Krista Illies, Canadian Picker

Greetings all! Hope everyone is off to a good week!

My weekend ended up being much busier than I thought it would be, but we got to visit lots with our families, which was great.  An unexpected highlight came after dinner with MLo's family on Saturday, when I found what I considered to be buried treasure!

After dinner was over and it was time to head back downtown, Hazel-a close friend of the family-suggested Marc and I swing by to see if he wanted her old sewing machine.

Off we went and within minutes Hazel was giving us the grand tour of her little bungalow.

Everywhere we turned our eyes widened and jaws dropped-the very sight of sideboards, old toys, lamps, clocks, and more made us feel like we were on Canadian Pickers or Cash & Cari!

Seeing all of this and having a glimpse into Hazel's very full life was really interesting, but the one thing that made me stop in my tracks was... wait for it... a vintage telephone table!!!

Isn't she pretty?!

Once I spotted it, I ran right into the next room to share my discovery with she and Marc (who knew the exact degree of my excitement), and God lover her, Hazel immediately told me to take it home!

At first I said I couldn't possibly, but when she told me she had no luck trying to pawn it off on her own family, and that it was literally collecting dust, I seized the opportunity and took her up on this generous offer!

Those who have followed NofW since the beginning know that I've had a major crush on telephone tables, also know as gossip benches, for quite a long time.

Check out my earlier post about them here! 

Sadly, our apartment hasn't magically doubled in size since that post, so we're going to have to do a little shuffling around in both the living room and entry way to see where this piece would fit best.

I'll also have to freshen it up with a light makeover, but nonetheless, I'm absolutely thrilled to have my very own telephone table, years before ever I thought I would, and I owe Hazel a huge THANK YOU!!! XO

Have you ever received a surprise hand-me-down like this? What's your experience been like mixing vintage and modern pieces? Leave a comment and tell me all about it!

KLI | NofW

Jaunt to the Junction!

As some of you may know, I took a couple of days off last week, which resulted in an extra long Family Day weekend. It was equally lazy and productive, just the way I like it!

I saw some family and friends, watched an embarrassingly high number of BH 90210 re-runs, but also did some spring cleaning, went to Toronto Rock game and made my way up to the Junction!

Photography by Grant McDonald

I used to trek up that way a lot when I worked in production as an art department PA, but that was a while ago now and for months I've meant to revisit a few shops in the area.

For those of you not familiar with this neighbourhood, the Junction sits just northwest of Roncesvalles, above High Park. 

Starting around the area's main intersection of Dundas and Keele and going west, there's a well known strip of furniture and antique stores including SMASH, Cornerstone, Forever Interiors and many, many more.

Side Rack Wine Racks at Forever Interiors

Unfortunately, it was way too cold and blustery for window shopping that day, and it seemed I wasn't the only one who thought so because the place was like a ghost town.

Roughly an hour later, with no purchases to show for it, I was freezing and itching to get home to King West... but here are a few snaps I took before hopping on the TTC!

Everyone is wild about globes lately... how 'bout these lamp stands?

Damnit! Forgot the name of this store and the painter, but aren't these incredible?

I love card catalogues but I can never imagine what I'd use one for...

My fellow bloggers were quite enamoured with a few Union Jack pieces at IDS.
This Cornerstone piece wasn't too shabby either!

Loved these prints and posters at SMASH!
Made me wish I had a garage or workshop to decorate.

Intrigued? Click here for Design Lines Magazine's guide to the west end and map out all of the shops, restaurants and galleries you think you'd like to visit!

I'll be back myself... once it's 20 degrees and sunny :)

KLI | NofW

I Heart Telephone Tables!

Growing up in Unionville, ON I loved walking to Main Street and poking around shops like the Queen's Pantry or Glass Chimney Antiques with my Mum. I was mesmerized by everything from old mirrored compacts and dolls to photos of the Dionne Quintuplets. Even now, as much as I enjoy watching Antique Roadshow with Marc here and there, I'm no expert...

That being said I still love discovering old treasures and if I had a money tree I'd be scouting pieces left and right. One of the first items on my must-have list? A telephone table!

I don't currently have space for this kind of piece - also known as gossip benches - but there is something so endearing about them, they're definitely on my "one day" list!

And while today's smartphones are a far cry from the stationary telephones that these were intended for (and I don't think many people would bother storing a clunky phonebook in the drawers or shelves) they would make for excellent seats and small storage spaces, depending on the design.

There are absolutely beautiful vintage models out there that would be perfect fixer-uppers for your living room or entry way, but also several modern spins, as well.

    

Do any of these pieces stand out to you? Would you add one to your home?

KLI

Simple Pleasures - Vintage Pyrex

My good friend and former Production Design prof Greg Chown is many things... an Art Director, Storyboard Artist, Teacher, Blogger and, among other things, a long time collector.

Comic books, old radios and speakers, vintage bikes, and probably several other antiques, I'm sure, which I don't even know about...

When I first got my own place, Greg presented me with a housewarming gift that revealed yet another of his obsessions (and subsequently, mine)... wrapped in newspaper and hidden in his backpack were two Vintage Pyrex Bowls with my name on them!

At first it was the classic yellow and green of the Primary Colours nesting set, followed shortly thereafter by the smaller red and blue. I was thrilled!

Several Sunday trips to the St. Lawrence Market later, I am now the lucky owner of yet another a small blue bowl, a medium bright yellow, and one medium light green from the Spring Blossom set.

Not only that, now that I live with Marc, we have two more from the Mushroom Forest Fancies collection that used to belong to his Grandma Bell!

I use them for everything - chips, popcorn, my homemade guacamole and more - and I absolutely love the colour and the life they bring to our kitchen and home!

Check out Greg's fantastic blog here for more great vintage finds and amazing 'then and now' shots from all over Toronto! And for more on Pyrex check out what other collectors have come up with on Pyrex Love.

...and thanks to Mum for this latest addition to my collection! :)

KLI