Memories are interesting things.
Stirred by scents, sounds, pictures or just a name or phrase.
The last few days have been full of so many memories for me.
Asbury Park......where my Mom was born and where my brothers and sisters and I spent such a great part of our life. We walked to the boardwalk to watch fireworks on the beach on the 4th of July. We ice skated on Sunset Lake. My best friend and I rode the train from Belmar to Asbury Park to visit my Granny after we moved to Wall Township. There was a bakery right by the train station and forever the smell I associate with Asbury Park is fresh bread. We went around the block to the little shop on Deal Lake to buy soda or ice cream. We roller skated on the slate sidewalks surrounding her house...which were also great for drawing hopscotch grids. My Uncle Ernie and his wife lived around the corner. We rode the big carousel at the Casino, and ate clams on the half shell at the seafood restaurant across from the Casino where some aunts waited tables. I saw The Sound of Music in the big fancy movie theater there. I had lunch with my Mother once in Steinbachs department store downtown. I was too young to be hanging around the Stone Pony but obviously missed a big part of Rock and Roll history due to my age! And, sadly, my sister passed away nearby at only 17. I wish I could see that house again and walk around the block once more.
Memories........
Long Branch........where my dear Aunt Mary lived with her family. My Granny's sister with the most beautiful cotton candy pure white hair. I babysat for her grandchildren once or twice. She was so special to me. Her house was a low, modern style.....so different from my Granny's three story Craftsman style. Aunt Mary was slender and lovely...smoking cigarettes with her long red fingernails and drinking endless cups of tea with my Granny and me. I loved being with them and listening to their stories. Her husband, Uncle Sonny, owned a Shell station and would give my Mom free fill ups....which we surely needed. He had big dark circles under his eyes and I thought he looked like a gangster.
Memories.........
Neptune........where my Uncle Ernie and his family lived. I lived with them for two summers because he was a single Dad (pretty unusual in the 60's) and needed a sitter for his three girls while he worked. We played baseball in the street, hide and seek in the evening and canasta at the kitchen table. I caught some grease on fire in the kitchen trying to make dinner one night. He lived in a split level and the lower level was my heaven sent spot. Cool during the day (in the days before central AC) and wall to wall books. I spent hours reading there. On the weekends it became a den of card sharks with Uncle Ernie, cousin Mary Jane (Aunt Mary's daughter), her husband Ritchie (whom I had a crush on), and the single guy from across the street ( who I think had a crush on my uncle) playing pinochle or bridge for hours. We were tasked with keeping drinks and snacks coming and generally not bothering the adults.
Those were two wonderful, relaxing summers away from the chaos that was my family.
Memories........
Absecon......the small town where I met my husband. Just outside Atlantic City on "the mainland". My Mom moved us into an apartment over a gift shop....just down the street from my future father-in-law's TV store. One of my first dates with my husband was going to the famous Steel Pier. He told stories of going to Blatt's department store with his grandmother and having lunch on the mezzanine.....not a common event these days. I took my sister, before she died, to lunch on the mezzanine to do something special with her. I was already married by then and didn't see her much. But, she was living in Asbury Park and rode the bus up to spend the weekend with me. It was the last time I saw her. Absecon was the first place I became involved in school activities, due to my husband and his friends. I went to basketball games, helped decorate for dances, went on double dates with his friends and went ice skating on Lily Lake. When I became pregnant, not having money for a doctor, I drove into Atlantic City to go to the free clinic. Both my girls were born in Atlantic City Hospital. There are many memories of graduations, marriages, births and deaths. We still have friends and family there and are glad that they are safe.
Memories.....
There are so many other familiar names...Red Bank, Point Pleasant, Ocean City, Belmar, Wildwood, Manasquan, Cape May.....and many more.
I lived equally as long in Florida but those memories are less strong because we simply moved around various parts of Fl and never had an established place to create memories. My brothers and sisters have much stronger ties because they ended up staying there for the majority of their lives. Most of them still live there.
This week...seeing the familiar names in the news has brought back a flood of memories...good and not so good.
But, I'm happy that those I know and care about are safe.
I pray that some of the things that gave us these memories can be rebuilt and help make new memories for those that follow.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Antique Table Makeover Using a Heat Transfer
Just sharing some of the recent furniture makeovers I did for the Home Sale I had on Hurricane Sandy weekend.....
Yup....
You heard me....
My timing is just a teeny tiny bit AWFUL.....
Anyway....not much traffic and NO FURNITURE SOLD.....
Luckily, I had planned to also use my garage and had a tent in the driveway so when it started to rain....we moved under the tent and inside the garage.
But.....
Needless to say, there was a slight rollover effect from the weather!
SIGH......
Oh well......I'm determined to not give up......just yet....
This was one of my favorite pieces from the sale...
An antique table that was missing the veneer top.....
First, I sanded down the top smoothly, filled the cracks and gave it a nice coat of ASCP Pure White.
I chose this graphic from the Graphics Fairy ( I added the PARIS part) and decided to use the heat transfer method.
Have you tried this yet? it's not hard but it's not fast. Now, it's faster than hand painting and if you don't have a stencil to use, then this is a good option for transfer.
All you need is a tiny iron....like this
Or this handy Martha Stewart tool that I decided to buy.
I already had a small iron but I wanted this tiny heated point for cutting my own stencils so I decided to buy the MS one too.
A girl can never have too many teeny irons...right?
Laser print your graphic in mirror image. Position it and tape it down. Heat your iron up and start to apply heat. I counted 20 sec in each spot before moving on.......this took about 1/2 hour. As I said....faster than hand painting.
You can easily peel up a spot to see how it's coming out and lay it back down and apply more heat. I found that heat is the main factor.....not rubbing. When I reached the point that heat alone didn't seen to be changing anything, I rubbed with the hot iron and found I was able to transfer some more of the graphic.
You are definitely going to get an aged look with this....the entire graphic won't transfer....but that's exactly the look I want 98% of the time so that's good.
Once the graphic was on, I used some AS dark wax to get the finish I wanted.
Then I moved on to the base of the table.
I had already used a spray primer because I have NEVER had an old mahogany table that did not bleed through ANY kind of paint I have used.....even spray paint. So, spray primer went on first.
Then it was time to try another of the MMS Milk Paint colors!
I used Typewriter for this table and was super pleased with the result!
Two coats.....the primer kept it from chipping although I did go over it with a scraper to see what happened.
As a final touch, I added 1890 to the bottom shelf.
Since there was no chipping, I sanded back a few strategic spots and used MMS antiquing wax on the sanded spots and the furniture wax on the rest.
Love how it turned out! Lots of compliments......just no buyer!
I'll show you a few more things in the next few days!
Be safe!
For those in the hardest hit areas...prayers for quick recovery!Pin It
Yup....
You heard me....
My timing is just a teeny tiny bit AWFUL.....
Anyway....not much traffic and NO FURNITURE SOLD.....
Luckily, I had planned to also use my garage and had a tent in the driveway so when it started to rain....we moved under the tent and inside the garage.
But.....
Needless to say, there was a slight rollover effect from the weather!
SIGH......
Oh well......I'm determined to not give up......just yet....
This was one of my favorite pieces from the sale...
An antique table that was missing the veneer top.....
First, I sanded down the top smoothly, filled the cracks and gave it a nice coat of ASCP Pure White.
I chose this graphic from the Graphics Fairy ( I added the PARIS part) and decided to use the heat transfer method.
Have you tried this yet? it's not hard but it's not fast. Now, it's faster than hand painting and if you don't have a stencil to use, then this is a good option for transfer.
All you need is a tiny iron....like this
Or this handy Martha Stewart tool that I decided to buy.
I already had a small iron but I wanted this tiny heated point for cutting my own stencils so I decided to buy the MS one too.
A girl can never have too many teeny irons...right?
Laser print your graphic in mirror image. Position it and tape it down. Heat your iron up and start to apply heat. I counted 20 sec in each spot before moving on.......this took about 1/2 hour. As I said....faster than hand painting.
You can easily peel up a spot to see how it's coming out and lay it back down and apply more heat. I found that heat is the main factor.....not rubbing. When I reached the point that heat alone didn't seen to be changing anything, I rubbed with the hot iron and found I was able to transfer some more of the graphic.
You are definitely going to get an aged look with this....the entire graphic won't transfer....but that's exactly the look I want 98% of the time so that's good.
Once the graphic was on, I used some AS dark wax to get the finish I wanted.
Then I moved on to the base of the table.
I had already used a spray primer because I have NEVER had an old mahogany table that did not bleed through ANY kind of paint I have used.....even spray paint. So, spray primer went on first.
Then it was time to try another of the MMS Milk Paint colors!
I used Typewriter for this table and was super pleased with the result!
Two coats.....the primer kept it from chipping although I did go over it with a scraper to see what happened.
As a final touch, I added 1890 to the bottom shelf.
Since there was no chipping, I sanded back a few strategic spots and used MMS antiquing wax on the sanded spots and the furniture wax on the rest.
Love how it turned out! Lots of compliments......just no buyer!
I'll show you a few more things in the next few days!
Be safe!
For those in the hardest hit areas...prayers for quick recovery!Pin It
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Using MMS Milk Paint
I have a confession to make.
Even though I am a VENDOR for MMS Milk Paint, I've been slow to get busy using it.....
It's embarrassing!
Anyway, I actually have begun breaking out some of the stock so I can use it myself.
Today I finished a wall hutch....which I want to keep....
But....
I AM having a sale this weekend here at the house and I just can't keep everything.....
Not that I'll cry big tears if it doesn't sell....I love how it turned out.....
I will tell you that the absolute BEST thing I love about this paint is the chippy finish I can attain.
Most of the time the really great chippy stuff is too far out of my price range or it's just so dilapidated that it won't fit in with my style. I like the prim look but I only go so far in this house.
This paint lets me get the look I so love without the rotted wood...I consider that a GOOD thing.
I did use it once before you'll remember...on this....and I was really happy with the result.
This time I did something different, so here's the back story.
I have a love/hate relationship with crackle. I never seem to get that video instructional look. The instructions say, "apply evenly before the final coat of paint...wait until it feels tacky and then apply the final coat." Sounds moronically simple to me but I never seem to do it right. I know what tacky feels like....I even know what tacky looks like and I could show you some pictures that would curl your hair....but that's another post.......
This time, I thought I'd try MMS Crackle because it would be a GOOD thing if I knew what I was talking about when I'm selling it myself!! sheesh....
So, I coated it first with MMS Shutter Grey, let it dry and then painted on the crackle.
Now, here's the annoying part. Unless you are an amazing painter who works at lightening speed, the crackle is not going to be drying the same all over. Anywhere tucked inside...like the back wall or the corners....will not be (that dreaded word) tacky when, for example, the sides are tacky. So, for the next half hour, while I worked on other things, I kept going over to touch various spots to see if it was "tacky". Suffice it to say that I painted the parts I thought were tacky and waited for the rest to achieve that mysterious condition.
I left it overnight and came out to find......almost nothing...as usual.....
Oh, a couple small areas were "crackling" but nothing like what I hoped.
So, I took out the scraper and went for a chippy look.
I'm not a quitter....I'll try it again....this time while the crackle is more wet. If you have any words of wisdom, I'm happy to listen.
So, back to the cabinet. After some vigorous scraping.....remember, it doesn't chip quite as easily with that previous coat of paint underneath.......I was really getting pleased with the results!
I was getting some nice chippiness and you could see both the grey and the brown original finish.
I added a bit of the antiquing wax to the wood areas and then finished off with a nice coat of the furniture wax...which smells sort of spicy by the way....nice...
I don't have it hanging here in the pics because it's going on sale this weekend at my home show, but I think you can still get an idea of how nice it came out!
I left the back walls grey and the ironstone really shows well against that don't you think?
Maybe I'll get to keep it! Just don't tell my husband.
The point of this is to SELL OFF this stuff....sigh.......
Remember, you can order MMS paint using the Storenvy button at the top of the page! Use the "colors" link in the header to see all the shades on actual pieces of furniture.
Here's a few of the pics.....
Pin It
Even though I am a VENDOR for MMS Milk Paint, I've been slow to get busy using it.....
It's embarrassing!
Anyway, I actually have begun breaking out some of the stock so I can use it myself.
Today I finished a wall hutch....which I want to keep....
But....
I AM having a sale this weekend here at the house and I just can't keep everything.....
Not that I'll cry big tears if it doesn't sell....I love how it turned out.....
I will tell you that the absolute BEST thing I love about this paint is the chippy finish I can attain.
Most of the time the really great chippy stuff is too far out of my price range or it's just so dilapidated that it won't fit in with my style. I like the prim look but I only go so far in this house.
This paint lets me get the look I so love without the rotted wood...I consider that a GOOD thing.
I did use it once before you'll remember...on this....and I was really happy with the result.
This time I did something different, so here's the back story.
I have a love/hate relationship with crackle. I never seem to get that video instructional look. The instructions say, "apply evenly before the final coat of paint...wait until it feels tacky and then apply the final coat." Sounds moronically simple to me but I never seem to do it right. I know what tacky feels like....I even know what tacky looks like and I could show you some pictures that would curl your hair....but that's another post.......
This time, I thought I'd try MMS Crackle because it would be a GOOD thing if I knew what I was talking about when I'm selling it myself!! sheesh....
So, I coated it first with MMS Shutter Grey, let it dry and then painted on the crackle.
Now, here's the annoying part. Unless you are an amazing painter who works at lightening speed, the crackle is not going to be drying the same all over. Anywhere tucked inside...like the back wall or the corners....will not be (that dreaded word) tacky when, for example, the sides are tacky. So, for the next half hour, while I worked on other things, I kept going over to touch various spots to see if it was "tacky". Suffice it to say that I painted the parts I thought were tacky and waited for the rest to achieve that mysterious condition.
I left it overnight and came out to find......almost nothing...as usual.....
Oh, a couple small areas were "crackling" but nothing like what I hoped.
So, I took out the scraper and went for a chippy look.
I'm not a quitter....I'll try it again....this time while the crackle is more wet. If you have any words of wisdom, I'm happy to listen.
So, back to the cabinet. After some vigorous scraping.....remember, it doesn't chip quite as easily with that previous coat of paint underneath.......I was really getting pleased with the results!
I was getting some nice chippiness and you could see both the grey and the brown original finish.
I don't have it hanging here in the pics because it's going on sale this weekend at my home show, but I think you can still get an idea of how nice it came out!
I left the back walls grey and the ironstone really shows well against that don't you think?
Maybe I'll get to keep it! Just don't tell my husband.
The point of this is to SELL OFF this stuff....sigh.......
Remember, you can order MMS paint using the Storenvy button at the top of the page! Use the "colors" link in the header to see all the shades on actual pieces of furniture.
Here's a few of the pics.....
Pin It
Friday, October 19, 2012
Sunrise on the Creek
Even in the midst of the most difficult times in our lives we can know that God is there.
Every single day...
for as long as there has been knowledge and awareness of such things.....
He has caused
the sun to rise and set
the moon to shine at night
waves to come in and out
babies to be born
trees to leaf and drop their leaves
flowers to unfurl
and
rivers to flow
Even in the midst of despair so great that we think we cannot breathe or walk or eat or sleep or function at all.....He gives us the hope of consistency.
Consistency defies upheaval.
Consistency creates some sense of balance and order.
God's creation will always restore us if we notice it and take comfort in it.
I remember reading The Hiding Place many years ago. Corrie ten Boom's wonderful, heart wrenching, hopeful and restorative book about her and her family's dedication to God during the horrible period of the Holocaust. She is in Auschwitz with her sister and the despair all about them is great. They are in the dirt compound, surrounded by barbed wire, guards and the walking skeletons of their fellow prisoners. Suddenly, on the ground they spot a small dandelion which has sprouted in the midst of this horror. The consistency of God's creation was evident before them. His presence was confirmed and assured. No horror that man can wreak upon man can fight the eternal goodness and love that Our Father has for us. Our despair is fleeting in comparison to the eternal hope we find in Him. Out of despair comes growth and strength.
We can fly away from this moment and find freedom from our despair and pain by remembering that tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that....
we will see the sun rise.....
Pin It
Every single day...
for as long as there has been knowledge and awareness of such things.....
He has caused
the sun to rise and set
the moon to shine at night
waves to come in and out
babies to be born
trees to leaf and drop their leaves
flowers to unfurl
and
rivers to flow
Consistency defies upheaval.
Consistency creates some sense of balance and order.
God's creation will always restore us if we notice it and take comfort in it.
I remember reading The Hiding Place many years ago. Corrie ten Boom's wonderful, heart wrenching, hopeful and restorative book about her and her family's dedication to God during the horrible period of the Holocaust. She is in Auschwitz with her sister and the despair all about them is great. They are in the dirt compound, surrounded by barbed wire, guards and the walking skeletons of their fellow prisoners. Suddenly, on the ground they spot a small dandelion which has sprouted in the midst of this horror. The consistency of God's creation was evident before them. His presence was confirmed and assured. No horror that man can wreak upon man can fight the eternal goodness and love that Our Father has for us. Our despair is fleeting in comparison to the eternal hope we find in Him. Out of despair comes growth and strength.
We can fly away from this moment and find freedom from our despair and pain by remembering that tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that....
we will see the sun rise.....
Pin It
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A Little Thanks
We all like a little thanks now and then....don't we?
I say a lot of "thank you's" as I'm sure you do....everyday....multiple times.....
Today I want to say a little "Thank You" to some dear blogger friends who have been nice enough to inquire about my sudden disappearance here.
My life has been a little bit overwhelming the past few months.
Things are better now but once I stopped posting everyday it just seemed like I couldn't.....
I don't know why but I just felt like I had nothing to say....
or show you....
or teach about.....
or anything.
Sometimes life is just.....well......bittersweet
We've all been there one time or another...nothing special about me....
I tried a bit.....
I threw a few things up last month when I did some Fall decorating and it was fun....really. But, the decorating is done and after that, I just stopped....again.
This is to tell you not to worry about me or this little blog.
I am keeping myself SO busy....just not with things I think are interesting enough to blog about!
AND...I am reading your blogs...sometimes I even comment too. All of you are so tremendously creative and energetic that it is inspiring!! I'm enjoying seeing all that is happening out there!!
Last weekend I put together a small "set" for an event in a nearby city....I created a NYC alley from the '50's.......on $78.....free labor.....what can I say...I love theater work.....and I was happy to do it....
This weekend I'm doing a small wedding for a young couple in our church.....30 yards of burlap.....30 Mason jars......and more free labor.....but they're so cute and they don't have much money and they want to start their marriage debt free.....how can I NOT help kids with THOSE ideals? Again, I'm happy to do it....
I am having an occasional sale here at the house next weekend.....furniture, music sheet wreaths, holiday decor, vintage finds.......hopefully NOT free labor this time!
I've been busy shipping off paint orders.
Mixed in was a funeral, family illness, school events, visits from family and a going away party.
See....BUSY, BUSY.....I'm an advocate of diving into life when it starts to give you problems. Helping others and keeping busy will keep the shadows at bay more often than not. It's not running from issues or refusing to face them.
It's knowing when the issues are not something in your control and refusing to sit and dwell on them.
So THANKS and keep me on your blogroll....
I'll be back...(thanks Arnold for the inspiring words)
Pin It
"Thanks for dinner, Mom"
"Thanks for picking me up, Mom"
Thanks for bringing a drink to someone;
thanks for holding the door for someone,
thanks to the cashier before you walk away,
thanks to the weary UPS guy who says "what is all this stuff anyway?"
(LOL.....I sell paint, I say...apologetically).......
Thanks to the teacher who takes time to let you know how your child is doing with personal responsibility......
Thanks to your husband who pays unseen bills, changes car oil, fills tires, drags the overloaded trash can out in the rain.........
Today I want to say a little "Thank You" to some dear blogger friends who have been nice enough to inquire about my sudden disappearance here.
It REALLY DOES mean quite a lot
(my college English professor told me "a lot" was a piece of property
so stop using it...yes sir, right away sir)
a great deal to me that you noticed.
honest.
cross my fingers and hope to die.
it really does.
My life has been a little bit overwhelming the past few months.
Things are better now but once I stopped posting everyday it just seemed like I couldn't.....
I don't know why but I just felt like I had nothing to say....
or show you....
or teach about.....
or anything.
Sometimes life is just.....well......bittersweet
We've all been there one time or another...nothing special about me....
I tried a bit.....
I threw a few things up last month when I did some Fall decorating and it was fun....really. But, the decorating is done and after that, I just stopped....again.
This is to tell you not to worry about me or this little blog.
I am keeping myself SO busy....just not with things I think are interesting enough to blog about!
AND...I am reading your blogs...sometimes I even comment too. All of you are so tremendously creative and energetic that it is inspiring!! I'm enjoying seeing all that is happening out there!!
Last weekend I put together a small "set" for an event in a nearby city....I created a NYC alley from the '50's.......on $78.....free labor.....what can I say...I love theater work.....and I was happy to do it....
This weekend I'm doing a small wedding for a young couple in our church.....30 yards of burlap.....30 Mason jars......and more free labor.....but they're so cute and they don't have much money and they want to start their marriage debt free.....how can I NOT help kids with THOSE ideals? Again, I'm happy to do it....
I am having an occasional sale here at the house next weekend.....furniture, music sheet wreaths, holiday decor, vintage finds.......hopefully NOT free labor this time!
I've been busy shipping off paint orders.
Mixed in was a funeral, family illness, school events, visits from family and a going away party.
See....BUSY, BUSY.....I'm an advocate of diving into life when it starts to give you problems. Helping others and keeping busy will keep the shadows at bay more often than not. It's not running from issues or refusing to face them.
It's knowing when the issues are not something in your control and refusing to sit and dwell on them.
Time to move on....life awaits...
(I think I'll make a sign out of that)
(or have it tattooed on the inside of my eyelids)
So THANKS and keep me on your blogroll....
I'll be back...(thanks Arnold for the inspiring words)
Pin It
Monday, October 8, 2012
Table Centerpiece
I promised to show you some more areas of the living room getting the Fall treatment.
You've seen the mantel already.
Here is the arrangement I did for the coffee table.
I found this rustic box when I went up to Amherst Va for a show. My SIL is the best at finding junk shops and she took me to one of her favorites. I found this box, a large old rusty pot lid that I want to paint something on (someday) and that little white bench I used on the back porch.
I knew as soon as I saw it that this box would work great on my kitchen island, where I had it for a short bit......too crowded...or the coffee table...it's new home.
Don't you love that pierced copper candle cover? It fits perfectly around the large oval Colonial candles that I love. I found it a couple years ago at Home Goods and there was only one. Ever since, I always look in the candle section hoping to find another!
Do you do that?
I have several items that I wish I could find more of and am always keeping them in the back of my mind when I'm there.....occasionally, I score another one and it's always a nice surprise.
But, so far, no more copper candle covers......
You can see a bit of this buffet behind the sofa. I didn't want any more color...the red pillows were already a lot for me so I just used a big basket of my dried hydrangeas and some leftover scraps of grapevine here.
The shades on these lamps need to go but I haven't found anything I like better so there they are. They're a bit too pinkish/flesh toned for me. They're old as the hills too. I've been too lazy to re do them myself. They're the perfect size and shape too....sigh...another project in the wings!
The basket was another thrift store find. That huge medallion is about 10+ years old and I've never grown tired of it. The buffet is the first piece of thrift store furniture I bought and painted about 10 yrs ago. Still love that too.
There were so many hydrangea blooms this year that I gave some away to two blogger friends, gave each of my daughters big bunches and still have this basket full and some more out in the potting shed! Plus I sold quite a few bunches on ETSY.....really an abundant year.
Just re-ordered some Milk Paint and supplies so I'm stocked up for now.
The Storenvy button is working well for now. If I find this is working well for me, I may add a separate shopping page. For now, you just have to check the colors link under the header and then go to the Storenvy.....two steps but I guess not too bad.....at least it's the same page! LOL
Thanks to all of you who have ordered paint from me.....I truly appreciate your business...more than you can know!
Remember to send me pics of the projects you do!
Pin It
You've seen the mantel already.
Here is the arrangement I did for the coffee table.
I found this rustic box when I went up to Amherst Va for a show. My SIL is the best at finding junk shops and she took me to one of her favorites. I found this box, a large old rusty pot lid that I want to paint something on (someday) and that little white bench I used on the back porch.
I knew as soon as I saw it that this box would work great on my kitchen island, where I had it for a short bit......too crowded...or the coffee table...it's new home.
I filled it with gourds, pumpkins, and a bit of the leftover bittersweet. I mixed in some artificial apples and pears too. I made a quick burlap runner for looks but also because the bottom of the box is kind of rough.
I found four red pillows at the thrift store a few weeks ago. I really bought them to take the forms out and make some new pillows but when I needed some color in the picture, I put them on the dark brown sofas and didn't hate them as much as I thought I would!
Surprise decorating....always fun!
Do you do that?
I have several items that I wish I could find more of and am always keeping them in the back of my mind when I'm there.....occasionally, I score another one and it's always a nice surprise.
But, so far, no more copper candle covers......
You can see a bit of this buffet behind the sofa. I didn't want any more color...the red pillows were already a lot for me so I just used a big basket of my dried hydrangeas and some leftover scraps of grapevine here.
The shades on these lamps need to go but I haven't found anything I like better so there they are. They're a bit too pinkish/flesh toned for me. They're old as the hills too. I've been too lazy to re do them myself. They're the perfect size and shape too....sigh...another project in the wings!
The basket was another thrift store find. That huge medallion is about 10+ years old and I've never grown tired of it. The buffet is the first piece of thrift store furniture I bought and painted about 10 yrs ago. Still love that too.
There were so many hydrangea blooms this year that I gave some away to two blogger friends, gave each of my daughters big bunches and still have this basket full and some more out in the potting shed! Plus I sold quite a few bunches on ETSY.....really an abundant year.
Just re-ordered some Milk Paint and supplies so I'm stocked up for now.
The Storenvy button is working well for now. If I find this is working well for me, I may add a separate shopping page. For now, you just have to check the colors link under the header and then go to the Storenvy.....two steps but I guess not too bad.....at least it's the same page! LOL
Thanks to all of you who have ordered paint from me.....I truly appreciate your business...more than you can know!
Remember to send me pics of the projects you do!
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Saturday, October 6, 2012
Wild Fall Mantel
In the Spring I created a mantel display that used a crazy tangle of grapevines, bees, butterflies and flowers. In the center I used a Graphics Fairy design that I applied with a Sharpie.
This Fall, I hated to take down the vines and so I added even more vines and replaced the Spring bits with pinecones, leaves and gourds.
My father in law found these fantastic gourds in the shed of their house when he moved in. He gave them to me, I cleaned them up and applied some spray poly to give them a bit of sheen. I love them and use them every year.
You can really see the tangle of vines in this picture.
This look isn't for everyone but I think of Fall as a bit wild anyway. Leaves falling, rainstorms, snowstorms (in some places), wind, hot-cold-hot (sometimes in the same day).....it seems to fit the season for me.
The best thing is that it only took about 15 minutes to change out the whole mantel.
It took three times that long to get good pictures!!
Monday I'll show you some more of the living room decorations......
I've added a Storenvy button in the sidebar....you'll find the MMS Milk Paint supplies there.....
Check out what one of my customers did with her paint at Our Prairie Home
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This Fall, I hated to take down the vines and so I added even more vines and replaced the Spring bits with pinecones, leaves and gourds.
My father in law found these fantastic gourds in the shed of their house when he moved in. He gave them to me, I cleaned them up and applied some spray poly to give them a bit of sheen. I love them and use them every year.
You can really see the tangle of vines in this picture.
This look isn't for everyone but I think of Fall as a bit wild anyway. Leaves falling, rainstorms, snowstorms (in some places), wind, hot-cold-hot (sometimes in the same day).....it seems to fit the season for me.
The best thing is that it only took about 15 minutes to change out the whole mantel.
It took three times that long to get good pictures!!
Monday I'll show you some more of the living room decorations......
I've added a Storenvy button in the sidebar....you'll find the MMS Milk Paint supplies there.....
Check out what one of my customers did with her paint at Our Prairie Home
Pin It
Monday, October 1, 2012
Just Keeping Busy
Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint and supplies have been shipping out daily here and my stock is dropping!
I only have ONE Typewriter shade left! Goodness...time for a re-order already!
If you need some paint, just click the Storenvy button in the sidebar! Easy peasy!
There's also a "colors" link in the header of this page so you can get an idea of real life application!
In between, I've done some more decorating and arranging. We've varied between 90 degree days and cloudy 60 degree days....like today.
One day it just rained all day and I couldn't get much done outside.....so I focused on paint orders instead.
Sometimes I don't mind having to go from one thing to another but other times I get frustrated because I wanted to be finished with something and I just can't!!
Are you like that? I'm never happy it seems! And I NEVER think I accomplish enough......sigh..
I made a nice vignette on the cabinet in the foyer. I found these great white pumpkins at Home Depot (of all places) and grabbed two immediately!
When the late afternoon sun streams in I always think it's so pretty....
Aren't those pumpkins great? I like to save clippings when I prune things. Those nice straight sticks are pussy willow branches.
I moved some things around on the front porch too.
I put the chairs where they would catch the sun and added some plaid blankets for the cool times.
Even though I have this Sellers brand hoosier for sale on Craigslist....it's on the porch so I decorated it anyway.
Maybe it will sell this time if it looks prettier! If not, I guess it will head to the shop....it could make a nice display cabinet for the Milk Paint!
Back to work....heading to the shop tomorrow and I need to get some things organized to take with me.
I'm looking for a closer location because it's difficult to keep the shop stocked as well as ceased and nice looking when I'm 1 1/2 hrs away. Keeping my fingers crossed, I'm on a waiting list for an antique mall here in town.
Until next time.......
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I only have ONE Typewriter shade left! Goodness...time for a re-order already!
If you need some paint, just click the Storenvy button in the sidebar! Easy peasy!
There's also a "colors" link in the header of this page so you can get an idea of real life application!
In between, I've done some more decorating and arranging. We've varied between 90 degree days and cloudy 60 degree days....like today.
One day it just rained all day and I couldn't get much done outside.....so I focused on paint orders instead.
Sometimes I don't mind having to go from one thing to another but other times I get frustrated because I wanted to be finished with something and I just can't!!
Are you like that? I'm never happy it seems! And I NEVER think I accomplish enough......sigh..
I made a nice vignette on the cabinet in the foyer. I found these great white pumpkins at Home Depot (of all places) and grabbed two immediately!
When the late afternoon sun streams in I always think it's so pretty....
Aren't those pumpkins great? I like to save clippings when I prune things. Those nice straight sticks are pussy willow branches.
I moved some things around on the front porch too.
I put the chairs where they would catch the sun and added some plaid blankets for the cool times.
Even though I have this Sellers brand hoosier for sale on Craigslist....it's on the porch so I decorated it anyway.
Maybe it will sell this time if it looks prettier! If not, I guess it will head to the shop....it could make a nice display cabinet for the Milk Paint!
Back to work....heading to the shop tomorrow and I need to get some things organized to take with me.
I'm looking for a closer location because it's difficult to keep the shop stocked as well as ceased and nice looking when I'm 1 1/2 hrs away. Keeping my fingers crossed, I'm on a waiting list for an antique mall here in town.
Until next time.......
Pin It
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