The Kennedy's lived here....

Since it's been a while since our last posting, we thought it a good idea to give some updates on our whereabouts and activities. Although we started this blog with the intent of documenting our design efforts together, we haven't yet had an opportunity to start the stain glass window we planned as our first project (see window on floor below in 1st photo). You see, Sam and I have been busy with our own personal endeavors, spending quality time with our little man and a soon-to-be-announced business venture we are embarking on (so exciting!).  During our down time, we have had an opportunity to work on some creative individual projects throughout our home - some of which we will share photos of...

This is our still in progress craft room. We decided to paint vertical stripes in two shades of orange and one horizontal stripe in a dark brown. I love spending time in this room; it almost brightens my mood instantly. When Sam and I started working on it he thought it resembled a circus tent - but we've come to be quite happy with the results.

An old school mac from my college days still works perfectly...it's kind of amazing. 

On this pretty little hutch I purchase at my favorite thrift store, I store paints, brushes, markers, colored pencils, ribbon, yarn, paper and more....glues and other adhesives are organized in a egg carton and some of my favorite stamp collections are displayed in the back portion cork board. The beautiful feathered peacock pens on the right corner were made by Sam as a birthday present (in their own custom made gift boxes!). 

We use old juice and milk cartons as vases in this room - it adds so much character to the space!

I purchase Newman's Own on a regular...

Two weekends ago I salvaged this pretty little table from being dumped onto NYC streets. Someone in my building left it by the garbage disposal area. I felt like I'd hit the lotto.  It had so much charm!

I then re-discovered an old wood miniature perfume display case  that I had purchased ions ago...a few screw in hooks and I had myself a jewelry hanging rack. I thought of combining these two items together to create a jewelry display area in my bedroom and spray painted the table and the rack a glossy white - this was the result....

and of course, I should have known better - 3 minutes after I was done and ready to snap a photo...here comes little man to play with his new "toys"....

Another hobby of mine is making custom gift baskets for family and friends. I've made Thanksgiving gift baskets for my parents for years now...i'm thinking about starting a tradition to make some for christmas as well. I will find any excuse to make a basket nowindays. Below is one that I made for a very special delivery that my family is expecting in August.

 

Several weeks ago I picked up a vintage Speedaway wood and metal sled that was sitting outside of a fancy home here in Riverdale. Good thing I keep my construction gloves in my purse - they always come in handy - I picked that baby up and hauled it home! It was like I could see it's history just by looking at it's rusty decaying parts. A few days later I went to the hardware store to get  metal chains and a few heavy duty hook screws  (this thing weighs a ton!)....and VUALA! - I hung it from the soffit in our livingroom. It was really difficult to set the sled perfectly parallel to the soffit since it weighs more on one end than the other. One of the chains has all the tension while the other just hangs there awkwardly slanted. Oh well...

 I started to develop this wall with a playful school house theme but am still searching for more items to compliment what I've started...perhaps a blackboard where I can write comical lesson plans?Hmmmm...

So far, I have a cute litlle ABC's board I picked up from TJ max, a letter, a symbol and a photo i picked up from a vintage shop of a 1951 classroom in Yonkers, NY (this photo always puts a smile on my face).

Last night I was looking through photos taken during my visit to England and France last summer. I found this image which I just had to share - it was taken in  my favorite city - Bath, England. The gardens and parks there are to die for.

and lastly, I know some of you may we wondering what's with the title of this post - "The Kennedy's lived here" - Well, here it is. Sam and I live in the area of the Bronx known as Riverdale. Its a really beautiful neighborhood and within the past couple of weeks Sam and I have been doing alot of walkin/exploring and have discovered some very interesting Riverdale facts. Alot of influential people have lived in Riverdale, including the Kennedy's. Here is a shot of their old home - directly across the street from the entrance to the gorgeous Wave Hill Park.

Sam and I will give our best effort to update the blog regularly. We have a vacation to Puerto Rico coming up in July which we are super excited about because it will be Sam's first visit to my homeland!hehehe

Thanks for reading!

-Alby