Repurpose...

I can't believe that I forgot about this project! Especially since I look at it EVERY DAY! This was a super easy "redo" that adds a little "unexpected" to my new home.

I knew I wanted to find a small piece of furniture for my the half bath in our new home we were building. So, I bought this little table from a girlfriend who sold her house and was moving away. Perfect size, height, etc. YAY!

I wanted to give it a pop of color, though...Hello, Turquoise! See the process below.

 And, No it is NOT tiger wood, it's a veneer (my sister was really worried that I would be ruining this piece). :)

After a little sanding, making the drawer front unoperable and removing the base of it for plumbing purposes, I added 3 coats of paint and 3 coats of polyurethane and it was ready for the plumber to install.  I found the perfect sized vessel sink and left the hole-drilling up to the plumber.

 Cute, huh???

I did change out the pulls to some glass ones that I found in a local craft store.

I then added some fun glass mosaic tiles for the backsplash, a large mirror above & there it is!

I just love the look of it!

Liar, liar...Liar's Bench?

The hubs and I went for a little run this past weekend and had a little time to kill before we picked up our son from his Jiu Jitsu class.  So, we stopped in a little antique/ consignment shop. Right inside the front door was this antique liars bench for $60 that would be perfect at the foot of our bed!

What is a Liar's Bench, you might ask? Well, other than being a cute little bench for my bedroom, here is it's original purpose in life:

Liar's Bench:

A Liars' Bench is a place where people -- People, usually "older" -- come together to brag, boast, and lie about their lives - where your too old to get up on the soapbox anymore! 
The original Liar's Bench was located under a shade tree on the corner of Chestnut and Capital, in Corydon, Indiana,  from 1929 to 1986. It was a popular and cool place for the men to congregate. Many generations of stories have been told on this bench, but it was always understood that what is said here...stays here. 

Of course, I can't leave it in it's original condition...so, here goes!

I started with a little light sanding,  The original finish was a little too "honey" colored and worn. I decided to lightly sand it all down.  I like the variation in color and grain, as well as, all the knicks and dings and scratches...Hey, it's old, embrace the character! :)

 Looking better already, right?!?!

Then, my decision to stain it and what color comes next.  I decided on a Black Cherry stain.  I haven't had time to work on it lately, so some time went by and the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I didn't want to stain the whole piece. Instead, I decided that I would paint the legs a Satin Black, then stain the top.

Once I started to apply the stain, I realized that I really liked it...So, no black legs! 

That's how my projects usually work!  :)  

It's all wiped down and just drying for a couple of days before I add the polyurethane finish. *Notice my next project in the background! :)

AND...Here it is, in it's new spot!

Mr. Whimsy

I love owls and have had the pleasure of seeing a few of them in my backyard. Ever since my Grandma passed away (about 9 months ago), there has been an owl that frequently hoots and flys by me when I am outside. My son, Carson and I decided it's probably Grammy watching over us. And that makes us happy!  Owls are very popular right now in all different shapes, sizes, colors, mediums...AND, because of Grammy, I wanted one in my house, too!

Inspiration: These Pier One prints...

I liked the colors & idea, but didn't like it in person. It's a print on gallery wrapped canvas, but it looks just like that...a print. The cost was $40, I think. My way of thinking...I can go buy a canvas on sale and make my own painting! So...I DID!

Making it "More Personal/ Unique": 

Like I said above, the colors and image were the appeal for me. I had a specific wall that I wanted to hang a painting, so I decided to choose colors that would be complementary with my room.  The "canvas" I chose is actually a 16 x 20 hard wood with a canvas front, so I can draw on it (you'll see)! AND, it was on clearance for $14!

The Process:

I begin by taping off my background design by tearing strips of painters tape & making my favorite harlequin pattern. 

Then, I sketch in my owl design.

I start to paint on my base colors...

Then, peel off the tape. Right now, it looks pretty flat and boring. No depth and pretty simple. So far, I have spent about a total of 4 hours on this.

Next, comes the FUN PART: Drawing the designs!

Owls have sooo much pattern and detail in their feathers , and even though this one is more cartoonish/ graphic/ abstract, I wanted him to have a complex amount of detail. Sharpies are the best!!! I have about 3 different sizes of tips, so they work great and sooo much easier than using those graphic pens that I used in college that you have to fill & clean & unclog...you get what I'm saying.  This part of the process took about 3 more hours.

I wanted to give the background design a little more depth, so I mixed complementary colors (lilac for the yellow and red for the green) with a blending gel so that I could smudge on the color with a sponge and wipe off what I didn't want on it.

I filled in the rest of my designs.

Then, I painted the sides black, making sure to dry brush some black paint along all of the edges on the front. The last 2 steps maybe took 2 hours.

I signed & dated it, sprayed it with a couple of coats of matte polyurethane and...

HERE IT IS!

"Mr. Whimsy"

And, in my room...

And, another close-up! :)

Materials: 16x20 canvas covered board & paints & misc. materials = $24

Time Spent: 9 hours total (spaced out over a week's time) @ $10/hr. = $90

Asking Price for a Custom Piece (if I were to sell it): $114

To read more about my "beliefs" on artwork and pricing, click on this link Anything Artsy  at the top of my "pieces of me" blog!

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ORANGE you glad I didn't say Purple?

Remember that "Knock, knock" joke...Knock, knock. Who's there? Purple. Purple, who? Knock, knock. Who's there? Purple. Purple, who? Knock, knock. Who's there??? Orange! Orange, who??? 

Okay...see punch line above in title. I know, I know...sooo obnoxious, I'm a dork!!! :)

In the spirit of Fall, I thought it would be fun to share some orange goodies! I love the feel of a vibrant orange, don't you? It just adds an unexpected "pop" of color to one's life! 

Enjoy my picks!

Oh, and remember to just "click" on the links for more info.! :)

 Joom sells really great graphic pillows!

Visit Dime Store Vintage for fun, colorful "word art" and vintage finds to add something special to your room.

I really liked the look of these hooks from The Shabby Shak!  Orange is an unexpected color for a wall hook...kinda fun, don't ya think?!?!?

How about a cute little cardigan sweater (also available in other colors)? Check this one out from Eddie Bauer!

Whipped Style shows some great decorating ideas with pumpkins...Just LOVE this one!

Who couldn't use an organic, homeopathic Home Remedy as we go into the winter months? This one varies from the one I typically use , with the addition of honey.

For handmade perfumes, visit Piixl Wix Candle Co.!

If you journal or sketch, these handmade leather notebooks from Conduit Press are amazing!