I LOVE books - ( so does John )

Good morning everyone!
Well it's Thursday - which means it's almost Friday - which is the day before Saturday - which means Sunday is just around the corner - which means it's almost MONDAY - UGHHH.............

Ok - that's definitely looking at the glass half empty - but life is flying by - absolutely flying by and I seem to barely be hanging on by the seat of my pants.

A couple of nights ago - I came across Karen's ( from Shabby Sweet Cottage ) latest project - her books are just gorgeous!!!  I knew I absolutely had to jump on this bandwagon .................I have a lot of old books - Reader's Digest Condensed books to be precise - that have seen better days.
I can't get rid of them - I can't get rid of any books - if I have a problem with hoarding anything at all - it would be books................
I would so love to rip out a couple of pages to Mod Podge them onto drawer interiors - but I can't help thinking of it as almost sacreligious ..........can't help it - another one of my disorders quirks.

Anyway - I set up my workshop ( the dining room table with green garbage bags spread across it )
Turned on some music and happily got to work..............

I started off with these -

it was so peaceful and relaxing - John was watching hockey in the bedroom - Soda was laying at my feet -
Bob Seger was playing in the background - appropriately enough Turn The Page was on the CD I was playing LMHO...............and I'm singing along while creating my masterpieces.................

OMG - I just deleted all the photos of the process - you see?  I really have no business having a blog!
I mean who does that?  I.D.I.O.T.
Ok - have to run in the bedroom and take photos of the finished books now!
You don't need a tutorial for this - I just painted them and then stencilled designs on the cover...............

Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue - stencilled with Pure White - and dry brushed a little with Pure White as well

Pure white cover - stencilled with Duck Egg Blue

Antoinette - dry brushed with Pure White- stencilled with Duck Egg
( my colors seem to be off - the lighting is terrible at 4 o'clock in the morning )

At this point John strolls into the dining room - ( in between periods of the hockey game )

John says - WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING???????
Suzan says - I told you I had some painting projects to do
John says - YOU'RE PAINTING OUR BLOODY BOOKS NOW???????
Suzan says - Relax - they're MY books - and they're probably 50 years old - and they're in pretty rough shape - I had them hidden on the bottom shelf of the bookcases anyway
John says - Well they're not going to be worth anything now, are they?
Suzan says - If you were planning on retiring through the value of MY readers digest books..........then we're in worse shape than I thought
John says - You've painted the #&$^@*#^ bedroom floor - wasn't that enough for you?
John says - DO NOT TOUCH ONE OF MY BOOKS WITH YOUR PAINT BRUSH SUZAN
John says - AND THIS TIME I'M DEAD SERIOUS
John says - DO NOT PAINT ANY OF MY -
Suzan says - Ok already!!!!  I heard you !  I won't touch any of YOUR books -

John storms out of the dining room - and I'm giggling my head off

John yells from the bedroom - Soda - come - she's got her weapon in her hands again...........

Now I'm in hysterics - the poor dog doesn't know where to go - she keeps looking at me - and cocking her
ears as John keeps yelling at her to come in the room with him.............
And all I'm thinking is " Oh God - please let the Canadiens win tonight - because if they don't he'll be in a miserable mood - and I won't hear the end of my book makeovers............."

John yells out - Soda - get in here - she might paint you - you're the last thing in the house that hasn't been attacked with her brush...............
And he's MAD folks - let me tell you he's MAD..................
And I'm screaming with laughter -

John says - could you stop your cackling please - I'm watching t.v.

Because the spines are embossed a quick dry brush stroke highlighted the ridges

I'm in love................( I'm removing the silver on the white book - just something I wanted to try out - but the dry brushing looks so much better )

John says - the house is starting to look like it belongs to two children -

hmmm.............not sure if I agree with that - but I do know - for the most part - it most definitely SOUNDS like 2 children live here.................

Suzan says - I COULD paint yours in Graphite you know - that's quite masculin actually

Sorry - can't repeat what John said but I think I'm very quickly reaching his threshold here.

Have a wonderful day - I have some Paris Grey and Emile paints I'm dying to try out on a few more books

Much love, ( and laughter of course, always, laughter )

P.S. The Canadiens won - Thank God....................
P.S.S - it has come to my attention that Debbie from  Annie Sloan Unfolded first published this on January 24th and although I didn't find the idea there - I really feel it's only fair to mention her - especially if she's the one that got this whole idea started -  her books turned out stunning!

Thanks so much to Craftionary for featuring this project as most viewed!!!!



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Craftionary                         My Romantic Home            The Shabby Nest        Nifty Thrifty Things
Life on Lakeshore Drive     One More Time                   Lines Across              Homemaker on a Dime
Keeping it Simple               Under the table and dreaming
Coastal Charm                   Cedar Hill Ranch                 Beyond the Picket Fence
A Diamond in the Stuff       Ginger Snap Crafts              The Shabby Creek Cottage
Savvy Southern Style         The Charm of Home            French Country Cottage
Clean and Scentsible          Shabby Art Boutique           Rooted In Thyme         My Romantic Home
No Minimalist Here            Happy Go Lucky                Funky Junk Interiors
Overflowing with Creativity
Classy Clutter

I WANNA live there # 30

 I live in a pretty incredible area - in Montreal, It's an historical neighbourhood loaded with tons and tons of charm - and 20th century architecture, just steps away from the city center, it's also a pretty expensive neighbourhood ( in which I live in servants quarters basically compared to what I'm surrounded by ) 

Because there are days I don't have furniture makeovers to show you - I've chosen Wednesdays to showcase and feature one or two homes that are for sale around here.................( or apartment - or duplex - or teepee )
Keep in mind this is in the heart of the city - so the prices reflect that  - think Manhattan - where these places would cost 3 or 4 times what they're listed for here!
On occasion I'll showcase beautiful homes in other areas - countries - continents - the one thing most of them will have have in common will be their age - because I love old homes with stories to tell, join me won't you?
________________________________________________________________________

Happy Hump Day all !!!  The week is half over - is it because I'm in my 50's that time is flying by quicker than I'm able to keep up with it?

The first house up today is listed for 3,950,000.
5 bedrooms - 4 baths - 
Realtor information found Here
It's a new build - but they have built it with a lot of the features found in the Heritage homes it's surrounded by - I'm making an exception for this on - because I absolutely love the integrity they put into this.

I'm in live with this space - absolutely in love - the openess - the windows - the french doors - even the vintage inspired lighting................

an it appears that every bedroom has a set of french doors as well

Here's where some of the doors lead to 

I could most definitely live there!!!

The next one is listed at 995,000. just under a million - and I've been doing this long enough to know that for it's location, this is an absolute STEAL.
Full of turn of the century charm - ( I think I may have posted this in the beginning of the series - but it's definitely worth a second look at any rate )  and I really cannot believe it hasn't been snapped up.
I would move there in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

I'm such a sucker for high gloss floors - and white paint - it works - every. single. time.
Oh and beautiful tall bay windows with transoms and original radiators work their charm on me too.................

Yes please,

isn't this like having all the charm of a century old farmhouse - with the luxury of living in the heart of the city?  Absolute perfection to me....................

one more shot of my favorite photo?

I REALLY wanna live there
what was it Jim Croce said about wishes?
oh yeah, here they are, he might have meant a woman, but I feel that way about this house ....................

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time cash
To do buy the things  house you want to  
Once you find them  it
I've looked around enough to know
That you're its the one I want to go
Through time with....................

I'm off to Piorra Maison this morning................I'll be there for a couple of hours to visit with Caroline - we have some business to see to - but I'll make sure to take lots of photos to share - 
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone - buy a lotto - and dream.

Sharing with!
The Shabby Nest                                   Under the Table and Dreaming                 Coastal Charm
Not just a Housewife                             No Minimalist Here                                  French Country Cottage
Savvy Southern Style                             The Charm of Home                                My Romantic Home
The Shabby Nest                                   I should be mopping the floor