Where Bloggers Create 2012

It's time for

Where Bloggers Create 2012!!

Woohooooo!!

We have decided to keep it real this year and show you The Good, The Bad & The Junky in the beautiful mess we claim as our studio!

Everything in here has been either gifted, thrifted or repurposed and there's still alot we'd like like to do but here it is in all it's glory......and we think it's pretty fabulous...or as my friend Sarah says, it's JUNKTASTIC!!

(Btw.....still working off my iphone and I really should have taken these pics during the daylight so lets just pretend these are beautiful, professional quality photographs like everyone else's...ok?!)

 Beautiful Virgin Mary watches over our little space from atop the "paper cabinet". She rests in a sweet vintage train case and is surrounded by an antique church lamp that belonged to my (jenny) grandmama, shed antlers and yellow roses.......we love roses!

If you were to enter the studio through the sliding glass door in my kitchen, which is usually the way we enter, the first thing you will see is this little armoire and the elyptical.....not so attractive, i know, but essential.

The armoire was originally bought for my youngest son's bedroom when he was born as there was no closet in his room at the time. He of course outgrew it, and since then it's been used to hold a tv, stereo equipment, board games and now serves as our "anything paper" cabinet. The drawers mostly hold fabric scraps and lace.

Just to the left is Lindsey's sweet little desk. The drawers are still out because they need another coat of paint......I told yall we were keepin' it real people!

Check out that chair though! My husband snagged it at a garage sale years ago. Great condition and super cute except for the filthy white seat. My mom recovered it for us in this funky zebra stripe and Lindsey repainted it a few days ago in one of our favorite shades......it's way more turquoise than it shows in the photo.

Now, as you turn into the room you almost hit your head on this stack of old frames that we've hung on the old lantern fixture....this sunroom was originally an open patio and this exterior light is a remnant from those days......when we find the perfect vintage sconce to replace it, it's coming down!

Just past the frames is our "shipping station / photo staging area". This antique sideboard houses all of our shipping and packaging supplies. When we need to take a few quick jewelry photos, eveything gets put away and we have a nice space for photographs. I bought this cabinet years ago as a store was going out of business. The owner told me it had once been used as a theater prop for a local college. It's beautiful but SO dark....I plan to remedy that with a fresh coat of paint ASAP!!

Hanging above is my latest Fabulously Funky Find!!

Gaudy, vintage velvet peacocks......what more could a girl ask for??!!  Although these beautiful  birds are quite the trend at the moment, I've actually been obsessed with them since childhood. My grandparents raised them most of my life and we spent countless hours out in the yard calling, feeding and  just watching these majestic creatures. Needless to say, they are very special to my family. I would have paid a pretty penny for this piece but when the dealer said "gimme $8 and take that gaudy thing" I jumped on it!!

Moving right along......

My favorite coffee drinking and blog browsing spot. "Slipcovered" in a funky old avocado green chenille bedspread. The gypsy ottoman was a gift from my mom.

The workhorse of the studio.....my big old

HUGE desk/work station!

 The photos do not show it's true size.......it is absolutely massive and was a freebie! It sat in an old house on the property where my mom and stepdad's business is located for atleast 20 years. Judging by the papers inside, it once belonged in a hotel in New Orleans.....how it ended up in East Texas though, I have no idea.

I'd love to paint it too but haven't yet decided on a color. Will probably keep the top original though because it's already a little rough and beat up and that suits me just fine.....jewelry and metal working tools can do a real number on a desk.

A closer look shows the assortment of projects we are designing at the moment, pendants and belt buckles mostly.

The organizers along the back were purchased at walmart and are perfect for beads, findings and other small treasures. An old tin ceiling tile stands in as a magnetic memo board.

These sweet little molds are the best thing we've ever found for organizing our many vintage brooches, earrings and other small rhinestone pieces. We use a seperate mold for each color and it works quite nicely.

Just past the desk is my favorite antique dress form and the most amazing stained glass door. This is another photo area and I try alot of my designs out her as well. The large oak tv cabinet houses more tools, picture frames and misc. junk.

Just past the tv cabinet is our growing collection of vintage oil paintings. These are mostly from the 60s and 70s  and we think they're just funky cool. Some day we will probably think of something fun to do with them but for now they make a fun "gallery".

Rounding the corner, you'll notice one more antique dress form. This lady lost her cotton cover some time ago and her foam is a little "revealing" so she now rocks a black lace corsett.....still a little revealing but cute and fun......we <3 FUN!!!

And now our other favorite part of the room.....we fight over nap time rights to our gypsyfied daybed!!

It all began when I found this Super Fab tufted velvet headboard at a resale shop in our town. It didn't fit our bed and of course my boys didn't want it but I just KNEW there was something I could do with it I couldn't pass it by. Well, one ugly extra loveseat, three white sheets, a bedskirt from GW and a load of throw pillows later, we have the cutest, most comfortable day bed around!!

Just look at that perfect tufting.......it was love at first sight :)

Our little sewing corner. My great grandmother's sewing machine, in it's original cabinet sits in the garage awaiting a cleaning and makeover. When we get around to that, it will replace this folding table which we currently use. The orange velvet chair is from the 70s and is so stinkin' comfortable.

Well, that's it for now!

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of where we spend most of our days at Faith & Pearl. Once again, I apologize for the low quality of the photos. Will keep yall updated as we make changes and complete a few projects we still want to do.

Thanx SO much for stopping by!!

Wishing you all a blessed and safe weekend

xoxo

lindsey & jenny

aka

faith & pearl

also sharing at

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Precious Memories.....

Maybe it's because we are moving and starting a new chapter in our lives

Maybe it's because in doing so I have uncovered so many little pieces left behind by my grandparents and the flood of memories and emotions tied to those treasures

Whatever the reason, I have found myself deeply missing the two very special angels who were my grandmothers. They both passed away within the last year and although I know they are healthy, happy and reunited with Christ and so many loved ones that went on before them, the selfish little girl in me sometimes wants them back. I understand this is a normal emotion and it will pass and probably resurface again from time to time.....

My grandmothers were Bobby Jean Tucker (Grandmama, in photo above) and Bobbie Lea Mackey (Mama Bobbie, pictured below with me and mom). My sister and I share their middle names.

They were both incredibly strong women, enduring both physical and emotional pain with grace and courage. They shared a love of gardening which thankfully they passed down to their grandaughters as well :)

One was an excellent southern cook. One preferred to throw a pizza in the oven and color or play dolls with us while it cooked.

One was a skilled seamstress, quilter and crocheter. (is that a word?) One could paint anything, draw anything and play the piano by ear.

One was blessed with a kind, loving husband of 45 years. One was not so fortunate. Her fiance was killed fighting in WWII. She married a few years later but was left behind to raise her children alone. Not by death this time though....by an abusive alcoholic that broke her heart and abandoned his family.

One was strong and healthy well into her 80's. One was burdened with health problems for almost 20 years.

Both loved flea markets....one preferring to scour the "junk" and discover the story behind every piece she found....one preferring to find a new variety of plant or flower she hadn't seen and eat fried green tomatoes.

Both had beautiful handwriting. One wrote long letters to everybody she loved....oh how I cherish those sweet letters. One wrote out her favorite family recipes and slipped them in our Christmas and wedding  presents.

I am so thankful to have been blessed with such amazing women in my life and to have inherited even an ounce of their wisdom, talents, passion and strength.

It is for them that my little jewelry business is named. Not their actual names. One is a nickname given by an aunt. One is a name that is testament to a deep abiding love and faith.

If you're still here after all this rambling, thanks for hanging in there with me. For listening to the memories of an emotional woman/child.

blessings to you and your loved ones

xoxo

jenny