I am so excited to introduce you today to Laurie from
Little Blue Chairs. I had the opportunity to meet Laurie back in March at our local
bloggers brunch. She is hilarious and sweet- I loved her instantly! And she is adorable, with the cutest hair ever. And she has great style, mixing in some of her Swedish heritage (another thing we share in common, though mine is on a lesser level). My favorite project of hers made its way around the blogosphere, so you may have seen these awesome painted floors....
And more recently she has used salvage wood to create an awesome wall...
She is one talented lady who does not disappoint. And now, here's Laurie!
Hello Primitive and Proper readers, this is Laurie from
Little Blue Chairs, and I am super excited that Cassie asked me to prepare a guest post. I had been hoping to have some super wonderful project completed to reveal today, but sadly, I didn't finish. Instead I have something different, something a bit more revealing. I hope you enjoy it.
Meet my little blue chairs, these chairs were an important part of my childhood and something I inherited from my Grandmother, but I have slowly started to realize they have a larger significance. In their own little way,
they sum up what I am all about.
In simple words, they
are old, blue, painted, hand-me-down, simple, small, useful,
decorative, well worn, hand crafted & quirky.
And I
love old things, painted things, blue painted things are even better. I
love well loved and handed-down things, useful and decorative things,
and quirky, whimsical things. It is what I am about and in the end what
Little Blue Chairs is about.
I
have always loved old things, I have a touch of the romantic in me. I
love the idea that others have touched, used and loved objects before
me, and that the joy they had has imprinted on the object. And if I can
have things that have a personal connection to me and my family, even
better.
That is why using the barn wood in my parents
bath was such a joy for me. The barn had been long destroyed, but I get
a pleasure knowing that, at least part of it can still be enjoyed.
There are many pieces I
am still dying to get my hands on. Like this highchair used by my dad
and his brothers. Yes it needs work, but I think I can handle it.
Or the trunks my
grandfather emigrated from Sweden with (and yes I get the chairs as
well).
It actually makes me sad
they are sitting out there, just waiting to come home to me.
(Can
you hear them crying out too?)
I am a sucker for
blue paint, Ok, maybe paint in general, but blue is my favorite color
and has been for most of my life. It makes me happy, and if something
makes you happy, then I think you need to treat yourself to some of that
happiness. For me the blue makes me happy in my kitchen.
It is not my dream
kitchen, but it is a place that makes me dream in the mean-time. It is
just happy an unexpected. I also like blue on my floor. OK I LOVE the
blue paint on my floors. I really want hardwood floors, but I want to
paint them blue and white. Really, I do, but I don't think I can get
away with that one.
I love hand-me downs, again, especially if
it is from the family or someone I adore. The closer the connection the
more I treasure it. Like this desk.
It is the desk my
husband and his dad made when my he was a young boy. It has now been
updated and is being used by our daughter. It has been re-imagined, but
all that love and the story is still there.
I am a big
believer that the things used in everyday life should be beautiful and
feel good. I go for wicker baskets over plastic bins, wood spoons, and
glass jars. I don't ever spend a fortune on these things, but if I have
a choice, I chose the pretty one, even if it is only me who sees it, I
am just saying.
And
quirky, yes I am quirky, and I think you are all quirky too. By quirky,
I mean those things, characteristics and hobbies that make you unique. I
believe we all need to bring the quirk in and proudly display it. If
you love to knit, then you should have your knitting out, If you collect
star wars figures, then yes, find a few places here and there
(unexpected) that Yoda can reside. Of course the key is moderation, but
let people know they are in your home and not a model home. I kind of
like rocks, so I have them around me.
and we have
invited fairies to come and stay with us in the back yard.
And yes I even have a
gnome living in my kitchen.
But in the end all of the
things used to describe my beloved chairs, also describe much of what I am about, and in the end it all comes back to those Little Blue
Chairs.
So, again I am sorry I did not have a super fabulous reveal to share, but I thank you for letting me share my love of the simpler things.
