Double Duty

I found these two lovely mirrors at a local thrift shop for get this...two bucks!! (As in one dollar each!) I was so pleased as I love their thin simple frames and that I can use them to bring more light to our room.

But as we know, mirrors don't have to be hung and I wanted to see what else I could use them for. I've been loving the look of the bar carts that I keep seeing and since I love to entertain I figured it may be a good way to display beverages for guests. I really like the clean simple way that it compliments the glass.
Take a look.

For two bucks, you just can't go wrong :) 

Thanks for stopping by, Amy

Armoire Makeover

I have this armoire that my husband and I picked up at a thrift shop for about $30 a few years ago. Its pretty basic and served its purpose in our laundry room. But now...I'm itchin' to paint it! Its a darker wood color and while I do like that look, I want to go white! And add some extra touches. Just not sure what yet. I've browsed for some inspiration. Take a look at some of these great examples!

Better Homes and Gardens

Martha Stewart

And my favorite...

Found at Little Green Note Book

I also came across these wonderful DIY makeovers...

From The Clever Chic, a blog filled with creative ideas:

 Before

After

And from another super fun DIY blog: Deck Out My Home

 Before

After

So fun! I can't wait till the snow melts, the sun is warm, and I can bring my armoire outside to show it some love!

Night, Amy

Clean House

This Saturday I decided it was time to re-organize my Etsy space. It's this sweet little room where I store all my Chestnut Hill Vintage finds. It gets a bit unruly at times and when I get it spiffed up I always feel so much better.  We've put our random pieces of furniture to use as storage for all the goods. Here's a peak into a project finished. Now I won't feel guilty resting on the couch :)

Have a great night, Amy

Dramatic lighting

Isn't it amazing what a change in light does to a room or an object?  I woke up a couple Saturdays ago to the most amazing light coming through the sliding glass door at the back of our living room. My china cabinet looked so beautiful and moody with its contrasting shadows. The cabinet is a dark mahogany and the china and shells are white. The shadows were so dark it almost appeared to be in black and white. It looked so dramatic and rich!
I decided to photograph and capture the beauty for good. Take a look.

Happy Sunday friends, Amy

Pears Baked In Cream

      There's this wonderful recipe I found in an older Martha Stewart book, Quick Cook. It's so simple, looks elegant, and tastes delish! "Pears Baked In Cream" 
      I experimented this weekend using three different kinds of pears. The recipe calls for bosc or bartlett pears but I also tried a "Japanese style" pear. I decided I like the bosc best. The Japanese is a bit sweeter which is always good-but the bartlett had a tangy taste that didn't blend as well with the cream. 
So the bosc pear won my taste test :) Plus with its long stem and dark, rich color, it looks so pretty when served. You should give them a try! 
Here's the recipe:

*****

 Pears Baked in Cream  

Serves 4

2T (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

2T Sugar

2 Pears-unpeeled, halved, and cored

1/2 C Heavy Cream

1: Preheat oven to 400*
   Butter a shallow baking dish with 1 T butter and sprinkle 1 T sugar over the bottom.


2: Put the pears, cut side down, in a dish. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and dot with butter. 


3: Bake for 10 mins. Pour the cream over the pears and return to the oven for 20 mins more. Serve warm.

*****


The cream will bubble up and caramelize...it's a beautiful thing. :)

     Here's a look at mine. If you try it, I'd love to see yours! Post a comment/pic here on my blog or email a pic to: chestnut_hill_vintage.com! I'll feature them in a post. 
(And if you try different pears I'd love to hear which you prefer!)

 From the left: Japanese-Bosc-Bartlett

Yum! Sweet and light. 

Have a great night, Amy

Entertaining

I have a deep love for hosting parties, events, and get-togethers! Big or small, fancy or laid back. I just love getting people together to have a great time. I often find wonderful items like napkins, decor, music, or vintage serving ware that I plan an event around just because I love the look, feel, and style!
I love to browse websites and magazines for fun ideas. Here's a few I came across tonight. Almost time for another event..... :)

Wine Toppers-Pottery Barn

Hostess With The Mostest

Centerpieces-HGTV

Medeleine Peyroux

(She's a modern day Billie Holiday! AMAZING! Listen to a sampling here!)

~Amy

LOOT

I'm from Montague, a sweet little town in Mass. And a town over is Turners Falls, an old factory town with brick buildings, church steeples, and a river that runs its border. For years it's been run down and quite sad. However it's making a comeback. 

New additions in the past ten years include...

Ristorante DiPaolo

                                                                                                

2nd Street Bakery

and The Gallery At Hallmark

The little town is really starting to find itself. 

My husband and I were on our way down to my brother's house to spend the evening with he, his wife, and their little Whitney, and we stopped in Turners to grab a couple Pizzas. I was SOO ecstatic to see that an amazing new shop has opened up! It's called Loot. It opened up this Fall and is a mixture of "Found and Made".   

The owners are genius. Take a look.

Industrial, modern, and eclectic. So incredibly cool... a feast for the eyes!

The owner was so sweet to let me take pictures to share with you. I purchased this fun vintage border and have no idea what to put it on yet but love the colors and Native feel. I'm sure I'll find a good home for it :)

High fives to the owners of Loot. A perfect addition to the up and coming main street. We've been waiting for you!