Wild Thing….You-Make-My-Heart-Sing.

BARTERING, can be a beautiful, beautiful thing.

Just look what I struck a deal for…..

How’s THAT for a WILD chair??

Sit and relax for a minute, and I’ll tell you the tale of how it became m-i-n-e.

I got it from my friend, Michelle, owner of Stitch A Wish Designs. (This is her blog, and this is her web site. )  Michelle is an amazing boutique-style designer of all kinds of things, and I have featured her and her work, here on my blog  before. Well, I had learned while reading her blog, that she had gotten a Victorian-style sofa at this great little antique store nearby, called the Antique Chapel, which I frequent myself.   But with the sofa she really wanted, came 2 chairs she had to take also.  This chair above, was a nasty mess.  A dusty pink, extremely worn velvet, that was filthy too.  Imagine.  (Or see Michelle’s blog posts a few pages back, for all of the gory-to-glory photos….later.  There’s a different post on each of her 3 pieces she took, so you’ll have to look through them.) Well, Michelle turned the chair into what you see above.  I believe this piece was only her 2nd re-upholstery project, ever, (the sofa being her first), but it was sure good enough for me.

It’s funny…because I have never liked animal print items.  At all.  I mean, I think as the animals themselves, they are beautiful.  Leopards, zebras, giraffes…..their fascinating patterns, are what make them so….absolutely beautiful!!  Captivating, even.  But I’ve just never personally dug animal print clothing, accessories, etc., for some reason.

That is, UNTIL, I saw this chair.  The moment I saw it, I fell in love with it.  And I wanted it.   Badly.  Off the bat I could envision it in a few places in my home, where it would look so good.  At the moment, it is on the landing of our stairway, and it’s looking pretty cozy right there, for now.  But I have a few places I could grace with it.  And another use for it, that I will get to in a bit.

I was drawn to more than just the pattern of the fabric, though.  I was drawn to the whole structure of the chair, as well as every, magnificent, detail.

Just look at that divine, carved woodwork!

The warm tone to the fabric, as well as the trim, and even the buttons that Michelle chose for this chair, complemented the wood so beautifully.

I read in Michelle’s blog post about this re-do, that she was prepping to sell it on eBay! I found myself dialing her number, quick!  She was just about to start a yoga class. <rolling eyes>. (I know…How much energy can a girl have, right? lol.  Seriously…I love her, and she knows it.  She nevah stops though….you have no idea.  I feel somewhat under-accomplished compared to her.  But I know that is my issue, right? And I try not to compare. ; ).   Anyway, I was sure it would be priced for more than I could afford to spend right now.  But what if I regretted asking her how much?

I would have indeed, regretted asking.

Because what she would want from me, in exchange for the chair, was something I would be just as excited to give!!  She needed some more product shots, of her creative goods, for her web site.    I have been really, really wanting to do more commercial/product photography.  I’ve not only been itching to, but I was interested in extending my commercial portfolio as quickly as possible.  I had done product photography for Michelle before.

It was a win-win, and a deal was struck.

All before the stretching, and breathing, and…whatever they do.  ; )

Michelle is so darn ambitious and creative, it’s inspiring.   You need to poke around her blog some, which by the way, will be all-new-and improved very soon, from what I understand.

This wild chair, is not only making a gorgeous accent piece in my home, but it’ll make for a fantastic prop in my studio!!  Think high school senior girls, or even shabby-chic/Victorian styled baby girls.

Such a score.   I smile, every time I see it.

And it’s pieces that make me smile, that I want to fill my home with.   Pieces that have a story behind them.

And this, is one more to tell.

It even has wooden-wheel casters, on the front legs.

I bet some of you love it as much as I do.  It just has so much….character.  Uniqueness.

It truly is one-of-kind.

So, thanks so much for dropping by, and checking out my newest home treasure.

But before I go, I wanted to mention:  I know many of my visitors are creative people in your own various ways.  If any of you make custom-items of your own to sell, for which you have an Etsy shop or web site for, and need some product photography done, keep me in mind! Even if you are not local to me, items small enough to be boxed can be shipped to me, shot, and shipped right back to you, in a jiffy!  For samples of some of my product photography work, see Michelle’s web site.  I’ll be finishing up shooting this new load of her beautiful products soon, and will have sample shots of those to share soon as well.   And of course, as many of you know, I’ve been a professional portrait photographer since 1998, and so the quality/standards of my work can also be seen at my web site, here.

Let me know what you think of my chair score, before you go!