Reflections...

Well, I am TICKLED PINK with how this project turned out, but...OH ME NERVES...how on EARTH do you photograph a MIRROR!?

I hope you can see it here. The only way I could figure out how to post it was if I deleted the mirror part...which contained my GREAT BIG HUGE flat feet and a considerably less-than-flattering image of my in my 'jammies, taking the picture...kwim? YUCK! Okay, so this is the "before." This is a grand BIG mirror, so I placed her in front of my dishwasher just so you could see her size.

Here's a more "real"one, where I was actually able to get out of my own way...

LOVED the pretty scrolly pieces, loved the size, loved the price...bought her off Kijiji for thirty dollars...WOOT!! (Hmmm...is "scrolly" even a word? Wonder if it'd pass the "Scrabble" test...)

Well, I decided to try my newly acquired Chalk Paint, and while I LOVE it, because it's not available in Canada yet, I had to order it from y'all down south, and it ended up costing me more than fifty dollars a quart. OH ME NERVES!!! So I am saving every precious OUNCE and using it judiciously. (Ummm...if any Annie Sloan reps are reading (yeah right...), PLEASE get some stock lists in Canada eh!?)

So, here she is in the midst of her transformation; once again positioned in front of my dishwasher for scale, and once again, thoughtfully liberating you from the image of my feet...

I used Paris Grey paint on the main parts, and accented those delightful scrolly things with Louis Blue. Hmmm...decided I really didn't much like the combination, so here she is in her completed glory, all waxed and sanded and chippy, with (Old White replacing the Paris Grey) and Louis Blue, waxed with clear and dark waxes, buffed to bring out her prettiness, and installed in my bathroom.

The detail, with some Old White dry brushed over the Louis Blue to tone it down a little...

She makes me smile whenever I walk into the bathroom!!

I'm linking to these parties.

THANK YOU so very much for stopping by today. Your comments are like little presents to me! I wish you a delightful day, doing whatever brings you pleasure!

PS Sending a great big hearty Nova Scotian SHOUT OUT to these fabulously generous decor bloggers for featuring this mirror on their sites:

Diann at The Thrifty Groove

Debra at Common Ground's

by Lindsey at

by Amy and Emily at

Another little piece...

FIRST...a groan...is anyone else having issues with spacing text on blogger? Or is it my very own technologically-challenged isssue?? Siiigh...Okay, groaning stopped. So here's the "before" pic of a little footstool I've had for years and years, originally bought at a neighbour's garage sale! You can see how much she's used by the worn fabric (lol). She's an old favourite.

Here are her pretty little legs after a coat of Rustoleum Heirloom White paint.

Here they are again, in stages of repainting and glazing. UGLY 'eh!? (lol)

Now here's one of my favourite pics of my grandson Avery when he was two years old, at White Point Beach in Nova Scotia. He and two of his brothers, Connor and Morgan, are coming to Nova Scotia next month to spend the whole summer with me! We'll have LOTS of days at the beach together!

I used this photo as inspiration for redoing my footstool. After altering it in Photoshop,and making it shabby, and adding a favourite Maya Angelou quote, I did an image transfer on tightly woven fabric, and this is my little footstool now. I LOVE it.

Here's a closeup of the top, just so you can see the quote.

Now all I have to do is find two more little pieces to re-do using the OTHER boys as inspiration...before they arrive! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Aaaahhh, life is GOOD.Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by my little piece of blogland, I sure do appreciate your visit! Wishing you a day filled with whatever makes your heart happy!

I'm linking to Savvy Southern Style and these fun parties!

A new coffee table...

My $30.00 coffee table! This is the “before” pic:

I really liked the size of the table, and I liked the chunky, turned legs. Once I removed those funky metal tacks, sanded and filled the holes and sanded again, it was looking better. I taped off the top of the table in preparation for stripping/restaining, and primed the legs and the edges with Zissner Bin.

BIG disappointment: after I’d stripped the top and sanded lightly, I discovered it was made of veneered pressboard. So, rather than staining the top, I knew I'd have to paint the whole table. Okay, so here's the first try…used Cottage White and Coventry Grey paints…glazed and covered with Polycrylic...Coventry Gray paint seems to be popular on some decor blogs...but I HATED it!! Have you ever done a piece with visions of beauty in your head, and it just didn't turn out the way you expected? I left it this way for a week, thinking..."oh maybe it'll grow on me." Well, it did...like a bad fungus! ACK!

Okay, plan # 3: after gnashing of teeth and and stomping of feet, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and MOVE ON! Strip, sand, repaint! I sanded lightly, re-primed, repainted the entire table with Rustoleum Painters Touch Heirloom White Spray Paint, glazed with Benjamin Moore Aqua Glaze mixed with a tablespoon of black flat paint, applied with a chip brush, rubbed off…and I LOVE it now!! I applied a coat of Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (clear) to the top and buffed it. I'll let the paint cure for a week or so, then give it some chippy goodness with my mouse sander. Here are the finished pics so far:

I love it now! I love it

Did I say I REEEEALY love it!? Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by. I'm new to the decor blog world, and it feels like Christmas whenever I see a new comment...like a little present! You just make my day! I’m linking up to these friendly parties : Spray Paint Party over at Thrifty Decor Chick Thrifty Treasures New Nostalgia Transformation Thursday Feathered Nest Friday Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday Twice Owned Tuesday Whassup Wednesday Feature Yourself Friday White Wednesday # 99 Show and Tell Creative Share Wednesday Remodelaholics Anonymous # 71 Friday Redoux Under a hundred dollars Vintage Inspiration Friday Friday Favourites Finding Fabulous for Less Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest Flaunt It Friday Saturday Spotlight SNS 81 at Funky Junk Sunday Showcase DIY Showoff Anna's Weekend Warrior Motivate Me Monday # 70 Amaze me Monday # 25 Metamorphisis Monday Masterpiece Monday Nifty Thrifty Tuesday # 53 Twice Owned Tuesday # 49 Tip Junkie

Magazine rack

I rescued this from a thrift store for $5.00.

It was actually in great shape, except that one of the corners needed to be rebuilt...I think it might have been a favourite chew site for a dog (lol). I used wood filler in several different stages, letting it dry each time, then sanded it to match the other corners.

I primed with Zissner Bin Spray, painted the caning with Rustoleum Painters Touch Heirloom White, then masked it off and painted the wood with Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze. Then I mixed a little black acrylic paint with Aqua Glaze, glazed and distressed it lightly, then applied a coat of Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (clear) and buffed it.

It now sits in state beside other bluey-things as a place of storage for *ahem* bathroom studies.

Linking to these wonderful places:

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday Tuesday's Trash to Treasure Bonnie's Twice Owned Thrifty Finds Nifty Thrifty Tuesday Remodelaholic Amaze Me Monday (# 23) Feature Yourself Friday Thrifty Decor Chick Before and After Tuesday's Treasures Swing into Spring Power of Paint (# 71) White Wednesday # 98 Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Creative Share Wednesday Whassup Wednesday

Thanks so MUCH for taking the time to visit! I'll come by your place too if I have a link. ♥♥♥