Spray Painting Before and Afters

Decided to do a little outdoor decorating today... once I tried my design I thought..I can do better.  Where is the paint?

I love what a can of spray paint can do for ceramic planters.....These both look so much better white! I stenciled on the larger pot and sanded it a bit to give it a vintage look...

Added a little Sedum to the cornstalks for some color...and some soft grasses for some texture..

 Here is my wicker planter purchased at an auction... First picture is the before...I knew it would look better white! The basket on the bottom was in really bad shape--but now I think I might keep it around!  The birdhouse? A freebie from an auction!!

The stencil could have turned out a bit more vintage--anyone have any great suggestions for vintage letter stencils?  

Kind of liking the stroll from the drive to the front door.....Enjoy!!

Mama Turkey and her babies

We have enjoyed watching a mother turkey all summer with her 2 babies as they pick through our yard on the way to the woods each day.  She has been such a good mama all spring and summer-sticking right with her babies-always making sure my dogs are not out before they venture into our yard...So yesterday I was walking past my front window and right out the front window eating out of my little ground feeder for my cardinals appeared the turkey family! I snapped this to share.......The babies have gotten so big!!

Love things in 3's!

Not sure if I love these because I love things in 3's or if it is because they are just so stinkin cute! Have another set to do in white tomorrow night.....Happy Monday everyone!!

Fall & Halloween Decorating Sunday

Decorating with some of my auction finds...The Happy Halloween picture was an old blue  picture I purchased for .25 cents  painted and sanded and stenciled with my NEW favorite Halloween stencil....the old apple orchard baskets are from auctions...i added the number 45 on the smaller one......oh....don't like seeing the weekend draw to a close...some much to decorate....so little time to do it!

Flea Market Sunday

Well it was not the greatest Flea Market-but I still came away with a few good finds!

Couple great old books (can't pass up a vintage book with a blue cover)--the top one is a 1931 Chicago Public School Spelling Book with this great picture inside the front cover.....

What  a great shot!  Check out the man's coat....

 Will probably end up doing a little something like this with them....

Also picked up a couple metal industrial type letters.....love me some vintage letters...will add to my collection for display at a later date!  Happy Sunday everyone......

Relics in Peoria Illinois -- Happy Birthday!

For those of you who are lucky enough to have a shop filled with the items you love (insert picture of me here green with envy) you know how important shop anniversaries are and they MUST be celebrated! That is what my favorite store in Peoria Illinois is doing today...and I thought I would give you a tour of their cool stuff.......and by they way Happy 3rd Anniversary Relics!!


I have been stalking this sign about as long as I stalked my PB coffee table.....



Love a collection of vintage glass!

Have one...want another!

Ribbons Galore!

This is REALLY a neat piece...might have to go back....

I love this shop!

And for those of you who know me....you KNOW how I feel about CAST IRON Fireplace Summer Covers--see my post below...

So-if you are anywhere near Peoria stop in Relics at 3410 NE Adams or check them out online at www.relics.typepad.com

Enjoy--they are a GREAT find!

Vintage Fireplace Summer Covers

We have the greatest mantel in our living room from my husband's grandparents farm house. I think I might do a little sanding on it at some point--but that is for another blog...So the insert to the fireplace was something I searched for for MONTHS...I mean I searched long and hard...finally ended up here-http://www.urbanremainschicago.com  and found the cover of my dreams....If you are anywhere near Chicago you really need to check out Urban Remains..it really is the most unbelievable place.They have items they have salvaged from great vintage Chicago homes and old businesses..check out their website and look at some of the stuff!

Here is the summer cover I purchased from them.  So-last weekend my daughter calls me and tells me a friend of hers has moved and left some things behind and we were welcome to come and see if we wanted anything she left...My daughter said there was a shelf she knew I would love to redo and she wanted me to look at it....We go over to this house--a grand old Victorian and go up upstairs and then up another flight of stairs-very thin and VERY steep and this is what greets us at the top.....

 I was in shock-a wooden shelf top from a 70's style girls desk-with detailed wooden spindles.....and a cast iron fireplace summer cover...and a perfect completely intact floor heat register cover  with the trim piece...now I am in heaven!  These photos were taken at my house after my daughter and I (i was in heels and a business suit-left my office as soon as she told me we could look at this stuff) carried all of these from the 3rd floor attic-down the steep stairway and I was thrilled with each step I took!   This summer cover is to die for-the oval in the center is raised and the detail is so intricate.It will be worked into the fireplace it is resting against during it's makeover..and the heat register..that will be hung on a wall once my new wall covering (hopefully barn siding-another blog also) is up...The shelf I will redo and incorporate on a wall to display some white ironstone pieces....awww..these were GREAT finds and the price $0.00!! Can't beat that!

Heirloom White Spray Paint - My Little Stool and A Stencil Project

 This little stool was $1.00 with a few other items from an auction...it had some chew marks on the left side that I sanded out smooth....I  knew it was a GREAT FIND!






Following some sanding I spray painted 2 coats of Heirloom White spray paint and sanded a bit and then added a coat of primer-and a stencil...painted another coat of Heirloom White and started to sand some details and lightly uncovered the stenciled numbers....I think I will add it to my stool collection--another stool project to follow this weekend...stay tuned..and a FLEA MARKET trip on Sunday!!  





 


  

 



Catch Up On Projects

Well today's auction was a bust.  It rained and all the items were soaked and I just did not see anything I could not live without..so instead I came back home and.......worked on some pending projects ..I could look at the detail in this antique frame all day and NEVER get tired of it..I did a little painting on her and a little repair work...Isn't she delicate?

I tried several of my mirrors with this little table and decided on this one....

Tied some paper ribbon around this little box of books that I just love!

Did a little sanding on this great little step stool I am getting ready to paint....and decided to take some time and read some of my favorite blogs!

Auction Tomorrow....Copper Pot and Vintage Wood Levels....

So tomorrow is an auction about 40 minutes away in a small town...keep your fingers crossed for me and maybe I will have some great pics to post of my finds....might even try a mobile blog post.....until then here is a fun picture to pass the time.....because every woman needs a copper pot to store her vintage levels!! Copper pot-$10.00 from an auction..levels from an auction...ranged from $1.00 to $3.00 a piece...I think I will display them on a wall at some point.....I know they will be level!!

Kitchen Make Over



This is the area of my kitchen that I will hang my new herb boxes--see below...what do you think? We are going to paint the walls light and add wide bead board, paint the cabinets and the dresser white also...Those projects are on the to do list also!   The stool will be painted white also...



This is my inspiration photo...www.theletteredcottage.com

Great Give Away

Suzanne from Privet and  Holly has a truly wonderful giveaway you can register for until September 23rd...

Click here to enter and good luck!

http://privetandholly.blogspot.com/2010/09/feathering-nest-giveaway.html

Kitchen Redo Ideas

I spied these wooden herb baskets a few months back on Layla's blog  (http://www.theletteredcottage.com/) and knew I had the perfect spot for them in my kitchen…once I start my kitchen make over.   So after searching the internet I found an ETSY shop owned by the greatest lady named Sarah....Sarah helped me thru the transaction—even took the time to e-mail me to let me know some of her invoices end up in spam files so be sure to check mine...A few days later my box arrived at my door-and now that I have my 4 herb boxes—I LOVE them!!  Thank you Sarah!! Here is the link to her store in case you would like to check them out and take a peek at her other cool stuff!  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhitewashSundries?ga_search



They came with these great hooks! I just love them...can you tell?

Now they must wait patiently for their permanent spot in my kitchen-next to my favorite basket...

Fall Decor

I love decorating for Fall...This wreath has been done and re-done over and over the past few years..and the pumpkins--PB candles purchased on MAJOR after holiday clearance 4 years ago...now the best--the vintage window frame-FREE...picked it up at an auction--nobody wanted it!!  Fall....LOVE IT in the Midwest!

Before and After--Antiquing a table

This is a midway-not really a before shot of the last table I worked on.  My husband came in the garage and said-are you painting a white table black or a black table white? 

And the answers is......A black table white!! I think I might try wiping a little of the paint over the sanded areas to see what that effect adds to the look.....Will let you know!!

Auction!

Just so you don't think I took ALL the great items from the farm auction today (see my post below) I thought I would share some of the other great finds......This was one woman's collection of great stuff...It was a fun day on the farm!

My Auction Finds!

Today was a great auction...I walked away with these great finds!

The set of matching 4 vintage chairs--$1.00! Yes that is correct $1.00..and the bench $1.00.  The suitcase was $5.00-and the detail this case has is remarkable. In the picture above is a little table to the left of the pic-this picture does not do it justice.  It is really great!