HANGING PLATTERS, FRESH FLOWERS AND A SURPRISE FEATURE

I spent 6 hours in the yard last Saturday trying to take my flower beds back. Weeds...oh how I despise them. I also, much to my surprise, realized that I am NOT immune to poison ivy like I thought I was. I have never in my entire life itched so badly. Thankfully, I have a doctor in the family who called me in a steroid pack and I am on the mend. Although the weeds ate my lunch, I did enjoy seeing the fruits of my labor. The fresh pine straw is so clean and my hydrangeas actually produced beautiful pink blooms this year. My goal is to have a yard full of perennials that I can use every spring indoors without spending a fortune on fresh flowers at the market.

I also added some hanging platters over my flat screen. I have been wanting to find a way to use this antique, blue transfer ware platter that my mom bought for me in New Mexico years ago. I love it mixed with some of my other ironstone favorites. They also helped to bring the eye up and balance out the art on the wall.

I feel almost complete in this room. I still lack an entry way piece as well as a chair for the corner. The cute french one is my moms. She let me borrow it for a party and I didn't want to give it back! I did see its match at Homewood Antiques last week. I may have to go get it!

Most of you know by now that I have been blogging for Homewood Antiques since about mid January.  I have loved so many of your link ups from Restored It Wednesday I have decided to feature one on my blog and one on theirs. I saved a REALLY good one for you to see! You don't want to miss this feature. Its up on their blog right now and you can check it out here. 

Have a great Thursday!

RESTORED IT WEDNESDAY

It didn't take me long to pick my favorite for the week. I fell in LOVE with this bedroom makeover by Dixie Delights. I think I'm partial to bedroom makeovers right now because I am in the finishing stages of my own.  She did an amazing job, don't you think? This is a fabric that is in my samples right now for curtains. I first saw it in Southern Living Magazine in a Birmingham home.

I love that this room was put together on a dime and it looks like a million bucks. There are more pictures and posts on this bedroom makeover on her blog so make sure you go and check it out! 

So what have you been up to? Grab a button and link up something that you have made look better than it did before. Have fun!

LAYERED FRENCH NIGHT STAND

Thank you all so much for your prayers for my friend Summer. They are cherished more than you know. When I receive updates from her I will make sure to pass them along.

Yesterday was the last official day of school and today was a GREAT day. Although I never found my phone, I was able to enjoy the day. It will probably take me several weeks to get over losing it! 
I really enjoyed getting up this morning and not having to fix lunches and rush people out the door. We all were able to sleep in and I made the girls Belgian waffles for a late breakfast.

I also finished a night stand in a bedroom suite that I am working on. I have the matching chest and dresser but it takes days to finished a layered look like this. I worked on this one for four days.

I took this piece to Homewood Antiques today and will finish up the dresser and the chest in the next week. Tomorrow we are headed to the lake for Memorial Day weekend and we have no Internet connection. Its kind of a blessing and a curse:)  I will see you all back here sometime on Sunday or Monday. I hope you have a great weekend!

RESTORED IT WEDNESDAY

I woke up this morning in a major funk.  My oldest was late getting ready for school, my coffee had not quite woken me up and I couldn't drag my four year old out of bed for anything.  We finally left the house, me with my pajama pants still on, my four year old, thrown over my shoulder asleep, coffee in one hand trying to finagle the door closed with my foot. I let my oldest lock the door and off we went. I turned on the ignition only to realize I was out of gas and forgot to fill up last night. Sheesh! When we rolled back into the house after taking her to school, I came in and grabbed breakfast and then went to grab my phone to return emails and phone calls.....couldn't find my phone. STILL can't find my phone. I spend the entire day LOOKING for my phone. Somewhere between the chaos of getting in the car, getting gas and driving to school my brand new, un insured, iPhone 4s disappeared and my "find my iPhone" app can't find it. I think I shed a few tears and I definitely wasted an entire day but I came back to reality that it's just a phone. It can be replaced. The Lord swiftly put me back on the ground and reminded me of how wonderful it is to even have these  "normal" chaotic days.

My friend Summer who is being treated for cervical cancer just recently had her pet scan. The news was not what we had hoped but we are still trusting God for her full recovery. The tumor in her cervix was gone but she had 8 new ones in her stomach, one under her c section scar, one on part of the liver and several elsewhere. Her doctor is still very positive about beating it and they started their new course of action today with new chemo meds.

These things have consumed my mind for today so in lieu of posting my favorite makeovers,  I am posting again the picture of my friend Summer and asking that you please pray for her and for complete healing in her body. I also ask that you lift up her precious young children and her husband Jeremy. Y'all, I love this girl so much and my heart hurts thinking of the pain that she is in. Thank you for joining me tonight in lifting this precious family up to the Father.

Restored It Wednesday will be back to normal next week. I still want you to link up your project today.
Grab a button and link up something that you have made look better than it did before. Have fun!

A LOOK A LIKE

Like most of you, we are preparing for the last week of school. This week was my littlest baby girls last week of preschool and my oldest gets out next week. We have had parties and tests and projects and I have had little time to paint. I have 3 dressers, some mirrors, more lamps and chairs in my studio ready for a makeover. I am itching to test the waters on some new finishes.

A few days ago I got an email from a reader, Kim Alter. She had recently found a vanity dresser from a thrift store very similar to a dresser that I had just re done. She got a much better deal than I did..... She found this vanity for forty dollars! I paid 100 for mine.  I never find those deals!

Yesterday she proudly emailed me the finished product and it was too beautiful not to share.

Didn't she do an amazing job? I absolutely love these color combinations.

Here is the dresser that I created that became the inspiration. 

Thank you Kimberly for sharing this with me! You did a fantastic job!

The Red Balloon Sale is this Saturday, May 19th, at Homewood Antiques and Marketplace. I will have many red balloon deals in my booth! I hope you have a chance to make it!

RESTORED IT WEDNESDAY

You all made it hard for me this week! There were so many great links!!!

 Here is what caught my eye.

I loved this set of Ethan Allen chairs that got a dose of Annie Sloan chalk paint and some neutral fabric. These were created by Wydeven Designs. 

I also loved this piece by Whimsical Perspective.  The color combo and the way it was distressed is perfection. 

This is my favorite night of the week! I can't wait to see what you have to share. Grab a button and link up something that you have made look better than it did before. If you have been featured, feel free to grab a feature button. Have fun!

ANOTHER CRUSTY LAMP

Happy Mothers Day to all of you moms! I have had such a wonderful weekend. We prepped our house for a big Mothers Day Mexican fiesta at my home last night. All of my sisters and brother in laws, my in laws and parents came over to celebrate with us. My girls surprised me with some hand made cards and a magic mouse from the apple store. I am looking forward to playing with it today. 

I have been obsessed with lamp makeovers lately. I think it is the discovery of a new finish that gets me motivated. I found this lamp at a yard sale for three dollars and the linen shade at T J Maxx for 12. Not bad for a fifteen dollar lamp eh? 

I achieved this look, not kidding its that easy, with only layered chalk paint and crackle tex that I bought from Stacey at Faux Studio Designs. Her information is on my side bar if you want to contact her to order some and try it for yourself. 

I think one of the most important factors in this finish is choosing the right lamp and the right shade.  I suggest looking for lamps with a candle stick shape or lamps that could mimic wooden posts or finials. 

The more detail you have on the lamp the more depth you can create with the texture. 

If you want to see one close up, I have the lamp below for sale at Homewood Antiques and Marketplace in my space.

Happy Sunday!