Lincoln Beauty-ful Makeover

I've had this Lincoln Beautyware dispenser for awhile now. It was something from my Granny's house that I always loved.

As I'm planning out our kitchen design, the one thing I know for sure is that the main color is going to be aqua. So far, all we've done is paint a few items Aqua and bought a vintage Frigidaire oven (more on that to come...) but then I stumbled upon this photo from a Retro Renovation post:

If you look straight back, you'll notice a Lincoln Beautyware dispenser. I loved the way that looked, so I thought I'd customize my own to match. (I love that whole kitchen BTW *drool*)


























I started by peeling off the only label that was loose. That would be easy to hot glue back on later.


























Then I put some painter's tape over the other labels and pushed them into the creases with my fingernail.


























After that, I carefully cut along the crease with an X-acto knife.


























The tape pulled away easily.


























I only wanted these two pieces to be aqua, so that meant I had to cover everything else in painter's tape too.


























Allow me to introduce you to my favorite spray paint: Valspar Color Radiance Paint + Primer (84508: Nautical). You can buy it at Lowe's. (Since this is my favorite color, I can also tell that you that if you are looking for this in a wall paint, Clark + Kensington has pretty much an exact match with 30C-4, Good Life.)


























Definitely don't skip out on buying a top coat as well, since this spray paint (as most do) will chip without it. (I know from experience!) I chose Rustoleum's Satin Clear Enamel, but depending on what type of finish you like, there are glossy and matte options as well.




The instructions recommend two thin coats, so that's what I did. Then I covered it in the top coat and now it's ready to go!

Vintage Peacock Glassware

I have been on the lookout for a nice set of vintage glassware for awhile now, but I told myself it would have to be both a really really nice design AND price (to prevent impending impulse buys). So when yesterday I found this set of seven glasses for only $20, after about a year of looking, I was finally sold!

I tried to do a little research, but so far with no avail. There are no markings to indicate the manufacturer, and I can't find any posts online with any sort of information. It looks like it would fit in with some examples of Cera glassware that I found, but I couldn't locate any information or history on the company. If anyone knows anything, I'd love it if you could share it with me! All I can say is that they are made with a thin layer of glass that flares out at the top and feels great in the hand. Images of flowers and peacocks are printed on the sides in aqua and gold and the finishing touch is the lovely gold rim.

I also want to use this post to mention this amazing shop I visited in Alexandria, Virginia that really inspired me to find some nice glassware in the first place. It's called The Hour and she started her shop because of the idea that back in the 50's people loved to host cocktail parties, which gave them an excuse not only to get dressed up and bring out their fancy party accessories, but brought people together. She sells some of her pieces online, but they are typically expensive because she knows their value and only sells ones that are in perfect shape. It's still worth checking out though, even if it's just to look at all the pretty designs!

"Mad Men" Inspired Bedroom

Okay, let's face it. 72.5% of the reason I watched Mad Men was for the style. From the interior designs to the costumes, there was such attention to detail! One of my absolute favorites though was Joan's apartment. That coral/aqua combo is just amazing.

So I painted the walls coral (Benjamin Moore 2169-40 "peach cobbler") and I bought some fabric from Hobby Lobby for the curtains (a white muslin and "spearmint" cotton). I love it with the Broyhill Brasilia bedroom set we have and it just makes the room feel so happy when the sun pours in through that south window.

Of course, the walls and one of the corners feel a little naked, and I'm still short one nightstand, so we're not done yet! But boy does that color make a world of a difference!

Inspiration: Joan's "Mad Men" Apartment