To Hip To Be Square

One of the first pieces of furniture I decided to restore on this new venture of mine came at the mere price of $20.00. This is the cap I usually give myself when perusing Craigslist...anything more expensive doesn't usually make the cut, I don't even look at it for fear of being tempted. We're down a salary so even that is a stretch on an already stretched budget. It had most recently been used as a TV armoir by the sweet little old couple that owned it. Ethel and Burt were sweet as can be but they did some serious damage to this diamond in the rough.

I sent my dear hubby on another mission to pick her up and I'm pretty sure he's part of Ethel and Burt's family now. He knew every detail of their lives after just a half hour with them which is sweet, but also scary that they were so open with their personal details. We really need to remind our parents and grandparents to be careful now days, unfortunately things aren't like they used to be.

Anyway, Burt had drilled, a.k.a. hacked a few not so cute holes in the back for the cords and such as well as added a couple shelves crudely nailed through the sides. The doors wouldn't even stay closed without the aid of a string...this beauty was so rickety and out of square.

It took me a lot more work to bring it back to life than I had originally planned, this clearly wasn't just going to be a sand and paint fix. I had to add new veneer for the back, patch up the holes from the nails and reinvent a purpose for the inside. Awhile back I had grabbed a free table leaf from the side of the road. I was able to take it apart, create a center support out of inexpensive pine and create cubbies on one side and tall storage on the other. I figured it could be used for either clothes or even a craft cupboard.

I had a couple wall rub on decals from a past project in my daughters room that I decided to use on the doors. I used them in an unconventional way by base coating the whole piece in a light gray, then placing the decals on the center of the doors and painting over them in a citron green/yellow. Once the paint dried, I peeled the decals off and was left with a beautiful crisp design. I appologize, I did take pictures of this process but they disappeared from my camera chip. I also added citron stripes on the sides by using "the ruler on a roll" scotch blue tape.

I'm not sure what Ethel and Burt would think of the transformation. I think it might be a little too "hip" for them. I know one thing for sure though...NOW it is square.

 

     Linking up to these lovely ladies:

                                          

                                                       http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://missmustardseed.com/

 http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

                                                     http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://www.notjustahousewife.net/

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Feeling the Crunch

Does anyone else out there love to craft and create...until there is a deadline? I just about collapsed to the floor yesterday (for real) after I took back my house from the mountains of furniture and home decor trinkets piled in every room  . They finally arrived down in my booth, in one piece none the less. Thanks to my hubby and his expert trailer loading skills. I must have been a big ole' knot of stress and didn't really realize it until yesterday. I felt like  a wet noodle after it was all done. I don't know why I do this to myself, this is supposed to be fun.

I have a definite problem with things that are repetitive. I really don't want this to turn into a therapy session but OMG, I really admire people like Marian at http://missmustardseed.com/ that diligently create mountains of Christmas ornaments and the like. I just can't find it in myself to make more than a couple of  any given thing. Maybe if I had a crew of out of work elves or something. Anyway, this is a salute to all you ladies that stick it out and get the job done!

Here is a photo of what I did manage to accomplish. I made these boxes to sell at our holiday open house from the free wooden framework that our friends truck fenders were packed in. I made the handles using some cut apart canvas belts I picked up at the Goodwill for $1.99 . I incorporated some antique style papers I had along with a plaster relief technique I have used before in signs and on furniture. I figured they would be great filled for use as centerpieces or as a vessel for those that take homemade cookies and such to friends as gifts.  Pardon the corny photo...with no make-up, UGH! Well, that's my reality most days.

I will post pictures of my space at "The Roost" after I tweak a few things. We should be up and running after Thanksgiving so I think I'll just attempt to allow myself a little relaxation until then. Wishing you and yours the most wonderful , stress free holiday!

Farmhouse Cutie Patootie

Still busy as busy gets getting things ready for the opening of my booth this weekend and the weather is so not cooperating! They have a tendency to blow things out of proportion here in Oregon when reporting on the weather. It isn't just going to rain...it will be monumental,  falling in sheets, the worst we've ever seen. I don't put too much stock into it, yeah it's raining and going to rain more...did I mention this is Oregon?

Okay, enough of that already. I am taking a moment to show you a simple ole' farm style chair that I picked up recently for a whopping $10. When my hubby saw it he asked "is it for a wide person?" I had to laugh, I don't really know it's story; just thought it was unique. In it's former life it was "you need sunglasses to look at it" neon yellow and graced the front porch of an old farmhouse...problem is you couldn't actually sit on it because you'd soon find your hiney dragging the ground. Who wants a chair you can't actually sit on?

I had to fix that first thing. A little webbing courtesy of Joann's Fabrics and some black upholstery tacks to the rescue. That yellow, well it had to go. I primed it bright white and then painted it in a satin ivory color I had in my existing paint stash. I distressed the edges aged it and waxed it, but she was still naked.

The rusticness (is that a word?) of the style and the red in the webbing lent itself to a country feeling. I broke out my favorite go to fabric...a drop cloth from the hardware store. I stapled a ruffle around the bottom and fashioned a cushion for the seat and backrest accented with a touch of the red. I debated whether or not to transfer an image to the back cushion, but opted to just leave it plain. I think she looks a lot better than she did. She'll be making the journey to "The Roost" this weekend in hopes of finding a new home.

I think she stands a good chance since we live in the land of tree farms, nurseries and cow pastures.

Linking up to these lovely ladies:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://missmustardseed.com/

 http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

   http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

                                                         http://www.notjustahousewife.net/

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Psycho Bar

The pace has been crazy around here, I literally have been painting, sewing, Goodwill hunting, gluing, plastering...and this was just today! Oh yes, and all without water...the well shut down last night due to a yellow jacket in the electrical panel. I must be honest, my biggest concern was that I wouldn't be able to make my morning coffee (which I so badly need). Followed by not being able to wash out my paintbrushes....taking a shower should have been up there too, but I have been covered in paint and dust for so many days I don't think anyone would notice anyway.

I thought I would take a moment to share the latest project I completed, actually almost...I didn't notice until I loaded the pictures onto the computer that the back is still missing, oops. A few months back I went to retrieve my latest Craigslist score, a small old phonograph cabinet for the wonderful price of only $10...score.

On a whim I asked my mother to go with me since we've had some scary stories around here on the news as of late. Thank goodness I did, when I pulled up to the house in a not so great part of town you couldn't even see it from the road. There was a long damp, dark hedged tunnel up to the door. I thought to myself as I walked up that a person could disappear in there and no one would be the wiser. I knocked on the door for what seemed like forever when finally it creaked open. The guy was the spitting image of Anthony Perkins from "Psycho" which added to the creepy factor. It goes without saying, I lived. My mother was so glad she had come along and lectured me all the way home about never going to these places alone. I know she loves me, but I kind of felt like I was 12 again.



12 year old me

My plan was to paint and distress the base a yummy olive green and stain the top easy right? Wrong! Apparently Mr. creepy guy had used it in his garage or something because even after I sanded it down to bare wood the stain kept separating. Eventually I gave up and decided to cover the top with a leatherish mat that I found and use bronze nail heads to finish it off. I cut the old phonograph guts out and made it into a "manly little minibar". What do you think? Was it worth a near death experience? I think so.

Until next time-Carrie


 I'm linking up to these lovely ladies:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://missmustardseed.com/

 http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

                                                   http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://www.notjustahousewife.net/

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Getting Ready For "The Roost"

Finally getting back into the swing of things after what I thought would be a simple sinus surgery ...WRONG! I have literally been down and out for a few weeks, it kicked my butt! Upside, I lost 10 lbs. downside, fever;infection;pain. I know eventually I will reap the benefits of it all, but I've yet to experience it. Time will tell.

Now that I kinda' sorta' feel like myself again I've been trying to play catch up in project land. About a month ago I applied for a booth in a little antique and crafters venue called "The Roost" at Wade Creek House. Well, a few nights ago I was invited to attend their monthly meeting and bring in some samples of what I like to do to be jurried. I was nervous, something about being judged I guess. I brought in a menagerie of things painted, sewn, assembled. I do a lot of different things,repetition bores me.

Needless to say, all my worry was for nothing. They asked me to join their group and by the 15th of November I get to start creating vignettes in my booth. I am excited, but soooo behind. My project pile is daunting and let's just say I have been spending more time studying the bedroom ceiling than sleeping! This is something I have wanted to try for some time, and now I have the opportunity. I better go bundle up and head for the garage...I hear a few dozen dusty pieces of furniture calling my name.

Until next time- Carrie