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