Life Number Two

I think I have looked at enough farmhouse tables online to last me a few lifetimes. I halted my sewing frenzy yesterday because I noticed that the table we bought last weekend had a little crack on one end. I heard a few loud popping noises later and although I could be completely off, I suspect it's the table.

Eh. Lemons. Lemonades.

Which is just as well because in my hunt for a potential yet similar replacement, I ran into a wonderful concept about dining furniture, farmhouse-style dining tables in particular. There's a breed that is made of recycled, reclaimed wood.

OMG. I am struck with love.

I wonder why I never stumbled into it before?

Modern Rust crafts furniture from torn down barns. Unlike the big commercial outfits (ehem, Pottery Barn), Modern Rust does not mark up their products thrice (or more). Each piece is carefully crafted, built from materials that would have gone to a landfill. And did I mention they do all this amazingness and yet still manage to sell their furniture at a fair price? Why is this stuff not sold at Whole Foods or something? (Oh right. Because they are against triple markups!)

So here's what I am loving...

Photo credit: Modern Rust

The small problem is logistics. Modern Rust is out in the East Coast and since they're teeny, there's a lot of hoop-jumping to do to deliver to the other side of the country. Also, it nags at me that the diminished global footprint from buying recycled furniture will be negated by the massive fuel requirement to load this pretty baby on a truck. However, I tell myself that at least this is originating from the same country as opposed to from another continent, so I think I'm still in the black.

My other option is having someone handcraft a similar table locally. I have found someone on Craigslist today and he just so happened to also use reclaimed wood. So here's to hoping that the Dutch takes me seriously with this I-found-a-woodcrafter-locally-on-Craigslist-but-he-can't-take-phone-calls-because-he's-hard-of-hearing idea, and that table number two on its life number two makes it to the house somehow and somewhat soon because I have some sewing left to finish!

Trend Watch: Nesting

As it turns out, I'm not the only one.

This dove has been nesting on our fireplace vent for a couple of weeks now, perhaps simultaneous to my own urges of spending time at home and making rapid, not so subtle interior changes. What is ironic is that when it was freezing cold outside, I found myself outdoors more. The minute it started getting warm, I retreated indoors. This is insanity! (To alleviate my guilt a little bit, this afternoon, I rode my bicycle to the grocery store and back which took at least an hour).

I am happy to come from a family that has a natural affinity with sewing. My Grandma and my Aunt Teresa (who both have passed within months of each other recently), my Mom and sister, all have been inclined to some type and level of sewing. I have often dreamed that I would make my own clothes someday, but that has somehow been overshadowed by more practical things. The only things I have made with my sewing machine so far has been a yoga mat bag and some placemats.

What was great today was that I was able to appreciate being at home with messy hair and the same clothes I woke up in, doing something I really enjoyed. The sun along with the incessant chirping of birds streamed from outside through the open windows. The noise of the washing machine mingled with the rattling noise of the sewing machine. Who needs music?

I tossed in the sponge moments ago with my project half-finished. I was rusty with the sewing, at best, and it was revealed in the stitches on my new burlap runner that I'm not a pro, but it was something I made myself and that in itself is worth more than anything you can buy at Potter Barn.