Stayin Crazy to Keep from Going Insane!

Seems like everyday since Thursday has been a whirlwind!  I have sold 4 pieces and delivering 2 more today that were custom pieces for a nursery.  Even in all the craziness, I still found time to hit the Yard Sales early yesterday morning.  Here are some of my finds.....

I love the chairs!  The hubs just shook his head when he was bringing them in from the truck (not sure what emotion he was going for though!) I love the wood piece, It can from out of a 100 year old house.  I also picked up some odds and ends.  I am headed on a road trip today, first as I mentioned, to deliver two pieces and then to see family and look for some treasures.  I was so upset earlier this week, saw the most awesome dresser on CL, inquired about it, waited (not very patiently)waited and finally sent another email.  I felt kind of bad (not) for being such a pest but I really wanted the dresser.  When I finally received a response (after my third email), he said someone was headed to look at it and if they didn't take it, it was mine.  Well.....you guessed it, they bought it!  You win some, you loose some, and some you cry over!  

Have a great day!

Till next time......

Tina

I'm Stripping.......

Ok, so now I know I have your attention! I am stripping but not in the bad way, in the Way of furniture. You know when you start trying to scrape the old paint off, it is hard to believe there is so much paint under there. I with I could do like Samantha on Bewitched and wiggle my nose it would all be done. But for now, I guess I will keep stripping!

The hubs picked my new supply of ASCP (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint), I was like a kid looking at all my new stuff. I am so anxious for Southern Institute of Faux Finishing to get the new colors in. For anyone who has not tried this paint, it is creme de la creme of paint. Needless to say, I love it!

I love fall with the cooler temps, college football and the way it brings back so many fond memories of my childhood. Growing up we had to make our own fun, no computers, not a gazillion shows on TV. We stayed outside till we were threatened within an inch of our life to come in. So many things I took for granted then...... Another thing I love about fall is Pumpkin!! I love everything Pumpkin, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin butter and on and on. Dont be surprised if a pumpkin recipe or two pops up!

Enough gabbing......back to stripping!!
Till next time.....
Tina

I am not a hoarder!

Good Morning!  Ok, so you are wondering why that is the title of my post, aren't you?  Well several months back when my daughters came over, they looked at my treasure trove and laughed.  And then they called me a #@$%@$#$ (hoarder).  Now that wasn't very nice since the definition of Hoarding according to Dictionary.com is defined as: a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully  guarded for preservation, future use. Well, here I am again thinking that maybe they were a wee bit right.  I buy furniture and "stuff" when I find it.  The "hoard" is confined to one area and that's it.  So girls, I have admitted it, My Name is Tina and I am treasure hoarder!!   When you find a great piece, you have get it then!  Everyone has heard the "you snooze, you lose" and it's true!   I have picked up some great stuff over the past week and super excited to work on those pieces.  
A month or so ago, I bought three pieces there not in the best shape.  But they all had great "bones" and I felt pretty confident, I could bring them back to life.  So far, I have worked on two of them.  This is second one, an old wash stand.  I love the way she turned out.  I have been running low on my ASCP and didn't have enough of Old Orche

or Country Grey to do the whole piece so............Chango
Presto....mixed the two together and she is clothed in the 
OO/CG mix.  
So before I show you the next piece, let me preface it with, the light in my living room is not good for picture taking (not of furniture anyway)   This piece is an huge dresser that I think is an Early Americana piece.  It is HEAVY!  Ask my hubs!  She is painted Duck Egg Blue with a wash of Paris Grey and then waxed.  She had plain wood knobs, which is common for that period of furniture. I fancied them up with clay and stamps and wax for an aged look.  I found the tutorial for this on Our Hiding Place and I love them!
It takes some time but I love the aged look and not to mention knobs are pretty pricey!  

So here she is, see I told you the lighting was band....she is much much prettier in person,  I promise (doesn't that sound like something you would tell someone going on a blind date) Or she has a great personality LOL!  
Well gotta get out of this chair and get moving.  Got some "hoarding" to do........

Source Quotes on Life

Till next time.......
Tina

Ten Years Later.......

September 11, 2001 still causes a lump in my throat when I think about where I was and what I was doing the day when the very core of the United States was changed forever. The uncertainty that we have all faced since that September day has altered our lives forever. As a child, one day I was crying and my Mom asked me what was wrong? I told her I was scared that the "bad men" were going to come and hurt us. Of course, being the wonderful Mother she was, she reassured me that would never happen.

Fast forward, we no longer with certainty tell our kids, grand-kids or even ourselves that we are that safe. While we go on with our lives, some little boy is waiting to play baseball with his Dad, who will never come home. And a little girl will never have the chance to look in her Mother and Dad's eyes as she graduates, marries or has children of her own. The wife who sits alone......missing the only man she has ever loved.

But the world keeps turning and all we can do is pray and lean on God in these times uncertainty. For those who lost loved ones, my heart still aches for you......
Till Tomorrow.......
Tina

I will never win the best attendance award in Blogland!

Hey Everyone!  I have been a very bad blogger by going 2 weeks without posting....but wait I have a good excuse!  No, the dog didn't eat my brush but it has been a busy time and I was without my camera part of that time.  I had good intentions though....so I intend to make up for it.  The last post I did was about my Grandson's 1st birthday party, it was great.  I will post some pics in the next few days.  I also have been painting and painting and did I say painting.  Well so now you know what I have been up to, but what's that you say.....prove it girl!  Ok, so here are some of the things I have worked on

When you are searching for pieces to re-do, it is either feast or famine!  So when you are on a roll finding the "good stuff" you have to take advantage of it.  I stepped out of my comfort zone with the red dresser, but I liked the way it turned out and also the extra touch I added with the custom knobs.

This is a beautiful writing desk that has a sister dresser that hasn't been touched yet other than to hold the paint can while I work on other pieces.  I know she is feeling neglected but I haven't had that "aha" moment when I knew exactly  how to "make her over" so be patient my pretty.  

I don't know if I am the only one who waits until they have that feeling when they know what color to paint something, or better yet for some it might be more like, what job do I take, what city do I move to or answers to those things that keep us up at night.  The paint color just comes to me as I gaze at the piece and imagine where it would look good if I had to keep it!  But on the major issues and decisions, I always just pray, and pray and then pray some more.  It doesn't always give me the answers I want at the time, but down the road I get the "aha" moment!  Speaking of prayer, please join me in praying for our nation on the anniversary of 911, also for the survivors of what remains to be the greatest tragedy of my lifetime.  Also, for the military who risk their lives everyday so that I am free!  My two cents.....for what it is worth
Till next time (leaving myself open, huh)

Tina

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Where did the week go?  Have you ever noticed that the older you get, the more time seems to fly!  Can you believe that 2011 is almost gone?   As a kid, time seems to stand still....like waiting on your birthday or Christmas.  Well, none of that for me!  I have been looking for pieces, buying pieces, delivering pieces, sanding pieces and painting pieces.  But I am not complaining, I love being busy.
 So Daisy left today. (half smile, half frown)

To refresh your memory, here she is before her makeover....

She was in terrible shape when I got her.  I saw her in the corner at a Garage Sale and I was smitten!  She required a good bit of work but the great thing about using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is what little prep work is required to produce an awesome finished product.  I painted Daisy with ASCP Graphite & Old Ochre, finished her with both clear and dark wax.  She was also lightly distressed.  So here is the finished product.......

I am so excited at the pieces I got this week.  They are going to be beautiful or as my 4 year old Granddaughter Sophie says "bootiful" !  I also found a couple of pieces in Nashville that a friend is picking up for me this weekend.

So if you have read my profile, you will know that I have 4 grand kiddos and I love love love these kiddos.  Sam, the youngest turns 1 on Saturday and he is having a Dr. Suess Party!  Dr. Suess is a such a timeless series.  And some of the lines in his books are very profound. My favorite book is Oh, the Places You'll Go.




Except From  Oh, the Places You'll
Go by Dr, Suess:

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are. You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.) Kid, you’ll move mountains! So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!

Oh The Places You'll Go applies to all of us ( and looking for furniture, we go lots of places), we all go through "stuff" in life and that leads up to where we are today at this moment.
So be happy or if you aren't, change it!  Remember "Today is your day"!


~Tina

Next time ask questions

So, I am sure everyone has been in a situation where they have heard "you should have asked". Well that was what I heard this afternoon....and again....and again. Ok, so here's the scoop. I found a dresser on Craigslist that I wanted to buy to paint for a customer. Sounds good, huh, well here's where it went south (and I don't mean in a good way). The hubs and I set out to go pick it up, let me say I would rather drive than try to tell him how to get somewhere! So that was the first thing, fast forward to arriving at our destination. Hubs says "is it a townhouse" Girl "yes", ok stay with me because here is where "next time ask" comes in! Well, she didn't say the dresser was upstairs( girl mumbles). So as we go in, the Owner of the dresser, heads upstairs. I felt a sudden splash of egg on my face, and hubs there had chunked the proverbial egg. Well, as glass half full as I am realized immediately that it was a negatory! So hubs shows his he-man strength and lifts it to see how heavy it was, not gonna happen. So as you can imagine, I heard "next time ask questions" about a gazilion times. So we exchanged goodbyes in hopes of finding another strong male body to help him tomorrow!

On another note, "Daisy" sold today and so tomorrow I will post her final photo as she heads off to her new home! I found several new pieces today and so tomorrow is a "paint day" AKA no makeup, grubby clothes day. I love painting, it is therapeutic and rewarding (furniture doesn't care that I don't ask the questions, nah) we all need something that makes us feel good about ourselves.

I want to....help others more....think less about myself.....be more thankful.....always give thanks to God for the good, the bad and the times I ask "why" when I know he has all the a answers to my questions and even those I never ask.....till tomorrow......