Brand Design Photography & Styling Clarity Consulting

market203: my new side project

I love old things, items from other decades, items with a deep history and great story. Items that could be refinished or repurposed into something perfect and reused into something functional. I have a great passion for tracking down previously loved items and turning them into something I could use in my home or in my wardrobe, specifically items I can use for organizational purposes. I love spending my weekends perusing the antique malls, local thrifts and garage sales, hunting down the item that is dying to be brought back to life. The thrill of the hunt is addicting and I’m in love.

So what does this mean? It means that I am finally able to share with you the news I’ve been keeping under wraps for months. I’ve been researching, designing and dreaming up big things, things that I am now able to make a reality. I’m now able to execute a well thought out plan and hopefully inspire a few along the way.

I’m opening up an online shop to share with you the items I find on my weekend trips. market203 will be launching in June, 2011!! I’ll be selling containers, anything that holds something else. Anything that could be reused, refinished or repurposed into something that could make you a better organized person. Old soda crates to hold your tennis shoes, glass mason jars to hold your art supplies, letterpress trays to hold little knick knacks, or even a super groovy thermos to hold you morning tea. Let’s get organized people and let’s be GREEN about it.

I’ll be using my blog as the face to the brand. The blog is where I will share with you fun DIY projects on how to turn “junk” into a useful and unique item for your home or studio. I also thought it would be fun to share with you the process on how I started market203 and all the steps I’ve been taking to make this dream a reality. Everything from how I chose a name, to how I source items, to setting up the actual online shop. Leading up to the launch in June I will be sharing with you all the little branded items I’ve been designing. My goal is to inspire others to take a leap of faith, because it never hurts to give it a try.

So if you are into previously-loved items, weekend thrift trips, home goods, DIY projects,  I would love to invite you to join me on this adventure. It’s going to be one of the best things I’ve done creatively and  having you guys along for the ride makes things that much better.

friday finds & favorites




And there will come a time, you’ll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.
-mumford & sons ( After the Storm )

Here’s some more links to peruse during tea time today. Enjoy!

There is something about this song that really hit home with me. I listened to it over and over, disecting the lyrics and falling more and more in love with it. Doesn’t hurt the song is beautifully made.
Listen to whole song here.

1. This vintage high-waisted style bathing suit needs me. Someone posted this on twitter and I’ve been eyeing it ever since.

2. This Mid-Century furniture store (City Issue)  in Atlanta has me drooling all over my keyboard. I must go now!

3.  Watch this video! This music group was recommended to me by John over at A Design Mafia. I think I like the video more than the song, but it’s worth sharing.

4. Thanks for Elise, I am now aware of these awesome desktop wallpapers.

5. Needing some new tunes. Check out the Playlist over @ Sometimes Sweet.

6. Stay tuned. Collected Mag is about to make it’s debut appearance!

7. Looking for some inspiration blogs to follow. These are the top 150!

8. Bon Iver is releasing a new album in JUNE!

Do you ever play songs on repeat for the entire day…weeks even? I do for sure.
What’s your favorite “on repeat” song?

ps. holy crap there will be big news on the blog tomorrow. I’m so giddy!

snippets of greatness

I haven’t posted any instagram photos on this blog since the day I started it and because I absolutely love instagram, I think I will post a few more. Just little snippets of my life, captured by my dear friend, my iPhone. What would we do with em??


From LEFT to RIGHT
row 1
1. kitty laying on the new quilt 2. Spring flowers at the agency 3. feetsies
row 2
1. houses in our neighborhood 2. Porter James in the car 3. new antique apron
row 3
1. Porter James on his walk 2. wall decoration 3. desk gnome
row 4
1. chocolate chai tea 2. simply apple juice 3. a storm is brewing

creative blogger award

I was honored to be tagged by another Kristine to receive the Creative Blogger Award. (Ipek also tagged me to receive the One Lovely Blog Award – combined response) I think this is a perfect way to make others aware of all the creativity out there. Here’s how it works: list 10 facts about yourself and then tag 10 other bloggers. Because there are so many of these kind of things going around the blog world I choose to be very specific about what facts to share. I choose to only share little facts about my creative side, since that’s what’s being awarded.

10 Things: My Creative Side

1. As a kid, I was always crafting something or another. I remember lots of beaded projects and doodling.
2. One summer when I was in elementary school, I took a summer drawing class taught by Mark Kistler! Draw, Draw, Draw! (you know…the guy from Imagination Station)
3. I’m much better at communicating things with pictures than I am with words.
4. Through high school I was really big into scrap booking. I documented everything with pictures, stencils, stickers, and lots of bright colored pieces of paper.
5. I started getting into photography my freshmen year of high school. I took a black & white film class and fell in love.
6. Even with an art school background, I am not a very good drawer. I’m much better with the little details and typography. I can draw a mean stick figure.
7. I’m very passionate about color and how color plays a role in our moods. I guess all those hours studying color theory in college made an impact.
8. I took printmaking classes all through college. I would love to someday have my own printing setup in my house!
9. I keep my computer desktop spick and span. I can’t be creative when my “home base” looks like a tornado just ran through.
10. Although my digital design sense if very clean, modern, and all about “white space”, my home interior design sense is warm, cozy, with a touch of history.

Now I’m supposed to tag 10 people.
I know people have busy schedules, so if you can’t get to writing a post like this, I won’t be hurt. If you do…I’d love to see them!
Previously Owned
Olive Green Anna
Smile and Wave
La Catrina
Sea Blanket
Elise Blaha
I go by Katie
Maiedae
Poppytalk
Pugly Pixel

I hope you all have a chance to stop by these gals blogs. They’ve all been on my daily reads list and I am always in awe with what these gals can pull together. They definitely deserve the Creative Blogger Award.

*label courtesy of pugly pixel

a trip to pappy's bbq

My mom & dad came in from Fort Wayne Indiana last weekend and they arrived hungry. The boy and I decided to take them to get some “real” BBQ at a St. Louis favorite. Pappy’s BBQ has been on the Travel Channel when Adam came to St. Louis with his show, Man V. Food.  (WATCH VIDEO HERE!)




This smokehouse is one of those places where you wait in a long line, they take  your order at a small counter, wait at gingham tablecloth picnic tables, and then your served your food in little plastic baskets. The atmosphere definitely makes the place and if you’re in town, you should definitely stop by. I suggest getting the pulled pork sandwich.

Eating great tasting bbq is a perfect way to start a day on Antique Row. Pics from Antique Row were shown last week.

Do you have a favorite BBQ spot?

Per Aspera: my new found love

I really do love art. All kinds of art. I enjoy surrounding myself with beautifully made things, but its rare for me to find an artists that I just HAVE TO have one of their pieces. I’ve been doing a lot of searching online for artist prints that I could add to my art wall that I’m working on. I came across the illustrations by Elle Malan (Per Aspera) and fell in love. I scrolled through her entire blog that is filled with her work and perused her print shop on Society6.




I’m thinking about getting in contact with her to talk about some commission work. I’d love to do some portraits of the boy and I.  Can’t wait to see what she says!

Are you guys having a good Monday?

 

4.24.11

This past week I was all off balance. I took Monday and Tuesday off work for some much needed R&R. When I returned to work on Wednesday I had zero time to adjust and lots of stuff to mark off my to-do list. It took me all week to get back into the routine of my daily schedule. I think I need this weekend to recover from my 3-day week. haha.  Next week we will be back to the norm.

1^ This has been the week of thunder storms. It’s been storming since last weekend with the worst storm hitting last night. The St. Louis airport was hit by a tornado, shattering 50% of the buildings windows. The airport will be closed for some time.
2^ This coming week is my best friend’s birthday. (the 29th) I miss her, but hope her recent move to Seattle is going well.
3^ I’ve been watching Sex in The City reruns on TV all weekend. Love it!
4^ I’ve finally purchased the quilt from Urban Outfitters that I’ve been drooling over for months.
5^ My boyfriend’s sister is attending a 20 hour dance marathon to raise money for her sorority. She’s new to the sorority and would love to be one of the top raisers. She just started raising money , so if you’d like to help her out you can donate here.
6^ The puppy got his teeth professionally cleaned on Wednesday and even though it was scary and expensive, I feel like a good dog owner. I think he’s happy too!

Happy Sunday and hope everyone is having a Happy Easter with their families!

*Have you jumped on the Google Friend Connect bandwagon? This is one of my favorite ways to find new bloggers to follow, so check it out!


 

glimpses at antique row

I really have found my favorite pastime. In the past I would say shopping or going to the movies, but these days…it’s the thrill of the hunt in antique and thrift stores. There is nothing more fun and exciting than the unexpected treasures that awaits in these types of places. The shops have taught me to be open minded because you never know what you’re going to find. One day you leave empty handed and the next you’re trying to decide between two pyrex sets because buying both would be silly.




I love all antique stores but the ones with a focus on mid-century are the ones that steal my heart. I could peruse the racks of stay at home mom aprons and vintage toys for hours. I walk through these stores dreaming of taking home a living room set or a globe lamp to hang from my ceiling. The day I actually own a home of my own will be the day the local antique/thrift stores sell all of their stock…to me and my house.

I love the possibility of haggling for a lower price. I love the idea that all the seat cushions on a dinning set could be reupholstered with your favorite fabric. I love how all the clothes could be reworked to make them work for “today”. I love sifting through the stacks of vinyl to find that one record that you’ll take home and play on repeat for the next week.  Everything about the shops keep me coming back for more. Each time the trip is slightly different and just as exciting as the last.

Do you guys have your favorite hang out spots?

 

friday finds & favorites


* This picture was taken in Soulard, St. Louis (another one of my favorite parts of the city)

Alright. So I fibbed a bit. I told my readers that today they’d get to see inside those shops on Cherokee Street, but I completely forgot that today was Friday!!!! So instead to is going to be my favorite link and tomorrow will be glimpses into those treasure holes. Today, I’m in a shopping mood so I thought I’d give you some great shopping links to check out. Go spend some money!!!

1. This online shop is just amazing. I love how the products are unique and modern. Go House 8810! ( I’d love to own these tea towels, this laundry basket, and this personal library kit.

2. Inheritance webshop. Who wouldn’t love this?? Get designer items for a relatively low price.  Also check out their shop’s blog–>

3. Patina! I love the little phrases on the wall art pieces.

4. Here are some really great high-quality art pieces for sale.

5. I’m in love with the beautifully designed water bottles.

6. Young Gun Vintage Etsy Shop. I’d take everything from her shop if I had the moolah.

7. Looking for some vintage cameras to add to your collection? Jupiter Home Vintage has a good selection to choose from.

8. I’d love to add some of these UO rompers to my closet this spring/summer. I remind me of my childhood.

9. Morris Rugs– Vintage one off rugs that are just stunning. (originally seen on Poppytalk)

10. This Huset storage jar with an amazing pattern.

11. These Donna Wilson’s breakfast plate that have a fun face painted on them!

Enjoy your Friday! I’m off to eat some strawberries.

cherokee street / antique row

First off, I must mention how thankful I am for those readers who were part of the discussion on yesterday’s post> I really appreciate all the insights. I feel like I have a wealth of people to tap into in this blogging community, so why not take advantage of it. Thank you!

On another note, this past weekend was spent on Cherokee Street, St. Louis’ largest strip of antique shops, 6 blocks to be exact. This “down and dirty” part of town is filled with character and people are starting to notice it’s charm and potential.




Walking up and down the streets you’ll discover all the little shops filled with treasures, some antiques and some just filled with old trash. haha. I’m actually surprised this was the first time I’ve been to this Antique Row and feel kind of blind/oblivious for just now discovering it.  I loved it. I loved the variety of shops that line the streets and no two stores are the same. Out of all the shops I found a few keepers that I’ll be visiting on a regular basis. (and it’s close to my loft! Bonus!)

Tomorrow, I’ll show you some sneak peeks inside the shops. I was like a kid in a candy store and I love how the shop owners feel the same way. I walked into one shop and said to the owner, “It’s like heaven in here!”. She responded with saying, “OMG it is. I love being in here!”. I may have found my new weekend tradition, so look out people!

* That mint dress apron shown in yesterday’s post was a real gem. $15 for hanger and apron. Love it!

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