The Whimsy is Spreading!

Aly and I are overjoyed with the response we have gotten these past few months - it is quite overwhelming!  But I have to say, when you first see one of your items on someone else's blog - it is mind blowing!!!  HUGE thanks to Amanda, from all the things, for not only doing a write up on the magic that is Crompton Collective, but for buying our whimsical utensil tray and using it in her home!  

Here is the pic she took...

Check out the post here!  Be sure to follow her - if you can keep up (she travels a lot) :)

Keep spreading the Joy, sharing the Whimsy!!

Modern Milk Glass

One of my favorite flea market finds is Milk Glass.  There is just something about the multitude of designs and styles that I can't get enough of.  This love started with my grandmother - she had a collection going that was then passed down to me.  I am now addicted and thankfully you can pick up pieces for a few dollars at flea markets, thrift stores and yard sales!  Milk Glass seems to span the decades, reinventing itself and it's clean, simplistic look that works with just about any decor genre.  

Here are a few of the many ways I've used Milk Glass...

My vintage 40's wedding - milk glass was on every table:

At Christmas, vases held my colorful ornaments 

And for an Americana dinner I staged at work, they became pedestals for floral balls (which is also a great look for Valentine's Day centerpieces!)

How do you use Milk Glass?  

we love coffee tables!

Here's a before and after of another flea market $5.00 find. I knew this coffee table had some life left in her...

With my sander named Ollie and a good part of my day, we worked together and found a gem! I used Lavender Furniture Wax, from Sweet Grass Farm-made in New Hampshire and all organic, after all of the sanding was done and the debris was wiped away. The wax provides a nice smooth coating that smells great. I painted the bottom half Bay Cove Gray. I kept this piece for myself and my family loves it!

Keep it fun!

New Season, New Space

Our side show is rolling along quite nicely and December brought us much success at Crompton Collective.  We moved in during the Fall and we moved booth spaces in the winter...

Check out our new space - we are focusing on the upcoming holidays as well as continuing our love of industrial decor, plaid, graphics and anything whimsical we can find!

 Let us know what you think... and try to get down to the shop if you can, you won't be disappointed!

Coffee Table Redo

Aly and I both have small ranch style houses, but big decor style!  Case in point, my coffee table.  I HAD 2 of the IKEA Lack style tables however I also had 2 issues: 1. they did not have enough storage and 2. they did not have enough decor surface :).  Luckily, my brother and his wife were selling their old coffee table that offered a wider/bigger surface and a shelf underneath - I scooped it right up!

First, it being a dark wood, I took a belt sander (and good ole elbow grease for some areas) and "roughed" it up - I liked that some areas rubbed back more than others - giving me that "I've been left in a workshop for years" look:

Then I gathered supplies.  I knew I wanted to add numbers to my table to give it an industrial look - so I printed off no. 1, no. 2, no. 3 and no. 4 using Bodoni MT Black font.  I also needed:

Gold paint (used Martha Stewart Living Metallic Paint - found at Home Depot for $5)
Paintbrushes (varying sizes)
Pastels (to transfer my number outline onto the table - Tutorial found here)
Pencil
Painters tape
Clear Poly or Poly/Stain combo (depending on the look you are going for) 
Sandpaper (try different grits depending on the look you want - start with the finest, you can always go rougher)

Tack Cloth

First, start by giving your newly sanded table a good wipe down to remove all the dust and debris.
Next, lay out your numbers how you would like them.  Use the painters tape to make them level.

Use the pastel transfer technique (seen in photo above) to get your outline.  Using your gold paint, fill in the graphics.  I did 2 coats of this gold.  **NOTE:  I really liked this product.  Usually metallic paints can be "watery" and take numerous coats to achieve desired look, this one was thick and only took me 2.  

I then rubbed back the gold paint using a fine grit sandpaper - recall I wanted that "aged/industrial" look.

 

When I was happy with the results of the graphics, I became torn on how I wanted the end result to look.  I toyed with doing just a clear poly but felt that would not give me the "workshop" look I wanted.  So I bit the creative bullet and opted for Minwax's Polyshades in Honey Gloss.  I did, however, put on a coat of the Polyshade and wiped it off so the color wasn't too bold.  THEN I did a clear coat over the top.  

I have to say, I LOVE how it turned out!  What I loved most is that I had a look in mind and how it got there wasn't how I thought it would!  The table is getting lots of use in our living room and has turned into the centerpiece of the room.  I will definitely try this technique again and I hope you will too!!

Don't stop the Lovin'

It's January 15, Christmas is long gone which, if you are like me, is deeply depressing.  The New England snow is now just a nuisance and all the glow, the sparkle, the joy seems to be wiped out of  people's minds.  But not in my house darnit!  

Create a Valentine vignette by keeping out your pink and red Christmas ornaments!  Here I put them in a red bucket and clipped on a vintage flash card. 

Shop my sources:
Pink ornaments: Michael's Arts & Crafts - I got mine after Christmas and the box of 9 was $2!
Red Hearts:  Target (no longer sold) similar here
Red bucket: similar here(just needs spray paint)
Valentine Flash Card:  Vintage

Love Under the Big Top

Love is in the air here at The Flea Circus... finally!  I mean, for me, it was never a favorite holiday.  However, I am slowly coming around - and it is not due to the gushy emotions, it is quite simply because it gives me another reason to change my home decor!  Let's be honest, flowers die and chocolate adds pounds - but home decor is slimming and it lasts forever!

Today we are taking you back to our booth at Crompton Collective where Valentine's Day is our top shelf focus!

Vintage red and white tins have countless storage possibilities anywhere in your home and the Valentine alphabet pictures are just bursting with cuteness for your walls!  

Our style note - think outside of the box when choosing holiday decor.  Sweet and "perfectly" rusty items like the red phone and cash register can easily find new spots in your home for any occasion!

Hope you LOVE vintage decor as much as we do!!  Til next time - Spread the Joy, Share the Whimsy!

PS:  You can now follow our 3 ring journey on twitter @CircusFleas