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Motivated Monday November 28th

 It's Sunday night.

Time to write the Motivated Monday Post

There were a record number of submissions this week - seventy four.

Thank you.

There was one from Maiden D'Shade  that featured some of her great scores via the Goodwill and it made me smile because it had a nativity that was very similar to the one I have.

She paid roughly six dollars for hers. I bought mine nearly thirty years ago and I think I paid about thirty dollars for it. A lot of what I bought back then is long gone but this is one of those timeless purchases.

 

Actually I only bought the figurines thirty years ago. The gold arch element was something I added maybe twenty years later. I liked the backdrop concept but this year I have moved this vignette to the library which has a whole black and white theme going on.

So, I don't want to be inappropriate here but would it be so wrong to make Jesus' place look a bit edgier by painting that back drop thing black? 

:0

Just wondering.

While I think about that let me share some of the noteworthy ideas that were linked up here to Motivated Monday last week.

There were these great canvas transfers via

That's My Story

 

 

I thought they would make a wonderful gift. She offers us a great tutorial on how she made these artful transfers so you really will want to visit her blog and see how she did this.

I was also impressed by this idea from 

Creative Mind

She took a plain woven bag and created this look by embellishing it with ribbon.

Amazing.

 On the more practical side, I am totally intrigued by this simple solution to a dirty glass oven window submitted by DIY Home Sweet Home.

I have a self cleaning oven but sometimes the window still looks grimy after a cleaning cycle.

Her mixture of baking soda and water seems to be all it takes to bring that glass window back to looking like this.

 

 Does it sound strange to hear that I can't wait to clean my oven?

Yes.

:0

I also am anxious to try this Modge Podge concoction from The Crafty Scientist.

It is apparently a great way to create colored glass!

I'm in.

On the decor side there was this on trend tween room update via

DIY Design

 

 

She had me with that Peace symbol but really I loved everything about it; the colors, the bedding, the chandelier, the table lamps, the contrasting walls.... everything.

And speaking of daughter's rooms and chandeliers this is one that is definitely not to be missed.

A Room With A View

redid this chandelier that had been moved around several times in her home and took it from this 

 

 

to this with some bridal petals she found at Michaels.

 

 There are no words. Love it.

 

It was obvious from your posts that we are all beginning to look ahead towards the holidays.

These two door candy wreaths were, I thought, especially timely as we are getting ready to decorate our homes.

I really like the simplicity of the all white look, especially against a contrasting door like this one from

Dream Home DIY

 

 

Isn't that a great look?

Then again, here is another fun take on the traditional wreath. This one from

Procraftination Station

is made of peppermints and it only cost her $1.00.

 

 

 

I'm a conflicted woman because although I love that all white look, I also think this is just fun, happy, and says welcome with a smile. I need two front doors.

There was also this great appetizer post from

21 Rosemary Lane and who isn't looking for a great appetizer recipe this time of year?

 

 

This one reminds me of something I have made before but hers ranks way higher on the presentation scale. 

 

Repurposed Art - Finials

 

 

Earlier this month I participated in an artisan event called The Traveling Door with a group of my artsy friends.  Each of us has a different style and medium that we bring to the table. When people ask me what kind of art I do I usually tell them re-purposed or functional art. Typically they don't want to admit that they don't have a clue what I am talking about. It's a funny thing, when you say the words art or wine to someone.  We often get all uptight about our knowledge or our perceived lack of knowledge on the subject. Why do we do that? Why is art so different from cooking or technology? I digress. Anyway, I can tell when they aren't with me because their faces kind of cloud over and their eyebrows knit and I can almost  see them thinking, " Is she for real? Is she making this stuff up? "  So then I start going into my schpeel of what it is that I do. Usually their eyes glaze over with boredom so I try and keep it short but occasionally I get someone who seems truly interested.

So not knowing which category you fall into, I will try and keep it short.

Re-purposed or functional art is taking something ordinary or sometimes hideous and giving it a new life by painting, staining or embellishing it to create something that is one-of-a-kind.

For example, this was a finial that I found in the clearance aisle at the Hob Lob.

Understated and classic yes, but also a bit of a yawn. In the Spring I like to work with brighter colors but for the Fall sale
I tend to stay with more neutrals or deeper colors. So this time I went with metallics.

I actually had two of these finials. Things get crazy right before a sale and I don't always get individual pictures of everything I painted. So the only after picture I have is a display picture from our Traveling Door event.

A little paint, a little bling for what could be holiday flair and voila! A noteworthy accessory for an end table, bookshelf or mantel. 

Those are some coordinating candlesticks in the background and a lamp base that is a BeColorful take on an Ikea lamp.

But back to the finials.

I forgot to take a before picture but just like the other pieces, this one also started out as solid black.

 

To do something like this yourself you only need a good primer. I don't have a favorite for small pieces like this. Sworn to fun (whatever is on sale) and loyal to none is my motto here. You will also need an array of craft paint colors and maybe a paint pen or two for the finer details.

I like a piece like this that has lots of ins and outs or definite start and stop points for varying the pattern. Then let your imagination fly. Polka dots, stripes, swirls, hearts, stars, what ever floats your boat. :0

 

 

This one also got a few subtle sparkles to dress it up for the holidays but not so much that it couldn't be left out all year.

 

 

 

 

When you are finished give it a light coat of a clear finish. For a small piece like this I prefer a spray.

 

The beauty of this kind of project is that you can choose the element and the colors that will work in your home and then add coordinating pieces as you go.

So glad you stopped by.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

xoxo

P

 

 

 

 

I am also asked where I find my pieces. Some of them come right out of our home. Some from discount stores and thrift shops and every now and again someone thinks of me and gives me some of their cast offs.  I also do commission work which is always exciting and eliminates the having to coming up with a piece to paint.

 

 

Motivated Monday November 21st

I had hoped to write more posts this week.

I have so many posts in my head but just haven't had the time to write them.

I thought things would slow down a bit.

They didn't.

So what have I been up to this week? Well...

I worked with a client on her living room update. Pictures to follow in a later post.

I helped my mom decorate for the holidays - another post.

On Wednesday I drove two hours to spend another hour and a half at the Apple Genius Bar and I'm still not whole. While I was there I figured I probably should hit some of my favorite stores. I pulled back into my driveway around eleven that night.

:0

I met with The Traveling Door group for lunch and cocktails to celebrate our recent sale and to make plans for the next one. Our lunches usually turn out to be a most of the day kind of event and I always look forward to them.

I also celebrated  our son's 21st birthday two days after his birthday. There was a little sobering up time involved on his part, thus the delay.

:0

Plus I finally got around to cleaning out my closet - yet another post, hopefully this week.

So before I knew it it  was already Sunday night again.

It was one of those weeks that everytime I walked into a room I thought to myself, " Oh yeah, I still need to do that too". Sadly, it's seven days later and I'm still saying it. 

I was happy to see, though, that a lot of you have been very creative this week.

You did me proud.

Thank you to everyone that linked up to last week's party.

There was some really great stuff.

Did you see this fabulous French vibed makeover from 

The Comforts of Home ?

She used a chalk paint and wax treatment that I really would like to try.

I was also smitten with this fresh faced coffee table from

Simple Home.Life

I am a sucker for stripes and I thought the color palate was really striking.

Another thing I would like to attempt is this light fixture update via

Decorating Cents.

Her tutorial is so helpful that I think I could actually do this myself.

IF things ever slow down I also want to make this Chicken Dumpling recipe from

Permanent Posies.

Probably not low cal but in a word... Yum.

Colder weather and comfort food, they just go together.

Then Ciao Newport Beach did a great post on bar carts for the holidays.

Gotta love that.

She has a whole line up of bar carts and cabinets.

I thought this one was a stunner.

 

I pinned it on my Living Room Update Pinterest board. Sigh, maybe someday.

:)

Have a great week.

xoxo,

P

 

A Genius in the House

Life has been so busy for the past few weeks that I didn't even have time to introduce you to the genius in our house.

He came home with us earlier this month and is definitely here to stay.

Actually, the big guy and I attended a fund raiser with some  friends a a few weekends back and we came home with a fabulous piece of art.

We were both so thrilled with our purchase and I have been waiting for some down time so I could share it with you.

We have wanted a work by Tomas Lasansky for several years now but I never expected to come home with one that night.

LIfe is so fun that way. When you least expect it, there are those big smiles moments that memories are made of.

 

A photo op with the artist

We saw this work from across the room that night and we both fell in love with it.

It is such an interesting study in psychology watching people bid on something and I was really fascinated watching my guy go for this piece with such calculated determination. 

Tomas Lasansky's work is highlighted by his iconic historical figures and Native Americans.

Lincoln,  Einstein, Walt Whitman, Sitting Bull, Geronimo and Picasso are his most frequent subject matter.

The piece we purchased is an Einstein Intaglio.

The eyes and the detailing are magnificent.

We proudly hung him in the living room.

 

So now when I come down the stairs in the morning he greets me and I say, " Good morning smartie. What am I going to learn today?' and I usually wave to him again as I say goodnight and head back up the stairs. His wrinkled wise expression just makes me smile. He is like a new friend and roomie that just fits right in and he is so easy to get along with.

:0 

xoxo,

P

 

Motivated Monday November 14th

Welcome to Motivated Monday November 14th!

This past week was The Traveling Door Holiday Event, a artisan sale that I participate in twice a year.  

 

It was a whole lot of fun but rather time consuming when it came to getting those last minute projects finished and then over to the venue and set up. As a result I didn't have time to leave comments on every link that was left here. So sorry. Things should settle down a bit now ( it seems like I am always saying that)  and I look forward to catching up with all of the fabulousness you have brought here to Be Colorful.

I did visit each post though and I wanted to share with you some of the things I felt that nobody should miss.

For starters I was all over these inspirational Thanksgiving table setting ideas over at

Ciao Newport Beach

I especially liked this wooden plank as a table runner.

So intriguing.

 

Then there was this AMAZING lamp make over from

Sew Inspirations.

Inspired by a boutique lamp she made her own using a silk screen treatment on the shade and a lamp base from Target!

 

I also read about these stunning watches from 

Utah Country Mom

and I so covet one.

:)

I die.

Love the beads she chose.

 

Did you see this gorgeous chest of drawers makeover

from

Restore Interiors?

Absolutely stunning don't you think?

 

I am always more than a little bit amazed by some of the stuff you all come up with.

This wreath from

CW Frosting

made from a bicycle tire and coffee filters is one of those blow me away projects.

Seriously, just when I think I have it going on creatively, you blow me out of the water.

Love it.

I am also all gaga over this absolutely smashing chalkboard pantry via

An Anglo in Quebec

(Fun name, fun blog)

Combined with that yellow awning stripe...

I swoon.

:0

 

You all know how I love pillows.

I need to revisit my Pillow of the Week posts.

Somewhere I went off track but

A Blonde's DIY Life

may have gotten me refocused.

How fun are these?

I want to move right in.

This girl has the eye.

 

Quite a week for inspiration and motivation don't you think?

I am practically without words.

Such amazing links.

You all inspire me.

I have been remiss on posting the last two weeks but please don't give up on me.

I have made an additon to the living room, I am finally revisiting the third floor bath room that I started back in January, and I have a slug of things to show you from

The Traveling Door event.

I hope you will stop back this week to see all my busyness. 

:0

 

Motivated Monday November 7th

Welcome to yet another Motivated Monday.

I have been working feverishly to get ready for 

The Traveling Door Holiday Event 

later this week and as a result I was not able to leave a comment on each of your submissions. I apologize. I am always grateful that you took the time to link up and I so enjoy reading your posts and being inspired by your ingenuity but this week I had to cut some corners to stay on track with my work.

I did want to draw attention, though, to a few of the submissions that were linked up here last week.

Now there were some fabulous Halloween ideas that I will definitely be referring back to next year but I am already looking ahead towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I saw these saucy ornaments from Lucy Designs I was like, "She killed it. She totally shut it down." Oh Lord, I watch too much Rachel Zoe. :) but seriously, no seriously, I die.

:)

I want them all.  

Shifting gears, I was also blown away by this idea from Between U and Me

Don't have shoes to go with an outfit? Create your own with spray paint and Krylon Glitter Blast.

Seriously, never heard of the stuff. This is why I love blogging.

Talk about learning new things, there was an entire post of little fun facts from the

DIY Home Sweet Home Project

For example did you know the little clip things on a loaf of bread are coded by color so you can tell how fresh the bread Is? I sure didn't. I also never thought that it would be possible do do grilled cheese in the toaster by turning the toaster on its side.

You just couldn't over do it with the cheese or I think this could still be incredibly messy.

Then there were the paint projects...

You all know how I am a sucker for painted furniture. I do a lot of it myself so I am always looking for inspiration and something a bit outside the box.

So I was thrilled to see this fun bench done up with birch trees via

Art is Beauty.

and just about every time that The Decorative Paintbrush submits something here I HAVE to feature it because it is always so freaking amazing.

She kills every piece she does.

I swoon.

Loved the border the flowers with swirls, the treatment on the legs.

Be sure and swing by and check out all of these posts and so many others that were submitted last week.

I wonder if we are all a bit guilty of linking up and then not visiting some of the other links. Why not visit at least three other links here this week and leave a comment? Wouldn't you like to get feedback from three more people? I know I like to think that when I participate in a linky event that someone will take the time to look at some of the other submissions, hopefully mine, :0 instead of just linking and leaving.

Okay, enough of the lecture but you know what I am saying.

 

A Non Cook's Contribution to the Holiday Meal

 

Welcome to the Progressive {Potluck} Thanksgiving Dinner

Blog Style!

This delightful concept is the brain child of Diane via Home Sweet Homemade.

Having been mesmerized by Diane's artful creativity for quite some time now I was totally flattered when she asked me to participate in her Thanksgiving event and jumped at the opportunity without giving it a second thought.

Hmmmm. I really need to work on that whole impulsiveness thing.  To be honest, it is a bit ironic that I agreed to be a part of this fabulous Progressive Dinner series.

Let me put it right out there,

I am not a cook.

Since I am being totally honest here I will have to confess that our Thanksgiving dinners usually comes in a box and the food is all heat and serve.

Shame? Not much. We've done it that way for so long that I don't even think about it. Besides, it works for us.

Last year we changed it up a bit and spent the holidays at the Galena Territories where we had the dinner delivered by the Pilgrims.

Now THAT was a whole lot of fun and something I am sure we will be doing again. The food was already hot when it arrived and it was fabulous.

I uusally love to set the table and transfer everything into my own serving dishes so it

at least LOOKS like homemade but this was in our vacation getaway and I don't have a

fully equipped kitchen there like I do here at home. Plastic containers ruled.

I have to believe, though, that there are other non cooks out there too. 

Women who identify with me.

Women that start hyperventilating at the thought of having to prepare a turkey.

I know it isn't rocket science. Hey, even Rachel Zoe tackled it with a certain degree of success.

:)

For me, though, the day is more about family and fun than cooking and cleaning up.

My contribution is more about setting the table and decorating the house with some Thanksgiving flair.

I like to change it up from year to year but some of my favorite elements seem to resurface every third Thursday in November.

Such as these brown transferware dishes.

and this prelit wreath that I like to hang in front of the oversized mirror in the dining room.

There is something so enchanting about those mini sparkling lights. I like adding them to floral arrangements and I always added a lighted garland of leaves to our statue of Puck.

A Fall vignette in the kitchen window 

and simple understated Thanksgiving touches are, I think, a terrific way to tell your guests you have been looking forward to the holiday and their visit.

I find these Fall home embellishments so much more fun than preparing the meal.

So you can see why I started questioning why as a non-cook I had  agreed to participate in a Progressive Dinner. I didn't want to be the only lame post with some old underwhelming recipe in a line up of gourmet cooks.  I knew I was definitely out of my league but I still wanted to be a part of the fun. So the more I thought about it the more I realized I should just embrace my cooking challenged self and as I thought about our past Thanksgivings I realized there is more to our meal than what comes in that box. I actually do supplement it with a dish or two that the kids have come to associate with Thanksgiving.

My dishes and recipes are definitely not exotic or gourmet but I figured that my very easy recipe might be a perfect suggestion for all the other non cooks out there sweating the upcoming holidays.

I found my unbelievably simple recipe in a Bread cookbook that I bought at a used bookstore or garage sale years ago. I was suckered in by the tempting if not creative title...

Easy Pumpkin Bread

(I haven't made it yet this year and I have never stopped to take a photo of it in past years so these photos I found via The Dutch Baker's Daughter) The concept is the same but the images are not mine.

1 1/2 c. each granulated sugar, and firmly packed brown sugar

4 eggs

1 c oil

5 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp each - cloves, soda

1 tsp each - nutmeg, salt

3 c flour

2 c pumpkin

Combine sugars in large mixing bowl.

Beat in eggs, oil and 2/3 c water.

Mix well.

Add next five ingredients.

Add flour gradually, stirring until well blended.

Add pumpkin and mix well.

Pour into 4 greased cans ( I like to use family size Campbell soup cans or something of similar size so when the bread is sliced it makes a 3-4 inch round slices) 

Fill the cans 1/2 to 2/3 full.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Cool and serve or cover to store.

Freezes wonderfully.

Fool proof and easy.

Plus it makes the house smell fabulous and any unknowing guest would think I was a regular Martha.

Gotta love that.

 

So raise your glass to a fun stress free, easy clean up holiday and Cheers to us non- cooks whose Thanksgiving dinner is delivered in a cardboard box. We may just be the smart ones here.

:)

Be sure to refer to the menu at the top of this post for all of the scrumptiousness and holiday inspiration that will be occurring all week.

To view yesterday's post from Diane with a great artful place card idea click here.

To see tomorrow's post visit Laura at White Spray Paint.

Happiest of Thanksgivings to you and yours,

xoxo,

P

Mixed Media Wall Piece

This is my AFTER picture.

I bought this metal 30x30 wall art from TJ Maxx a couple of years ago with the intention of painting it for The Traveling Door.

It had some hideous bird design on it when I bought it but I liked the three dimensional effect of the metal squares.

I painted the whole thing black probably a year or more ago and then for some reason it just sat. I think I knew I wanted to do a design with wine bottles and maybe I figured that would sell better at our Fall event than in the Spring.

I painted the wine bottles onto the "canvas" first and then printed out wine labels in sizes that would fit the bottles and decoupaged them on.

 

I added some stenciling detail to two of the squares and a subway art treatment with the wine facts on two others. 

I then went back in and added a few more painted details and thought the piece was finished.

 

The more I looked at it though, the more I didn't like the contrast of the wine glasses and bottles with the subdued gray and black colors so I ended up glazing the piece with a warm brown.

I think I added too much glaze because some of the detailing was lost so back in again, adding more detail. 

Geeze, I didn't think it would take me this long to complete.

Finally, though, I was satisfied.

 

 

NOW I can add it to my finished projects for 

The Traveling Door.

:0

xoxo,

P