The Kindness of Others and a Beautiful Day

I am so blessed in so many ways. I am just surrounded with the nicest people. 

I saw these adorable Mason jar measuring cup sets on Facebook. Everyone who saw them knew I would so want them. :) They were sold out online so when my childhood friend found them at World Market near her home as a random act of kindness she set me one--and to make it even more sweet and thoughtful of her she sent me one for Janae too!

Isn't that just the cutest set of measuring cups--and so practical too!

It just makes me happy every time I see it not so much just because I think it is cute but because my dear friend gifted them to Janae and I . So sweet of her!

Another kindness shown to me this week was from a neighbor. Every year I spend a lot of time sprucing up my front deck and repainting my wicker settee which gets very weathered over the long Oregon winters. Well my settee had had it this year and I put it out in front with a free sign. The next day the neighbor came over and said she had a settee stored in a guest bedroom for the last 20 years that she would love to give me.

I love it! So nice of her. Can't wait to make some pillows and make it all cute. You can see what I have been working on---trying to get all the paint off the front deck and get it back to wood. Oregon is just not cut out for exposed painted wood. I am planning to rent a sander to get the rest off. What a job! I have been fighting this paint for the last few summers we have lived here. So much outside work to do the next month or so! I am hoping to get it done so I can just enjoy the outcome during the summer :)

What a beautiful day it was to get some of that work done today!

It was in the low 70's today--I thought it was perfect. My kids complained it was too hot and even my Mom's dog didn't want to walk. Us Oregonians are such heat wimps.

The spring flowers are blooming but the beds need weeding. So I worked on that most of the day.

When I was outside in the back I was put in charge of babysitting the Guinea pigs who came out to enjoy the beautiful day and eat some grass.

Our dog Daisy has never had puppies but she tries to Mother everything. She totally Mothers Gage and when the cats were babies she totally Mothered them. Now I think she thinks she had a litter of Guinea pigs! Chantel brings them out in this basket and she was just so worried they were going to get out.

Chantel always puts a bow in Mama Paisley's hair--she looks so cute :)

I have been working on our "outdoor room"--otherwise called the covered patio. Since we have a small house I like to use this outside area as a place to hang out. I have lots of ideas this year and I think it is going to look the best yet!

Janae gave me this wicker settee for the back patio--yet another act of kindness! The piano bench coffee table I have had for years and I love.

The table had really weathered so I primed it and painted in pink...which looks so pretty peeking through the lace tablecloth.

I have had this Cath Kidston fabric for years and I knew someday I would find the perfect use for it. I am going to make a ruffled bench pad with it.

Won't that be perfect?!

The Wisteria covers the top of the covered patio--it always looks pretty but this year it looks like it is going to bloom more than it ever has. It has never had this many buds before!

I can't wait for it to bloom!

This is such a great time of year---everything is new again--including the weeds. I made a huge dent in the front yard and parkway today. In Oregon we grow beautiful green grass and lots of healthy weeds too!

Have a wonderful day -- Thanks for visiting!

Let There Be White

I love white. Bet you guessed that from the name of my blog. I do love pastels also and lately I think I probably should have named my blog "For the Love of Paint" --because in all reality I just love paint. I love the look of a painted surface. It makes me happy.

Janae has been telling me I should do it for years and I finally did it---

I painted my window seat in the living room white.

The wood color was nothing I liked--and the finish was wearing off and it needed to be oiled or something and so I decided just to paint it--like I have thought about for so long.

The cats had to be locked in my bedroom because this is their window and there was no way they were going to stay off it while I was painting.

It took a lot of paint--the first coat of primer and it was still bleeding through so I did a second coat of primer. This bunny (put out for Easter) looks like she in inspecting my work.

Then I put on 2 coats of cotton white paint and I am so pleased how it looks. I washed and ironed the curtains and when I got up this morning the sun was shining brightly. Even though this house is never really dark--the white on the window seat made it so much brighter!

This window has always been one of my favorite things about this house and now I love it even more!

So glad I let there be white! I want to make a cushion for this window and some pillows and make it look more comfy. Buying the foam to make a cushion is like $100. I can't believe how much foam costs. I was thinking maybe I could use a camping foam to make something. Any ideas on making a cushion spending little money?

We are getting a lot of rain lately but there has been sun breaks where I have got out and been "removing winter" from the gardens. It is so much work! I need to repaint some of the outside furniture and clean up the decks besides working on the gardens. Oregon winters are hard on all that is outside.

When it is nice the kids bring their guinea pigs out for outside play time.

They are so cute and so funny. I never knew Guinea pigs have so much personality! The babies are almost full grown already.

Thanks for visiting!

Painting a chair-- Upholstery and all

I can't believe I painted the whole thing--

For many years now I have watched blogger friends do wonderful projects with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I feel like I have been getting an education. I have seen furniture--upholstery--even a refrigerator painted with this wonder paint. I am on a tight budget so I always thought that it was just too expensive...and I made my own version of "Plaster Paint" which I still will say I love. You can find my post about that here.

 

I decided I had to see for myself what the hype was all about and I had the perfect project.

 

 

I knew the colors I wanted and I decided I could get sample sizes and give this paint a try.

Janae and I had to drive into Portland to pick up Chantel at an amusement park and decided to stop at a shop we knew sold the paint.

The couple who owns this store are so nice and the shop is just adorable! If you live in the Portland area I would suggest you visit their store. http://thepurplepear.me/  

Well...here it is....

I was pretty tickled when I found this chair at Goodwill for $4.99

I thought the plaque on the bottom seemed kinda impressive too :)

Transformed with AS Chalk Paint to become this...

Just in case you were wondering--I didn't paint the cat :)

I am so happy with it. I am starting to understand some of the hype about ASCP. This paint is so versatile and that is what makes it really amazing.

I painted the frame of the chair first...with Old White. It is a wonderful creamy white color.

I was a little frustrated with the first coat--it was streaky and didn't seem like it was covering well. I knew from "my education" that the second coat would make everything all right...and it did. I was pleased but at this point still didn't think it was "all that".

Then I started painting the upholstery. I was a little scared about this part but I figured what do I have to lose? Afterall the chair was $4.99 at Goodwill. I could burn it if it didn't turn out. lol

I sprayed down the fabric with water as I saw Annie Sloan herself do in a video. Then I started painting--dipping my brush in water as I went. The upholstery was soaking up the paint--which worried me but now that I realize it this part was good. You don't want the paint to sit on the top you want it to become one with the fabric. Don't listen to Annie though when she says it only takes a few minutes to paint a chair pad--it took me an hour--and a beer to calm myself down. That paint just kept soaking in.

I was feeling better at this point--I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

After getting one coat down I messaged my blogger friend Amy from Maison Decor. I know most of you know who she is--in my opinion she is the Queen of chalk paint. It has been her excitement over this product that made it impossible for me not to try it. She has a great post about upholstery painting here.

Anyway--she told me to wait for the first coat to dry--lightly sand with fine sandpaper and put on the second coat.

Here it is--you can see the part that has the second coat and then you can see the sanded part. I think on some projects that sanded look might even be kinda cool.

I didn't invest in the wax that Annie Sloan carries but I tried a little wax from another designer chalk paint company and it worked nicely so I gave the cushion a couple coats of wax.

Then I started lightly sanding the chair in all the places where I thought it would naturally show wear. That is when I really started loving this paint. In all the talk about painting fabric and refrigerators I had forgotten what the original hype about this paint was all about...it distresses beautifully.

It took just minutes to bring all the details of the chair alive.

Then I was in love with it. The chair and the paint.

Everybody's first question is about how it feels. It feels like leather! My 15 year old daughter Chantel--who basically thinks everything I do is stupid--was impressed. She thought I covered it in leather at first -- she is a extreme animal lover and does not agree with the use of leather. No animals were hurt in the remake of this chair. She liked that.

I had my son Wyatt push on it to try and show the softness. It really is amazing. Janae came over tonight and said it looked better in person then it does in pictures. I see an upholstery painting project in her future!

I know I am getting long winded here but I have to show one more before and after.

I remembered this picture I took of the "before" of my recent basket makeover.

So I took another picture of both projects done...

I started thrifting and remaking things out of financial need. I have to have pretty things in my home to make me mentally okay and this is how I found to do it. Now--even if I won the lottery I would still be doing this. It is so much fun! Also it is so satisfying to my creative soul. I am so thankful to all of you bloggers that give me so much inspiration and also are so encouraging to me in your comments when I do a project. It means so much!

I wanted to ask for continued prayers for my future sister in law. Kirsten is already in her second round of chemo and she is young and strong but this is emotionally exhausting. She has sores in her mouth and is starting to lose her hair.

Her son Jaxon is staying with us for a couple days while his Mama is having her chemo. I adore him. He is asleep at my feet right now as I type. Two year olds--they can sleep anywhere. This has to be so hard on him but we are doing all we can to make him feel secure. Like his Mom...he is going to get through this.

The kids and I are enjoying our evening walks with the dogs and I wanted to share these beautiful parkway trees our neighbors have.

I told the kids I could get married under these trees and they reminded me I am already married..lol!

I hope this post inspires some of you to paint some upholstery...and if you do please do share it with me!

Thanks for visiting!

Spring is here!

Spring is finally here! I think it is my favorite season. Not too hot..not too cold..just pretty flowers and Spring break for the kids. I love Spring.

With Spring comes Easter.. which makes for so many pretty pastel colors to decorate with. I don't have very many Easter decorations but my daughter Janae is the Queen of Easter decorating. I really can't compete with her as she has 2 live "decorations" :)

I cheated a bit by decorating with a photo of some of her decorations including her bunny Frankie. You can see her Easter decorating post here if you haven't seen it already. She has a beautifully decorated home for someone of any age..but it is really amazing since she is only 24. Yes I am a proud Mom!

A few little bunnies here and there make the house look cute.

Bringing a little Spring inside the house makes me happy too.

I found something fun at Walmart. These faux dyeable Easter eggs are kind of fun!

The kids dyed some for me and now I can leave them sitting out.

My cross' and things I have out year round add to the Easter theme beautifully.

A church near our house has a great quote on their readerboard right now. 

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you handle it

I love that quote and I believe it to be true. I always try to have a positive attitude but some days it is hard. Living on a really tight budget is really hard...especially during this time of year when the utility bills are so high. Sometimes I get a little down and I have to remind myself to handle it better. I have to say that a little "thrifting therapy" is always good for my spirit. I found this comforter at Goodwill the other day and found myself giggly happy. My son Wyatt was laughing at me.

It is in perfect condition but the tag is cut off. I believe that it is Laura Ashley. Does anybody know? It is springy and pretty and cost very little so it lifts my spirits. I can never have too many pretty comforters.

My fur-kids agree. They think every new comforter must be for them.

Have a lovely day and thanks so much for visiting!