Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Transforming Curb Side Junk

Once a year our city offers residents large item 'JUNK' pick up.

Most of the time it is old toilets, mattresses, out-dated TVs,
broken down furniture, etc.

Fun or curiosity, we count yearly the more unusual
items that are 'junked' in excess.  
This year it was 12 baby cribs and 3 pink toilets.

Throughout the years I have found many great items.
However, the past few years 'good junk' has been minimal. 

That changed this year!
We found antiques, vintage, furniture
and garden items. 

Here is my best SCORE...

This center walnut-stained shelf.
I thought it would fit my mantel and it did!

I love the original wood of this piece, but the 
wood had some issues, besides it was too dark for my room.

So, I chose to repaint it with Annie Sloan white chalk paint.
It took me 32 hours to paint this piece with three coats of chalk paint 
mainly using a 3/4" brush on the scrolls/details and columns.
To finish it, I hand-waxed it.

 First coat of chalk paint.

Now finished, it sits as a cabinet shelf on my mantel.

Love my 'JUNK' find!


Friday, May 24, 2019

Recreating Mona Lisa

Sometimes on our girlfriend road trips,
we like to include an art project.

Recently for Girls Fun Weekend, Part 2
Gail gifted us with Mona Lisa cabinet dolls
from the Outlet Store of Victoria Trading Co. 

One glance and we knew we had to transform her!

Instead of recreating drab Mona Lisa, we transformed her.  

Drab Mona Lisa was painted with primer. 

Nora graciously offered to paint our individual dolls
to resemble each of us.

Me

Gail
  
Nora


 Each of us had our own design ideas.
With lace, fabric, paint, pearls, rhinestones, feathers,
decoupaged images, butterflies and miscellaneous trims,
we transformed her.

I knew immediately I wanted mine to
wear a Marie Antoinette French costume.

I created a wire wide-bustle.  Wrapped the bustle
with paper-mache and wired it around her waist.

Next, I begin cutting and creating various layers of 
French-style fabrics for her dress, with an under slip
of scrim to poof her dress.





Mademoiselle Tamara


Gail's drab Mona Lisa transformed
in lace, bling and sweet pink roses



Mademoiselle Gail

Nora's became a lovely Peacock-influenced beauty

Mademoiselle Nora

At Junk Jubilee we bought vintage salt shaker metal lids.
The vendor had a huge bowl of these lids. 
He thought someone would find a purpose for them.
He asked us how we planned on using them.
We all said "hats of course".

For each of our hats we used one of these lids as a hat base.
It works great to secure decorations through the holes! 

What a fun project!


 



 



Monday, May 20, 2019

Girls Weekend Fun - Part 2

Weren't those tulips shared in Girls Weekend Fun
GORGEOUS?
Part 2 of our trip includes Junk Jubilee,
West End Salvage and Recreating Mona Lisa.
 While we enjoyed this years Spring Junk Jubilee, 
it was a bit disappointing as there weren't as many vendors
for inspirational ideas or items to buy.
Apparently Junk Jubilee and Junk Stock were in
competition with one another that weekend. 

Ready to shop and be inspired!
Great junk & inspiration








Although it was a smaller show,
sharing fun & inspiration 
with good friends,
is always a great time!

Next stop, West End Salvage
Nora is often missing from our pics 
as she is the one that remembers to take photos...
Thank you Nora for the pics!

West End Salvage is known for creating 
reclaimed architectural items into
functional and works of art decor.
Also available are antique and 
vintage lightening, doors, furniture
and miscellaneous items.
 
Here Gail & I are with Don Short,
owner of West End Salvage.
Antique doors & lightening  



This door is in the center stairway


If you visit WES, be sure to enjoy their coffee shop!


Recreating Mona Lisa

Earlier I mentioned Recreating Mona Lisa
would be included in this post.

There really is a lot to share, so
I will post it separately. 

Here's a sneak preview

From drab
to Fab....
 
Please check back to see what changes we made.

See you soon!



Saturday, May 11, 2019

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing all Mothers a very 
Blessed Happy Mother's Day

May your hearts overflow 
with the love of your children



With Mother's Day nearing,
there have been many messages 
popping up everywhere.

This message reached out to me.
Many of us can relate to some year of this
  'I love my mom' message.
 
 My mother passed away in 2006.
My mother-in-law August 2018. 
And, my step-mom January 2019.

I was 47 instead of 50 when 
my mother passed away.

I miss my mother deeply!
I miss my mother-in-law!
I miss my step-mother!

I am blessed to have had 
three loving and beautiful women in my life!

Sometimes Children, Jobs
and living long distances apart,
can challenge the time spent 
with your love ones.
 
 Life is too short...











Saturday, May 4, 2019

Girlfriends Weekend Fun!

Gail, Nora and I recently took a weekend trip
to one of our favorite vrbo...

Bailey's Barn near Des Moines, IA. 
  But, before we got to Bailey's Barn,
we made a spur of the moment decision
to head over to the quaint
Dutch town of Pella, IA
to visit their Spring Tulip Festival.
 The festival actually is the first week of May.
Being there a few days early let us enjoy the
tulips without the crowd of people 
or paying an admission fee!

 

 


 
 Beautiful Tulips! 

Downtown Pella is quaint with two rotating windmills,
dutch bakeries and hand-painted murals




 And one must try on the wooden Dutch Shoes!

 Bailey's Barn is our

quaint, cozy home away from home!


 Relax, Laugh, Memories, Forever greets you on the patio.


 I've seen this setting in Autumn and Winter.
And now in Springtime!
Flowers everywhere and two babbling waterfalls
trickle to the pond.
All this is yours to enjoy during your stay!


Upon your arrival, you enter to find soft music playing,
the fireplace burning, candles aglow,
and bowls of candy and goodies to enjoy! 

Miss Daisy is your greeter.
She is the sweetest girl!

 Only spent two days & nights here, 
but were they ever full of activity...
Junk Jubilee, West End Salvage and Recreating Mona Lisa!

I'll share those stories soon.