Flea Market Find: Under The Sea!

There is an amazing little antique store down the street from my house.  One of my favorite ways to wile away an afternoon is to walk the few blocks and wind my way through the different booths.  I never know what I'm going to find, but I always find something!  It's a little dream of mine to have a booth there - I'd love to fill it up with all my favorite little trinkets: candlesticks, vintage barware, amazing table lamps, unique jewelry...

One of my last trips through, I found these cute little fish dishes.  They were piled up on a shelf that was completely overflowing with odds, ends, junk, and treasures.  I've probably walked past them a hundred times, but something about this last time made me notice them.  I decided to spruce 'em up with a little spray paint I have laying around the garage...silver, grey, peacock, and cream.  Totally beachy and over the top - but that's why I like them!

They'd make an adorable hostess gift.  And can be used in so many ways! Soap dish, jewelry catcher, candle holder in the guest room...the list goes on.  Whimsical and a little goofy...I love them!

Before/After: Gold Bar Cart

Happy Thursday amicis!  I'm back with another Before and After project.  We've all seen the gorgeous bar carts that adorn Pinterest's hallowed halls, right? Let me just refresh your memory:

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Ahhhhh...true love.  As a direct result of what you just saw, I've been pretty much obsessed with finding a bar cart for our sun room.  After running around antique stores, flea markets, big box stores, and the Internet I came across these beauties:

The above 3 are at Wertz Brothers Antique Mall in Santa Monica, and all are a couple hundred dollars.

This gold bar cart is perfect and for sale at Open Sky - $275

 Let's put it this way - I had to keep looking :>)  These were all just a tad out of my price range - ha!  And just as I was losing hope, I walked right by this guy at Stars Antique Mall in Hermosa Beach:

Seriously.  I walked right by it.  But then some strange, internal tug forced me to turn back around and unearth this piece (under dishes and frames and art and glasses and you name it, it was sitting on her)...and I looked at the price tag.

$39.

Seriously? Thirty nine DOLLARS!?!?!??!!?  Sold!  With a little tender loving care (using the same process I posted here), she turned into.....

I used Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint in Gold Gloss after priming her with Zinnser Cover Stain Spray Primer.

I could not pass up this gorgeous bottle of Pimm's we saw in London.  It's one of the 2 souvenirs I brought home for myself from our Europe trip a month ago.  Isn't it gorgeous? I'm such a sucker for anything "Union Jack".

Recipe for easy Pimm's Cup Cocktail

Mix 1 part Pimm's No.1

with 3 parts chilled lemonade.

Add some mint, cucumber, orange

and strawberry.

I love her.  I plan to style her up a little more, but she's so pretty now!

Side note: I stumbled across this super fun quiz over at the Homegoods website.  It's helps define your home decor style using different photos...check it out!

xo,

Kate