What I did today-Topiary

The total cost of this project was only 10 dollars. The foam balls were the most expensive things at 3 dollars a piece. So if you can find them cheaper, great! The bag of moss was 2 dollars. The stick was 1 piece that I cut in half and it cost about 20 cents. The flower pots are terracotta and were 85 cents a piece. I already had the string/rope stuff that I put around the pots and the hot glue.

The base is just full of a couple grocery bags. A foam piece would have been better but I didn't think about that when I was at the store! I just hot-glued the moss to the foam on the top and to the plastic bags in the bottom.

Hope you like it!

Before and After- White Dresser

Of course I don't have a true "before" because I always forget to take one. But at least I had only started sanding when I remembered. Don't you just love the feet on this one!

It has great detailing.

The "After". The handles are the original ones I just spray painted them with the Oil Rubbed Bronze. And as you probably noticed they are not straight because they are not screwed in yet.:) I primed, painted white and then glazed with a dark brown. It's the same as the tall dresser because I'm using it in my bedroom also.

I just love these feet.

And the detailing!

The dresser is now in my entryway. It's so pretty! And it goes great with the grey-blue walls.

Still a little sick yesterday. Taking a nap on dad after he got home from drill.

New Obsession-Print+Trace=AWESOME

Since my poor son has been sick, nothing serious just a cold, this week I had a ton of hanging out in the house time. My sister brought over a round wooden pizza thing she found at a yard sale. So I sanded it, spray painted it and drilled a hole in it so she could hang it up in her kitchen. I found a wonderful blog called Graphicfairy. She posts awesome vintage pictures and sayings that are FREE and PRINTABLE! So we found a great chocolate saying in french. We took turns tracing it in pencil, because there was a lot of detail and then rubbed it on. I used the same method for the ones above. Then I traced it with a black fine point sharpie. Both of these projects were free. I had the white board, which was a never used drawer front that I have had forever and the other is a wonderful hand-made cutting board from my dad. He gave it to me in 2002 and I have made good use of it, but I don't like to use it too much because it's pretty and I want it to be that way forever. So I traced the picture and now have it on display in my kitchen! The white one above is my own design. It's french and means,"welcome to our home". The door knocker and key are from the Graphic Faries' website. Now I just keep looking around the house to see what else I can trace another picture on to! Let me know what you think.

Before and After- Blue Dresser

Before

After

Dark Stain

Color and Distressing Detail

Isn't she pretty! I love the blue color from glidden. It's called French grey. I think she will be perfect in my entryway with the pretty new wall color. My Mom bought this for us as a housewarming gift when we moved in. She will kill me when she sees these pictures. She believes all antiques should stay the original color but this one was screaming to be blue! And since she is a beautiful and very well made antique she had a lot of wear and tear! Sorry mom, love ya:)! My Dad happened to be in town today and stopped by to drop off another dresser I had my little brother pick up for me in Vegas. I know, I know, I should not buy stuff in Vegas when I live in Cedar City, but I hate to say it but people in Utah sell their "junk" for a lot more than people in Vegas! So thank you, Jared for picking her up! I owe you. And thanks to the best Dad ever for bringing her to me!! He arrived just as I was staining the top and chastised me for staining this beautiful mahogany piece such a dark color that was going to ruin it! Sorry Dad! But it is so pretty now!! And Happy Birthday again Dad! I love you!

So what do you guys think?

ANOTHER After on the stairs :)

Well, I couldn't stand the yellowish cream. (Scroll down to see the other color) So because Home Depot is the best store on the planet (no they are not paying me to say that) I was given a Home Depot gift card from the customer service department and a free gallon of paint from the local store! So 2 gallons of paint later the stairs, entryway and open upstairs area are all now the wonderful, soothing and gorgeous color Light French Grey from Behr. It's the perfect bluish-grey color! I can't wait to redecorate now! I think I'm going with black, really dark brown and white frames. I have collected so many frames over the years that I have plenty to spray paint any color I want.