living room, because it was dirt cheap. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you'll know that the green lamp and shade were a curb find (still with the $204 price tag on the bottom...holler!). But the new glass-top side table and globe are recent additions to the living room.

Anyone who says they can't afford to redecorate their house is a liar. The side table was $6 at a local Goodwill, and the store has a deal where all furniture is an additional 20% off if you're able to take it with you at the time of purchase. So, since I could maneuver this little baby into the back seat of my car right then, I paid a whopping $4.80 before tax. The globe was from another local Goodwill store, and was $5. I think it makes quite the handsome set-up. It would be perfect if I didn't notice how crooked those pictures are!

The candle was a gift. I have loved this brand and scent since I got it as a Christmas present a few years ago, and will keep burning these candles every Christmas season as long as I make them. The candle is Frasier Fir by Thymes, and I can't recommend it enough. It smells like winter and Christmas.Thymes, if you want to send me free candles, feel free!

Anyone else have any cheap finds they're particularly fond of?

December 1.

With the exception of setting up the Christmas tree in its stand, I've been holding off from decorating until December. 

The dining room is a little bit decorated too.

And the best part of Christmas is the Christmas Maya. 

 Tomorrow, I'm going to the farmers market and the Christkindlmarkt to buy an evergreen wreath for the front door, and cute stockings for the fireplace, and probably some more ornaments, because the tree is looking a bit sparse compared to the ornament-packed trees I'm used to, and whatever else strikes me.

I love Christmas.

All of the Lights.

Lights are hung on the back porch. Friends, come over so that we can have a partytime!

Down in Avondale.

It's been AGES since I've blogged. We had to kind of quickly uproot from the house downtown (my landlords sold their house quicker than expected, so they needed a place to live!). The past month has been filled with house-hunting, packing, and moving. Luckily, we found an amazing house, just over the bridge in a charming West Ashley neighborhood called Avondale (for those of you not from Charleston). We're walking distance from Indian restaurants, a wine and cheese shop, great Italian food, salons, fun bars, and tons more (including a thrift store, of course). The house is still a work in progress, but I think we've made a good start in the week we've been here: