926 East Fulton
Grand Rapids, MI
49506
616.218.9257
www.rebelreclaimed.com

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

She's got crrrves

I thought I would introduce you to my newest addition.  This is that type of piece that makes my heart race when I find it!  Great original hardware and enough curves to give J-Lo a run for her money.

BEFORE
 They just don't make them like this anymore.  Every where I look this piece is layered in detail tight down to the carved and curvy legs.

                                                          AFTER
 We are going to name this color "Zinc Lid".
 I am thinking this needs a big 'ole mirror above it and a pair of devastatin' lamps to make an amazing buffet.  It also has loads of hide-the-crap value for just about anywhere.
To adopt this beauty, please come by and see us at Rebel Reclaimed or call me at the store. {616.218.9257}
Peace
dann

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Where I've Been

 You've probably been wondering if I died.  It's been pretty quiet here in blogger world for several weeks but I assure you that I have not been watching TV and ignoring you all.  My Michigan memory tells me to run outside and enjoy every waking moment of this beautiful summer.  So I went a little crazy and re-landscaped the front yard.
 This is a birdbath that I made from a vintage tomato cage that I scored at an estate sale last summer.  The top is from an urn that had almost met an unfortunate end when the base broke off.  Thank goodness I never throw things away!  In the back is an aqua urn full of herbs that I always use. Dill, basil and thyme.
 Cosmos are my favorite cutting flower and since I don't have a tilled garden, I have mixed my garden favorites in with my other pots.
 I am in love with black flowers.  These petunias are so beautiful and they smell amazing after the sun sets.  Chip says I always like things that look like they came from a witch's house.  I may need to turn him into a frog.
 I treat each pot as a still life.  The composition of color and form is everything when it comes to mixed accent pots.  This beauty looks great next to our aqua adirondack chairs.
 Too beautiful not to show you!
Most nights you will see us here in our outdoor living room.  We have decided that we will spend every available moment here until the snow flies.  By then I am sure we will grow tired of dead-heading and watering and will be ready for cozy movie nights.  Somehow, right now, I can't even imagine it. -Dann

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Mother's Day Dinner

This year Chip and I invited everyone over for Mother's Day.  Any excuse I can find to cook for a group of people and I am there!  My mom is a big fan of comfort food and one thing we always remember about my Grandma is baked fried chicken.  Yum.  I have had a tough time getting the crispy outside that I always see so I thought I would go to the queen of fried chicken herself, Paula Deen.  I was not disappointed.  Check out how beautiful it turned out!  It has also been delicious as leftovers this week.  It makes me think that I am on a picnic.  Maybe it's time for you to try.  Good luck!  dann


Southern Fried Chicken
{Food Network}

Ingredients
House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Southern Fried Chicken:
4 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot red pepper sauce
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon pepper
House Seasoning
2 1/2-pound chicken, cut into pieces
Oil, for frying, preferably peanut oil
Directions
To make the House Seasoning, mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the House Seasoning. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.

Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer than white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

Reclaimed


Thought you would want to see how these beauties turned out.  They couldn't be more beautiful.  I also replaced the foam on the seats so they look and feel so much more comfortable.  Off to your new life dears!  May you be the center of many happy gatherings!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Shades of Gray. And other attack chicken stories.



 No rest for the wicked.  I must have been really bad.   I am swimming in a sea of custom paint projects! That is a wonderful challenge to have.  As my friend Karla says, I "give gratitude" for a full shop and excited, loyal customers.  On this our one year anniversary week, it feels good to see the projects keep coming.  I am working on these lovely chairs for a client right now and I am so excited to see the drab cherry finish melt away.  In this shade they feel much more like a style I saw at Pottery Barn not too long ago.  Wait 'til you see the fabric that we are doing on the seats!
I was also thrilled to be able to paint outside on a sunny day.  Much better than having to build a wood fire before I started to paint!  On the flip side, I was screamed at by a loud group of very daunting chickens.  I may have peed a little when they snuck up behind me.  Only in the country.  Later I found out that they are a roving band of Guinea hens.  Yikes.  They were scary up close but the perfect shade of gray.  I feel an inspiration for a new Rebel furniture paint color.  Enjoy your sunny weekend.   We've wated a long time and the wait has made it wonderful!  dann

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Rebel Reclaimed goes on the road!

 It makes me giggle to myself when people say they couldn't find us this weekend at the Allegan Antiques Market.  We were like an aqua, pink and orange happy little color explosion!  Oh, well.  We had fun, sold lots and I look like I just got back from the Cayman Islands.   Who knew you could get so tan when the sun doesn't shine?

 Yes. That is a fabulous white chandelier.  Yes.  It sold.
 Goodbye fabulous persimmon chairs.  You were too good to last!
 "Sassy" the 1972 camper was our backdrop.  She got a lot of attention and also worked great as a wine cellar!
Today, I am a little tired but we had a blast!  The store is all put back together and I am dreaming of summer days.  Not too much to ask in May, right?  Yesterday we painted our front porch the loveliest mink brown color.  Wait 'til you see it!  Have a great week, friends!  dann

Friday, April 22, 2011

One step closer to completion...


Have you ever had a fabric sits on a roll forever because you love it so much and you are too afraid to commit?  No.  Me neither.  This fabric has been tucked away for almost 5 years until recently.  I have been agonizing over what to do for window treatments in our "fish bowl" living room since we moved in and finally decided to pull the trigger.  After seeing them up it's like, what was I waiting for? Now maybe I can move on to the next thing.  Bathroom limbo.  I have had a wallpaper sample hanging by a piece of masking tape next to my mirror in the bathroom for 6 months.  I think I will post the before picture and see what you think.  Have a great weekend with family.  As I write this, I realize that I have yet to eat a Reese's peanut butter egg.  What a waste! I am stopping at Walgreen's on the way home.

Peace out.  db

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Stache is Back


Ah, a quiet day to recoup.  We spent an action packed day installing and styling a super glam condo downtown GR.  It is so pretty.  I will be posting pictures soon.  All black and white and fluffy white carpet and teal and yellow....AHHHH!!!  Hold on.  I think I might black out from such good taste.  Just kidding.  So today I decided to quietly craft and provide emotional support for all of my dreary and depressed weather sufferers.  I am crafting and transporting to my happy place.  Mackinac Island.  I just finished another batch of mustache mirrors today for a cute little boutique on the island.  Since it is pretty much my most favorite place on earth so I'm proud to be representin'.  I hope that I can go and visit them sometime this summer.  Ah, yes.   Summer.  Remember that?  No?  Me neither.  Maybe seeing me posing in front of mustache mirrors will help.  Cheer up, Charlie.  It's gotta get warm someday!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Great Spring recipe on a gloomy day

I was looking for a new recipe this week that would incorporate my springtime obsession for asparagus.  Aside from the fact that recently we discovered that it grills up perfectly on our Cuisinart panini maker (I mean, what can't you make on that amazing thing?) I was ready to move past asparagus as the perfect grill side partner with chicken.  Here is a recipe for asparagus pesto flatbread pizza that I found on foodnetwork.com.  It looked just like the picture when I was finished and it was even better as leftovers the next day which is always a bonus in my book.  Chip was making lots of yummy sounds too while we were eating so I think this one's a keeper.  I made a double batch which worked well considering they usually sell the flatbread crusts in packs of two.  And like I said, the leftovers. Amazing.  Try it and see what you think!

                                                       Asparagus Pesto Flatbread Pizza
                                                               (from Food Network)

1 lb grilled asparagus
1/2 c packed fresh basil + extra for garnish
2 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbsp pine nuts
3/4 c + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c + 4 Tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
1 lb Fontina cheese thinly sliced
1 large prepared pizza shell (I used Meijer 12x12 wheat crusts)

To make pesto:
Combine asparagus, basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse coarsely to chop.  With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.   Stir in Pecorino Romano.

Put it together:
Place crust on high heat grill and grill until slightly crisp(about 1 minute).  Remove shell and spread with pesto. Top with Fontina and return to grill.  Close and continue cooking(approx 2-3 minutes).  remove and sprinkle with remaining Romano cheese and fresh basil.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Before and After




I just came across this beauty the other day. Let's just say that finding unusual pieces at a reasonable price that I can re-do and re-sell at a reasonable price ain't as easy as you would think these days. Anyway, It had a few issues but after I did some minor surgery it was ready for a new orange I've been dying to try out. I had also been saving these knobs for the right piece. It looks so cute all accessorized. I'd like to think this baby has a date with destiny. What do you think?

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Keep it simple.




Hardly a week goes by that we don't have people in the house. We love to have people over to cook and hang out. It almost always includes some great wine, some fun people and the most amazing conversation. Through the years I have learned that the key to a great time is hardly ever about how many ingredients you had to gather from 20 different stores(Thanks a lot, Martha Stewart) but the fact that everyone feels comfortable. Comfort builds conversation and lingering which is the key to a great gathering. I used to make everyone so nervous as I whipped around the kitchen dirtying dishes faster than Chip could wash. No more. We shared this simple supper a couple weeks ago with some dear friends and even though it wasn't complicated, it was beautiful and most of all, fun!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

A year later.






Not long ago one of our clients told me that I needed to commit to the blog or remove it from our website. Agreed. The thing that's strange is that I feel like I have been transported in a time machine. I just read my post from April 3 last year. I cannot believe what has transpired. A store that has evolved into the best of dreams, a house that truly feels like my sanctuary and a boatload of friends. New and old. Truth be told, I didn't know what the hell I was doing. We literally spent the year listening to our clients and learning what it is that they wanted and needed. It sounds like we all want the same thing. A comfortable environment that makes us feel safe. A place that we can shut out the world some days and invite it in on others. A place that represents happy. Here are some pictures of that type of place that Chip and I have created. We still have lots that we want to do inside and out but we hope to welcome lots of friends and make many memories.