Becolorful

One of A Kind Game Table

Let The Games Begin

 

Earlier this summer a color loving client gave me this game table to paint.

Her only request was that it coordinate with her vivid pinks, greens, and blues.

Color me inspired.

When I first laid eyes on this little number it was a sedate combo of blacks and browns.

 

There were a lot of surfaces to this piece and

I grossly underestimated the number of hours that the project would take.

The inset of the table was set up for backgammon and the top is designed for chess.

 

I taped off the backgammon template and began priming.

By the middle of August it was looking more like this.

 

Quite a change up already.

I wish you could know the client.

She worships at the alter of bright colors and whimsical patterns. As I said, other than the color direction, she gave me a free hand in the design. 

To give myself an inspirational jumping off point, I took some images of the inside of her home.

This bright and bold pairing stand sentry in the foyer.  So, right from the get go you know that while you are here you are going to be in for a colorfully visual treat with a real sense of fun.

 

This delightful duo along with a raspberry pink sectional will be in the same room as the game table. 

 

These elements make it obvious that this is a client that is fearless when it comes to color and pattern.

Gotta love that.

:)

So I went all out on this one.

It is difficult to take pictures in my studio with its overhead lighting but it was raining outside today and I wanted to get these photos taken because I am sure my client is anxious to have her table back.

Okay, maybe I was pretty stoked to share it too.

:0

So without further ado,

Drum roll please.....

.......

The table without the top -

 

 

 

 

 

and now with the chess board top on.

The customer wanted more aqua in this piece and I think it pulled together well with the raspberry pinks and  lime greens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really liked how the legs turned out.

Sometimes I never really know where I am going.

These pieces often seem to have a will all of their own.

This table was no exception.

I can tell from this close up picture of the leg that I need to go back in and touch up the under side of the table a bit.

Oops. 

:0

So I will do that and top coat the entire piece and then I will be able to turn it over to its new home.

Even in that flamboyant space I think this lively one will be able to hold its own.

Yes, another BeColorful project out the door.

It's like coloring the world one piece of furniture at a time.

:0

xoxo,

P

LInking my fun little table here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cabinet That Only Took Me Three Years To Paint

I purchased this sweet little cabinet several years ago from a consignment shop.

I notice a lot of people remove these wire insets but I thought these were what gave this piece a unique charm and probably the element that enticed me to buy it. 

When I first brought this piece home blogging wasn't even on my radar so I never even gave a thought to taking a before picture.

Just know that it was basically brown with some black accents.

Three years ago I gave it the BeColorful treatment.

  While my brushes were loaded with paint, I decided to redo this piece too.

Somebody had already painted this one white and I left it like that for quite awhile but sometimes the spirit just moves you. Unfortunately for me, this is usually just hours before I am expecting company. This time I was supposed to host our book/cocktails club that night.

I don't know why, but I usually decide to tackle a paint project the day of a party. You would think I would have learned by now but I am still doing it.

It was while I was painting these two pieces that I learned that my dad had fallen and was going to require surgery.

Needless to say, book club was canceled and I threw my brushes in a cup of water to soak until I could get back to them.

Life got crazy for awhile and this little cabinet looked like this for the next three years.

 

 

 

You will notice that the right side is just a muddy green.

Whenever I posted pictures of this room on the blog it wasn't from this side. No, the picture was usually taken from this angle so you, the reader wouldn't notice.

:0

Occasionally you saw this view.

Well it took another party and rearranging the furniture in this room to get me to recommit to this project.

Finally, last month,  I revisited this striped, harlequined and floral creation.

I was feeling good about myself that I was giving myself enough of a window before the party that the paint would be dry.

This time I was madly recovering ten dining chairs while waiting for the caterer.

It's a sickness.

Anyway, I wanted to bring a bit more red to this side of the room so this is what I came up with.

 

It probably took me less than an hour to finish this up.

Geesh. Sometimes I wonder about myself.

Maybe the next thing I will do is finally finish the back side of that other piece.

( The last side is still unfinished)

It must be a Freudian thing.

:0

xoxo,

P

Dressing Up The Vanity Bench

Chalk up another project in the completed column.

Or so I thought.

I recently dressed up this vanity chair for a client.

When it arrived here in my studio it looked like this.

I almost forgot to take the before picture but here goes the primer coat.

I have done this hydrangea pattern a number of times and this client liked it on another piece of mine so I incorporated that design into the back but thought a vanity chair needed something a bit more glamorous to sass it up a bit.

Leopard print goes with everything so I thought it would be the perfect compliment for the red floral pattern.

To pull the two looks together, I striped the back of the chair combining the two concepts.

 

 

 

Now that I look at the photos, I wonder if I need some black and white stripes around those braces and a bit more gold striping down the front of the legs.

Hmmm. I just can't seem to ever be satisfied.

xoxo,

P

Linking up my Vanity Chair at these great parties:

Yes, I Painted My Antique Commode Raspberry Pink

 

 

 

Oh yes I did.

Avert your eyes if you have issues with painting perfectly good antique pieces,

because that is exactly what I did.

Horrors right?

Please don't un-subscribe.

:)

 

 Until this week this was a  golden oak commode that I bought back in the 80's.

( Behr primer + paint)

Back then I didn't have a car that it would fit in so my dad picked it up for me and helped deliver it to my apartment.

That's just what dads do.

I know a lot of you are shaking your head in disdain that I painted this piece at all and as if that wasn't painful enough, I had to commit my sin with a raspberry pink.

I must say,

I'm not sorry.

It was the right decision for me.

 

In my defense, when I first bought my little oak piece she was coated in a very ugly shade of green.

I went to work laboriously stripping it down to bare wood and then staining and varnishing it.

The detail work was a bear but it is what makes the piece interesting.

 

 

I was so proud of my work but alas, things change.

Styles change and my home has changed numerous times.

I stripped it myself so I felt entitled to paint it again if I wanted.

 

 
I went back and forth between pink or a bold green or yellow.

For now I am happy with my pink choice.

It does go kind of red in the evenings though, and yes,

I even painted the back so it looks good from the back in front of that window.

:)

I could have sold this piece as it was but it had some memories for me including the one of my dad who is no longer here.

Over the years it stored my china. We had a small wedding so early on I didn't have much to store.

Then for the first six months of Lizzie's life it held toys.

As the toys multiplied we moved on.

For a while it contained an overflow of video tapes.

Later on it stored booze.

A few years after that we must have started drinking more and decided we needed a built in bar.

:)

So this little commode was relegated to the place where I keep extension cords, light bulbs, batteries and candles.

Just recently I moved it out of the media room and onto the breezeway.

I wasn't sure at first if I really liked it here.

I didn't like the look of the oak but I hated to give up a storage piece.

Then it hit me,

I was ready to take the plunge.

I would paint it and feel not an ounce of guilt.

I didn't want my usual multi patterned look, just a solid color this time with some new hardware.

 

 

Yes, painting the commode was the perfect solution.

I still have my memories, I still have my storage but now I also have a fresh pop of color in this formerly demure green yellow and white room.

 

Hmmmm. Now I'm thinking I need some raspberry pink and red pillows on the other side of the room to balance things out.

Well that settles it.

Gone shopping.

xoxo,

p

 

 

 

Bistro Table ala Petals and Polka Dots

 

I thought I would share this bistro set with you that I painted up last month.

 

It was a terrific find.

What I liked about this set is that it could all folded up including the table and theneasily stored in a closet or under a bed.

It could, of course, be left up all the time but if space is at a premium it would be fabulous to pull out for an extra serving area and seating while entertaining.

Before I started it was a plain black table and the chairs were covered in a tan ultra suede type fabric.

It was "nice" but it was calling out for some petals and polka dots.

I forgot to take a picture before I started but here is the top as I am progressing through my work.

 

I like the look of this outlined style and it is easy for me to design.

I primed the table top and then painted it a dark brown.

I do this lily frequently and the tulip and round flower are also on my go to repertoire. 

I plan it out so that the larger flowers are spread out strategically and then I fill in any voids with smaller flowers and curling stems and leaves.

Those curling stems are a life saver for me when the layout in my head doesn't go as well as planned.

I do my outline with a Sharpie pen.

Then it is kind of like old time coloring with some shading thrown in.

The important thing here is to let that Sharpie ink set for a couple of days before top coating or it will bleed.

Some things I've had to learn the hard way.

:(

I edged the table in brown and white instead of my usual black and white because I thought it tied in better with the bar stools that I recovered in brown and white polka dot.

 

 

 

I was really happy with how it turned out.

 

 

I took it to The Traveling Door Market

and yes, It sold.

 

If I find another one I just may have to keep it. 

Thanks for stopping by.

I love company.

xoxo,

P

 

Linking up my bistro fun at these fabulous parties. Hope you can join me here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passionate About Pink

Every once in a while I pull together a piece and then I find

I don't want to part with it.

This might be one of those pieces.

It is an Ikea table that i bought a couple of months ago to paint up for 

The Traveling Door Market.

Originally, the plan was to paint it aqua but when I asked the women of The Traveling Door what they thought, they all agreed it should be pink.

I'm so glad I listened to them.

This pink hydrangea number would be perfect in my green family room

or in our breezeway.

Damn.

Why did I have to go and fall in love with pink?

 

Sometimes things just come together right.

This was, for me, one of those easy pieces.

Maybe that is why I don't want to part with it.

:)

 

XOXO

P

Linking up my pink parlor number here:

 

 

 

BeColorful is Seeing Red

 

 

I bought this red Lack table from IKEA a couple of months ago thinking I would do something with it for The Traveling Door.

Well, I can't believe it but our sale is only a week away.

Oh the pressure.

I am feeling the time crunch for sure.

So with that in mind this post will be short and sweet.

I haven't done much with bright red yet so when I saw this table I thought that it would be a bit outside my box.

My base was there. Now all it needed was the BeColorful treatment...

over sized flowers in yellow and that black and white bordered apron.

 

 

Tally up another project as finished.

Since I took the picture I added a bit more of a darker green to the "grassy" legs.

I thought they looked a bit like flames...not the look I was going for.

If I get time, and that is a bit if, I might paint up a wooden lady bug and add her to one of the legs for that added element of whimsy.

So onto the next piece.

Thanks for stopping by.

XOXO

P

I will be sharing my red number here:

 

Inspired by Kim Parker and Susan Sargent and Ms Mary E- A BeColorful Coffee Table

 

Kim Parker.

I love her bold floral patterns and color combinations.

Susan Sargent is another source of mojo for me.

I have two of her books and when I am feeling uninspired I pull them off the shelves and soak in all of her lively happy patterns.

Even the overdone Ms Engelbreit can still thrill me with her designs.

Somehow it still has that uplifting effect.

I have been working on a trio of tables that belonged to James.

They were typical college type pieces that started out looking something like this.

Even though this little trio was meant to be a set

I don't do sets.

I painted each one with an element like the other but each is totally unique.

I wanted them to be compatible if they ended up all going to the same home but I wanted them to also be bold and sassy enough so that individually  each one could become a statement piece.

The striped legs on this one

 

are like the striped apron on this one.

 

and the legs and apron on that one are like the legs and apron on the Kim Parker inspired coffee table that I just finished.

 

 

 

It's totally wack. I know.

But crazy is as crazy does.

:)

Seriously?

It just makes me happy.

xoxo

P

 

I will be linking up my grooviness here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden Side Tables

 

 

You may remember the two little side tables I talked about in an earlier post.

They both started out looking like this.

 

 

 

I could have done something sedate and sweet...

but that just isn't what I do.

This was the first one that I did last week.

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't want them to match exactly but I thought that if they ended up in the same room it would be fun if they coordinated.

I painted the second one earlier this week and when

 I finished it up and this is the end result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a coffee table too to complete this trio.

 I'm working on that now...

I will be using some of the same colors and patterns

but dialing up the crazy even a bit more.

Here is a sneak peek.

 

 

Hopefully I will have this wild garden table finished up by tomorrow so I can share it on my Motivated Monday post.

    xoxo,

p

 

Linking up my garden tables at these parties:

 

 
 

 

 

Spring Stripes Side Table

The Traveling Door Market is one month from today.

That means it is officially "crunch time" for me.

I always promise myself I will be better prepared for the next go around...

and I never am.

As usual, I feel like I am way behind where I had hoped to be.

I'm lining up my completed projects, though, and this is my latest.

I actually have a pair of these little tables but I won't be painting them exactly alike.

That isn't the beColorful way.

:)

I'm just starting on the second table now and I'm thinking I will make the two compatible if somebody wanted to use them both in the same space but I want each of them to be unique and a one-of-a-kind creation.

They both started out looking like this.

The upside of James moving to Asia is that I inherited a couple of his castoffs.

 

 

 

I could see this sassy striped number nestled in between a pair of adirondack chairs or rockers on the porch

because... 

 

nothing says Welcome Spring like a pop of color.

PS. I am still having button or badge issues. All suggestions welcome.

PPS. If you haven't linked up yet at Motivated Monday there is still time.

As for me, I will be linking up my little table here:

 

 

XOXO,

P

Sassy Side Table

Black and White (and Spring Green) Delight

Again, I forgot to take a  before picture.

Blogging Fail.

Last month one of my favorite clients brought me this little side table.

It reminded me of the tables that I've seen that you can put a floor length table cloth on and use for additional serving space or to set a lamp.

Let's just say it wasn't a thing of real beauty.

Ms. B had seen my earlier post on BeColorful's Color of the Week - Spring Green.

Like me, she is a huge worshiper of black and white but she really wanted a bit of that green in this piece too.

The minute I saw this piece I knew where I wanted to take it.

That doesn't always happen but this time it did.

The round top made it perfect for this oversized floral motif.

The sides I would do with the help from some painter's tape.

I alternated the direction and size of the stripes to give it a bit more design interest.

Then popped the edges with green.

Voila - Sassy side table!

xoxo

P

Linking up here:

Not Your Grandma's Tea Cart

I've been feeling pretty productive around here lately.

I've been working on a number of commissioned pieces and I have several that are close to being completed.

The first one in my line up in this tea cart.

When it showed up in my studio last month it looked like this.

I have love love loved working with this client because she adores color as much as I do.

Pink, Orange, Aqua, Green, Yellow she loves all the happy colors so that is the direction I went with.

You can only imagine how much fun this was to create.

She showed me pictures of pieces she already owned and of things she liked.

She is not afraid to give feedback.

Because she is out of town she hasn't seen this  piece yet either.

So if there is something you don't like Ms. S then now is the time to let me know before I clear coat it.

Drum roll please...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definitely not your Grandmother's Tea Cart.

XOXO,

P

Linking here:

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorites or The Shameless BeColorful Flaunt Fest

Motivated Monday 

I've been thinking about putting together a portfolio of my work.

Not only would it serve as an inspiration when I hit a creative wall,

but it would also serve as a jumping off point to share with clients that want me to do commission work.

Luckily, though, most of them give me free reign other than color.

So, this evening I started going through some of the photos on my computer.

Early on I just painted for myself.

It was cheaper than buying new furniture.

You might notice that the piece above is unfinished on the right side.

I took this picture months ago.

It is still unfinished. :)

Then almost four years ago I started painting pieces for The Traveling Door.

The Traveling Door is a group of women artisans that I work with. We get together once a week. Sometimes we paint or create, sometimes we meet over lunch and occasionally we just get together to vent and drink.

 I am still painting for The Traveling Door but I have also been doing more commission work.

My style isn't for everybody but it is such a thrill to work with people that share my BeColorful love for bold color and pattern.

Enough said.

These are some of my favorites and I thought you might enjoy seeing my trip down BeColorful memory lane.

Nothing is safe from me. I will paint and embellish bottles, letter trays or clocks.

Especially clocks.

 

I have painted mirrors, wastebaskets, lampshades, trunks, jewelry boxes, recipe boxes.

You name it, I have probably painted one.

I used to do more trompe l'oeil. I would like to revisit this again.

 

Quotes and words are usually part of my work too.

My style as you can see is all over the place.

Usually I just let the piece take me wherever.

I like the clean lines of harlequin.

Flowers are also a common theme in my work

 

along with black and white

 

and animal prints.

 

Which is why I probably think of this next piece as one of my favorites because it incorporates all of my go to elements-

Color, florals, animal print, black and white ....

and of course words.

Thanks for putting up with the Pam Show. :)

And just so you don't think it's all about me and that I'm convinced that I'm a pretty big deal, just check out this amazing work of art from Decorative Paintbrush.

I can only aspire to that.

xoxo,

P

I will be linking this post up here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BeColorful Wall Cubby

Earlier last month I received this piece from a client.

She thought it would make a great wall cubby in a bathroom for towels or she could see it being used as a magazine rack.

Good plan.

She asked for me to do something whimsical but not too funky and requested that I paint it in neutral colors.

The problem for me was all of those holes.

Should I ignore them or embrace them?

Actually, some of them will be covered with iron pieces like this one.

 

She didn't want me to paint them so she only sent one with the piece, just so I could see what they looked like.

So even though I can't show the total concept to  you, you can imagine the final look with these embellishments included.

Ultimately, those holes will look something like this.

I I had planned to feature this piece in yesterday's post but thought that it was getting too dark for a good shot.

As it turns out, I think this post is jinxed because  today I discovered that I have left my camera in Galena and had to resort to using my phone for these images.

My iphone takes pretty good pictures but there isn't much consistency in the color from on image to the next.

Weird.

Anyway,I started by painting the entire piece a cream color and then added the khaki/gold diamond pattern and outlined it in bronze and black.

I added the ambiguous words for interest,

created the stripes across the bottom

 

and the swirls and curls on the sides for variety,

 

Then popped the edges with black and creme and put a subtle glaze over everything.

I can see it with white, black, chocolate brown or even charcoal colored towels in it.

It's time to call Ms. Wood and tell her her wall cubby is ready and thank her for the opportunity to give this well worn piece a bit of beColorful love.

I hope it is what she was envisioning.

Hmmmm. Now that I look at it again I'm wondering if I should put some swirls ( like I did on the sides) within the khaki diamonds?

Too much? What do you think?

There is also still time to link up to the Motivated Monday linky party in yesterday's post. I'd love to see what is keeping you busy these days.

XOXO,

P

 

Linking up with these fun people and their blogs:

 

Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking

 

 

 

A BeColorful Hutch Top - The Full Reveal

Yesterday I was only able to show you some sneak peeks of this colorful hutch top.

Since then Santa has picked it up and delivered it to its new home so I thought I would share with you how this piece finally came together.

To my understanding they have a base cabinet they will place it on but it would also be fun with some bun feet and used as a bookcase.

Just thinking.

When it came to me it was rather forlorn looking.

Poor thing. Even the back was falling off but the lines were interesting.

It just needed a bit of BeColorful TLC.

To my mind this was a blank canvas for a client that loves color as much as I do.

This would be fun.

So I started with the green.

Added some browns and reds and took it from there.

The top:

The crown:

 

 

Right side:

Left side:

Full Frontal: :0

I'm glad I decided to add the stripes to the inside of the cabinet before I put the back back on. I think that extra touch of red helped to pull the whole look together.

 

These pieces have a life of their own and I never know for sure where they will end up. Luckily I had carte blanche on this one.

I loved that the recipient of this piece is a full on party girl that embraces this colorful whimsical look and that made this a fun project for me that I was ultimately proud to put my name on.

Hmmmm. Come to think of it. I never did sign it. Oh well. C'est la vie.

Wishing you and yours a Colorful Christmas and Holiday Season.

    xoxox,

P

Please join me here for another Motivated Monday. These links show up on Sunday night and you can link up anything that inspires you: decorating or craft projects, fashion, or food. I love them all.

Maybe you haven't had time to do any projects. Who does this time of year ? Still, maybe you can inspire us with projects you hope to do or something you did in the past.

I'm thinking ahead of all the things I hope to do this coming year.  I'm sure others are too. Whip a little inspiration on us here, will ya?

Meanwhile, I will be linking up here.

and The Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking

 

 

 

 

A BeColorful Painted Hutch Top - The Sneak Peek

So what else have I been up to this December?

Well for one, I finally finished this hutch top.

Shhhhh.

It is somebody's Christmas present.

She loves a colorful whimsical look so this was so much fun to do.

I guess that by now she knows she is getting it but just hasn't seen it yet.

Good thing she doesn't visit the BeColorful blog. :)

But just in case, I will just offer you a few sneak peeks.

They will be picking it up today so I can do the full reveal tomorrow.

For now here are a few teasers.

 

 

It is kind of hard to take pictures of this piece because it is in my studio.

It is too big to move upstairs and too cold and snowy to move outside for a better photo op.

I love my studio but I do wish it had more natural light for taking pictures.

I have these hideous energy saving recessed lights and small windows.

I know. Whine. Blah Blah Blah.

Actually, I'm pretty lucky to have this much space.

I also wish I was better about putting things away when I am in the middle of a bigger project like this.

I just kind of drop things wherever and move onto the next color, wash, or glaze.

I just hate being bothered with neatness when I'm in the zone.

So between the painting, gift wrapping, and dumped off holiday shopping bags, this room looks more like a vagrant crack house than an inspiring creative space.

Oh well. It may not be pretty but it works for me.

I'll try and get it picked up before tomorrow.

Until then, 

XOXO,

P

 

Motivated Monday #9

I'M Baaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkk!

Well almost.

This past weekend was our Traveling Door Sale.

This is one of the pieces I did for that sale.

The before:

It was hard for me to commit to painting this piece.

Mr. Rosie and I bought it when we were first married.

It is part of a two piece set.

I'm still using the buffet but this piece was no longer serving a purpose for us.

It has been in our living room for over twenty years as a kind of filler piece.

Now that I am redoing that room and going for a more cross over to contemporary look I decided it was time for this piece to move on.

Still, I am old enough to remember when we were cursing those people before us for painting these beautiful wood pieces and now instead of stripping them I am committing the same painting crime. The piece was in in great shape and is probably from the 1920's to 1930's but was it valuable? No. So, yes, and cover your eyes if this bothers you but I finally after several years of going back and forth decided the only way I was going to update it was to paint it. So I did.

Here it is as it looked at our sale.

I striped the front and did a damask stencil treatment to the sides and top.

 

Then for interest I did a bit of distressing and painted the interior a pale aqua.

For the last two weeks I have been surviving on coffee and Halloween candy.

Will I ever learn to pace myself?

Doubtful.

It gets crazy the last couple of weeks before a show.

By then I am working on four or five projects at once.

I will be putting red paint on something and set my brush down thinking "I'll come back to this". I will move on to paint something else black. Move on yet again and coat something with Modge Podge or poly. By the time I get back to the red piece the brush is all dried up and crusty. I don't even want to think about all the brushes I ruined. Good thing I buy them on the cheap.

With all of that said, here I go with Motivated Monday # 9.

I didn't have time this week to thank you all individually for sharing your motivating posts so I will say it here. - Thank you, loved them all, love you. :0

I haven't even had time to read all of them in depth but in my first "once over" I was intrigued by Scribbleprints' blog buttons. I need to figure out how to get a page for my blog on facebook and then I will be asking her for a button for sure.

 

I was enthralled with No Minimalist Here's kitchen tour. I loved her mixed finishes, open floor plan, color choices and collections of green glass and copper. Stunning.

And what a great project for Breast Cancer Awareness month at My Scrapbook Life. Check out her altered bra. Spectacular.

Then I saw these two projects that I can't wait to try myself.

I loved the ribbon mobile at Between U and Me

                    

 and the paper weave art at Can't Stop Making Things.

 

 

Both of these creative endeavors could be perfect for the next Traveling Door show in the spring. Love them

Be sure and check out all of these sites. You will be totally inspired and motivated.

As for me, I will now have more time to bring you some of my own functional art projects.

Thanks for visiting.

I hope you will join in today's party by submitting something you've created, or something you are motivated to try. I'm thinking ahead to the next show. Please, inspire and motivate me. 

    XOXO,

      P

Linking up here:

 

 

  

    

Motivated Monday # 5 and A Lamp To Keep Me Grounded

 

 

Thank your for stopping by the Motivated Monday Blog Party

at BeColorful

There were some spectacular links last week.

Each one brought a little something new and special to the table. 

These were especially noteworthy.

I loved this.

BeWitchin' Shoes Pillow from Just Another Hang Up

 

and who said Halloween had to be all about black and orange?

Life in Rehab shows us her blue twist.

While The Perfect Life of Bliss gave us a real Show Stopper.

I hope you can take the time to be inspired by their creativity.

 

 

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A Lamp To Keep Me Grounded

Last week I posted about jumping off into that abyss/money pit aka my piano room makeover.

I removed everything from the room so that it could be painted.

Now I have to decide what I will be bringing back in

and what needs to be donated, sold, or repurposed.

There are a number of things from this room that aren't meshing with the image for this space that is beginning to form in my head.

Still, there is one thing that, regardless of style, I want to hold on to.

 

About seventeen years or so ago my brother and his new wife were coming to visit us for the first time in our new home.

I was proud of our new place and I was anxious to show it off ...

but just not yet.

You know how it is.

I wanted it to look perfect.

It didn't.

we had more space than we had furniture and my decorating style could best be described as something close to Early Little Tykes.

The worst room of all was the living room.

The windows were naked and the small room was  empty except for a floor lamp, picture and a country blue camel back sofa. 

It was the 90's after all.

When my brother called and said they would be driving through Missouri and wanted to stop by I only had two days to pull everything together.

I started to panic.

How could ever pull the house together in time?

PLUS

 all three of my usually beautiful babies had the chicken pox.

( Before the Chicken Spots )

 

I had only met my sister - in - law a few times.

They lived in Ohio and we lived in Missouri.

Back then I wanted to impress her  make her jealous.

What can I say? I was young.

She was a bit older and I thought much smarter than I was

but I was convinced that I was the one with the with the superior sense of style and the perfect offspring.

Yes, I said it.

So bad.

Now here I was with a half finished house and leper looking kids .

Not how I had played this out in my head.

I was sure that God was punishing me.

Did I mention that I deliberately exposed our kids to the chicken pox?

I did.

I know what kind of mother does that?

Me.

When I heard the next door neighbor kids had the pox

I immediately took the kids over to play with Cool Aid and too few cups.

Hey, to my way of thinking, it was summer.

At least now nobody would miss any school.

There wasn't any big vacation planned.

This was perfect.

If we could get this crud out of the way now,

it wouldn't interfere with Christmas or spring break.

I was actually feeling pretty smug about myself.

I just didn't plan on company.

Especially THIS company.

I'm not going to lie,

it did cross my mind to pack my scabby and cranky children into the car and head to the nearest mall to find something new to spruce up, update, or accessorize our home.

Yes, I am just that shallow but no I didn't do it - although towards the end of our week long home incarceration I did sneak them into a movie.

Hey, I was losing my mind okay? and we try and sit off by ourselves.

Anyway,

I decided I would have to shop the house.

I pulled some pieces from other rooms, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

It was looking better.

Next I grabbed this ginger jar lamp that I found buried in the basement cast offs.

It was brown and antique brass and the shade had a dent on one side which for now could be turned toward the wall.

I spray painted the lamp black while the kids were all down for what may have been a Dimetapp induced nap. :)

Oh come on. You know you've done it too.

Then, inspired by some patterns in a crewel book I had brought home from the library,

I went to town painting it.

It was my first redo.

Look at me.

I was creatively going green before it was even cool.

I'm not sure what my sister in law thought of it.

She never said.

Now it doesn't really matter.

I still have the superior sense of style and so far nobody is preggers or in jail.

Ah growth.

Seriously though.

I've learned by now to do things that please us and not to impress others.

Looking at this lamp reminds me of that and of a  time in our lives when money was pretty scarce.

I never want to forget those leaner days or to take for granted where we are now.

The road ahead is always unpredictable. 

You will be happy to know that the kids recovered nicely.

Our bank account is also healthier today than it was back then.

Another up side to growing older.

Much has changed since then.

Seventeen years later, though, and the lamp is still here keeping me grounded.

I've learned that even though I could go out and buy a new lamp today

that sometimes,

I don't need to.

Maybe what I need is right here in front of me just waiting for me to rethink it, repurpose it, or change it up with a fresh coat of paint.

 

Thanks for listening.

I hope you will link up your latest creations, renovations, and inspirations with me here.

Give yourself a shout out and Motivate me.

XOXO,

P

 

 

 

 

 

 

BeColorful Goes Neutral - A Lamp Revamp

 

 

Linking up to Friday Furniture Feature

and Sunday Showcase

                                            

 

 

 

I bought this lamp over a year ago with the intention of painting it for my Traveling Door show.

I had already started painting when I remembered to take a "before" picture but you can still see where this lamp began.

When I first bought it I envisioned it as a library lamp and I figured I would paint it up  in the mixed patterns  and colors that is Pam Style.

When I finally pulled it out of the work room this week though I was overcome with the desire to go neutral.

Where did that come from?

What was happening to me?

Me, the color evangelist going beige?

I guess, like you, I am seeing beige everywhere.

It's  in the catalogs and in the stores and I swear every blog has gorgeous pictures of this decorating trend.

So I thought I would give it a whirl.

Stretch my mind a bit.

Take a chance

and go with a soft neutral.

I think its appeal is that it is calming, inoffensive, and sophisticated.

I am really learning to like it and may do a whole vignette for the sale to go with this latest project.

 

 

I painted the lamp white and then glazed it with Americana Glaze.

 

 

I added some depth the lamp by detailing it with a bronze color.

Then, because I didn't want to deviate too far from my own personal style 

I decided I would be true to myself and incorporate words into the piece.

This time, though, instead of a quote

I went with my own thoughts -

deliberately writing a bit ambiguously so that they stay private and could say whatever the new owner imagines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to also make and add a tassel to the lamp to give it that dressed up touch.

Then I painted the finial to tie in with the whole look.

 

 

 

 

 

I hope it sells, but if not I could probably find a place for it in our home.

I will be back tonight with Motivated Monday.

I hope you will join me here by linking up to my party.

I can't wait to see what you've been working on or what is inspiring you.

XOXO,

P 

 
  I'm linking this post here"

 

 

 

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Not Your Grandmother's Clock

It's not for everybody and it probably doesn't look like the hall clock in your grandmother's house.

This is a clock I painted a couple of years ago for our get away home in Galena, Illinois.

I ran across these images on my laptop and thought it would be fun to share them.

I found the clock at a freight salvage store for $99.00

I liked the lines of the clock but it had been painted in a floral victorian motif that really isn't my style.

At that price, though, I thought it was worth bringing home and turning into a conversation piece for our home.

I wasn't confident with my free hand lettering yet so at this point I was still using rub on letters. I put this quote along the top that reads Make Time in Galena to Celebrate.

This phrase seemed appropriate since this is where our family likes to come to celebrate the holidays, birthdays and even a wedding.

I embellished the sides by painting elements that seemed to reflect the Galena Territories and the beautiful countryside in this area.

 

 

I use painter's tape to help create the stripes.

 I added some names of the places that are unique to the area to my design.

  

Finally I switched out the hardware for something with a bit more sass.

 

I was pleased with how it turned out 

and for less than $100 I have a whimsical unique piece to greet us and our guests every time we visit.

I hope you will be able to join me Sunday for my very first linky party here at BeColorful.

It is Motivated Monday

I'm hoping you will link a project you are thinking about doing, something you have started or something you completed and want to share with the rest of us.

 I have the grab button in my sidebar.

Please feel free to take it with you.

Hope to see you Sunday if not before.

XOXO,

P

In the mean time I will be linking up here:_{Attic Mag and these fun parties too.}