Rumors of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated...I Think

Yes, I am still alive. Although if you had asked me a week ago, I would have had to ponder that question.

It's strange.....When I cared for my sweet sister Mary Sue, I was the picture of health the whole 1 1/2 years I was with her. I guess the Lord knew she needed a healthy caregiver. 

The day after Mary passed, I awoke with the worst sore throat and headache that put me in bed for a few days, while my sister Joanne cared for me.

Fast forward to this July and I am caring for my lovely Mom, who had Vulvar cancer surgery.

Again...I'm healthy as can be.

On the drive back home to Virginia, I feel a little tickle in my throat.

Well that little tickle matured into a nasty Bronchial mess!

I have been so out of it..I have no memory of Thursday or Friday.

I think I slept through them.

My last memory is checking out a couple of thrift shops Wednesday morning.

Yeah, I know, I'm  sick in more ways than one.

At this point I know I should be home in bed....but it's WEDNESDAY and everything is 25% off!

I found this sweet side table just begging to be restyled.

I love the carved detail.

This lovely little side chair will get a pretty new seat and a fresh coat of paint.

A little chalk paint and wax should bring out the details nicely.

How doesn't appreciate a curvy leg?

I found a few very nice lamps to restyle also.

Really love this floor lamp and I think a coat of Old White and some distressing to let the dark base show through will be great.

But here is my favorite treasure to date!
This is a reproduction of a Christian Shively china cabinet from the early 1800's.
The Pulaski Furniture Company introduced a line of furniture based on pieces presented on the PBS show, Antiques Roadshow.

This is  photo of an original Christian Shively cabinet from the early 1800's.

Lovely drawer pulls.

I was drawn to the great detail work featured throughout the piece.

Great shelved storage space in the cabinets below.

The drawers are lined in black velvet.

Everywhere you look there are beautiful details to admire.

This is a very heavy piece and really well made.

When  these were introduced back in 2003, they were advertised at a cost of $2,000 to $3,000.

Want to know what I paid????

Awwwww, come on, you know you want to know!

$142.00!!!!!

Once again I will sing from from my rooftop....

I ADORE THRIFT SHOPS!

Until next time (I hope to be among the living soon)...be kind and stay creative.

On a side note:

When people asked about my Mom and her surgery, I found myself amazed at the number of folks who had no idea what or where a vulva was. Even women gave me a puzzled look.

My sisters and I decided to just tell folks Nana was having her Volvo serviced...that they all understood.

Go figure! 

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Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle
Between Naps On the Porch

Nautical Loveliness

Hello friends...I'm back!

Well sort of.....I left New York on Saturday and by the the time I got home, I was feeling the effects of a full blown chest cold.

What started as a little throat tickle eventually knocked me off my feed.

Unable to take it easy due to so many catch-up errands to be done, I fear I made it worse.

Just glad I was not sick until after I finished caring for my Mom.

My Mom a few days after surgery...she is amazing!

Thank you for all the well wishes that were sent her way.

The Oncologist gave her a clean bill of health and we are happy to report that no more cancer cells were found in any of the biopsies.
*
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So I had hinted at a treasure my sister Maddy gave me while in NY.

Isn't she gorgeous??

She is a very large and has a beautiful turquoise patina. 

I think she is magnificent and would look great adorning a beach house in the Hamptons or the Outer Banks.

Maddy's husband owns a cleaning company and once in a while he is given some very cool things by the homeowners.

This was one such giveaway.

My sister had no interest in Schooners and stuck it in her garden, where it has sat for a few years.

She actually offered it to me a while back, but I had no room in  my car.

This trip I made room!

I just adore her......oh, and Maddy's pretty cute too.

;->

Now I am trying to put a value on her (the weathervane, not Maddy). Anyone out there have some weathervane knowledge?

Looks like I have some research to do.

Remember this old vanity I refurbished for my Fox Den shop?

I painted it with the intention of using it as a shop display desk.

Well apparently a few others like it also...I could have sold it twice while I was in NY.

I had to say NO because I had no place to put all the items sitting on it and I was still out of town. 

Now that I am back, I can bring in a replacement table and sell this beauty.

I have added some of my pretty and very useful vintage linen tote bags.

Love the roses on this bag.

Along with some laminated cotton bags which are great for summer fun.

I have made some sales and I am realizing I probably need a bigger space.

I guess that's a good problem.

I have more creativeness in the works..so do come visit again.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Will I Ever Catch Up?

     Hello friends.......Yes I'm still in New York taking care of my sweet Mom. Mr. Secret Agent is holding down the Virginia home front.

Nana is home and doing quite well. 

My visit became extended when it was determined that Mom would come home with Jackson Pratt drains and needed a blood thinner injection daily.

Call Nurse Janet!

I'm not a nurse, but I play one when in New York.

;->

So I am here for another week.

I'm happy to be able to help my Mom, but MAN....do I miss my paints, sewing machine and artsy stuff!

I'm going through creative withdrawal.

I will be full steam ahead when I get back, so please don't forget me!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Wait Till You See!!!!

Hello friends..hope your weekend is a good one so far. It is beautiful here in New York.

This is just a really quick post to say...

WAIT TILL YOU SEE WHAT MY SISTER MADDY GAVE ME!!!!!

I know...such a tease.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

PS...my Mom says hello to you all

;->

Salvation Macy's Lamp Rebirth

Hello friends...happy to have you visit again.

Remember my thrift shop lamp that I gave a Wedgwood makeover?

I was going to put it in my shop, but the Secret Agent liked it and said we should keep it.

He is going to have to get over that kind of thinking.

Rather dull looking before.

Love how she looks now.

I got so many e-mails and comment telling me to keep it and to look for another one to paint for the shop.

Off to my Salvation Macy's!

I found this lamp and it was only $6.00.

I was attracted to the pretty glass ball in the stem.

So let's play..shall we.

After taping off the glass ball, I got out the chalk paints.

A little Provence here...a little Old White there.

Some clear wax and a good buff.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record!

What do you think?

Really like the glass ball.

I think I can see Auntie Emm!

I'm a little in love with the color Provence.

I distressed her just a touch.

So this lamp I'll keep and the Wedgwood lamp will go to my shop.

Or maybe I should sell this lamp also and look for another one for my home

;->

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Are you a Fake Fruit Lover or Hater?

Hello friends...welcome back.

So where do you stand on fake fruit?

Are you a devoted fan or do you cringe at the sight of a faux pear?

As for me...I have never been a fan.

They never looked real enough for me.

They always seemed so......1950's.

And I don't mean the good parts of the 1950's.

While scouring my Salvation Macy's today, I spotted this very large basket filled with some very real looking fake fruit.

Yellow and green pears with a few oranges mixed in.

The whole thing was priced at $6.50...shoot, the basket was worth that much!

SOLD!

Now what the heck am I going to do with all this fruit?

Ok...everyone say it with me.........

Paint them with Annie Sloan chalk paint!

No...I get no residuals for mentioning Annie's name in every post

;->

Here they are with one coat of OLd White, Louis Blue, 

Duck Egg Blue and Scandinavian Pink.

Hint:

Keep your blow dryer close...I dryed these in about 30 sec!

Once dryed I applied a coat of clear wax..let dry..and buffed to a beautiful sheen.

Careful...not too shiny, you don't want them to look like plastic.

Now this fake fruit I would be proud to display in my home.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Boring plastic fruit now beautifully updated for the modern home.

Ah....the power of paint!

These will be going to my shop at the Fox Den.

They would look lovely  nestled in a pretty basket or antique fruit bowl.

So.....the majority of you told me to keep my Jasperware lamp that I painted (here).

So the hunt for another cool lamp was on.

I found this pretty lamp at my Salvation Macy's.

The glass ball is what attracted me to her, but the dark finish has to go.

Be sure to come back and see her transformation.

What...you thought I was going to show you now?

;->

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Faux Wedgwood Jasperware Lamp...A Tutorial

  Hello friends...so happy to have you visit again. 

I would like to thank everyone for their encouragement and well wishes regarding my shop in

 The Fox Den.

So to keep you informed of any new additions to my shop, I would like  to offer this little tutorial.

I found this table lamp in a local thrift shop today.

It is made of some kind of resin/metal material??

It had a good weight to it and was in perfect condition.

I loved the fern relief design..but not the color.

The design reminded me of Wedgwood Jasperware, which can be quite costly.

How would I achieve the same look you are wondering?

You guessed it...

A.S. Chalk Paint!

I applied a coat of Duck Egg Blue in a way that still left tiny bits of the base visible.

Of course I taped off the cord and the bulb base to protect them.

I dry brushed with a little Versailles, which is a gorgeous grey/green.

Just enough to give the relief some depth.

On top of that I dry brushed some Old White only on the raised part of the design.

Yes...I am painting on my glass cook top. 

I know...I'm a bad girl.

Sometimes a gal just has to paint where she is standing at the moment!

Now I  applied a coat of clear wax and once dried, I buffed it to a nice sheen.

And there you have it

Faux Wedgewood Jasperware

Same treatment on the pretty finial.

I think she turned out lovely.

You gotta love thrift shops!

My pretty lamp will be offered for sale in my shop at Fox Den.

That is if I can pry it from Mr. Secret Agents hands. He thinks I should keep it...he is going to have to get over that way of thinking real fast!

Just ask Miss Mustard Seed about getting attached to your painted projects.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

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