Friday, September 28, 2012

Stirrup Some Style!

Hi Friends:

Back in the frontier days, cowboys used to roam the dusty, tumbleweed-swept range with beautiful leather saddles and classic wooden stirrups. After years of aiding their riders as they galloped across fields, along creeks and over streams, these simply-crafted stirrups developed warm patinas and time-worn charm.  While wood is no longer the material of choice for stirrups today, these beauties have found new life and purpose as decorative accessories in the home. 


Here are my three favorite ways to use a vintage wooden stirrup:


1. Place one on your kitchen or dinner table and fill it with beautiful vintage cloth napkins.


2. Hang or set out on the counter in the bathroom and add a guest towel. 


3. Use in the kitchen with a dishtowel.

Georgia's is stocking up on stirrups; we'll have one-of-a-kind relics from the past available soon! 

Happy trails!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Bittersweet for Fall Decorating!

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The air is crisp (well, at least here in the Midwest it is), football season is back in full swing, and bittersweet, a perennial vine, is ablaze with vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. Did you know there are two main types of bittersweet in the United States? American, also known as false bittersweet, is distinguished by berries found at the ends of the vine. Oriental bittersweet has thorns and the berries grow along the entire vine. Both varieties provide amazing Fall color both outside and in. I  think cut bittersweet is such a versatile “floral” item because it looks great before it fully blooms in a beautiful vase filled with fresh water or dried and arranged in a vintage crock that can serve as a stand-alone centerpiece or as part of a great vignette. Many local florists and national chain grocery stores are stocking bittersweet right now.  In fact, just last night I was at my local Whole Foods and they had a great selection to choose from.
Happy bittersweet season!

Do you have a great idea on how to use bittersweet or where to get it in your area? We want to hear about it. Leave us a comment.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Decorative Accessories at Georgia's


Vintage cobalt blue console table 

Georgia's loves mixing the old with the new and blending vintage pieces with modern home furnishings and accessories. To that end, we are continuing to add found, one-of-a-kind items to our inventory and will be making them available to you very soon. In the meantime, take a gander at a few of our favorite finds! I don't know how we are going to part with them!
Silver plate trays ready for repurposing
Vintage hand mirrors - so beautiful hung together
Vintage Sears tool caddy great for the garden

Nikki and I are so excited to share our vision and our finds with you! Tell us how you accessorize and repurpose pieces to create comfort and charm. 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Fried Dough!

 So, one of the guilty pleasures of outdoor flea markets and antique shows are the food booths. I have had everything from roasted corn, German bratwurst, and cheese curds to those delicious and aromatic spiced nuts, waffle cones, and fresh squeezed lemonade. But nothing, I mean nothing is as delicious and satisfying as fried dough. You don't see it everywhere and when I came across it at the Brimfield Antique Show, I indulged not once, not twice, but three times! I couldn't help myself. In my defense, I did shop for two full days and expended a lot of energy digging for treasures. Growing up, my mother made fried dough for us and I have made it for my kids. It's essentially a fried bread made from a risen yeast dough. The dough bubbles up when fried and then may be sprinkled with a variety of toppings including powdered sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, honey and butter. It's super easy and a great way to use leftover dough when making bread, pizza or dinner rolls. If you don't have dough hanging around, pick some up. My local pizzeria sells dough balls for $1! Drop everything and try this; everyone will be hovering around the stove waiting for a hot one! My topping suggestion: melted butter and powdered sugar!
Recipe
Pinch off a piece of dough from the ball.
Pull the dough edges to form a flattened shape.
Fry the dough over medium heat in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
The dough will bubble up up and turn golden; now flip!
 Almost done!
Drizzle dough with melted butter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot. Yum!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fall Flavor!


Every year, at this time, I struggle. The planter at my front door is lush and thriving, but as Fall approaches, I'm eager to make changes. I'm seduced by ornamental kale, flowering cabbages, dusty miller, pepper plants and mums. But, I feel guilty; I can't bring myself to abandon the plants I've nurtured all summer. I mean look at my diamond frost and that sweet potato vine! Ripping them out right now is wrong isn't it? Darn these lingering warm temperatures! Don't get me wrong, I'm not ready for the cold, but what to do. How about adding a large bottle or crookneck gourd to the planter or nestling in a second planter filled with Fall plants. This year, I'm calling upon cinderella pumpkins to "season" my entryway and accessorizing with grapevine garland and burlap ribbon. I can carry this through to Thanksgiving with a quick bow change to celebrate Halloween. How do you make the transition? Georgia's wants to know! 



Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Brimfield Antique Show


Georgia's had a blast! Brimfield was brimming with antiques, collectibles, primitives and all things time-worn! This show truly lived up to its reputation as the largest and best-known outdoor antiques show in the country. There were literally thousands of dealers selling everything imaginable. I knew immediately that this was going to be a shopping experience like no other. Although I had help, I had to call for more reinforcements - Georgia's tech guy drove up from New York to help scout and ferry purchases to the car. Oh, and did I mention that it rained cats and dogs! We weren't deterred; no, we donned ponchos, over-looked our soaked shoes and reveled in the hunt for treasures. Georgia's was inspired at every turn; my best memories, though, the helpful, friendly people that we met, both dealers and fellow shoppers, and the fried dough. More about that later.  Have a look at some of our fab finds and candid moments! These items and so much more will be available for purchase soon! 

Vintage Bread and Dough Boards

Shopping for Antique Wooden Spindle Spools
Vintage Knife/Tool Caddy

Vintage Printer's Drawers
Vintage Spooners



Sunday, September 9, 2012

Where’s Your Wedding Guestbook?

Photo Credit: Carasco Photography
No really, where is it? Displayed on your mantel or a bookshelf for all to view or packed in a box buried in an attic or basement without hope of ever seeing the light of day. My gut tells me the latter is the final resting place of many a wedding guestbook. Last year, I planned my own wedding with the dedicated support of Georgia’s Crew, and when faced with the decision of “to guestbook or not to guestbook,” I decided to take a stand. I refused to let my wedding guestbook face the fate of so many others that have gone before it.  No,  20 years from now, I don't want to open a dusty box only to find this memento from my big day moldy or moth-eaten.

So, I went in a totally different direction.  I opted for a guestbook that I could cherish every day. The theme of my wedding was vintage (you’re shocked, I know), yet organic and "green."  I decided to have my wedding guests help me create a piece of artwork that I could proudly display in my home.


I started with a great design of a leafless tree which was printed on 18x20 acid-free paper that was then mounted on foam board.  I framed the tree, without glass, in a beautiful, old gold frame that I found at a salvage warehouse.  At the wedding, I positioned the frame flat on a table, along with green stamp pads, hand wipes and instructions on how to add to my soon-to-be masterpiece. The instructions I provided asked that each guest add a leaf to my guest tree by adding a thumb or fingerprint and then initial or sign their name near it.  Let me pause here because I know what you are thinking… and the answer is no, no one accidentally put a green print on my dress; the hand wipes which I re-labeled with my wedding colors and logo worked like a charm. 


Photo Credit: Carasco Photography
Photo Credit: Carasco Photography
After the wedding, I properly framed my guestbook wedding tree by adding glass.  Now, my guestbook work-of-art is hanging in my guest bathroom as an everyday reminder of the many family and friends that made our wedding day so truly special.
Do you have a great guestbook idea? We want to hear about it!