More Artwork For My Walls

So some of you may remember a post I did a little while back on framing some artwork to get up on my walls.  While I love this framed print that I first went with below,

it just never really looked right there...the scale was off I think.  So I found these great oval frames during my lunch time thrift store shopping and I think that these will look much better in that space.

And while the two larger oval frames don't have glass (as there are "original" oil paintings in them now), I figured I would distress the paper I was putting in them and finish it with some Mod Podge...

So i spray painted all of them a mocha color and then distressed them all...

And this was the first time i have EVER distressed something that i had just spray painted...and it was QUITE fun...very therapeutic...haha...

Then I got out some paper that I picked up last time I visited FLAX artist supply store while in the city (San Francisco that is) and went with a primary colors theme.  I simply adhered the paper directly to the back of the oil painting, and then cut it out...

So then I took down the "Are You happy" print and hung these up in its place.

 

It looks good right?  And the antiquing came out nicely...it really made the brightly colored papers that i choose fit together more cohesively I think.

And some close ups....

         

Treasures From Thrift Shopping at Lunch

So here are some pics of the WONDERFUL things that I found while thrift store hunting this past weekend!  I got some really great stuff, and enough stuff that I was able to keep busy this whole weekend...even though I should have been preparing for my trip back home to Wisconsin...OOPS!

Here are my tables full of loot:

I got some great antique cast iron trivets...and I think I am going to spray paint them (with high-heat spray paint of course!)

 

And I got this great silver plat that I am going to spray paint and stencil.  I will probably use it for keys on my console table...but maybe I will list it on Etsy...

And I got this wonderful little cast iron sign...so I put it above my kitchen doorway in my dining room!

I got these candle holders because they have the best shape!  Such great ornate detailing and the cutest lines. 

Funny thing is that they are apparently old Avon candlesticks...who knew???

I actually spray painted them a bright aqua color to match this cup...

I also got these very sweet little terracotta bird candleholders.  I painted them white, glazed them and then distressed them...they ended up coming out really cute!  They will be in another post following shortly.

I also got some great frames!

The oval ones I painted a mocha color and distressed, the square ornate ones I painted black and are going to go in my bedroom above my hot pink nightstands, and the last one I don't know what I am going to do with.  But it was half-price frame day at the Leftovers thrift store in WC so I couldn't not buy it! 

I also got this very sweet little saucer plate that I think I am going to put up in my kitchen...

And I got some really great milk glass pieces!!!

 

 

I used the grape leaves pattered one to plant my kitty grass in...it turned out very cute...much better then the cheap black plastic planter that came with the kitty grass...that's for sure!

And I also picked up a few very nice pieces from a local antique store.  Usually this antique store is just RIDICOULOUSLY expensive, but the few pieces I picked up were actually fairly reasonable.  the traincase is probably my favorite...it is going to make a great makeup holder.

This vase and compotes were just too cute to pass up...

And these beautiful porcelain Japanese birds were actually my luckiest find I think...aren't they just beautiful?

And with a little help from the stuff you see below...I was able to keep myself busy this weekend!

More posts soon showing some of the transformations!

A Few Things To Come...

I haven't had a lot of time to blog recently but I have been working on a few different projects.  A few of them for about a month now!  So I thought I just might do a quick posting covering some of my current projects.

The first project is also the oldest.  I saw an add on craigslist awhile back listing a bunch of frames for $25.00.  This is the picture that was posted in the craigslist ad:

I saw a couple that I liked and so I figured it was worth to just buy the whole lot.  When I showed up at the lady's house, she had 4 Trader Joe's bags stuffed full of frames...there must have been 25 frames.  So I picked out my favorites and started spray painting them.

And then I laid them out on my floor to figure out the composition I wanted for the wall...

Now all I have left is to put some artwork in them!  Hence the delay...

The next project I have been working on (or at least have done some work on) is a refinishing project for two antique side tables. 

I picked these up at the thrift store for $15.00 a piece and so far have only sanded and primed one of them.  I think this is going to be the first project in which I paint them and them immediately "rough" them up...I am a little scared...but wish me luck!

 

 Don't they have such cute detailing???

And the last project for this post is a little antique sewing box I picked up at the consignment store around the block from where I work.  I am thinking about it as a place to keep my dogs food...but it might also become home to all of the remotes that float around my house.

 

It has a really cute little ledge inside probably for knitting needles...but I thought it might be the perfect place to store a piece of chalk.  Then I could put a little chalkboard paint on the doors so I can label what is inside...because who out there doesn't love to label things???

So the first night I got it I happen to be babysitting Miss Skye...so of course I put her to work sanding it for me!  I mean she has to earn her keep somehow right???

I hope you have enjoyed my little rendition of "things to come...."