The Revival of Macrame

Macrame.  A lost art?

Think again!  Macrame is back in a big way!  In fact, it's back and hanging in the room I'm staging as an office!  I told you I was changing up the vibe in this house.

I love how this piece adds depth and texture to my office wall.  I also love how you just don't see macrame everywhere.........it's different, maybe unexpected, and definitely one of a kind!  Not to mention, it's the work of a fiber artist, my friend Layne.  She made that beautiful piece.

But let's back up a little bit.

Not too long ago, my friend Layne asked to interview me about my favorite hobby!  She wanted to know a little bit more about my thrifting skills.  Funny thing is, I wanted to know a little bit more about her favorite hobby too.........macrame!  So we traded interviews!  You can check out my interview at her blog The Room Journal.  And you can stay put to hear more about Layne's favorite hobby.......

How did you get into macrame?
My dad got me interested in macrame.  He made a lot of plant hangers, etc, back in the 70's, and he taught me a few knots. But then I became obsessed with it a few years ago when I discovered the work of Sally England.  Seeing her work made me start getting serious about learning more advanced knots.  I am self-taught, using vintage macrame books and YouTube videos.

Tell me about your Etsy shop name Viola Maye....
When I first started my Etsy shop, I called it "Eck Art."  I just couldn't think of a anything pretty, so I went with something silly. But I really wanted to find a name that had a nice sound to it.  Then one day I was digging through a drawer and came across something that had my grandma's first and middle name on it, and realized how much I liked the sound of her name, so I went with that.

What different items can you make? 
I offer pre-made and made-to-order macrame items, including wall hangings and plant hangers.  I also take custom orders.

What materials do you use?
I use cotton rope.  I also use driftwood I find along the coast of Puget Sound.

What gave you the idea of finding driftwood along Puget Sound to use?
I've noticed so many macrame artists using lots of different things to tie knots from ~ dowels, copper rods, lucite, driftwood, etc.  I've always loved the driftwood the best, so I was pretty thrilled when I discovered my new home in the Pacific Northwest had plenty of interesting pieces of driftwood everywhere I look.

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I have driftwood from Puget Sound hanging in my house?!?!?!  That is pretty darn cool!!!  AND YOU COULD TOO!  Layne is offering 20% off orders over $50!  Use the code VINTAGEGROVE20 to receive the discount!  Hop on over to Viola Maye to snag a beautiful piece of your own!  Or you can buy the piece named Evelyn for ME.  I have lots more wall space to fill, and I've had my eye on Evelyn since she added it to her shop!

We can call it an early Christmas present!

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You can find Layne on the internets at.....

*her shop: www.violamaye.etsy.com

*her blog: theroomjournal.com

*on Instagram: @layneeckhardt

Linking up with Two Thirty-Five Designs

Vintage Rug Dreams

Have you ever scared a FedEx driver by doing a little jig on the porch as he walked up your steps with an extra exciting delivery? It's possible that happened here a few months ago when my vintage Turkish rug was delivered.

Yes.  Months ago.  And I'm just now showing it off?  Yep.  For a great reason.  I could not find a rug pad in this town that I deemed good enough for this antique baby of mine.  And without a rug pad, the rug was bunching and shifting a lot.  So I rolled it up and put it away until recently......

More on the rug......when we got our new furniture, I knew I wanted a rug to anchor the space.  I knew I wanted a vintage kilim. And after lots of online searching, I found the perfect one via the Turkish Rug Man!  I loved the design and colors, and of course, it was just the right size!

But, like I said, it wasn't staying in place on slick hardwood floors without a rug pad, since vintage kilims are thinner than rugs tend to be nowadays.  So the day it was delivered, I went to - no joke - FIVE STORES in town to look for a rug pad.  All I found in each store was a pressed plastic pad, which I'd had no luck with in the past.  Which tend to smell a little chemical-esque. Which I feared would damage the rug and possibly, the hardwoods too, which are original to our house!

There was no way I was putting a plastic pad under this vintage dream of mine.

Enter the Rug Pad Corner who completely saved the day!  They make pads that are 100% chemical and glue free.  This meant, no strange smell coming from the pad.  It also meant that my rug and floors would not be damaged.  Annnnd they are made in the USA!

They had a few to choose from that would work with hardwoods floors.  I decided to go with one called the Ultra Premium. The Ultra Premium rug pad is everything I'd hoped for.  First of all, when I opened the package, there was no scent to the pad at all!  No chemical smell whatsoever.  Next, the pad flattened out immediately!  I didn't have to wait to throw the rug on top! The felt side went against the rug and held it in place.......

Since vintage rugs tend to have odd dimensions, another feature I love, is that they are made and cut to be custom to your rug! They cut mine to be just a tad smaller than my rug, meaning no pad peeks out!

During the short time I actually left the rug out - pre-pad - my rug would shift a lot, especially with my rambunctious pups. Once the pad was underneath, my rug has not budged an inch.  It would also bunch up under the coffee table before.  Now there is no bunching, since the felt seems to adhere to the rug, and the rubber side grips to my hardwoods nicely......

The pad also adds a little depth to my pretty thin rug!  It's about 1/3" thick, which is the perfect amount of cushion underfoot!

To say I'm happy with this pad is an understatement.  For any future rugs I purchase, vintage or not, I will definitely be using a pad from the Rug Pad Corner.  And you should too!  Use the code REVIEW15 for 15% off your purchase!

Good thing I wasn't home when the rug pad was delivered.  I would have scared the UPS driver too!  I was so excited about finally getting put the rug down for good, I might have tackled him!

*I received this rug pad in exchange for an honest review via the Rug Pad Corner!*

Blogging for Books

Recently I discovered the site Blogging For Books via a local friend's blog.  She received a popular book for free in exchange for an honest review on her blog!  Uhhhh, SIGN ME UP!

When you sign up, you get to select one book, which they send you, free of charge.  Your job is to read it and write up a post!

I selected Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston.

The title spoke to me.  Not only because of the feng shui part, but the "clear your clutter" part too.  It IS the year of the purge around here.  So I thought it would bring my curiosity of the art of feng shui and my decluttering game together.  Feng shui has always interested me.  I really didn't know much about it, but was ready to learn more.

I'll be honest.  I didn't learn much about feng shui the way I was hoping to.  I was hoping I'd learn the art of staging a home based on the principles of FS while keeping it clutter-free, but instead it focused on figuring out the "why" behind clutter in many areas of life (even emotional clutter) and the negative way clutter can impact your life.

I knew feng shui was sort of out-there.  Based on energies and spirituality.  Some of that I can get behind.  Some I cannot.  The notion that a home has "imprints" of previous tenants that can negatively or positively effect your home life is one I am not sure I can subscribe to.

Another area that the book really focused on was identifying clutter areas.  I guess people can really struggle with that.  To me, clutter is obvious.  So the large section devoted to that topic was, for me, unnecessary.

Overall, I felt like out of the three parts this book is divided into, Part 1 was the only part I really enjoyed.  Chapter 8 included diagrams of the part of feng shui I was interested in, how a home is divided into zones and how those zones can impact different aspects of your life.  It just didn't go deep enough.  I was left wanting more out of this section of the book.

In the end, I couldn't go into a room and stage it, clutter-free, using feng shui.  Which is what I'd been expecting to learn.

Nonetheless, it was an easy read.  It did make me think about "why" I hang on to things.  And it did make me eye roll more than once.

Now I can look forward to selecting another book though!  Maybe I'll shoot for fiction.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for review.

Firmoo Glasses

Firmoo did it again!  They gave me the opportunity to choose and review prescription glasses!  This is definitely something that interests me since I wear glasses morning, noon, and night.  And because glasses aren't cheap!

I ended up selecting a style that is NOTHING like any of my other glasses, because why not?  I went with a larger, rounder frame than my usual rectangular style.  And I love them.

Of all the styles I've received from Firmoo, these are my favorite.  They fit my face perfectly and are very comfortable.  In fact, I bought them again..........as sunglasses!  Those should arrive this week!  They were even doing a buy one, get one free sale, which meant I picked up another fun frame to mix it up!

So if you have Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket and need new glasses, head on over to Firmoo for a great selection at reasonable prices!  New customers can receive a discount on their first pair!

Website:   www.firmoo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirmooGlasses

Twitter:     https://twitter.com/firmoo

Instagram: https://instagram.com/firmoo_optical/

Refresh Voxbox

I love getting a box of free products from Influenster to try out every so often......

My favorite items to try out are always makeup or skincare.  But food comes in a close second.

Wait!

Actually, food should come in first because that's what I dug into immediately......

The Beanitos chips were great.  I liked the restaurant style very much and would buy those!  The nacho cheese were good too, but I liked the flavor of the plain chips even better!  And believe it or not, these are healthy chips!

The Skinnygirl bar I got was AMAZING!  It was chocolate peanut butter with sea salt, and I loved it.  I would buy these!

As for the not-food-stuff, one thing I've tried are the floss picks from DenTek.  My teeth usually shred floss since they are so close together.  But these worked perfectly!  No shredded floss, and I like the pick at the end.  I am not a regular flosser, but these may turn me around!

I also tried the black seaweed masque.  I hate masques.  I hate how they dry and make your face feel tight while they are on. But I always stick them out.  This masque was probably my favorite of those that I've tried.  It peeled off easily and left my skin feeling SO SOFT!  The price of this line is super cheap, so this is something I would buy again to do every once in awhile!

Right after the masque was peeled off, I tried the L'Occitane cream.  I love this stuff too.  It smells great, and it felt great after that masque.  I will need more time with it to see if it's something I would purchase, but first impressions were positive!

I have not tried the Listerine strips or the Cover Girl foundation yet.  I'm kind of particular to foundation ~ a tried and true Clinique girl, so that may be a summer experiment.  As for the Listerine strips, I've sampled those in the past, so I'll probably throw those in my purse to use when needed.

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So, all-in-all, another great box of free stuff!  If YOU want boxes of free stuff too, leave your email address in the comments, and I'll send you an Influenster invite!

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.*  

Linking up with Still Being Molly

Spectacles

Recently, I went in for an eye exam and found out that my prescription had slightly changed.  Not enough to warrant new glasses though.  So, I just kept wearing what I had.

Until Firmoo contacted me.

They wanted me to select a pair of frames to review which would also include my updated prescription!  Uhhh, YES PLEASE!  

So I selected something different from what I currently had..........a bigger frame in a lighter color with some gold details. They arrived in a fun little case, and I loved how they looked........

When I tried them on, they fit like a dream!  The prescription was perfect too.........

I think glasses could be an addiction for me.  If they weren't so expensive, I would order a bunch in different colors and styles!

That's why I think Firmoo is great!  They offer sales all the time!  Right now they are offering new customers 50% off their first pair! Pretty darn good, if you ask me!

Now, who needs new spectacles?  Go take advantage of their new customer special!!!




*Bloggers ~ if you would be interested in working with Firmoo, let me know in the comments!  Leave a link to your blog and an email address!  

Influenster VoxBox

It's VoxBox review time!  This one was filled with something for me and the mister......

Each box I've received has had a product that I'm curious about but had never purchased.  And each time I've found a new product that I would buy again after trying it out for free from Influenster!

This time, that product was the John Frieda Frizz Ease Flat Iron Spray.  I love the scent......and I LOVE how smooth my hair looks after straightening it (even with my cheap Wal-Mart straightener).  Not only does it help with smoothing down the hair, but it's also a heat protectant.  I will be purchasing this when my bottle runs out!

Next up, Red Rose tea.  I love hot tea.  But I'm also sort of a tea brat.  I like Constant Comment by Bigelow, and it's not often that other brands live up to my favorite.  And honestly, while the Creme Caramel was tasty, it was no Constant Comment.  So, I'll be finishing off the Red Rose, but I probably wouldn't purchase it in the future.

Getting masks and cleansers is always fun.  This time it was a bottle of Boots Botanics Clay Mask.  This was way more watery than expected......and I wasted a little on my first attempt.  But a clay mask it is.......and I suppose how runny it was made the application easier!  It seems to do what it claims. 

I couldn't believe the box came with a HUGE bag of Hershey's Kisses!  No review necessary!  LOVE!  YUM!  They immediately were put in my candy jar on the kitchen counter!

The mister benefited from this box also.  He received the Vaseline Spray Lotion.  He has used it daily!  I think it smells way better than what he was using previously, as it's not a heavy cologne type scent!  This is a product we would both buy again.  But I knew that already from getting the Total Moisture version in one of my first VoxBoxes.

Finally, I received Kiss Looks So Natural Lashes.  Now, while I think this product is super fun, I have not tried these out.  So I cannot really review them.

I mean, imagine me showing up to teach my fourth graders with false eyelashes.

Maybe I should?

They do claim to "look so natural".

I could give a prize to the first kiddo to notice.

Thanks again to Influenster for letting me try out some fun new-to-me free products!

Influenster has offered me TWO invites for folks who are interested in signing up and linking their social media accounts in hopes of also getting free goodies.

Sooooo to the first TWO folks who leave email addresses in the comments, the invites are yours!  You need to have an active FB, Pinterest, and Twitter account to link up once your invite arrives!!!

Now who wants free stuff!? 

Firmoo Glasses

I am relatively new to the world of eyeglasses.  I have one pair that I wear all the time.

So when Firmoo contacted me to try out a pair of their prescription glasses for free, I figured I had nothing to lose!!!

I decided to go a little wild and choose a frame that was fun and a bit of a departure for me.  Black cat eye.  If nothing else, I could wear them at home!

But they arrived.  And I LOVED them.....

They got the prescription right!  I wasn't sure about ordering prescription glasses online.  But they are legit.  I can see!  And the fit is perfect too!  The glasses are comfortable!  They even came with a hard case and cleaning cloth.

 
I would not hesitate to order from Firmoo again in the future!  In fact, I am considering the cat eye frames in tortoise because the prices are so reasonable!

Now here's the fun part.  Firmoo is offering five readers a $30 voucher code!!!  Thirty bucks to spend on any pair of glasses in their Classic Series line!!!!

Here's how it will work......the first five folks to comment on this post will receive the $30 code via email!  Leave your email address and tell me which pair you would order from the Classic Series line!  Simple, right?

Just be one of the first five people to comment!  Which glasses would you choose?

Ready, set, go!!!!!!!!

Influenster VoxBox

I received another great VoxBox from Influenster a few weeks ago.........

I love getting products for free to try out!  Especially when it's a product I've been curious about.

The Clean Freak dry shampoo was one of those items.  I had been dying to sample this product, so I was very excited that it was included.  This stuff.  I love it.  I hate washing my hair, so on day two (and three) I used this.  It totally works!  And I feel like it gave my hair volume too.  I will be purchasing this product in the future.

The SoyJoy cranberry bar was the item I was least excited about, however, it surprised me.  While I probably wouldn't go out and buy these, I did eat the entire bar.  I liked the cranberry flavor, but it was a little on the dry side.

The Goody Athletique Reversible Headwrap would probably come in handy at my next hot yoga class as it's made of moisture-wicking fabric.  Until then, I will use it to hold my hair back when I'm washing my face.  I do like how snug it is and how it doesn't slip around.

I enjoy a good face mask.  The Red Earth Clay Spa was a departure from the kind I've used before in that it was a literal mask.  With eye holes, a nose cut-out, and a mouth hole.  The mister said I looked like Hannibal Lecter.  Nevertheless, the mask left my skin feeling very soft and didn't dry it out like some do!

Lastly, you can't go wrong with nail polish.  I love getting nail polish........even when it's a color I might not buy.  The Sally Hansen Triple Shine (in Reef-Raf) is a bright summery pink.  It is a thick, shiny polish.......dries quickly.........and my favorite part was the brush!  It's really wide!  It's holding up pretty well!  I would buy this polish!

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So thanks again to Influenster for letting me try out some fun new-to-me free products! 

Influenster has offered me FOUR invites for folks who are interested in signing up and linking their social media accounts in hopes of also getting free goodies.

Sooooo to the first FOUR folks who leave email addresses in the comments, the invites are yours!  You need to have an active FB, Pinterest, and Twitter account to link up once your invite arrives!!!

Now who wants free stuff!? 

Influenster

I've posted a few times about Influenster...........and the VoxBoxes I've received for FREE.  Boxes full of new products that arrive on your doorstep, free of charge, for you to try out........

Fun stuff.

Welllll, Influenster has offered me five invites for folks who are interested in signing up and linking their social media accounts in hopes of also getting free goodies.

Sooooo to the first five folks who leave email addresses in the comments, the invites are yours!  You need to have an active FB, Pinterest, and Twitter account to link up once your invite arrives!!!

Now who wants free stuff!? 

Sunkissed Voxbox

A few weeks ago, I received another free Voxbox from Influenster!  These boxes are always filled with fun products!  I have honestly discovered a few new-to-me items that are must-haves now, because Influenster provided the opportunity to try them out!

This recent box didn't disappoint..........

Dr. Scholl's High Heel Insoles ~ I am not a regular high heel wearer.  I have it on good authority though that these are the bomb........a blog buddy wears heels to work.......and raved about them when I posted this picture on Instagram!  She "LOVES" and "swears by them". 

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics ~ I always am in need of a ponytail holder.  These arrived just in time!  I love them.  They hold my ponytail really well and do not pull at my hair.  They slide off easily too! 

Sinful Shine Nail Color ~ I love getting nail polish!  I think this will be a fun autumn/winter color as it's a dark purple.  I haven't tried it out yet but plan to soon.

Olay BB Cream ~ This is the perfect example of a product I was curious about but hadn't purchased.  This cream (with SPF) is a lightweight tinted moisturizer.  I traded this out with my regular foundation and haven't looked back. 

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So thanks again to Influenster for letting me try out some fun new-to-me products!  Go sign up today, and maybe your first free voxbox will be in the mail soon!

Weekly Recap (in Instagram)

Happy Independence Day!

I love everything about this holiday.  Food, family, fireworks, and my favorite gals.......

The Hoodenpyle's always host a fun shindig.

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I had a little fun in the sun.........

My friend Pullan invited me to White Water!

The wave pool was a big hit with Pullan's little lady (the grown-ups might have liked it too).

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My friend Schlager surprised me with something I've been longing to try........

It is every bit as good as the hype claims!

(So good that I hid it from the mister.)

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It's not every day that a celebrity comes to town.

And your friend convinces you to spend your entire afternoon watching him make elephants disappear.........

We spent most of the day on the right side of the caution tape.

It wasn't until the end that we were feeling a little wild.  Brave.

Then we got caught.

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And finally.

The laundry room renovation took its first step.

Bob came to give me a bid..........

I am so excited.

I am so obsessed.

I'm sorry if you follow me on Pinterest.  My new pins dedicated to this project might be littering your feed.

But who doesn't love a pedestal sink?

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.

Sugar 'n Spice VoxBox

Recently, I received another Voxbox from Influenster!  These boxes are always free, and I have to say, that this box rocked.  Every last item turned out to be great! 

And they aren't making me say that.

Here, I'll prove it.

First, the loot.........

Colgate Optic White ~ The combination of the brush, mouthwash, and toothpaste are simply dynamic.  No joke.  I really feel like this stuff works!  In fact, I will be buying the toothpaste when we run out.  And I was a devout Crest girl.

Dickinson's Towelettes ~ These are little face wipes that you can take on the go.  Or if you are a lazy face-washer (like me), they are perfect right before bedtime!  They make your face feel really fresh, and they really do clean well!

Nectresse Sweetener ~  I'll be honest.  I'm not a fan of sweeteners in general.  So this was even a stretch for me to try.  But I did and was surprised.  I put it in my Grape Nuts, and it tasted just like I'd added my regular spoonful of sugar.  This is all natural and made from monk fruit!   

Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer ~ I was super skeptical of this "lotion" at first.  Then I used it and might never go back.  It sprays on, you rub it in, and it soaks into your skin.  And you don't have to wait to slide your jeans on because you are not left slimy or greasy at all! 

BelVita Breakfast Biscuits ~ I devoured these as soon as I opened this Voxbox.  They kept me from snacking til dinner (which is a habit of mine).  They are very tasty.  I will definitely buy them again, especially since I'm not a very good breakfast eater.  These might just turn me around!

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Now if my testimony isn't enough, would it help if you knew the mister tried to steal most of this stuff?

He totally is using the toothpaste and mouthwash.  He stole one of my towelettes to try out.  Annnnnd he is using the Vaseline Moisturizer daily.  

He's lucky it just smells like lotion and not flowers!

Vintage Mug Swap

 

I'm participating in a fun little swap!  A vintage mug swap!  If you think this might interest you, head to Crinklelove to sign up and read the specifics!!!!