a painting.

Moving into a fixer upper after Christmas so everything is new. Appliances arrive on Saturday.

I bought three paintings in October from a friend that I used to live with in San Francisco who is an artist. We had a lot of mutual friends who were also artists, and I was particularly interested in several painting done by one friend of ours who was best friends with my friend's brother, who had managed to acquire these painting, mostly by trading his own artwork. I felt very close to this particular artists, and we continued to maintain contact after he moved to New York and I moved to Los Angeles via mail (typed letters). He had done paintings for album covers and also one for Heavy Metal Magazine. I'll try to post photos of what I bought when I get home.

Yesterday I received (as a gift) some 24" square fabric samples from our textiles sample department that were from discontinued textiles. I got about 30 silk velvet squares and plan to make a bunch of pillows.

I bought these mother of pearl knobs from Anthropologie for a kitchen update I was doing...

An ivory linen empire lamp shade. I bought a new floor lamp with extension arm and didn't care for the drum shade that came with it. The shade was fine, but I didn't get the spread of light I needed. What followed were a few days learning about shade shapes and light output. I discovered a little hole in the wall shop in town with its walls covered with every kind of shade possible, including the one I needed. Paid almost as much as I did for the entire lamp, but I wanted to be done. The drum shade found a new home for free thanks to Nextdoor.

For something different -- shower curtain, bath rug, and towel rack.

Bought a new Painting by a local artists.

Here are the paintings I bought recently - they were painted in the early 1980s or perhaps late 1970s. While they are signed, the artist (Mark America) did not put the year (:

The bottom on is in my bedroom, and the other two are in the living room, where we used to have paintings that my brother did. The one in the upper left has a portrait of Marlene Dietrich, based on a somewhat obscure photograph of her. My friend Mark Vieira has the negative of that photo and published it in one of his books. When I told him that I was getting a painting from Bernard (by Mark America) that was based on that photograph, he said that he wanted to see it, but I haven't had him over for brunch yet to see it. I can't remember which one of his books has that photo, but I assume it is the one specifically on Marlene. He wanted to publish a biography of Marlene for her 100th birthday, but someone else beat him to it, but he did manage to get to write the official biography of Greta Garbo for his 100th birthday.

I am still purging thanks to Jan Moyer, before I buy something and bring it into the house, I ask my self, Do I REALLY NEED this?? I have to say, the answer is usually no.

I bought a Waterford Christmas ornament to catch up on the years I have missed....okay.....confession...I bought 5. BUT, I got rid of 100 that I no longer use!!

I got rid of a chair and a toy chest in the family room, but I added 2 Besta small bookcases for the grand daughters toys, books etc. It looks so much more organized! I am pleased.

Before every purchase, I take Jan's thoughts to heart and usually end up saving myself a lot of money!!

I picked up two of these for the basement bar at Goodwill. $9.99 each.

I bought this chandelier at my favorite furniture consignment shop for $40!!

I love thrift shopping. :)

love the Arthur umanoff-ish bar stools. great find

oliviag55-Thanks! I almost didn't buy them because I come home with stuff so often, but I looked them up and I couldn't pass. Resale value is the extra push to take the chance. Plus, they fit the age of my home!

I bought two lamps that were on Laurel Bern's blog for my master. They look glorious; I love them!

Ugh, my photos get ruined when I post on here...click on it, it looks normal

I got a new coverlet and lamp for the guest bedroom. I'm getting ready to paint in there.

Not something I bought but made for a mud room:

Just before they announced they were closing their doors, I won a $500 shopping spree at Country Curtains! They'll go up next spring after painting, but I'm excited! I have the black and cream buffalo check for the living room, a cream, brown and blue plaid for the bedroom. That freed up my previously purchased curtains from CC for my office. They sent a wrong order and told me to keep it, so I gained a beautiful rod for my office window too. So, I got four pair of curtains and 5 rods with my "winnings!" Love Country Curtains and so sorry they're out of business. So many are. I shopped today at a manufacturer's store for Haine's brand undergarments, and they are closing it, automating the mfg. line, and selling online. Same for the fashion and jewelry store where I work part time. Closing and selling online. Lots of people are losing their jobs to the increased bottom line owners believe robotics will provide! The small shops like the one where I work, can't compete and are closing. There will be many a ghost town in America soon! Nowhere for the self-driving car to take you to shop!

Fake plant from local thrift store. Even tho I generally hate fake plants, this one was unique so I snatched it up for 9.99.

Gorgeous mercury glass apothecary jars for my DR table. Thanks Julie!

-a bigger painting I was thinking about for several months

-a "spontaneous" small painting

-a desk task light for my daughter that takes 100 watt bulb..which she sorely needed in her only-ambient- lighting room. hope the "stealing" of her brother's lamp each time she's home will stop..:)

-a something for my son's room that hasn't arrived yet

This is more furniture than "decor" -- my current project is to get the sunroom furnishings complete.

A corner banquette system for my sunroom. My grandchildren come over to play, and the sunroom is where they like to be. The baskets hold their toys. When my grandchildren aren't here, my poodle's bed (I may get a new coordinated color cover for it) still fits where she likes to be -- with a view through the living room to the kitchen.

The chimney has now been painted white. I have a sectional sofa with slipcovers on ordered to go at the other end of the narrow room (8' x 18'). The space in front of the chimney is even more narrow.

My painting.

12 of these ADORABLE napkin rings for a family Hanukah dinner party this weekend.

We recently purchased a beautiful leather ottoman which blends perfectly with our leather 3 piece suite of furniture. The fact that it is not an exact match gives a great dimension to our living room space .

These awesome dimmable LED lamps. Finally replaced the 20 yr old very cheap ones.

Just a very simple item. I found this 5x7 print of a Fir tree and framed it for our entry table for Christmas. The lighting in the photo doesn't show it well, but the inside edge of the matting is a green that blends nicely with the tree.

I just had these vintage wood and mother of pearl food trays framed. I love them.

Chloebud, I love your framed fir, what a nice touch.

I bought a 3x5 washable cotton rug for my master vanity. I don't feel like I use that many spray products at my vanity but I was frustrated with cleaning a recurring buildup on the floor. First time ordering from Hook and Loom - very pleased with their service and rug quality. Into the washer, taken from the dryer slightly damp.

I bought 4 beautiful leather parsons chairs with some defining top stitching for added interest on Small Business Saturday for my breakfast table - they may be delivered sometime next week. We won't be home for Christmas and I told the owner I wasn't in a hurry, the need wasn't as pressing as for people getting ready to entertain. They were more money than I had planned to spend, but at half price that day I squeaked them into the budget.

kulrn, I really like your dining area, especially the dining table. What is the exact shape? It does not look round and appears to be more of a squircle, but it also might be an oval. I also like the wall mounted sideboard and the dining chairs.

A circa 1850's Chinese female figurine. Even the extremely knowledgeable experts on an antique Oriental porcelain forum I belong to are not able to come to a consensus on its function; one guess was an opium pillow.

This pair of fantastic Milo Baughman lounge chairs from chairish. I have a single of the same chair that I picked up years ago for cheap ($350) and our new house was crying out for a pair. I've been looking for years but didn't want to pay the newly inflated prices of recent years as mid mo has gotten so hot. This pair was reasonably priced so I decided to get both and paid $1500. They were sold with a vile red 90s cheap fabric so I was planning on new fabric, but when I got them home and tore off the fabric, I got to the fantastic original mustard velvet and original Thayer coggin tags. Which was a total and welcome surprise. This color works so well in our mid century home. Unfortunately the velvet is in bad condition.... so I'll still be refinishing. Still a good deal as restoration hardware has just reissued a bunch of almost the same style baughman chairs for about $4000 each. But I love a good refinishing project:)

Here is the same pair of Milo Baughman chairs on 1st Dibs with a price of $6,200 for the pair. I am also a big fan of Milo Baughman. He reminds me a bit of Karl Springer, who was my own boss's previous boss. I guess Milo Baughman and Karl Springer are two of the few designers I like from the 1970s, but I actually prefer Milo to Karl.

they look insanely comfortable too

Glad there are other baughman fans out there! Yup, those are the prices i've been following for the last couple years. 1stdibs is obviously overinflated prices, but that's no help to me if i couldn't find the chairs elsewhere at "regular" prices! And yes, they are insanely comfortable. That's why we've always loved the first one we got so much. It's the best chair for lounging in.

Candle holders purchased 2nd hand. Scandinavian, from the 1980's.

My floor sample from DWR (Hans wegner shell chair):

New lamps (more floor samples!):

On sale at Anthropologie ( I wanted it for awhile and it came down far enough on the price...):

The rug, couch, curtains and lamp

This [chair[(https://www.houzz.com/products/midcentury-modern-lounge-chair-and-ottoman-black-walnut-italian-leather-prvw-vr~10196641) is very comfortable for kicking back and relaxing. It is made very well and seems like it will be very durable. I am thinking of buying another one for my living room. Fast delivery.

Nothing. I did donate several nice pieces of art ( all signed lithos and giclees ) to my local American Cancer Society store. I’m a “less is more” person, and even though the art was nice I really didn’t need it. The charity store was thrilled, said art sells faster than other donations. I also gave a friend two pieces of art.

a iron martini table for my husband