Whirlwind Weekends............

Whirlwind weekends............

I want to apologize for not writing the past few weeks. We have had projects galore getting the nursery ready and then we had a weekend family trip, so my blog was put on the back burner temporarily.  I have been busy though with pages and pages of ideas for our home, planning the nursery, employing the Mr. to help me, and prioritizing which projects are most important.

I admit, I keep getting distracted and need to focus on the nursery.  So we did just that this weekend. Painting of the crib is almost finished.  The color we went with is Cracked Pepper by Behr.  It was suggested by my friend Cindy Sullivan of Vintage Loved. It is amazing gray! I also toned down an old brass mirror in this for over his dresser with the cracked pepper.  It looks great. Then I raided my Dad's wood supply and found perfect pieces he had already pre-cut to use to make distressed signs with cool surfer lingo for one wall......"shoot the curl", "hang ten", "surfer dude", etc.  I am excited about this and hopefully will get the signs done next weekend.

I also finished the cute little cabinet I had posted earlier which will be perfect for his Lego storage and Matchbox cars. The rocking chair was given to me by my parents on my first birthday. I will post more pictures as it comes together. Here is a preview...............

Just a few finished items...........more to come:)

Saturday fun......

Today the Mr, and I did many projects, but the one I want to share with you this evening is that of repurposing the kitchen dining room chairs. Due to the snow this morning, we turned our living room into our studio so we wouldn't freeze in the garage.  I also finished a piece for Grey's room, changed the mantle decor, and husband is painting the crib as I type:).

The chairs were an old oak finish which had been heavily worn and had old latex paint drippings on them. Because of this, we did have to sand all the paint spots off of them in which someone had carelessly left.  Then we were able to go to town painting.  I am not a fan of oak finish, but it is easy to update and paint.

I absolutely love our kitchen table as it handles the heavy traffic and kid goo of a large family very well:). I purchased it from a high school friend who also repurposes furniture.  She found it at an estate sale here locally.  I also like that it is on wheels and large enough to add more chairs when needed. We are excited with the result and fresh, clean look. What do you think?

  

Marti :)

Three French Hens...........

I do not know about all of you, but I have been having a productive and fabulous weekend!  I have met new friends at a local treasure shop in Nolensville, TN called Three French Hens. It is full of vintage goodness and the owners are friendly and fun. I purchased an old window there and tried my hand at painting with the infamous Maison Blanche Paint in Antique Blue. This is the first time I have painted with chalk paint and absolutely love it. It was so easy and  I even let my eldest daughter Ella (she's 9) paint the second coat.

Ella trying her hand at repurposing:)

It is drying as we speak. Then the Mr. and I rearranged the furniture in the formal dining room and the space looks so much better!  I have to reupholster the dining room chairs and then paint a bookcase (which I am repurposing to go in dining room) to display my beloved brown transferware I am collecting.  It is slow process collecting the china, but if you found it all at once it would take the fun out of it, right?

Also, I have painted another lamp for the master and am painting this cute little horse a friend found at a thrift shop to put on Etsy.  I am hoping to attempt a burlap shade for the master room lamps, but that is going to take some practice :).

I am smiling at myself as I am typing because as I look down my fingers are stained in gray and turquoise paint from all these projects.  Too funny. I better get that off before my "day job" tomorrow:).

I wish you all a wonderful rest of your weekend....enjoy!

Marti

Image borrowed from Pinterest.

Treasure Hunting .........It's Addictive!

Beginning GVS has been so exciting and I am having too much fun meeting new people, taking classes, brainstorming, and just enjoying this new adventure as a family.  I am struggling with focusing on just one room of our home at a time though.  Every time I go out looking for vintage goodies for my son's room who will be arriving in May, I find items which would be perfect for other areas of the house. I am sure quite a few of you struggle with this to as treasure hunting is so addictive when you are finding fabulous finds and bargains. 

 So after pouring over Miss Mustard Seed's new book I am going to follow her advice and focus......well, I am going to try to slow my creative mind down:)

These are just a few helpful hints she suggests in her book Inspired You......

          1.  Know when a bargain is a bargain.

          2. Take cash and do not spend more then the cash you have budgeted....my major down 

                fall:)!        

          3. Buy what you love as this is your unique style.

          4. Go prepared with an empty van or truck if you are looking for big items. 

          5. Don't buy things just because they are cheap. If you do not need it, what good is it to waste

               $2 on an item you will never use.

          6. Dress down...do not put on the jewels and pull out the latest LouisVuitton to go junkin' if 

              you are looking for people to come down on the price.

          7.  Don't be afraid to dig and wear old clothes

          8. Make it a family affair and give the kids a few dollars so they can participate in finding 

              vintage goodness too. This also teaches them about budget and honestly my eldest

              daughter is much better at staying on budget then I am. 

A few Pinterest photos I came across today....I love turquoise. don't you?

            

Marti

Vintage Bottles Make Me Happy........

I absolutely love the look of vintage glass bottles, don't you? They provide such a simple elegance to display in a window or even on a mantel.  The way the light shines through the blue and turquoise, especially just makes me happy. These are what I find myself always drawn to when visit my favorite little antique shops searching for vintage goodies. Mercury glass is always an awesome find, as it adds just enough sparkle to your home. Mix and match different sizes, styles, and textures for a unique look.



                                                       
                                                          

                                                      
 
Images borrowed from Pinterest except the milk bottle which is available in my Etsy shop.

Painted Mason Jars

As most of my followers know, I love mason jars and their simplicity. They are very versatile and easy. Also, if one gets broken or knocked over by the children, big deal. They are so inexpensive to replace and that gives me an excuse to try something new with them :).

For this project, I "borrowed" three mason jars from my husband's case of canning jars.  Shhhhh... :).  I then simply flipped them over and pulled out the spray paint. I prefer to use the Rustoleum as it seems to cover better.  The color I happen to have on hand was Heirloom White.

                                        

I applied the first coat just to get a good base because if you spray too much it drips. If this happens take a paint brush and blend it out. Make sure you turn them upside when you paint so the paint drips down the jar as it drys

 Then I applied two more coats. Let dry between coats so you can see where you need to add more.

Then I like to finish them off with some twine or jute wrapped around them to complete the look.  They are then ready to put your goodies in them, such as fresh flowers and or even alone to decorate.  I even use mason jars in the middle of the kitchen table for napkins, so if the children need more they can just grab one.    



                                                         

Simple....simple.

Marti

Save the World..Buy Vintage

This is one of my favorite sayings and prints I have every purchased. I bought this from Michelle Holmes at Vintage Junky www.vintagejunky.com  here in Spring Hill, TN. I love her little shop and it is in my hometown. I try to shop local when I can as I am not a fan of malls or crowds at all.

So when the Mr. and I purchased our home a year ago, her shop was the first I visited to find funky treasures for our new abode.  I saw this in her shop and instantly loved it.

I arranged it with my Mother's vintage copper cookware over our pantry........

I jazzed it up by buying a blank canvas in which I painted the same color as my kitchen. I then used my trusty Rustoleum Heirloom White and painted a frame I have been saving for awhile looking for just the right use.  I mounted the print directly to the canvas with Mod Podge and voila!!! Simple....simple.  It truly is a statement of how I love to repurpose and upcycle vintage items.  I love giving old things new life.

Marti