Thursday, May 23, 2013

TRUNK JUNK

Guess who's been kerb diving? 

Yes me, (slightly ashamed) but I couldn't help myself.  I drove past this little beauty on my way to my mum's and when I came home it was still there.  I had to do some tricky driving, u-turns, negotiate driveways on roundabouts and busy traffic but I have to say it was worth it. 

Here is what I scored.


This little beauty has seen time in New Zealand, India and Australia so is a well travelled trunk.  It is a little battered and rusty but nothing that can't be fixed with a couple of coats of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint.  Mmmmm, what colour shall I choose, I'm like a kid in a lollie shop as I decide. 

I thought they would find it useful so I tried offering it to my newly married son and daughter-in-law but they don't have room.  My daughter and her fiance are building a new house so maybe it will find a home there.

I bet they will both be after it when I have finished the makeover, some people just cant see the beauty in things.  I'm thinking French Linen and Graphite.  The fiance likes Napoleonic Blue and I love Emperor's Silk, I have been a red girl from way back.

I like the colours on this trunk and will use if for inspiration.  My trunk doesn't have the neat ribbing patterns like this one so I'll have to create some patterns of my own with paint.



Maybe I'll use the  New York taxi for my inspiration and paint my trunk Arles and Graphite - Laura and Mark love New York, they got engaged there.



Tuesday, May 21, 2013

YOU GOT SERVED

The little wooden tray I've been painting has turned out quite nice


I like the way the dark wax highlights all the swirly grooves. 

Here is the before picture.

Monday, May 20, 2013

SPARROW AND JACK INTERIORS

Yay, Chalk Paint - Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint to be exact.  After doing the workshop yesterday with Catherine at Sparrow and Jack.  My mind is scrabbling madly thinking about all the items I would like to paint.  I do however have my first victim to practise and play with. 

Enter the white mellamine bedside drawers costing a whole total of $30 at the op shop.  (I couldn't wait for a freebie to turn up on the verge)  Not sure how they will turn out, probably wasting good quality paint on trashy drawers, but the style is quite cute.



The paint samples on the top are courtesy of Bunnings but I'm using the Annie Sloan colour called Provence and hopefully looking at this colour will transport me away to the countryside in France, Provence to be exact.

As I don't want to wait for my paint to dry in this cool weather, I've only applied a very light coat and will add a thicker coat later - also I don't know how the mellamine will take the paint. 

(have been using the hairdryer but that's too much like waiting for paint to dry - hehe.  May resort to the fan heater in the bathroom :)


So far - it's not looking too bad.  The top is customwood and I may be able to sand back the edges lightly to expose a slightly woody colour which will help achieve the distressed look.  The legs are plastic so unfortunatley no distressing happening there. 

At the end of the day, it will make a nice little bedside cabinet for the spare bedroom and I'm sure it will look lovely next to my little radio chair.

Another before and after project using Provence paint.




New paint colour and the start of dark wax application.  As you can see, this little wooden tray has lots of lovely grooves for the waxy goodness to hide in.

VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO CHAIR

I found this little gem a month ago, it had my name on it.  She had a big floral skirt over the top of her original fabric.  It was a well constructed cover that was easy to remove.  I was impressed at it's construction and don't know if I would have had the patience to sew on the huge amount of hooks and eyes.  Here she is at the upholstery shop waiting for her new clothes

 
 
This chair is probably 1930's, 1940's vintage and known as a radio chair.  All four legs have ceramic castors and the chair bounces up and down similar to a rocking chair when you sit on it.
 
It's a great little chair that suits a short person like me as most armchairs leave my legs swinging in the air like a little child.
 
I was going to try re-upholstering it myself but then I looked at the springs and webbing and ticking and thought, nup, off you go to the professionals.
 
Here she is,  all in her new glory
 
 
 
 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

NAPPY TRIKE

My soon to be niece-in-law makes these baby gifts and they are so cute.  She has a business page on facebook called Binkey Designs.


This was made for my niece who's baby is due in June.  We had a My Little Pony themed baby shower for her yesterday and she received some lovely gifts.  It was a very pleasant afternoon.  My daughter and I made her a monster nappy cake.  It's a bit hard to find My Little Pony in the shops but we did manage to find some pony themed items.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

MORE INKY PINKIES

Yes, dirty cards and dirty fingers, distressed and grungy isn't everyone's cup of tea but I love it. 

A chance to have another play with my Stampin Up Swallowtail butterfly.

 
This tag has quite an apricot tone, it  wasn't planned but I like the way it turned out and I was able to use the small butterfly postage stamp from the pack I bought at Spotlight.  Lovely little vintage embelishments mostly with a cream undertones that don't always suit my tags.  They remind me of those old fashioned floral cards from the 50's.



ON YER TRIKE

I saw it, fell in love with it, just had to have it.  It was RED.



 
 
My favourite uncle bought me the picture of the lady in the red dress years ago and I've used red accents in this room ever since, red rug, red cushions and red chair.  So naturally when I recovered my old carver chair it had to be red.  I call it the "hot seat" or "the ring of fire". 
 
It's dry felted on my embellishing machine from merino wool, felt scraps, an onion bag, the flowers are scraps of silk fabric and there's some free motion stitching too.