Tiny DropLeaf Table

I picked up this small drop leaf table because I liked the scrolly legs and the way it converts to a slim table after the two leaves are lowered. I knew it needed a make-over and this is the only project that I can recall that sat,
and sat,
and sat in the basement waiting to be loved. I didn't have a need for it until probably four years later when I was looking for a side table for the Green Toile Guest Bedroom. (You should be able to click on the highlighted word and get to the post I am referring to) I went down to the basement and accidentally found this table. Oh joy! Here is what it looked like

BEFORE

Cute huh? But I'm not one to leave furniture as it is. So you guessed it, out came the white paint. After painting and distressing it, I hand painted a leaf and vine design on the top and added a cute bird. Enjoy

AFTER

As seen in the Green Toile Guest Bedroom Post

MacKenzie Childs Inspiration #1

 I am so inspired and love ALL of MacKenzie Childs products. From furniture to dishware to soft goods. I love them all. The whimsy and just plain fun of it. What I don't like is the price.  The chair retails for $3,300 and the tuffet retails for $995. So above is my inspiration. Only I needed a chair, so I started off with this...below

I found this at a thrift store for $29! But I didn't pay $29. I traded it for another chair that I had so the cost was FREE. Gotta love that. Then I needed a stool. This time I made it from scratch. I purchased a round board from Home Depot, unfinished legs from eBay and foam from JoAnn Fabric's.

I painted the wooden legs and screwed them to the round board. I cut the foam in the shape of a doughnut. Then added batting and material. I covered a small wood round with contrasting material, put it all together, added fringe and it became a cute tuffet.

The chair was much more work. I stripped it down but had never upholstered a complete chair before...just seats and backs. So as I was stripping the old fabric off, I took pictures with my digital camera and was able to play them back to remember how it was done. I then painted the wood parts of this chair white and stained it and then put some coats of poly for protection. Now came the tears. I don't enjoy upholstery but I do it for myself because I am too cheap to hire it done! After a good cry, I get the courage to continue on.

When all was said and done, I was pleased with the outcome. The chair cost me $40 to upholster and the tuffet cost me $25 to make. Now that's a savings! Enjoy

PS This tuffet has seen more looks previously, here they are...so don't be afraid to redo a piece that you already did!

First try for teen daughter. I found the error of my ways and redid it.

Tuffet made for teen daughter's living room.

Evolution of The Powder Room

 First, I must preface this by saying that it is impossible to take pictures of a tiny powder room. There is just no space to get and be able to take a picture. Anyway, this is just a two piece bathroom on the main floor of our home...a pedestal sink and toilet.  Initially it was wallpapered in a white and cream check on the diagonal. I liked the wall paper but it didn't show up the collection of christening dress theme that I had going in there. What? You never heard of christening dresses in the powder room? Well, if you have the wall space problem that I have, too many collections to display and not enough walls to display them on, you learn to put any collection any where it will fit. (By the way, the christening dresses found a new home in the Green Toile Guest Bedroom.) This is what it looked like. below

Oh but that was AFTER I glazed the wallpaper to darken the color to allow the white dresses to actually show up.  Then one day I decided to paint a whimsical design behind the sink and mirror. To my hubby's horror, it was pink with roses.  Well that lasted a couple of years until he finally said, "get the pink out of the powder room."

Oh yea, and I had also went to a garage sale and picked up this double sconce.

Of course I did not keep it looking like this. I painted it white and added crystals and shades. Now it looks like this.

On with the evolution...so I called my handy dandy young and cute handyman and asked him to put up bead board about 50 inches up on the walls, a new sink, toilet, mirror and faucets. The floor is marble like the master bathroom so it was fine. Before he arrived, I took down the wallpaper on the upper half of the walls and it was a huge job. The builder did not 'size' the walls first for wallpaper which makes it very difficult to take off wallpaper. It was looking like this. below

So long story short, I painted the upper walls Sherwin Williams Portabella. Since there was going to be mostly white (white beadboard, sink, and toilet) I knew that dark paint in a tiny room would work.  He also put in a new exhaust fan and if you look at the ceiling in this picture below, you can see the painting that I did on the ceiling. The large crown molding was already there as it is in most of the house from the builder.

Speaking of that white thing on the wall, I found it on eBay looking like this. below

I thought it was so cool, but knew that I couldn't live with it looking so dirty and this was AFTER it was cleaned. So I purchased roses on eBay and glued them in the upper center and just painted it all out white.

 I made this picture above of the girl using an old photo, an old mirror and a mat and frame. First I used a razor blade to scrape of the silver from the back of the old mirror just in the center. I placed the picture of the girl so that she would show through. I then took the mat and using scrap booking paper, covered the mat and framed it. Below is a Chocolate Ad from a 1948 French magazine that I picked up at a garage sale. I just framed it.

This holds two extra rolls of toilet paper, I made the tag and put on the ribbon to dress it up.

I purchased this on eBay and it is on the wall that is opposite the sink and toilet.

I found this at a garage sale and did the painting and mosaic on it.

I found a clear tissue holder at a thrift store for .25¢. I used the scrap booking paper to line the inside and added the ribbon to dress it up.


Linking up to
Evolution Party

A Cake Taker To Love!

I have had a problem my whole life...loving something that I make and having to get rid of it. Yes, I know that I could keep it, but then you wouldn't be able to walk though my home. I found this (unpainted) Sorry, no before picture, cake carrier at a garage sale for only $2. I knew that I could paint it so cute. And I even purposely painted it a color that would not fit in my decor so I wouldn't get weak and want to keep it. Well, here it is in all it's glory, but I sold it on eBay. I so loved how this piece turned out and not another one like it! Enjoy

Handpainted Vintage Jello Molds

 

I keep running across these various jello molds at garage sales. They are from the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. They are a dime a dozen practically and I just loved all the different shapes. So I put my mind to thinking what in the world could I do with these? I decided to drill a hold in each one, spray paint them white or cream then hand paint each one differently. Then display on a tree in my kitchen during the holidays. I have even made one for a fall tree albeit tiny. And I took one and made it into a cute tassel for a doorknob. Enjoy

You should be able to click on the pictures to enlarge for better viewing.