A Domesticated Goth

Isn't she beautiful?! Yes, I am talking about our brand new stove. Hahaha! And she has a partner.....

*Cue angels singing* Okay, this may not be that exciting to most, but to Derek and I it is very exciting. When we bought the house, (almost 3 years go) we negotiated to have the appliances as part of the sale. We figured we would use the old appliances until we either remodeled the kitchen or they malfunctioned. Well, flash back to Halloween when I went to use the oven for hot appetizers and the oven stop working. Yeahhhhhhh. Well, the oven came back to life a few times, yet that's what inspired us to shop the holiday deals and Voila! I like to cook (that's how we save boat loads of money....by eating at home), so having this new stove is 'Just Like Heaven'. It doesn't hurt they are both black and for the first time in my life, I got to pick out the features of appliances that suit our needs. All the years of living in apartments and 'making due' with that came with the rental, really makes me appreciate having our own that much more!

I have been concentrating on our bar area inside the house. We do have our amazing 'Hut' aka the garage (blog out our Hut), but in the winter it is very cold out there, even with the pellet stove burning. So, I've been wanting to maximize our little bar area and give it a little makeover, starting with new curtains. There was just a valance on this window, but was inspired by this out-of-print Robert Kaufmann fabric (etsy) to make curtain panels. I wanted to add some pattern and color to the window, but not darken the room. 

I really wish I could find more fabric to make a little cafe curtain for our front door.

The display corner got a make over too. Before...

After! Much needed storage/display and another 'pop' of color to brighten up the corner. We will be adding lighting to the shelves, so we can see our Tiki mugs and other collectibles.

We splurged and got these amazing handmade Tiki shelves from Forward Back Vintage on etsy. They are worth every penny and not only create more display space for our Tiki mug collecting insanity, BUT they look like amazing pieces of art on the wall. Now we can sit on our couch and really enjoy the view into the bar area.

Here's my typical view. Feet up on the coffee table, wrapped in my electric blanket. Hehe!

Another latest addition to our home is this amazing display case that is now in our dining room. I had been actively looking for gold display case for about a year now (finally gave up) and found one at an estate sale for a great price. It's a little smaller than I had hoped, but there is enough room for some of our bone collection and other fun tidbits. 

And just some moody shots of the living room. I was enjoying the view and snapped these.

Mortimer (our skeleton) is festive in a black pentagram Santa hat.

And the weirdo's who live here.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Thank you for reading, until next time!

Happy Octoberween: Vintage Halloween Collectibles

Happy October 3rd dear friends! Okay, I know it's weird to be wishing you a happy October 3rd, but Derek have been busy with Halloween decorating insanity. I started on the evening of September 30th, as I packed away our "creepy" everyday decor to make way for all the pumpkins, banners, decorative figures, garland and other pieces that we deemed Halloween decor. 

Halloween Kitsch-en collectibles

October is the perfect time to talk about Halloween collectibles, especially my favorite type; vintage. I am not dismissing modern Halloween, I love it all, but I have a special place in my heart for blow molds, ceramic planters, chalkware, etc. So, come along with me and let's explore and maybe this may  help you spot some vintage treasures along your way!

Blow Molds

The cat with the pumpkin is probably one of the more common vintage Halloween blow molds that you will find floating around (you can see ours on one of our Kitsch-en shelves) at antique shops, garage sales, estate sales, etc. Mine isn't marked, but the companies that made the many sought after designs are; Union Products, Empire and General Foam Plastic Corp, etc. Don't be fooled by sellers who want crazy prices for this particular mold (that I have pictured up above), I wouldn't pay any more than $15 unless the little light and cord is included and the piece is in like-new condition. A lot of times the molds are faded or cracked, but still would make a nice display piece without lighting them up. 

Part of this year's decor, there is a mix of vintage and modern molds.

Vintage Planters

I would LOVE to own this Relpo planter. Too cute!

Planters were really popular home decor items in the 1950s & 1960s and were made for every holiday under the sun, but (in my opinion) the Halloween ones are the best! I have a few displayed on a high shelf above our windows and cherish their rarity and their whimsical designs. The most collectible and sought after pieces are made by Relpo and Lefton, yet if you see one that you love, just nab it! The only reason why I know about all this stuff is by turning over the pieces and looking at the markings and then researching the companies. I'm sorta a dork like that. Hehehe!!!!

Our planters were found at flea markets and thrift stores. You never know where you may find them!

Gurley Candles

Our witch has the original label on the bottom with a .59 cent price. Crazy!

This one mildly cracks me up because the Gurley Candle Company is based in my town of Buffalo, NY and I grew up with my Mother owning a bunch of their candles. If I would have known that I would be collecting all this Halloween shenannigans, I would have not let me Mother sell all the candles at a garage sale. Ha! I love all these candles, but refuse to pay the high prices that some sellers want, I just wait until I come across them organically. While writing this and doing a little research about Gurley candle's, it turns out the Vermont Country Store bought the molds and does some reproductions!

Noise Makers, Paper Decorations & Other Party Supplies

Photo from Pinterest. Look at their majesty!

In my mind, the party supplies are what hardcore crazy vintage Halloween people collect. You have to be a little bit nuts to spent time and money looking for relics such as; noise makers, paper decorations, cake toppers, candy containers, etc. These items were used for parties and often were discarded as one time use party items or were stored in a basement or attic to rot. I want it all, but I don't kid myself as the prices for of these items are high and it's due to their rarity. Sigh...... BUT, have no fear as the Beistle Company is reproducing their vintage designs (they have been around since 1900) and you and I can own some of these beautiful pieces! Yippppie!!!!!!

Our noise makers and a one of the candy containers we own 

I'm not an expert by any means, yet it's fun to get excited and share knowledge. I'm always learning and will always enjoy seeing other people's collections, decor items and decorating ideas. Happy Spook-tober everyone!!!!!

Thank you for reading, until next time!

Craft Along with GIY: Food and Beverage

I'm excited to participate in G.I.Y's August theme, Food and Beverage.

I decided to share my favorite Tiki beverage, the 1944 Trader Vic's Mai Tai recipe. You can read what Beachbum Berry writes about the Mai Tai, quite an interesting read. We love crafting different cocktails and experimenting with different recipes, yet the Mai Tai will always be my favorite!

Ingredients:
Rhum Clément VSOP Martinique rum
Appleton Estate Extra dark Jamaican rum
Orange Curacao
Orgeat (Almond syrup)
Sugar syrup (aka simple syrup)

Copied from the Beachbum Berry's website:

In your shaker pour 1 ounce each fresh lime juice, Rhum Clément VSOP Martinique rum, and Appleton Estate Extra dark Jamaican rum; 1/2 ounce orange Curacao; 1/2 ounce Latitude 29 Formula Orgeat (I just use Monin Almond Syrup or make our own); and 1/4 ounce sugar syrup. Add at least 2 cups of crushed ice, then shake well for around 10 seconds. Pour unstrained into a double old-fashioned glass. Sink your spent lime shell in the drink, and garnish with a mint sprig.

Derek approved!

Aloha and Mahalo to Bane from G.I.Y for inspiring this post!

Thank you for reading, until next time!

DIY Project: Green Velvet Settee

LOL @ the sock and slipper combo.

I picked up this lovely vintage green velvet settee from an estate sale. I had visited the sale on Friday and wasn't crazy about the price, so I returned on Saturday for half price day and got a great deal. The lovely lady at the estate sale gave me a great price tag of $35, so I couldn't resist!

The settee is in excellent shape, BUT it smelled musty. The first thing I did was spray the fabric down with cheap vodka. Yep, vodka! The cheaper the better as it helps with musty smells or "vintage smells" on fabric like; velvet, cotton, faux fur, etc. Tip-I suggest testing a small spot, before you spray the entire surface.

I used the at home Dryel kit to dry clean the cushion cover. Worked like a charm!

*not sponsored, I just like it!

Next, I removed the cushion cover to dry clean and discovered the cushion was the real source of the musty funk. I already was planning on replacing the cushion myself, so I hopped onto Amazon and ordered some high density foam that I will be cut to fit the cushion cover. I've never done anything like this, but luckily there are some great Youtube videos to help guide me. It also helps that Derek is here to lend me a hand. *Wink* I'll keep you posted on how the settee project goes.

Thank you for reading, until next time!

This Old Goth Haus: Getting Ready for the Summer

Celebrating getting 'shit done'

Derek and I have been cleaning up the death and decay that Winter brought upon the yard and around our humble abode. We are getting ready for warmer weather! The grill has been cleaned, outdoor furniture has been taken out of the shed, I cleaned up dead leaves and other various trash, and we put up the screen for the garage. A.K.A - Our Tiki hut.

We are also pretty darn excited to have the last part of our sewer project which will be completed tomorrow. The sump pump discharge (and downspout) will be tied into our sewer line, which will stop the swamp forming in our front yard. Yay! Once the pipeline is laid underground, we can then fix up the front garden and add shrubs. Our little goth haus won't look so sad any more! Hahahaha!

I got a little creative and made some little flower planters out of plastic pink lawn flamingos. I purchased some inexpensive flamingos (The Christmas Tree store), a four pack of little plastic pots (Dollar Tree) and some purple pansies (Home Depot). I used a very sharp utility knife and cut a rectangular hole in the back section of the flamingo, then I put the pansies in the little pots and fit the flower pot into the hole. Voila! Kitschy planters. I have some ideas involving Halloween blow molds for the front of the house, looks like I can't be stopped! Creepy in the front, Tiki in the back, the best of both our worlds. Hahahaa!!!

We both have black thumbs (no goth pun intended), so I'm happy to report that I've only killed one plant so far. Sigh.......

Thank you for reading, until next time!

It Was a Hoppy Sunday

Derek and I had a few friends over yesterday for Zombie cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. We are not religious, but grew up with families that celebrated 'Jesus rising from the dead'. Over the past several years we've celebrated in our own way, which usually involves a lot of satire and harmless poking fun at the holiday.

Oh yes, Derek is making ground lamb meatballs. They were delicious.

We also made deviled eggs, crab dip, shrimp cocktail and I made a pentacle star veggie tray...with unholy hummus on the side. Hahahaha!!!! My sweater came from the thrift store and bunny ears were leftover from last years Ostara art show (at the tattoo shop), so I got creative with some black electrical tape. 

I didn't get a chance to snap any other photos as there was lots of conversation, drinks and food that were being enjoyed. I am always grateful that I have such good people around us, people who enjoy our sense of humor and are always making us laugh. Good times. Good times indeed.

Andddddd Danielle snapped this photo to send to her Mother. I am sitting on my poop beanbag chair, the newest addition to my poop emoji collection. *Strikes a pose on a poop* Hahahahahahhaa!!!!! 

I hope you all enjoyed the holiday, no matter how you celebrate or don't!

Until next time!

My Sewing Table Area

Hello, welcome to my sewing table! Tuesday was a very productive day with more progress on my sewing room and I accomplished a lot of little (personal) sewing tasks that needed to get done. I also did grocery shopping, cooked dinner and put up some new items on etsy. Yeah, I deserved that wine at the end of the day. Hahaha!!!

Mary of Mourning Glory Designs had commented on how she likes to see how others sewer's organize their spaces, so here I am! I have a very 'use what I have' mentality when it comes to organization, so I dug around in our basement and found the shelving unit along with the black ikea buckets. We have the metal bars that go with the ikea buckets, but they were too long to fit behind the shelf brackets. I asked Derek if he could help me rig up something in order for the buckets to hang on the wall, he wanted to get all fancy and buy some new wood and I said, "Pfffft, use what we've got!". Scrap wood is A-OK with this gal! 

A closer look at the sewing table when it was first completed. I have been dreaming of my own sewing table for years, but apartment living did not allow for such a thing to exist due to space. Once we moved into the house, I knew I could make or find something that was reasonable in cost and I could customized for the room. A light bulb went off after reading the IKEA Hackers blog, so we took a trip to the store and we picked up two desk table tops and 6 adjustable legs to create the sewing table. Derek suggested using 2x4's to really make the two tops strong and secure, plus it added extra height to the table. I believe the cost was somewhere under $100 for all the materials, I can't say no to that!

Casual, minimal makeup, backwards wearing tunic outfit of the day.

So that was my Tuesday! :)

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Mid Century Macabre : I Love Home Decor

Our Adrian Pearsall chair was purchased by Derek for $5 (about 12 years ago), 

will be reupholstered soon.

I snapped a few photos to load and share about living room decor and design over the Retro Renovation blog. I absolutely love how informative and resourceful the blog has been to me and many of their readers. I love mid century design, but I also love the macabre, thus our home decor style has always been blended. So, I thought I would share my snaps with you all and show what we've been up to inside the house. 

The bar stools are from Derek's Nana. She sold her home in New Jersey that she built with her husband in 1954 and moved down to Virginia to be closer to Derek's parents. We are honored to have them in the house as shortly after their basement bar was built (in the 70s) Derek's Grandfather was hit and killed by a drunk driver at 45 years young.

Gotta love when you find coffee table for $9 while thrifting. To think, I almost passed it up until I picked it up and realized that it is solid piece of furniture! 

My gawdy lamps fit into the Mid Century Regency look I had in mind. We've have the couch for years, bought second hand and it's a solid piece. I am dreaming of a new couch, but am grateful this old soldier has been with us for years.

Very new-to-us piece that I picked up at a consignment shop for a song. We need more bar storage and this bamboo shelving unit was perfect. I'm really glad I waited other than settling, as this adds some 'light' into the bar area. Still hard to believe the bar area of the living room was Pepto (ab)ismal pink and an awkward room off the kitchen. Knocking down the walls was the best idea ever! 

barkcloth curtain panels were made by me

Our dining room got a new carpet! I was trying to figure out how to tie the room together and taking inspiration from the colors of the barkcloth curtains, I choose a shag green carpet. Now our black dining set 'pops' and it's the perfect compliment to the colors in the plamp (plant lamp) and all the black velvet paintings that are hung on the main wall (not pictured). 

Derek's face, hahaha!!!!!

Here's an example of our 'wall-o-velvet' in the dining room. The latest addition has been a cute blue-eyed puppy with a basket of flowers and a few others hanging about the room. What can I say, we love kitsch!

Even if you don't like our decorating style, it's just an example of how you can put together a whole house while being thrifty and unique. I love home decor and I love to see how others design their space. I believe it's an extension of your personality and that you should surround yourself with things (and people) that you love. 

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla