simply vintageous...by Suzan: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

NEW WARDROBE?

You know I did a post a couple of days ago on John's use of the word " fine " right?( if not you can read it HERE -
Well today he went out for a bit and came home more excited than I've heard him in AGES.............

John screams - SUE - SUE - come quick - come see what I found - YOU.ARE.NOT.GOING.TO.BELIEVE.THIS.
Suzan says - what did you find? ( as I cock my head with a happy heart - what could it be ? a curbside treasure? a priceless heirloom? a crate?)
John screams - YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS - HONESTLY - I CAN'T BELIEVE IT MYSELF
Suzan says - oh can't wait - I'm coming
John says - THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING ELSE - YOU'RE GOING TO BE SO THRILLED!!!

I hurriedly put my paint brush down - brush my hands on my joggers - close the paint lid

SUZAN!!!!!

I'm coming, I'm coming - and I run down ( literally run down ) the hallway filled with anticipation.

And there he stands with 8 packages of this

Suzan says - Well, John, you're 100% right - I don't believe it
John says - Are you kidding me - his hands are flying all over the place - he's practically dancing - 8 bucks for 2 steaks?
John says - I haven't seen them this cheap yet this summer
John says - WHAT A STEAL - THANK GOD I HAPPENED TO GO INTO THE GROCERY STORE
John says - What's the matter - you don't think it's a good deal? - they're rib, your favorite

So now we all know what rocks John's boat - ( I say " we " because believe me I am just as surprised by this as you ) All the money I've wasted on lingerie - Oh I could just kick myself
When the answer was so simple really -
And since I'm a DIY'er anyway -

maybe I should pull a LADY GAGA and make myself a meat dress

Think they're might be enough steaks to make the 2nd one - and if there isn't well

THEY'RE.ON.SALE.TWO.FOR.EIGHT.DOLLARS.I.CAN'T.BELIEVE.IT.OH.MY.GOD.SUZAN

so I could always pick up a few more.................

P.S -
John says - maybe I should start a blog
Suzan says - forget it - you wouldn't keep up with it for a week - and you have to work at it to get followers.
John says - I don't know about that - I think I could just get everyone's husbands as followers.

XOX
Suzanna Anna Danna

Partying with:

It's so very Cheri
http://itssoverycheri.com/2012/09/02/its-party-time-9-2-2012/
Kathe with an E
http://www.kathewithane.com/2012/09/youre-gonna-love-it-week-20.html
Adorned from Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/09/simple-anti-aging-moisturizer-and.html
Nutmeg Place
http://www.nutmegplace.com/2012/09/all-star-block-party-14.html
Katherine's Korner
http://katherinescorner.com/2012/09/06/thursday-favorite-things-blog-hop-linky-party-52/
Funky Junk Interiors
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2012/09/sns-151-junk-styled-offices.html
Flour me with love
http://www.flourmewithlove.com/2012/09/mix-it-up-monday_9.html#more
Keeping it Simple
http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/2012/09/motivate-me-monday-139.html

SHINE ON ME SUNSHINE - WALK WITH ME WORLD

Good morning, morning
Hello sunshine, wake up sleepy head
Why'd I move that bojangle clock
So far away from the bed???????

AND THE WINNER OF THE 300 FOLLOWER IS NUMBER 11
MAUREEN THAT'S YOU DAHLINK!!!!!!!!!!
Send me an email with your coordinates?
Congrats!

Result:11

Please note I could not include anonymous entries for obvious reasons!

Now to continue my post!
Y'all in the south get far better deals than this " shugah " gets way up north!
But I got lucky!!! How about these adorable tables ( I especially love the 3 columned one )

10.00 EACH Y'ALL

You'd probably get them for 2.00 each - but I'm so thrilled I can't tell ya!

And these gorgeous chairs - for 15.00 each!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And for everyone who has a pet peeve about exclamation points, I know I know - I abuse them
but they're here to stay I'm afraid.................

Amy from While wearing Heels just did a makeover on an identical chair
you can see it HERE - I just fell in love with it when I saw it a couple of days ago - and then lo and behold I found these while browsing CL - co-winkadink?
Amy paid 3.99 for hers - but that is never going to happen in Montreal - NEVER

Shine on me sunshine
Walk with me world
It's a skippity do dah day
I'm the happiest girl
in the whole ~~U.S.A~~ Canada

Now you be careful - gotta go
I love you and have a beautiful day
And kiss the happiest girl
in the whole U~~.S.A.~~ Canada

XOX

thanks Donna Fargo - you don't know how often I still find myself humming this and
I defy anybody to not feel better after hearing her sing it ( even if you hate country music )
actually if you hate country music just ignore the video - there, that takes care of that :)

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Because I've got nothing better to do

Well here we go again,

I showed you a sneak peak a couple of days ago of this dresser

and after painstakingly doing this

and this

and this ( again )

I ended up with this

and it just didn't feel right -
the intention was to dark wax all over it to antique it but even so - it was just too stark - not warm at all
so I called John in for his advice................

Suzan says - What do you think
John says - Well you have too many colors going on there - white- silver - blue - gray and I don't like that you left the top drawer different
Suzan says - rolling her eyes - I didn't finish the top drawer because I'm not sure I like the direction I'm going with this
John says - shrugging his shoulders - It's fine

It's fine is not the response I'm looking for - ( nor is it the response I'm looking for when I get all dressed up to go out by the way John - just so you know )

Suzan says - Well then I'm going to change it
John says - YOU'VE WORKED ON THAT FOR 2 DAYS - AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT?
Suzan says - Yup - I don't like it - and I like it less now that you've said " it's fine "
John says - I can't win - I tell you I like it and.......................
Suzan says - No - you didn't say you liked it - you said it was " fine "
John says - but that means I like it -
Suzan says - " fine " does not mean you like it John - it means it's ok - it's mediocre - it's just " fine "
John says - you know Suzan you're certifiable - 100% - it's like you've got nothing better to do
John says - it's like living in a loony bin around here
John says - I'm going to bed
Suzan says - " fine "

And now I've changed it to this

And I think he's right - I am certifiable - I can picture myself in an asylum with a canvas and my water paints...............and a blank stare on my face.

God knows what color it'll be when I post the final photos LOL -

Oh and btw I've printed this and left it on his desk - a quote by Mark Twain that sums everything up beautifully

"Let us consider that we are all partially insane. It will explain us to each other; it will unriddle many riddles; it will make clear and simple many things which are involved in haunting and harassing difficulties and obscurities now" Mark Twain

Wish I'd read that many many years ago - there have been so many riddles in my life that have needed unriddling

Have a good thursday - I pick a winner tomorrow for my 300 follower give away - if you haven't signed up you can leave a comment HERE

Hugs,
Suzan

I WANNA live there Wednesday # 4

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

Because there's days I don't have furniture makeovers to show you - I've chosen Wednesdays to showcase and feature one home that's for sale around here.................( or apartment - or duplex - or teepee )
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Good morning everyone - I'm listing 2 properties today - one of them is a virtual tour - click on the video at the end of my post to be transformed to another planet almost ( seriously ) beyond the realm...................
In the meantime I can imagine making my mark on this Gingerbread house

You had me at HELLO

kitchen

family room off kitchen - facing garden

I'm really not a fan of wood - but in this case I think I could live with it - loving how it faces the outdoor space

den

loving the trellis work - and the floors in this place are to die
and that radiator too cute for words

dining room - wouldn't a built in window seat be perfect in this room?

living room - I cannot tell you how much I love this room - that corner window is beyond charming!

hallway

Master bedroom

master bath

bedroom - WOW

bedroom - lo and behold - finally a window seat - and another corner window

love the alcove off this bedroom - God what I could do with this room

off the family room - my perfect back yard -

balcony - look at the space on this thing!!!!

Description

This ancestral victorian style cottage is turnkey. Built on a large lot of 7000 square feet, it offers 5 bedrooms and all the comforts you are looking for. On the ground floor, the kitchen offers tons of storage and the huge family room opens directly onto a beautiful and mature garden. Facing the front of the home is a large mature park.

Cost 1,594,000.00

What do you think? Could you live there?

I'm in love -

________________________________________________________________________

And now ~~if you have a~~ please ( please please please ) take a few moments to look at this video - ugghhh I can't download it - but if you click on the link and then click on VIRTUAL TOUR to the right side of the page I promise you it's worth your time -

It's a mansion - 23 rooms - but it's the "homiest" mansion I've ever seen ( well that I've ever seen pictures of anyway lol ) you can just see the love that was put into decorating this space - every single corner of it and it looks lived in - this home is spectacular - Victorian living at it's absolute finest!
9 million dollars of dreams come true.
If you don't like music turn your speakers off - there's an overture playing in the background - it's fitting and I kind of like it but I know some people find audio annoying

http://passerelle.centris.ca/Redirect2.aspx?CodeDest=PROFUSION&NoMls=MT10451445&Source=WWW.REALTOR.CA&Langue=E

This is still Westmount - but up on what is called " the summit " it's the highest point in this city.

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullabye

I'm off to dream now because Judy told me that the dreams that I dare to dream really do come true and I really do WANNA live in that 1st house!!!

XOX
Suzan

Party Time!

French Country Cottage
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca/2012/08/feathered-nest-friday_30.html
Common Ground
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.ca/2012/08/vintage-inspiration-103-all-things-home.html
The Charm of Home
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.ca/2012/08/home-sweet-home-82.html
At the Picket Fence
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2012/08/its-inspiration-friday-no-80-welcome.html
2 8 0 5
http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.ca/2012/08/potpourri-friday-39-home-depot-gift.html
Coastal Charm
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.ca/2012/09/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no129.html
The Farmhouse Porch
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.ca/2012/09/welcome-to-week-31-of-cowgirl-up-link.html
Uncommon
http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/2012/09/uncommonly-yours-link-party-44.html
Savvy Southern Style
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2012/09/wow-us-wednesdays-82.html

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

M.B.F.E. ( my best find ever )

Remember when I said I found the most incredible dresser? Well I finally got it home - ( thanks Dorothy - thanks David - what would I have done without you guys - pls don't move to WINDSOR)

Here's....................................Joanna ( that's her name - she told me so )

She's BIGGER than she looks - 6.5 FEET - but take a look at her details!

Now I bought her for my bedroom actually - and was going to sell this one which is I'm currently using

but I'd like to show you what the hallway of a Victorian flat looks like

that's my bedroom door just to the left in the photo

there's absolutely no way we can get that dresser into the bedroom - without breaking out the wall on top of the bedroom door - which I would do without any hesitation at all - but I think that would be the one conversation NOBODY would want to hear between John and myself.....................

( just a side note - I came across this once - it's a hallway in Brooklyn - blogged about it before I had any followers so no one has seen it yet, lol - in fact I could just repost my first year of blogging and I'd be pretty safe LOL - this Brooklyn hallway is my Montreal hallway's doppelganger - mirror image almost - )

isn't that amazing - 2 different countries....................

Anyways I may sell this instead

which I've wanted to sell for a long time - but we had this little problem

John promised he would fix the leg when we picked it up - let's see now I've had it now for at least 18 months so that tells you how long it takes for me to get things done around here!!! I " propped " the leg
up and it sat like this for all that time.......................
Today he's gone to Home depot to get the supplies to fix it

Suzan says - John, do you think you could fix the leg on the buffet so I can finally sell it?
John says - I told you already that I'm going to fix it
Suzan says - but that was a very long time ago - I hate to be a nag about it but......................
John says - OK - EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAY, AS SOON AS SUZAN WANTS IT DONE SHE SNAPS HER FINGERS AND EVERYONE HAS TO RUN
Can you sense his annoyance?
Suzan says - I don't know about that John - I snapped my fingers 18 months ago- and if this is how fast you run - we're in deep *&%* here darling.

But in all fairness he did get up and RUN today -
So I'm thinking he just didn't hear my fingers snapping away the first time.....................

And by the way - we're here 2 years next month - before we moved in I painted the entire flat - he promised he would do the ceilings ( at over 10 feet they're a killer for me ) before the furniture arrived.
The ceilings have not been done yet.................................

Snap, crackle, POP mister.....................

XOX

P.S. Here's a small snapshot of where I'm going with the dresser

P.S.S.
Everytime I pick a piece - I think " oh this is nothing - a little paint - a little distressing - presto "

But now that I've actually started working on her she's far more work than I anticipated - this is going to take quite awhile for me to finish because I'm working on other things at the same time - she's kind of like
my " go to " when I need a break from the other stuff. I'm trying a new technique ( you can see it on the bottom 2 drawers - if it works out I'll share! )

The only saving grace is I don't have a time limit on the dresser ( other than my own OCD brain which tells me to keep going.................going................going.......................

Gone
XOX

Sunday, August 26, 2012

A country vignette

I have my eyelids propped open with paint brushes ( Purdy ) trying to get this post out because I don't think I'll have the time tomorrow to actually sit for too long -

I don't think I ever posted the photo of this dresser - so here is the before ( it's the photo from Craigs list so not the best - as if mine are LOL )

it's a good solid antique piece but had none of the usual character these old pieces have - so had to add some on my own - and I'm not even sure it works - sometimes appliques can kind of look " forced " and not natural to the piece at all, right?

and I definitely posted the photo of this

The dresser did not come with a mirror - and none of the ones I had looked right - so I painted these 2 pieces as a set - using ASCP Pure white and Paris gray
Oh and I have such a great tip for you - for those of you that use Pure white you know it does not cover in one coat like the other colors right? Sometimes it even takes 3 coats and this is expensive paint - so what I do now is I put 1 coat on first - and then I use a coat of Behr Ultra White Flat on top - and if it needs a 3 coat - at least I'm only using the ASCP twice.........................

The shelf has hooks to hang on the wall - but I kind of like it sitting on the dresser - I've include the rocker because they're all painted the same colors and am going to try to sell it as a set.

Doesn't the applique look a little weird on the middle drawer? I had to put it there though because there was an engraved design on that drawer and this covered it..................

It was already painted silver ( I literally took it off the wall in the dining room to put it on the dresser ) so I just dry brushed it with white...........

And once again I used my back plates to add a little pizazz - and glass knobs

this is how the back plates look by the way before I spray painted them

home depot in case you're interested - great value at 1.99 each -

then I snuck into the bedroom to get a basket and tray to " stage " because I simply cannot wait until the morning - and very quietly began to sneak back out - and walked right into the door that had closed behind me when I went in ( ^&%&*$ crooked victorian flats - the doors never stay open!!! ) waking John up -

and trust me, some conversations simply cannot be repeated.
But my nose feels like some damage was done - lol

Looks ridiculous actually doesn't it, lol - definitely was not worth waking him up for, poor guy.

But it does hide the fact that I didn't put the handles in the bottom drawer. It's all smoke and mirrors with me.

Reve - ( dream ) probably what he was in the middle of doing

and definitely what I SHOULD be doing ......................since it's 2.30 in the morning

I have to finish this tomorrow morning - and get it listed for sell - the house is getting crowded again!

Oh and one last question - I'm really curious if this happens to anyone else - sometimes when I plug the camera in - the screen pops up and tells me there's nothing to download - when I've just taken photos!

Tonight it happened 4 times before they finally uploaded.

I wanted to take the camera and smash it into the wall - ( but that's not me talking - that's the menopausal seriously sleep deprived manic mama speaking )

I took a sleeping pill 2 hours ago - and it's definitely working now. ( I know they aren't good for you - but they are definitely the lesser of 2 evils at this stage in my life )

Good night, sleep t...........................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

XOX

Suzan

Saturday, August 25, 2012

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Last week when I went picking with Dorothy - I found this box - and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it

another paint storage solution ( it's ridiculous how much paint I have really - and I've had to literally think outside the "box" because I no longer have a garage.

I painted it white and grabbed those trusty stencils once again - and came up with this

It can hold 16 quart sized tins of paint - 4 waxes - and paint brushes. Not bad for 5 dollars!

And I also found this little table for 5 dollars -

And 100% I took a before photo of this and can't find it anywhere - must have deleted it by accident -
It was typical 60's oak anyway - painted it with ASCP WHITE - and then printed out the laurel wreath from
the Graphics Fairy - and ran as fast as I could ( while the ink was still wet ) and placed it on the surface and rubbed a regular pencil on it like this

you can see the print underneath it quite clearly - I didn't trace this - I just rubbed the pencil against it ( with a lot of force actually )

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