gossip

Bet you thought I had some really juicy gossip to relay.  Nope,  just wanted to show you this cute gossip bench I finished redoing.  It was in sad shape when I found it.  Some young man had carved his name into the desk part.  Or, it could have been a young lady,  talking to the love of her life carving his name into the top as she talked to him on the phone.  Don't you just love to make up history for old furniture.

I was going to paint her a light aqua as I found some great material in aqua and chocolate brown that I fell in love with.   

After I covered the seat I could see that a dark chocolate stain would look so much better.  I tend to like lighter colors so I usually am drawn that way but I know some people like the richness of dark furniture.  And it does pop against light wall. 

I liked how the flower petals picked up the shape of the detail on the back.

I know we don't sit in one spot and talk on the phone anymore so I hope someone can see she really isn't just a telephone bench.  I thought it would look cute in a entry as a place to take off your shoes and drop the car keys.  In the bedroom as a night stand.  Plenty of room for a lamp and clock plus a place once again to take off your shoes. Or how about a laptop station.  Great storage under the desk top to keep it out of the way.  What other room can  you think of that it might work in?

Beauty and the Beast Update

Update!  she choose the Beast.  Said he was perfect the bench of her dreams.

A friend of mine saw a bench my husband had built and wanted one to put at the foot of her bed.  However, she thought the one she was looking at was too pretty.  Not quite rowdy enough for her.  She wanted a beast with  a few rough edges and some hulk to him. 

So here is the beast.  Made of reclaimed wood with all his scars from his former life and nail heads showing. No pretty paint for him.

Here is beauty.  She is painted a light dove grey.  Her bench is smooth and no nail holes showing on her unblemished surface.  Her style is a little more graceful and refined.

Here are the beast and beauty together.  My friend is coming to today to take one of them to live with her.  Which would you choose?  Beauty or the Beast.  I am kind of hoping she leaves beauty for me.  Can't you just see her stenciled with a bouquet of hydrangeas in light lilac and purple gracing her seat.

Trash?

 Can you believe my dear hubby threw this perfectly good piece of an old screen door in the trash bin at the lake.  It is actually a small dumpster and I had to do a little dumpster diving to retrieve this wonderful piece of wood.  I am sure the neighbors wondered who was throwing away that pair of legs sticking out of the trash.

Just look what  a  little paint, some distressing and a few swipes with some chalkboard paint can do.  My only expense was the coat hooks at $3.00 each  and we have a wonderful message center and a place to hang coats.

Now I just have decide if I should keep it or take it to the antique store.  Any votes?

Chalk Paint

As you have visited blogs you have probably seen posts where the ladies are using chalk paint on the furniture they are working on.  I was intrigued by the quick dry time, no priming and no sanding.  You also probably saw most of them are using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  As most of the ladies stated it is pretty pricey for a small amount of paint.  I also read that you could make your own chalk paint with paint and Plaster of Paris.  I decided to give that a go before I tried Annie Sloan.

I mixed some paint I had on hand and came up with a light Aqua.  I decided to try it on a piece I had just picked up at thrift store for $9.00.  I thought if it didn't work I really wasn't out much except my time.  I almost forgot to take before pictures so  you get to see a half-painted before photo.  This piece was just raw wood and I didn't prime it.  I slapped on two coats of paint and it does dry fast.  I did decide to sand as I could see brush marks.  It sanded easy and quick.  But do it outside as it makes a chalky dust.  Duh! chalk paint.

I finished it off with two coats of clear paste wax.  Here is the after picture and I think it looks great.  It does have a hand painted look and not a factory finish.  So I had to give in and get a can of Annie Sloan just to see if it is indeed better than what I can make myself.  Wonder if it's like food - homemade is always better.

The Reveal

I thought you might like to see how the lake bedroom turned out after all my tedious wallpaper removal. 

Here are a couple of photos of the bed with new duvet and pillows.  I also hung semi-sheer white curtains.

This is a before photo of the bed with the old wallpaper and cranberry bedspread.  I have also moved the furniture around in the room and it makes it look so much bigger.    This room is really tiny and there isn't much that can make it look bigger believe me.  It is just what we call  it a room for the bed and nothing more.

 This wardrobe piece is now in the nook where the bed used to be.

 The old wallpaper gave the room a ruby glow but it was getting old and shabby.


The new blue is very tranquil and fresh feeling.

The old wallpaper had an old fashion feel and the blue is a much cleaner look.  But as I was looking at the room last weekend I realized my walls now look naked.  I tried to tell my self it's the new cleaner look.  But self said "Girl, you know you like your things."  So I am on the look out for just the right things for the new blue walls.

Elves

I have some little elves who live at my house.  Mostly I don't see them but I know they are there.  Especially the one who live under the bed and takes care of the dust bunnies.  He must do such a good job of feeding them as they multiply rapidly.  I'm so glad to know he is on the job as I rarely have time to think about them.

Then I have the one who is charge of leaving greasy finger prints on the electrical outlets and smudges around the door handle especially close to the garage.  But he is very thoughtful and he usually confines himself to small areas so I don't mind him so much. 

But I do have one elf who is up for adoption.  He is the one who lurks in the bathroom closet and hides all the toilet paper.  I know it has to be him because the kids who used to use the toilet paper to wipe up tipped over drinks, puppy drool, and spilled nail polish are long on their own.  Also, no toddlers who think it is a great ribbon to decorate the hallway.  With just two adults in the house I know we couldn't possibly leave every toilet paper holder in three bathrooms empty and none in the closet.  So who wants to adopt this elf.  Shipping is free.

 Have great weekend everyone.

I Bet You Thought

I bet you all thought I have been just taking it easy after all the holiday frenzy, drinking coffee and eating all the left over sugar cookies.  We had a lovely Christmas and hosted all 27 kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews for Christmas breakfast.  Hubby and I opted to spend a quiet couple of days at the lake for New Year's.  We had a steak dinner with some dear friends we have know for over 40 years.  Hubby was nodding off in the chair at 9:30 p.m. so we said our Happy New Years and went home and went to bed like the old people we are. 

I decided on Sunday I had looked at the wallpaper in the bedroom for fifteen years and it was time for a change.  I spent one full day pulling it off in small strips.  Would someone remind me why I thought wallpaper was so great.

Piece by piece is the only way.  I painted on Monday and will give you a look at some photos as soon as I put the finishing touches on the room.

And then I sanded, primed and painted this desk/vanity for my booth at As Time Goes By in Greenwood, MO.  This desk and chair was a  lucky curb find.  And  just looking at this photo reminds me that people are often so kind.  I was trying to get the desk in my PT Cruiser and was having some difficulty as it was heavy and awkward.  The gentleman of the house came out and offered to help me load it. Then he said I have the matching chair in the house if you would like it too.  They both needed repair but my handy hubby took them apart made some new pieces, glued and screwed until they were sturdy again.  I love saving pieces like this knowing now they won't just end up in the trash.

So you see I have been doing something besides eating the leftover cookies although I confess I did do some of that as well.