Wine Rack

 Weather is getting warmer and I will apologize in advance for lack of posts.  I have no idea why we even own a house in the summer months because we are never in it.  I make chips and salsa for supper 3 days a week and for a special night we get pizza..... yes I know that's not good but when our days get longer we try to squeeze so much into them that eating and cooking has no room in our schedule.  

Painting does fit into my schedule but taking the pictures.... not so much.  So again I will do my best to keep this blog current with some items to show you what I'm up to.  

However there will be lots that you won't see until July when my sister-in-law and I have our annual Jazzed Up Junk Sale.  Somethings are just worth the wait.  

Here was the wine rack before paint.

It's painted in a great grey color with white edges.  

I am the fruit snack Grandma so of course I have a jar full of them for every visit.  This is a jar I showed from my weekly finds and the trivet it's sitting on is also a weekly find.  

The wine rack is distressed because I am a distress lover..... everything needs to be distressed in my world.  

Oh you noticed the empty wine bottles..... yeah I don't drink wine so finding bottles to fill this rack was a bit difficult and all I had was empty bottles.  

And the full ones...... them is OLD..... and were probably given to us.  

The edges of the wine rack are painted in white.  I am loving grey and white together and for this item it just worked.  

Did you need another before and after?  

Okay here it is.  

Later....

March Madness Day 22 - Another wood bowl

Wood bowls are a favorite of mine.  Every time I see them they have to come home with me.  

This bowl is a more modern version with the straight sides.

A little gray chalk paint and some craved skeleton keys on the front.  

With the straight sides it's much easier to fill with some fun jars.  Clear and dark wax for the age look....

Perfect!

Later.....

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....

Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Red Side Table

I think last week was my Trash to Treasure Tuesday however I forgot so let's just pretend it's this week.   I love trash to treasure Tuesday when I have a real piece of Trash.

I found this little side table on the curb waiting for the trash.  It gave someone lots of function, they painted it, overly used it and some how smashed a big ole' hole in the side of it.  

When I seen it sitting on the curb I squealed a bit but I was going too fast with someone behind me to stomp on the brakes so I cruised around the block while saying..... no one else stop, no one else see it, don't pick it up.... She was all mine, snow and all.

I didn't take a picture of the hole in the side of it because the hubby was so on top of this one it was crazy.  He had it tightened up and the hole patched before I even asked.  

I seen a side table just like this on Pinterest with Annie Sloan Emperior's Silk and Graphite top that I loved so since I got me a new can of Emperior's Silk I decided to give it a try.  Annie Sloan nailed the red color, she's really my favorite color however I have nothing in my house this color, but I do have it on my outdoor porch so that counts.  

I painted the inside walls and the drawer.  Painting the inside and the bottoms of your projects is a must.  ALWAYS paint them, it makes your projects more finished. 

The sun was so bright in the house when I took these that it washed on the deep color a bit.

This next photo shows the rich red color.  To keep the color deep and rich I did not clear wax.  I skipped the clear and did only dark wax.  Now if you've heard me during class that's a no-no, never dark wax first.... always clear and then dark.  But I'm a rule breaker and I only dark wax the graphite to make it blacker so since I didn't want to mess up with getting clear on the red I just went for it and dark waxed the whole thing without clear wax.  It's beautiful and I'm sooooooo lucky.

This is the side with the big hole in it..... can't even tell.  The hubby did a fantastic job with his patching skills.

The before and after from real trash.

Why didn't I paint her white?  Because then I would want to keep her..........  Later....

Painted weekly finds

I've had so many of my weekly finds painted up and ready to go to the shop but they needed to be photographed so you could see them.  I needed daylight and I needed them to be all cute and put in the perfect location...... well this weekend I got the daylight and tried to stage them for pretty pictures.  I am not a stager, my house is not stage quality unless I rearrange my furniture for the perfect wall away from the bright windows and I have lots of windows, not too close to the pellet stove for the "yellow" cast of light... and so many more excuses that I said "screw it" put them on a table and just move on.  

So you get to see them with no frills, just their plain pretty little selves standing alone.  So let's do this.

My 4 plain wooden bowls with a 4 new Annie Sloan colors I picked up in December.  

The 3 mirrored wall hangings.

With their new color Annie Sloan Coco and dry brushed with Annie Sloan Old White.  They will be perfect for a little texture on a gallery wall.

I painted a few jars with the Annie Sloan Emperior's Silk and then added a little Old White for the second one and then a little more white for the lighter pink.  They are perfect for little pops of color during the Valentine season.  No before pic for them either, these were before my weekly find posts.

The top wooden bowl with some details carved in got painted.

In one of the new Annie Sloan colors Old Ochre.  I love the shape of this bowl and the details along with the heavy distressing.  

Remember these?

They are now pretty red.  

A tin sugar canister needed a little loving.

Now she looks pretty and will be ready to brighten someones kitchen cupboard.  

The original handle was broken so this wood handle became the new top with a little black paint it's perfect.

Small wooden bowl shown on the bottom right.

Made a perfect place to display a heart in time for Valentine's Day decor.  

And this boring wood coat rack....

Is now........ you guessed it RED.

This plain wood tray with the beautiful heart painting (very pretty in it's first life)

Is now a white tray with flowers embossed on the bottom.  I love trays, don't you?

This tray just got a little red paint to match the tiles.  (no before pic)

And one more..... the tall wood and metal candle stick.

Is now pretty in red with the Valentine candle cup.  

I have lots more but that's all for tonight.    Later....

Plain Box Gone Leather

This is a plain box I found at a second hand store.  I really like boxes and blank canvases.  It was a silver gray like a shiny metallic silver.  

Now it's gone Red Leather.  This was painted with Annie Sloan Emperors Silk and Graphite.  I've tried to find a good red in chalk paint and so far no luck besides my first love Emperors Silk.   

This would be my 3rd quart of Emperors Silk and I've used every last drop from the quarts.  This box isn't the true red that she is since it's blended with graphite but it's still a pretty red.  With the texture and distressing it makes a faux leather look.

A view from the top

I found that Miss Red Leather liked showing off for the camera.  Look at her close up.

Oh boy she's liking this attention.

A Shiny Silver to a showy Red Leather that is begging for attention.  

How can you not like her?         Later.......