the secondhand table | spring edition

A spring secondhand table.

if you’re just joining us from Aimee Weaver Design, I’m so glad you’re here!

Lately, it seems as if the world has gone mad.  fear is rampant and things that were once steady, even concrete, are now uncertain.  it’s times like these that can make working on a home improvement project or setting a pretty table feel trivial, maybe even vain.  with so much loss and grief and unknown, it feels silly to worry about or even bother creating and finding beauty. but part of me feels like this is all the more reason to find + create beauty.  what if finding joy and beauty in the midst of life’s darkest moments is a part of what will help carry us through?

 When my secondhand table friends invited me to join in on a spring table, it was a welcome distraction.  in case you missed it, we created a thanksgiving tablescape, a table for Christmas, and a fun, little Valentine’s table setting.  this challenge is a great creative exercise that encourages using only secondhand items, hence the name.  whether it’s thrifted, foraged, or new-to-you, the goal is simply to use what you have, purchasing nothing “new.”  due to current events, local businesses being closed, and the stay-at-home order, creating a spring secondhand table inspired even more creativity. this time I didn’t even leave my house, save for walking outside to clip some branches in the backyard.

This table feels especially simple to me and I feel as if that’s fitting. my favorite blue + white floral sheet-turned-tablecloth acts as an anchor.  I filled an oversized jar [from the Target clearance shelf years ago] with a branch from the large fig tree that shades our backyard. I used my rattan chargers and a mix of blue + white dishes as my place setting­–some of my favorite, most-used thrifted finds.  some antique flatware + scalloped linen napkins, a Christmas gift from my husband years back, are a sweet detail.  I used these same seagrass-wrapped high ball glasses in my thanksgiving table, but they feel especially appropriate for this particular table.  so light and springy!

It’s not much, but I think it’s pretty.  I have a feeling that blue + white and touches of rattan will be making an appearance all spring + summer long at my house. thanks for reading!  I hope you leave inspired to create a little something or to find beauty in this crazy world of ours.

be sure to stop by Adored House to see the lovely secondhand table Dana put together!

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make sure to hop over and check out all the secondhand tables that were put together!

DANA | ADORED HOUSE

RACHEL | CHERRY STREET BLOSSOMS

FABIANA | CIAO NEWPORT BEACH

AIMEE | AIMEE WEAVER DESIGNS

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the secondhand table | 2.14.20

the secondhand table | valentine’s edition

if you’re just hopping over from Annie’s, welcome! I am so glad you’re here!

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With valentine’s day around the corner, some friends + I thought it would be fun to create a little secondhand tablescape for the 14th of February.  the concept behind the secondhand table is to use only secondhand items or items you already own.  this fun, little challenge is not only pocket-friendly; it also encourages creativity and sustainability.  if you’re new around here or you missed it, we also created a thanksgiving table, as well as a table for Christmas.

I realize valentine’s day can be controversial—some people love it, some people hate it.  I’ve always been a middle-of-the-road girl in regard to this.  save for the pale pink nail polish I occasionally wear [red is my go-to; no surprise there], I don’t typically use a lot of pink—in my wardrobe or décor.  so this “holiday” is fun to me, if only to embrace a little more blush hues than normal.  my husband and I don’t exchange gifts or cards or much of anything like that, though I am never one to turn down flowers. we do something better.  our valentine’s date tradition includes a dinner out [or in] dining on crawfish.  if you’re from the south, especially Louisiana, you know this is a delicacy.  I look forward to February 14th every year as it marks our first crawfish tasting of the season.

Last September, I joined a book club. at the risk of sounding dramatic, it is quite possibly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  it has been such a delight, in every sense of the word.  as if the sweet, new friendships I’ve gained were not enough, it has stretched me in other positive ways.  I’ve always loved to read, but this has helped me to truly appreciate literature once again.  let’s be real: as idyllic as curling up with a good book is, it’s much easier to curl up with hulu or netflix.  it’s also been an opportunity to show hospitality, as we all take a turn to host each month.  all that to say, I have the pleasure of hosting this month so I created this table specifically with my book club girls in mind!  this is also the reason it’s especially feminine.

My floral “tablecloth” is just a flat sheet—one of my favorite tricks in the book.  I found it at a little thrift store in Farmersville, Texas when we were visiting family there a few days ago.  it was actually sold as a set: one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two pillow cases for $6.  so now I’ll have an extra set for future reference!  some may think secondhand linens are gross, but as long as they pass the sniff test and get a nice, hot washing upon purchasing, I personally don’t mind them.

For my centerpiece, a thrifted champagne bucket holds a bottle of Pellegrino that I had in the pantry. I found the rattan wrapped votive a few weeks ago at Goodwill for a couple bucks. the glass pitcher belonged to my grandmother. I filled it with drift roses from the rose bushes that line our front porch and snippets of boxwood from the hedge near the friends’ entry of our home. I almost bought flowers from the grocery store to replace the tulips that my boys cut to pieces on Monday [I wish I was kidding about this], but I decided against it. I’m so glad I followed “the rules” and used what I had.

I found the antique monogrammed napkins at an estate sale last month.  I had already stopped by the sale the day it opened and grabbed a few goodies, but I decided to pop by on the the last day [aka half price day] to see if any of the other items I had my eye on were still there.  I don’t know that this has ever happened before, but they ALL were.  I could not believe it!  before I went to pay, I passed a table of linens and spotted these napkins.  I’ve always loved antique linens, especially monogrammed ones.  it was just icing on the cake that they actually had our initial on it.  I got twelve linen napkins for $12.00.

Everything else I already owned…  the rattan chargers, the ironstone dishes, the doily-like dessert plates. I topped each place setting with a rose bud + boxwood sprig. for our actual book club meeting, I’ll make a little place card with each of my guests’ names. it’s very pink + girly, which isn’t typically my style; but I think it’s fitting considering the occasion. this is a sweet little table if I do say so myself. I can’t wait to gather around it with friends to discuss our latest read, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

I hope you enjoyed our fun little challenge.  don’t forget to visit the Adored House to see the beautiful secondhand table Dana created! and thanks so much for reading! it means so much to me to have you here. whether you’re a fan of February 14th or not, I hope you know how loved you are each and every day.

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make sure to hop over and check out all the secondhand tables that were put together!

Dana | Adored House

Rachel | Cherry Street Blossoms

Fabiana | Ciao Newport Beach

Annie | Most Lovely Things

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the secondhand table | christmas

A TOUR OF THRIFTED CHRISTMAS TABLESCAPES.

if you’re just joining us from Aimee Weaver Design, I’m so glad you’re here!

Last month, I collaborated with a few talented home bloggers to create a thanksgiving table using only secondhand items. if you missed it, you can read more about it here. it was such a fun creative challenge that when Rachel asked if I’d be interested in doing it again for Christmas, of course I said yes! the rule of this challenge is simple: use only thrifted, foraged, or secondhand items, as well as items you already own. or perhaps what’s simple is that there is only one rule…

My thanksgiving table could be described as traditional, using the warm tones one expects to see in fall decor. for my Christmas table, I wanted to kick it up a notch and make things a tad more formal. I only bought a few new [to me] items for my table; everything else I already had on hand. I’ll include a list of “new” items and price breakdown below!

green is my favorite color. I find that I am never finished with a room, picture, table, project—whatever it may be—until there’s a touch of green. that’s why when I came across this dark green tablecloth with a ruffle detail, I snagged it. it was $2.99 and I’m pretty sure it is straight from the 90s, but I kind of like it. it makes for a lovely canvas, anchoring the entire tablescape, and allowing the other items on the table to pop.

For my centerpiece, I used a champagne bucket filled with greenery, brass candlesticks, and a Blue Willow platter filled with pomegranates, clementines, cranberries, nuts, and sprigs of boxwood—all things I already had on hand. I found the champagne bucket that holds the boxwood cone topiary sometime in the last year or two on Goodwill’s website. you read that right. you can shop at Goodwill online, auction-style. I believe this bucket was about $8 or $9. not too shabby! but with the shipping and handling, it ended up being around $20-$30. I’m old-fashioned and prefer a brick-and-mortar store [and frankly, not paying extra for shipping + handling], so I haven’t really “shopped” their website since. however, some may not mind that!

I suppose the glassware is what elevates this from a casual tablescape to a more formal setting. I had been wanting some crystal stemware, or something similar. while I love shopping secondhand, one of the challenges of doing so is finding multiples of a certain item. for instance, I had seen a few different pieces of crystal at various thrift stores, but never more than two that matched. I suppose I could have gone for a collected look and used mismatched stemware, but I really wanted a set of matching crystal stemware. when I had just about given up, I happened upon a set of six crystal goblets! for $1.99 a piece, I couldn’t pass that up!

I used the same thrifted rattan chargers that I featured on my thanksgiving table. the dishes are a collection of thrift store finds. the Federalist Ironstone dinner plates were found at Goodwill in a set of 8 place settings—dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, and saucer. 36 pieces of ironstone for just $8! the teacups were missing, but I figured it was still worth it. I found the black + white toile plates at another thrift store a few towns over for 50¢ a piece. and the buffalo china dessert plates with red scroll detail were 49¢ a piece at one of my favorite local thrift shops.

The vintage scalloped linen napkins were a gift from my husband a few Christmases ago. I couldn’t decide how to fold or place them, when I got the idea to simply tie a piece of tartan ribbon in the center, creating a giant bow. then I placed them front + center on the stack of collected dishes, like a bow on top of a gift. it seemed fitting considering the occasion! I also used some old mint julep cups that I found at the thrift store this past summer. I have a growing collection of [secondhand] silver and love to feature it in our home wherever I can.

Towards the end of the shoot, I filled the crystal glasses with sprite, a cranberry or two, and a sprig of rosemary. it made for lovely photos and the boys were all too excited to help me empty the glasses… into their bellies.

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I don’t typically enjoy numbers, but I do love the “guess how little this cost!” game. plus, I thought this may be a helpful guide in that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create something you love.

COST BREAKDOWN:

GREEN TABLECLOTH | $2.99

CHAMPAGNE BUCKET | $8-$9* plus shipping + handling

RATTAN CHARGERS | $8.00 [$1.99/CHARGER]*

FEDERALIST IRONSTONE DINNER PLATES | $8.00 [36 piece set]*

BLACK + WHITE TOILE SALAD PLATES | $1.50 [50¢ for three plates]

RED SCROLL DESSERT PLATE | $1.47 [49¢ for three plates]

CRYSTAL STEMWARE | $11.94 [$1.99/GLASS]

MINT JULEP CUPS | $8.00 [$2/PIECE]*

GRAND TOTAL: $50.90

however, I feel it is worth mentioning that since I had most of these things on hand, I only spent $17.90 on the “new to me” items!

* items I already owned

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To be completely candid, I was a little worried and not really feeling confident in my vision or what I had gathered. but as I begin to set the table, the ideas began to flow; and overall, I am really pleased with the finished product. maybe I’m biased, but if I saw this table somewhere, I would be surprised to learn that nearly everything is secondhand. it just goes to show the wonderful treasures you can find if you’re willing to dig a little!

I hope you enjoyed this post and leave feeling inspired! don’t forget to visit Annie at Most Lovely Things to see the beautiful secondhand table she created! thanks so much for reading!

and merry, merry Christmas to you + yours!

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make sure to hop over and check out all the secondhand tables that were put together!

Rachel | Cherry Street Blossoms

Aimee | Aimee Weaver Designs

Annie | Most Lovely Things

Dana | Adored House

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from drab to fab: the cane chair makeover.

this post contains affiliate links to products. the tiny white house may receive a commission for purchases made through these links—at no additional cost to you. thanks for your support in this way!

When I used to do design work for a contractor, it was in my job description to shop. whether it was to decorate and furnish the newly constructed contractor's office or to select mirrors or cabinet hardware for a client, I got paid to go shopping. every girl's dream, right?

I've actually never been a huge shopper. perhaps it's because I tend to be frugal and don't love to spend money.  perhaps it's because it wasn't something I did much growing up.  I'm one of four children and shopping [with four kids in tow] wasn't something my mother did often or happily. so, maybe it's genetic—my mom doesn't like to shop, so it's only natural that I don't enjoy it. whatever the reason, shopping is not exactly my first choice unless I am searching for—or happening upon—something for my home. now that is something I love. yard sales + secondhand stores are what my dreams are made of. 

occasionally, when running errands for work, I'd make the necessary stops and shop for clients, but I'd also stop by Goodwill or one of my other honey holes if I got the chance. I was doing just that when I came across this pretty little chair. I knew it would need some sprucing, but for ten bucks? I couldn't pass that up.

The white paint makes me think the previous owner tried their hand at DIY-ing, but stopped short of reupholstering it.  the green fabric looks a little dated, like it may be from the 80s or 90s. I knew for certain it was older when I was standing on the chair one day to fix something up high and I heard the fabric rip under my feet. oops. good thing I was planning on fixing it up! another tell-tale sign of its age happened when I began the reupholstery... the original foam seat cushion had rotted and begun to break down.

I would've loved to have stripped the chair down to the natural wood. however,  due to the cane being painted and the fact that stripping can damage cane, I decided to just paint it. as always, I was going for a timeless, traditional look, so my vision included black paint and some kind of neutral fabric. at first I planned to use an ivory fabric I picked up at the fancy fabric store during a remnant sale, but I ended up using a canvas drop cloth. this isn’t my first go-round using this material for drapery and upholstery. remember this? instead of using a nailhead trim to finish it off, I opted for a softer, more feminine look with this trim I found at Hobby Lobby.

I started off with a bang and quickly ran out of gas. removing the nailhead trim was an extremely tedious—and dangerous—process and took hours. imagine little nails heads flying from every direction. I can't remember how many nail heads there were, but I know it was a lot because I lost count after I got to a hundred. then, when it came time for painting, I decided to give milk paint a try. I wasn't too impressed with the finish, so I ended up using regular ol' latex paint. before I could recover anything, I had to reinforce the seating by replacing the webbing. after that, I had to get a new cushion and cut it to size. suffice it to say, nothing went "according to plan." this chair may have been a steal for the price, but it certainly took a labor of love to transform it.

It only took a year to finish this project! sadly, I'm not kidding. let the record show, though, that I didn't work on this steadily, just whenever I had spare time or felt like it.  I bought it in February 2017, right before my first baby turned a year old. then I had another baby that summer. in March 2018, I set to work on the chair’s makeover. for some silly reason, I thought I could finish the whole project within a month’s time. I was in a hurry to get it done, so we could have more seating available for Grey’s second birthday party in April 2018. I missed that deadline—but only by a year! we celebrated our boy’s third birthday a couple weeks ago and this little old chair finally made its big debut!

While I am pleased with the finished product, there is something to be said about the art of upholstery. it is surely not for the faint of heart. the scope of work in my project was on the smaller side and it wore me out! I can’t imagine reupholstering a wing chair or sofa. despite its challenges, though, it is certainly rewarding. but don’t be surprised if I take a little break before I get around to the cane barrel back chair that’s been sitting in the garage for a year or two. maybe next year…

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SOURCES

gimp braid trim in natural | Hobby Lobby
buffalo check throw pillow | Tuesday Morning
blue + white lamp | Ralph Lauren via TJ Maxx
blue + white planter | Ross

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2019 | resolutions, habits, + dreams.

Some say that they don’t believe in making new year’s resolutions. well that’s fine for them, but as a stupid ex-boyfriend of mine once said, “to each to his own.” as a list-maker, I love writing down my hopes and dreams and goals and ideas for the coming year. now, are there things that have been on my list for the last five years? well, of course. but maybe this is my year! the year I’ll make things happen. and if not, there’s always next year, right? perhaps one of the reasons I am a fan of setting goals and resolutions is because there are always areas in my life I know I can and would like to improve. some of my goals may be a little lofty, but I would say most are reasonable and attainable. for the first time in tiny white house history, I am sharing these resolutions with you!

hospitality

I find great joy in creating atmospheres that are welcoming and feel like home; but this year, I’d like to step out of my introverted comfort zone and actually invite others into our home and our lives. a novel concept, yes? this past year, I really struggled with insecurity and perfectionism and having the desire to host others, but feeling inadequate. towards the end of the year, after much prompting by the Holy Spirit, I decided to get over myself and invite the girls from my Sunday school class over for a girls’ night in. in the weeks before, I stressed myself out planning and cleaning and preparing and wishing I hadn’t mentioned the idea in the first place. but you know what? I am so glad I did. it was such a sweet time with some dear women in my life. I’m not saying the night or my hosting was perfect, but dinner was served at 6 and my guests lingered until 10pm, so it must not have been too terrible. and to think if I had let my fear of my house not being clean enough or nice enough or not being a good enough cook keep me from hosting, I would have missed out on the gift of letting others in.

I love the way Laura Bell puts it,

…both of them knew and understood the true art of simply opening their door.  They weren't prideful in what they had nor were they ashamed or afraid of not having enough.  Because they had that innate “southernness” about them, they understood that those who entered their home didn't actually NEED their finest china or greatest batch of sweet tea.  What people needed was them.  They needed their kindness, they needed someone to be family when theirs was falling apart, they needed to see and be touched by a strong marriage, they needed to be heard and not overlooked. 

The Greatest gift we have been handed is an invitation to walk in life with the One who gave life to us. If we are made in His image, doesn't that make us excellent extenders of invitations?

— The Art of Inviting

another thing I’d like to do this year that falls in the category of hospitality is to meet our neighbors. I mean, we’ve met them; but I want to get to know them, to bake them cookies, invite them over for dinner. I want to share more than a friendly wave when we pass each other. this is another thing that makes me nervous and I’ve already overanalyzed and considered every possible scenario… they’ll be allergic to the cookies, they’ll decline a dinner invitation, etc. but my mother said I should offer anyway. she said they should be gracious enough to accept the cookies and then throw them away if it’s not something they like. so, I guess I’ll take my mom’s advice and just do it.

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writing letters + sending cards

do you remember how exciting it was as a child to find a letter in the mail addressed to you? not a bill or anything of that sort, but a card or letter with your name on it. I suppose snail mail could be considered a lost art, which is such a shame. I’ve always thought it such a thoughtful gesture. I want to send more mail this year. on birthdays and special occasions would be nice, but what about sending a card to someone for no reason at all? I know that would mean a lot to me, so I want to try to do more of that.

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getting back in the kitchen + weekly family dinner(s)

another revolutionary idea, I know. this one is kind of weird [and maybe pathetic?] because I actually enjoy cooking, but don’t do it as often as I’d like or should. I plan to make more of an effort in the kitchen this year. I’m open to trying new recipes; but more than that, I want to gather around the table with my family and share a meal. we do this occasionally at home; but more often than not, our meals are shared on the living room floor—or kitchen, if it’s spaghetti night. a lot of the time, my husband and I will feed the boys, do bath time, tuck them in, and then enjoy our meal—whether home-cooked or takeout—once the house is quiet. I actually love this kind of dinner, but I want to learn to love sitting down to supper with all three of my boys and hearing about each others’ day and dining together like civilized-ish humans—you know, that kind of thing. my goal is to have family dinner at the table once a week. I realize I am setting the bar very low, but this is more often than we do now, so I’m good with it.

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projects + home improvement

if you’ve been following the blog for any length of time, you know I love a good project. and while I don’t believe this is our “forever home,” (which is such a silly term to me. there’s really no such thing, but that’s another post for another day.), there is still much I’d like to do to this house before our time here is done. ironically, my husband thinks it’s kind of pointless to do a lot of projects if we don’t plan to stick around longterm. and I see it from the exact opposite point of view… if we aren’t going to be here forever, I’d like to get to work now and do the things I want to do, so we can enjoy them while we live here before our time here is complete. and it’s nothing too major… our home renovation knocked all the big tasks off the to-do list. it’s small(er) projects like making over the friends’ entry to our home, planting an herb garden, landscaping the front yard, finishing up the laundry room remodel, that kind of thing. I’m sure my husband is not thrilled if he’s reading this, but none of this is news to him. I submitted these work orders a long time go. time to get to work!

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taking photos + having them printed

almost five years ago, I bought my first DSLR camera. though I have no desire to be a photographer, I have certainly enjoyed my camera and “gotten my money’s worth.” I don’t struggle so much with actually taking photos as I do with promptly editing and ordering prints. I have maybe a handful of printed photos of our family, and that’s being generous. this year I want to be intentional about printing photos for framing, but also to fill photo albums. I’d love to have something that isn’t a screen that we can use to reflect on memories, as well as something tangible to share with our children. I’ve had plans to create a gallery wall of black + white family photos in our stairwell for some time now, so accomplishing this will kill two birds with one stone.

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blogging

this little blog of mine is certainly a hobby and creative outlet for me. I can’t believe it’s been nearly five years since it was created! in 2019, I’d like to share on the blog more frequently and maybe figure out the business side of blogging. this, along with most of the “resolutions” mentioned above, has been on my to-do list for awhile now. I’ve been researching how to monetize your blog for some time now, and let me tell you, the internet is hard. but really and truly, I’d love to be able contribute financially to my family, so I’m hoping to make real progress on this front in 2019.

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I suppose these are more than simply goals or resolutions… these are habits that I want to create and make long-lasting, and I think 2019 is just the year to make it happen.

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your turn! do you set new year’s resolutions? if so, what’s on your list? if not, why?