workworkwork.

working on this furniture project this week..transforming these solid wood pieces to black, distressed pieces. all except for this console, which will be a pretty bluish-green color! i started on it yesterday, and it's all already looking so much better!

the fireplace mantle and brick is goin' black:

this guy is already all black, and i can't wait to do the sanding/distressing on it today. it looks so much better and the black really brought it back to life:

aaand, i took this photo to show you guys half-black, half-wood. it's going to look so much better, right? the room is painted brown, and everything in it is brown, so these black pieces are going to add a nice sense of weight to the room, not to mention look really pretty (i think).

i'll be sure and share photos of the pieces when it's all done...

yesterday, i also shipped these little baby table off to chicago (it's the pink and green one that i did back in january!). i used greyhound shipping for the first time, which was really pretty easy (and affordable!). i hope it makes it there safe and sound! after i took it there all wrapped up in bubble wrap, they had me buy a box...even though they told me not to put it in one when i emailed them...oh well!

this means i'll probably be tryin' to sell you far-away people stuff more often now!

also working on this piece for a new local store that will be carrying my stuff:

aaand, finally, finishing up this project:

(the colors look a little crazy here because i took it at night, in our kitchen, but in real life they are playful and cute!)

phew!

this week.

i am sorry that i have the least creative titles for my posts on the planet, friends.

anyway, i have a very full plate this week, and am going to be doing quite well to get it all done by friday...BUT i shall prevail (i hope). some of the things i have to do:

-get flight info/rental car info booked for our SPRINGBREAK2K10 trip to austin, tx next week (yay).

-find a fabulous deal on some canvases for upcoming projects and buy them (anyone got any suggestions for online places to purchase canvases?).

-make a tip top secret surprise present for a friend's wedding celebration.

-paint the cute, cute, cute coffee table i just bought at a thrift store (to sell, eventually).

-prep and paint misc. furniture for 2 stores.

paint this cute table and chairs set for a client:

which i've already gotten a head start on:

...it's going to be really cute. and colorful. and done by saturday. (!!!)

p.s. thanks to lindsey at better after blog for the feature today!

i painted it.

welp, i ended up painting the top of it, guys.

i'm sure you were on the edges of your seats about it. it's true. hah. anyway, i just decided i thought it would look better, at the end of the project. it's now for sale at urban cottage, here in atlanta (in the virginia-highlands area). if you haven't been to urban cottage, you should deeefinitely check it out. it's a wonderful little shop full of colorful, fun things! plus, it smells really good.

i really like this shot of the painting/wood showing underneath:

to paint, or not to paint?

trying to decide whether or not to paint the rough, raw wood on top of this old sewing machine desk -- what do you guys think? i would totally just leave it plain (sealed with a clear satin polyurethane coat, of course), but i know it may be a little rustic for some folks. anyway, i wanted to get a little feedback from you artsy folks!

here she is:

i've already painted the "body" of the piece a chocolate brown, and will be doing a rustic floral pattern on it, so what do you say - paint the top, or leave it wooden?

country cabinet

aaaand, she's done!

this is a sweet old (non-working) sewing machine table that i turned into a fanciful side table that will get a little smile outta folks. it's already sold, but i plan to make similar versions in the future! (somehow, old sewing tables have been finding me lately, and i have another one ready to be painted. weird.).

i really destroyed this thing. not really, but i dirtied it up somethin' serious!

see?

happy little glass knob that has been waiting for a home:

new piece

working on this new piece that will be done tomorrow!

it's an old (not working) sewing machine table, and i painted this brown/red/green floral pattern on it, and now i am heavily distressing and aging it. i have a super cute crystal anthropologie knob that is going to be placed on the faux drawer as well. i LOVE painting furniture...

(and mika loves inspecting and sitting under it)

the hulk

***post edit: thanks to design*sponge for featuring this green giant today :) ***

it's done!

what used to look like this:

now looks like this!

i painted it kelly green (following my instincts, there) and hand-painted the black and white flower pattern in the drawer faces. the handles were also replaced with new black iron pulls.

and my living room looks like this!

(all in the name of a good old-fashioned photoshoot. now, if i only had a better camera :) one day!)

love/hate

hate:

(at my house)

love:

(at decor8)

(i'm referring to the lighting situation here. i blogged about this a while back, but i would love to get a couple of pendant lanterns similar to this, and hang them in a grouping. it's what i've imagined for the space since we've moved in, it just hasn't happened yet. that fixture that we currently have is on the top of my hit list.)

green

paint green, paint green, sand, glaze, dirty up, sand down, glaze up. repeat.

it's getting there! hope to be done tonight. i'm painting a pretty little pattern on the drawer faces, and i bought lovely new hardware for it today. i can't wait til my vision is complete!

(p.s. olympic paint is AWFUL. it's like trying to paint with tempera paint. 4 coats!)

meant to be

+

oops paint in the perfect color! i am painting this puppy today! i can't wait for it to be done...

resisting the urge...maybe?

my dad brought over an AWESOME desk for me to "have and do whatever i want with"...for some reason, the urge to paint it bright kelly green is really grabbing me and screaming at me, but i'm trying to resist it....

though i just did read an interview with jonathan adler saying that the "more personal" he makes things, the less "commercial" they seem, and the more they sell...so maybe i should listen to my instinct...hmmm...

in the meantime, here are some lovely green items!

and finally, a kelly green dresser photo i stole off of my friend's facebook (creepy, yes) because i love the color...and that is also my friend alex. yikes. sorry for the personal nature of this photo, but that dresser is awesome, no?

also, sorry for my MIA-ness this week. i've had a huge kitchen job, and have been working pretty crazily to get it done! will have it done today and post pics tomorrow!

wallpapered refrigerators

i wish blogs had been around in college! (sarah, you know i would've papered our fridge if i had've thought of the option.) i was always papering and painting whatever any landlord would let me (once, i taped tissue paper all over my bedroom walls as a painting alternative), and this idea would've really helped some hideous fridges of my past. 

i just saw this photo on sfgirlbybay and thought it was so cute! in fact, it kind of makes me wish i had an ugly fridge so i could paper it. you could use wallpaper if you want a large amount of options and colors (and for more of a permanent solution), but if you are looking to spruce up a rental space, you could easily use pretty contact paper or drawer liner paper (which would be easily removed).

i remembered this fridge from domino, so i thought i'd google it and show you guys too...love the tulips!

here is where i found this one, and i love the brown print with the brown and white cabinets as well. 

big empty wall

trying to decide what to do with the big empty space above our sofa. i am thinking i am going to do a big, square painting above it. here it is now:

(it's sort of more of a rectangular area, but i like squares better than rectangles)

i like this photo from design*sponge of the painting here. i am thinking i will do something similarly modern  (without real form) for the area:

howeeeeever, i was planning all along to do something really graphic and patterny like this:

(from pieces)

what do you think? i think i'm going to go with the former, but i'm giving it some time before i attack my canvas.

keyhooks

i needed a new key hook for beside our front door. i really wanted this one from the hook lady, but you had to have a minimum of $20 purchase, and the awesome bat hook is $15. it becomes a slippery slope of how many hooks do you really need, you know what im sayin'? heh. anyway...i didn't get the sweet bat hook (though it still hasn't left my mind...), but i did find these cute, colorful hooks at urban outfitters the other day. 

i love the coral color (coincidentally the exact color of my fingernails right now), and the size was perfect. they actually had them in lots of awesome colors, so if you are in need of some hookage, go to urban outfitters! at only $4 a pop, they're a great deal.

i whipped out some of my trusty tools and installed those bad boys. i tried to teach jordan how to use the drill at this point, but he had no interest. i guess i will continue the manly jobs around the house. 

voila! you likey?

and while i'm at it, i will show you the cute band-aids i got on clearance. i prefer colorful band-aids to flesh-tone ones any day, and since i just ran out of the strawberry shortcake ones my mom got me, these will be replacing them. and no, i never bought into the 'keep calm' trend. this is as far as it will go, i guess. 

texture & pattern (in my home)

some different patterns and textures i love. in my house. on my blog. check it:

the weave on my blanket basket:

delicious ripe cherry tomatoes:

i love the way they look sitting out, plus they are far more delicious room temp!

the weird, organic, leopard-undersea urchin pattern on my side tables (combined with shadow stripes from my blinds in the morning):

awesome pattern on my new orange and white springtime pillowzzz: (no idea what the pattern is! sorry! you get a high five if you know.)

loving my vintage yellow curtains more and more everyday:

up close and personal shot of "mercury glass" votives from target:

club pattern on my sconces:

greek-key-esque pattern on a couple of plates from world market:

oh! and i added a few things to my etsy shop. check out the textures and patterns there, too, if you so desire. :)