Monday, November 14, 2011

Newest Beauty


Isn't she lovely?

 The colors are a mix of Duck Egg blue and White -
 And here she was before she was ready to go to the prom

She would have been a wallflower, don't you think?

Hmmm, I notice I have the drawers in the wrong place -

I want to design a nursery around this piece, lol

Linking up to Miss Mustard Seed- furniture feature friday and French Country Cottage


xxx

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Where did it start?

Was it when I was 5 years old and started changing my room around because it didn't quite feel right?
Or was it when I was 11 and decided the black wrought iron banisters in the apartment building where
we lived would look much better white ( my mother had to repaint them the same night back to the
original color ) or it could have been when I went on my first walk - a - thon - and kept the money
( cannot even remember the charity - but it was only family that donated so maybe I can be forgiven )
and then took the money and bought a bedspread and curtains that I just had to have.............
or painting my bedroom furniture when I probably should have still been playing with my chatty Cathy
( oh oh dating myself again )
Strange child that I was - when I went through my babysitting years - I would completely clean the
people's houses and rearrange things - sometime's changing the childrens bedrooms around.
When my children were small - I would go into their rooms - thank God they were heavy sleepers,
and move furniture. I can still remember their little faces when they woke up the next morning to a
different setting then when they had gone to sleep - those sleepy smiles - and " I like it Mommy" just
melting my heart.
And my friends houses, oh the joy when they moved and needed some help. I would literally run to
the task - and the biggest compliment of all was that things would so often stay just the way I did them,
until I did them again.

Now I notice I am not so quick to jump around, although the passion is as strong as ever - I don't
seem to have the energy that I did, I exhaust myself with my constant need for change, they say it
stems from unhappiness but I can tell you without a doubt that in my happiest times I need change
the most. 

Neurotic?
Perhaps
Nuts?
Definitely
The ability to self diagnose?
Priceless

lol - have a good Sunday - the day of rest -

Think I'll paint a dresser

xxx

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Finito

before -  (feeling a little blue )



I'm loving the stripes - have to do some somewhere in my house!!!!!
This was one fast easy makeover - a little paint - a little tape - a little glass of wine,
Ok - there was more wine than tape, but anyway.......................
The blue above is the original state when purchased, the first makeover was this
which I loved but couldn't sell so what do I know - the striped version sold right away!

xxx

My little jailbird

250.00 gets you out of jail free

this is another redo from a redo - will post finished pic later tonight -

xxx

Friday, November 4, 2011

Before ( and before ) and almost after

I have started my first union jack dresser - remember this?  The dresser that reminded
me of summer holidays as a child?  I love love love it - but I listed it for sale, and after
a week I've decided no one else does........;(

So I have started my first Union Jack dresser - it's full of imperfections - and still has
a couple of stages left to go, and I am hoping once I rough it up a little with sanding,
it will shine.

The top has been painted the same light gray - but the lighting is not so great -
and the bottom left hand stripe has been narrowed ( too thick compared to the others )
but I still have stripes in black left to paint - will post tomorrow because I want to
list this baby for sale as soon as possible.

xxx

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Black Beauty?

I have 2 interested potential buyers on this piece -


the funny part is - I don't feel it shows well in pictures - so while at my mothers tonight I took
home an aqua paint I had left there while staging - I was going to repaint it this evening when I
got in, set it all up - and decided to check my emails before starting - and lo and behold 2 people
are asking for it.................imagine if I had painted it first lol?

and the 2 pieces I thought were going to fly out the window, are sitting here in my foyer,
and the longer they sit there the homelier they are starting to look to me, sooooo, I am
repainting them tomorrow .................they both just may become my Union Jack dressers.

xxx

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

again SOLD

this is the pc I was selling with my previous post, I listed them together but ended up selling
them to two different people - both within hours of each other?
lucky break.............

but aren't the details just beautiful?

hmmm - maybe should have kept for my bedroom - lol - what a basketcase I am

xxx

Monday, October 31, 2011

All I can say is...................wow

We pick this up on the weekend - I may keep the top part for my secretary - and sell the bottom part.
( mine was missing the top part when I bought it ) I love the wood detail on the glass doors - and the
molding..............

My latest dresser has not sold yet - and I am panicking a little tonight - because space is such an
issue for me..........may have to drop the price tomorrow evening to see if that helps, if not, a
consignment shop may have to be it's next home. which is a shame because then people are paying
double what I am asking for.

Anyways, I am pretty excited about this piece, pretty pretty pretty awesome!
I paid a little more than I usually do, but worth every penny I think,

here is my secretary finished

it fits perfectly in a little niche between the living room and dining room -
can you see the wire from the lamp?  I am so anal -that has to be fixed
immediately, for me that is a complete eyesore!

and upon seeing this pc in a photo I have to distress the drawers, in person
it is kind of pretty with the drawers so " clean " but here in the photo they
look a little too pristine for the body of the pc.

Oh the worries I have, lol

xxx

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pretty!

This one is being picked up today - will have to work on this one right away because I have nowhere to store it!!!

but it's another great find, don't you think?

xxx

Saturday, October 29, 2011

For sale

Newest piece for sale................this piece is solid and extremely heavy even with the drawers out,
I love the mirror - but even that is so heavy I could barely lift it on my own.  Not as old as the previous
pieces I have sold - but these pieces were in every house when I was younger ( which was a long time ago lol )

My mother rented a cottage one summer - and the whole extended family ( she had 7 brothers and sisters )
took turns staying up there - and us kids stayed while everyone came and went - my mother would work all
week and come up on the weekends by BUS.............what a different world we live in today.  Anyways for some reason this dresser takes me right back to that summer..................it brings to mind a plain simple room, with a wrought iron bed - a very similar dresser and white net curtains billowing at the window.
I have always been acutely aware of my surroundings and beautiful things have always made an impression on me from the time I could speak, thus this mad insane passion of mine.
But I live in a cluttered world amongst my treasures, though they bring me comfort, and there are stories attached to a lot of them that make me feel even more connected to them - and ( I think ) my chaos is organized, sometimes I long for simplicity - right now I would like to clear out my bedroom and recreate that summer cottage bedroom.

I would start with this dresser....................

xxx

Friday, October 28, 2011

I couldn't leave you if I tried...............

It's a keeper - the big ugly brown elephant in the room has turned into a very graceful swan - I want to
keep this piece...............



The handles were spray painted a metallic silver - they were so hideous before that I was sure
I would have to change them but I love them now,

A few touch ups - and then the dreaded waxing of the whole pc..............I don't like that part at
all



you ugly,you ugly,you mama say you ugly

xxx

Better?

will post a photos when it is complete - but it's almost there -
a little more painting - waxing - and spray painting ( handles )

but I definitely did not cringe as I walked by it this morning............
in fact I smiled one huge smile - I love it!

xxx

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Before and After Dinner for deux!!!

I was so caught up in painting a dresser this evening that it irked me a little to stop what I was doing
and trudge into the kitchen...............

I went to the fridge

 I went to the pantry


I went to the cookware



I went to the stove



and somehow I whipped together this



One of the best meals I've made in a long time, lol
and you thought I could only redo furniture?
Isn't the pizza box a nice touch?  Looks pretty authentic I think, a little bit of old white paint - ha ha

xxx

OH, MY. GOD. LINDAUER DESIGNS HAVE DONE IT AGAIN

I have to copy this one - I think this is my favourite remake to date from anywhere!

Can you imagine the appeal for someone that loves that city? ( which I do )

Maybe I will make one with Paris metro signs.................for people that love
that city ( which I do ) or London signs...............( love that city too )
Wow the possiblities are endless - thanks Lauren once again - you are an inspiration.
And I am a shameless copycat.

xxx
 

The elephant in the room

Remember this buffet/hutch I purchased quite a while ago - circa 1970's? lol

It must have been a couple of months ago - and I am thoroughly embarrassed to
admit that it has been sitting in my dining room since then looking exactly like the
above picture - so there has been a lot of cringing going on because you have to pass
through my dining room to get anywhere else in my house - not to mention you
can even see it from my front door.

I have been so busy fixing up furniture to sell - and this just seemed so big and
cumbersome that it kept being put in the " tomorrow " files of my brain.
Well tomorrow arrived yesterday - and I started.  I don't know what I was thinking
when I bought this, really, but it's here now - the big elephant in the room,



I hope it's something I can live with because I can't see anyone wanting this really -
not to mention what a pain in the ass this would be for anyone to pick up -
Also - no one was here - and this is where I really have a problem - after waiting
months to start on the job - I could not wait a couple of hours so that I could get
help lifting the top part off in order to  paint it properly - no, no, I had to start
it immediately - so once again this is my second buffet/hutch which I have painted
in place - so that if the top was removed to move - there would be a big patch of
unpainted area where the hutch part sits!!!!

anyway......................

I am painting it gray - so it will resemble the color of an elephant ( in the room )

xxx

Monday, October 24, 2011

One thing leads to another -

Life is such a series of connections.............
The girl that came tonight to purchase the dresser fell in love with our home - and asked
if I would be willing to come to her place to help her " fix it up "
My pleasure, literally, I think I am falling into the career that I always wanted to be in.
My heart almost bursts when these customers go on about my " talent " I feel like a fraud
because it comes so easy to me -
My first impulse is to say " this? oh that's nothing " I have to start appreciating the talents
I have, and not constantly poo poo them away -  just because you love doing something
does not mean it does not have value, in fact I now believe the complete opposite to be
true - the more passion you bring to a project the better the end results will always be.

She told me she could feel my energy as soon as she walked into our house - and actually
sat with me for about 1/2 hour - chatting about this and that.

Tonight I feel good -
Really really good about what I am doing.

Hope you all feel this good tomorrow!

xxx

Another piece sold!

Hi I just sent the link to my husband and we think this will be perfect in our daughters bedroom!! Very excited to see it pls consider this sold!!! Thanks Jo ann

Received the above today - music to my ears - sold just by the photo - before even seeing it in person -
I was starting to get nervous because I listed this dresser on Friday - and heard nothing back until today.
Even though it has only been a couple of days I thought I would have sold it right away like the last piece.
The person who originally wanted to take it, did not get back to me so I listed it and voila -


another one bites the dust!
goodbye sweetie, it's been swell

xxx

Friday, October 21, 2011

Annie Sloan ....................and I

I have the photo here of my inspiration for the artwork on one of my dressers - I really have to get my act together here - this is one hell of a confusing blog - I am all over the place!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is Annie Sloans dresser ( Annie Sloan is a british designer who has created her own line of paints -
the most amazing paint on the planet )


and once again - the last time I swear - you must be sick to death of seeing it really




XXX





hmmm..........is this the same?

very very similar - mine has more curves on the upper drawers - but it is the same wood -
anyways the first one is listed on Kijiji as being from 1890 - which sounds about right from
the history I read on Larkin Co. - they are asking.....................drum roll
$1100.00!!!!!!!!!!!
So went searching again - my God some of them are asking 1500 and up - they are apparently
quite valuable -
Of course mine is painted - which diminishes the value of a true antique - but I really had no choice,
it would have had to been restored professionally it was so bad.
But still, there must be great potential here in getting a good price!
I'm thinking between 500 and 600 ( maybe ) have to think about this one.
Did I mention I paid 20.00 for it?
xxx

Thursday, October 20, 2011

New Camera!!!

I finally bought a new camera - so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pics are now true colors of the pieces I do -

Here is my latest piece - wow - I am soooo in love with this piece
( I know I know I say this about every piece - but look at the details
on this baby! )
This is the " LARKIN CO " dresser I previously posted about - check
out her curves -
I went out today to buy handles - ( the glass ones never came )  but the
curves on the top 2 drawers and the little door -stop the handles from
sitting flush - and so they appear crooked - won't do at all -
My thinking cap is on as I type - have to find a solution to this - perhaps
itsy bitsy handles on those particular drawers?  Here is the before again:


and here she is all finished ( except handles of course )


now I have to figure out how to find them once I download them - I am so so so
stupid at some things - the phone was much easier for downloading pics -
it took me 20 minutes to find this pic on my computer.

xxx

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Finished!

Here she is - ready for sell -
I stole this idea directly from Annie Sloan Paints - I purchased her book - and she had created
one almost identical -  it's really rustic and pretty in person.................




The top was stained in a deep walnut - and there is a high gloss of polyurethane ( 2 coats )
on top - for the shine - and for protection.
The rest of the pc was waxed and hand rubbed - 2 coats -
It has been layered in different colors of paint - and gently distressed.

This pc is so solid ( real maple ) that it will be around for another 100 years..............
Don't you love the curves on the top drawers?




and here's the inspiration photo from Annie's Sloan's book !


XXX
Me

Monday, October 17, 2011

Before and after dresser

Sometimes it's difficult to tell by the pics on Craigs List exactly the shape a dresser is in -
or if it is even worth the gas to go pick up -
And then sometimes you just know it's a winner.

BEFORE


AFTER - ( almost - need to sand the edges a little and put the hardware back on )



The wood tone turned out so deep and beautiful - this pc was a dream to work on -
I have 4 layers of paint on this baby - all different colors - so that when I sand, hints
of all of them should peak through.  Duck egg blue - my own creation of a medium
gray - and 2 coats of old white................
Will finish this pc tonight and post pics of it complete - this one hurts my heart to sell.

xxx