Thrift Store Table meets.....its match!

I paid only $15 for this little kitchen farm table so I don't mind so much putting it outside on my shabby carport turned breezy patio and hoping for the best.  The patio is covered but the ceiling is so high it still gets wet sometimes.  I think it will survive.  But if it doesn't,
I can still sleep at night. 

It needed a little livening up.  So, I broke out the (New Avocado by Valspar) spray paint and gave it the update it needed to be able to keep up with the blue chairs I snagged for $5 each at GW. 

 

What came next was a hard sell...

I may have added that last part myself.

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 These are my tools of choice--

And this is the "damage" they can do--

A little stain...

And I love, love, love this color!

He'll understand when he's older.

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I'm linking up with Donna @ Funky Junk Interiors

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Shopping Your House

 Sometimes you're just (more than) ready for a change.  It doesn't happen to me that often but when it hits me -- it hits me hard.  

Lately I've been in that kind of mood but because I've been working on projects for clients, I haven't had time to "discover" 
new accessories for myself.  

The solution?   

Shop my house.  

I worked on the mantle and a spot or two in the kitchen myself.  Then my Mom (whose timing is always perfect) came for a visit and she shopped my house for me.  

By moving around some of the accessories already on the armoire in the master bedroom and adding things she found around the house she put 

together a new look for me. 

 The prints had been stacked next to the armoire for months, waiting impatiently to be hung...

I still love the vintage book planter so, of course, it had to stay...

And the sweet little picture of Mr. Lindy had to stay as well...

 

What a handsome little man.  

He still sticks his hands in his pockets just like that.

And believe it or not -- I knew him at this age! 

This birdcage was a Christmas gift. The potted ivy seems to show up all over my house -- I think I could use a dozen of them.

Sometimes a little tweaking is all you need.  

A Mother's touch doesn't hurt either...

I'll be parting at

*Blue Cricket Design
*Be Inspired - Room to Inspire

*Power of Paint Party - Domestically Speaking

Savvy Southern Style 
 *Tea Rose Home
*Someday Crafts
Restore Interiors 

Sew Much Ado

Primitive & Proper

My Backyard Eden
A Beach Cottage

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Please *click here* and take a look around
my Etsy Store...

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Spring Mantel -- Decorating with (Faux) Spring Twigs

 This simple spring project is seriously one of my favorites.  It's a fun, low-cost, long lasting, big impact kind of project.  

And it's simple -- but, I said that already.

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Since I've been knocking myself out working in the yard this weekend, finding just the right twigs was a snap. (I swear that just came out...)


I liked these the best.

Tiny silk flowers (just $3) left over from another
project worked perfectly.

I'm guessing my glue gun came with a warning against sticking anything up it's barrel but...

Pressing the stem into the joints of the twigs (and holding it there a few seconds) seemed to look the best. 

  
The stem may get soft and melt-y but it will stiffen back up as it cools.

Hot gluing them in place was simple enough.  I kept them sparse for a natural look. 

Adding water to the clear vase adds to the illusion don't you think? 

 I tried them on my desk as well...

So there you have it -- pretty spring twigs that look so real you can almost smell 'em!

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Don't miss my Bird Lamp
*CLICK HERE*

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I'll be linking up here:

Please *click here* and take a look around
my Etsy Store...

If you enjoyed this post (and, gosh, I hope you did) please BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Bow Front Bird Chest

I've owned the "before" version of this bow front chest for several years.  I fell hard and fast for the size and shape but I was never ever in love with the wood.  

Painting it was an easy choice.  But what next?  Aside from the bow front, this chest couldn't be more blah.  Then I found inspiration in hand painted furniture by Patina.  Perfect.

The body of the chest was painted Cloudy Morning by Kilz.

Before

The branches were painted with acrylic craft paint. 

 

I found the vintage bird graphics at The Graphics Fairy, printed them on card stock and used Mod Podge to decoupage them onto the front of the chest.  

The original drawer hardware was bold and beautiful.  However,  it was a bit too distracting so I removed the back plate and painted the pulls the same pale blue gray as the chest. 

Much, much better.

Details...

I love this look.  

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