got paper scraps?

Ok, ok, there's nothing reused, recycled or vintage about this sweet project.  But can't we say the paper scraps were salvaged from the recycling bin?  Yes, yes we can.  Also, thank you notes are always a good thing.  Just ask my mom.  Plus pennants. PENNANTS.  With baker's twine.  

Tip of the day:  cut tiny slits on the edges, slide the baker's twine through, and tape it to the back.  

 If you thought you spied a slip and slide 

with double boogies in the background, 

you'd be right

completely gratuitous photo of Gus

serving as a target for mini marshmallows

being shot out of a (wait for it) 

mini marshmallow gun

Kid. Candy store.

I've had doors on my mind.  Workshop doors.  We scored a set of beautiful Queen Anne doors (pictures to come) at Architectural Salvage in Exeter, New Hampshire, but still needed a single for the side entrance.  We swung by New England Demolition and Salvage in New Bedford on the way to the Cape this weekend and scored this beauty:

It was not easy to find this spectacular door and it took the help of one of their super friendly staff to turn over door after door after door.  But in a true melding of my right and left brain careers, I summonsed the spirit of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart who famously said about porn, "I know it when I see it."  And I did.  About the door, that is.  Maybe 100 doors into our search, this beauty revealed itself.

Turns out it's from a now-defunct motorcycle shop in Wareham, MA, which was torn down to welcome in Water Wizz.  [Insert joke of choice here.]  I'm going to have to get really friendly with my electric sander, but it's going to be so worth it.

lawn sweeper, it sweeps your lawn

I was up in New Hampshire with my friend Laurie last weekend. 
What this invariably means is lake swimming, beautiful sunsets, amazing margaritas, and lots of really great tag sale-ing, not necessarily in that order.  Laurie has tag sale mojo like no one else I know.  

We headed to the Andover Old Time Fair in the cutest town ever.  
We both picked up a few good items at the flea market, but on the way out (seriously, we were almost safely to the car), I spied something I had overlooked the first time.  It was this.

Those who follow along at home know that I was first drawn to the colors.  Upon further inspection, it revealed itself to be a Parker Parkerette.  I fell further in love, despite the fact that that did nothing to help me understand its original purpose (not that it really mattered, given the blue and the yellow). Luckily, we were greeted by the (older) woman who actually used this thing as a kid.  She exclaimed brightly, "Oh, you're buying my lawn sweeper!"  So that's what it is.  Literally, it sweeps your lawn. Not that it matters.  It was two dollars. Two dollars!  How could I not buy it?    

It's so old that some people put it in museums.

It's so cool that some people make You Tube videos about it.  

What should I do with it?

this to that and big news

Well, hello, it's been a while.  My day job + my other day job have been getting in the way.  Sigh...  But I have some very exciting news.  We are building a studio!  It's going to be tucked in against the garage and I will post pictures as it comes along.  It will be an inspired space and great for parties and workshops. 

For now, I offer you an easy "this to that" project, using a great vintage test tube rack generously bequeathed by Liz from the always amazing Sticks and Bricks.  I had a hard time finding cool test tubes without spending a fortune on Ebay (#don'tgoto thedarkside, #where'sthefuninthat) until I wandered into the super hip South End of Burlington.  When I saw this

(yes, it's a enormous tower of filing cabinets), I knew I was in the right place.  I wandered in to this amazing store and found a bunch of treasures, including the long-sought after test tubes. 

Also snapped up were these employee training signs from a long-shuttered GE plant, and good advice for us all:

  
This "this to that" project couldn't be easier - perfect for a long summer evening, porch-side, glass of wine in hand.

add some candles!