Santa is Coming

What to early?  Darn, because I've already said it more than once in the past week to more than one child.

Anyway, Santa is coming more than likely and he is bringing this baby cradle.  I'm not sure I like it as is.  Obviously the "linens" have to go.  I'm hoping to maybe (probably not) make some to match what Little Miss has on her bed.  

Do I leave it alone?  Paint it?  What color?

silver & GOLD

Sorry, you'll be singing that all day!

A week or so ago I gave you this post.  A sneak peek at something I thought was pretty exciting.  It's taken that long to get her finished.  Mostly due to letting her sit outside and let all the spray paint fumes disappear.  I don't need any of that inside!

Let's look at the before:

When I saw this piece at the Goodwill, I fell in love with those monkeys on the side.  But that blue & white just doesn't fit me or our home, so I knew it just needed a little spray paint.  I was thinking white.  Boring, but classic and I could put it anywhere.

I got some primer, because I knew it was going to take a lot to cover it up.  (Primer cheaper than color!)

That is after coat 3!  I was very happy with my decision to prime white first.  Also, gave me a glimpse as to what it would look like white.

My aunt (who could style a Goodwill to make you think you stepped into a Neimans) suggested gold.  I was immediately smitten and couldn't wait to get her painted.  Gold fits in our house as well as the blue & white, but I knew it would work.  Must be the holidays!

There she is waiting for her Christmas morning coffee.  I didn't bother to style with books or anything fancy.  I could barely get far enough away to take the picture before being photo bombed by an almost 1 year old!

Paint is Pure Gold by Rustoleum (Home Depot).  Lowes did not have a decent metallic gold paint?  Wierd but true.  


This gold post has perfect timing!  I'm working on a give away for you guys.  It's shiny!

Linking up with Happy Hour Projects Funky Junk Interiors, The Thrifty Home, Maybe Matilda, Two Twenty One, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, A2Z, Newly Woodwards, Decor and the Dog,  & House of Hepworths

One Word Wednesday

GOT

BIG

PLANS!

Sihouette Reveal

On Oct 24th, I gave you this sneak peek of a project I was going to be working on.  I was so excited and really did get started fast.   I knew it was going to be a big project but I had NO idea I wouldn't be blogging about it's finished phase until a month later?!  Keepinitreal.  I gave you a finished sneak peak here.

This post is photo heavy and wordy.  Honestly, I should have broken it up into pieces.  Which is exactly what I had to do to get through it on this end!

Here is where I started.  Three free frames.  I used to be a manager at a department store & the visual manager was going to throw them away.  Say what?  Three huge frames?!  I don't think so.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.  That was in 2008.

They stayed in a closet at our old house and moved to a storage unit and then onto Richmond.  Where they have sat in a closet until a month ago!  Much to my husbands dismay.  He couldn't believe I brought them home, much less moved them!  (But it wasn't the first piece I'd brought home.  He was also confused when I brought home an office credenza, until I refreshed & re-purposed it into this bar for our dining room.  He should know to trust me!)

I started by taking off the paper on the back of all three.

 My pantless (prettysurehehasonshorts) design assistant.

 There was a ton of glue holding the triple layer of matting in on two of the frames and nails on another...ugh..

 

 I pulled the artwork off the mats and got to measuring some poster board.  I originally thought these were going to go in our playroom and was beyond pumped when I found some lime green chevron wrapping paper in the clearance aisle.  I didn't think I would ever find that, so I had actually bought some lime green chevron fabric to use.  But the paper was SO much cheaper, that I returned the fabric.  In the end I just wasn't sure about the space I had planned.  It was too small.  I decided they were going to go in the living room.  I needed something LARGE and these were unexpected.  I hung up paper the size of the frames to get an idea for their size.

These frames are huge.  Which means I then had to find a chevron pattern, so I could paint it the color I wanted to match the living room.  Thank you google, that was easy.  

This was the tedious part.  Over and over tracing and tracing.  Trying to keep it level from one side to the next.  Ugh...

Then I had to decide how big I wanted the center square.  The focal point of these frames.  Originally I was going to use a 12" canvas, but with the double mat, I thought it was too much.  Especially since it was going to be behind glass.  Once I decided on a 10" (after a 12" looked too big with the mat on top) square I erased the lines inside the box, in case it didn't paint so well.  More tedious work ensued...painting the chevron..with a tiny brush, so I could have nice crisp lines.

 Then I painted the square. 10"x10".  I felt it was nice and centered and still showed plenty of the chevron once in the mat & framed.  I spent a ton of time painting those zig zags, I wanted them to be seen!

Once that was done  I took pictures of the kids (I had taken a few months back, so I would be ready!), I printed them out and blew them up so that the image was 8".  For all three.  I cut them out and traced them onto the poster board.  Again, I filled in the lines with a tiny little bitty paint brush.  (I did use a bigger one to fill in!)

I learned that silhouettes are hard.  There just isn't a lot of detail to them.  Like long eyelashes or chubby baby cheeks.  I also couldn't do the spiky hair that Little Miss is still sporting.  And this chin on Q is way off?  I have no idea how that happened!?  But that was easy to fix!  Yeah for DIY.  

These frames were really beat up and very gold.  

I had some gold craft paint and I thought it would be really easy to patch it.  Then I would be done.  D-O-N-E!  It was not.  The gold didn't want to stick to the frames.  So, I thought I could age the bright gold with black.  

 

Too dark.  I didn't like it.  It kind of looked more dirty than aged.  I felt like this project was dragging on and on.  I didn't see an end in sight.  I had to get my posse of assistants to Lowes to check out the spray paint choices.  I chose antique brass.  Which I find odd since I have gotten rid of all the brass in the last two houses I've lived in!  I thought it was perfect with the dark wood furniture, black frames, and brown rug (and future curtains...another project taking longer than expected!).

 I hung the first frame in the tree so I could paint all the sides and see if I liked the color.  Which of course I did, because otherwise I would have had to get back to Lowes.  I was ready to be DONE.  SO ready. 

Here they are in all their antiqued brass glory.  All the blood (yes there was some..did you see those nails?!) sweat, and tears (maybe some of those too..I was ready to be done!).  I LOVE them!

My big boy.  All 5 years of him.

My spunky 3 year old.

My sweet baby girl

The 3 loves of mine

Yes, in 2008 I knew I wanted to use these frames and put a silhouette in each.  I had one baby and I thought they would go up the stairwell.  My how things change.  And I am so thankful they have!

I'm linking up! Head over to Coastal Charm Savvy Southern Style The Thrifty Home We are that Family Raising Homemakers Trendy Treehouse Uncommon Designs House of Hepworths Thrifty 101 Beyond the Picket Fence Happy Hour Projects Finding Fabulous While He was Napping& A2Z for some other great ideas!

New outlook

My last Salvation Army "art" refresh is a mirror.  Who can't use another mirror?
Remember this old girl?

 Dried flowers and broken glass.  Poor thing needed a new home.  Someone to appreciate her.  Maybe that is what Amanda Bynes needs too?  What has happened to our sweet little Holly?!  Home girl has gone crazy.  For $5.25 I was willing to see what I could do with her.

Spray paint primer=best invention ever.  Then brushed on some already owned blue/aqua paint!

 Scrap book paper and modpodge!  I love scrapbook paper.  So many options.  Keeps the painting and stenciling to a minimum.  I like keeping a (should be) easy project on the easy train.

 Duck taped some cardboard to the back of the mirror to keep it a little more stable than it was.

 Ta-Da $5.25 and Amanda looks like a new girl.  Too bad it's not that easy for Amanda in real life.

Another (almost) free refresh!  On Monday I will show you the whole shebang together and a final cost for a house full o' art.

"HI" Chair

This high chair was perfect for getting me on a furniture kick again.  It belonged to my father in law.  So needless to say it's not as safe as it needs to be for little miss but will be super fun for her and her baby dolls!
It took a good bit of time only because I'm working during naps. It got sanded, primed, painted, distressed, white circle, pink circle, monogram and a poly top coat via spray paint! I'm in love. I wish she could use it now. Here she is in a favorite dress (of mine) worn at the rehearsal dinner of a dear friend. I love the color combo and thought it would be perfect! The quality of the picture is awful (from my cell) sorry.

Primed

Painted

Distressed

Personalized

Perfection

I'm ready for some more projects! Thanks for waiting patiently!

I'm baaaaccckkkk

Wow! Jan 24th was a long time ago...that was my last blog post. I guess having an infant not to mention a 2 and 4 year old will do that to you! Now I have a big girl pulling up (TODAY!!) and an almost 3 and 5 year old! Yikes.

We've had a busy summer with lots of travel with some not so high points. I've been enjoying my favorite blogs and a little envious that others seem to be able to manage their time better and have a family, complete projects AND blog! But my time will come and I'm just going to do what I can when I can!

However, I have learned something from one of my favorite bloggers, Erin, at Richmond Thrifter. I love her projects, but I also love that she doesn't do that much detail. All I need is a few minutes to read and look at the pretty pictures! There are so many tutorials out there, not every post needs to be long winded. I guess I just felt this way because every blog I read seems to be that way! So, I'm going to try to take a lesson from her. Complete some fun and pretty projects and you can figure out how on your own..or comment or email me!

So here is my welcome back project. I'm so giddy I could just sit and stroke my new high chair!

Here's the before (sanded):

Sneek peek:

One little tweak and I'll post the final picture tomorrow!

One Word Wednesday!

Buh

Bye

Brass