Last Weekend!

Well I have been a busy bee lately! Last weekend I went crazy on cleaning and revamping my apartment, trying to bring in Spring quicker with some dusting maybe?!!

Anyways, over the past few months, the number of books I own has greatly increased! I had no idea I had gained so many until I started picking them up from all around the apt and piling them up!!

So first thing first! It was high time my bookshelf got a through dusting, and the additions to my collection were correctly placed - and yes in color order!! What other way IS there??!! ;)

From there, I went from a complete clean, from washing the floors, to organizing my tubes of paint!! me? a little o.t.t.? no!

Above are two pictures of my shelves completed (I have a huge shelves in the living room for bigger books and all of my art books) And below is the 'before' picture! Right after my huge apartment redecoration in Spring 08! (see that post here, here, here and here!!)

I just Love how they're looking now, and with my inspiration pin board too! (which will need a spring revamp soon enough as well!) I'm still looking for the perfect desk (which I posted about here) as well as some nice curtains... I'll get on that soon!

Another thing in my bedroom I just love is my dresser! I remember it from when I was a child in my Dad's house, my Sister had it for soo many years! It's got different pulls on two out of the five drawers, has a huge chip out of the second one down and the paint is crackling in places! It's hitting Shabby Chic, and I adore it!

Check out the photo below on the left! - On the right is a photo I just stumbled across, though I can't remember where from! (If anyone knows, please tell me!!) It completely reminded me of my own dresser!! A little different, a little similar... And I do soo love my antique mirror!! So gorgeous and so perfect on my dresser!!

A Little More Shabby Chic!

25th street flea market, nyc

The Antiques Garage, nyc

One of my favorite things to do in NYC is checking out the 25th Street Flea Markets, I just love these places - I have wandered around them many times, always finding something I would love to keep!! I think my best find was a 1930's mixing bowl, which was a perfect gift - and now has a wonderful home!

I think I have found a little soft spot for things vintage, flea market, shabby chic, and antique! Below is a chair and ottoman I saw on my last visit - which I would have loved to snap up, clean up, accessorize - if only my little NY apartment could have handled it!

I also found a couple great photo's of the NYC flea market on flickr! Check out 'The Gentleman'.

And if you want to read more about flea markets in America, with some handy little flea market find tips, check out the blog Flea Speech!

So when arriving at my (apartment!) door step today, I found my wonderful purchase of the book 'Flea Market Style' by Emily Chambers, waiting for me! I haven't had the chance to properly devour its pages yet, but here's a few photo's I took of my favorite pages so far! Oh! The inspiration!!.... Oh! How I wish my apartment was bigger!!!!

oh...it's the British in me!

who said dark leather sofa's had to be drab?!

I do love those french inspired beds...

beaten and battered metal furniture - yesss please!

can you imagine the wonderful dinner parties?!!

Summer in the City!!

Over the past few days it's been way too hot in NYC, and thank you to the wonders of A/C I'm just managing to struggle through it! However, there is a part of me that finds the heat, crowded parks, the kids playing in water fountains, buzz of this steaming city, and yes - even its smells!! somewhat charming.... there's nowhere else quite like it.....

So I started to cruise the wonders of flickr, and found myself attracted to some wonderful photography and some gorgeous porches.... I do wish I had my own porch to relax on - but even just looking at them gave me a breath of fresh air. Here are some of my favorites - crispy, fresh, bright, clean, vintage and shabby chic....and one hot little flower!!