tables

I've aquired several tables that I've been working on lately.  While many are still in the base coat stage some are almost ready for delivery to Home Again where I sell my work.  Little tables always sell well for me so I like to keep plenty in the works.

I think I will add a small stencil in the center.  It's hard to tell but the base of this is white and the top is cream with metallic gold stenciling.  All it needs is a coat of dark wax.

The top of this is leather that was stained and ugly, I decoupaged the top with pieces of brown paper bags and glue.  One more coat of sealer and it is good to go.

The bottom of this is a charming group of  cherubs.  The top is cheap looking marbled MDF and looks really nasty.  I will paint a wood round to look like marble to replace what is ugly and chipped.

Yep that tag says $8 and I got 20% off so it is worth a try to make this look new and beautiful.

week end fun

No kitchen update this week.  We spent the weekend in the big city visiting with kids and grand kids, the very best kind of fun.  Saturday we had the opportunity to visit the St Louis Vintage Market Days.  It was a chilly morning but the rain held off.  The white tents extended out at least a half mile on both sides of the main walk way.  Every kind of vintage wares you could hope for were beautifully displayed.  They really discourage you from taking pictures but I did make several sketches for new products after I got back to the car. Yes the prices were high but I went most to check out ideas and see what's new in the vintage world.  I've thought and talked about throwing a  vintage show in this area for several years now.  If I want to do it this is the time, now I just have to find the cash to develop it.  I only bought one treasure this beautiful aluminum basket.  It would look great with flowers, I could pile it with  new mail or I might use it for  napkins for our next dinner party.  I've never seen one like this so for me at $12 it was a real score.

weekend fun

Now that the weather is getting nicer it's time for some outdoor fun.  A small town close to home has the Red Barn Market every April.  There are dealers inside the barn and out ready to sell the latest crafts and antiques.  It's always a nice mix and a fun morning to hang out with friends.  My friend Kathy bought a great glider and I picked up some small garden baskets and planters.  I never spend much money here but I always find a bargain or two or in this case five.

The building is an actual barn and the stalls are used for each booth.

Where there are shoppers there must be food.  

treasures

Sometimes people just want to get rid of things and I'm really glad when they think of me as a junk collector.  Last week my friend Kathy was helping her coworker Larry clean out his theater class prop room.  You would not believe all the treasures she brought.  One day she showed up with her tiny car stuffed to the roof with bags of linens, pillows and household decor.  Most of that went straight into my van and was delivered to the Habitat Restore.  They were thrilled  to get it, stock is very low.  She also brought several pieces of furniture for me to redo and sell.  This is just one of the goodies that appeared.  This cabinet, desk, secretary is one of the most unusual pieces I've ever seen.  Painted white and antiqued it may need to live here.  i have enough projects to last all summer.

kitchen update

I should only need to do these updates for a couple more weeks.  We are getting very close to being done.  all the basics are finished.  The only big projects that are not done are the over the table light, trim around the top of the cabinets,slide out can cabinet, a few slide out baskets and a mini pull out in the corner to hold cookie sheets.  This week AH got the pot rack up along with with the pendant lights.  The pot rack is an old metal wheel that belonged to my Mom.  It had been hanging out in my stash(aka junk pile) for years.  No Mom you can not have it back.  This thing is heavy and required plenty of extra support in the attic so we don't worry about us it falling.  It's so sturdy I think any of the grand kids could swing on it.  AH wanted to make it spin around but I didn't think that was such a good idea.  The pendant lights are from Lowes, I really like the clean lines.  All I need are a few hooks and I can hang up all the pans.  They seem to stay in a jumbled mess in the cabinets.

fab fabrics

I just had to do a little sprucing up in the living room so it looks as good as the new kitchen.  When we were in the big city visiting  my parents, of course Mom and I had to make a trip to Joann's.  I had seen a fabric in a magazine earlier this spring that I thought would be great for new pillows in the living room.  Yea, they had it at 40% off.  At $50 per yard even on sale it was still pricey.  I bought a yard and got three pillows out of it.  I also found the panels of the butterfly and hummer.  The pictures don't do justice to how beautiful the colors are in the fabric.  A little painting and possibly a chair recovered and I'll reveal the new living room look.

I made these panels into two 24" pillows using a cream solid for the backs.

Spring is springing

A few warm days and flowers are popping up every where.  The daffodils and tulips are blooming and my green house plants are really growing.  They should be ready for planting by mothers day.  I haven't been able to work outside much due to the remodeling we have going on.  I do intend to spend at least an hour every day this next week cleaning out beds and cutting back plants.

zinnias and sunflowers

dill and basil

I love pink tulips

daffy

There is no oter spring flower that smells as great as hyacinth 

kitchen update

It's at least a functional kitchen with power, water and all the appliances working.  AH took a few days off and we really hit it hard, putting in 10-12 hour days trying to get as much possible done.  It's days like these past few when I really wish we lived in a larger town so we could at least get food delivered.  Even in the middle of a huge project you still have to eat, do laundry and  take care of the pets..  Thank goodness for deli goodies, leftovers and frozen foods.  We have made amazing progress over the past week.  I even let a couple of the neighbors take a sneak peek.  The power is hooked up and we have more than one outlet working, the sink is finished with tilt outs, sliding baskets and a garbage disposal.  The major lights have been moved almost all the tools are out of the house. The biggest change is the tile is finished.  We've worked our buns off and the results are starting to show.

This side of the cabinets was painted white to match the bead board along the back of the cabinet.

High compliments from my SIL.  She says the room is bright and sunny despite the black cabinets.

close up of tile, the grout is grey to hide dirt.

tile looks great with cabinets and counter top.  The chains that are in almost every picture were from the ladder pot rack  they're gone now.  Just wait til you see what we are doing over the sink cabinet.

Not much on the counters yet, I'm going for a less crowded look.  That may not last long.

star burst mirror

Star burst mirrors are still a hot decorating item.  I decided I wanted one for the living room to bring a little sparkle and black into the room.  A 7" mirror, 1'8" dowels, skewers, spray paint, glue E6000, 2" and 1/2" mirrors and a small piece of foam core and a little time and it was done.  Just glue the large mirror to a circle of foam core 1/2" smaller.  On another circle the same size glue the dowels and skewers in a random or lined up pattern, spray paint after the the glue is dried. I cut the skewers 2" and 4" shorter that the dowels for added interest. Do 2-3 light coats instead of 1 heavy one to avoid runs.  When everything is dry glue the circles together.  I put a piece of wire between the two layers as a hanger. Add the additional mirrors stabilizing with tape to hold them in place until everything is dry.  Hang and enjoy.  Cost of the mirrors and dowels under $8, I already had everything else.

princess for a day

My friend Kathy has be helping her school theater department put on musicals for 15 years.  Last week was the last one, she is retiring in June.  The kids did a great job on Cinderella and they made a lovely presentation along with a cake and punch reception after the last show.  She works endless hours getting the shows ready and I know Larry the producer/director will miss her a bunch.  Congratulations Kathy, I know you will miss being invoked, but retirement will give us more time to go play.

meet the family

Yes it's Monday, but there is no kitchen update this week.  We spent time in the big city visiting with family over the holiday weekend and nothing got done most of last week.  AH has finally agreed to take some vacation time the end of this week so we can make some serious progress on the kitchen.  We probably won't get done but should come close aside from the little things and the floor.  The floor won't be refinished until it is warmer and I can be gone.  The poly makes me sick for days.
We had a great time with my parents, sister and family and brother and girl friend over Easter. We can't forget the reason we are celebrating is Christ dying  for us. Where would we be without that forgiveness and promise of eternal life?  We are a strange, goofy bunch and along with great food and conversation there was so much teasing and laughter.  I know I am so blessed that we don't have the drama, grudges and fighting so many families thrive on.  We certainly don't agree on many things but we know we love each other and that's what counts the most.

Paula and Bernie.  The devil horns are from my brother, I have few pictures where he isn't doing something like this.

Rick and Christine, I think she is still a little overwhelmed by us.

Mom and Dad, he's ready for his shrimp Alfredo.

Andy and I

A perfect stranger took this pic, he just kind of got drafted because he was nearby.

Roxy the sheep dog

Hollie is so sweet and quiet she almost gets over run by this noisy bunch.

Matt, Paula's son being cool or trying to nap, not sure witch.

Mom and Dad with Tyler and Braden, Matt's  sons

Instant center piece

Brightening up a dull spot and bringing in a touch of spring is not difficult, time consuming  or expensive.  Just two silk flowering stems in a re-purposed wine bottle do the trick.  Just be sure to bend most of your branches so they look more natural.  You would need to look very close to see these were not the real thing.  This week I'll cut some red bud, forsythia and peach branches and bring them in to force.

A touch of spring

We had a tease of spring a couple of weeks ago then it got cold again.  What better way to brighten the winter blahs than a visit to a green house.  Prairie Gardens/ Jeffery Alan's had an open house this last week end.  I love walking in a warm sun filled  green house dreaming of every thing I could buy and plant.  Then reality hits and I picked up just a few things to brighten up the house and plant outside early.  I bought pansies, primroses and a few herbs.

pansies and johnny jump ups in a chamber pot

I refinished these containers from a very drab olive to this antique white.  I'll plant the herbs when I have more time

Primrose in a little yellow drawer will brighten a table or shelf

What do you do to make your home feel like spring?