Get R' Done

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I've been trying really hard to finish this:

I have been working on this for way too long.  I mean, we went to Disney last year!  When it is finally finished,
I promise to show you the inside.  And it is cute. 

And then, unexpectedly, MY NEW STUDIO/ scrapbook room/craft room was completed!!  Well, almost.  Still needs vent covers and a toilet installed.  But as far as I am concerned it is ready to move in.

I decided to use the blue and white chandelier in this room.  I wasn't sure about it, but I really liked it and hated to sell it or see it sit unused.  Plus, have you priced a chandy lately?  Hmmm, $200 or $5.  $200 or $5.  I think I like the $5 price tag better.  You can read more about this light fixture here (but don't try to vote for me.  Alas, I did not win.  But I have made peace with that.  Sort of.)

I am off to go move in to my NEW STUDIO!! I just love saying that...

Marco Pillow

Sounds from a swimming pool:

"Hey, let's play Marco Pillow!  You say Marco, and I say Pillow and we have to find each other." 

"It's Polo."

"MARCO!"

"PULLO!"

"It's Marco Polo."

"MARCO!"

"PILLOW!"

I give up.

Bookshelf Refinish

Remember this?

After lots and lots and lots of scrubbing, I finally got it clean.  If it wasn't black and I could actually see the yuck, it probably would have stayed in the store.  But now it's painted.  Still not sure I like it.

I originally wanted to find a chartreuse damask wallpaper for the back.  I could not find any, so I decided to paint the shelf chartreuse and use this grey and white Allen + Roth wallpaper from Lowe's.

Couple of problems with that idea.  Am I crazy or does this look like a big yellow shelf to you?  This is not the color I was hoping for.  At all.  Everyone said maybe it was because it was only one coat and two would make it look right.  Nope, two coats didn't help much. 

Also, I used hardboard for the back.  I did not prime it.  When the wallpaper dried it caused the board to shrink and warp and it was peeling alot.  It would not stay stapled into the back causing many many headaches. 

Anyone know if a dark wax would help the color and/or the fact that the finish is staying tacky and it has been days?  Would luan work better for the back?

 
    

Travel Scrapbook Page

For our tenth anniversary, my husband took me to Jefferson, Texas to stay in a bed and breakfast and go on a ghost tour.

We also went to a bunch of antique stores, which he said were "just a bunch of nu-nu."  Translation:  a lot of junk nobody would buy at a garage sale and not much fun to look at.  The one store that had good stuff had a hot chocolate pot that was really cool until I saw the tag.  $500.  That one stayed in the store.

This page was quick and easy, except that I had to paint the letters for the title.  All papers are from a Travel Kit by Creating Keepsakes.  Suitcase eyelet is from the Eyelet Outlet.  The stars are Tim Holtz Grungeboard.  I wish I could remember who makes the chipboard letters, but I have had them forever.  The paint color on them is called "shopping bag" by Making Memories.  I used foam dots to make some of the letters in the title pop out.

Linking up at http://bellichallenge.blogspot.com/.

Goodwill Find

I was at Goodwill the other day and I spotted this from a mile away.

OK, not a mile, but far away.  It seemed to me that it could be real art.  It just had that look.  I got a little nervous thinking someone would get to it before me, but no one was the slightest bit interested. 

When I got closer I saw that it had a signature and was numbered.  All good signs, but still not positively "real" art.  The frame and mat were ok, at least worth the $15 price tag, because this is big.   And then, I turned to the back, and I saw it.  The certificate of authenticity.  This was getting better and better.  I called my hubby and asked him to look up the name Lebadang on the internet (cause I forgot my nifty cell phone that could do that sort of thing.)  He told me what he found.  That is when I yelled "SHUT UP"!!!!! really loudly and everyone turned to stare.

Evidently, Lebadang was a Vietnamese artist who studied in Toulouse, France a long time ago and was pretty famous.  Which means this puppy lithograph is worth a little something something. 

Finally, Art History class in college pays off.