Month: August 2019

Found this dynamic duo at two separate yard sales and a sad looking couple they were indeed but with a little TLC and a few coats of Artminds Succulent chalk paint from Michaels, voila! I couldn’t be more pleased! And they’re heading for their new home in just a couple days. Front foyer chatter chair and telephone table. Love rescuing this stuff and bringing it home but equally fond of letting it go.

I would say there’s been more than one conversation shared while perched on this little stool.  Succulent, juicy conversation too, I’ll bet!

Chatter chair – twice-loved!

 

Another road trip today with another old friend.

Today we did make it into Blossom Antiques and so glad we did. I could spend hours in this store poking about amongst the trinkets and treasures.

If, however, I took my age too seriously, I would be a little discouraged at the sheer volume of memorabilia from my childhood that is now tagged as antique! Surely not!

I did spend much more than I’d planned – yard sales are sooo much better for bargains.  But I appreciate that this couple is running a business and that road trips to amass such a collection must be a frequent, risky, and costly occurrence.

In any case, I came away delighted with my finds!

This set is tarnished is a big way but a few hours of elbow grease and I expect to find real beauty beneath.

… and the twinkling of the tea

Blossom Antiques.

Twice-loved.

Perfect day.

And it ended with a rainbow.

 

 

 

Begin at the beginning, the King said gravely, and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

We headed out on a little road trip today to Benton to visit the antique shop. Blossom Antiques and Collectibles is closed but one day during the week, and wouldn’t you know it? Today was the day.

Not to be discouraged we continued on to Clarenville where we visited The Barn Loft. Nothing twice-loved here, but still a lovely place to browse – which we did.

No yard sales, no roadside treasures, but I did find a deal in the bargain bin. Three dollars apiece and now filled with flowers from my garden.

A perfect day!

It’s a brand new day, a new beginning, another chance to try and get it right.

I’ve been in the slumps and it’s crazy easy to do it all wrong when you’re not on top shelf.

Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if I like being that person, I’ll come up. If not, I’ll stay down here until I’m somebody else.

You make perfect sense in your nonsense, Alice. But it’s just not that easy.

Today was supposed to be about coming up: keeping busy, being productive, mending fences.

perhaps I should have stayed down…

I did have the company of Little Bear overnight and he is like the Wonderland crew, very clever and worldly in his innocent and blunt observations. It helps.

Still, at the end of the day I had nothing of any real measure to show for my time, though I did manage to keep busy.

“I can’t explain myself, Sir,” said Alice, “because I’m not myself, you see.”

Supper out tonight and a chance to reconnect with family I hadn’t seen in many years also helped. Stories were told and retold. It was nice to sit back and listen, even having heard the stories before. Twice-loved.

Alice in Wonderland, as I’ve indicated in recent postings, is a current favourite ….. so many cool and thought provoking observations! May I suggest that you read the book? Watching the movie is just not enough. And it’s all here online.

Right now, I’m trying to read Through the Looking Glass.  Read it years ago but never favoured it like Wonderland.

The lure of a good book?

They’re dreadfully fond of beheading people here, the great wonder is, that there’s anyone left alive.

Too true, Alice. Once again you nailed it. A good book is the perfect escape.

 

 

 

 

 

#1 Son knows me well. Some mothers get jewellery, flowers and fancy restaurants. I get the yard sale treasures. This particular chair – I call it the Hunt chair – is one of a pair he rescued for his momma a few weeks ago. The wall peg shelf is a $1.00 yard sale find he brought home this morning. The little night stand is one that had been relegated to the attic but brought back into commission for this set I’m calling the Queen of Hearts. You’ll see why when it’s finished.

Just in case #1 Son ever reads this, I’d like to point out that I am certainly not encouraging him to rule out jewellery, flowers and fancy restaurants! Truth be told. I am an incurable romantic at heart, much to my chagrin, though most people don’t know this about me.

I was once ‘romanced’ by a hired guitarist/songster serenading me at work with a favorite song of mine, Moon River. At the time, I was pretty shy, so while delighted and flattered, I was also a little embarrassed by the gesture as sweet as it was! Funny though, the young man hired to croon started off in the wrong key. Ouch! Probably a little embarrassing for him too, I suspect. No shame. Moon River was not exactly on top in the charts. It’s still my favorite though. Old, old, old song –  twice-loved.

Anyway, I got away from the point of my post –  which was to show how I work – in my kitchen -messy and disorganized for sure, but with a sort of plan/vision up there somewhere.

 

 

 

Wish I’d had the foresight to take a picture before the paint job and reupholstery. Don’t know how I forgot that! Too eager to get started maybe. In any case,  both pieces were brown, worn, tired looking and in need of some serious TLC.

I used Artminds chalk paint – colour Succulent (Michaels) and used a Benjamin Moore acrylic polyurethane varnish to protect. Gives a lot of shine which many dislike in a chalk paint but I am very pleased with the result. It’s a bit of a delicate set, not meant for hard use but would look great in a front foyer. Bought the fabric at the local fabric store – they have an amazing selection. Has a bit of a Mackenzie-Childs look to it I think!  Next project?