Prickly small friends and precious vintage finds

1. CHAIR

I made my dad screech to a halt in his car and pick this baby up from a garage sale we were driving past.  My mother painted and completely reupholstered the chair all by herself.  How much do I love my family? 

When there’s a dearth of outdoor garage sales in the winter months, try craigslist.org for cheap old furniture 

2. BOOKS

Every time I’m in a used bookstore I compulsively search for out-of-print Richard Brautigan novels from the ‘60s and ‘70s, and then buy all the copies they have… even though I already own them.   The books have become these mysterious and lovely collectibles. 

A good source was always Seekers (509 Bloor W). 

3. BOTTLES

I also have a thing for antique glass medicine bottles.  I hunt them down on ebay, usually.  Sometimes they arrive with medicine still sealed inside. 

www.ebay.com 

4. BALLET SHOES

I bought two pairs of these when I first moved to New York; the designers hand-dye ballet slippers and paint song lyrics onto them.  This pair has the chorus from David Bowie’s “let’s dance.”  I used to wear them out on the street although I don’t think they were really designed for that (many tetanus close-calls, I’m sure). 

I think the company is now defunct but their website was www.lavoleuse.com 

5. HEDGEHOG

Little Paddington was a gift.  When he chooses to stop snuffling and come out of his self-imposed ball of spikes, his beady eyes and tiny feet win my heart every time. 

Inquire at PJ’s Pet Centres 

6. PHOTOS

I saw these portraits by German artist Loretta Lux at an art fair a couple years ago and HAD to have them.  They were $20,000 each.  So.  I tracked down a book of her photographs,  ripped my favourites right out and had them framed (they are even the same size as the originals). 

Loretta Lux book available on www.chapters.ca 

7. THE LEMONADER

That’s what it’s really called.  It is my penance for being too gauche to buy a regularly-sized and reasonably-priced brand-name juicer.  The Lemonader is an oversized beast of a machine with about 12 removable parts, and all it does is squeeze citrus.  I’ll never part with it because it brings others in my life so much amusement. 

Bought at an electronics store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  Probably not cleared for safety this side of the border. 

8. PLUG

I’ve had this water-reed plug kicking around for years and have never had a proper bathtub until now.  It’s cheery in the bathroom. 

9. BEAR OTTOMAN 

Like Jess Hersey (also once featured in ‘favourite things’) I too have a large furry bear that fully functions as an ottoman.  This seems too strange a coincidence, unless there is a secret army of grown-ups who own stuffed-animal furniture that I’m not aware of.  

I bought mine in the States; they can be ordered from www.sendfootstools.com 

10. CRYSTAL

Crystals are supposed to have healing powers and give off good energy.  I’m apt to believe these kinds of things so I keep a pretty pink-tinged one in my bedroom.  The artfully draped tangle is my favourite necklace. 

The crystal is from ABC Carpet & Home and the necklace was bought at Kenneth Cole, both in Manhattan.