Two Fun-Filled Days

Sometimes you have to let go of the scheduling and cleaning and worrying (yes, I worry) and have fun.  My mother came to visit me this week and we spent a couple of fun-filled days together.  Even though she lives only an hour and 20 minutes away, we still don’t see each other nearly enough.  She’s the best mom in the world, by the way!  Would you be surprised if I told you one of our favorite things to do together is go thrift shopping? 

First let me tell you about this blue shelf.  I am so happy with it.  The weathered cabinet on top came out of a local barn, I bought it at an antique store a few years ago, and until recently it was sitting on a wooden nightstand that had a scarf over it.  I knew that someday I would find something thrifted to “fit” as the bottom to make a cupboard-type look.

This week I found it for 10 dollars at The Scrap Exchange!  My mom loves to go there but doesn’t get the chance until she visits me, so we went together and took two of the children with us.  This cabinet started out with yellow shelves and a dark reddish-brown outside.  I should have taken a before picture, but time just flies around this house (does it fly at your house too) and I wanted to get so many things done so I jumped right in painting!

The yellow shelves inside the cabinet were actually a decent color, so I used a candle to wax a few areas of the shelves that would naturally get heavy traffic.  Then I spray-painted the entire cabinet blue.  Once done, I used an old cloth to wipe over the areas where I had waxed and the blue paint came off, showing some yellow from underneath.  Having old paint showing through in areas like that makes it look old.  (I think I first learned this from Kimba).  I love the way it turned out.  The top and bottom cabinets are the perfect size to put together and make one piece! 

I’ve been trying to focus more on healthy breakfasttime around here (thank you, Diane), so the lower cabinet became my breakfast cabinet.  The top shelf houses my aprons, but then I have oatmeal, grits, peanut butter, jams and jellies, syrup, pancake mix in an old container, and more in the lower shelves.

Another really wonderful find was a pair of quilts for 5.59 apiece at Goodwill.  The one with bright colors will be perfect in Michaela’s bright green room!  I didn’t get it in the picture, but I also found her a bright April Cornell pillow cover for her large reading pillow.  Her room will be so exciting with these new linens!

Because of the lighting, I don’t think you can fully appreciate the lovely rosy color of this comforter. Looking brand new, it was another 5.59 find.  This evening I’ve been laundering linens to put up.

The little ceramic pomander was only 69 cents at GW, and I got out a jar of my lavender to fill it with.  I collect birds for my office and this will fit perfectly.  Is it possible that smelling lavender throughout the day will cause me to enjoy working even more than I do now? 

These you won’t believe!  They are old and you must pardon the dirty glass in the frames, I have not cleaned them yet.  They look to me like they are at least 1920, if not older, based on a needlework I have that I know was done around 1920.  They were 25 cents each at the Habitat for Humanity store.

Again, poor lighting and probably angle too, but this basket is the most delicious shade of blue, with just enough chipping to show through a hint of red here and there.  It’s great!  3 dollars. 

And the large picture I fell in love with for 2.99! I am planning to paint the frame, and I may use the same aging technique, I just don’t know what two colors to use. 

• Black and pink? 
• Pink and white? 
• Black and white? 
• Blue and white? 
• Blue and black? 
• Green and white? 
• Green and pink? 
• Or use the gold to show through a paint color? 

And which color would be best just peeking through in a tiny amount?

Help me out!! What do you think?

The frame has little roses on it (yes, that what’s all around the edge looking like little circles) that would look great with a contrast, old-paint-showing-through thing going on.

I must go upstairs and read to Michaela now.  Every night we hide away in her room, close the doors and let the bunnies out to run around while we continue on through the Little House books.  Tonight we’ll finish Little House On The Prairie.

Lynn