To Paint or Not To Paint

That is the question......

We've been given this little china cabinet. 

When I say little I do mean little. She stands 5'2" tall without the pediment on top. (We took that piece off because we thought it looked dated with it) What does one do with this little piece? It's in excellent shape-no broken or missing pieces or major scratches that couldn't be taken care of. 

When should one paint a piece of furniture that's in excellent shape? Hmmm......Good question........

We've painted pieces in the past, that were scratched, nicked and even pieces that we had to pull the veneer off of. But this little girl is perfect. 

But sometimes being "perfect" isn't all that it's cracked up to be. 

We personally wouldn't know what it's like to not be perfect......LOL.....

I have a piece that was in perfect shape that was given to us by my Hubs Aunt Weez. I don't have a before pic handy but here's an after. 

It looks so much better painted. It was hard to make the decision to paint it. I thought about it for almost a year before I took the leap. Once you take that leap there's no going back unless you're ready to spend hours stripping what you've just put on. 

I can say I love this piece of furniture now. I no longer have to worry about kitty scratches on it. Simon and Lily love to sit on top and snoop on the neighbors across the street. It makes me happy when I see it! It's just the right color, has just enough shabbiness to it.  

So my answer to you would be.........

Go ahead, take that leap, paint that piece. 

Check out magazines or shops with painted pieces to see what you like about a certain piece of furniture. Really look at your furniture. If it doesn't have enough detail, add some. You could paint stripes, stencil or even add appliques to add that little extra something to liven it up. How about adding legs, mirrors or even taking off the doors. The possibilities are endless when you look at the furniture in a whole new way. Just because it's a china cabinet doesn't mean it has to stay a china cabinet. 

Repurpose...Renew...Reuse!

Hey, if it doesn't look right you can always repaint or strip it!

We're So Magnetic

You know how you buy something, put it away and never think about it?  Well that's what happen with this tin ceiling tile. I bought a few of them many years ago.  I painted on some and sold them at my friend Cheryl's coffee shop. 

Fast forward about 5 years...........

Cleaning out a closet and I came across a box with 2 ceiling tiles in it. 

Here's what we did with one. 

Take a tin ceiling tile (this one is 2ft x 2ft),

Cut plywood and trim to fit.

Nail it all together. Glue tile onto board, paint and here's what you have.

A magnetic message board.

Memories

We have been given some great pieces of furniture. A friend's aunt was moving from her apartment into an assisted living facility and needed to size down.  She had a great collection that she and her husband had accumulated from their years of travel. All of her little treasures from her travels had labels on them. The labels listed where she got them and what the occasion was.  She would make Martha proud with her labeling system. 

It got me thinking about my "little treasures."  Will my daughter treasure them as I do?  Will they wind up in a hot attic or a garage sale?  I have a few pieces that belonged to my grandmother and great grandmother. When I look at the dishes or the old oil lamp I feel a connection to my ancestors.  I remember where the pieces were in their houses, the smell of their houses, and the safe warm feeling I had when I was with them.  My daughter didn't know them so will she have any connection to them?  Many times I've shown her the pieces and told her who they were from.  Did she listen?  If I quizzed her would she know the story behind them? Does it really matter?  After all it's just....."stuff."  When my mom and grandmother were alive it was just "stuff" to me too.  Now they've become my treasures, my connection to my past. 

I find myself taking these treasures out to show my granddaughter. She loves looking at them. She'll ask me questions about who they belonged to. I tell her the story about how my grandma would make hot chocolate on cold mornings in a pot that I now use to boil eggs in.  She laughs every time I show her my great grandfather's mustache cup.  She loves looking at the plastic bride and groom that sat on my wedding cake.  She tells me that one day she'll put it on her wedding cake. 

Will these things become memories for her and will she remember the stories I've told her?  Will she remember the smell of our house, the smile on my face, the love in my heart when I shared these stories with her?

It is my hope that she will, and that it will not be just "STUFF" to her.

New Favorite Color

Two weeks ago Ace Hardware and Clark + Kensington Paints were giving away a free quart of paint. With so many colors to choose from I finally narrowed it down to Oyster Pearl. It's hard to describe the color. It's a grey/off white/blue. I suppose it's the color of the inside of an oyster. Hence the name Oyster Pearl!

Having a bed that we hadn't gotten around to we decided to use the Oyster Pearl on it. Remember this post back from May. Yes, it's been that long since we acquired this beauty.

Here she is now. Here name is Celeste. 

What can I say but "lovin the color". 

It looks different in different lighting. 

I've been thinking of repainting my kitchen cabinets and wondering if I should go with a white-white, creamy white, grey or green. Now this color is my number one contender. 

Do you have a favorite paint color?

The Green Project

Here in New Orleans we have a few resale stores. One of my favorites is The Green Project. You can find everything from iron work

Look at that Mardi Gras purple on the left. 

You can find door parts and doors.

There's paint supplies.

There's paint for $8.00 a gallon. 

You can find great bargains and sometimes a hidden treasure. 

So please shop at your local resale store. Don't forget to bring them any of your used or left over project items. Don't just throw your stuff into a dumpster, recycle it.  There's always someone out there who can use what you're throwing away. 

Oh, and remember your Children Must Be Accompanied by an Adult 

At All Times.

Just A Little Something For The Deck That We Threw Together

It's been hot and rainy. We decided to step away from painting and try something a little different. 

We put this together in less than an hour. We started with 2 fence post, 4 solar outdoor lights, a drill, 8 extra long screws and an 8" long scrap of treated 4" x 4" wood.  

First we decided on the length we wanted to cut the post. This will vary depending on where you want your lighting to go. We cut 4 varying lengths. After trying a few unsuccessful ways to put it together we found that a 4" x 4" block would be needed in the middle of the fence post in order for the lights to fit. Next we drilled 2 holes in each post to counter sink the screws. 

Listen to us talking construction talk! 

Screwed it all together then drilled holes in the top of each  post to fit the light in. 

Once the heat and rain slacks off the deck can finally be stained. 

JUST HANGING AROUND

I needed a long curtain rod (120 inches to be exact) but didn't want to spend the money for one that size. 

As I was walking through the electrical supply department at Lowes I came up with this idea. 

Take a 12 foot conduit pole. 

A can of Valspar Gloss Spray Paint.

A piece of wooden dowel and old door knobs you've been hanging on to. 

This is what you get...

The whole thing cost me less than $10 for 2 windows.

The Quest Is Over

For the past three months......that's right, I said, three months. I've been searching for the "perfect" slip covered sofa. I think my search has finally come to an end. 


I guess my search really started around February of this year. I've tried to blame this one on the grand kids but my conscious is getting to me. Those two sweet precious children would never do to my sofa what was done to it. Right! The truth must be told. I must free myself from this burden I've been carrying around. 


My darling greyhound Daisy..................................... started scratching her face and wiping her nose on the arms of my sofa. 


There I've said it.....yes that crunchy feeling you felt on the arm of my sofa was Daisy's nose wipes. I tried, I really tried to clean it off but she kept coming back to the same arm to wipe her nose. I tried covering the arms in towels. She'd push them aside. She's determined to make my sofa one large kleenex.


I've searched every store, every Internet site looking for the right sofa. It's hard to find another sofa. After all, I've had this one for 18 years. I personally recovered it 2 years ago. 


It knows my butt. 


It fits me just right. 


It's so comfy. 


But I know the time has come and I must part with it. 


I'm going with a Four Season's brand slip covered sofa. This is not the exact fabric I'm going with. I'm going with a basket patterned linen colored fabric. Will the wrinkles drive me crazy? 


Probably......

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I've had everyone who even walked by my house to give me their opinion on fabric choice. Day, night, in sunlight, lights on, lights off, you name it I've looked at it. I even had Mr. Mail Person give me an opinion. After all the opinions I went with my husbands first choice. Which happened to be the color with the most votes. 


My next quest is 2 chairs for the den? Any suggestions?


On a side note Daisy has started allergy injections which has helped her tremendously. But I still want a new sofa!