bellalulu

Photography...Who me?

2011-08-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that I am writing a post about photography?
Well, after several Etsy convos asking about my photography and complimenting my photography...here goes!

First of all, I didn't start off this way. It has taken the time, learning, experience and the right camera. Honestly, I am embarrassed to look back at some of my first pictures for my shop. I soon learned how very important it is on Etsy to have really good pictures of your items. It makes a HUGE difference. Even now, I am not 100% happy with all of my pictures. There is still room for improvement.

What kind of camera do I use? Canon EOS Rebel XS

How did I learn to use it? Ashley Ann Campbell's SnapShop. I learned A TON in one Saturday at Ashley's house. Before that, I always had my camera on the automatic mode. I learned how to shoot manually, and what all of those little buttons (as seen above) on the camera mean and what they do.

I am SO blessed to live in the same area as Ashley and was able to take this class at her (amazing, fun, creative ideas everywhere) house. However, she is now offering her class online. In fact, you can sign up now for the next class- it starts September 5th.

One of the many tips that I learned at the SnapShop was to *not* have the item you are photographing be perfectly in the center. It just looks more interesting if the item is slightly to the left or right of center.
What else? Well, I get A LOT of practice. Since I am adding at least one item to the shop everyday, I take a lot of pictures. This has forced me to figure out what time of day offers the best lighting. I talk almost all of my pictures in my youngest daughter's room. It has very pale aqua blue walls, and that seems to work well. And the surface? It's a simple white table from Pottery Barn Kids...also borrowed from my daughters.

And speaking of my daughters, sometimes they help me with my pictures. They love it, and I have to admit, those little hands are pretty cute!

Whatever...

2011-06-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Whatever (the blog)? It's the home of many amazing photographs, lots of fun craft ideas and recipes, and all kinds of interesting things that Meg has to say.
I love getting glimpses of her home- it just looks like a fun place to be. She has several wonderful vintage pieces mixed in with her decor, and of course I love that. Look at this summer list. What a neat idea...and aren't those chairs below it great?

I may have mentioned a time or two that I love seeing where items from my shop end up...LOVE it. Meg recently purchased this number 5 sign from the shop, and I was so thrilled to see it in place. Do you see it- just to the left of all of the fun going on in this picture?
PS- If you need a "4" like Meg's "5", well then here you go.
Also...bellalulu vintage now has a facebook page HERE!

I Spy...(at Anthropologie!)

2011-04-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned the wonderfully talented Kara Paslay here before (above picture borrowed from her blog). Her husband made my concrete table top...which we are still just loving! In fact, Kara also showed recently how she "concreted" her entry wall. Brilliant!

Well...Kara now works for our local Anthropology store as the display coordinator. What a fun job, and Kara is absolutely perfect for it! I follow her blog, and have loved seeing some of the displays she has done there.

The other day, I had a few minutes to browse through the store (quick iphone picture above). I had seen this nautical themed display on Kara's blog, but in person I noticed an exciting detail. A pulley! From my shop! Kara bought it from my shop a while back and it was so much fun to see it sitting there in the display of one of my favorite stores. So thanks, Kara, for that little thrill. ALL of your work looks great! Here's a closer look at that pulley...

The older the better...

2011-03-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

The sign above was one of my favorite finds. It sold from my Etsy shop almost a year ago. As I was walking through Pottery Barn recently, I noticed this...

Pottery Barn, you are lovely. I have purchased some great things from you. This sign is cute, but it just isn't as good as the real deal.

I'm sitting next to Harrison Ford

2011-02-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

Well, not really ME...but an old globe from my shop is in this Etsy Storque article, curated by Roxana of Nerd Boyfriend.

She put together 3 collections of things, and my globe was placed in the Indiana Jones collection. Is it just wrong that I've never seen an Indiana Jones movie?

A huge thank you to Roxana...she made my day (week) with the nice compliment she made about my shop in this article!

Kootoyoo...and another where are they now

2011-02-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have subscribed to Kirsty's blog, kootoyoo, for a long time. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, and has a "sometimes shop" here. In a recent post she was showing this wonderful bag that she made from an old flour sack. Don't you love it?

Something else in the above picture also caught my eye, though. Actually, two somethings...those signs sitting on top of the mirror. They came from my shop. I had forgotten about them, but I was so happy to see them again. Thank you Kirsty for that unintentional peak at their new home! It's just perfect.

Just discovered: Ruti's Roots

2011-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

I love Etsy...where else can you find so many things you didn't even know you needed?
Aren't these bowls wonderful? I LOVE them. Ruti is so talented...see her shop here.

This map one may be my favorite. It is, of course, already sold.
And isn't this darling? Great colors.

Pa rum pa pum pum

2010-12-28T23:35:00.000-08:00

These guys sat on top of my mom's gift this year. Why? Well, she's never been a fan of The Little Drummer Boy song. And as you can see, the fellow on the right isn't either.

I found them at an estate sale recently and knew just where they needed to go. I'm so glad I have a mom who completely got and appreciated such a gift topper. We have always enjoyed handmade vintage Christmas people like these guys.

Oh, and what was inside the gift? This lovely creature from Bossysfeltworks. Isn't he sweet?

The Perfect Home

2010-12-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

That little church went from my shop to this wonderful place. I think it's safe to say that it found the perfect home. I love it when that happens- and I think it usually does. I'm so glad Dawn showed me this picture.

Be sure to take a look at the other pictures from her home. They are just so beautiful and peaceful. Don't you just want to go curl up on that sofa right now?
Oh, and also, check out Dawn's shop: Kiki La Ru (temporarily closed for the holidays). She is the maker of (the original) cake bunting. Aren't they darling? If I could go back in time, I'd put one on my wedding cake.

Tick Tock...

2010-12-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

I went to an antique mall last week and walked out with these 2 items. I sat them down side by side when I got home and laughed. Is someone trying to tell me something?
Maybe instead of hunting around at antique malls I should be Christmas shopping. After all, 2 weeks from today, that timer with go BUZZZZ and I had better be ready! I'm avoiding the real mall at all costs though. Are you ready?

Flea Finds

2010-12-04T16:42:00.001-08:00

My local Flea Market has been OH SO good lately. These are just a few of my finds from today!

Vintage Fairy Tales

2010-11-28T23:04:00.000-08:00

*update: Rebecka sent me another photograph of a doll from the shop (scroll to end).
Here's a fun blog to add to your reading list: Vintage Fairy Tales
Photographer Rebecka Ryberg Skött has a wonderful, whimsical style. It's always fun to see her new photographs that usually include some fun vintage characters.
In this post she shows some glimpses of her "Vintage Fairy Cottage". The image above is from that post, and if you look carefully, you'll see another bellalulu shop alumn! I do believe she found the most *perfect* home!
Rebecka kindly sent over another photograph of a former bellalulu doll. This particular photograph is in Copenhagen right now in Rebecka's exhibition, "Stop breaking down".....
The title of this picture is "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen".
So neat to hear this Rebecka! Thank you for sharing this with me!

Where are they now?

2010-11-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

(images on left from Rue magazine; images on right are mine from the shop)

Have you read Rue yet? It's a wonderful online magazine. The first issue features Victoria Smith's home. Victoria has a must read design blog: sfgirlbybay. She has bought a couple of things from my shop and I was so thrilled to spot them in the pictures of her home tour! You can see many more pictures of her amazing home in Rue Magazine.

Vintage Dairy Crate Turned Photography Prop

2010-09-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

I just love seeing where my finds end up going. This old dairy crate now holds babies! :)
This photograph was taken by a very talented customer, Deanna Ryan of Deanna Ryan Photography. Thanks Deanna for sending it along and allowing me to post it here!

Boo! A Sneak Peek

2010-09-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

It's coming...Halloween. I'm not sure there is a holiday that better works with vintage. Just about anything vintage could be used in Halloween decor. It's pretty easy to mix vintage with spooky. Here are the things I will be listing in the next few days...

Concrete Table Top + a GIVEWAY!

2010-08-20T22:33:00.001-07:00

Meet my new kitchen table. I love it! I saw it here first. Ashley is an incredibly talented photographer and DIY genius. When you get a few free hours, go ahead and start reading her blog, Under the Sycamore. Then you are going to need a few (ha!) more free hours so you can do all of her projects. I was able to participate in one of her SnapShops last year and I learned so, so much.

Ashley had her table done by these talented people. Kara and Tim design and build incredible things. Really, just check out Kara's blog. too (again, you'll need some time because you won't want to stop reading!). Don't miss the pictures of her home. Amazing. Oh, and while you are there, you can enter a pretty fun giveaway! :)

So, you may notice that I have no chairs with the table. Actually, I do, but I pulled them out for the picture. My old chairs just don't work with this table.

I'm thinking maybe these (the plain metal) from Pottery Barn:

or these from Ikea:

or these (a little darker than this, in burnt oak) from Restoration Hardware:

Or these from CB2:

What's your vote? Please let me know if you have any other suggestions! Don't forget the giveaway at Kara's blog!

Fall Picnic in Orange

2010-08-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

I love Fall. It's been in the 100s here most of this week.
I love Fall. Did I already say that? I think the heat must be getting to me.
Anyway, my "Fall Picnic" treasury was on the front page very early the other morning. I posted it above, you know, in case you aren't usually browsing Etsy at 5am!
Oh, and I love Fall, don't you?
featured:
TOP ROW
amischievousmarriage
springtidepress
astralboutique
soradesigns
MIDDLE ROW
sweetnaturedesigns
idoweddingwares
aziedesigns
makye77
BOTTOM ROW
indiecityvintage
katherinejlee
amarketcollection
flightpathdesigns

Saturday Flea Market Finds

2010-07-24T14:48:00.001-07:00

Good stuff today!

Still, I can't quit thinking about the the nifty retro-mod magazine rack with big round yellow feet that I saw someone ELSE carrying around. Argh! I wish I would have beat him to it!

PS, I did not intend to make it look like the lion head thing was getting sick into the big bucket. Ha!

Pin it Forward: What Home Means to Me

2010-07-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in Pin it Forward, hosted by sfgirlbybay. The theme is "What Home Means to Me".
I had so much fun answering that question in pictures! I had to stop myself, because I had a great time searching and adding. It forced me (in a fun way) to really think about what I am striving for our home to look like right now.
In a few words, home for me is: comfortable, rustic, industrial, modern, vintage, with a touch of the unexpected and whimsical. Hopefully that is all reflected in my pin board here.
This is a small mosaic of my board, but please click here to see more detailed pictures and, of course, *links* so you can grab these wonderful things too!

Pin it Foward is a neat chain of boards.
Lovely Cruise kindly linked to me. Her board is here.
Next up on the Pin it Foward list is: of friends five, and her board is here.

(photo credits for above pictures, left to right, top to bottom: 1. anthropologie, 2. (mine),
3. modernlogic, 4. blueclara, 5. daisytoad, 6. housecandyla, 7. luckylittledot, 8. heshke7 (Ebay),
9. vintagechicfurnniture, 10. modswirls, 11. ashleyannphotography (photo), table top from karapalsaydesigns, 12. brandmojointeriors, 13. hindsvik, 14. economica, 15. anthropologie, 16. hudsongoods

Saturday's Flea Finds

2010-06-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Good stuff found yesterday....soon to be here!

Memories in a bucket...

2010-06-18T22:22:00.001-07:00

If only vintage items could talk. They would have such stories to tell! Judy from San Antonio, Texas wrote me about my Purina Feed Bucket. She has one just like it, and it certainly has a story. Thank you Judy for letting me share it!

Judy says..
"...I am an Okie by birth [Stillwater] and have GOT to share info with you!
my Daddy and Mama lived on a farm south of Ft Worth for about twenty
years after Daddy retired - he had cows, and treated them like indoor pets - he
hand-fed them what he called "sweet feed" every day, from a Purina bucket
like the one you have listed!
the three holes secured a curved handhold, and mine still has it
my Daddy passed some years back, and the Purina bucket is one of
my treasures, but not as much as I treasure the memories of my lovely
father, of course..."

I love that Judy's Daddy treated his cows like indoor pets. He sounds like such a sweet man. Thanks again Judy, and Happy Father's Day weekend everyone!

Here Comes the Sun!

2010-06-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

So excited for Poppytalk's Here Comes the Sun market! Here's a sneak peak at the goodies going on my "table"....available for purchase on Monday!

I bought something NEW

2010-06-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

I like vintage. You may have guessed that. But every once and a while, something NEW catches my eye. I was at Pottery Barn last weekend, and fell in love with this wonderfully round bird cage. And it was on SALE. And I bought it.
(It's sold out online, so check your store quick if you have to have it too!)
The lady that checked me out wanted to help me decide what to put in it. And so did the lady standing in line behind me...votives! plants! pinecones! no, no, no! (but thank you, ladies)
I still don't know what (if anything) I will put in it. I thought I would browse through Etsy for some ideas:

Primitive Miniature Chair (you know, for the hypothetical bird in that cage) from stanley:

Croquet balls from thepetitemarket:

Big Ben Alarm Clock from MidwestFinds:

Milk glass bud vases from jwhite2:

Toy Bowling Pins and Ball from CampHobachee:

Oh, this is fun, I could go on and on...and yes, all of that stuff was from the vintage side of Etsy...I like vintage!

First Ever SALE! 20%

2010-05-28T22:55:00.001-07:00

take
20%
off all items
in my shop

(refunded through Paypal)
(20% applied to item cost only; shipping remains the same)
*May 29- May 31 only*

Estate Sale Finds and the Matching Kitty

2010-05-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Here's what I found today at a really good estate sale. Oh, how I love really good estate sales!

And here is what my girls found:

No, little precious gray kitty didn't come home with us. My first (design related) thought was...Oh! she matches our dog! They are the exact same beautiful gray! Ha!
Matching or not, I'm about 210% sure our Riley would not like us to bring her a kitty friend.

Quirky Finds

2010-04-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Quite a quirky batch of upcoming listings!

A funny thing happened...

2010-03-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened as I was taking pictures for my shop.
I had just taken Suzie-kin's pictures, so I sat her down on the floor behind me.
And the next time I turned around, this is what I saw:
Please know that my sweet, crazy Weimanraner doesn't always lie amongst my shop inventory. She just happens to like to nap in the room where I take most of my pictures. She also likes to cuddle, and apparently, Suzie-kin was okay with that.

Grab a Grab Bag {from McMaster & Storm}

2010-03-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the idea of grab bags. Sure, it can be a gamble since you pay and THEN you get to see what is inside.
However, I don't think you can lose with a grab bag from McMaster & Storm.
They are do a little bit of spring cleaning right now, so they are offering these $7 grab bags. Each will have a value of $30 inside! Once you look around their store, you'll quickly see that no matter what you get, it will be good!
Oh, and don't miss their cute blog!

Hippity-Hop!

2010-03-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've been busy gathering things for my table at Poppytalk's Spring + Easter Market. All but one of the above items were just added to my shop last night.
I'll be adding more as things sell. Happy (almost) Spring!

Meeting

2010-02-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Blue really does stand out from the crowd, doesn't she?
In case you are wondering, the others will be up for grabs soon!

Inspiration from Country Living

2010-02-01T22:11:00.001-08:00

I'm a little behind on my magazine reading. This is from the November issue of Country Living, which has an article featuring Maureen "Mo" Ecke's farmhouse. I just love the table with the scallop trim paired up with the industrial style chairs (from Sundance). Etsy seller UrbanAccentHome has some similar vintage chairs, along with several neat pieces of industrial style furniture.

Also in the November issue of Country Living is an article featuring Caroline Scheeler's home.
Just look at that shadowbox frame stuffed to the brim with vintage horse show medals. It provides such a wonderful and unexpected burst of color!
From the same house, isn't this tabletop just perfect?

Can I give you a hand?

2010-01-28T11:15:00.001-08:00

Head on over to blackwhiteyellow for a bellalulu GIVEAWAY!
You can win this wonderful old gray glove mold...enter HERE.

While you are there visiting blackwhiteyellow, be sure to check out her Etsy shop! She has such darling little banners. After I sent my mom to her site, she couldn't help but grab a Valentine's banner.

***Also...just one more day of voting remains! :)

Why I LOVE my local Flea Market...

2010-01-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

I mean, I LOVE it!

{all coming soon to my shop}

Oh, and P.S., did you VOTE yet? :)

I'd LOVE your vote...

2010-01-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

{vintage category}

Voting is open NOW (through Jan. 29).
Even if you don't vote for me, you really should go check out this wonderful list of nominees!
It truly is an honor to be a part of this group!

Click HERE to vote.

Thank you! :)

Go Vote!

2010-01-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

Poppytalk is launching the first annual "Poppies" awards.
There are several categories, and some have already opened up to voting.
Go cast your vote! And while you are there, look around...there are so many wonderful shops included in the nominees!
{and p.s., I'll be back to remind you when the VINTAGE category opens up to votes} ;)

Here are the categories:
1. Favourite Handmade Accessories
2. Favourite Handmade Affordable Art
3. Favourite Handmade Ceramics
4. Favourite Handmade Crafter (eg. Embroidery/Crochet/Knitting/Quilting)
5. Favourite Handmade Eco
6. Favourite Handmade Housewares
7. Favourite Handmade Jewelry
8. Favourite Handmade Paper goods
9. Favourite Photographer
10. Favourite Handmade Textiles
11. Favourite Vintage Shop
12. Favourite Handmade Artist Blog

Poppytalk Preview

2010-01-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad to once again be a part of Poppytalk's online market.
The theme of this market is Love Transforms {a Wedding and Valentines Online Craft Fair) starts today, January 17, and runs through February 12.

Be sure to check out the market for SO many handmade and vintage goodies. Actually, at Poppytalk, they sometimes call vintage "decayed"...which I think is a great word! The Poppytalk blog is always a great read too!

You can see my "table" here.

Thanks little guy!

2009-12-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

See this little guy? We helped each other out quite a bit!
A few weeks ago, he was lying in a box under a table at a flea market.
As soon as I saw him, I quickly picked him up and took him home! Well, I paid for him first, of course.
Then, believe it or not, he became famous! He was featured on Etsy's blog, The Storque!
Finally, he became my 500th sale on Etsy, and is on his way to a new, loving home.

Speaking of my 500th sale, wow! I can hardly believe that!
I can't take all of the credit though. I must acknowledge my crew:

My 2 girls: They tag along to estate sales, flea markets, and visit the post office almost daily. They actually love it- coming away with (often free) treasures themselves, and the lady at the post office is like their 3rd Grandmother! They sometimes even have pretend estate sales in our living room, and probably think all kids play "estate sale" just like them.

My husband: He (mostly) tolerates the crazy things I tend to bring home and helps me package up the big things. He also is trying to learn all of the Etsy vocabulary: convos, treasuries, the Storque, etc all to better understand my little Etsy world.

My Mom: She is my only other buyer, and has found quite a few priceless treasures! She's the one who got me started by taking me to the flea market all of my life. She also helps me all of the time with my girls, mailing things, and just about anything.

My Dad: He keeps statistics regarding my Etsy sales, because he just can't help it. I really want nothing to do with numbers, and he is all about numbers. He is always prepared to give me my "average sale/day" at any given time. He also was the first to spot the free packaging supplies that I often use (see below).

Nancy, the post office lady: She is the nicest post office worker you will EVER encounter. Just think of your packages as being blessed and sent on by a fairy godmother, because she pretty much is one. She hugs, kisses, and gives stickers to my girls everytime we come to see her. They LOVE her, and so do I.

Williams Sonoma: It (unknowingly) sponsers Bellalulu by letting me have all of their disguarded boxes, bubble wrap, and packing paper. It's all from their trash pile, so I probably look like a crazy person scrounging through their trash. However, it's free, and it's the GREEN thing to do, right?

Finally, my customers: They buy my wonderful, old, unique, crazy and sometimes weird things. I'm so glad there are so many of you out there that love this stuff! I love rescuing these things and knowing they will go to wonderful new homes!

Perfect!

2009-12-10T14:07:00.000-08:00

Isn't this clock just wonderful? That's what I thought when I saw it...wonderful!

I found it my local Flea Market. It's my most favorite place to find vintage treasures, and I'm quite a regular there. In fact, when I carried this up to the dealer she told me she just knew that I would be the one to buy it.

You see, it has just one arm; it's VERY worn, weathered, rusty, and chippy; and it's missing its glass cover. Oh, and did I mention that it won't even think about working?

She knew I would buy it because I buy things like this a lot. Because to me, it is perfect.
And I'm glad there are lots of you out there who think so too! :)

Poppytalk!

2009-11-24T14:23:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled to again be a part of Poppytalk's monthly marketplace!
I am in such good company over there! You really should check out all of the handmade goodies and vintage treasures from many, many sellers. This month's theme is "Holiday and Gifts", so be sure to do some Christmas shopping there.
Above are some things I have featured (or will feature) on my "table" at Poppytalk. Some things have already sold, so I'll be updating my table soon!
Oh, and the headboard in the background? It's my daughter's "new" bed...that is, if I can ever give up using it as a backdrop! :)

Oh What Fun it is...

2009-11-18T21:45:00.001-08:00

...to be on the front page of Etsy!
Hooray, my "Mod Christmas" Treasury made it to the front page of Etsy this evening!

Here are the treasures:
Vintage Red Wool Felt Hat
Vintage Bakelite Kodak Camera
Mid Century Modern Aqua Polar Bear
Modern Snowflake Gift Tags
One Dozen Vintage Glass Ornaments
Retro Pink Gingham Tea Party Apron
Retro Swirl Pillow Cover
Miniature Aqua Chair Picture
Splat Red Bamboo Modern Wall Clock
Mid Century Modern Scoop Chair
1963 Vintage Fashions Paper Wreath
4 Polka Dot Go-gos

Favorite Finds from Round Top

2009-10-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, this will be my last Round Top post (until I get to go again, of course!). See posts below for more!
I found some wonderful, one of a kind old treasures there. I love that when you go to a Flea Market, you never know what you will find, then fall in love with, and then absolutely HAVE to take home with you. I think the old post top above wins first place in that category, but here are some other favorites:

Be sure to check out other blogger's favorite flea market finds at the Flea Market Style Blog's "I'm a Flea Marketeer Party."

More from Round Top

2009-10-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

I can't say enough just how huge the Round Top Antique Fair is. JUST HUGE.
We shopped for a couple of days and didn't come close to seeing it all. One thing I didn't understand until we arrived is that Round Top, Texas is one teeny tiny town (population: 84). There are plenty of dealers set up just in Round Top, but so many, MANY more are set up in the areas and small towns surrounding Round Top. You would see the biggest outdoor flea market you had ever seen, and then, you would drive a bit and see another one that was just as big. Repeat that about 10 times, at least!
Here are just a few of the wonderful sights we saw:

See that aquarium? If you need one, I know where you can find it!

And last, but not least, please read the name of this sign. Well, it's the truth, isn't it?

Howdy!

2009-10-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

I have some Etsy listing to do, and the proof is in the picture above. I just returned from the famous Round Top, Texas Antique Fair. It takes place twice a year and is unbelievably HUGE. I will gradually be listing all of the above and more!
I'll be back soon with some other Round Top pictures!

Etsy's Storque: Haunted Mansion

2009-09-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

My old school bell is featured in an article on Etsy's Storque.

It's fun to see the other items that are featured. It reminds me of the silly "fun house" ride at our local amusement park. These things aren't really spooky on their own, but what about when you put them all together?

Antique Cast Iron Fixture from annslights.

Framed Owl print from Trixieknowsvintage.

Antique 1930's phone from LuLusVintageandSuppl's.

Okay, so maybe she's a tad bit spooky on her own! (from victoriantreasures).

Chic Studio

2009-09-24T21:38:00.001-07:00

One of my wonderful customers sent me pictures of her home studio. I just had to share!

I love the way she has incorporated both the pretty, girly vintage things with the industrial storage boxes. What a fun, inspiring and useful space!

Poppytalk Handmade

2009-09-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to those of you visiting from Poppytalk Handmade.
I'm so excited to be a featured vendor for Poppytalk's current market, "Mixed Tape," described as a "compilation of handmade & vintage goods for the fall". I concentrated mainly on vintage school related items.
It's certainly fun to look around at all of the goodies being offered. This market starts today, September 21st, so be sure to go and take a look! All of the vintage items can be found here, but there are several other catergories as well. Check back, too, as vendors will be updating and refilling their shops all of the time.
All of my my items featured on Poppytalk are available for purchase through my Etsy shop.

A Little Spooky

2009-09-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

I'm having fun with this season at bellalulu!

I just can't pass up a great old doll, whether she has all of her limbs or not! The one above is all in one piece, but oh dear, her eyes are a little crazy.

These next two (both recently sold) don't even have eyes...or heads, for that matter!

There is no doubt that this one (now sold) is spooky. This "Little Miss No Name" was made by Hasbro in 1965, and discontinued that same year. I may be crazy, but I can still find a bit of sweetness in her face!

I'll leave you with this sweet guy. Someone commented to me today that HE is kind of spooky. I'm not sure what that person would say about the others pictured here!

A Visit From the Storque

2009-08-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

No, not the Stork....Etsy's Storque!

I was so flattered to have some things featured recently in Etsy's blog, The Storque. The articles they were featured in were wonderful!

You can read Etsy Finds: Au Naturale here, where my vintage test tube holder and test tubes were featured. I love several of the items featured in this article.

I also had three items featured in Etsy Finds Decor: On the Set of Grey Gardens. What an interesting article, with an interesting story behind it!

Of all of these items, only the flag set is still available. I owe a huge thank you to the Etsy Storque!

Fall at the Flea Market

2009-08-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I've got Fall on my mind. It is my favorite season!
So many times when I come back from flea marketing, I realize I have found a bunch of things that go really well together.
This past Saturday, it was mostly browns and oranges- perfect Fall colors. You will see all of these soon in my shop!

Industrial Chic

2009-08-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a bunch of GREY to cheer you up, right?
These kinds of goodies cheer me up for sure, and they will be available to you in my Etsy shop soon!

Wiley Valentine

2009-07-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

I was so thrilled to see this recent bellalulu purchase in its new home!

I love to see where my finds end up. It is clear that this one went the right place!

The WV stands for Wiley Valentine, a shop full of "inspired paper delights." You can buy directly from their website, or they also have an Etsy shop.

In fact, you will be delighted to see what Wiley Valentine has to offer. They have a unique and BEAUTIFUL selection of cards and stationary. These are some of my favorites, but really, it was hard to narrow it down!

Congratulations:

Hip Hip Hooray!
Baby:
They were recently even featured in In Style Weddings! How neat!

Thank you again, Wiley Valentine, for sharing your pictures with me and for this lovely post.

And Speaking of Zinc...

2009-07-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

A vintage zinc suicase! Isn't this a fun vintage find? If it has your name on it, go here!
Industrial on the outside, pretty on the inside...

Think Zinc!

2009-06-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

Isn't zinc wonderful?
Above, zinc letters from the always wonderful Anthropologie

Zinc place cards from Farmhouse Wares:

Zinc dining table from Pottery Barn:

Jars with zinc lids from Elizabeth's Embellishments:

Zinc numbers from Remedy:
And of course, I had to check Vintage Etsy's zinc supply! Zinc caddies from tentpitcher:
Zinc box from greatfindz:

Let's Go to the Flea Market!

2009-05-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

That's where I'm headed tomorrow (actually today...better get to sleep)!
Here's my imaginary outdoor flea market (a treasury):

Aquarium #2

2009-05-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to find another aquarium!
This one is a little bit bigger than the last one I had, but it is the same NEAT Art Deco style.

It's waiting for you here!

More on Treasuries

2009-05-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

I love creating Etsy treasuries...I think I've already mentioned that. I love pulling together neat, neat things from different Etsy sellers. None of my treasuries have yet made it to the front page, but that is my goal!

I try to pull from each of the Etsy categories: handmade, supplies and vintage for my treasuries. That can make for such an interesting collection!

My latest favorite treasury was the one above...I just love those colors together. That wonderful child's chair, offered by vintagejane in the upper left hand corner started it all. I was determined to find some other goodies to go with it!

Here's a closer look at it:

Here are a few others I've created recently:

Let's Go to the Movies!
Who doesn't love birds these days?

A subtle circus theme.
***Here are some excellent links related to Etsy Treasuries***

*Etsy's main Treasury list:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?ref=fp_nav_treasury

*How to create a Treasury:
http://etsytreasurydemo.blogspot.com/

*How to see if your item is featured in a treasury:
http://www.craftopolis.com/
I love this site! A handful of my items have been featured in other treasuries, and it is always a thrill to see that! My salvaged door monograms made it onto this recent treasury...actually this is from Etsy's Treasury West:
*What is Treasury West? Well, I'm not sure, other than it's a whole other grouping of Etsy treasuries. It probably gets less exposure than the main treasury list, and it is smaller, but still fun:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_west.php

Vintage Aquarium

2009-04-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, this sold fast. Like within 12 hours fast. I'm glad for that, but it just needs to be appreciated a little bit longer, I think. It can live on in pictures here.

I just love the shape of its metal frame. I also love all of the possibilities it has. You could fill it up with just about anything. You could change out what goes inside each holiday. I can see vintage Christmas ornaments, Easter Eggs, etc.

As I said in my listing, Martha suggests using old aquariums for indoor water gardens. Very good idea, Martha.

I thought my silver swan looked pretty great in it.

It's pretty perfect, huh?

Dear buyer, if you ever want to return it, just let me know. :)

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

New Addiction: Etsy Treasuries

2009-04-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of creating two Etsy Treasuries in the past couple of weeks. It's not easy to get a Treasury spot, but it's well worth the wait! More info on Etsy Treasuries coming soon!

Treasury 1 (featuring to bottom, left to right: Knocknocking, HeyYoYo, louandlee, notnewshop, mincingmockingbird, littlefishbigpond, luxedeluxe, hollandhousefabrics, *ahem* bellalulu, elizabethwrenvintage, SkylarsCandyClips, and projectgrabbag:Treasury 2: (featuring to bottom, left to right: Knocknocking, cutfromthesamecloth, gomakeme, HeyYoYo, sushipotparts, LittleOvercoat, ariaImages, amy1971, InkspotWorkshop, TillyBloom, pinkgrapefruitstyle, and FluffyFlowersVintage:

Oklahoma City Antiquing

2009-03-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Antique Avenue Market, in my opinion, is the very best antique mall in Oklahoma City. Considering selection, quality, and prices, it really can't be beat.

We visited OKC last weekend, and, as always, I found a couple of treasures there.

Another, more upscale antique mall definitely worth visiting is Mockingbird Manor. I forgot to take pictures there, but here's a post on the Material Girls blog about it. If nothing else, you will come away with new decorating ideas.

Red, White & Blue

2009-02-04T22:34:00.001-08:00

These fun treasures were all found last Saturday.
Apparently I red, white and blue were on my mind!
Most of these are now available in my Etsy store.

Famous Horse!

2009-01-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

My most recent Etsy listing, this sweet little horse, is a part of a vintage western Etsy treasury. You can visit this treasury here.

What's an Etsy treasury? See here.

This is the second time a bellalulu item has been featured in an Etsy treasury. The first item was this yellow bird (now sold).

Now I'm off to look for more vintage, chippy, metal animals! :)

Vintage Organization

2009-01-09T20:42:00.001-08:00

I just saw some fun ideas on how to organize using vintage containers here, and more here. I recently found a new organizational uses for some old things, and they are working perfectly! Now if I could only organize all of my vintage things.

All those things that sit out on the bathroom counter? Hair products, deoderant, contact solution, toothpaste, comb....

Now, they are gathered in a vintage McCoy planter.

No matter how hard I try to put them aways, scissors, tape, and pens always end up scattered around my kitchen. They're in the way all of the time, but then you somehow can't find them when you do need them.

Now, they sit nicely in these 3 vintage ice cream syrup containers.

My Vintage Christmas Tour

2008-12-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Christmas tour, hosted by Boomama.

Come in!

The entryway- sparkly letters thanks to JoAnn's, made even better with some old glass bead garland!

The table in the entry. This poor reindeer's antlers only stay put for about 2.5 seconds at a time thanks to a run in with our 75 lb weimaraner last year. That's okay, though- 2.5 seconds is long enough for a picture!

The dining room:

A closer look at the dining room table decor- these little vintage characters are so much fun to collect. Look at those ones on the right- they are full of mischief.
Part of my vintage Santa collection:

The garland on the mantle (made from the branch remains of an aluminum tree). I asked my husband if this was a little too crazy, and he said yes. Mabye I shouldn't have asked.

A closer look...

My vintage chalkware nativity set. If you look closely, you will notice that we have twin wisemen. When it comes to vintage decor, sometimes these things happen. :)

Our pink "Charlie Brown" tree! :) Oh, and some more of those crazy little characters.

My wonderful 12 Days of Christmas plates that my mom gave me last year.

Santa's watching!

Thanks you for coming and Merry Christmas!

Fun with Numbers

2008-12-14T21:45:00.001-08:00

Numbered pillows:

Numbered chairs:
Numbered vases:

Match Your Room

2008-11-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

Do you ever match your room?
I think my daughter needs this dress so she can match her room:
Makes sense, doesn't it? Does anyone else think that way? :)

What to do with a Niche?

2008-10-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bloggers, The Pioneer Woman, talked about a niche in her lodge remodel project today. We have a niche in our new house, and honestly, it kind of stressed me out. Since it's a niche, something worthy, special, and important should go there right? Well, honestly, I don't think so- it's my house, not a museum! I just arranged several interesting and old items together. I piled on a few miniature pumpkins and gords for the season, and it works. Worthy, special or important? I don't know, but at least it's one of a kind!

Things with Faces

2008-10-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've always had a thing for vintage things with faces. Whether they be animals, statues, dolls, or even doll heads (see above), sometimes they just need to come home with me.
My mom knew I would love these, but she found them after they had already been sold. They were sold on Raised in Cotton, a neat online vintage shop. I do love them, and in fact, I have to keep going back to look at the picture and reminding myself that they are already sold.
They haunt me- not in a spooky beheaded doll kind of way (as one might think), but in a "why didn't I find them first" kind of way. Weird, I know.
I like weird things.
In fact, my Etsy shop is full of things with faces since I can't keep them all. And PS, I'm adding one new thing to my shop every day in October!

Back with More Mirrors!

2008-10-01T21:15:00.001-07:00

As I get all of our decor settled into our new house, I realize that I have some holes to fill. Of course, I can't just go get everything I want at once. Besides, it's fun to be on the hunt for that perfect thing for a while. Last week, I did luck out on a couple of good deals for things I needed.

First: $2 Estate Sale Mirror...$2! It's old, with a slightly cracked and chippy frame, and the mirror has a scratch or two- perfect!

Second: My Michael's find. It was less than $40 with my 40% off with my coupon, and it reminds me of something Horchow would have (like this one for $395).

Mirror, Mirror, Not on the Wall

2008-08-11T10:01:00.001-07:00

I like mirrors with neat old frames. They are so hard for me to pass up! Since we are moving, we just took down all of our wall hangings so we could patch up the walls. Do you think I have enough? (Never!)

A Perfect Tan?

2008-07-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

I have been on the hunt for the perfect paint color for our new house. I am wanting a neutral, but not "blah" neutral. I want rich, perfect neutral.

I am an interior designer, and I think with paint, the safest thing is to go with a paint color that you have already seen on a wall and love it. That's not always possible though, and sometimes you just have to go for it.

Deb from the Curious Sofa recently mentioned on her blog that Hallmark comes to her house to take pictures because of her nice, neutral pallete. Oh how I would love to see her house- I bet it is wonderful!

I decided to e-mail her and ask her secret to the perfect paint color. She so generously wrote a lengthy e-mail back, and has agreed to let me share her tips here. I hated to keep them to myself:

1. Best thing to do is take anything from your house: (a plate, a
drawer from a dresser) of a neutral color you love and get it color matched.

2. When looking at a paint swatch, look at the darkest color to get a feel of the tone of the paint. Sometimes yellows are hidden in the lighter colors and you can't really see them until you paint an entire wall.

3. Avoid a neutral with a hint of yellow or pink. Look for hues in a true white- grey- tan family, These will work with your fabrics and accessories much better as any yellow tint can throw you off. Think Mother Nature: Colors of rocks, sand, seashells.

4. Buy a quart and paint a large area of your home. Especially if you are going to do this color in many rooms. Paint it against the
woodwork, in areas light will get to and look at it for a week or so before you make a decision.

Thanks, Deb, for your advice!
I think we've decided on Sherwin Williams' Latte.

THE bedding

2008-07-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

I saw and fell and love with this bedding on my last trip to Canton. I'm a bit of a bargain hunter though, and I just couldn't let myself buy it. It was gorgeous, perfect for my daughter's room, and it haunted my dreams. In this case, the bargain hunting paid off, and I found it online here at almost 50% off! Hooray!

Birdies and Dollies

2008-07-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Not everything has to be vintage, but I'm so very picky about the new things. Birds and cupie-like dolls are two of my big weaknesses. Etsy is such a fun source for new but wonderful things! I love the birdie cake topper above (really, everything in her store is cute).

I purchased one of these sock baby rattles for baby L, customized to match the colors of her room and it is just so sweet:

And I just love these new prints on vintage paper: And my mom purchased and framed a couple of these charming birdies. They have such personalities, and apparently so does their creator- see his Etsy titles!

Whimsical Children's Rooms Blog Party!

2008-07-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'm joining this party a bit late, but it's so much fun! It's Katydiddy's Whimsical Children's Rooms Blog Party. Our girls' rooms are probably my two favorite rooms in our house, and whimsical they are, so here goes...

I'll start with A's room. A is my first daughter and it was so much fun creating her room. For both of my girls' rooms, my husband and mom helped make my design a reality. They painted, sewed, built furniture, and dealt with my pregnant self ordering them around! :)

Now it's time to move to L's room. I drew much of my inspiration for L's room from this Home Companion magazine article. It showed pictures of HC contributing editor Trenna Travis Lange's daughter's room. I just LOVED the colors, and really everything about the room. I wrote her and she was so sweet to clue me in on just the right color for the walls.

Happy 4th of July...

2008-07-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

...from all of "us" here at bellalulu

More goodies from the Market of Fleas

2008-06-30T08:39:00.001-07:00

Everyone is looking at Peter...except little sweet doll-without-arms...she is wondering why they aren't looking at her.

Good OLD Mother Goose

2008-06-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that if no more stuffed animals were made, there would still be too many. At our house, they seem to multiply by the day.

Vintage stuffed animals, however, are different.

I just listed this sweet Mother Goose. Is anyone doing a nursery rhyme themed nursery? She's perfect!

Looking around my house, I realized just how much I love these vintage creatures...

and last, but certainly not least, my beloved monkey band...

Curious Sofa Estate Sale!

2008-06-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

Oh how I wish I could attend this!
The Curious Sofa is such a wonderful store in Kansas City. Even if you don't buy anything, you are sure to walk out with new ideas. Just have a look below, and be sure to visit Curious Sofa's Blog for more pictures that will make you want to drop everything and run to KC this weekend!

Great day at the Flea Market!

2008-06-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our Saturday morning Flea Market can be hit and miss. For those of us who go every time we possibly can (like my mom and I), it pays off! You just never know what you might find. I just loved this vintage clown head guy.
Here are my other treasures from my last Flea Market trip....coming soon to my Etsy shop!

Goodbye sweet things!

2008-06-19T20:38:00.001-07:00

As I grouped these items together today to package them up, I couldn't help but notice how sweet they all look together, all red white and blue. They are all going to one wonderful customer.

They are some of my favorites, and I will miss them, but I am sure they are going to a good home. The vintage first aid cabinet is just so perfect, and the sailor was my first listing on Etsy....I'm sure he will greet his new owner with a cheerful Ahoy!

It Never Hurts to Ask!

2008-06-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

During my latest Estate Sale outing, I drove up to a house and saw this. There wasn't a tag on it, but I figured I would ask if it was for sale.
"Well, I guess we could sell it....I don't see why not...," was the answer.
I did feel a little bit bad taking away something that had been with that house for so long, but it was even worse to think that the new owners would probably just throw it away. The horror of that!

So, "3355 So Braden" can live on happily somewhere else!

One Vintage Birthday

2008-06-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

I love to decorate with vintage things, even for birthday parties. These are pictures from my daughter's first birthday party.

The vintage: old painted red chippy "1" (0h look, here's ONE for sale!), plastic "happy birthday" cake decoration, red and white heart hankerchief, blue glass cake stand.

The made to look vintage: plastic bear containers with fun party hats filled with strawberry cherrios and pink, red and aqua m&ms (these served as decorations and party favors!).
*I loved this idea, "borrowed" from Sweet Eye Candy Creations...thank you, thank you, thank you Jennifer!
The yummy: homemade cupcakes and cake balls (except I use homeade frosting and melted chocolate chips for the coating)

The pretty: fresh flowers arranged by my (super talented) mom, and tied with vintage seam binding (thank Martha for the seam binding idea)

Searching for Vintage on Etsy

2008-06-06T20:07:00.001-07:00

Etsy is a wonderful place to shop for new handmade items. It's also a great place to shop for vintage goodies. I love looking for both handmade and vintage items there!
Etsy recently made some changes, however, that make it a little harder to find vintage unless you know what you are doing.
As of May 5th, the default search on Etsy is only for handmade items. If you want to look for vintage items, you have to change your search (in the drop down menu at the top) to "vintage: tags and titles". You can also search for "all items: tags and titles" if you want to see all items, handmade and vintage, at once.

Canton, Texas

2008-06-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to go vintage treasure hunting is Canton, Texas. Each month, on the weekend before the first Monday of the month, they have Trade Days. It is wonderful!

New things coming soon...every day in JUNE!

2008-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out my Etsy Store, Bellalulu, every day in June. One new item will be added daily! FUN, FUN!

Up first, it's Little Miss June!