Funky Art Cafe

A road trip to Brenham is not complete without stopping for lunch at the Funky Art Cafe.  I thought their dessert tray looked so inviting.  Sadly they were already out of the German Chocolate Brownies that we requested. 

Dessert Tray

The Funky Art Cafe is actually in the Pomegranate Store.  We went on Good Friday so I am assuming that is why we were greeted by this very blingy egg as we entered the store/cafe. 

Madame Funky Egg



The dining room is a bright purple which is in itself, kinda funky.  My family loves to eat here, although Mr. CH says it is a chick place.  (It doesn't seem to stop him from coming though.)

The Funky Art Cafe

The specials are a good place to start, and here is what the board said on Good Friday.



Specials

We chose the Veggie Quiche Duo Plate from the specials board, and the Grown Up Grilled Cheese from the regular menu.  My favorite quiche was the asparagus one.  (You just can't beat goat cheese!)  To see their complete menu, click here.



Veggie Quiche Duo Plate





Grown up Grilled Cheese



 It was a wonderful meal, and everyone was happy.  (I love it when that happens.) After lunch, I made my way through The Pomegranate, to see what was new and interesting.  There were many gift ideas and some stuff that might work for the ranch.  There is even a coffee shop in the Pomegranate where you can stop by for a cappuccino or whatever. 



I like their jewelry; The pieces reminds me of some handmade jewelry that I have bought in Asheville, NC. 

Here is the bracelet I bought at The Pomegranate last time I visited. 



 They also carry lots of gift items and things for your home and kitchen. 

And did I mention that they carry dishes (not that I would notice or anything.)  See A Tale of Two Dishes if you don't know what I am talking about.

It was a fun day, and after lunch, I dropped Mr. CH and the girls at the theater to see Hop.  They loved it, and I loved having an afternoon to see Brenham by myself.  Ahhh... memories...

For more information about the Funky Art Cafe, click here.



Leftovers, Shabby Chic Texas Style

It wasn't the first time I had been there, but it still felt fresh, and fun.  I was visiting Leftovers in Brenham, Texas.  I love their casual, Country French style. 

In their words, 

Owners Ed Fulkerson and Michael Breddin shop extensively around the world to offer a unique mix of covetable items.  Savvy shoppers are invited to our awe-inspiring and ever-changing vast showroom. We represent a relaxed style and sophisticated charm to offer a memorable experience. 

Looking around the store, I could see that they love all things elegant, especially if they happen to be rusted or tarnished. I like to use the Texas French word for rust and tarnish, "PATINA", which according to  Dictionary.com means 

pat·i·na

–noun

1. a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.

2. a similar film or coloring appearing gradually on some other substance.

3. a surface calcification of implements, usually indicating great age.

Origin: 1740–50; < Italian: coating < Latin: pan. See paten

When I think patina, I think of beautiful old things that show their age in a slighter tattered fashion.  And that describes Leftovers.  If you are one of those people that only likes perfect, new items, this isn't the place for you.  But if you enjoy the look of a well-loved, well-used thing of beauty, then "Come on in!"

Here you will encounter linen mixed with burlap and feedsacks

Old tarnished silver, ironstone, and English Transferware displayed beautifully with rusted wrought iron and and old pine tables.  

Even old wine bottles take on an artistic, sculptural quality here.

And the bed linens are heavenly, in a fluffy, dreamy sort of way.

They also have loads of ironstone.  (Caroline, I feel a road trip coming on.)

I spoke with someone who works here, and she told me how her attitude about old things has changed.  Working there, has made her much more relaxed about keeping all the silver polished.  (I like that!!)  And she said that just because something isn't perfect or pristine any more, doesn't mean you have to throw it away.  That becomes obvious as you take a look around the place.

Leftovers even had some old plates that had been repaired (probably LONG ago) with what looked like iron staples.  The front just showed some hairline cracks, but the back was covered in rusted staples.  The plates were displayed backwards (with the front facing the wall) so that you could see the repair job in all its glory.  What an interesting display idea.  I didn't get a picture, but now I wish I had.

Rachel Ashwell was there recently for a book signing, and they still have autographed copies of her book, Shabby Chic.



FYI, If you follow Cote de Texas blog (and I highly recommend that you do) you might be aware that Rachel has just bought a ranch near Round Top, Click here.

And speaking of Texas, I just love it when I see elegant French pieces mixed with a little bit of Texas.  Here are some fun shutters I found. 



They also had shelves and shelves of glassware and dishes, dishes, dishes.   Be still my heart!



I love bringing the garden into the home, and they had lots of wonderful garden pieces you could use indoors or out.  



What a visual feast!  It's a lovely store, where I met some wonderful people.  They really are very friendly here.  I made a small purchase, an ironstone cream pitcher that was calling out to me.  Here is it, below.

And you know how THIS story goes.  One little purchase makes all your old stuff look dated, and out of place.  So here is my BEFORE picture.

After I added the new cream pitcher, I decided I needed to start over.  I was thinking of Caroline's shelf.  (Insert Cartoon Dream bubble here.)

I was wondering how I could recreate this look with my new pitcher.  I was at the ranch now, far from shopping, so I had to use just what I had on hand.  It reminded me of a cooking show, I used to watch, where the chefs were given three fresh ingredients and asked to create a dish, but the only other ingredients they were allowed to use were typical pantry items.  That pretty much summed up where I was, and this is what I came up with. 



The middle top bowl I had bought at Target to use as a water bowl for the dog.  (Don't judge me!!  You wouldn't have known if I hadn't told you!!)

Not bad for a throw-together, but I can now see that I need a few little ironstone pieces to spruce this up.  I'll show you the results when I get the new things.  Meanwhile, I think I will do a post on how and where to sell your old stuff.  I think I could really use that, since I now have several things I will be getting rid of selling to lucky people. 

Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I Corinthians 5:8

Beautiful Budget-Friendly Burlap Ideas

Burlap is the new silk if you haven't noticed.  It is popping up everywhere.  In perusing the Ballard Designs website and catalog, I have saw several items of interest, that acted as a jumping off point for me.  I wondered how I could add a little burlap love to our country home.

I first made some simple burlap curtains for the bathroom windows.  Although these were very simple to make, I found that after I finished, I was unable to use them because they were way too sheer and you could see right through them.  I knew Mr. CH's mother would not find that amusing when she came to visit.  One solution would have been to line them with muslin, but I didn't want to do that, because I thought it would block too much of the light.  (Lesson learned - hold fabric up to window during day to see if fabric is too sheer BEFORE you cut it and preferably BEFORE you buy it.) So I ended up using a tan on creme toile fabric for these curtains, only covering half of the window, so that it would provide privacy, but still allow light to come into the bathrooms.   

I then turned my attention to the bath tub, and decided to make shower curtains.  I   I needed two widths of fabric for the shower curtain, so I cut the fabric into two pieces.  Then I choose one of those panels, and cut it in half length-wise.  I pinned each half panel on either side of the solid panel.  This is done so that there isn't a seam in the middle of the shower curtain.  Your eye forgives the the two side seams; however, it will not usually ignore one directly in the center.  (When sewing a bed cover, it is even more important not to have a seam down the center.)  I sewed the pieces together and then pressed the seams open.  Next, I formed the hem for the top of the curtain (no need for a rod pocket here, although the sewing instructions are the same, either way.)  The bottom of the curtain were also pressed and hemed.

Bottom of Shower Curtain

I left the sides raw, since that added to the charm.  (Okay, there is no fooling you... it also made the project easier and faster.)

Raw edge of Shower Curtain

I didn't even sew button holes at the top for the shower curtain hooks, since it wasn't necessary.  The fabric was so loosely woven, that the shower curtain hooks just went right through the fabric at the top.  To ensure that the weight of the fabric wouldn't pull, enlarging those holes, I put the hooks in the top above my seam, where there were three thicknesses of the fabric.  That has worked beautifully. 

Top of Shower Curtain showing placement of Shower Curtain Hooks

I used a shower liner on the inside, to keep water off of the fabric, especially since the water would probably go right through the burlap onto our wood floors.  Below is a picture of the shower curtain. 
   

Burlap Shower Curtain

I was looking for some more ways to use burlap, and found one.  I used another piece of burlap as a tablecloth on our table outside.  It wasn't wide enough to hang over the sides, but that also seems to be a look I have seen other places, so I didn't bother to make it any bigger and just used it like it, without any sewing.  If it gets stained, then it just adds more character.  (Works for me.) 

Burlap tablecloth

Close-up of Burlap Tablecloth

Our shed has lots of windows and we wanted something to block the view of the things inside the shed so I also made three curtains for that building.  And I still wasn't done.  I had one more burlap project left in me.

I found three inexpensive small ottomen at TJ Maxx.   Is that the plural of 'ottoman'?  My spell check says, "NO," apparently it is 'ottomans', which just doesn't sound right.  They were perfect in size, but I really didn't like the fabric.  It was too orangey brown.  I made some simple slipcovers for each one.  This may look complicated but it was very easy.  I simply measured the sides and top of the ottoman and cut a piece of fabric for each side and the top.  Using piping string from the fabric store, I made some burlap piping and sewed it around the top piece of fabric.  I then sewed the four sides together, making sure that it would fit the top exactly.  Next, I sewed the sides to the top.  After heming the slipcovers, I was done.

Burlap Ottoman

Another View

Corner of Ottoman under Slipcover

Some of the burlap I used, I purchased at Joanne's for $3.99/yd.  It comes in several different forms, believe it or not.  You can buy the original type of burlap that has a very loose weave; this is the type people still use today for gardening and other utilitarian uses.  I used this version of burlap for my tablecloth.  At some point, the manufacturers realized people wanted to sew with burlap, and they decided to make a burlap fabric more suitable for decorative sewing projects.  This new burlap often comes in a few different shades, typically bleached, sage and original brownish tan; it has a tighter weave and looks much more refined.  I chose the "refined" burlap for the shower curtain and the ottomans.  If you are buying burlap for a sewing project, you will probably want the tighter weave of burlap.  Just look around first. 

I love this Aidan Gray burlap pillow on my Swedish bench.  

To finish out the look, I purchased the Le Jardin (Aidan Gray) ottoman below.

Aidan Gray Le Jardin Ottoman

Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first set, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set. Exodus 36:17

Old Baby Dresses = New Artwork

This is an EASY project, no paint, no sewing, no glue.  Well, I tried to just talk about the project, but it always reminds me of a story.  Feel free to skip below to the project, if you are in a hurry.  

The girls room

Our girls' room at Cedar Hill has three beds in it, two for our girls and one for a guest.  And now that they are teenagers, I feel the need to clarify a policy that has always been in place, but had not been specifically enunciated before; ANY guest that stays in the guest bed MUST be female.  Okay, I feel better now.  Not that it has come up yet, but some things are better to head off at the pass, if you know what I mean. 

I personally am tired of hearing the "but, M-O-MMM, you never told me we couldn't do that," like when I found our eight-year-old on top of the two story roof, or when I found permanent paint all over a brand-new shirt.  Oh, and the birthday party a few years ago... how could I forget?   Being a High School/Middle School Sunday School teacher, I had learned the need to start out strict and let everyone think you are mean, to keep things from getting too out of hand.  When all of the girls arrived for the party, I sat everyone down, and solemnly went over the house rules; 

1. No running in the house
2. No jumping
3. No excluding anyone
4. and absolutely NO nudity.

I told them that if they followed the rules, I would be happy, and that as long as I was happy, they would be happy, but if I became unhappy, then they might experience a profound sadness, the kind of sadness that might occur when, I don't know, maybe your parents have been called to come get you at 2:00 am because you were misbehaving.

Before the evening was over, at least one prank phone call was made from our house phone, someone hurt her foot RUNNING into a piece of furniture, someone SPIT on someone else,  someone took a picture of someone else's bare bum with her cell phone (which is probably illegal), and my new gameroom settee was permanently destroyed.  I should have known there was a problem when the loud laughter and yelling stopped abruptly.  I missed the loud cracking noise that signalled the end to my new settee.  (See?  It's not just Mr. CH who breaks things.) 

Later, when I went upstairs to check on everyone, several of the girls suddenly had developed a deep home-sickness and were longing desperately to  be with their parents (WHAT?) so badly that they HAD to leave immediately.  Most of the girls left that night, even though it was a sleep-over, which left my daughter in tears.  In fact the only girls that stayed were the ones, whose mothers refused to come get them.  They wanted to get out of Dodge, before the mean mommy found out that her furniture had been destroyed. I didn't find out until the next morning, but I digress.

What were we talking about?  The dresses! 

DRESS PROJECT

I wanted some artwork to place above each bed, especially since we had no headboards for the beds.  I looked for framed prints, but just couldn't find a set of three that I liked.  Besides, I wanted something unique and personal.  Although traditional framed artwork can be pretty, but is sometimes pretty boring. 

Long ago, when my daughters outgrew their baby clothes, I kept this set of red dresses (actually it is a set of 5) hoping I would have some way to display them later, and here was my opportunity.  Notice that the baby clothes had a common theme, in this case they are all red.  I don't think these dresses would have a unified look if they were all different colors.  I wondered how it would look if I hung a dress above each bed.   

"Hmmm, it's missing something," I thought.  I needed something that would act as a frame for each dress.  I looked around for a long time to find just the right accent, until I came upon these metalwork pieces.  I found these in a catalog, and The Market St. Shop special-ordered these for me. They are actually designed to hold cards or photos.  I hung the dresses on some cute wooden hangers from The Container Store.  You can see what the hangers look like below.

 

The Container Store Wooden Children's Hangers

I then attached the hangers by tying them on the metal frames with twine.   I think that was a easy way to attach them that fit with my relaxed, country theme.   

Here are some pictures to show you some of the details on the dresses. 

The hardest thing I did was measure the room so that the dresses (and beds) would be equally spaced across the room.  Once I determined where each frame would go, I placed it evenly over each bed and up high enough to slightly clear the euro pillows on each bed.  Since these metal pieces and the dresses were not heavy, I just used regular hanging hardware for each piece.  I wish every project was that easy.  And here are a few pictures of my girls actually wearing the dresses (long ago) that I threw in, just for fun. 

 

Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6