Gilt mirrors and Blog Buddies

I love mirrors. 

Its the one thing I am always on the lookout

for to add to my store inventory~or to upgrade the ones I 

have in my home.  I just got 6 vintage mirrors in all different 

shapes and sizes and all were gold~some gilt and some painted gold.

This is a huge mirror with an insert that fits inside

an elaborate frame to create one big beautiful effect.

One of my pickers, Rebecca, sent me a phone pic

seeing if I was interested~

This was what she sent me~

hello?? I was in love!

Sadly it has damage to the outer gilt frame 

but I still had to have it...its decayed elegance.

However I still think its wonderful and am not sure I can 

bring myself to part with it...it might just have to come home

and live with me permanently.

Then I won't have to explain to people why it is worth the money,

despite the damage...some people just don't get it...

its glorious in every way just the way it is.

The insert mirror part (see the inside frame in the corner)

is all clouded up and looks silver and crinkly...

J'adore!

This one is in perfect condition~

a true gilded mirror with a delicate ornate frame.

We can't keep mirrors in stock in Boston~

this one and the one reflected in the mirror sold last Sunday.

Every Sunday we get wiped out~!

So if you are looking, I'd advise coming in on a Saturday

to get first pickings, as usually our new inventory

has been added by then for our busiest day of the week~Sunday!

Having the store has kind of taken my blog to a different place

and I miss the days when I could happily decorate a space

in my home and then blog about it and see what people thought.

In the two years I have blogged I have made real friendships,

and that has been a very fulfilling part of blogging.

One of my best friends owns this chair below~

do you recognize it?

 I visited her house last week and sat in

 her study and got to really check out 

all the stuff she has been writing about on her blog lately. 

 Like this slipcovered chair that she made.  

She's a big deal decorator, now retired, 

and we connected online and now she's my friend.  

She's a real friend too. 

 We talk daily and she does nice things to help me.  

She gave me a huge cabinet to put in my store to hold all my Annie Sloan paint~it makes the store look official I think.  She has started picking for me too!! How cool is that? A decorator I admired, whose work I only saw in magazines was now involved in my life and helping me on my journey!!

We bounce ideas off of each other~we share frustrations and ideas.

 Its just all so wonderful~

 Designer Betsy Speert~my friend.

 I snapped her at her computer...now you all

 can see what Betsy looks like when she is blogging..

deep in thought....whipping up her hilarious posts 

that are also full of decorating genius.

I am so glad she is in my life!

 I have another blog buddy too....

Because she lives far away from me

 I have never met her in person

but we talk on the phone and share personal stuff...

She has great taste and style and is a wonderful writer.

I love reading her stories on her blog, and I often find myself

wishing she would write a book called The Adventures of Nita.

Yes~its my friend Nita of Mod Vintage Life!

Nita is a graphic designer who has suffered losing her job

from the depressed economy...

but Nita did what she had to do and 

got jobs at Target and Pier One...

she just found out her hours are being 

cut back at Pier ONe because they hired holiday help.

So they take the hours away from the loyal employees like Nita.

That stinks!! Making ends meet on her Pier One income was 

tough enough...but now she will make even less.

She has the four dogs to feed and pay vet bills, then

her water heater crapped out and she needed a new one, 

and unexpected emergencies like that

 can be a huge financial burdens.

So I begged her last night to please put up a DONATE button 

on her blog sidebar.  I thought it just might be enough

to help her get through this period...if her blog friends 

gave her $5 or $10 each, it would really add up!! 

Random acts of kindness can truly make a difference

in one persons struggle. 

So she felt weird but agreed to try it

and posted the button last night. 

She is gonna probably kill me when she sees this post.

But I am her friend I want to help her as Betsy helps me~

but how can you do it when you live so far away?

This is the perfect idea I think~

The other thing Nita is going to do for me is to revamp

my blog.  She is a talented graphic designer and will 

be giving Maison Decor a whole new look!!

I hired her to be the graphic designer for Maison Decor!

I want my blog to be able to let all my Annie Sloan clients

find what they need, and still let me blog about the things 

I have always loved blogging about...

not just work related stuff.

So if your blog needs a new look, 

consider Nita~but you may have to get in line...

cause Betsy's gonna have Nita help her 

after she's done with me!

To visit Nita  click here.