driftwood

a vintage birthday shoot

| circadee

Using vintage props in a photo shoot is not a new idea but it is always a good idea, in my opinion.  When my sister-in-law asked me if she could use our fantastic French ticking settee for my niece’s first birthday shoot, of course I was on board!  Normally we just admire this petite piece of furniture and finally it was called into duty.

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To execute the vision we needed to scout locations, sort through props, try on hair flair and arrange outfit changes for the model, as well as, a nap.  Such a diva!  Fortunately Hadley was pretty agreeable to the arrangements we made and signed off on the whole “first birthday photo shoot” deal.

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She’s pretty much a natural at working the camera and the vintage.

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We warmed up with a portrait shoot using the driftwood inspired wall as a back drop and a hot pink slipper chair – another vintage find that I knew I was saving for a special reason.  While the vintage pieces play a nice supporting part in these photos, I think it’s clear who steals the show!

When you have a vintage Pedigree pram, it only seems appropriate to pose the baby and doting parents with it, right?  But the faux fur stole completes the look.

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It’s a tough call but my favorite are the photos with the settee and that adorable one year old…

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend with your babies.

driftwood lamps

| circadee

What’s old is new again!
Driftwood Lamp Collection 3

A battered piece of driftwood crafted into a sculptural one-of-a-kind lamp is feeling very current with a nod to the late 60’s/early 70’s.  I’m digging how these are coastal with a dose of industrial due to a hint exposed brass-tone hardware.

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In fact, driftwood lamps can go in so many design directions.  Obviously the organic pieces have a nautical feel.  Perhaps less obvious is that the sculptural aspect lends itself to a modern or mid-century modern design as well.

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The lamps can also be the statement piece in an otherwise traditional room.  Lastly, let’s not leave out the boho style that is trending hard right now.  Mixing driftwood with layers of pattern gives your eye a place to rest in bohemian design aesthetic.

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All of the credit on the driftwood lamp collection goes to Ryan, my partner in crime & design.  He conceptualized, designed and wired each piece.  I think he did a phenomenal job.  They’re all for sale although we’re sad to part with them.  That’s typical here, though.  We can’t keep them all!

driftwood inspired wall

| circadee

This was a totally fun and unique project to conceptualize and complete.

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Probably because there was no right or wrong when coming up with the color combination for a driftwood inspired wall at the cottage. There were so many directions we could have gone in…

driftwood look milk paint wood plank samples

and we did.  But here’s where we ended up…

driftwood inspired wall #mmsmp

The project began with raw pine tongue & groove boards installed over drywall.

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I simply mixed up a quart of MMSMP Curio and poured it into a paint tray.  I applied it to the wall using a foam roller.

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You can see that one coat of Curio didn’t exactly provide even coverage in this case but it gets better as we go (as does my footwear).  It’s safe to say that this is the “ugly phase” of this particular project.

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Now for the “weathering”.  I dry brushed Linen over Curio applying more in some areas and less in others to create some depth. I also used a little Grainsack.

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Then we pondered the finish over the course of a few weeks.  Did it need more color/lighter/darker/hemp oil?  All of the above?  Basically it was reading very flat at this stage so I went back through with Marzipan which is the closest color in the line to Linen and worked it in with a brush.  That helped to add depth and texture.  I even used a tiny bit of Schloss, which is more gray in color with a slightly green undertone.

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Finally, I finished the entire wall with a light sanding and a coat of hemp oil.  This really pulled it all together!

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Attempting to mimic weathered wood that only nature can truly create was a bit challenging but like I said, there was no right or wrong!  It’s only paint.  A little bit of this, a lot of that, finish with hemp oil and voila!

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We’re on the hunt for a nubby-textured, neutral slipcover for the wing back chair in order to cut down on the “Christmas in July” vibe that the vignette currently has. Yes, the console is painted in MMSMP Boxwood.  Good eye!