Designer Lamp on a Thrift Store budget.

The great operation-brighten-up-the-living-room is in full swing and I'm having a grand old time. (I told you I wouldn't be able to make it till Spring!) I'm trying to make it less formal and stuffy, and more casual and cottagey. 

First stop, the coffee table. Wanna sneak peak?

I think the game pieces give sort of a "hey-y'all-come-play-some-games" feel to it. It looks a lot less stuffy than the formal arrangement of red flowers. The fact that the red flowers reeeeally needed dusted had nothing to do with it. Promise. 

Moving on.

Remember the old brassy lamp?

Here she is today! (Also sneak peak #2!)

I loooove paint. Now it looks pretty and restful, and not a bit bold and brassy.

(I used some clean metal primer first, then finished her off with 2 coats of Krylon Dover White gloss. I really like the dover white, it's somewhere between white and cream.)

I'm ashamed to confess that this innocent little lamp gave me the willie-nillies. I got it all painted up and was so excited to try it out. I put in a bulb, plug her up, and I'm putting the shade on it, and it just randomly comes on and goes back off again, on and off, on and off...weird.

 Hmmm...scratches head...

Come to find out (Really it didn't take me very long to figure it out...Seriously. You can stop laughing...) it's a touch lamp, and every time I bumped it, it came on :) So not only is it pretty, it's convenient! I think that calls for a happy dance! And something chocolate...

Linking up with Chari's Finished Object Friday!

Thrifty Treasures...

Wanna see some things I found last weekend? Our first stop was an estate sale in an old victorian house. I didn't think I'd actually find anything I could afford - I just wanted to see the inside of the house! But I was pleasantly surprised to find this old washstand complete with the pitcher and basin, marked 20.00. As I was looking it over, the lady said I could have it for 15! I love the candle holders each side of the mirror. 

It looks so sweet in the guest room.

Then we went to a Salvation Army Thrift Store that I hadn't been to in years. They had LOTS of treasures! I made it a point to check in more often :) I grabbed this old window for 2$.

I still need to clean it up a little.

I also found these vintage books, from a set of classics. I asked how much, and she said take all 3 for 50 cents! When I got home, I looked inside and found that they were from 1857. Cool.

I may go back and see if I can scrounge up some more of them!

Then I found this vintage sewing machine table, with the old machine still in it, marked 7$.

I'd been needing something for this spot ever since I moved the previous sewing machine table to the guest room. I'm toying with the idea of painting it a fun color, turquoise maybe?  I just realized that I now have 3 of these old sewing tables, but really, they make great end tables, and nightstands! 

Then at the big Thrift Store, I got this big old lamp, in all of it's brassy glory for a whopping 4$.

I've already done a makeover on it, and I'm LOVING it! I'll show it to you tomorrow, so stay tuned! 

Curb Appeal. Phase 1

I've been painting again. (GASP!) I'm sure that's a real shocker for ya. But this time it's outside. The old parsonage was needing some help in the curb appeal department.

Here's the before. Because I can't hardly write a post without throwing in a "before"...

And where there's a "before", there must be an "after".

(Just don't look at the flower beds. That's phase 2.)

Look closely at the glider. I have a visitor.

Do you see her? How about now?

Meet Rosie, our neighbor's pooch. It's a nice set-up, actually. She belongs to the neighbors, but she seems to prefer our porch. Perhaps our chairs are more comfy? So she eats at her house, then spends the rest of her time guarding our house. Besides, now her adorable little puppy spends a lot of time here, too.

He's so totally irresistibly sweet. Even if he does rearrange the porch furniture and chew on my pillows...

How about another "before"? 

The floor and bricks were painted burgundy many years ago, and have long since faded to a lovely purple.

And of course, the after.

Here's hoping the new tan color will last better than the burgundy. It's actually quite a bit darker than it looks in these pics - I'll blame it on the bright sunshine.

Notice my spray painted planters? I think they look pretty good with our new house number plaque.(Available at Home Depot if anybody's wondering.) Now I need to find something to hang on the door. Funny how a little paint (and quite a hefty portion of elbow grease...) can perk up a tired house! 

Finished OFFICE Friday.

Happy Friday Y'all! 

Are you sick of my office yet? Good, because that's where we're going. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I painted it again. Yep. It's a sickness. The "faded silk" color was a beautiful color, just not in that room. There's Ze.Ro. natural light in there, and the color just kept getting darker and darker. I lightened it up with Sherwin Williams "rainwashed". It's officially my new fave. Sometimes it looks blue, other times it looks green, and then sometimes it looks gray, and I love it everytime. 

But, on to my finished object! I've been meaning to do something about this ugly doorway for evah...

So today I got to it, and stitched up a burlap curtain and hung it up on a tension rod.

I love how it draws your eye to the pretty curtain, and away from the pathetic walls and stairs in the hallway behind it. (We'll get to that eventually.)

So, now that the room's "done", I'll show you the other side...

I've had this little hutch ever since we got married (that's soon to be 12 years!). It's making a super duper office supplies cabinet.

I dug this clock out of the neighbor's trash. Yeah, I am THAT lady...

And I can always find a spot for more hydrangeas!

I found these old paper trays at the thrift store for 69 cents apiece. And I loved the old stamper holder, even though I don't have a single stamp to put in it...

Here's the desk side once again with the new paint color. You  know, I really should write something on the chalkboard...

So that's my almost finished office! Now, if I can just get my sweetie to rip out that old dilapidated ceiling fan and hang up this sweet little number,

I'll be one happy gal! 

~Linking up with Chari's Finished Object Friday~

Polyvore makes dreamin so much easier!

Ok, here's my profound statement of the day :

Polyvore is addicting. 

I just wasted constructively spent a couple of hours playing around on that site. It's a great way to visualize ideas. Let me give you an example. Here's my living room the way it looks this very minute. 

This was the first room I painted, and I was going for a warm, traditional, almost formal feel. So I painted the walls "muted gold" and added warm red drapes and accessories. BUT since that time, as I've finished other rooms, the rest of the house is feeling much more light, bright, and taking on a cottage feel. The living room opens up to the very white, very cottagey hallway. Do you see the problem? Right! They do. not. mix.

I've been tossing around a few ideas to make it all flow better. I'm not changing the furniture, so any changes that I make still has to go with this furniture.

So, I made a few idea boards in polyvore just to get some ideas.

Idea #1:

1. Paint the gold walls light tan.

2. Replace red drapes and accessories with spa blue (I big fat pouffy heart this color.)

3. Replace dark rug with one that has some blue in it. I love this one from Ballard's but it's so totally out of the question.

4. Recover red lamp shades with burlap or linen.

5. Throw in some white or cream stuff.

Idea #2:

1. Paint walls "Rainwashed" a grayish greenish blue.

2. Replace red drapes with tan linen.

3. Add spa blue throw pillows. (Did I mention how much I'm loving this color?!?)

4. Replace rug again.

5. Recover red lamp shades again.

6. Add more white and cream stuff.

Now isn't that the coolest thing? It makes it so easy to visualize how the different ideas would look. I probably won't be changing anything till Spring. After all, the fall and Christmas decor matches the current living room so well. I'm SO ready to lighten up in there, but I promise I'll try to make myself wait. (Bites nails...drums fingers...steps away from the paintbrush...)

So tell me, which idea do you like best? I think I'm leaning towards the tan walls (goes with anything!) and the spa blue drapes because, like I said, I love 'em love 'em. But then, I always did love a room painted blue...

grrr.

Where oh where did the summertime go....

Those of you that know me know that I totally LIVE for summer time. So I am really bummed that it's nearly over. Excuse me while I have a good cry and a piece of chocolate...

And this happy little guy has already started school.

His first day was Monday. As in August 9, people. I don't think I ever went to school that early as a child! I'm pretty sure if I were a kid today, I'd be in total rebellion, and would most likely be leading a "GIVE US BACK OUR SUMMER!" campaign. But as a parent.... um, it's a little different. 

This year we decided to hang up our homeschooling hat and let him go to a local Christian School. He loves being with other kids, and frankly I had my sanity to think about. I mean, it's just so not cool to be totally gray at the ripe old age of 32. I've come to the conclusion that as far as homeschooling Moms go, some got it and some aint. Plain and simple. I'm one of those pathetic ones that aint got it. Actually, it's working out better for all of us. Jackson loves it. Well, all but the getting-up-in-the-morning part. But then, I'm not really digging that part myself...

More ORB love...

Just thought I'd share one more oil rubbed bronze spray paint story.

We have here ordinary old plastic dollar store planters.

And here they are after ORB. But don't look at my half dead ferns. K?

Love how it made them look so much more fancy . If you squint you might think they were from Ballard's. Ok, maybe not. Still, though, they're not bad!

Dining Room Chairs - Dressed Up

My poor neglected dining room chairs have finally been given some attention. I started recovering them looooong ago, but I never did get them ALL done. So for months, I've had quite a strange assortment of mismatched chairs. I know. Pitiful.

The look so clean and pretty now! I used tan linen. 

And 2 of them got a good healthy covering of plastic. I'll let you guess who has to sit on those chairs. 

The table still isn't done, hence the tablecloth. I will get to that. Eventually. For now, I'm feeling pretty good about a little more progress :)