A Whimsical Obsession

Now....where have I been all these years? How did this, what they call, 'Mackenzie-Childs' slip past me? Pure Heaven! Although I pride myself in my years of yard sale and thrift store and re-purposed finds (my house is filled with it), once in a while something new and decadent will come around and zing! It happens. I'm hooked. I'm obsessed. I just have to allow myself this splurge. Luckily I discovered this right before Christmas, which gave my husband and easy click-click-click of the mouse and his shopping was done (although we agreed, as always, not to buy for each other). My Christmas Day was spent with a lot of gasping and jumping around on my part.

Although much of M-C's goods are a bit out of our budget (yikes!), I'm much too happy to have the most affordable things for a birthday treat or such, so I'm starting with their enamelware and hopefully, over time I will add one piece here and there of the more collectable ceramics.

Even though I love color, black and white have always been my favorites...and their check is their signature. Add wild designs, color-color-color and all the fun you can imagine (I'm talking decor fun, here) and I felt like it had been designed just for me.

A sample from their website....www.mackenzie-childs.com....
'Piccadilly' ceramics

'Flower Market' enamelware

My favorite, their 'Courtly Check' design enamelware

'Taylor-Odd Fellows' design ceramics (another favorite)

'Courtly Check' ceramics

'Courtly Check'

'Mrs. Powers' door knocker (check out the matching garden gate at their site!)

Even tile...

Sinks!

And the outrageously fun, Merrifield chandelier (only $6,400!)

The 'Underpinnings' furniture collection

And the 'Flower Market' garden furniture (check out the 'Flower Market' bonnet chair!)

And so, my obsession has begun. I've found my design soulmate...and my little collection begins...

Unfortunately, I didn't notice the size listed for these knobs...I have no place for them! A little overwhelming on all my furniture. Never fear, they'll find a home eventually (*note to self* -read the fine print!)

Well, before I even knew what was coming on Christmas and Valentines, I started painting my own things black and white. Maybe this was what my husband feared and decided it best to just buy me the real deal, haha!

Even though I do have these 'little splurges' to gaze upon and make me smile, I'm still more satisfied by the thrill-of-the-hunt for used, thrift store things and my re-purposed finds. The framed picture, above is a teapot-shaped postcard I received with my order. I cut up some coordinating whimsical scrapbooking papers for the background and spray painted the frame black.

I'm even giving my old tray (from a thrift store years ago) a Mackenzie-Childs re-do with some scrapbooking papers and eventually some other 'Taylor-Odd Fellows' inspirations.

Do you have an obsession that you allow yourself to splurge on? Whether it be decorating, food, music, art, travel (did someone say I had an obsession with England?) or animals, plants, your children, (guilty of all the above)...feed your soul on the things that make you smile.

Stay well~

ER