Facebook Collaboration

If you are my Facebook "friend" than you know all about my big score at Lowe's last week! If not, let me fill you in! While roaming around my local Lowe's...yes I am that pathetic...I came across an unbelievable bargain! I found an 8 foot door on clearance. I am talking deal of the century, 90% off people!

My guess is that it was a custom ordered closet door that someone returned. So, most of you would probably look at this door and think "Who's going to buy that?" Not this chick! I just about did a cartwheel in the middle of the aisle. I didn't know what I was going to do with it, but I knew I could think of something...and I did! I actually had too many ideas, so I did what everyone does in this day and age of social networking...I took it the masses.

I proposed the question of using my "find" for either Halloween or Christmas. And my Facebook Friends chose Christmas, hands down. Then I had another dilemma...do I go for traditional Christmas or Funky Christmas. The overwhelming response was go for the funk!!!

I was excited about this project! I could hardly wait to get started. I gathered the paint...this required a special trip to the store, since I don't tend to keep "funky" colors in my stash! And I was ready to go. THEN, I got sick...BLAH! I am talking knock me out of commission sick! And all I could do was lay in bed and think about this door. Today, I set aside the time to get it done...FINALLY!

Is the suspense killing you yet? Wait no more! Here is the Funky Facebook Christmas Door:

What do you think? I mean really? I am looking for feedback! I personally LOVE it! I love it so much that I didn't even wait for the paint to dry before I took these pictures.

There are so many decorating possibilities with this thing! Put it on the front porch to welcome guests! Stick it by the fireplace to add pizazz to your mantel! Or just prop it up in a corner somewhere...kitchen, foyer, hallway! The options are endless! I can't wait to see who takes this one home! It's in the Gallery! Thanks for stopping by (and helping design this one)!

I am linking up to:

Just in Time

October 1st is just three days away, which means the Countdown to Candy begins! Halloween decorations go up, kids start picking out costumes, pumpkins get carved; in other words, creativity abounds. Perhaps that's why I like this holiday so much.

So, in celebration of October (and the cooler weather it brings) I painted this sign, just in time for it to be displayed for the next month!




It is painted on a board from an old quilt box I took apart. The design is based off of a vintage postcard.

I can't wait to see who takes it home to use in their holiday decorations! It's going in the Gallery, so go check it out! Thanks for stopping by!

Chalkboard Crazy

Last weekend, I worked as much as I possibly could. I have finally developed a system of conquering similar projects at the same time, so I can minimize the mess in my house! So, on this particular weekend, I worked on all the pieces I had stashed away to use as chalkboards! I am obsessed with chalkboards right now...and so are a lot of other people! They are all over the internet and in popular magazines and catalogs.

Like these from Pottery Barn.

Or these from Restoration Hardware.

hgtv.com had this "Fancy" Chalkboard on their blog.

This desk is by Miss Mustardseed, one of my blog obsessions!


Before I go any further, I have to once again apologize for my horrific camera skills. I am starting to think it might just be the camera and not completely my fault! And forgive my thrid grade handwriting...there is a reason I am not a teacher. ANYHOO>>> Back to the big reveal!

As promised, I have some new pieces to show you! I finished five different projects in two days. One still needs some tweaking, one I will show you at a later date, and here are the other three!

This awesome antique mirror was just screaming "Paint Me!" But the mirror itself was very smoky, so the frame needed to house something new. Now that its finished I am convinced it was destined to be a chalkboard all along!




Instead of getting a new piece of wood for the chalkboard, I decided to paint the backside of the mirror, that way the original piece is still in tact. The frame is a "happy" turquoise, which has been antiqued.

I also finished this phenomenal frame, which I picked up for a steal, on clearance, at Hobby Lobby! It was a very dull, muted black, but that was nothing I couldn't spruce up!


Once I saw how beautiful the color came out, I knew a chalkboard would be the perfect finishing step.

This one is quite large, 28 1/2" x 35 1/2" to be exact, but it would be perfect for a busy family to keep all their notes on!

And finally, a great side table! On my estate sale outing a few weeks ago, I picked up this little table from an eccentric Jazz singer. It had a great shape, but somebody had painted it an awful gold!

This is the only "before" picture I have, but at least you can see the color.

And just look at her now! She has been painted in a perfect shade of red, lightly distressed, and finished off with an antique glaze.

If the transformation itself is not impressive enough for you, then look at the chalkboard top:

I had so much fun working on these! I just know someone will enjoy them as much as I do! They are going up in the Gallery (the link is on the sidebar). You can go there to see all available pieces and their prices. Please let me know if you have any questions! Thanks for stopping by.

A Special Treat

I am sorry I have not blogged lately! I worked my tail off last weekend and got 5 projects either finished or almost finished. I can't wait to share them all with you, but I'm not quite ready yet. The plan was to share them all this week, but life had other ideas.
I have been sick (and in bed) for two days. And if you know me, you know that I am constantly doing something...or planning something. So, to be laid up and not feel like doing anything is MAJOR! But, I am feeling better and ready to paint the world. However, I am headed out of town. So, once again projects are put on hold. I will share next week, I PROMISE!

I did want to share this treat with you though:

Aren't those tags just adorable. I am a bit blog obsessed. Some people are addicted to Facebook, but blogs are my vice. Today, while I was checking out some of my favorites, I ran across these cuties. The best part is, they are available to all of us! All you have to do is go print out your own. So, take a little detour over to eighteen25 and get yours!I hope you all have a great weekend (I know I will)! Thanks for stopping by!

Who Goes There?

Earlier this week, my friend Kim gave me this antique window to paint for her. We came up with a great plan and I got to work.



I stripped the back and started on the front. After two days of scrubbing and no skin left on my fingers (ok I still have a little skin left)I had to take a break. But I was still in a window kind of mood.

I had a six paned antique window just sitting in my daughter's closet. I had very good intentions of filling it with pictures of her, but that never happened. It was destined for bigger and better things!

The first Christmas after I got married, my mom bought me this window at a flea market.



I have used it every Christmas since. And I apologize for the picture. The window is in storage (behind our water heater) and I couldn't get out because the top is coming loose :( Like I said, it has been well used.

But back to the point! I used this window as my inspiration. It has been a great addition to my Christmas decorations so, wouldn't it be great to have one for Fall! Owls are everywhere right now...even in my daughter's bedroom! They are so cute and just scream AUTUMN to me! So all that being said, check it out:



It is Adorable! I am so tempted to put it over my fireplace for the rest of the season, but no! I am putting it up in the gallery instead! It will have to decorate one of your homes and maybe I can come visit it occasionally. Have a Great weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Double Double Toil & Trouble

Kids to School...check
Shopping with Friends...check
Homework done...check
Mantel decorated...check
Church...check
Whew! It's been a busy day and I am wiped! But, I just had to show y'all the first of the Halloween decor!
We LOVE Halloween at our house. Mainly because it means Fall is here, the weather is starting to cool off, and we get to dress up! With that being said, I don't like to be scared, I can't stand blood and guts (good thing I'm not a doctor), and my daughter squeals at an entirely new decible if she sees anything scary. So, the general rule is: in our house Halloween is about having fun, not about being scared! These days it can be hard to find Halloween decorations that don't involve skulls, vampires, or demons. Sometimes you just have to make your own.



I think it turned out SO cute! I decided to go with an all orange and black theme this year. Thank goodness I already had a lot to work with and only had to purchase a few extras.


I made the big sign a few years ago. It is nothing more than an old shelf, painted black (paint left over from a cabinet redo) and distressed! Add a little Shakespearean quote and it is one of a kind!


The candlesticks I found at a local thrift store for $1.99 each. I painted them orange, with paint I already had, and topped them off with black candles. I picked up the crow last year and he was not at all expensive.


I had the clock sitting in a cabinet, just screaming for a makeover. It was a horrible mustard color, the faux glass front was missing, and it no longer runs. I know, you are asking yourself why on earth I still had it! It had a great shape and I knew it would come in handy one day...and I was right! I spray painted it glossy black, glued down an orange doily and black cat sticker for the face, added the black gems for numbers and reattached the hands. Voila! A brand new, mantel worthy, Halloween clock. So what if it doesn't work, it's still cute! And all it took was a little time, I had all the supplies on hand!


The EEK idea came from here You can get step-by-step directions.


The Jack-O-Lantern and spooky tree were hand-me-downs from my mom. And the little witch was my "must-have" find today! $4.99 from TJ Maxx! She is adorable!


The Happy Halloween garland came from Target for $3.50. Top all that off with a bag of black cobwebs and I have one spectacular fireplace!
I don't know if anyone even cares about my delightfully spooky mantel, but I was so excited about it I just had to share! I hope everyone is inspired to pull out the pumpkins and get decorating! Thanks for stopping by!

Overflow

So my neighbor popped in earlier. She only stayed a minute. She didn't want to get in the way because my "creative juices are overflowing," her words, not mine! But she is right! Since I started this business and this blog, I just can't seem to turn off the creativity! At any given moment I have at least five projects going on and ten more running through my head.

Today, I am in a Halloween mood! When I told Mr. Rustic I wanted to start decorating, he looked at me, very dumbfounded, and said "Now?"

Why not? If Hobby Lobby can have out their Christmas decorations already, what's it going to hurt for me to set out a few pumpkins! So, that's what I am up to this afternoon! I am sorting through what I already have, coming up with a plan for my mantel, and figuring out what else I need to add to my stash this year!

Since I really haven't painted any furniture in a few days, I thougt I would share with you some of the smaller projects I have been working on this weekend!(Please don't judge me on my camera skills. I may be creative, but I am photographically challenged!)

First, because I am in a Halloween kind of mood and it is only 49 days until Candy Collection, here is what I have made for my daughter to trick or treat with this year (my boys are "too old" for anything but a bag):


It is a paint can, of course, covered with vintage Halloween images! It turned out absolutely adorable!

The other project was for a friend who asked me over a month ago to make her a frame. Well, I finally took the time to do it, with my own twist!



I made a magnetic frame, so she can rotate pictures whenever she wants! It's even big enough that she could display more than one picture at a time! I can't wait to see it up in her house!

Neither of these specific projects are for sale, however I would be happy to make a custom one for anyone who asks! Just shoot me an email and we can discuss ideas and prices! It's been a great weekend for me and I hope each of you can say the same! Thanks for stopping by!

A Hunting We Will Go...

I am coming down off a shopping high! It feels like Black Friday! This morning I woke up at the crack of dawn and had a full day of shopping in before lunch! By 2pm I was back home, in pajamas, enjoying a shockingly quiet house!

Two of my best friends were nice enough to join me on my estate sale excursion. We had so much fun! And each of us walked away with some treasures. Some of us took home a little more than others, but we each found some stellar deals and quickly scooped them up! Thanks girls for going with me! I can't wait for our next outing!

So are you dying to see the outcome of my treasure hunt? Cast your eyes on my loot:



Not bad for a morning worth of fun! I scored three pieces of furniture, a few accessories, tons of vintage picture frames, and one free lamp. I can't wait to start the make-overs, but for now I will have to settle for dreaming of the possibilites. My eyes are growing heavy as I type this! I better take advantage of my quiet house (Mr.Rustic took all 3 kids to the country for the day)and get in a well deserved nap! Thanks for stopping by!

Life Takes Over

The best part of working for myself is being able to work when I want. The bad part is, sometimes that is 5 minutes here and two minutes there. That is what it has been like this week! CRAZY!!! I have been working mostly on smaller projects and a few custom orders. I promise I will share them all with you when they are done!

For now, I have been dying to show you my new gem:



My awesome neighbors gave this to me...FREE!!! Isn't she beautiful! Ok, I will admit, she is a little rough around the edges and she has been well loved, but I have big plans for her! I am hoping to find some time this weekend to work on her transformation!

Tomorrow morning I am going hunting...treasures, that is...with some girlfriends! I have high hopes and can't wait to share what we find! I hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Out on a Limb

Some of you may know about the dresser I have been "stalking" for the last two weeks! It was love at first sight! It had the cutest lines and was the perfect size and I wanted it...BAD!
The problem was the price! I come from the school of the cheaper the better, mainly because the less I pay for it, the less I have to get for it! It's a good system! But this one piece made me question all of that! Sometimes you just have to pay more when you know it is worth it.
Finally, on Friday, I stopped by the shop where this gem was residing, you know just to check that she was still there, because in my mind she was irresistable and people were lining up to take her home. I found another treasure (that I will share with you another day) and struck up a friendly conversation with the owner. I explained my obsession with the dresser and my dilemma with the price. To my surprise, she asked me what I could pay for it. Now, I am not going to lie...I hate negotiating!!! And I told her as much. In my opinion, she knows what she needs to make money and hopefully is honest enough not to jack up the prices just because she can. So, I made a fair offer and she took it!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!
So without further delay...in all her thrift shop glory...the object of my affection:



Okay, so I know not everyone can see her beauty, but just look at those lines. I knew that all she need was a little make-over! So I painted her with the most perfect can of "Oops" paint from Lowe's. It is a wonderful chocolate milk shade of brown! Then, I painted the knobs a glossy white to give her a "modern vintage" look. And for the final touches I added a little freehand artwork (something I have never done before)! Now, she is absolutely GORGEOUS!


I really did go out on a limb on this one! Please tell me what you think! I LOVE the feedback! As much as I love her, I have to let her go! She will be up in the gallery if you are interested in taking her home! Thanks for stopping by!

Impatience is my Middle Name

WOO HOO!!! I knocked this project out today! I was going to wait and show this one tomorrow, but it is too cute not to share now! I think I am in love! I wish I had somewhere in my house to put it, but no! So, it is going up in the gallery for someone else to claim as their own! I hope all of you like it as much as I do! Enjoy!




Thanks for stopping by!

I Couldn't Help Myself

Well, my promise to tackle smaller projects for awhile lasted for about 24 hours. I really think I might have an addiction. I see something sitting there in it's natural (aka: BLAH) state and I just have to paint it!

I did finish these yesterday:


These are the party favors for Chance's birthday last week. All the boys had a blast in "the country". So what better thank you than a picture for them to remember the weekend by. I got some inexpensive frames from Michael's and made them nice and rustic looking! Chance can't wait to pass them out!

The frames were a project of necessity...it had to get done. But, this next one is pure indulgence. I have had an idea in my head for a while and the mood finally struck to get it done. It should be finished tomorrow and I will show the final outcome. For now though, here is a sneek peek! See if you can guess what it is!



Thanks for stopping by!