Inspired by you

No thank you

2012-03-05T20:58:00.000-05:00

I know that my posts have been few and far between last month and this month so far. Unfortunately, there is a reason. On February 7th I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. Ever since I got the news, I have been put on this roller coaster ride that hasn't stopped. I mean, as a 35 year old mother of a 5 and 7 year old, this just wasn't in my plan. I would like to say, "no thank you," but this is the path my life has turned on. So, there is nothing to do but buck up and get ready for the ride.

This week, I will have a sentinel node surgery. This will help my oncologist know which chemo to do and for how long. After that, I will have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstructive surgery. It took me a good week to really get that this breast cancer isn't the same as my father's lung cancer he passed from. It was a little bit of a struggle for me to separate the two.

I can say that I am honestly having more anxiety about the surgeries than the chemo. Something about taking out part of my body, well it is just scary to me. I am pretty anxious about the reconstructive process. When I visited the first plastic surgeon, I was terrified with the photos I saw. After meeting with the second one, I feel so much more confident. You may find this funny, I know my husband did. They show you before and after pictures of reconstructed breasts. The pictures they showed me that would give me a more similar, realistic outcome for me was of a 60 year old woman. Yes, I am apparently a 35 year old with a 60 year old set of boobs. Hubby and I have had a good laugh over that one. As for the chemo, I am more nervous about the kids reaction to the side effects. I'm sure losing the hair won't be easy. I have my mother's nose. I guess that makes me my mother's daughter. I wouldn't trade it for the world. It will just be more obvious to the world in about a month. I went to the wig store. I can't say that was fun. It was hard for me to imagine some of the wigs considering they were different hair colors. I can absolutely say that I do not look good as a blond. I will have to take my trusty, critical sisters there when I make my selection. They will give me the real deal opinions. None of that, 'oh, that is such a cute look for you.'

So, there you have it. This is why I haven't been posting lately. Quite frankly, I don't know what this treatment will be like for me. Therefore, I am not sure how much I will be posting. I may post about whatever crafts or DIY things I've done or I may just talk about my journey for the day. I ask that you hang in there with me because I really do want to get my plain old normal life back.

Coffee Table

2012-03-02T20:11:00.000-05:00

Life has been busy. I've got much to tell you, but that will be for another post. Today, I am going to share my coffee table makeover. Since the one I had upstarts was about 40 years old and the kids were making even more unstable, I replaced it with an auction find. This new to me coffee table started off as a dining table. It had been cut down for a perfect coffee table.

It was definitely a candidate for paint. It had so many scratches on top. I had to find a non-yellowing poly since I knew that I was going to paint it white. After many coats of primer, paint, and poly, I have a new coffee table.

It fits so well in the space. Don't you think?!

I'm sharing over at:

Bon Appetit

2012-02-21T20:39:00.000-05:00

I came across a tray and some place mats. I thought they would be perfect to try out my splender blender marker on. I didn't quite like the vegetable theme. Of course I used a thick coat of ASCP Old White. Here is the before.

After painting.

Finally, I applied my graphic with the splender blender marker and applied clear and dark wax.

Now to go with the tray, I have some place mats. See they are just plain old place mats.

Nothing special until now.

Quite the entertaining set for company?! Just love how the graphics came out. Sharing over at:

Third times the charm

2012-02-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

The third time is the charm, right?! I know I've shared two posts about bench revamps. Well, this really isn't a bench but a little footstool. I guess I've been picking them up because they are inexpensive to get and easy to redo. This little guy wasn't really bad if you ignore the amount of cat hair on it. I only remembered to get a before shot after I took the top off before I spray painted it. I really like that it has a little storage. I always tend to like things on the lighter side. So with the abundance of cream and white spray paint, it is no surprise that it had to be one of those.

I had extra burlap and muslin to use for recovering it. So after a little spray painting and stapling on fabric, this little guy looks like a pretty little gal!

I like how it went from Grandmaish to shabby chic. Hope you are having a great week!

I am sharing over at:

Tangled Birthday!

2012-02-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday we hosted a Tangled themed birthday party for my 5 year old daughter. We were expecting 5 to 6 little girls to join the celebrations. I never try to reinvent the wheel. Why stress myself out when I know I could google other mother's great party ideas. It is kind of like a one stop shop. Thanks to many moms' blogs and some other sites, I came up with a pretty good list of activities to do.

Of course with a Tangled theme, the colors were purple and yellow. Here is our decorations:

The girls started off coloring some Tangled coloring pages I found here. After finding the other cool activities where I found the coloring pages, I decided we should definitely make a Pascal noisemaker and shrinky dink charms I found here. I had made each girl a little tulle tutu. When handing out the tutus, I also gave each little princess her own crown, a necklace, bracelet, and ring. What a pretty bunch of princess!

This is my favorite princess of all!

What a fun birthday!

Another bench

2012-01-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

I have been prepping for my daughter's 5th birthday. We are going with a Tangled/princess theme. Although, she has requested a spongebob cake. She tends to be fickle. What can I say?! My week will be spent scouring the web to use other well organized mother's party ideas. I try not to reinvent the wheel.

In the mean time, I have another bench to share with you. This one was found at the Goodwill outlet.

A tad dated but sturdy. I wanted to do a quick redo with little work. I used ASCP Aubusson blue. Just between you and I, I don't really care for this color but for a quick redo using supplies on hand it worked just fine. I found just enough natural canvas to recover it. It seemed to be missing something. Yes, a stencil would work great for the seat. I used my cricut to make the butterfly dream stencil. I decided to go with a punch of yellow to give a nice contrast to the blue.

I think it would be great for a colorful teen's room. What do you think?

Hope you are having a creative week!

Distressed country lovely

2012-01-19T16:31:00.001-05:00

I ran across this little bench. It needed a little update to make it into a distressed country lovely. Here is the bench before I got started. Noticed the painted on houses. I think it felt a little 80's. What do you think?

I had a little bit of ASCP Pure White left. I mixed in a little Aubusson Blue and got a lovely light blue. I rather liked it but in my never ending quest to figure out the dark waxing process, I decided this small project was a good practice. After a little elbow grease and some distressing, I now have a cute little country fresh bench.

Here look a little closer. No more houses!

Doesn't it look better? What do you think?

I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @

French drum table makeover

2012-01-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

I am finally starting to get back to almost 100% thanks to the antibiotics. I have still been pretty lazy. Thank goodness I had pictures from a project from about a month ago.

I don't know why I have a fascination with french furniture but I do. I came across this french drum table at an auction about three or so years ago. Here it is painted a glossy black and would be cream on the leather. A little boy had come along and peeled off the cream paint. I couldn't really get mad because what did I expect painting leather?! So, this is how it sat for about a year and a half. Please don't judge me too harshly. When I needed to fill a little space in my booth, this seemed like a good candidate.

Since ASCP is said to stick to everything, I thought I would throw it on and see how it goes. I painted Pure White first followed by one coat of Duck Egg Blue. I little distressing and waxing. Here is a not so good picture of it in my booth.

Forgive the poor photo. I think I liked it better glossy black if there would have been a way to keep the paint on the leather. But with the super power of chalk paint, it has a new finish and a new home already. Sharing over at:

Two is better than one!

2012-01-12T16:30:00.000-05:00

I have no miraculous makeover to share. It is official. I have a sinus infection with a touch of bronchitis and one clogged ear. So in order to get my mojo back, I'm taking it easy the rest of this week. Thought I would share a little picture of my fashion diva. I hope it makes you smile like it did for me. She just loves her skirts.

Funny thing is she really felt like this was a great outfit to wear out in the winter time. I don't even want to know what her outfits will look like when she is a teenager :) Hope everyone is staying healthy and has a great weekend.

Ready to display

2012-01-09T17:27:00.000-05:00

I finally am getting around to my first post of the year! Holidays, colds, and off from school has really thrown off my routine. Today was finally back to normal. Before I tell you about my latest redo, I really could use some advice on getting rid of a sinus cold. It hasn't become an infection so no antibiotics. I could really use a fail proof way of getting rid of this. It is approaching three weeks now! I just needed to put out the call for help. It is certainly not fun when your head feels like it will implode at any moment.

Okay, enough bellyaching. I have a quick redo to share. I found this cute little bookcase at the auction. I almost forgot to take a picture so this is all you get.

I thought it would be perfect to house some smalls for my booth but it needed to get pretty first. Some primer and cream paint has it looking a little better but feels a little plain. I've had this hard poster board with photocopied writing on it for forever. I thought it would be just the thing to jazz this up. Subtle but effective.

What do you think? I love it! I'm linking up over at:

Julie

Year end review

2011-12-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Although we have been fighting colds and such, we were able to enjoy our Christmas. I'll be sharing with you my big presents that I'm sure will provide the means to create much to post about for the future. But before looking forward, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite projects from 2011.

Cream Desk (my first sale)

French Dining chair Redo

French Barrel Back Chairs

Coffee table turned bench

Box turned mail tray

Laminate chest

Just some my favorite redo's from this year! I'm excited about starting on new projects to share with you soon!

Sharing at:

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T22:19:00.000-05:00

Well, we are almost done with our pink eye medicine. Now, we have a fever in the house. Also, two of us sound like we are going to cough up a lung. So, I wanted to send you an early Merry Christmas because we are going to to get some r & r around here. You'll hear from me after Christmas. This is for you:

French lovelies

2011-12-16T19:37:00.002-05:00

Are you sitting down? I'm finally going to reveal the chairs I've been posting about. I know that in blog land we just like a quick before and after. But let's be realistic people, it takes time to do projects (especially when they sit for 2 weeks). So, let me refresh your memory.

Before:

After:

They look so fresh and fit soooo much better. Don't you think? I think this might be one of the best upholstery jobs yet out of a total of 5 chairs and 1 settee. I even tried to mimic all of the seams that the previous upholsterer had done. I love my double welting foot. The double welting just finishes it off perfectly. I don't even think that the fabric looks like drop cloths. It took forever to find just the right color of drop cloths, more taupe than oatmeal.

So, there you have it. My french lovelies are done!!!

I'm linking up over at:

An angel for Christmas

2011-12-14T22:08:00.000-05:00

I interrupt the progress on the reupholstering for a little decor makeover. I have an big, lovely empty frame above my mantel. I was trying to figure out what to put in other than a wreath. I stumbled upon this angel at Goodwill.

I like it just not the color. Can you guess what color I painted it? Yes, not a big surprise. White! It took 2 coats of Annie Sloan's Pure White. I'm liking it.

Here is where the angel now resides for the Christmas season. Just love how she is floating. I used fishing line to hang it from the frame to avoid putting another hole in the wall.

Thought I would give you my nighttime view.

Sharing over at:

Almost there

2011-12-12T20:33:00.000-05:00

I know I have been a bad blogger of late. If you have still stuck around, I'll share some more work done on my chairs. Last you saw, they looked like this:

I got my trusty 50 cent flea market electric knife for cutting my foam and a new slab of foam. I traced the old foam and cut away.

Next, I used my pneumatic stapler, which I love by the way, and stapled in the foam.

As you can see from above, I already did the seat decking. I used the previous fabric as a template. You can see that the fabric below had three pieces. I decided I should do this too. I don't know if it is because the fabric bolt was not wide enough or because of the pattern repeat. Needless to say, I'm not a professional like the last person to upholster this chair. So, I better just follow his/her lead. Oh, don't worry, I did iron the fabric before I cut out the pieces :)

That is all you get for today. Hope you are having a great holiday season so far!

It's been a long time

2011-12-09T19:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my absence. I fully intended to post daily to keep you abreast of my reupholstering progress but a funny little thing called life just happened. My aunt fell ill and passed over the Thanksgiving weekend. Since then, I just wanted to enjoy my family and all of my blessings.

Now that I will be having some gal pals over for a craft date, I can't really have them walk in the door and be greeted by this, can I??

I know. What a mess! You can tell that I have peeled away the bottom seat and the batting and foam from the back of the seat. I am currently in the process of washing the drop cloths that I have decided to reupholster the chairs with. I like how nubby the fabric feels. What I didn't count on was all of the slight variations of an oatmeal color the drop cloths come in. I decided to go with the darkest I could find. I'll show you how I map out my pieces once my drop cloth are washed and dried. Until then...

Piece by piece

2011-11-17T19:50:00.000-05:00

Since I can't look back with the barrel back chairs, I have no where to go but forward. Time to start taking off the upholstery piece by piece.

First, you have to peel off the back.

So far, so good. Once the fabric is off, I took off the cotton batting to check out the back. If you notice, I set aside the fabric and batting. The fabric I will use as a template for the new fabric. I will reuse the batting seeing that it is in good condition.

Now I can start tackling the front back of the chair.

And there you have it. My progress since I am only using the time that my daughter is at preschool. Slow and steady wins the race. Isn't that how the saying goes? Until tomorrow ladies...

No turning back now!

2011-11-15T16:07:00.000-05:00

You may be thinking, where I have been (or not)? To be honest. For the past week, I have been utterly lazy. I haven't had the desire to do much of anything. I take that back, I did do a little getting my booth ready for the holidays. Nothing like taking a jump to get yourself out of a lazy slump.

Remember these chairs?

I think the consensus was to paint the wood white and proceed with upholstering with a drop cloth. Today I decided to get the process started. First thing I did was pulled off the cording. I have learned from past projects that you really want to be careful not to pull the cording too hard and rip the fabric since I needed to use the fabric for a template when I go to upholster it.

Once the cording was off, I needed to paint. I sanded the frame and spray painted the primer. I love how fast this went. I followed it up with two coats of a satin white latex. So, here they are at the point where I now can't turn back. Nothing like spray paint on fabric to make you want to actually get the project done instead of letting them sit and sit and sit.

Now that I have shared my first step, perhaps this will hold me accountable to make progress on a daily basis. I may give the chairs a gray wash to tone down the white. What do you think?

I'll be back tomorrow to share whatever progress, big or small, that I make. Hope you'll stay tuned.

French chest

2011-11-03T17:46:00.000-04:00

I opened my mailbox Saturday and my order of chalk paint had arrived. I had been eagerly awaiting its arrival. I had this little french chest I purchased off of Craig's list.

It is a chest of laminated pressed wood loveliness. I knew that since chalk paint is supposed to stick to any thing, I wanted to put it to the test. My goal of course was to make it look like an old piece. I did two coats of Aubusson blue under a coat of Paris Grey. I have to say the Aubusson blue was shocking for me. The color is different in real life than on my computer screen. I was much happier once the Paris Grey went on. Okay, I will be honest. I have an extremely hard time with change. So, painting the piece other than a white kinda makes me twitch. I have commit issues what can I say?! Enough blah, blah, blahing and on to the reveal.

I don't care for the existing knobs and handles but replacing them seems like it could be challenging and cost money. Before I go, I wanted to share where it is currently residing.

Some of you that have follow me, might recognize those chairs. They are next on the project list. I just need your help. First, should I paint the chair frames? Next, I would love a neutral linen but who really wants to pay $35/yd for the good stuff? Don't get me wrong. I would love it but just can't seem to justify paying it. So, what do you think my options should be? Love to hear your thoughts. Hoping to working on the chairs after reading your advice. Ironically, I drafted this post earlier and just saw Miss Mustard Seed post on chairs that are almost identical. Pop over there to get an idea of what they would look like neutral.

I'm sharing my little french chest over at:

Make it extra large

2011-10-28T20:09:00.000-04:00

I have always adored huge chalkboards. On one of my weekly jaunts thrifting, I stumbled across this frame.

Most people would walk right past. It's dated and odd shaped but I knew it would make a great chalkboard. It was only $15. I couldn't buy the materials cheaper than that for something this large.

To make it over, I painted the frame with Annie Sloan's Pure White. Then followed Martha Stewart's recipe for homemade chalkboard paint. I already had the paint and unsanded grout. Here is a hint when making your own chalkboard paint. I used a tea strainer to mash out any lumps in the grout. This makes it less lumpy when painting. I applied 3 coats of the chalkboard paint with a little sanding in between. Now that it was complete, I knew the perfect spot for it was in my stairway.

As you can see, it really is a large chalkboard. I decided to put down some bible verses that I need to be reminded of every now and then.

It can really have a lot written on it. I plan on putting some shorter quotes on it for my children. Maybe now that I had to put a hole in the wall for this, I can go ahead and start planning a little photo gallery up the stairway.

Thanks for checking it out. I'm sharing over at:

Splendid blender love

2011-10-25T20:25:00.000-04:00

Ever since I saw a post on Villabarnes about a transfer method here, I knew I wanted to give it a try. I picked up an old jewelry box at Goodwill outlet. It seemed the perfect candidate to give this a try.

I gave it two light coats of Old White chalk paint. In order to use the splendid blender marker, I printed off a graphic from the The Graphic Fairy blog using a laser copier. Make sure if you are using words to make a mirror image copy. Anyways, put the graphic side down on your surface. Then, using your marker marking over the back side of the image and burnish. I used my finger to burnish. I was so happy how easy this was to do. I will warn that the marker has a little odor to it. To finish off the box, I distressed and applied a clear wax followed by a dark wax. Here is the end result.

It is all ready to store treasures of any kind as well as making a cute decorative statement. Now that I think about it, it would have been perfect to store old love letters. I think that is a thing of the past now. At least, I can show my daughter the letters her dad use to write me in high school and college. I wonder how our kids will be storing memories like these?! Not quite the same to pull out a jump drive verses an old shoe box. Ah, how technology has changed everything.

Sharing over at:

Do you sew??

2011-10-21T08:30:00.001-04:00

Don't let the title fool you. This post really isn't about sewing. It is about a make over on a sewing table. I spotted this cute little sewing cabinet for a red hot steal! I grabbed it up. I don't think a lot of people would actually use this as a sewing table. It seems just too small for that but wouldn't it make a great side table?

I didn't really care for the stain. It had a little too much of a red tone. Once at home, I knew I was finally going to give the Annie Sloan's Chateau Gray another try. I had used it previously on a small project and didn't really care for it but decided to try it out on something larger. Two coats, some distressing, and wax...

How did it turn out? I used both clear and dark wax. I think the key for me using the wax is to use a rag. I know everyone says it wastes wax but I have gotten better results this way.

I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @

Ahoy Matey

2011-10-18T21:29:00.000-04:00

I was in over my head on Saturday with 6-7 year old pirates. My son had decided to have a pirates themed birthday party. There were 19 pirates invited and 14 showed up. I know. What was I thinking?! I put a lot of time into trying to plan it inexpensively. I have to say google is a great thing. Without it, I know I wouldn't have thought of all of the games I found from other people.

To set the scene for the party, they say it starts with the invitation. I downloaded a rapscallion font from Dafont.com. I printed the invite out on parchment office paper. Then proceeded to burn the edges of each invitation. Yes, it was time consuming but look how authentic it looked.

When each child arrived, they were given a red bandanna, eye patch, an inflatable sword, and face painted beard. Then, they were ushered outside for games to save injury to any breakables. Of course, it was chaotic with swords flying everywhere!

First, the boys dug up gold coins. If the coin had a black dot, they were on the black pearl. If not, they were on the flying Dutchman. Once in teams, they had to get their sea legs by relay racing against the other team. They had to run around a tree and the playground while holding a full cup of water with the goal being not spilling any water.

Next game, we swabbed the deck by using a dollar mop and ball to race around trees and the playground in sort of a relay race.

Of course the pirates had to walk the plank which was a 2x4 extended across two outdoor side tables.

We passed the pirates version of hot potato passing a skull instead. Ate a lot of sugar!

Each pirate walked away with a little goodies bag that I made by using the little black bags and printing off this graphic on fabric and adhering to the bag with a spray adhesive. Inside they had pirate chocolate lollipops I made, pirate stickers, tattoos, and a pirate flag bead craft.

I hope all the boys had a great time being pirates for the day. I wanted the thank you cards to be memorable. So, I had each boy hold up an empty frame and take their picture. Here is the photo thank you card I came up with in Photoshop elements.

Now that I have sent those off to be printed. I have finally recovered! The amount of energy from 14 six to seven year old boys was off the charts or maybe I am getting old. Any rate, I hope all the boys will remember a great pirate birthday party.

Rustic Red

2011-10-14T20:56:00.002-04:00

I wanted to share a project I did for a friend's mother. I was a little nervous about painting someone else's piece. Okay more than just a little nervous. This old piece is a very sentimental piece to the owner. The only problem is that a cat had relieved itself around it. It also had been cut in half. So, I had one or two hurdles to jump. Here is the piece when we got it. Sorry for the poor quality of photos.

Remember how I mentioned an incident with a cat and urine. After I throughly cleaned the piece, I did some research and found out that in order to seal in the odor, I should use shellac oil-based primer. I have never worked with this kind of product before. It is like water. I had to do 3 coats because I was using a brush. At this point, I can say that this primer did eliminate any odor. Next, I applied my first coat of paint. This is where I wanted to scream. The paint was just peeling off after it dried. Kind of like when you were younger and would put glue on your hand to peel it off. Well, I just didn't know what I was going to do. After a trip to Sherwin Williams, I came back with their brand of adhesion primer. They said it would stick to anything and would fix my problem. I sanded down the peeling areas. I was skeptical when applying the primer but it did work! After three coats with the paint sprayer, glazing, and polying, I was done. (Edit - paint color: Behr red brick S-H-170 with a glaze mixed with Behr espresso beans)

Do you recall me telling you that the piece had been cut in half? Well, this is what the untouched original side looks like.

This is what my talented hubby recreated on the side that had been whacked. I know. He is pretty amazing! He got it almost identical didn't he?!

I'm sharing over at:

China cabinet redo

2011-10-04T21:49:00.001-04:00

I had found this china cabinet at a steal at Goodwill about a year ago.

Yes, it sat in my garage for an entire year. I had started priming it but then I found it was just a great place to start stacking stuff! After a dresser sold in my booth, it seemed putting off painting and nice storage space had come to an end. It had to get to my booth. My hubby found some great shelves for inside the cabinet. I didn't have the heart to distress it after 3 coats of primer and 2 of paint. I really like how it turned out and looks in the booth.

I'm linking up at:

Between Naps on the Porch

Happy birthday son!

2011-10-04T21:15:00.000-04:00

Just wanting to wish my not so little guy a happy 7th birthday today! He is a truely amazing boy! We are planning a big pirate birthday bash next weekend. I'm sure I'll share some of that with you.

Happy Birthday Nicholas!

French luck

2011-09-30T14:28:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I've mentioned this but I love all things french. I don't know if it is just the idea that everything European has such a sense of history. I can't really afford the 'real' french antiques. They seem to be priced for the rich and famous. So, I do the next best thing and scour for french mass reproduction type pieces. These are the pieces I have found at reasonable to great deals and blogged about:

After seeing all of the pictures, it seems I may have a problem perhaps an obsession that appears to be excessive. But we will ignore that for now, what do you say?!

So on my never ending quest for french furniture, one day the heavens opened and I heard the trumpets when I found this gorgeous french armoire on Craig's list. I knew I had to jump on it. I mean when would something this cute come up again since armoire are almost a thing of the past. So, I drove an hour to fall in love in person. I couldn't get the lady to come down in the price but sometimes you have to pay a bit more for something you love. Here it is:

A closer look.

Gorgeous right? Here is where you come in. I am tormenting myself on whether or not to paint it. Here are just two inspirations. The first from Miss Mustard Seed blog post here.

The next is from Savvy Southern Style. She posted about it here.

I think it would look good with a wash or really weathered look.

To paint or not to paint that is the question I ask you. Would love your input! No, no, I need your input. Looking for your opinions at:

Frugal Friday @

Fallin' for Fall

2011-09-27T13:46:00.000-04:00

Yes, I love fall. There is no other season that can compete with the colors and weather. I think I would prefer to live in fall for at least half the year. I always wait to bring out my fall decorations until Labor Day. I know some of you think that is a little early. When Hobby Lobby bombards you with it in July, Labor Day is as long as this fall lovin' gal to can wait! Sorry it took so long to share it with you.

I wanted to share my mantel this year. I took down my metal art and replaced it with this gorgeous empty frame. In doing this, I had to paint the wall again. All of my candle lighting provided the wall with the outline of the metal art. So after hanging the frame, the question of the day was what to put in it. I found this great wreath at JoAnn's and added some picks.

One day, I hope to go white but I can't seem to part with my sparkling leaf garland that lights. I have had it for years but just can't seem to let it go. It is just so cozy and relaxing to light up at night. Let me know if you can think of any improvements. I'm sharing over at:

Just give it a try

2011-09-23T21:02:00.000-04:00

Just give it a try. That is what I told myself about using this Annie Sloan wax. I haven't been able to get the hang of it. So, what is a girl to do but pick up some small piece to practice on. I found four of these at Goodwill.

In there current state, I can't say I really like them but who couldn't use another candle holder, right?!

So, I painted a light coat of Annie Sloan's Old White, followed up by a wash with some gray latex paint I had around. I wish I would have taken a picture at this stage because with the gray wash, it looked pretty dull and cold. So here is when the wax entered. Every time I've used the wax, I have used the wax brush and can't achieve a smooth finish. This time I just went with a good old rag. I applied the clear wax followed directly with the dark wax. This gave it so much more character, warmth, and depth. Just look at it.

Get a little closer.

A lot different from what it started out as, uh? I'm sharing this over at:

Ready, set, study

2011-09-15T22:19:00.000-04:00

Okay, before I get to my newest project, I have to share something my 4 year old said to me. You see, she is my picky eater. Needless to say, dinner time isn't always fun. Yesterday I informed her that if she didn't eat any fruit or vegetables, her belly would just have to go hungry. With her strong will, that is exactly what happened. So this morning after being up for only 5 minutes, she told me, "Mama, you know it is not very polite to starve people. It will make them die." I'm happy to report that I at least got some green beans in her for lunch.

On to the latest project. My friend from church had approached me to see if I had a desk about for her son. It just so happened my mother was complaining to me to come and get this desk I had been storing in her garage. So, I guess it was going to be a win-win-win situation for all concerned. When I had spotted this desk, I new it would look great. The only qualification I put on it before buying it was the drawers had to work without a problem (and they did). So, it started out like this:

After sanding, staining, priming, and painting, it is all ready for a sweet, little boy to use.

Just look how great the top turned out. I'm hoping the little guy enjoys it.

I plan on sharing over at:

Candles for fall

2011-09-09T19:43:00.000-04:00

I just love a project you can complete in less than 2 hours. When rummaging through the bins at the Goodwill outlet, I came across these candlesticks. At first glance, they are definitely dated but just imagine what they could look like.

Maybe something like this.

Just a coat or two of Heirloom white spray paint and a little sanding to add that weathered look. Now, I have 2 updated candle holders to give a soft glow to the dining room for my fall decor.

Remember to think beyond what you see and to what it could be. I plan on linking up to:

French dresser face lift

2011-09-07T10:58:00.000-04:00

I was on a mission to get my daughter a new (to us) dresser. Her old one used to be mine as a young girl. After having her pull the drawer completely out every other day, I decided I had to take action. I know you blog gals understand what I mean when I say I went shopping for a new dresser. Yes, it meant looking at Goodwill's, Salvation Army, Craig's list, and auctions. It is kind of scary that I never even thought about entering a furniture store. Anyways, I came across a dresser at an auction just like this one. Since I forgot to take a before picture, I found the exact same dresser from google images.

I decided to leave an absentee bid and to much of my surprise, I got it with a nightstand to go with it. Since it looked like the typical 60's/70ish french provincial dresser, I was surprised by just how heavy it was. You could tell she had seen better days. After cleaning her up and prepping her, the color had to be picked. When conferring with my 4 year old, her suggestions were pink and purple. A hot pink would have looked good, but I'm not quite ready to open Pandora's box with my daughter and decorating her room. So, after much persuasive discussion with the little decorator, we agreed on a nice gray. Let me just tell you, it was so hard to pick which gray. Each one looked so different depending on the time of the day. Once the color was picked, I painstakingly took my time and painted it correctly. Without further anticipation, here is the french dresser with a new face lift.

Here is her nightstand.

I'm pretty pleased with the results. The best thing of all is just how smoothly the drawers function. The only problem now is that I feel like I need to paint her bed gray. Oh well, I'll save that for another day (or week, or month).

I'm sharing over at:

Staying alive...

2011-08-30T21:14:00.000-04:00

Yep, I'm here. I'm not pushing up daisies. My little guy is having a lot of trouble adjusting to first grade. He has to get use to a new teacher and no buddies from his kindergarten class in his class now. His little tears are tearing my heart out. So, what is a mom to do but put aside projects and blogging to assure her boy that things will get better by playing whatever he wants, reading, and cuddling with him. So for the rest of the week, I will be a helicopter mom trying to help my little guy through this transition. If anyone out there has some helpful tips, let me know. Hopefully, I will be back to my project posting soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Great finds @ Kane County flea market

2011-08-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

I know. It has been so long since my last post that I had to dust off my keyboard! I've been adjusting to school starting again. No more leisurely sipping coffee in the mornings. No, now it is getting the kiddos moving, fed, dressed, and off to school. With that said, I should have more time for all of my projects.

It seems that I would post about my latest project but that would mean I would have to drag out the camera to get some pictures. Well, I am just too lazy for that today. So, I decided to share some photos from my first time trip to the Kane County flea market in IL this month.

It was a great time. I talked hubby into making a weekend of it since it was about a 4 hour drive. He and the kids enjoyed the hotel pool while I was 'gathering fleas' as my husband likes to call it. There were so many vendors. My head was spinning. I have found now that I have a booth, I have grown entirely cheap. I passed up a lot because I just couldn't bring myself to pay the prices. I did get a few things.

First off my hook racks and vintage laundry basket:

Next, these lovely corbels in there chippy glory, three french pots, and a little frog.

I wanted to share a couple of vendors spaces with you. Of course I remembered to charge up the kids Nintendo ds's but forgot all about my camera battery. So, I only got a very few pictures to share. Since it has been a couple of weeks since I went and am posting, I can't remember and/or find the vendor info to pass along. All I can say is that I loved these spaces. Wish they would come and decorate my house.

Hope you have a great week!

French bolster pillow

2011-08-10T19:23:00.000-04:00

Some of you noticed the bolster pillow photoed with my frenchy dining chairs. I don't know if you have ever checked out the price on bolster pillow but they are pretty expensive. When I came across a flat filled with bolster pillows at Goodwill outlet, I snatched up four. I didn't really need four but at the deal I was getting, I couldn't resist!

Here is the before.

Not only did I get a super long bolster pillow, but I salvaged a super long zipper from it too! Of course loving all things french related, I wanted to make a french pillow. I gotta say I just love my cricut! I used it in conjunction with a software called Sure Cuts A Lot. This software allows me to use any font I have on my computer with my cricut. It rocks because I don't have to pay for all of those expensive cartridges. Anyways, I cut out the stencil on my cricut using freezer paper. (I'll be doing a tutorial on that later.) Sewed and tied. This is what it came out like:

I do admit that I had to use my foot to squeeze the pillow into its new dress. I'm loving it! Can't wait to figure out what to do with the remaining three I still have.

I'm sharing over at:

French dining chairs

2011-08-05T08:45:00.002-04:00

Of course all of you know that I am in love with things that look frenchy. I stumbled up four frenchy cane back dining chairs at a garage sale for a steal. I mean I really thought the police would arrest me if they found out how much I paid for all four. What can I say other than this dog was thrown a bone. Anyways, here is a peak of the before.

The picture doesn't show all the little scratches. The seat was basically a piece of wood covered with material. So, out comes the paint and drop cloth. I have to say my friend had given me 5" cushion foams a while ago which came in handy for this. (Thanks Jessica) So after cutting the cushion into equals thicknesses, I had my foam for the seats for free. After all my work, here is how one of the host's chair turned out.

I definitely wanted some sort of punch for the host and hostess's chairs. So, after using freezer paper as my stencil. This is a close up of the seat.

A little distressing to add a little charm.

Now, there is a unique, charming set of dining chairs just waiting to grace someones lovely home. Don't mind the pink chairs in the background. I know I posted out that find long ago. I tend to put off projects for the house and put things for the booth first. Maybe that will change once the kids are in school.

Would love to know if you like them. Let me know. I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

The store

2011-08-03T15:27:00.000-04:00

Well, thanks for all the kind words about my booth. I've taken new pictures since all of us came in and redid our booths. Here is my new and improved area.

It has a few new pieces in it. I mostly rearranged after I brought in the bookcase. I had a couple of people ask about the location of the store. So, I thought I would share that info and some pictures of the other booths. I only got pics of about 1/3 of the booths but here is what I have to share with you.

The store is Salvage Sister's Antique Market. Address 398 E. Jefferson St., Franklin, IN 46131. Phone number 317-736-4353.

Due to poor skills with my camera, the pictures don't do the booths justice. If you are ever in the area, drop in and check us out.

Bigger booth

2011-07-30T22:25:00.000-04:00

I did it. I got a bigger booth space. I took the training wheels off and have started wobbling along. I went from a half booth to a full booth. Again, I know a lot of you would think why not start with the whole booth? Well, this gal can get pretty nervous about the unknown.

So far, so good. I have really enjoyed having a booth. It gives me the excuse to continue 'the hunt.' It is also a learning experience. It really makes you take a look at things that you wouldn't normally give a glance. I thought I would share with you my latest booth pictures. Although by tomorrow, they will be outdated. Everyone is coming to the shop to rearrange their booths to refresh the shop. It should be fun getting opinions from 'the pros.' Without further ado, here is my current booth.

Sorry the pics aren't great. I just used the camera I keep on hand in my purse. Hope you enjoyed a peek into my booth. If you were to happen through, what would you think? Love to know if it looks inviting. I kind of get stuck seeing items in a certain way. It usually starts while it piles up in the garage:)

Not just a box, part 2

2011-07-28T22:08:00.003-04:00

Well, I have already posted about what I did with part of the box. Here is a reminder of before.

Here is what I did with the biggest part of the box. All ready to house some fresh flowers.

Now, I just had to think of what I could do with the lid. So, I had to think and think and think. Finally, it came to me. I decided it should become a tray to catch mail. After a trip to The Graphics Fairy blog to get a free graphic, here is what the lid turned into.

I painted the lid with Old White chalk paint. I applied the graphic by covering the back of the paper using a pencil. Then I flipped it over and traced it to transfer it onto the lid. I knew there was no way I could paint it on. I did the next best thing. I grabbed a marker I used for scrapbooking and traced the pencil marks. I applied a clear wax followed by a dark wax. I'm pretty happy with the end result.

Here it is ready to be filled with mail, keys, and probably a happy meal toy or two.

I couldn't resist showing off the paper roses I made.

What do you think of the once box now transformed into two pieces?

I'm planning to share this project over at:

@ Thirfty Decor Chick

Not just a box

2011-07-25T21:38:00.001-04:00

Sorry you haven't heard from me lately. I've been busy trying to enjoy the summer before school begins. Just thought that I would share a small project with you.

I found this box for less than $1. I'm sure before the stains and scratches that it was perfectly beautiful.

I really didn't need a box so my wheels started turning. I decided to take it apart and make two things from one. After taking it apart, I had to fill in the holes from the hinges.

Now that is was disassembled and ready, I painted it with my Old White chalk paint. I made a stencil using my cricut and contact paper and dry brushed on some acrylic paint. To add a little more of a rustic charm, I drilled holes into the sides and tied on some rope.

Now I have a cute little box to house some fresh flowers. Sorry only to show you it without the actual flowers but since I was going out of town I didn't feel that buying fresh flowers would make too much sense. I figure you can envision beautiful hydrangeas.

Hopefully, I can share what I will be doing with the rest of the box soon but I won't make any promises. I will be trying to enjoy my time with the kids before they head off for school again. Hang in there with me:)

I'm sharing over at:

Clay tag tutorial

2011-07-12T16:01:00.000-04:00

I thought I would share with you a small craft project. I know you have all seen clay tags. They have been used for labeling baskets, buckets, gifts, and cards. So, I decided to make a couple different kinds. The materials I needed are polymer clay, some sort of cookie cutter or similar, and a pasta machine is optional.

I used the pasta machine to roll out the clay. You can use whatever else you have on hand. I tried to make these approximately 1/4" thick. I couldn't find an oval cookie cutter but did find oval fondant cutters. I cut out a couple different sizes.

I wanted to make some for a bucket label, some for basket labels, and some for magnets. For the bucket labels and basket labels, I used a sophisticated tool called a pencil to poke holes in the right places.

I baked them according to the clay box's instructions. Here they are fresh from the oven.

Next I stamped directly onto them using Staz-on Ink. Here they are in action:

My favorite is the tag on the bucket. I just nailed in a small hole and used some crafting wire to attach the number tag. I just love french enamel number plates but they seem just too expensive to justify that purchase. So, here is my attempt using a clay tag and diamond glaze.

My suggestion for stamping is to use an actual rubber stamp verses clear stamps. The clear stamps tend to move a little thus creating a blurred image. I'm sharing my tags over at:

Horton's French Flea Market

2011-07-10T21:02:00.000-04:00

Friday I was able to go to Horton's of Tipton's French Flea Market in Indiana. (Yes, I am a Hoosier.) Just seeing the eye candy on their blog was enough for me to drive for a while to get there. I was so inspired by the store and vendors. I will warn you that I will be sharing some photos that just do not do justice. I was trying to not get people in the shots which became increasingly harder. I'm also trying to give you a link to some of these vendors.

Sorry but I didn't get the vendor info on this one. I just was drawn to the booth because of the white decor.

Next up is Rebecca Ersfeld for Vintage Living. The store site is here which can connect you to her blog. The booth was so inspirational with such great stuff! I loved just looking at how it was displayed.

On to Hot House Market. If you want to check out their blog, click here. What I loved about this booth was all of the pops of color. The couple running the booth were super nice.

These are photos of part of the actual store, Horton's of Tipton. I was so in love with the displays. Unfortunately, the pictures I took of my favorite parts didn't turn out. Here is all I could salvage to share.

I have to mention two other vendors. One is The Vintage Farmhouse. She is a fellow Hoosier. I have been able to make it to a few of her sales. I made sure to stop by and say hello. I didn't get a chance to get any pics of her booth.

Next is the ladies from Damaskdesigns. Let me tell you these gals were super nice. The booth was to die for! I felt like I wanted them to come home with me and sprinkle some magic through my house. I am kicking myself for not getting a picture of their booth.

I just had a great time being inspired by all the different vendors! I did come home with some goodies. A cute french burlap bucket. Can't wait to find just the right flowers for this.

Then comes my bird 3 tiered tray, zinc plates, and chalkboard plates.

Here is a close up of the zinc plates. I love them.

Last but not least is this desk organizer. It was displayed with pens, pencils, and scissors but wouldn't it look great with flowers in it?! I also thought it would be great to put forks, spoons, knifes, and napkins in for an upcoming cookout. I can't wait to use it!

So, I realize this has been a lengthy post. I just wanted to share with you my trip to Horton's. Until next post...

Dresser with a brand new look

2011-07-07T13:19:00.000-04:00

If you saw my last post, you know about my knob hiccups for this beautiful dresser I picked up for only $5.

You can see the mismatched knobs. What isn't quite as noticeable in this photo is the crazy green paint. It has a limish green base color with a darker green wash. It was really odd. That is probably why I got it for $5. Other than the color and the knobs, it was a very sturdy, well built dresser. Oh did I forget to say heavy too?!

I knew this dresser was a great candidate to use my chalk paint. When I was taking out the drawers, I felt like I was with my grandma. All of the drawers had that smell that my grandma's make-up had. It wasn't a bad smell at all. In fact, it smelled tons better than most antique dresser. Anyways, back to the transformation. Because of the magical powers of chalk paint, I only applied one coat of Duck Egg Blue. After a coat of wax and applying the new knobs, the dresser is transformed. First a reminder of the knobs.

Now the whole dresser!

So much better don't you think? I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @
All things furniture @

Unique Knobs

2011-07-06T22:40:00.000-04:00

I recently acquired a steal of a deal. I got a dresser for only $5.

As you can see, it had mismatched knobs. I didn't think it was a big deal until I went looking for new ones. Sure there are some really cute ones out there but they can get pretty expensive (especially since I needed 8).

I'm sure you have seen people using resin to create unique knobs. Well, I stumbled upon a bag of wooden knobs containing about 20 for $7. I thought this must be my lucky day. I decided to just paint the knobs the same color as the dresser being repainted. So far so good. Then, my luck started to run out. It started after applying the resin. I had stamped the bird with Staz-on ink. As you can see from below, it didn't Staz-on!

Great thing about chalk paint is it can go over just about everything. After painting again, I decided to stamp the bird using white acrylic paint which I actually liked a lot better.

Better already, uh? This time the resin worked like a charm. I will be revealing the updated dresser hopefully tomorrow. I just wanted to share my experience with EnviroTex Lite and save you a headache in case you tried stamping before applying the resin. Perhaps if I sealed it with a thin coat of ModPodge, it would have worked. Hope you stay tuned to see the updated $5 dresser.

Happy 4th and a project!

2011-07-04T10:00:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

I'm sorry I've been a bad blogger this summer. I find it hard to dive into projects with both kids demanding attention either to play with or to referee. Needless to say, it appears that I'm not one of those blogger moms that can do it all. I wish I could figure it out but it eludes me.

I've had this project done for a while but only got around to taking pictures of the completed piece recently. I have some great friends. One in particular kept me in mind before she let her dad throw an old sewing table away. I felt honored she thought I could make this look cute (thanks Stephanie). I believe within a half hour of her call, I was in the car ready to get my free item.

You can see that there are some condition issues. So, I stripped it before I painted to get a smooth finish. I don't think you can tell from the picture but I did some light distressing.

I'm not sure that this piece would be used as a sewing table but it sure does make a cute little side table. I think it would look great in a beach themed room with it's soothing color.

I'm sharing over at:

Needing your opinions!

2011-06-23T20:41:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am still alive. After the trip to MO, I got one of the worst summer colds ever. I'm just now recovering, but that is not the only reason for not blogging. This is:

Meet our new dog. We looked through tons (I really mean tons) of dogs online. This one happened to be the first one my son noticed. I just couldn't talk him into any other dog. So off we went to the pound to meet her. My son and daughter instantly fell in love. So long story short, she is now ours. Fleas and all! Needless to say, we have been adjusting to caring for an animal (without fins).

The only thing I have been doing is trying to change up a few things. This is where you come in. I really would like your opinion. So, please, please, let me have it:)

First, I have been wanting to change up my mantle for a while. So this is what I have come up with thus far.

Okay, first does the urns like nuts with the candles on top of the moss. I tried to replicate a similar look from a magazine but it doesn't seem to look quite the same. So, should I take off the candles leaving just the moss, leave it as is, or put something else in the urns? Second, the empty frame. I've just leaned it up against the wall but would hang it. It was suggested to put something inside the frame. How do you guys like the idea of a moss monogram? I do have a second option instead of the empty frame. It is a smaller frame I picked up from the Goodwill store.

It is smaller. I would definitely put a larger picture in it or maybe a print. Which do you like the bigger frame or this smaller. I know you must be getting tired now but I need you for just one more question. It is a lamp question. You see I have only bought about 3 lamps for this house in 10 years. With the majority of the windows being east/west, we get plenty of light until winter. We have always used the overhead lighting which you all know isn't that flattering. So, I've picked up two options for our sofa table.

Initially, I like the taller black one. But after keeping it there for a day, I think I like the short one. I'm just not sure about the color. Here is a closer look.

I was thinking of doing white with a gray dry brush distressed look. Should I do two lamps on the table? Which should it be?? So, here is where you jump down and comment your opinions to help a gal out. Let me just thank you for reading this long post.

$2 Cosco stool

2011-06-17T22:33:00.000-04:00

Another auction, another purchase. I just can't seem to walk away from an auction empty handed. I had got this little yellow Cosco stool at the auction for only 2 bucks! Cheap right?! I guess when no one bids you can get stuff pretty cheap.

Okay, I know it looks a little rough around the edges but who doesn't ever have a bad hair day (or decade in my case). Anyways, hubby was nice enough to take it apart for me to spray paint an apple red. Before I could spray paint, I had to take off the rubber grips on the steps. They seemed to look as if they were dry rotted. It took a lot of elbow grease and a lot of Goo Gone to get it all off but finally got it. Next, the back rest. With the extra drop cloth material I seem to have accumulated, I thought a little faux grain sack for the back rest would look just right.

Here she is all painted up. I could just see her sitting in the corner of a kitchen, couldn't you?

I'm sharing at:

Chalk paint, take 2!

2011-06-15T17:41:00.000-04:00

So, my first try with the chalk paint went well but I'm not so sure how I like the wax. No doubt it is user error. I picked up this sweet little table for a mere $1.99. It was just screaming for some chalk paint.

I had read that some pieces being painted Old White may need 2 coats. This table has a very stubborn stain. I put three coats on that puppy. Unfortunately, I have not figured out how to avoid my oh so obvious brush strokes. I really like furniture to feel smooth so at the moment I am torn over the chalk paint. I love that there is virtually no prep but I'm not use to seeing so many brush strokes or using the soft waxes. But I guess nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?! Anyways, I do like how the paint transformed this little table into something so sweet.

I think I did just the right amount of distressing. I'm torn whether or not to keep it for a bit or put it in my booth.

Love to know what you think of it! Drop me a comment.

Sharing over at:

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

Fabulous finds

2011-06-09T22:34:00.000-04:00

Well, school is out and we have been adjusting to everyone being at home all day. Yes, that means that little sister just cannot keep from pestering her big bother all day long. So, I've been referring along with trip to the zoo, going to the movies, and preparing to our trip to Missouri. We shove off tomorrow.

Before we set sail, I have to share with you some of my latest and greatest finds. These are finds from the Goodwill outlet, Salvation Army, and my local flea market. I have been trying to collect some smaller goods to fill my booth. I have some exciting news on that front but more on that later. On to the goods.

I think this basket would be great holding blankets. I could just see cute little flowers potted in the orange teapot. I wonder what kind of lunch was served up in this vintage lunchbox. On the far right, I found 2 table leaves. Just the thing to make a sign with using some chalk paint!

I really loved the tarnished silver I picked up. I love it just as it is.

This is my favorite find. This ironstone pitcher I found for $1. Yes, it is discolored but just look at it.

Maybe you need a closer view.

Look at that beautiful crazing. Any tips on cleaning the discoloration would be helpful, although I do like it that way. It has a sense of history about it.

I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Chalk paint project #1

2011-06-03T15:31:00.001-04:00

Well, I finally finished my first project with the chalk paint. I am pleased with the result even if I am still on a learning curve with it. Let me remind you of the before.

Yes, it is a partial, very heavy headboard with great lines. It was telling me to make a sign similar to Ballard plaque like this one:

First, I put on two thin coats of old white. Let me warn you that this paint dries pretty fast but on the plus side I could smell no paint smells at all. I usually sand in between coats when using latex but didn't with this. I found that I could see my brush strokes which I don't care for but maybe it makes the sign look more authentic?! Anyways, I used carbon paper to trace the letters and hand painted using duck egg blue. I wish I would have stopped here and taken a photo. I think I really liked it without the aged look but decided to go distressed and aged. Anyways, I tried out the soft clear wax first. I think I was a bit afraid to slather it on due to it's price. After I applied and buffed the clear wax, I applied the dark wax. I found this to give it an extreme aged look which I'm not for sure that I am found of (yet). Without further ado:

Here is a little bit closer shot:

I would love to know what you think of the final result. So, please leave a comment and let me know. I plan on sharing over at:

I did it!

2011-06-01T22:09:00.000-04:00

I did it! I finally ordered chalk paint. How could I not considering all the rave reviews it has gotten out in blog land. I was so excited when it came in just 2 days!

I splurged, hoping I sell a lot in the booth to cover the cost. I couldn't resist buying old white, duck egg blue, chateau gray, both waxes, and of course the highly recommended wax brush. I sure hope there is some kind of magic in all of this considering the cost. So girls, I'm ready to put this stuff to the test and see if it can live up to it's reviews.

So in order to test that whole claim about no prep or priming, I decided to start with a small piece that would normally require both. Enter my lab rat. I picked up a part of a headboard at the Goodwill outlet knowing it was a great shape to make some sort of sign. I'm thinking I'll try to recreate the Ballard plaque.

I really wanted to reveal it tonight but my daughter started running a fever and looks like she has pink eye (again). So, the distressing and waxing will have to wait. I hope to reveal the sign in all it's chalk paint glory within the next 2 days. Check back to see what I think about the chalk paint results. Until next time...

Old Shop Stool

2011-05-28T06:44:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted lately. With the last week of school to go, it seems to have gotten very busy here. Hopefully, I will be getting back to a schedule of posting more.

I wanted to share this little makeover with you guys today. I got this cute little shop stool for basically nothing. I was attracted to it because of the green base. It also gave off the industrial vibe. Here is the before:

Sorry for the poor picture. When hubby was ready to take it apart, he wanted to get it done not wait for me to get a better picture. Let me just say I used bleach water to spray down and clean off the wood before I recovered it. Of course I used my stash of foam and batting. I don't know how us gals ever lived before using drop cloths for decorating. Here she is ready for someone's kitchen bar or craft room.

I originally thought about doing a faux grain sack seat but I guess I made a good call because it was in the booth for less than a week. For those of you who have a booth, do you ever not notice when something has sold? I have been trying to stuff my booth full. So every week when I go in to check it out or add stuff, I haven't noticed some things that have sold (like the chair). You would think I would notice when something bigger isn't there anymore.

I hope everyone has a great Memorial holiday weekend!

I am sharing the stool over at:

Latest finds

2011-05-20T21:51:00.000-04:00

I have been meaning to share with you some of my latest auction finds and to get your opinions.

First up is this huge $5 french mirror. It weighs a ton. I think I have a little plan up my sleeve for this one.

Next, I got this two tiered cart for $10 or $15 (I can't remember which) Can you believe that all the dirt came for free?! I figure it would look cute in the booth after I get it all cleaned up.

Now for the gorgeous frame and sconces. Sorry I didn't think to get a close up to show off all of the beautiful details.

So, here is where I need some advice. First, the sconces could be wired to become electric verses just using candles. I was thinking of replacing the current ironwork I have above the fireplace with the empty frame and the sconces. This is a current picture of my mantel.

Would it look too corny to use an empty frame? Would the sconces be too much? It is awful to be so indecisive. I could really use some guidance from you wonderful gals out in blog land.

I wanted to save the best for last. This Italian chair I picked up at the auction for $45. I felt like it was a steal since I maybe have seen this style once a year at the auctions since I started going. Because I just didn't know when I would be able to stumble upon something similar, I snatched it up as an early birthday gift.

I absolutely love it! I didn't realize how dirty it really was until it hit the sunlight. The amount of dirt and who knows what else I have been cleaning off is just unreal. I've got to totally strip this chair down to the bones. I am going to paint the frame a softer, pale, more muted turquoise. You'll just have to stay tuned in to see my progress. I can't promise it will happen at lightning speeds but slow and steady wins the race.

Hope you enjoyed peaking at my finds. Let me know what you think about the frame and sconces.

Sharing over at:

The Shabby Nest

White done right

2011-05-16T13:45:00.001-04:00

I have to first start off by thanking all of your for your sweet comments regarding my union jack dresser. It is very gratifying knowing that others feel you have done a good job!

I have been meaning to post about this little tray table I got at the auction. Funny thing is that I didn't realize that it was a tray table until a nice lady that has a booth in the same shop as I do told me it was. I thought the top was just broken off the base. She told me what she thought I should price it at. She is very nice to give me advice on pricing and what kind of pieces she feels will sell good. Being new to this booth venture, I greatly appreciate any advice.

Anyways, on to this sweet little tray table. Here she is straight from the auction:

I had to glue all the joints and used twine to "clamp" it together as well as add a missing finial. The finish was in bad shape. What better way to spruce up this little gal than with some paint. I always feel white can really freshen up a piece. Now she resides in my booth. Hopefully, her stay will not be that long before she goes to some lovely home!

Sharing over at:

Union Jack Dresser

2011-05-13T14:27:00.001-04:00

I've been waiting to share this with you! Of course you all know that I am a huge fan of Miss Mustard Seed. Of course when she posted about her union jack dresser, I just had to try it. It took a bit of time to find just the right dresser. After a morning at an auction, here is what I selected:

It really is beautiful but in pretty rough shape. After stripping the top, priming, and taping it off, here it is ready for the paint.

I used Sherwin Williams naval and kiss just as MMS. I only used the primer for my white. I was conflicted as whether or not to distress it but for now decided against it. I'm very pleased how it turned out.

I decided the old rusting pulls just wouldn't do. I came across these and felt they were perfect!

My wonderful hubby sanded down the top for me. It had some water damage to the top. But after sanding and refinishing, there is no sign of it. It turned out just as I hoped.

I was going to put it in my booth but I am nervous about what a reasonable price would be to put on it. Any thoughts would give me a good gage as to if I'm nuts for wanting to put the price I have in my head on it. I'm dying to know how you guys think it turned out. Let me know what you think. Should I distress it, what should the price be, any feedback is good.

I'm sharing over at:

Frugal Friday @

Ballard Inspired Pillows

2011-05-10T17:57:00.001-04:00

My son's teacher is getting married. The room moms' have organized a bridal shower for her. This gave me the perfect excuse to make my own version of these pillows from Ballard's:

I like the idea of it saying Mr. and Mrs. but just don't think burlap pillows would be all that comfortable. So digging I went into my material stash. I dug out some natural colored denim (much softer than burlap). After cutting it for my pillow dimensions, I next had to consider my template for the Mr. and Mrs. Although I like the Ballard's pillow, I am a sucker for a more script font. After selecting a script I liked, I cut out a template with my cricut on freezer paper. You know the rest, iron it on, paint, and sew. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. I'm hoping his teacher will like it just as well.

I'm sharing over at:

Just something I whipped up at http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

http://todayscreativeblog.net/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @

It's done!

2011-05-05T17:21:00.001-04:00

This journey has been bumpy but rewarding. I rounded the corner and finally finished the race! I do have to admit that I did have one last hiccup but nothing that a few choice words couldn't fix.

So, I left you with the fabric stapled with only the cushion and double welting left to go. I don't know if I've told you this before but I definitely do not enjoy making cushions. First the cording isn't fun to put on (not hard just not fun). Then, you have to get the zipper on. Next is sewing it all together. Ouch, those needles don't feel good poking into you either. Here is a picture of all parts of the cushion before the sewing commenced.

Sorry no pictures of the process. Did I mention I really don't care to make cushion covers?! Needless to say my lack of enthusiasm dictated no pictures of this part. On to the cording! Everything was going so well. I was in the home stretch. I sewed up the double welting and started to glue away! That was when the last hiccup occurred and I screamed and screamed. Okay not really but I may have hit my head against the wall a couple of times.

After I got past my little mad spell, that is when I figured out what I did. You see, when I measured out the cording, I must have stretched it tight. Well, it is only logical that I must not have pulled it that tight when sewing the double welting because this is what I ended up with.

I dragged back out everything to sew about 4 inches of cording. Grrr!!!!! In case you forgot what she started out looking like, here is the before:

Now, hold on to your seat and say goodbye plaid.......

Not too shabby.

I'm sharing over at:

@ Miss Mustard Seed's blog

I would love to know how you think I did!

Journey down the bumpy road of upholstering

2011-05-02T18:25:00.000-04:00

That title sums up my next steps to this upholstery journey. I left you with a fabric free settee. I know your thinking just staple on the front and back fabric and call it a day but it just wasn't that easy. You see this settee is curved. The front back and back pieces of fabric were pieced together with 3 pieces sewn together. I thought no problem. I used the old fabric as a template and away I went.

First, when dealing with velvet remember to always consider the nap (which I forgot to check before sewing). Mistake number one. Lesson learned. I resewed, stapled. I was determined to not get any wrinkling around the seat back bottom of the settee around the curve. I worked, cut, worked, stapled... Took a break, then stapled on the back fabric piece for the settee. I thought for sure I was in the final stretch of this race. That is when my racing horse jumped off the track and headed me right for a tree!

I was utterly disgusted when I stood back to admire my work giving myself a premature pat on the back when I noticed how off the seams were on the seat back. I tried to live with it for next two days but I knew I would not be happy. I mean the seams were just staring at me sticking out their tongues. Can you believe it?! I was too mad to take a picture but here is where the seams were approximately.

Needless to say, I was not happy about removing the staples from the bottom back piece in order to remove all the staples holding on the seat back piece with the way off seams. Let me just say that a pneumatic stapler gets the staples in pretty darn good. After peeling away my first try with the seat back, I had learned that maybe I better make my own version instead of using the same template. I folded the bigger portion of fabric in half and cut the edges in order to obtain the same edge on both sides. Next, I pinned on the side portions with extra fabric to spare. You can always cut it off not the other way around.

After sewing the sections together, I checked, double checked, and triple checked. Then, let the stapling begin (again). I am pretty happy with the placement of the seams now. I knew that I wasn't going to be recovering this again any time soon. So, I just needed to get it right now instead of not enjoying it.

The soap opera does not end here. As with any good soap, I'm leaving you with a cliff hanger. Will the settee be finished, will it be thrown off a cliff? Tune in next time for As the Settee turns....

French settee reupholstering journey

2011-05-01T19:41:00.000-04:00

I have been working hard this past week on reupholstering my french settee. Of course, if I were a professional, it would have only taken a day but I'm not. Let me remind you of what it looks like. Here is a picture of the before as well as the slipcover I made until I got around to reupholstering it.

I loved the idea of bare wood verses the fruit wood look. Enter hand sanding. I found out pretty fast that my puny little arms couldn't hand sand the entire frame. Here is a glimpse of what I accomplished with hand sanding.

Obviously, that method would have taken forever. So, I busted out the stripper. Presenting the settee with the bare wood.

On to the upholstering! First, I've got to say I absolutely love the pneumatic stapler I got for Christmas. It is amazing how much easier upholstering was this time around. Anyways, as with any upholster project I've done so far I always think it won't be so bad. It is really only three pieces of fabric, right?! Well, this project had its hiccups too.

As with an piece, you usually start by removing the back of the piece. I had to be careful to save the fabric to use as a template later.

So, far so good. Next, I decided I wanted to be lazy and keep the decking and just replace the facing fabric only.

Did I mention that it isn't always a good idea to be lazy? Needless to say, my hand sewing skills are not the best. But using the existing fabric as a template, I sewed on my first piece of brown velvet fabric. It wasn't great but it will do.

As you can see from the picture, I then stripped off the last piece of fabric. You would think I would just need to attach two large pieces of fabric on the front and back and be done but it just isn't that easy. Stay tuned while I take you on my bumpy but rewarding upholstering journey.

Time keeps ticking away

2011-04-19T21:39:00.000-04:00

I just don't know how some of the blog gals do it. How do they find the time to work on projects and post about them daily. Oh yeah, and have time for family, work, etc, etc. Well, it is obvious that I am not one of those talented, dedicated bloggers (yet).

Of late, I have been feeling a little stressed. Now that I have a booth, I have to fill it. For the past 6 1/2 years, my only concern have been my kids and hubby. So, I have been adjusting. I'm trying to figure out how to balance searching for treasures and working to turn something into a treasure with caring for my family. So this must be what it feels like to be a working mom.

Speaking of turning something into a treasure. I found this little table at the Salvation Army. Originally, it was all black. Someone had painted over 3 strips of shelving paper. So, this is what it looked like after I stripped off the paper and paint.

Not too pretty, uh? I spray painted it Heirloom white. Cut out the roman numerals and words on contact paper with my Cricut for the stencil. After I painted on the numerals, I added a little glaze which picked up all the great imperfections with the table. Here is the close up.

This now has a spot in my booth. Hopefully someone will snatch it up because she can't live without it!

I'm sharing at:

Coffe table turned bench

2011-04-14T22:22:00.002-04:00

Okay, first let me thank you for letting me have a little vent episode. Before I share my coffee table turned bench, I'll share my find. My last post was about my dream chairs. Well, I found a compromise today at the Salvation Army. They are not exactly what I want but for $10 each they will do until I find my dream chairs again. Anyway, the first picture below is my dream chairs dashed away by a higher bidder. They are the green velvet french chairs. The second picture is the chairs I brought home today.

Now that I see the pictures like this, I admit they don't look alike but gave me a french feel. I figure a little paint and some new fabric will make these chairs last until my dream chairs show up again at a price I can afford. What do you think? Am I nuts?

Enough about the chairs. On to my project. I lugged this heavy baby out of the Salvation Army too. Not so pretty up close but I had plans.

I slapped on some paint and whipped up a cushion to turn it into this lovely bench.

Okay, I made it sound like whipping up the cushion was a breeze but not so much. Just a little friendly advice, always stop sewing when you are getting tired. Once the cushion was done, I couldn't resist making these cute little bunny pillows for Easter.

I would love to know what you think about the chairs and the bench. I'm sharing over at:

Dashed dreams

2011-04-12T22:20:00.000-04:00

So, I know I've been working on things but I just haven't found the time to post about them yet. So, instead of posting about a project, I needed to vent to some gals who probably understand. I'm sure one of you know how it feels when you find the exact piece of furniture you been dreaming of. Well, I found 2 french bergere chairs at an auction. I could see past the yellowish green velvet. They were going to look just gorgeous in my living room when I was done with them. I'm guessing you know how the story is going to end. Yes, I was out bid. I couldn't believe it when chairs went for $180 each! I mean these chairs weren't from France. I've spent the entire day being irritated that my dream chairs were so close only to have them dashed away. I know it is such a silly thing to dwell on. I know in today's world I am so very blessed. So, I guess I'll just keep dreaming of those chairs and maybe one day they'll be mine.

Sheet music craze!

2011-04-08T11:16:00.001-04:00

It is official! I've jumped on the sheet music craze. I spotted this sweet little piece at the auction.

It is always interesting how I don't notice all the flaws with a piece at the auction. When I previewed the auction, I just made sure to check the drawer. By the time I loaded it up after the auction, the drawer had been broken. Once at home and in good lighting, that is when I noticed all of the veneer issues. I tried patching all the places where the veneer was chipped but noticed the seam right in the middle of the top. I knew my original idea of slapping on some paint wouldn't turn out like I wanted. Enter sheet music. I had been inspired by Miss Mustard Seed's beautiful sheet music dresser. After painting, modge podging, distressing, glazing, and polying, here is the new and improved furniture piece....

An up close look...

I would love to know what you think. I'm sharing over at:

Edit:
Paint color is pittsburgh paint - heavy cream
Glaze is General Finishes burnt umber

Lovely white

2011-04-03T21:53:00.001-04:00

Where has spring break gone? Unfortunately, I can't say that I was enjoying an exotic location during my kids spring break. Mostly, I spent my days playing Wii, waging light saber wars, as well as refereeing
my two kids. We really did have a good week together. I can't believe I didn't squeeze in time in to post until now!

I thought I would share my latest project. I had went to the auction and came home with a cute little french prov. bed and nightstand for my new booth (insert my silly grin). It was perfectly fine as it was but for some reason I couldn't see it in a little girl's room.

Nothing is wrong with fruit wood. I just needed to change it. So I broke out the white paint. Now, I can envision a little girl jumping on the bed. Okay, maybe I can see that because I have a little girl that jumps on the exact same kind of bed.

I think it turned out pretty good. I decided to make some cute pillows to kind of make more of a display for the booth. Speaking of booth, I have a few pictures to share. I wanted to thank all the gals for the encouraging comments about my new venture. Small as it may seem, it is a pretty big deal for me.

I plan on sharing the bed makeover at:

My first sale!!!!!!

2011-03-29T20:55:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know I have disappeared for a couple of weeks but now I'm back. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I took a baby step (which seemed like a big step for me) and opened a booth. Okay, okay, a half booth. So needless to say, I was getting ready for the move in. But to keep you in suspense, I will post pictures of my booth later this week. Today you will get a sneak peek.

I'm going to share with you my first sale as a vendor:) (I'm giddy with giggles!) I purchased this desk at the auction. You can tell from the close up that it was in rough shape.

It's pretty obvious that I had to refinish the top. I painted the rest a cream. Here is where you get to see a sneak peak of my booth as well as the desk.

I am very happy with how it turned out. As of today, I sold the desk and the chair!! I would have done some cartwheels but I'm pretty sure that I would have broken my neck. I would love to know what you think.

I'm sharing this over at:

Blue Cricket Design

$5 chair

2011-03-23T22:25:00.001-04:00

Yup, another trip to the Salvation Army, another item brought home. I found this cute little frenchy chair for $5. I forgot to take a picture before I removed the seat and the peach velvet fabric.

I'm sure you all know by now that I love Miss Mustard Seed's blog. When she posted about her french chair painting technique here, I went out and bought the paint samples. I just finally stumbled upon a chair I wanted to try it on. So, here is my wanna be version of MSS's french chair technique.

What do you think??? I'm sharing over at:

Blue Cricket Design

Industrial Chic

2011-03-17T09:18:00.001-04:00

Wow! I've been working and working on projects but only have one to share with you today. Not to long ago, I went to the Goodwill Outlet store and picked up this lonely little chair.

I had a moment of nostalgia and the price was right. It reminded me of the chair my dad had in our garage when I was growing up. My sister and I spend many hours pushing each other around in it and spinning ourselves silly!

Well, I had many rounds trying to clean up about 20 years of dirt. Finally, I thought what this chair needs is a little slipcover. So, into my stash of fabric I dove. After a few pins, a couple of cuts, and a few stitches,.....drum roll please........

Love to know what you think. I'm sharing this over at:

Where have I been?!

2011-03-13T05:45:00.000-04:00

Wow! I have been totally gone from the blog world for 2 whole weeks. Don't worry. I can explain. You see life just happened. I've got some big news to share. Well, at least I think it is big news. I will be opening a booth at an antique store. Okay, not a whole booth because I'm just too chicken to get an entire 10' x 10' space all by my lonesome! The oh so nice owner said she would split a booth with me. When she offered me a space, I started doing cartwheels. Good thing it was over the phone:) Needless to say, I have been occupied with gathering items for the booth. Hopefully, I will have some projects to share in the next few days. But enough about that, I'm sure I will be spilling my anxieties about getting inventory, how to price this stuff, and all the other brand new stuff that goes with this!

The only thing I have to share are some photos I have taken for my photography class. Please keep in mind that my goal in this class was to slowly wing myself off the auto mode. I believe I am the only one that has no desire to become an actual professional photographer. So, keep that in mind when you look at these. Our assignment was to take transportation photos. (Photos are straight from the camera, no editing.)

Obviously, not a lot of people thought of feet as transportation. I had to bribe my son with a $1.50 to model for me. Anyways, thanks for letting me share my news. Hope to be back in a couple of days with some projects ready to show.

Homemade chalkboard paint and bucket

2011-02-26T14:06:00.000-05:00

So, ever since I saw Attempting Aloha's post on homemade chalkboard paint here, I've been dying to try it out. Then, I saw Freckled Laundry's tutorial for buckets with chalkboard paint here. Combine them together and you have my project.

I picked up some buckets from Target's dollar bins. You've just gotta love those bins! Next, I decided to get all fancy pants and cut out nifty labels outlines on contact paper using my cricut machine.

I proceeded to mix up my homemade chalkboard paint as directed in Attempting Aloha's post. I know the whole idea of being homemade is to customize your color but I had extra black craft paint and just had to try it now!! No waiting for me to pick just the right color. I guess I can be like my four year old when it comes to instant gratification. Anyways, I applied the paint as directed by Freckled Laundry's post. I was sooo excited. As I started to peel away the contact paper to reveal my chalkboard label, this happened.

Did I mention that I was going for instant gratification. So, I didn't really prepare the surface before painting on the bucket. Lesson learned. Take two! Made new label outlines and applied paint. Then, oops. I guess the step about priming with a piece of chalk after the paint is dry is really in there for a reason. So, much for instant gratification with this project.

Take three! I applied just a smidge more chalkboard paint to fix that problem and now I call it done!

Wow! What an idea following directions. You would never have thought that I once was a teacher. I think they turned out pretty cute.

Sharing them over at:
Frugal Friday @

TV cart to Sewing cart

2011-02-24T08:23:00.000-05:00

You've heard it many times. I love thrifting. It's that whole idea of finding an unbelievable treasure at an unheard of price. Does it usually happen for me? No. Does it stop me from the hunt? Not on your life!

On one particular thrifting trip at the Salvation Army, I stumbled upon an old TV cart for $4. In an instant, I knew what I could do with it. I have been keeping my sewing machine and serger in the corner on the floor of our bonus room upstairs forever now. Apparently, it bothered my husband so much that he kept putting them into our attic storage. What better to do with this old TV cart than turn it into a sewing cart (even better that the TV cart is on wheels). When I took the picture, I already removed the wheels.

First order of business was to spray paint the frame and cover the shelves with contact paper. Hubby was nice enough to reinforce the bottom shelf to hold the weight of both machines (notice the unsightly screws). He's good like that!

I originally was going to use the contact paper on both shelves that you see above but decided it was a little too busy for the top. I luckily was able to find white contact paper being discontinued at my local dollar store. I was able to snatch up a 1.5 yd roll for only 25 cents!!

Next on the agenda was to make a nice little skirt to hide the sewing machine and serger on the bottom shelf. I had some extra fabric and lace in my stash of fabrics. I would have liked to make a more gathered skirt but I was trying to keep it on the cheap side by using what I already had.

So $4.25 later, I have a prettier storage solution for my sewing machine and serger. Hopefully, hubby won't wheel it into the attic storage now! I plan on revamping my sewing basket to put on the top shelf. I might even put a vase with flowers.

I'm sharing over at:

Scrabble Tile Pendants tutorial

2011-02-21T17:03:00.001-05:00

Last week I had a group of gal pals over for a craft night. We had a great time. Not too long ago I posted about my soldered necklace pendant. Well, I introduced a couple girls to the soldering iron. But just in case they didn't feel up to that, I had plan B.

Plan B was making some adorable scrabble tile necklace pendants.

All you need is:

Art work (I made mine on photoshop elements and printed it out onto a laser copy @ Kinko's), scrabble tiles ($3.99 @ Michael's), glue-on necklace bails (@ Hobby Lobby in fused work area), diamond glaze (Achiever's), glue stick, E6000, sand block, and black sharpie marker.

I decided a photo tutorial would be best for visual gals like me!

Now, just enjoy your own creation!

I'm sharing over at:

Waste not, want not...Part 2

2011-02-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the absence. The weather has warmed up a little and I have been enjoying it.

I have been recycling parts from my kids broken down chalkboard/dry erase board art easel. I previously took the tray from the chalkboard/dry erase board and transformed it into a magnetic board. Well, here is what I had left.

I took an old empty frame only and the chalkboard side of easel.

I cut down chalkboard to fit the frame size, added a little pink pizazz, put them together, and now baby girl has a new chalkboard.

You got to love using what you have! So, I could have thrown away an art easel. Instead, I repurposed and now have a magnetic board and chalkboard!

I plan on cutting up the remainder of the chalkboard and making little chalkboard labels for baskets. Also, hubby is going to use all of those colorful strips of wood that was the frame of the art easel to use as supports for some sagging shelves. The only thing I will wind up throwing away is the warped dry erase board. Before you toss something, ask yourself is it all a piece of trash or just part of it!

I'm sharing over at:

Waste not, want not...

2011-02-09T10:19:00.002-05:00

I'm sure you have all had something that has lived out it's life expectancy. Well, that is what was happening to my kids chalkboard/dry erase easel. The dry erase board was warped beyond repair. So, why throw away all of it when there is still some salvageable parts?!

Here is the best picture I could find of a similar art easel to ours.

Step 1. I disassembled the chalkboard. Got the tray and spray painted it black.

Step 2. I bought metal to make a magnetic board for top. Lucky for me I had a gift card. This has made this project free for me.

Step 3. Used my Dremel 200 for the first time to cut metal down to size. I have to say I felt pretty powerful since sparks were flying. Normally, I would have run away. After I cut the metal, I glued down the metal with Liquid Nail. Let it dry over night.

Step 4. Since I didn't achieve a straight cut on the bottom, I glued on black ribbon to hide the jagged edge. I put 2 hook screws on and made pretty magnets using glass marble things and scrapbook paper. Here you have my new magnetic board. All I have to do is figure out just where I want to put it.

Stay tuned in to see what else I do with the rest of the disassembled art easel!

I'll be showing off my recycled art easel tray turned magnetic board over at:

@ Thrifty Decor Chick

Miss Mustard Seed: Copy Me Challenge

2011-02-05T17:42:00.000-05:00

You probably already know. Miss Mustard Seed has begun her Copy Me! Challenge. So, I am going to enter the post from here from a previous project that was totally inspired by her. You should go check it out all of the great projects at Miss Mustard Seed's

Union Jack Pillow

2011-02-02T12:11:00.001-05:00

Union jack pillows are everywhere. I don't know if you have been seeing them but I couldn't get them out of my head! I've seen some really cute ones out there in blog land. Seeing that last night we were suppose to get blasted with ice and snow, I decided it would be a great time to make one. Unfortunately, I didn't have the right fabrics to make it like the ones that inspired me. So, I did the next best thing. Drag out drop cloth fabric and craft paint.

It was a little tricky cutting out the union jack flag with freezer paper. Here is a shot of the freezer paper ironed on before the painting fun started.

Here it is completed.

For those of you who know the flag well, you can probably spot my mistake. Mistake and all, I love how it turned out. It did require a lot of craft paint and may not feel the softest but it will do the job in a pillow fight. When the weather lets up, I might wonder out and get fabric to make a different version. Maybe I'll do a little UK pillow display.

Linking up at:

Winter blues

2011-01-31T17:08:00.000-05:00

I cannot tell you how tired I am of the snow and cold. To top it off, we have ice moving in tonight. I am tempted to do some tanning bed light therapy. Okay, not really, but I could use about 5 full days of sunshine. In all of my dreaming of spring, I decided to introduce a little bit of living flowers in my decor.

My flowers of choice are paperwhites just for the fact that they are white. I pulled out a couple of different things to plant the bulbs in.

It has only taken about 2 weeks to grow. I am thoroughly enjoying seeing them grow. It makes me really want spring to hurry up and get here!

I am especially enjoying them on top of my jelly cabinet. I had to rig up the wooden box thing with plastic lunch bags to plant the bulbs in there. I'm lovin' it! Seeing the green stems with the blooms just starting to poke out has me dreaming of warmer days ahead!

Going to show some spring love at: