The Gardner Antique Fireplace Mantel and O'Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is up and I am now revealing the antique fireplace mantel we are currently using in our sitting room. I have just fallen in love with it. This along with all of our new chandeliers and sconces have been my favorite projects we have completed since moving into our new home. Mike stripped it and restained it in an M L Campbell Woodsong II oil based stain in the Espresso color. I think that color is rich and we had hoped would match our wood floors and I think it is a near perfect match.

You know the times when you buy something and you just know that you are going to love it forever and ever. And you know everytime you see it you will think to yourself I am so glad I bought this. Well this is how I feel about this Christmas skirt. I think it might be the rich velvet against the satin fabric.

No Christmas decor would be complete without wreaths from greenery and little snowmen dancing around a Christmas tree. I so debated putting these delicate little things out this year. I looked at them and then I looked at our four year old. I bet I did that three times and told myself I will just tell her not to touch them. Well I regret to say that the little one with the shovel has been broken twice since. I think she learned once I glued the nose back on because it has not been touched since. She stands there and looks at them but I have not seen it anywhere but next to that little Christmas tree.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a Christmas party along with an appointment with a good friend to talk about a few chandeliers for her. And I just adore chandeliers. :)

The Thirty Drawer Library Card Catalog - Custom Refinish Before & After

Before We have been working with Brooke Walker from Studio 5 to help her find and refinish an old library card catalog. While combing through the KSL ads one evening I spotted one and immediately texted her. She quickly made contact with the owner to let him know that without a doubt she wanted it and would pick it up asap.

She debated on the color which is exactly what we have been doing with our own. Should we go black or white? Brooke landed on white and it certainly helps sway me to the white as well because hers turned out so lovely! All thirty drawers lovely!

After
This piece is going in Brooke's home office and it is stunning! It has so much character with the two pull drawers used for referencing. Mike shined up each brass label pull which looks so nice against the clean white.
Be patient with all of the pictures. I could not help myself. There were so many fun angles and details.
While Mike was pulling it apart he ran across a tiny piece of paper that said University of Utah.
Aha! We wondered where the piece originated and I think we now know.
How many of you readers out there used one of these to locate a book at a university library? I am aging myself here but I sure know that I did. This card catalog was designed and built by Remington Rand. Card catalogs were purchased in pieces. Brooke's consists of five pieces. The actual table, two sets of card drawers, one reference drawer section, and the cap.

I cannot wait to see this piece in her home office. Her home is absolutely beautiful and I think it will compliment her decor perfectly!

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Primitive & Proper

If you have not checked out Cassie over at Primitive & Proper you really should.

She designs and restores some amazing furniture. I would identify her style as classy whimsical. She is not afraid to use color and finds amazing unique hardware.

Case in point!

I was reading through her blog a few days back and she had posted about some amazing finds at an estate sale. And did she ever! She landed a couple of antique dressers and this little side cabinet with the cute back splash.

Well another thing caught my eye in this photograph. That old rusty dirty scale! I have been searching for one of those. Oh how I have been searching!

So guess what arrived at my home on Friday!

From her house in Maryland
to
my house in Utah!The scale!

Not just any scale.

But THE scale!

I am thinking about not cleaning it or touching it but letting all of the character

tell its story. I really like it in its raw state with the leaning platform and I am pretty much in love with it just like this.

Ahhhh!

So I am sending my appreciation to her.

Thank you thank You

Cassie.

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