weekly finds 2/26/16

My weekly finds.....

I'm really not sure what this is.  A shelf with a really large opening and 4 extra boards that do not fit no matter how you stack them.  My thoughts for picking this up.  Really nice boards and if I end up taking it apart they will help me with other projects.  Or I could add some shelves that fit, a chalkboard in the center for a memo station..... I'm not sure but it had good bones.

I seen these and thought they would look great with white painted frames hung in our dining room at the cottage.  They will take up some major wall space and up north we have plenty to fill.  

Update - They are already hung up north and they look amazing.  Our dining room is a light aqua/blue with a beachy fish theme.  We even like them with their wood frames so I'm keeping them as is.  The canvas painting is really old and the canvas seems really fragile so getting them on the wall quick was the best idea.  I'll share a picture of them in their new home with you soon.

Tool caddy for holding napkins and spices for your summer meals on the patio.  Well at least that's what I thought it was.  We eat almost every meal on the patio in the summer and this will be a nice change for summer of 2016.  Now what color will it be?

That's it...... hope you enjoyed them.      Later....

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Snickers Tin - Trash to Treasure Tuesday

A stunning cookie tin that will look fantastic on your cupboard and if you're a grandma it could be a favorite with the grandchildren.... when it's full of course.

This tin reminds both John and I of a tin his mother had on her cupboard, it was always full of Snickers snack size candy bars.  John hates chocolate so he didn't remember what was in it but I do.  Whenever there was a health issue with his dad or her she would tease about having to stock up on Snickers since they were a favorite for everyone and extra company meant more Snickers were eaten.  

One time I remember her giving me a Snickers from that tin is when we had to go tell her and dad some news.  As we sat down she could see I needed a pick-me-up so she handed me a Snickers from the tin.  Our news was difficult and I wasn't able to eat the candy bar so I set it on the end table in the living room.  That candy bar sat in the exact same spot for a good year or two.  It was a reminder for her about the news we shared.  Shocking news but wonderful news.... our first grandchild was born, we had 20 minutes to adjust to the news and so far 12 1/2 years to enjoy every minute of her.  Grandma Great's Snickers have gotten us through good times, bad times and in our case an amazing life.

  I'm not sure what happened to the tin but it sure is a memory for us as I hope this one will be for someone as well.  Maybe they will stock it with Snickers.

Painted with Amy Howard Nottaway.

Distressed very heavily to show wear from the hundreds of times a Snickers was enjoyed.

Clear and Dark Wax for some more wear.

I just love that little bird I found at a second hand store, he's a salt shaker and he's a treasure of mine that won't ever see paint.  

In case you didn't see this tin from last weeks finds here it is again before it got a good cleaning with all the grease and grim that was left behind.  Chalk paint does not need any prep work but making sure the piece is clean MUST be done.  Grease and paint are not friends.

I'd love to keep this tin for a reminder of Grandma Great but it's not her tin and I can't keep Snickers in it at my house.  I'm not sure how she didn't eat them all but I would.  I'm known as the Fruit Snack and Juice Box Grandma to my grandchildren.... Gotta have them at all times and grandma usually sneaks at least one in their hand as they say good bye.  

 So this tin heads to the store this week along with many other painted treasures.

What will your grandchildren remember you having for treats during their visits?   Make it memorable.  

Later....

weekly finds 2/19/16

Found a gross chair with good bones and fun curves....

A badass cat must have disliked this chair.  I'm very allergic to cats so this project will be on hold until summertime when I can tear it apart outside.

A super fun jar for those bouquets of summer peonies, it's really heavy so no worry of it tipping over.

Tin canister just waiting for paint.

This silver tray was fun and I kinda like it just the way it is.  I hope to find a cleaner that will clean up the stains on the bottom.

Square-ish wood bowls - I fall for any wood bowl.

The large wood bowl that went with the square ones, I think.... or that's the way they were in the store anyway.  I so wish the big bowl would have been square as well.  Oh well it's thick and dark and amazing.  

This letter holder is gosh-awful ugly, wouldn't you say?  It was cheap and I have a plan, hopefully it will work.

Not sure what this is but it's wood and unique.

A little wood and wicker basket.

Candle stick in a big chunk of wood that has some awesome grain.

I'm also a sucker for any wood animal and these gazelles were too cute.

A book rack with lots of potential.

That was a lot of stuff this week....  don't worry about 1/2 of it is painted already and ready for the store.     Later......

Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Recipe Box Makeover

Here we are Tuesday again.... good thing I've been spending a few hours in the garage.  Last weekend I finished up this sweet recipe box and had to bring her in the house for her own little photoshoot.  

Isn't she sweet?

Do you remember how she started?   Pretty plain and solid, not much to show off on your cupboard... not a fun spot for those hand written recipe cards that have been passed down from your mother or maybe even your grandmother.  She just needed some layers of love and paint.

And she's ready to take the job of holding and sharing those special recipes.

I gave her a solid color of yellow and then washed her with a soft aqua/green.  A bit of clear and dark wax to give her a bit more age and I can't take my eyes off her.  

My own recipe box isn't this fun but it was a wedding gift so I won't be switching them.  I don't use my hand written cards very often but when I looked back through them there are recipes in there from my mom and John's mom.  It was fun to look at them again.  I also found a few photos that were tucked in there.  This one of my mom riding Adam's rocking horse the year she gave it to him for Christmas.  

Here you can kinda see the rocking horse she found it at the dump, she scooped it right up and brought it home.  Gave it a fresh coat of paint, made him some new leather ears and gave him to Adam for Christmas when he was 1 year old.  She was a pretty crazy grandma, she was always being silly which is why she is riding the horse....... I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree...... with her love for junk at the dump and being a bit silly.   (don't you just love the Charlie Brown tree behind her..... that was totally her style)

My mom died 6 months after this was taken..... The horsey still gives my grandchildren hours of fun and as much as he needs painting again it just won't happen.  Somethings are meant to remain a memory from those we love.

Here is another one I found in there of mom.  The grandkids always wanted her to play the piano so they could sit with her and sing.  Lynn standing, Shannon sitting on moms right and Marcus behind her.  

I love that I found these memories, they were found on a day I was missing her. 

Back to the star of the post.  Her insides are the soft aqua/green and my waffles card seems to always make the front row. 

I don't think I need to brag her up anymore, she is beautiful.

What memories do you have in your recipe box?     Later....

Weekly Finds 2/12/16

Last weekend we were up north at the cottage and I was hungry for a famous burger on the main street.  Sent a quick text to my sister Gayle and they met us there.  After a fabulous lunch the guys were enjoying their beer so us sisters snuck off to the second hand store.  These are the items I found

A Budweiser stein to go with my stein collection at the cottage and who can resist shot glasses with dots on them..... not me.

A painted board that will be perfect after a little Connie-izing

Two iron urns, these things are heavy

Cake decorating trucks..... Grandma couldn't resist they had Little A written all over them, even if they never see a cake.

A pinecone candle holder

Two funky shelves....

What did you find?       Later.....

Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Old Books

Here it is TtT-Tuesday again so why not talk about those trash books I was on the hunt for a few weeks ago.  I love the old books in my home just as they are and I have quite a few of them.  I buy them for their shape, color, illustrations, embossing titles and sometimes their titles themselves call me to them.  

I have been asked to do a home painting party this spring and I needed something to duplicate.  I'm not a very good duplicator I like the challenge of painting something different and nothing ever looking the same. 

As much as I'd like to duplicate I can't, there will never be two books that look alike.

 These little gems might just be a favorite so far.  

Hard to pass up a little detail on the front cover.

This binding almost being torn off was what attracted me to this book.  Love the worn look that means someone loved this book.

Do you want to remember what they started out as..... here they are.

And here they are - Painted Photographer Treasures

Later.....

Weekly Finds Painted + New Chalk Paint Review

Last week a local hardware store got in their new spray can chalk paint.  Yep Spray Can.... I am not a spray can lover.  Back in the day I sprayed just about everything and since the finding of chalk paint I have no tolerance for spray paint.  So when my hardware store got their shipment in and were very excited about it I was curious so I tried it.

Krylon Chalky Finish Paint  link here  and can be bought at Fourmans Farm Home in Medford.  

This stuff was amazing, the coverage was beyond perfect, no runs, no drips, 1 coat coverage and best of all chalk paint look and feel.  I tried a couple different surfaces to see if was amazing with all of them.  The tray is a hard to brush paint bamboo and wicker surface.... PASS.  The container I shared on my weekly finds a few days back was ceramic with a bold design on all 4 sides... PASS.  

Yes I need a new couch...... I've been saying that for 2 or 4 years already but there is always one excuse after another from my mouth or John's, and then the kids come over and they all run to the couch cuz it feels like HOME and it's so comfortable and they want to sit and lay on it for hours.  One day Lynn was sick and sent me a text asking if she could come over and lay on the couch while Dad watched Nascar.... she needed comfort of HOME to make her feel better and take a nap (kids could nap all day if the race was on).  Now how am I suppose to get rid of this ugly, beat up, well loved, saggy, fabric worn off, ragged looking couch with children that need it to come HOME to.  

Some day it will happen I just don't know when.

1 coat coverage.... perfect for both surfaces.

This Copper and metal basket, plant holder thing was bought before my weekly finds.  It sat in the garage for weeks....... okay months.... and was on the back burner because it was going to be a pain to brush paint.  Well it sprayed in minutes.

The bowl/plant stand is going to be mine for awhile, it's to unique to let go yet.  

shhhhhhhh....... little sneak peek at my book project (more on them later)

 A look at the copper inserts with a bit of distressing.  With this spray chalk paint you can distress and wax just like the brush on chalk paint.  It's finish is so touchable.

Metal/copper.... PASS

I was loving this spray paint and just had to keep going with it.  

A milk white vase...... PASS

A plastic gold mirror....... PASS

The plastic gold tray I shared in my weekly finds.  

The distressing brought back all the details in the vase and the gold frame.

This can of spray paint is still going strong, it is still like 1/2 full and I did a lot of projects with it.  My review is A+ and I hate dislike spray paint.  I will certainly be back for more with those hard to paint projects.  And for those that want the smooth finish on your chalk paint projects this is the ticket, the finish is Smoooooooth.

And of course there is a wide range of colors but aqua is my GO-TO color when I'm trying something out.     What color will you try?      Later......