Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Sofa Rehab and Reveal

So, here's a follow up on the 1920s sofa that I had reupholstered.  Not *just* reupholstered but sort of put back together and refinished.  It needed quite a bit of work!


Keith at J&J Trim Shop in Dothan, AL reupholstered it for me.  I might add that he did a great job!  And at a very reasonable price I think.

I don't have the sofa staged yet due to not having time to reconfigure the furniture in the living room.  Our Christmas tree is sort of in the way too.  I'm giving y'all a sneek peek.  But I promise, after I get it set up the way I want it you'll see it!

As you may be able to see, it's sitting in the middle of our living room.  It's been here about a week now and I'm tired of it being in the middle of the room.  I'm just gonna have to wait until Christmas is over and I return home.  Please do check back though!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Mod Mori and More

I was lucky to find this 1970s mod, abstract print dress a month or so ago while on one of my monthly trips to Florida.  At first I just thought it to be a really great 70s dress with a Pucci vibe.  I came to find out that it was a bit more valuable than that.  It's by one of the most famous Japanese fashion designers of the 20th century, Hanae Mori.


It's still available for purchase right here:

Hanae Mori, who was born in Japan, married the son of a textile manufacturer, and studied fashion design. Mori became a costume designer for Japanese movie directors, including Akira Kurosawa. Mori was inspired by a chance meeting with Coco Chanel to undertake further design training. Mori first showed her collection in New York in 1965, and moved her design house to Paris in 1975. She became the only Asian designer admitted to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.  Mori retired in 2004 after over 50 years of work in fashion, and her design house ceased to make haute couture.


I also found these other 2 similar dresses at the same time as the Hanae Mori one.  All of them coming from the same estate of a woman who lived just outside of Tallahassee.  She had not only great taste but high end taste!


One is this sweet mod 70s dress that was sold to a girl in Spain.

The next one was this highly collectible Paganne dress.
This one is still available right here:

Thanks for looking and Happy Holidays!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Beauty of Burlap: A Sofa Update

Thursday's the Day!  The day I go and pick up my 1920s sofa that has been rehabbed/reupholstered.   If you check back in some of my later posts, it's a sofa I bought in a nearby town for $45.  It had been sitting in a rundown building for who knows how long.  Kinda scarey, uh?

Here's the before picture:


I know, it looks pretty shabby.  Before I took it to the upholsterer I tore off alot of the old fabric, pulled out a lot of nails.   What made the biggest difference was refinishing the wood.  When we stripped the wood, we saw the beauty of the grain and it turned out to be the most gorgeous mahogany wood.  Of course, Mr. D put that front foot back on too.

So, I settled on a burlap looking fabric.  A cotton/linen combination that I got at a really great price!  I think I paid around $ 175 for 12 yards of this high quality upholsterey fabric.

The sofa should end up looking something like this:

I've decided to go for a french laundry look with a combination of an ethnic look.  I've been loving the Ikat design lately.  So possibly some pillows made of a ticking and some ethnic looking pillows.  Oh, and by the way this sofa is going in my living room.

Here's some pillows made out of ticking fabric that I think are oh, so cute:





The walls will be painted a light grayish blue.  I've got this vision in my mind of how I want the living room to look.  From the colors to the type of furniture.  Now I've just got to put what's in my mind into my living room.  It's happening one slllooowww step at a time.

Check back in the next couple of days for the reveal!

Friday, December 9, 2011

A Shop Update: The Latest and Greatest!

Here are many of the items in my shop that were listed this week:

 1950s Alligator Skin Purse

 1950s Baby Blue Stole

 Late 60s Big Neck Bow Dress

 Vintage Izod Lacoste Cardigan

1970s Asian Jacket/Robe

1970s Sweater with the best turtleneck

Early 70s Semi Sheer Dress

1950s Wool Coat

1970s Falling Feathers Dress

1980s Sailor Sweater

There's lots more at www.sassysistervintage.etsy.com   Thanks for looking!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Update on Studio Space

First, I wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! I truly hope this is a time of year that brings you much happiness and joy, and also that you're able to spend it with the ones you love.

It's freezing outside, even in South Alabama today.  But I decided to go out and take some pics of how the "room" / studio space is coming along.  Mr. D (hubby) has been working his tushy off.  I'm so glad he knows how to do this stuff!  It sure saves us a lot of money.  *Refer to previous post to see the outside of this building that is behind our house.*

 Outside of wall but inside of building.


 Inside room.


 Mr D. working.



Supplies......


Hopefully, next time you see pics of this project it will be a project that is done.  But we'll see!