Vintage Walls of Curiosities: Your Exotic... and Erotic Trinket Display Muses

Beautiful woman, stylish men, sexy dens and shelves stocked with exotic trifles- for erotic trifles; these advertisements selling the swinging sixties bachelor life are my main muse at the moment. Discovered in a batch of commercial furnishing magazines from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The styling combines careful minimalism with collector's style, it's warm and inviting. Stimulating and inspiring.

"Oh, the Tribal Masks? Acquired on my last African Safari..along with 'Darlene' here and this dandy ruffled shirt. She's just a mannequin, but I don't mind."

These installations epitomize cozy. They're a warm mug of tea on a rainy day, an afternoon with a pile of your magazines in an over-stuffed book store. Organized wunderkammer clutter feels personal and safe, I'm excited to bring this vibe to my expanded antique mall booth and different corners of my apartment.

Actual Ad Copy: The Whaling Wall... it houses the collection of nautical objects d'art, belonging to Captain H.J. (He's the swinging scion of a notable shipbuilding family that dates back to the great whaling days of yore. Most of the items in his collection are quite old and costly.... Except for Stehanie. She's not old.) It fulfills all (or, at least most of) the good captain's needs...includes a planning guide to help you get your clients started on collecting their own objects d'art. Both old and young. 

More Scandalous Ad Copy. Who Wrote This, Rodger Sterling?: (Mr. Wu is the young swinger-about-town and heir apparent to a chain of elegant Chinese bistros. He's also a noted collector of Chinese objects d' art. And a connoisseur of delicious Chinese dishes. Like the one draped over his left shoulder.)

I enjoy the hilarious implication that successful bachelors only collect and display objects d' art to attract tasty young dishes, but beyond that I enjoy what a home with meaningful objects on display says about the owner at-a-glance. Ample wood paneling doesn't hurt, either. Hey, I've got a house loaded with stuff, where's my arm candy? Oh, can't have one because I don't have sleek installations by System Cado? Well, damn...

You know you want these sexy shelves, every thrifter/collector needs them! It's a lifelong hunter's dream to find/make my own like 'em...

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The New Thrift Core Headquarters: Where I Resell, Blog, Ship, Watch Horror Movies...

I haven't found the perfect way to define an office, craft/dining space, packaging/shipping station, and merchandise storage in one "great room" attractively-- while buying as little "new" as humanly possible! It keeps getting better, though. Here's my current progress and a wish list for the future.

I hung my favorite piece (maybe a post on that someday?) above a spot where I probably spend the most time, in front of the computer editing pictures, writing, listing...

I hate the 2nd non-mod couch, looking for a mod sectional maybe for the living room space. The "ugly couch" will host visiting butts for now. I recently re-staged the art to help define the living room space. Needs something horizontal like a tall lamp or plant to break it up. I used to have the art stationed all around but I like having 2 large gallery walls and 2 small ones for interest now.

This corner of books I need to scan/photo backdrop just sucks. I tried to make the white shelf hold packing materials but I have way too much for the shelf to hold well. I'm looking for some cool vintage lockers or a large cabinet to put here to hold the supplies.

My expedit unit (stuffed with more books to scan, craft/art supplies, some merchandise, paperwork...) kind of divides the living room and working area and having the dining table right in front of it now gives me a spot to craft, since I sure as hell never eat at that table. Bad me.

I could use some more rugs to define spaces, perhaps. I love that I took a year to get rid of excess but minimalism can be a tad boring if it's not balanced right.

As detailed in this post, I use the top of the expedit unit as a photo-taking station for all online listing needs. Love how the shades keeps it tidy yet easily assessable.

It still needs some work but I love my spacious, super-light-filled apartment and living/working here every day. I really want to transform it to a more completed state this year and will update you throughout the process. Perhaps with some design info to go with it.

The Yuko always enjoys it. She has ample space to explore, many things to destroy...

What improvements are you trying to make to your casa this year? What's on your thrift wish list? I'm looking for area rugs, a mod sectional couch, tall lamps/plants, lockers/storage cabinets, and kitty-proof fiberglass chairs...

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Comic Book Artist Edbot 5000's Epic Thrifted Action Figure, Art and Comic Collection

My friend Ed, pop culture/video game/comic book artist and fellow thrifter/estate sale junkie, recently moved into his own huge traditional brick house, a lucky bank foreclosure score. We made time to catch-up and I naturally had to snap shots of his work spaces and awesome collections. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the traditional furnishings that came with the space with his bright pop culture artwork.

The House: 3 Bedroom, 2 bathroom Roomy Brick Beauty
Occupants: Edmund, his art and lots of glorious action figures and comics books
Occupation: Artist, Comic Book Shop Manager, Security Guard
Stay Duration: 9 Months

The screened patio is a make-shift art studio for Ed, he paints over found wood and canvas when he can.

1) So many glorious toys and comics! How long did it take you to amass your collections?

Most of this is probably from the late 90's 'til now. 

Ed Filled this yard-sale scored traditional tv stand glass case with action figures until he finds more glass cases. I love his collection of robot toys, monsters, and cute girls.

2) What's a favorite item in your collection?

It's hard to say... I have a Frankengirl statue based on Katuya Terada's artwork and I recently got a big Mezco Frankenstein figure. I do still have my OG NES from 1986. It needs fixing though. These are my current faves. 

Sexy art prints and lunch boxes in the super spacious kitchen.

3) What are your top 3 fav elements of living alone after living in a party house?

Oh jeez. I love not waking up to broken sinks and/or appliances. No random passed out drunkards on the couch. I like the overall quiet and peacefulness. I'm a hermit at heart.   

I love the floor to ceiling art print coverage in his studio, makes it so full and cozy without being overly-messy. There's a mix of pieces from friends and conventions and his own art on the walls.

4) Your broken-sink story is the stuff of nightmares! Same reason why I lived alone for years. What are your current art projects?

Let's see... I have an original comic book I will be working on this year.  More comic conventions this year, I have signed up for 4 already. The GAAM shows have been fantastic since the beginning and I am honored to be a small part of the crew. I will also be showing work at the Acme Superstore in Longwood/Orlando area. I also will be contributing to The Short Box Podcast, a local comic book news and humor podcast. They do themed shows and I will be contributing work for at least 4-6 shows this year. Keeping busy! 

5) Any top goals for 2014?

More cons, more networking, more out of town shows, more e-commerce, more production, better time management, pay off bills etc. Gotta keep pushing this art thing as hard as I can. The struggle is real!  

6) What's the biggest challenge you faced with your new house and how did you overcome it?

I have been VERY lucky I got a really killer price and the house was in very good shape. I never been so weird about cleaning before. That's been surprising... Nothing outside of my hatred of yard work. 

7 ) What's an ultimate dream score for your collection?

Hmm... My dream score would probably be some kind of stand up or cocktail arcade cabinet filled with a bunch of games from my childhood. Like ports of old arcade games and console games from the 80's amd 90's. That would be pretty awesome! 

8) I would love that, waaant! Top three favorite video games and comics, go!

Wow. Let's see... Let's start with comics. I'm doing my best of 2013 

1) Saga 2) East of West 3) Hawkeye (Matt Fraction's run)

I'm a retro gamer primarily so nothing new here.

1) The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past(SNES) 2)  River City Ransom (NES) 3) Metal Slug 3(NEOGEO)

Ninja Turtle Art in the kitchen, comic book art pages and Nintendo DS games on the night stand!

9) How about the 3 main influences for your art?

I'll give my broad influences. Comic books of course. Both American and Japanese manga... I love the bright colors of Mexican and American folk art and  I really science fiction pulp art on book covers and movie posters from the 50's through the 70's.

10) And that's what I love about your art! All my favorites. What was the biggest adjustment when moving to your new home?

Utilizing the space to its fullest. I'm getting used to having more space and more rooms to experiment with.

11) What's your new big home project?

My next big project is still a long way away. In thinking I want to make one of the rooms into a entertainment / small recording studio.

Check out Ed's online portfolio here he puts his own spin on classic arcade and comic characters and creates his own while he's at it. Can't wait to schedule more drawing nights with this guy, time to get crafty again!

What's your favorite part of Ed's collection or art piece? 

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Organized Home Checklist: Transform Your Messy Life into Streamlined Efficiency

Imagine knowing exactly where every single item in your home is. It's an organized, well-curated space devoid of all distracting debris. Right-brained creative sorts are natural clutter-bugs and if you're like me you struggle to buckle down and maintain permanent order. (I trash the place when I work. Proof!) I exercised my withered left-brain and busted ass on my apartment the past month to get it in streamlined order- I could tell you were everything lives and it's even documented in a spreadsheet (!!!). Here's your checklist to get your home (and life) streamlined:

Worry not, more art and objects will make their way back into the fray. In a balanced, well-curated way. 

1. Visualize: Read books and magazines. Make a digital or physical collage of what you want your home to be.

I made this visualization chart for my apartment early last year. My home is now the vision: minimalist and streamlined with pops of bright retro art and toy collections for color and inspiration. 

2. List: Make two lists of home needs. A Must-Have List (dining table, light bulbs) and an Aspirational List (new art prints, the fun stuff).

3. Assign: Determine what you do frequently in your home, then assign and create stations for every single task. I have photography, smoothie-making, and coffee/tea stations.

I drove a total of 8 hours and spent a nice chunk of cash for this IKEA storage unit and boxes. Worth it to have one big unit to hold nearly all of my supplies and merchandise!

4. Declutter: Go through your home with boxes and bags to trash and donate Every Single Thing you don't need or passionately love anymore. Be brutal. I wrote a detailed guide on helping remove emotional attachment from items here.

5. Clear:  Clear everything off the walls and counters room-by-room or section-by-section so you're not overwhelmed. Thoroughly clean and dust each counter/wall/floor from top-to-bottom.

6. Arrange: Once each area is cleaned re-arrange the art, objects, and utility items in each area thoughtfully. I love to use the gallery hanging rule for artwork to give the home harmony and challenge myself to be more thoughtful about my objects and displays. (Read how here.)

I found these inspirational mid century modern sturdy shopping baskets while thrifting recently. They're my favorite clutter cutters and only cost me $2.50 each. (See 'em on Etsy.)

7. Clutter Cutters: Put baskets, racks, and organizing tools in places where you notice clutter accumulates, like shoe-racks near the door to eliminate an unsightly shoe pile.

8. Shop: Now that your space is cleared-out and organized, treat yourself. Many items you need are easy to find at thrift stores. I resorted to IKEA for some solutions which I'll explain in detail in a future post.

9.  Schedule: Cleaning days and stick to them so mess never accumulates. My schedule:

Sunday: Dust bulbs, fixtures, walls top to bottom
Monday: Deep Clean Kitchen
Tuesday: Deep Clean Bathrooms
Wednesday: Laundry and clear out fridge/freezer
Thursday: Sweep and Mop Floors
Friday: Bathroom Deep Clean
Saturday: Living and Dining Room Clean

10. Continue: To re-arrange your home to improve its function. Add and subtract items as needed. Use a one-thing-in, one-thing-out rule.

Bonus: I work in my home so I used a Google Documents spreadsheet to list the location of every single art supply and piece of merchandise! As I've always dreamed!

What do you do to keep your home organized and working efficiently? I hope these tips help, I spent a year tripping over boxes, purging, and wading through waves of messes figuring this out. Yep!

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Sherry of Atomic Antique's Huge Mid Century Modern Collection and Mod-Filled Home

I met Sherry from Atomic Antiques soon after I wrote about the gorgeously-staged antique mall booth she used to rent in the sprawling local Avonlea Antique Mall. She was kind enough to invite me to her gorgeous home where she and and her husband have stashed an absolutely epic collection of mid century modern goodness. You will be stunned! There is some good taste and lots of years of hunting at work here! Check it out:

The kitchen reminds me of my 2nd apartment, which I impulsively selected for the black and white checkered tile! Absolutely beautiful!

There was lots of mod Wakefield furniture and beautiful vintage mid century modern collections on display. I spent a few hours taking 114 photos, I may have make another post or two just about all she's collected and displayed!

But before that posts is live at I'll at least share another peek at the glorious mod kitchen goodness she's amassed, love the soft pastel palate she went with!

Moving on to the cozy mod-filled wood paneled living room, I appreciated how she hung ash trays as art pieces, too clever! I may have to borrow that ideas.

The huge entertainment center installation had to be hauled in with a large truck! The hassle was well-worth it, I'd say!

The quadrants each housed their own collections. So inspired, I want to build something like this to house my huge amount of vintage finds.

I for one appreciate the huge Sinclair Gas Station collection. Their mascot was a dinosaur! Beautiful.

I appreciated how relaxed and comfortable the family home was despite all the vintage on display, everything was well organized and balanced.

With a Sinclair gas station owner in the family line and a mechanic in the house there was a huge collection of vintage car goodness I really appreciated. I shamefully know nearly nothing about cars but I haven't outgrown my hot-wheels phase, you see....

The bedroom was charming and restful, love the installed light fixtures and red/plaid/teal color scheme going on in here.

Symmetry! Love the atomic era alarm clocks on the night stands, too.

The curtains in particular and really dreamy and let the light in so just enough for a calming diffused light situation.

And this reminds me to get my vanity put together! Love this piece and all that's displayed on it.

The red vintage luggage collection and Mad Men inspired local artwork is a nice touch the set the vintage scene, too.

I loved how the collections were local and personal. There was lots to see and read about local and Florida-wide attractions and history.

And retro road trip and road side attraction goodness!

I would love one of each, please. Great collection!

Moving along to the back yard,  love this Sinclair Dino sign! Want!

Retro Rocket, anyone! Look at these beautiful vintage cars! So glorious.

I would drive this car every day with pride, I would!

I was told the kids used to play red light green light with the real thing you see above.

Next time I'll have to show you the inside of Gertrude, she's being renovated at the moment. The inside has an awesome orange/brown retro theme to match the exterior. Was pleased to see a lot of my retro wares inside!

I will definitely have to share more from this beautiful retro household curated and collected with such care.

What's your favorite element of Sherry's home? It's hard to choose for me, maybe the Sinclair collection and that amazing wall display!? I will forever seek one like it!

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