He Is Risen

Wishing you all a Happy Easter.

Family and Friends

I'm taking a departure from my usual redesign posts to boast about my High School Senior son, and share a few shots of a friends home.

My youngest son is an artist.  He draws, acts, sculpts, and takes photographs.  To date, he has won two awards for the above photograph.  It's a simple shot, he titled "Unity".  Tuesday night at his High School's annual Art Show, it was chosen by his principal to hang in the entrance of the school.  She was so taken with it, she created a special category for it.  My son is the first recipient of the "Spirit Award" for art.  He will leave behind a legacy when he graduates in May.  He also received an award for a self-portrait.  I didn't get a good shot of that because it was up so high.  However,  I'M SO PROUD.

That tall guy is my son, discussing his piece.  He was interviewed by the local television station as well. See that little head near his shoulder in this next shot.  That's his older brother taking a photo.  He's in college, studying television and film production.  Another artist.  Where do they get that from?

Yes, these are the guys I showed you in my Mother's Day post.

They're still my babies.

Okay, this morning, I was visiting a friend.  A friend who was surprised I asked to take a few shots of her home to share with my readers.

You see, Sharon is very humble about her decorating style.

I happen to love dropping by.  Her home is like a big hug,

full of warm colors, and vintage treasures.

Let's go to the kitchen.

I love this vintage table she uses as an island.

She has some adorable vintage miniatures.  Look at that mini enamel stove.

She also has some great collections.  As you can see, the sun is starting to shine in our neck of the woods.  Whoo Hoooo.

Her little hallway has family memories, and loads of charm.

Sharon doesn't have a blog, but she sells on Ebay, HERE.

Well, that's my little departure from a redesign post.  Not that I haven't been busy.  My Etsy is looking sparse.  Something I'm grateful for.  Gotta get to work filling it up.  See ya soon.

A Touch of Aged Pink

Maybe it's the long wait for Spring that has me adding a touch of pink to the books, and bundles I've been working on today.

I covered an old tattered book with vintage pink and silver wrapping paper.  Then I aged, and distressed it to keep that tattered feel.

I didn't have to do anything to the book on top.  It's a journal from the 1920's.

It's beautifully beat up with a touch of dusty pink.  They're perfect together.

I bundled them with vintage hemp twine, a vintage skeleton key, and two dried rose buds.

Love it.

Another touch of pink.

I covered this one with vintage Hallmark paper, and one of my tinted French book pages.

I'm off to jazz up more misc. books.  See ya soon.


Sharing With:
Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday

Rusty Crowns and Other Stuff

I'm experimenting with rusty finishes on my crowns.

Some of my finishes are easy to explain, like the "Old World" finish.  However, in this case, it's more of an artistic process.  I basically painted on the rust-like finish.  There's no actual rust involved.

I was inspired by my rusty Santos crown.

As much as I love to share processes when I can, in many cases, I can only give you an idea.  Painting these was a non-stop layering marathon.

I will tell you that there are at least 10 layers on these pieces, one of which includes, plaster, and gesso. They help give them texture, and that dried out look.  There are also various shades of brown, grey, and white.  I mix as I go, and water down some layers.

I have more painting, and aging to do,

boxes to redesign,

and fleur-de-lis to incorporate into projects.

I'm playing with various magnetic board designs too.

Busy, busy, busy.

See ya soon.


Sharing With:
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays

Spruced Up Music Box

I thought this little music box could use a little sprucing up.

Here's the before.  I'll be working on the box underneath it next.

I don't have photos of  the part where I decoupaged a piece of script paper on top, thought it was too dark, white washed over the entire thing, sanded the top, completely took off  the script, thought about redoing it, but decided I liked it.  So, I just finish it off with a little embellishment.

I added an ornate metal fragment I painted, and distressed.  Then, one of my vintage numbered tacks.

I used gesso for the wash.  I just brushed it on, and wiped it back.

A softer look.

See ya soon.


Sharing With:
Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After
Funky Junk Interiors
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Shabby Art Boutique: Shabbilicious Friday
Common Ground: Be Inspired
StoneGable: Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits

Fun With Aging

Not my own aging.  I'm having fun aging, and tinting paper.  Most of the paper is vintage to begin with, I just give it extra character.

I don't have one way of aging paper.  It's like painting to me.  I have my own custom mixes I experiment with.  A little of this, and a little of that.

Aged script on one of my aqua frames.

I have a bunch of little vintage mirrors with distressed silvering.  I found them in the drawer of an antique box I purchased at an estate sale.  They look good with vintage script.

More paper play.

This is not one of my wooden books.  It's an actual long forgotten book I gave new life with script. The addition of aged French book pages, skeleton key, and my little dried rose buds make a nice bundle.  I'm going a little bundle crazy right now.

See ya soon.


Sharing With:
Funky Junk Interiors
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday