Monday, April 20, 2009

"Purdy" Little Touches

After having read the newest issue of Romantic Country magazine, my inner "revampness" sprung out like Sigourney Weaver's alien baby! Ok, a bit of an obscure vision there, but really - isn't spring about giving your home a fresh look and clean up the cobwebs in the corners?
It is more fun to find a piece for a few dollars and changing it up with a coat of paint and new fabric. Inexpensive and the end result is your look - your style. Bring out pieces you have had stored away and swap them out with your older displays. Moving items from one room to another can also give a new look.
My "Purdy" little paintbrush has been put to good use lately. A little white paint gives new life to an old brass floor lamp.
A shabby paint job was given to a $5.00 yard sale stool. I recovered the top in a wonderful old piece of linen fabric. I am loving the neutrals these days.
The smaller bench was painted white and sanded. A vintage blue and white ticking was added to the top, which also lifts up for storage. I decided to put this one in my space at the antique store that I sell at. If it doesn't sell, then it will come back home.
See how a little paint makes the details pop? Behind the lamp is an old corner shelf that I painted white and shabbied it all up. It is for sale, too, however I realllllly like it........BUT! I cannot keep everything!......my poor husband......
What kind of projects do you have going on?
Whatever you do, wherever you go......
...............enjoy...... xo

52 comments:

the wild raspberry said...

I love the linen...my favorite fabric ever!
I am cleaning and moving things in a furiously quick fashion to make room for some new {antique} furniture that I bought this weekend at Miss Frenchies...ooooh, I am soo excited!
Hope I can find room for everything.
:0
Have a lovely day.
Love ya
chas

The Vintage Vagablonde said...

You know I can relate...I want to keep everything!!!!!

We(Hubby)cleaned up the dog pen all day yesterday....it is now our new veggie garden. Big dog gets to raom free now...and make more yellow spots on the grass~LOL

I cleaned my masterbath most of the day...why on earth it took me all day to clean one bath....that darn rearranging!

Hope you have a beautiful week :)~Sheri

PS...Betty made me the cutest shopping cart liner(for my black cart) can't wait to show you.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Everything looks so fresh! I have been in the mood to lighten up since January. I haven't done anything about it yet. Now you have given me some more incentive!

I am just busy, busy busy with mosaics. They are keeping me busy.
Hugs,
Penny

Jocelyn said...

Oh wow, everything looks so great. I passed up a little rectangle stool the other day at the thrift store, not knowing what to do with it :-( Shoulda, woulda, coulda...... It's probably gone by now.

Elyse said...

hi becky,

i was just about to shut-down my computer when your awesome comment appeared. thank you so much. i can feel your enthusiasm and support and it brightened my day!

your makeovers look amazing! you are so talented.

have a great day and thanks again!

xo

Carol said...

I love painting furniture white or black. I have a small dresser & hutch in my guest room that's going to be black very soon. I just spruced up my painting room (& started a blog!) My latest project was slip-covering a really ugly chair that I got marked down at Home Goods with fabric that I got on sale at Joann Fabrics. I love their coupons. Come & see at my blog!

Brenda said...

I love the blue ticking and the linen on the benches.It looks great with the white.
I have been apintin a foot stool for my sewing room I will have to post some pics soon.
Brenda

Rue said...

Hi Becky :)

I've said more than once I could never have a shop because I would end up keeping it all LOL I love the new looks you gave them :)

I'm in the process of spray painting Annie's bed white and now look like an addict that sniffs paint, if you know what I mean LOL

love,
rue

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

Love the linen. I am really drawn toward softer colors in creams, taupes, and whites. Great redos. Working on my formal dining room. Come take a look.

Vee said...

That linen is very appealing. I have a hassock that is in desperate need of a redo. I don't know what I'll do with it, but that linen...

Faye said...

GIRL YOU ARE SO TALENTED!I ENJOY YOUR BLOG SO MUCH!THE AUTISM CONF.WENT REALLY GOOD. THANK-U FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!BLESSINGS, FAYE

Kathleen Grace said...

Wonderful makeovers Becky! I just found some old chairs at a church sale for $2 each and am in the process of redoing them for the dining room. They are ugly as sin at the moment, with burnt orange velvet seats (Ewww!) but I think they are going to look great with a coat of paint and some new fabric. I love the linen on the top of the large bench:>)

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

Oh...so fine! Alot more exciting than my weekend of "spring cleaning our 2.5 car garage and our 30 x 40 polebarn! (But it still feels good!) I have some spray painting planned, found a lot of items that will look sharp spray-painted and am looking forward to that when we get back from a mini-vacation this coming week! Thx for showing us your makeovers! Love it!
XOXO
Joni

Cindy said...

Wonderfully lovely! I love the redo's, especially the linen top and the ticking too.

-c

Unknown said...

Oh they are so purdy! How cool that you have a place to sell your stuff. My Hubs is always threatening that he'll take care of that for me! GASP!
LOL! Right! When I can sell his tools!


~Liz

Amber said...

this is so fun I love everything there! especially that shelf!! I have the same spring decorating bug and started painting my dining room a bright peachy-pink yesterday :) It's just so much fun to make your home a reflection of you! :)

Michele said...

I finally got my spray paint out this weekend. Going to post some of the pictures this week...I was on a roll!

I love the foot stool...I haven't tried re-doing cushions yet!

Have a great week!
Hugz,
Michele

CottageBliss said...

Beautiful Job!!

I am doing much the same as you, sprucing up the house with a brush of white paint and few new fabrics.

ALL for pennies, gotta love it!

Love your blog

Melissa

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Oh Becky, I am spray painting anything that gets in my way! Now I am eyeing my lawn swing out back...I have plans for that thing. BIG plans.
It is so hot down here today. I went Mall shopping with my girlfriend and it was miserable. Just miserable. Glad to be home with the AC on for awhile..and my UGG slippies...
Home..is there anything better?

So...Hi Sweetie...how are you? I keep checking your Etsy shop to see if something is happening. Do you think it will keep going? I will check back again...just in case. :)
Many hugs and smiles for you..
Mona

Skoots1moM said...

getting ready to start one of my grandmother's neighbor's chest of drawers...built probably in the 1930's...got to buy some new hardware for the pulls and take the mirror to be refinished cause it's peeling in the back of the silvering.
i'm eager to put it in my guest room...all i have in there now is a closet and it will be nice to expand my storage. i believe its either maple or oak...will find out when i strip it

Anonymous said...

Ooh if I lived near your shop, I would snatch that little ticking stool right up. Isn't it amazing what a coat of paint can do, totally changes the look of the lamp.

Hugs,
LeAnn:)

Unknown said...

Love the linen and distressed white bench and the lamp. You're right the details really pop. I too have been inkling to get on some projects. I have 2 gals of paint for the living room and a desk and a table that need a new paint job. It's always so fun to see the before and afters. My mother and I had a couple of booths years ago in NC that we loved buying for. It was very hard to spruce things up and then have to sell them. My husband gives me the old guilt trip if I bring anything home. We do have things the way we like them now and I do have to give something up to get something new for lack of space.

Amy said...

So pretty. It feels so good to reinvent something that was tired and make it new again. Charming. Please check out my blog. I am offering a giveaway. Giving away your choice of items with sweet embroidered vintage motifs.

Michelle, All Home and Love said...

Everything looks great. My favorite is that linen stool, so pretty.
~Michelle

Denise said...

Pretty pretty....... Your Purdy little touches are oh so purdy! good for you.......... I love the ticking! It is my favorite fabric.........

Rosemary said...

I love it! That is so weird, I am loving neutrals these days too. I have covered several chairs lately in linen.
Hope you have a great week,
Rosemary

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

What great projects, and everything looks so fresh and clean (you're right, I don't think you need to clean house -- just start painting everything white!) Love it. laurie

Allidink said...

Ooo I love everything! I have no projects going on yet but I am thinking about making my own faux cupcakes and cakes LOL. I have to do a little more research first.

All the best,
Allison

cherry said...

OHHH ohhhh I love them both. I love linen tooo and burlap makes me salivate...did I scare you? rofl. You have the best tastes chick. cherry

Donna said...

Love your transformations, Becky! I really like the way you left a lot of the dark finish showing through the white paint on the lamp. I know what you mean about not being able to keep everything! It's so hard to part with things we've transformed (especially when they're done in our style), but we'd all need mansions to be able to keep everything we refinish!! Have a wonderful week!... Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage

The Tattered Cottage said...

Becky -
I didn't know you had space in an antique store...When I come back to Cali in a couple of months I might have to stop by and do a little shopping :) Love the yard sale stool and corner shelf.
Toni

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

We need a touch of revitalization at our house. Even though we plan on tearing the old house down in about 3 years, I'm planning a total revamp and face lift for the porch and inside this spring/summer. It has to be consistently warm before any painting goes on because if there are too many climate changes, it causes the walls to weep when they are painted.

Your things look great - I'd have a hard time taking that stool to my shop. Have fun - that's what it's all about.

Lynn

Sinta Renee said...

I wish I could play with you! You must be having fun:) I keep looking at some of my things in the house that I could paint and give a new look to. But right now I am just quilting away: come see at my new blog http://pinkpincushion.blogspot.com/

Jean said...

Becky, Your "purdy" little touches are great. I love the stools. Paint works miracles , doesn't it? Your treasures you are taking to your shopwon't last long. they will be snapped up. Have a good evening.
Jean in Virginia

Simply Shelley said...

Hi Becky,those are some mighty purdy projects you have got going....I always love visiting you and seeing what you are up to...

Blessings,Shelley

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Hi Becky,
Me again...I just wanted to make sure you got my email yesterday...
Hugs,
Penny

The Strawberry Mallard said...

Oh Miss Becky ~ Besides getting the garden ready ( and putting off takng down the fence ), I did my blog ~ thanks to you for giving methe push that I needed!
Love to you dear Scottie Mommy ~ arrrrrooooos to Mr. D and Sweet Fiona

Hugs, NEBS

The Strawberry Mallard said...

Oh Miss Becky ~ Besides getting the garden ready ( and putting off takng down the fence ), I did my blog ~ thanks to you for giving methe push that I needed!
Love to you dear Scottie Mommy ~ arrrrrooooos to Mr. D and Sweet Fiona

Hugs, NEBS

Daisy Cottage said...

Beautiful sweet girl - I love your fresh touches of white here and there - but you ALWAYS have the magic touch with your decor and home... of course it is going to look GORGEOUS!!

Have fun painting Becky! Can't wait to see all of the results!

Psst... Daisy Cottage is getting some new flowers on Friday - we are having an intervention. My black thumb is being rescued!!
;-)

Love you,
Kim

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Becky,

The ticking fabric is one of my favorites. I have used it before to back throw pillows and to make a skirt cover for a round table. The chair looks great and I'm sure it complements your home perfectly.
Enjoy your day,
Elizabeth

The Green Pea said...

Becky,

Nice job painting!! I enjoy giving an old piece that fresh new look too. That Mr. Purdy works hard for me also. I hope Mr. Purdy didn't paint the corner shelf with all of those spindles...That would make him very worn out.....Love ya, Sandi

Victoria Hayden said...

I love all those great makeovers! I wanted to let you know I have an award waiting for you on my blog. It is an award for "Attitude of Gratitude". You show your gratitude in so many ways! Please stop by to get it. Have a wonderful day!!

Hugs to you,
~Victoria~

Marydon said...

Come join my Mother's Day contest, tell your friends about it.

blushingroseboutique.blogspot.com

Love your blog, hope you will join me.
TTFN ~ Marydon

Dena said...

Good Morning Becky,

I am dreaming of a ton of paint projects but for now, all I can do is my pile o' homework. In the meantime, I am getting some great inspiration from you :)

Happy Friday sweet friend.

Hugs,
D

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Love the chair covered in ticking. Spring brings the vibes of newness. . .gotta change things up.~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Rebecca said...

Love your projects Becky! I've been doing some painting as well. Hope you can come by and check it out.

Hugs and Blessings,
Rebecca

the pleasures of homemaking said...

Gorgeous! I love the linen!

Manuela

Mimi Sue said...

A little paint and that lamp turned fabulous! Sometimes things just need to be freshened up. Mimi

Eileen said...

Wonderful photos in this post. I am loving the neutral colors here too. They go with everything. :-)

Cristal said...

I love the linen prints!! It's really a gorgeous design. I would go for more styles at Joann fabrics.

Anonymous said...

I've been cleaning and redoing quite a bunch, too. I recently found a coffee table at a yard sale for $5 and hubs painted it white. The list is soooo long! Loved your post!

Katherine said...

If I were in California, I would totally be shopping in your space at the antique shop!! (Lo, I am in Texas...)

I hope you and your family are doing well~keeping you all in my prayers!
:)
Katherine