Today I ran across the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, a collective of quilters who are all living in a small rural town in Alabama.  Their history is tied to the time of slavery when their ancestors lived and worked on a plantation, after the Civil War the slaves became tenant farmers on the same plantation and all lived together forming a community that was largely removed from the modern world. 

Six generations later it was discovered by the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston that the women of this community had a distinct style of quilting that has artistic qualities that have been compared to Henri Matisse and Paul Klee.

If any of the quilts look familiar it may be because several years ago retail star Anthropologie worked with The Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective to create exclusive reproductions of a select number of their designs.  Other ventures have included partnerships with Kathy Ireland Worldwide {see the lamp below}, Classic Rug Collection, and the designs were even printed on US Stamps.

The story is fascinating, and the quilts themselves are a study in primitive art, color blocking and the recycling of fabrics.  To learn more about The Quilts of Gee’s Bend visit the website HERE or check out the books below.

** Click HERE for more QUILTS **

** Click HERE for more BOOKS **

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I’ve had the picture of this bedroom for YEARS, it’s been in several magazines and a book or two, also.  Today I ran across it again and decided to see if I could find a few goodies that you could use to make this look your own… happy shopping/dreaming!!

{Image from Country Living, May 2004, Photo by Unknown}

Twig Canopy Bed from Cottage Home
I could hardly believe it when I found the exact bed from the photo!!  And it’s available in lots of colors ~ like maybe BLACKBERRY or ARMY GREEN??

Adrianna Bedding from Ralph Lauren Home
Doesn’t get any cozier than a night under Ralph Lauren bedding.  A good investment if you’re able to go for it!!

Shutter Phone Table from Target

Yep, only $135 from Target.  That way you can spring for the RL Bedding.

 
Multi Taper Candelabra from At West End
Every home needs this in at least one place ~ it’s big & dramatic & just a little bit rustico.

Foxglove & Fern Botanical Print from Studio Botanika
Frame a couple of these in simple frames to pull it all together…

** Click HERE for more INSPIRATION **

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Rustic * Western * Vintage Merchandise LINKS

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For as long as I’ve attended Round Top Antique Week, and Marburger Farm, I’ve always loved to look at the displays from J Hill Designs… BUT I’ve never stopped to visit, which is just down right silly, because the owners of J Hill Designs, husband and wife Billy and Judy Hill are about the nicest, and most talented, people I’ve met!!

For twenty years Judy has been recreating and perfecting her personal style which has been referred to as “SOFT INDUSTRIAL”.  Her creative eye is evident in the details of every inch of space of J Hill Designs.  They use a lot of white ~ and zinc ~ and galvanized metals ~ there is a magnificent juxtaposition in their style.

 In addition to attending Marburger Farm twice a year the Hills also attend shows like Urban Market in Houston.  And when they’re not busy on the road they have an open house at their home in Kilgore, Texas, twice a year.  The next one is Thursday, June 10th and I just might be taking a road trip if anyone wants to tag along!!   Mr. Hill told me that  everything in their home is for sale ~ my guess is that everything is amazing…

The most recent endeavor by Judy and Billy is their steps into their own line of bedding.  Made from textured cotton blends, the J Hill Designs are a simple palette of white and oatmeal, but their linens are anything but simple ~ they are durable, rich, organic and full of fanciful character.  They are easy to launder and remain a unique look.

Enjoy the beautiful pics and look for your inspiration from J Hill Designs ~ their website is right HERE and they have a list of all the places they’re headed in the next couple of months.  AND, if you are interested purchasing J Hill LINENS, or carrying them in your retail store, go here for more information.

** Click HERE for more from Marburger Farm**

** Click HERE for more BEDDING **

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Who doesn’t have a drawer full of old T-SHIRTS?? Make a QUILT.

A collection of BEACON BLANKETS?? Make a QUILT.

SCRAPS of fabric from Papa’s Closet??  Make a QUILT.

Beacon Blanket Crazy Quilt Top from Stella Rubin
{I LOVE this one!! It’s from the 1930′s and only $295}

Quilting  like Grandma used to do is an almost 200 year old tradition, and an original art that frequently involved re-using scraps of fabric, usually out of necessity, but also to decorate the home.  In fact it was our grandparents who suffered through the depression that really understand the concept of Recycle * Repurpose * RE~LOVE.  Today the tradition continues of using fabrics that could be thrown out, but instead they’re being re-used to create a beautiful and completely unique QUILTS.

Grandma’s Housecoats Quilt from Passage Quilts & Trade
{Passage / Bereavement / Memorial quilts that represent the passage of time and the events of life. I’m planning to have one made from the clothes in my Daddy’s closet. Some people have them made to commemorate marriage, divorce, retirement, illness, or a graduation. It’s to remind you not to forget.}

The options are endless when it comes to QUILTS, any combination of fabrics can be used to create something especially for you.  And, if you’re like me {a committed non-sewer} then you can hire someone to make your treasure for you.  Often these folks who specialize in creating custom quilts can give you color and fabric ideas that really complete your idea.

 
T-Shirt Quilt from Vickie Howell
{the numbers from your sports tees, frat tees, race tees, concert tees, harley tees… the list goes on and on}

So gather your old serapes, beacon blankets, baby clothes, Dad’s ties, embroidered linens, boy scout & letterman patches, vintage aprons, cigar silks, denim pockets, picnic blankets, sports tees and have them re-created into something that tells your story, and passes your history to your children.

Sari Quilt from Sundance Catalog

Recycle * Repurpose * RE~LOVE

 A few books to keep the QUILT ideas GOING BIG…

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** Click HERE for more BOOKS we Love **

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Raise your hand if you’re ready for spring… Oh my, isn’t it time??   Here in Weston MO the sun was shining all weekend, I took the entire Cactus Creek Store apart and put it back together, vacuumed, cleaned and yes, we are ready for spring. 

This BRIGHT WHITE Lodge Living Room {below} felt light like Spring and therefore PERFECT for some Monday morning INSPIRATION…

GET THE LOOK…

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Pine Cone Hill Urban Treehouse Collection

How ’bout this bed??  Talk about bringing the outdoors in…

I love it. Do you??

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Rustic * Western * Vintage FURNITURE

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Modern Guy Bedding

High Noon Bedding

Chuckwagon Toddler Bed

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Rustic * Western * Vintage BEDDING LINKS

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Yesterday I posted magazine pics from the mid-90′s ~ there was one series that I wanted to wait and share today, it’s this Tee Pee from a 1994 Architectural Digest Magazine that is just amazing…

The design is from Cassandra Lohr Design who has many beautiful projects in her portfolio but still features this Tee Pee as one of her greatest projects, it is easy to see why… I could play Cowboys & Indians all day long in this luxurious space!!

Cassandra Lohr also designs furniture and bedding, much of it like that seen here in the images of the Tee Pee.

For those of you who are looking for Tee Pee INSPIRED decor ~ keep looking after the BREAK BELOW >>>>
for few more sources to achieve this look…

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Adding pillows to a room is the simplest, least expensive way to change the entire feeling of a room.  You can take a space from Shabby to Chic, Traditional to Wild West, all with a few new pillows.  {This is especially true when you start with classic pieces for your base ~ like a leather sofa, buff colored upholstery or solid bedding.}

The pillow collection from Christi Proctor’s Moon Rein are the prime example of how exquisite and dramatic pillows can be, and how a few good pillows can really spice up your space.  Christi’s spin on the Sumptous side of the Old West are rich looking with unique fabric and texture combinations that will certainly set them apart in the marketplace. 

Christi Proctor has had an impressive twenty year career in the interior design business, including a four year run TLC’s Trading Spaces.  It’s her innate design sensibilities, plus a good dose of Native Texas STYLE, that have led her to create Moon Rein, new line that is available to the trade only.  The fresh new pillows are just hitting the market but will soon be seen in fine retail stores all over the country.  Click HERE to learn more about Moon Rein.

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Rustic * Western * Vintage BEDDING & PILLOWS

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In this era of society’s mad scramble to ‘just make it’ we often forget those teeny tiny moments that make it all worth it… The blessing is that so many of those moments are captured by photographs. Whether the photo is taken in haste with our cell phones, in a quick pose around a birthday cake, or by a talented photographer. It almost seems that, without these tangible reminders, the best moments of our lives would be lost.

One of the things I love most about photographs is to look at the eyes of the subject, this is especially true with vintage photographs. I wonder how that person’s morning went along, what lead them to be photographed, their SPIRIT ~ what was their greatest joy, their hardships, their biggest secrets… It’s a snapshot of our history that would be lost forever if not for the effort of the photographer. It’s this appreciation for the tiny moments of days gone by that make Westernware’s products so special.

The photograph {LEFT} is of L.A. Huffman, “Laton Alton Huffman’s camera captured the Cowboy and Native American culture, the buffalo herds, the burgeoning cattle and sheep industry. His legacy provides us with life portraiture of the Northern Plains and the pioneering aspects of the area – ranch life, wildlife, frontier town views and Yellowstone National Park.

L.A. Huffman is cited as one of the most important photographers of the West. Renowned Western artists Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington painted from Huffman’s vintage photographs. His photography provides a glimpse into the memorable history of frontier America.”

It is a company called Westernware that has taken Huffman’s beautiful photographs, and those of other historical photographers and collections, and applied them to common items that we use every day in our homes.  I really cannot think of a better way to use these images than in a way that they can be truly appreciated every single day.

Westernware is a company that sells exclusively to retailers like Rustic Ranch Relics and Will Wyatt’s Cowboy Couture. 

 Click HERE to find a retailer near you.

Many more images after the break… Read on!!

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