Becolorful

Chair Wall Art

I will be partying with the girls at Just a Girl Show and Share  Saving Money and Living life and Friday FunFinds. I hope you will follow me there.

 
 

It's been a busy busy week.

I've been getting ready for a bridal shower.

It wasn't that there was that much to do to get ready for the shower.

The bigger issue was my neglected house.

I'm discovering it doesn't take long for this old place to get away from me.

We moved in almost twelve years ago and the rooms on the front of the house -

the rooms I did first are just not me anymore.

They need an update.

I didn't have the time or budget for a total redo.

Actually that isn't my style.

I usually tweak things a bit more gradually

moving in the direction of my goal.

With me, though, even my goal is fluid.

The problem is I like too many things and too many styles.

I've known I would be hosting this shower but it wasn't until about three weeks ago that I really owned up to the fact that I was running out of time and had a lot of needs.

I would have to prioritize.

So I made a list of things I most wanted to update.

One of the things on my list was to fill this empty space above my mantel.

 

I had taken the wall art that was here and moved it to another spot in the house.

I bought the canvas for my painting project almost a year ago

but it took a party to push me into action.

I had been inspired by some chairs and chair art I had seen on the internet.

This was the look I was going for.

(Photo taken from Posters.com)

Items needed for this project:

canvas

paint

an image of whatever your subject matter will be

scissors

a bit of daring and imagination

So I painted my canvas in shades of pinks and oranges and reds.

Then I cheated a bit.

I wanted to be sure that the symetry of the chair arms was right - you know, I wanted to have the right side and the left side match.

So I took a picture of a chair.

I created my image into a silhouette on the computer but this is not necessary.

You could enlarge any image that has a simple outline.

I printed out my image and took it to Copyworks to have it enlarged.

I love Copyworks.

For roughly $5.00 they enlarged my image so I would have an outline to work with.

I cut around the enlarged silhouette and taped it to my painted canvas.

Total cheat.

 
 

 

This would be my template.

So I traced around it

and started painting and shading it in.

 

Almost finished.

I painted in the animal print and added some shading to the wooden part of the chair

and  called it done.

If you didn't want to paint in the chair you could get your pattern by using decoupage adhesive and scrapbook paper.

It was the day before the shower and I still had to pick up the cupcakes and buy groceries.

Friday night "The girls" and I were making a night of it.

We were going to dinner and then we were off to see Sex and the City 2.

Another priority. :)

So I wrapped this up ...

and Voila.

 

 

 

 

 Chalk naked mantel off of my list.
 

I didn't get the dining room painted or the new rug yet,

but I do host book club later this summer. :)

I'm feeling another project coming on.

XOXO,

P
 
 Linking up today with Met Monday Domestically Speaking's Power of Paint  and Toot Your Horn Tuesday. Thank you ladies for hosting these great parties. I hope to see you all there.

 

Thank You Cathy at Check It Off

A hug and big thank you to Cathy at Check it Off for this Versatile Blogger Award.

How nice of her to think of me.

Cathy just finished redoing her office.

I love what she has done

and I covet her artwork.

You can see it here.

Thanks Cathy.

xoxo

P

Inspired by Chairs

I'm ready to take on my next project.

I'm co-hosting a bridal shower on Saturday.

Meanwhile, my fireplace is seriously underdressed.

Actually, I stole the piece that was hanging here and put it in the foyer.

I was considering a humungous oversized floral number for this spot.

I still might do that ....

 but later.

Tilt.

A change of plans.

Inspiration can come to me from the most unexpected places.

This time is came while looking at reupholstered chairs.

Last week I saw all of these amazing chair rebirths featured on Better After.

Like this one done by Stacy.

 

 

and this one by Ronda  

 

 

Then I fell in love with this sassy sweet thing too.

I was feeling some serious inspiration here. 

No, I'm not going to put a chair above my fireplace.

Although that would be quite the conversation starter.

In the right house that might fly.

Mine is not that house.

Never -the- less, I was having chair visions for my mantel.

I woke up yesterday remembering that somewhere I had seen a canvas with just a chair painted on it.

I love art.

I love furniture.

I love painting.

Okay, see where I'm going with this?

Well I googled chair art.

I needed a jumping off point.

These lovely ladies appeared.

I was attracted to the red canvas combined with animal print on this one

 

and the black and white harlequin here.

Here was another black and white with simple lines. 

Easier to draw. :)

I'm feeling inspired.

Think I will go gesso my canvas.

Well actually it's after midnight.

Maybe that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Sweet dreams.

XOXO,

P

   

Pillow of the Week #17 A Turquoise Temptation

 

Last week I promised  something other than the reds and greens that I am so drawn to. When I saw this turquoise temptation I knew this was love.

Doesn't it almost look like a flower?

It comes in a number of colors but I thought this was especially pretty.

Then again, I love it in yellow too.

 

This vintage look 16" cotton velvet pillow is even on SALE!

You can buy yours here.

Have a great weekend.

xoxo

p

 

Library Love in This Old House of Ours

 

 

Those of you that know me are familiar with my old rambler of a house. 

It was built in 1916.

We bought it in 1997 and moved in six months later.

The house didn't come with a library.

In fact there weren't even any book shelves at all.

Nadda. Not a one.

Apparently they weren't familiar with Cicero's tagline  "A room without books is like a body without a soul."

So we added our own book shelves but this set didn't come about until about five years ago when we did our kitchen remodel.

When we bought our home this space was the dining room.

The 90's

Sorry about the grainy picture. It is copied from the list sheet circa 1997.

The windows look so pretty here but this room is on the front of the house and with all of the joggers and dog walkers passing by we felt like we were in a fish bowl.

As for the chandelier, unfortunately for us they took it with them.

The one they took wasn't the original though.

That light fixture had been gas and was later converted to electricity. 

Another previous homeowner and  friend of mine has the original one.

Here a an old photo of the room, the fixture and my chandelier robber.

She doesn't look like a thief does she.

The 60's

 Maybe someday she will let me buy it back.

I find it interesting that those windows at the end of the house were covered in sheers.

I suppose that was the fashion but it is kind of a shame.

Here is another photo taken by the next owners in the 1970's

Actually it is two photos taped together.

The 70's

Maybe it's just me but I like to see how furniture and decorating styles have changed over the decades.

The door in the left hand corner was a swing door that went into the kitchen and just out of the frame to the near left was a second set of stairs, servant stairs that led to their rooms.

Really? Servants rooms?

The house isn't that big but apparently it was big enough.

There is even an old button in the floor of this room to buzz the kitchen help.

I have pushed and pushed that button but nothing ever happens.

So sad.

Maybe it's been disconnected. :)

I guess the help went the way of telephone operators, milkmen and doctors that made house calls.

No, don't even think about it.

I am definitely not living THAT life.

After we moved in to the house we added our own chandelier and window treatments and the room looked like this.

I'm not sure why I did that rag tag garland under the windows. Sometimes I think because I have something  I need to use it.

I'm learning to edit. :)

Well about five years ago we decided we were ready to jump into that black hole known as a kitchen remodel.

The original kitchen was quite small and there weren't a lot of options for bumping out walls. 

In the end we moved the dining room to the other side of the kitchen. 

We took down the chandelier and what had been a room with no real purpose became our new dining room. You can read about this room by clicking here.

 

Because of our limited expansion options we stole about three feet from the old dining room and wrapped the new kitchen around it.

Sadly that meant losing these windows.

 

This smaller space would become our library.

I like libraries to have a more traditional feel and because this room is off of the foyer I kept it a bit more formal.

 

 
 

It has been an awkward space to furnish.

With the  radiator, the bookcases and a large entry that shows signs of  since -moved french doors there isn't much play room.

I had a large leather sofa, chair and ottoman that I thought I would move right in here.

Hmmmmm. I forgot to measure.

The sofa had such a slope to it's back that when I placed it against the wall it looked like it was in the middle of the room.

It was just too big for this space.

But after a kitchen redo that was "stupid money" over budget I didn't want to buy any more furniture.

So I made do

and that is what I'm still doing.

I used the leather chair and ottoman and pulled in a leopard print one also.

I had a chest along the left wall but again it made the room look too narrow.

Not Working.

I think this lighter lowboy works better.

The picture is something my dad bought me quite a while ago. For that reason alone it is priceless to me.

 For me the devil is in the details.

Like the quote at the top of the bookcase, the two toned painted woodwork or the lighting.

I wanted sconces not an overhead fixture here.

 

 

I've had these Fredrick Cooper lamps for years. They still work for me.

Because the left wall was was torn out, moved  and rebuilt we had to reconstruct the wood panels and the Lincrusta so it would match the rest of the room.

 

 

I think the valence may be a bit to frilly for this room so like the living room, I am thinking of taking it down and storing it in the attic. I think I'd like to see the window bare again. I don't think the fish bowl thing will bother me so much since those chairs are tucked over to the side. 

I'd also like to see a bigger rug and a new shade for the floor lamp.

It just drives home the message that style is ever evolving and this room will be no exception. I wonder what different looks it will wear over the next ninety four years?

xoxo,

P
 
 Along with Met Monday I will partying for the first time with Romantic Home and Along for the Ride and  visiting and linking at up at Remodelahoic  I can always count on some great decorating remodeling inspiration there. I hope you will visit there too. 
 
      

Still Playing Paper Dolls aka A Day With the Girls

 
 

This is an old post that I did almost two years ago when I had maybe five followers and had never heard of a linky party.

 I decided to pull it up from my archives and link it up over at Blue Cricket Design after seeing her post about her daughter's paper dolls and also with the creative inspiration at Fingerprints on the Fridge and It's a Hodgepodge Life. Join me at both parties.

I had forgotten how much fun we had that day.

It was like reliving it for me to reread this. 

The cocktails were just the perfect touch to dial up our creativity.

A great girlfriend event.

I would love to do it again sometime.

This is how it went ... 

Last week my friend Sally's husband went out of town on a fishing trip.

So Sally invited the girls over for lunch, artsy fartsy time, drinks and then dinner. 

Side note, Sally is also an amazing cook. 

I know how to pick my friends. :0

What a great day. 

We started a little after one in the afternoon and she practically had to throw us out around 9:30 that night.

 She told us we would be making book shelf people out of paper.  

We all started out with the same basic template made out of a thicker cardstock or light weight cardboard shaped something like this

 

The template is then folded at the waist and knees so it will sit on a shelf.

Plan to decorate both side of the template.

It just looks so much more finished when you are done.  

We decorated ours with paper, ribbon and embellishments. 

You are only limited by your imagination.

The frustrated designer came out in all of us.

I think bookshelf people look best when grouped together.

So plan to make more than one.

Each of ours seemed to reflect a bit of their designer.

 Unfortunately Sally's  "Man Doll" missed the photo op. 

So like a man.

Haha. I never caught that before. It sounds like Sally is a bit masculine.

Not a bit. 

She is just so good about always thinking outside of the box and she just thought we needed a man in our group. :)

I was on a giddy paper doll high.

We all were and we couldn't quit with just one.

It was addictive.

I even made a version of something like this to decorate a shower gift this past weekend.

But forgot to take a picture.

Imagine a smaller version of a bride in a short dress and short poofy veil.

I amazed myself. :)

Then again I probably spent more time on the package decoration than I did buying the gift.

These are the two I did at Sally's house.

 

I called this one Diva

 

and this one Fabulous. 

 

 She even has Christian Louboutin shoes :)

So grab your girly friends, especially ones that like clothes,

and pull out all of that scrapbook paper you don't know what to do with,

select a bottle - or three of good wine

and have yourself a no event, no stress party.

This could also be a memorable Mom's and young but not TOO young daughters get together.

What a terrific day. 

So cheers!

Here's to my girls and our paper girls 

and here's to Sally for coming up with such a wonderfully whimsical project and then pulling it all together.

Lee's My Guy

I haven't been that excited about this season's American Idol.

I kept waiting for that moment that gave me chills and I wanted to hit play back on my Tivo.

Initially I was team Bowersox.

 

I still think she is a true artist and totally amazing.

A few weeks back, though, I found my allegiance starting to wane.

I started pulling for Lee DeWyse.

It was so great watching his self confidence grow and I just loved his sound.

It doesn't hurt that he is rather easy on the eyes too.

Tonight was my I've got chills moment.

The show aired last night but I didn't see it until tonight.

Late to the party again.

So I watched both Tuesday's and Wednesday's shows.

They said Good bye to Casey. 

Somebody had to go.

I didn't feel too bad about that.

At this point the finalists all have boundless opportunities ahead of them.

So it is down to Crystal and Lee.

Tough call.

I didn't vote but if I did it would have been for Lee.

I said tonight he is like Ben Folds/John Mayer meets the Boss.

Yes, I am full out rooting my my man Lee.

Where will you be next Tuesday and Wednesday night and who will you be cheering for?

If you missed it be sure and listen to the video at the top of this post.

xoxo

P

 

The Acorn Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

This is how we usually think of our son James.

 

 

So we were pretty impressed  and definitely surprised

when our son, at nineteen, bought a home.

We didn't buy the house.

He did.

It wasn't our plan for him. 

We thought he should stay in school.

I'm learning that maybe college isn't for everyone.

 He has his own plan and with his determination, work ethic, sense of humor and his extensive technical knowledge and ability his plan may just work. 

(That last sentence was a shameless Mom's brag out)

His dad and I love houses and have shared a passion for renovating and building since we were married. 

I'm beginning to think James has that same love.

How else do explain buying your first house at such a young age?

This blue heaven is the place he calls home.

 

Earlier this spring we helped him redo his bathroom.

 

This is the only before picture but imagine a whole room of lime green tiles.

 

  

Now I tried to sell him the idea that they were vintage and cool.

I tried to convince him to work with it.

We could come up with a workable color scheme like green and navy.

Maybe green and his favorite bright blue.

Green and brown would be good.

In the end there was no winning that argument.

I am a stubborn Norwegian and apparently so is our son.

So in the end we schlepped over to Sherwin Williams and bought a primer and a paint that works on tile.

Then he picked out this great granite color for the walls.

It really did look pretty "sweet" when we were done.

 

 

He and Mr Rosie added this cabinet/sink combo and a new faucet.

 

 

Don't even get me going on the plumbing issues.

 

 

Let's just say that the rule should be that after three trips to the hardware store looking for the right part so it won't leak, 

it's time to just admit defeat

and call a plumber.

Well this past weekend I was busy painting my front door yellow and thereby probably becoming fodder for gossip amongst my neighbors.

The phone rang.

It was James.

He was asking for decorating advice.

The Heaven's opened and my heart sang.

My little guy was growing up.

He really was starting to take an interest.

His decorating style was moving beyond posters and beer bottles.

Better yet,

he values MY opinion.

This is huge.

He wanted to make some minor changes in the bedroom.

He was rearranging his wall art and buying new bedding.

I guess he thought he was getting too old for snowboard bedding.

Really? When did that happen?

I still kind of liked it.

He told me he was working with a khaki comforter he already had.

A great start.

Frugal too.

He had a black bed skirt 

and black panel curtains.

This was all working in my mind.

Then he told me he had bought navy sheets.

Hmmmmm. I just didn't see it.

I suggested something like creme or even black.

He told me the high thread count he was looking at didn't come in those colors.

When did he ever learn about thread count?

Who was this in my kid's body and what did he do with my son?

We talked a bit more and he told me he was returning the navy set of sheets.

He would call me later.

He did and sent these photos from his phone.

 

 

 

Dark red. Good choice. It ties in with the Japanese art on the opposite wall.

 

I love this wall of built ins. This is the great stuff you find in this era of home.

Nicely done James.

You decorating dog you.

One more thing, 

when did you learn to make your bed? 

Love you,

Mom 

 

 I thought I'd link up our story of painted tile with the Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking. Jump over there for more painting inspiration.

Yellow Front Doors Are Not For The Faint of Heart or Neighborhood Rebel

Several months ago when my front yard was blanketed with a foot of snow I was dreaming of spring and spring colors. I wrote a post about Yellow Front Doors Are My Latest Inspiration.

In my part of the world yellow doors are a rarity but I was seeing them repeatedly on the internet.

Images like these from Apartment Therapy

 

or this from Layers of Meaning

 

or these from Color Design and Art

 

I loved the pop of color.

It was new to me.

It was different.

It seemed like the yellow entry door was ubiquitous in blog land. 

Yet there isn't one to be seen in my hood.

Then a new neighbor moved in.

They painted their front door a daringly different but perfect shade of green.

Thanks Jen for letting me take this picture. Too bad it's a bit out of focus.  Another photo fail. 

It looks so great with the stone and that gorgeous hardware.

It left me swooning and inspired.

Our dark red door looked faded and mundane.

I could do this.

I would paint our door yellow.

Mr. Rosie easily agreed.

So I picked out the paint color ...

Yellow Raincoat from Benjamin Moore.

I started painting.

Oh wow.

This was bad.

It had to get better ... and fast.

I hurriedly applied a second coat before the first one was even dry.

I didn't want the hubby to see it like this.

The image of that muddy yellow with the red bleeding through and the bright blue painter's tape was more than a little  unsettling. 

It was out and out nasty.

In my world the  respectable people, people with style, people with class only paint their doors black, white, grey or the occasional red. I knew I would be rocking the boat with my in your face yellow door. 

I'm sure the locals are thinking, "Good grief, first a green door and now a yellow one. There goes the neighborhood".

Several years ago I would never have gone for this look either but something changed.

The more we are exposed to things the more accepting we become. 

Hopefully that will be true in the case of my friends and neighbors and nobody will scribble WHITE TRASH on my freshly painted door or leave one of these babies on my front porch.

 

If they do, I will wear it proudly. But if it is from Sherri or Lynn definitely not. :)
 

I knew the door would need a third coat but that would have to wait for tomorrow.

I wanted the paint to be dry enough so that I could shut the door when I went to bed that night.

I would just have to suck it up and swallow my pride knowing that all the joggers and dog walkers were looking disdainfully at my house and it's ugly red and yellow camouflaged door.

I wanted to hang a sign next to the door that said "Wait until tomorrow. It will be better. It's going to work. It's going to be great. I'm sure of it."

But deep down I wasn't so sure.

My confidence was waning.

I was definitely rethinking my plunge into such a vivid and non-conforming color choice.

It didn't help when the big guy came home and said something about that being a really yellow door.

There was no turning back so I trudged onward.

After the third coat it started to look better.

 I began to breathe normally again.

By tonight I'm beginning to actually like it.

Did I mention that I called the painter to paint my foyer? 

No, sigh, not him but a painter none the less. 

He's coming at 8:30 in the morning to give me an estimate.

I'm not going to lie. Knowing he would be here definitely added to the painting pressure.

On top of everything else now I'm worried about my workmanship. He'll know it was  recently done. 

I won't be able to blame it on the previous owner.

It is still too damp to hang my door candy but I wanted you to get the idea of what it will look like.

So I made my big guy take a picture of me holding up my umbrella flower flair.

 It is definitely going to say spring and shower.
 
 Note to self. Never wear that top without tying the cardigan. Talk about looking preggers. In case you are wondering, definitely not. I just look it.

Hope your weekend was a good one.

XOXO,

P

Linking up my rebellious post with BNOTFP's Met Monday and A Soft Place to Land. You really should stop by and check out the creativity there.

This will be my last link of this post but I HAD to link up with the Paint Party at Room ReMix

Pillow of the Week # 16 Raspberry Poppy

Those of you that know me know that these are two of my favorite colors. Put them together in a pillow and it makes me giddy. 

I just noticed that it looks so pretty with my blog banner.

Yes, these are my the colors that would be worn down in my crayon box.

This down filled pillow measures 12 x 20 and reverses to raspberry linen with a tasseled zipper closure from Bliss Living Home. You can buy it here.

I would combine it with this beauty from the same resource.

 

or maybe this one. Perhaps all three would be good.

 

Actually, these might even work with my pillow choice from last week seen here.

I can see I need to mix it up. 

Next week will be another color scheme.

Promise.

Have a great weekend.

XOXO,

P

 
 

Umbrella Door Candy

Earlier this week I wrote a check list post of my "hope to to do's" for a bridal shower I will be co-hosting at the end of this month.

This was one of the first things on my list.

Loved it.

I found the green umbrella at Target. 

I was on a roll.

I love the pink here but our colors for the shower are orange so I bought as many orange tulips as I could find and them popped them with pink.

I was hoping to find or make some bigger eggs like those in my inspiration picture but so far all I have found were some small brown ones at Michael's.

So I bought them and painted them blue.

 

I started assembling.

 

In the end, I didn't use the styrofoam. It was just too bulky. 

The flowers nestle well within the umbrella spokes.

I think they will be okay that way.

I found some other tulips in my collection. 

I like to use tulips and other single stem flowers as tie- ons  when I wrap girly gifts.

Somehow, though, these variegated numbers were too much.

All Wrong

So I pulled everything out and started over.

There is an art to flower arranging.

Note to self, maybe take a class or You Tube it next time.

I like it better now after a bit of editing.

I think I need one more bright orange tulip.

Better

These pics of my door candy were taken while the umbrella is hanging from the inside of the door. It will ultimately go on the outside of the front door ... after I get the door repainted. Which is the second thing on my to do list.

I also went and looked at paint chips today and as of this moment I am going with Yellow Rain Coat from Benjamin Moore. Don't you just love that name?

I confess, if I don't like the name, I won't go with that color.

Our house is a white two story with black shutters but I'd like to see the shutters painted a charcoal grey. Maybe we can get to that yet this summer.

So check make door candy off my list.

Next up, the door.

X0X0

P  
  

Linking up this post with Along for the Ride  Friday Fun Finds It's A Hodgepodge Life  Under the Table and Dreaming and Week End Wrap Up  Follow me there for some fab creativity.
 
 

Next Up: A Bridal Shower

I am doing a blog hop today. I'm not really sure what this is. I guess it is different than a linky party. No matter. I have already been visiting and there are some fun new resources there so click here to visit Trendy Tree House with me.

The Traveling Door Sale is behind me for now and next up is a bridal shower. 

Liz has been working on the theme/feel for this oh so exciting event and she thought all white with just pops of orange would be a fresh new look. 

I am totally on board with that. 

She put this little inspiration board together for me so I have some direction.

 She also did the invites. Check out her work here.  

 

Laura is a fan of the polka dots so these were perfect.

I am definitely challenged when it comes to the whole food side of entertaining. Caterers are my best friends but I do have a great foccacia wedge type sandwich that I think will fit the bill. Thank you Kathy for that recipe. Liz's creativity extends into the culinary arena so I think I can pass that part of the shower baton over to her.

My job, and I love this one, is to get the house ready. Big smiles here.

So this is my to do list.

We'll see how well I do with only a little over two weeks to go.

I want to start with the front door.

I'm feeling a fresh coat of paint.

I'd like to see something unexpected and welcoming like this.

 

If I had time I would like to make some door candy like this.

Not only does it say Spring and Shower. It is just so fresh and pretty. Sigh. Love it.

 

Hmmmmmm. I like the color of that door too.

Front doors and first impressions are important in my book.

I'm heading to the florist today to see if I can still get orange tulips in a couple of weeks for the centerpieces.

 

I have white table cloths and dishes but I still need napkins.

What do you think, stay with all white or do we pop it with orange?

I still need to call a painter.

I have a nasty stain in the foyer ceiling from a plumbing oops in a second floor bathroom.

Disgusting.

I'd love to have the whole foyer repainted.

I may be dreaming here.

We'll have to see how much the painter loves or doesn't love me.

I'm betting he won't have time between now and then.

So sad.

I am also looking for a new rug for the dining room.

I see leopard print

I saw a carpet today that could be serge stitched and I would have it next week if I wanted.

Nice.

If I could get that painter, I would paint the dining room walls something like this.

 

I know.

 Crazy.

 I really haven't lost my mind and my taste truly isn't all in my mouth.

 I think I could make this work. My version might be slightly darker but still  a raspberry sort of color.

I need a new painting here.

I robbed Peter to pay Paul and moved the one that was here to the foyer.

This piece will have to be something I pull together myself.

I'm thinking of an over-sized floral number.

In a perfect world I would love to make a trip to San Fran or Santa Fe to look at original art work.

SinceI don't see that happening in the next two weeks though  it will have to be something from my own paint brushes for now.

Daunting.

Finally, I need to add some flowers out back and on the deck and porch.

That's easy enough.

If it would just warm up!

It feels like early April around here.

So from one event to the next, life just keeps rolling toward me and I try and keep rolling with it.

Honestly, it's a good thing. I do better under pressure.

So Mom don't worry about me.

I'm fine. :)

XOXO,

P

   

 
 
 

Pillow of The Week # 15 Happy Mom's Day

Mom's Day and flowers just seem to go together so here is my nod to all of the amazing moms out there and hoping their day is wonderful. This floral embroidered fabulousness is 18 x 13' and can be found here. 

Ahhhhhh. It's a No Painting Day

 

This past Thursday was our Traveling Door sale and even though these are some of the best women in the world and I love our time together and the things that we do, I was glad to just totally veg out today and do nothing. I didn't pick up a paint brush, or my studio for that matter. I was just one huge slug of a couch potato. I got caught up on the phone with some of my favorite peeps that I have ignored this past couple of weeks and then another friend came over for about a three hour visit. I know. Three hours? Still we never seem to run out of things to talk about. 

 I watched my guilty pleasures The Hills and The Real Housewives of NYC. Shallow? Obviously. Did I care? Not a bit. I got hooked on The Hills watching it with Liz and now I just can't wait to see what stupid thing Heidi will do or say next. As for RHNYC, I am definitely Team Bethenny. Jill is incorrigible and Luann, the Countess, is a now a royal Less pain in the butt. Jill is an in your face kind of obnoxious B but Luann is worse. You know the type. They talk sweet to your face then smack behind your back. The type that loves to keep stirring the dissension pot. And who hides out in somebody's pantry at a party??? What was THAT???  It must be a New York thing.

Any viewers our there? Who are you rooting for Luann and Jill or Bethenny and Alex?

 I digress. Back to The Traveling Door...

The sales are a lot of fun. I love what we are able to do as a team but they are also a lot of work and as much as I look forward to them, I am also glad when they are over. I am obviously not a great time manager and I end up stressing and rushed in the end. I neglect everything and everyone. We haven't had milk in our frig for almost a week.I know our hubbies are always glad to get their wives and their lives back. So thank you to our guys for all they did to help and encourage us. We owe you one.

A big shout out too to all of my friends and our clients that took time out of their busy schedules to come see what we have been doing and to support our efforts. We love you. An extra special hug and thank you to my Lizzie for coming over to cheer us on and for bringing us these oh so fun and amazing cookies that were as yummy as they were cute. They are from A Sweet Request in Des Moines. I will definitely be giving them a call in the future.

Thanks again to all of my cheerleaders. You will never know what you mean to me. 

x0x0

P
 

Feeling Fierce

Linking this post with Met Monday at BNOTFP. Join me there for more great before and afters.

Last week I took a picture of some end tables that were given to me by some great friends. 

 

Thank you Dean and Annie.

They had great lines but they were showing their years.

Ha ha. The tables, not my friends. :)

They had a lot of potential and I was feeling fierce.

The result was, of course, animal print.

I'm not quite finished but I think you can see where I'm headed.

 

 

 

Only one more day to paint before the sale and so much yet to do.

Sigh.

XO,

P

Update - Sold. Thank you Susan Novak and other unknown Traveling Door guest.
 
 
  
  

Linking up with the party at A Soft Place to Land and Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed. See you there.
 
 

Thank you to Bec at iheart for this flattering award.
Bec is a fellow Iowa blogger and I think we are a rare breed. Her blog is all about keeping it real with family and everyday experiences. Check her out at http://www.ihearsblog.com
Thanks Bec.

Pillow of the Week # 14 or A Pillow Switch Up

Things have been incredibly busy around here the last week and I almost forgot my pillow of the week post. Okay I did forget, but hey it's early Monday morning. Just go with me. I haven't even had my coffee yet.

This time I thought I'd switch it up a bit and think about pillows for the bedroom. These really aren't throw pillows but they are just to fun to ignore. Don't you just love how these pillow cases would bring a sense of humor into the room. Hmmmmm, which kid of mine would want these on their bed?

For the more conservative option you could go with this.

 

At $28 a set they are quite the deal and you can buy them here.

XO,

P
  

My Red Nemisis

Occasionally even the simplest projects go awry. This project should have been so easy but it seemed like whatever could go wrong, went wrong.

 

 

It is still missing the hardware. What I needed was, of course,  on back order from Myknobs.com. Imagine it though with these knobs on the two drawers.

 

The knobs are supposed to be here on the 4th. 

My show is on the 6th.

Sure hope they make it.

When I started on this chest I had my entire plan in my head.

I had painted hydrangeas so many times I thought I could do it in my sleep but this time they just weren't laying out right.

I kept layering the paint on.

I added more leaves.

It just looked busy.

I was contemplating painting over it.

Then I spilled paint on the top.

Dark burgundy.

It was God's will.

I painted over it.

The old pattern kept bleeding through.

I know, I should have used Kilz.

That would have been too easy.

So I just kept layering on the paint.

Then it was a mess that needed to be sanded.

Start over.

Are you kidding me?

Then I thought the white flowers were popping too much.

I am over thinking this by now.

So I glazed over it

 and lost the detail.

 

Added more highlights.

 

and I'm calling it done-

except for the hardware.

I'm moving on.

XO,

P

 
 
 linking up this post with Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up  Between Naps on the Front Porch and a first time link up with DIY Showoffs

My Pictures Are Lousy
I finally finished my nemesis red piece and even my photos proved to be challenging. I took my pictures outside earlier today but when I loaded them on the computer this evening they are over exposed and you just can't see any details. So sorry for my delay but better images tomorrow.