bad blogger, bad, bad!

ummm, well, yes I know it's been a while... The little thing called 'life' became a bit more important than my attempts at painting and blogging and decorating and craftiness and such. 

will you take me back? oh  I hope so! I will try to be better! I am going to start out slow, and just be up front with you - I will not be able to post daily. As much as I want to, I can't.  I have a full plate (and I know lots of you do) but I am not the super-do-it-all gal I once was.

I have been painting a bit and doing a few things around the house. I'd like to show you a little arrangement I did recently.  I got bored with my wall.  I made an attempt to add a little jazz - what do you think?

this 'before shot isn't the best - but it's all I could find...

 and here is what it looks like now

thanks for stopping by!

Before & After

  

So this piece has sat in our garage for too long! It was part of a 'set' that I purchased at a sale and never really had a feel for what I would do with it.  On one of our better weather days, (we've had some cold wet weather here in Bama lately) my hubs pulls it out, starts cleaning it and actually sanding it!  WHAT??!!
He states that he'd like to try something on it.........  Uhhhhh, yeah, go for it!
The little guy and I head out to do our own thing and hours later I come back to...  (scroll down)

THIS!!! 
I was super impressed and proud that he got to experience what I do - what it's all about!

He admitted that it was fun to see what would come out of his vision.  I think it is pretty cool!!  And he placed items in it trying to 'stage' them and the piece! :) 
Hopefully some one else will also think it is a great piece, because it is on the floor in my 'store'  FOR SALE!




 (love the striation detail)

 Well, it isn't a piece that I did, but I am proud nonetheless!  Maybe he'll do some more...

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!  Love your visits!
oh, anyone know the proper name for this piece?

FINALLLY! BEFORE/AFTER items!

Thanks for sticking with me - the weather has not been great here in Bama (rainy & cold) and I had a marketing project with a family member that took me away a while. I am back and despite the weather got a few thing taken care for ME!
Remember the post here, all the pieces that needed some {painted fresh} love?  Well take a look now!
This was the hutch:

BEFORE

AFTER!

"time worn/shabby" detail

detail of the top

In my store ready to go home with someone!

So what do you think about the WHITE?  I like it and enjoy using white; mainly I use Ralph...but my supply is getting low.  And occasionally 'Country White' from Wal-Mart.

WHAT WHITE DO YOU USE on furniture/walls/other projects??

Thanks for visiting! Hope you leave comments and an answer to the WHITE question!

Sunny Chair & Fabulous Frenchness

A few things were accomplished...and as I promised in my last post here are the AFTER shots!!  (I gotta get better at taking 'during' pics)

Here is a BEFORE of the sweet little chair:

 Unfortunately these pics make the yellow look a bit washed out... it's actually a bit brighter.  Well? what do ya think? does the yellow serve it well?  

I'm thinking a little pillow like this one above would help it POP some... I can just see it at a desk or as a side chair in a bedroom or any where really. Oh, it's for sale...so  let me know if you are interested.


And remember the french table?

It has a shelf, and it too, is painted fresh (duh! of course)

FRESH! huh?  As in {PAINTED FRESH} :)  I see this as a bedside table, perhaps between two chairs, lots of possibilities!  This too is for sale...

Check out PLACES I PARTY (near the bottom of the page) to see where I am linking up.  And, THANK YOU for being here!  I appreciate your support!  I would love it if you would "follow" this blog...just click over to the right under follow, easy peasy!

fabulous finds!

So, ya know how you find these great pieces at a yard sale, estate sale, on the curb, thrift store where ever you 'happen' to be, and they just beg to go home with you?? You know right?! Well, for me, I just can't walk away sometimes. Sad pieces with so much unrealized potential! Someone has to CARE!
So in my truck, packed like the Beverly Hillbillies, and home we go.  Hubby just scratches his head and helps me unload, mumbling under his breath the entire time, "I just wanted a garage, to actually park the cars.  I just wanted a clean, neat garage." Sorry hun, the cars are ok with rain, sun, sleet & snow - on the sales lot they aren't covered, so they feel more at home in the drive!! Ya think he buys it? yeah, NO! Bless his heart, to tolerate me & my shenanigans!

Ok, back to the PIECES... so you have 4 or 5 (10 or 12, who's counting, really?) and you have big plans, a time line, the perfect color, where it will go (if you are keeping it) and the price if you are selling it, yadda, yadda.  Something happens to throw you completely off getting them transformed into the beauties they are waiting to become.  But another yard sale is tomorrow and you still have that piece that the thrift store said they would hold for 4 days.  OH GOODNESS! The garage is slam packed full up can't even walk around!  YIKES!!! But I have more pieces that need to fit in here - some where!  And I'm sure there are sales I am missing today!

I could go on & on, but long story short, here are a few "inventory" pieces that are waiting on me.  SOON, very soon (the weather is warming up! YAY!) I will post the AFTER pics.  Don't you give up on me, now!! Stay with me!

hutch,

green barrel chairs

naked chair, sunny yellow?

3 drawer chest

french-ness

coffee table with the glass!

white with a bit of shabbyness??

very old with great bones - thinking red with a glaze??

can see in a foyer or used a petite desk...

two great cottage side tables

great little traditional side table

french beauty - well, soon to be

leather topped petite table

see the potential? green? blue? black?

buffet, white with a bit of distressing??

AND I would love your comments! At this point, I could use a boost! What colors, techniques do you see on some of these pieces?

thank you for being here!

I am linking up here:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://www.iamalongfortheride.blogspot.com/

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/2011/02/frugalicious-friday_17.html

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com

http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/

http://www.mybackyardeden.com/ 

pantry LOVE

Today it is beautiful outside, brrrrr, cold, but with lots o sunshine.  And I have that yucky stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and the uuggghhhh, "just don't feel well" feeling.  Great, just great.  Like I have time to not feel well.  Really? REALLY?! 
So I got nothing from my stash for you today; however, drum roll...........I thought I would share a post that made me swoon...

Some time ago, I happened on this blog post by Emily at Decorchick, and ummm, let's just say I. fell. in. L-O-V-E!  Our kitchen doesn't have a true pantry, and I do miss that in a kitchen!
Don't you laugh at me and my pantry love!  Take a peek at this and then tell me, you too are in L-O-V-E, aren't ya?!  (thanks Emily!)

The Great Pantry Makeover (click to read entire post/see all pics)  

by Decorchick! 

Tell me, come on, you are in l.o.v.e aren't ya? It's ok, I'll bet there are a lot of us out there in love, right now, with this...

Pop over to Emily's to see the entire post, chock full of details!  Tell her I sent you!  
If only I had a pantry - I would soo rock it like this!!  Emily, you're an inspiration. Thanks for sharing on my blog! 
I feel a little better now. Oh who am I kidding, now I just have pantry envy...

the "AFTER" of the table

So you saw the 'before' pics in my last post of the great table -lots of possibilities with this table now that it is {Painted Fresh}! 
Stash a few throws, some games, remotes in the drawer, hide a few toys when unexpected (but warmly welcomed) guests arrive, magazines, you name it! 
And it is chameleonic (is that a word?) meaning it could go with lots of styles.  Right?  Love me some paint by Ralph in black!

the BEFORE, and go HERE to see more

 AFTER

What do you think?  How would you use it, where?

nothing a little 'fresh love' can't fix

Great table - just had a bad leg, needed a little drawer repair and had a few bad spots here and there.  Nothing that a little hard work, and "fresh love" couldn't fix!

and those plastic tools work great!

I will soon be posting the AFTER pics ...