Treasure Hunting Report: Ottawa Antique Show

Hubby and I went to the Ottawa Antique Show Friday.  I always go the first night, because it gives me some time to think a purchase over and return over the weekend.  Little things (like a McCoy planter) I have bought on the spot, but the year we bought three Lotte lamps, I asked that the seller hold them overnight and I returned the next morning to buy them.  I just needed to sleep on it (in hindsight, why?).  This time, we accidentally arrived really early, about 4:30pm, and there was already a line!  Ottawa is a city of treasure hunting early birds.  By 5:00pm the line had snaked around and was blocking the door.  You can actually see me, with Hubby lurking behind, in one of Kim's photos (below).  I don't know why I look so grumpy: I had a full tummy (Hubby insisted we eat a ridiculously early dinner in case we were at the show until late), empty bladder and was at an antique show! 

Photo from Desire to Inspire

The show was great!  We spotted some familiar vendors, but new booths as well.  There were some fabulous pieces for sale.  I favored so many of Kim's picks that by the end Hubby would spot a pick of hers, hide her tag, ask if I liked it, then celebrate if I didn't love it.  As in, "a-ha! It was a Kim's pick!".  It was triumphant for him.  Whatever keeps him entertained, I guess!

I was on a mission: silhouettes, McCoy pottery, Pyrex, Iittala . . . I'm trying to build and grow existing collections so they have a WOW factor, instead of investing in random little items here and there.  Although I also seriously considered a very small pair of silhouettes, I only purchased two small items (I'll tell you what I bought in a minute).

I loved these little silhouettes, but they just didn't suit the rest of my collection.

There were many beautiful items to ogle, especially for folks without such a narrow focus as mine.

I have wanted a Lea Stein fox pin forever, but I'm not a huge fan of red.

Found out Hubby doesn't like Russel Wright dinnerware - which I had thought about starting to collect!

These 1970s teak tables would provide amazing storage in a living room . . .  like our living room!

So tempting . . .

Even with all this temptation I stuck to our money-saving goal, but did come home with one sweet treat that was a total surprise: antique Fort William post cards that round out my existing set, which we hung in the stairwell in floating frames.  The bridge on one is the same bridge Hubby and I were almost swept under last time we took out our very small sailboat, on a trip to our hometown.  The Lake Superior slips were closed for renovations, so we took the boat on a river and had a terrible time that ended up with us paddling, ditching the boat, hiking back through rough brush, shimmying around a chain link fence (dangling over a cliff), emerging covered in burrs and then waiting a lifetime in the setting sun for someone to help us tow the boat back.  I HAD to get that postcard!

This one was actually mailed!  I wish the seller hadn't written the price on the postcard.  I have no functioning erasers.

Did any local readers hit the Ottawa Antique Show this weekend?  Even though my purchases were small, I'm so happy with what I found and I'll be back next time - you never know what treasures will be there, just waiting to come home to the townhouse!  Kim's so lucky: she got to snap photos before the show opened (most of mine have people's bums in them as they hunched over to investigate items, or were snapped in a hurry before someone's bum entered the shot).  See her photos on Desire to Inspire and Closet Rivalry.

laKattun Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my recent giveaway with Berlin-based Etsy shop, laKattun.  Working with Eva was fabulous, not just because she injected a little European style into my home (and one of yours) with her beautiful and sophisticated (but fun) eco-friendly designs, but also because she is such a great person.  Blogging has helped me meet so many small shop owners and large PR firms.  Overall, I have met amazing people but every now and then there's a bad apple (this week I met a particularly rotten one).  But Eva reminds me that most people are sweet, kind, genuine, and passionate about their work.  If you're shopping for a Mother's Day (it's coming soon!!) or birthday gift, I highly recommend taking a look at Eva's shop.  There are so many beautiful wares on Etsy, but I can attest to the great person behind laKattun.

Without further ado . . . the winner of the practical and pretty, orange-printed Oval Fabric Basket is . . .

CONGRATS!!  I don't have your email address so send me a quick email at dans.le.townhouse@gmail.com so I can put you in touch with Eva.  

Just a quick note: I eliminated two comments (mine and a reply to to mine).  The link to bloglovin didn't work until I re-did it, so the winner DID follow the contest rules and follow laKattun's blog once I fixed the link.

Don't forget, if you missed out, Eva does stock this item (and many others!) in her Etsy shop.  Keep your lucky pennies at hand and stay tuned, because I have another giveaway in the works soon.

Happy weekend everyone!  I'm headed to the Ottawa Antique Show, what are you up to?

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Treasure Hunting Report: Finally, a Bar Cart!

Good things come to those who wait.  Well, good deals, at least!

Last spring I asked your opinion about adding a small piece of furniture to our petite dining room.  For new readers, our dining room looks spacious but it's an optical illusion (thank the sheers and white walls).  The chair under the painting can just barely be pulled out when it's time to dine.  Although our dining table is a nice size, I wanted a place to store a bottle of wine, pitcher of sparkling water or even some side dishes when hosting dinner, to help keep the table clear for wild hand gestures and animated conversation.  I thought a corner hutch or bar cart would be a cute sideboard stand-in and offer extra display space when the dining room isn't in use.  Readers chimed in and a bar cart came out on top for its flexibility, small scale and versatility.  Thanks again to everyone for their feedback!

Well, I hunted and hunted all summer, trolling the classifieds, yard sales and vintage shops but came up empty handed.  I've even seen a few different want ads for bar carts and tea carts in the local classifieds, so it seems they are in high demand in Ottawa.  Are we all playing Mad Men or something?  With no bar cart to be found, Handy Hubby and I planned to weld one.  So funny in hindsight, that we thought we'd have the time!  Summer flew by with trip preparations and then I jetted off to Hungary for four months.  We'd talked recently about finally welding a bar cart this summer, but we have a lengthy to-do list and lots of fun trips and adventures planned.  When I spotted a pretty brass cart for only $20.00 on kijiji, I pounced on it.  I drove out to Barhaven and arrived at the seller's house a little breathless, with crazy-eyes I'm sure.

I know some folks rock the brass look (Carrie's looks amazing) but, although I pine for gold, often it seems, I plan to paint this a vintage-inspired mint green or bright turquoise (maybe the same colour as my chair).

The little Genie finials were cropped out of the seller's photo (above), so they were a bit of a surprise.  We are snipping those off ASAP and adding something simpler or just capping the end.  Looks like we might end up welding anyway!

I'm happy to show off this find, only ONE YEAR LATER!  As soon as spray painting weather arrives (i.e. it stops snowing), I'll paint this baby quick and show it off!  You know now that I finally have a bar cart, I will find dozens more thrifting, antiquing and yard saling.  That's just how these things work . . .

P.S. Speaking of treasures, don't forget today is the last day to enter my giveaway fabulous Etsy shop laKattun.  Click here to enter.

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Get Ready for the Ottawa Antique Show

This weekend I'll be ogling the beautiful wares at the Ottawa Antique Show!  I thought my local readers might like to know, but to everyone else: it's worth the drive.  The Ottawa Antique Show is one-stop shopping for anyone who loves vintage and antique finds.  Some of the best dealers comes together, in an airy and spacious spot, and showcase their goodies, bringing you sweet deals you might never otherwise find.

You can find all of the details at the Ottawa Antique Show website, including show information, how to get a discounted admission price, and more about the individual vendors.  Tickets are $10.00 per person (children under 18 get in free), but that ticket is good all weekend. 

The show runs April 5-7, 2013, at Carleton University Field House, Bronson Ave. and Sunnyside Ave.

April 5th: 5pm - 9pm
April 6th: 10am - 5pm
April 7th: 10am - 4pm

Have fun treasure hunting!  I'll be sure to share some photos of the show, plus any finds that might make their way home to the townhouse, next week.  In previous years, I've bought a cameo necklace, pearl earrings, a McCoy planter for my collection and a silhouette for my collection.  I'm pretty sure I won't be leaving empty handed this year, either.

Thanks to Michele, from Ottawa, for reminding me that Kim, of the hugely popular blog Desire to Inspire, will be sharing her picks on Friday!

P.S. Speaking of treasures, don't forget to enter my current giveaway from Berlin-based Etsy seller laKattun.

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DIY Kitchen Art Plans

Kitchen art!?!  Are you asking, "why on earth is Tanya fussing with kitchen art now that the mid-century Hungary posters have made the space"?  Don't worry, they have found their forever home in the kitchen.  But when I shared photos of the sink area (when I asked for help choosing between a black and silver faucet), it dawned on me that the print above the sink is a smidge too small.  I think I've always known this, but the print is made by my Mom and is a still life created just below the window above her kitchen sink and it's hung above my sink (in our previous apartment and in the townhouse) for years and years.  It's sentimental and sweet, bringing a touch of my childhood home into my current home, but Mom and I both agreed that space needs something with more punch and a bigger size.



So I am planning another DIY abstract!!  I think something crisp and graphic, in mostly black and white with maybe a pop of colour, will look striking without pulling the eye away from my beloved posters, so I've rounded up some inspiration.  Sometimes just looking at a painting or print that I like helps me to start painting, those times when I'm stuck just holding a paint brush, totally uninspired.  Sometimes my version is a dead ringer for the original, but sometimes it ends up completely different (which I'm hoping for this time).

Something very simple, in black and white, would be a lot like what is there, but I'd create something with a bigger scale.

via Remodelista; Nalle's House; Design*Sponge

These two pieces are wildly different, but I like how they both incorporate just a hint of colour.  Black and white with a smidge of colour pulled from the posters might look fresh.  Coordinated but not matchy-matchy.

ArtyDesigny; Robbie Kempter

Creative Index

Black and white pieces pair so well with posters:

Line Klein

Then again, I also love the idea of a single pop of a bright, saturated hue - also drawn from the posters.

Michael Mundy Interiors

The kitchen could use more colour . . .

Michele Armas

I still love the simple black and white painting I made last year, so I'm confident something similar will fit the bill.  I am going to build a custom stretcher with Handy Hubby so it fits the space perfectly.  It's extra effort, but we're already making a HUGE one for another project so we might as well make two.  Details soon!  I'm so excited - making & adding art to a room are my favorite parts of decorating.



P.S. To add a little something handmade to your space, don't forget about my sweet giveaway (click here - anyone can enter)!  I paired up with Etsy shop laKattun to bring you something lovely.  Good luck!

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March is Done. Did We Have Fun?

With Hubby and I both ill, this month was a tough one.  Poor Hubby is still experiencing symptoms, but I'm all better.  Behind in everything, but 100% better.  Once I could eat solid foods again (horray), I whipped up some lemon and ricotta cake.  I don't often share recipes, but when I do it's something so unbelievably delicious I start to drool as I type up the recipe for you.  Try this, you'll like it.

Although we did some work around the house, a lot of our free time was spent recuperating.  But even when I'm sick or just feeling run down, I have a hard time sitting still for too long, so I took to tackling smaller projects this month.

I made a super cute felted wool ring (that was just recently featured on Babble, in addition to other flattering features):

I also jazzed up a sentimental kitchen staple of Hubby's:

I think my favorite project this month was my reclaimed shell casing necklace. 

It seems that every project I love needs a project that bombs.  It's how the DIY world stays balanced.  This month, in the spirit of transparency, I shared my DIY bubble bath bomb.

The project may not have turned out, but the tip I got from my father-in-law (give the honey bear a little "hot tub time") really works to re-soften crystallized honey!

Another bomb?  Finding out a beloved "vintage" tray from a high end vintage shop isn't the real deal!  Oh well, at least I have a pair now!

This month, we continued to chug along in the basement.  With the fabulous, insanely inexpensive, laundry room lights installed . . .

. . . plus a good deal of painting done (I hate painting around carpet, so I'm happy to finally be done with that) and a floor colour chosen, I'm certain we'll have pretty laundry room photos to share soon enough!

Speaking of decisions, thanks to everyone's honest feedback, Hubby & I also chose a faucet, making a decision between black and stainless styles from our shortlists.  Unfortunately, the model we like will take 8 weeks or more to arrive, but it will be worth the wait.  Do you want a hint or shall it be a surprise?

The new faucet will be just one addition in a long line of changes, from my pretty 1960s posters to new kitchen accessories (like my FAB trays and laKattun tea towel).  I'm in kitchen-spruce mode because I have more accessories to share and a DIY project (or two) in the works for making the kitchen even lovelier.

Speaking of laKattun, don't forget that Eva and I have partnered for a fun giveaway.  No registration required - click here to enter!

This month I also rounded up some gorgeous metal beds (I was lazy and never did enter the Apartment Therapy bedroom contest - it was mostly for US readers anyway), shared some crafts I would have loved to have tackled instead of nursing a virus, talked Google Reader, Pinterest and made you listen to my favorite song, plus I shared a funny little way we trick ourselves into saving money.

Hopefully April will mean the end of snow, the start of spray painting season and some peeks into the laundry room!

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