How to turn an old urn...into an old urn

One of my treasures when I hit junk paydirt

was this cute metal urn that I got for $4.

 As you can see, it was this weird green color with spots of rust.

I love rust. It makes my heart go pitter patter.

But the green paint made my stomach do something else.

So I decided to paint her.

She was pretty but she didn't have much character.

Besides, who wants to be around a girl that's all fluff ?

I decided this girl needed some grit.

I  went to some of my most trusted allies to give her a makeover.

Meet raw umber and burnt umber paint.

DIRT cheap!! Great mileage!!!

(I feel like I'm trying to sell a used car.)

I use these two paints to add a little age and give the illusion of worn places on my work.

I simply painted it on, let it sit for like 5 seconds

(I get freaked out if I wait  any longer...afraid it might get stuck like that.)

 Then I take my trust dusty soft rag and start to wipe it off leaving some in the crevices.

My new BFF (sorry spray paint) is Distress Ink.

LADIES!!!!!!!!

This stuff is DA BOMB!!!!

I don't know who Jim Holtz is or how he came up with this stuff but it is F.A.B.U!!!!!

It's in the stamping aisle at your craft store and is for paper but

paper...schmaper....

This stuff comes in ALL KINDS of finishes like old paper, vintage photo, etc.

It gives an aging like no other.

I dab the inkpad with a paper towel and then dab my urn.

I keep dabbing until I'm satisfied with the look.

Then I wipe off the excess with my soft rag.

I slightly dampened my rag for the ink to give it a softer look.

Just repeat the process between the paint and the ink until you have......

Something like this!!!!!

TA-DAH!!!!

She looks nice and rusted and patina-ed (is that a word?)

without the icky green paint.

Now all she needs are some dried hydrangeas. (hint...hint...) (talking trash?)

She will hopefully have a spot by my back door soon.

Just waiting on those hydrangeas.......

PSSSST! 

I'm participating in Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

and Thursday Transformation with The Shabby Chic Cottage

Window with a view

This weekend was a junk lovers dream!!

I hit junk pay dirt........

Did you hear me??

Paayyyyyyyy duuuuuurt!!!!

Mr. M and I were child free (WOOOOOO HOOOO)!!

We went curbside cruising and to a flea market close by and scored big time!!!

More of those little projects later.

I went to visit my parents in my hometown and saw my great grandmother's house that is marked for demolition.

The house suffered tremendous damage after Hurricane Ike and couldn't be salvaged.

I asked my parents if I could have somethings from the house before it was destroyed.

They looked at my like I was crazy.

There's no furniture or any personal belongings in the house.

My great grandmother passed away when I was eleven.

I asked for the doorknobs and the french door that led to the kitchen.

My parents were like, "If you're willing to go in there and get it, you can have it."

So off I went.

Mr. M was not amused.

There was mold everywhere people...I've probably developed a case of black lung as I type.

The roof was pretty much gone and the floors were rotting through.

The doorknobs were rusted but came without a fight.

(I think they were glad to be rescued.)

The french door was won single handed by Mr. M who bravely fought off a whole nest of wasps!!

(I love that man!!)

As I was walking out, there was a window pane that used to be in the kitchen just sitting on the floor, so I brought it home.

Here it is.

It had a small family of spiders living on it and enough dirt and grime to make ANYONE shudder.

I didn't care.

I spent a many day looking out that window when I was young and I loved that window.

So I cleaned her up and evicted the spiders....I'm sorry but sometimes bad things happen to good spiders.

And here she is...

I decided to add a vinyl wall word quote that I had purchased from Hob Lob many moons ago.

I thought that the quote was perfect for this occasion.

She is now hanging on the wall and will soon be accompanied by some other window frames that

will showcase some family photos.

I still have a view from this window... to all of the wonderful memories I had with my great-grandmother.

P.S.  Don't forget to check out my giveaway here!!!!

Sweet Escape

Gwen Stefani has NO idea how true those words are to me.

As much as being a mother and wife has its rewards beyond measure, there are those times when I like to be plain 'ol me.

You know what I'm talking about ladies.

The times when I want to have a REAL name

not just "Honey, have you seen my..."

or "Mom, Mom, Mom?"

Sometimes I simply like to be Angélique.

So I go to my sweet escape which happens to be my office.

It's not completely polished yet as I have just moved in, but it is my sanctuary.

I thought I would take a moment to share with ya'll (I am Texan you know) a few of the things that inspire me and make my escape so sweet.

Above my desk is a built in shelf that I have filled with pictures of my grandparents, my father, and great aunts and uncles.

There is a built in bookcase next to the doorway that I lined with scrapbook paper and filled with more pictures of my great grandmother and other relatives. I unified the look by placing my collection of birds with my photos.

A closeup of the bookcase. Each cubby hole has its own vignette.

This is own of my crown jewels of thrift shopping. I purchased this beauty about a year ago at a Salvation Army while visiting my sister. Just imagine it being that cheap 1970's plastic and colored to mimic cherry wood finish...ewwwwww but she had great bones and some facial features to DIE FOR. I knew that one day she would have the perfect spot waiting for her so I asked how much. The lady said fifteen dollars. KA-CHING!!!

I squeeeeeeeeeezed her in my car (as she is over three feet tall) and drove her to my grandparent's home. I stored it in their shed until I moved and now, after several coats of glossy white paint and some corkboard, she is the star of my office. I only use her for inspiration so she only holds pics of things that inspire me such as my children's artwork. (More inspiration will be posted soon, so don't fret over the few pieces that she is holding for me).

What's currently on my desk right now. A picture of my childhood home that has been in our family for five generations that I framed and displayed on a picture easel along with a piece of milkglass that holds some violets. (Fake of course, I can barely grow children... yet alone plants.) Violets are my grandmother's favorite so I always keep some around. I even have them on my foot.

This mailbox was original to the house in the above picture. My grandparents took it down when they were required to get a curbside mailbox. I found it years later in their shed just collecting dust, so I painted it with glossy white spray paint (my new BFF) and now it holds any mail or papers that I need to keep close by.

I found this little memo board while on another thrifting trip while visiting my sister at a resale shop. The lady only wanted two dollars for it. The paint as well as the backing is original. All she needed was a good scrubbing and she is ready to work. (She actually has a job now...holding pics of my family back home. )

I can't wait for my life to become completely settled in and for my office to be the gem that it is. It's not the most expensive things in life that make me happy as much as the things that make me smile. When I look back over my life many years from now, I won't remember the cost of hardly any of these things, as they are simply that...things. I will remember the memories that they hold and the faces of the people that make my escape from this life so sweet.

And they called it "Puppy Love"

I'll be sharing with

and

Southern Hospitality .

and

Twice Remembered

I have officially been in my new home and town for two months.
It's been really lonesome at times without my family and my friends.
There are sooo many days when I just want to call up my girlfriends and go have a margarita.

To top it all off, my oldest stayed back home with my mom because he is a senior in high school this year and didn't want to possibly lack credits for graduation and took his chihuahua (my constant companion) with him.

Needless to say, I have been a little homesick.
The divine Mr. M. saw my lonliness and decided to fix all that.

Meet ...........

Shuga.

Shuga was a dumped puppy.

She is as sweet as honey (hence the name.)

Ms. Shuga is VERRRYYY prissy and likes the finer things in life

(like my new sweater and juicy couture perfume.)

She needed somewhere to sleep (besides on my sweater.)

I went in to a doggie boutique in the adjacent town and saw this really cute bed that looked something like this.

swank pets

I fell in love...

Until I saw the $259.00 price tag.

I fell out of love.......quickly.

The other day while driving to the beach, I was curb cruising.

(It's like garage sale-ing, but freeeeee!)

I saw an old dresser that was being thrown out by its owners.

I saw the "For Sale" sign in the yard and figured these good folks were moving.

I quickly told Mr. M to pull over (while swatting at his arm and pointing.)

He looked at me like I was mad.

Mr. M: "It's a busted up dresser."

Me: "I don't want the dresser."

Mr. M. "Huh?"
Me : "I want that dresser drawer."

(Insert blank stare and crickets chirping from Mr. M)

Mr. M "If it's still there when we get back, it's all yours"

I couldn't wait to get back home.

Mr. M tried to take another route, but I quickly pointed out the way to the drawer and there she was.She was plain brown with handles but she had such charisma.

I knew that Shuga had found her bed

I painted her black and added small finials to the bottom corners.

I added two medium finials to the back of the drawer.

I know, I know. I forgot the "before" pics. I was really excited and she was really ugly.

She begged me to only catch her in her glory. What could I do? I know I don't want to be photographed for the world without makeup on.

I decided to Modpodge the inside of her bed using these tools.

I know you're thinking, "What's the spray adhesive for?"

Ladies, this stuff is awesome! Me and spray adhesive are like this (fingers crossed.)

Don't get me wrong. I luv me some Modpodge...Lord knows I do!!!

This stuff allows me to reposition my paper without it getting all wet.

I sealed it with Modpodge to give it a nice good shine and finish.

I had to use the steak knife. The six year old took the scissors hostage and is asking for a lofty ransome. I'm just keeping it real people.

I went to Hob Lob (my secret affair..don't tell Mr. M) and bought some iron on letters.

I just ironed them on to the pillow and placed it in the bed.

There you have it...Shuga's new bed.

She's in Puppy Love.

A Girl, A Boy, & A Hutch

 

Between Naps on the Porch

Southern Hospitality

and Twice Remembered

My hubby and I recently celebrated our one month anniversary!

( Insert confetti and clapping!)

To surprise me, my hubby told me about a house down the street that was being cleaned out. The owner of the house had passed away and this man had no family so his belongings were being thrown to the curb. Being the good citizen that I am, I jumped up from my chair and drove down the street. The man cleaning out the house kindly informed me that many items were going to be sold, so if I saw something I like, just ask.

I walked through the house and saw a few things that caught my eye. (More to come about that later.) As I was walking out the door, I saw something phenomenal out of the corner of my eye. I tried to compose myself as I ran across the kitchen and asked, "How much for THAT?" The man said " I guess ten bucks is alright." ALRIGHT?!?!?!? Before my husband could blink, I handed the man ten dollars and was backing in the truck. (All while doing my "spazzy dance") So, without further adieu, here she is.

Now, despite her icky green paint and the horrible smoking habit that she once had, I knew that she had potential. She's solid wood and has her original hardware. After much trial and error (and I mean LOTS of error) this fine lady was transformed. Dear hubby sanded her and applied two coats of red paint. I then decided on the candle wax distressing technique and covered her with a coat of black flat paint and rubbed the top coat off to reveal the red in the areas that were rubbed with wax.

So, I now present to the world, my first creation.

I shall call her Tabatha.

I know that this picture doesn't do her any justice as she was an AWESOME model, but she was working with a mere amateur of a photographer who doesn't do well with full body shots, but did get some good close ups.











All she needs now is a good coat of rub on polyurethane and she will have some major gleam!!

Tabatha may not be perfect, but I think she could give the Pottery Barn models a run for their money!