When Rustic turns White it changes to SHABBY!**!

In my quest to paint every rustic wood item of furniture I have WHiTe I have proven once again that our tastes and homes do change all the time.  It's good!  IT's fun and keeps the creative instinct alive and moving!  I started out with this solid wood bookshelf/cabinet from Mexico given to me several years ago and it looked like this:>

   
    Notice the gaps and the uneven places...all perfectly ok with me!

      A coat or two of soft white and a bit of sanding on a beautiful day...

                                    Now you can really see the gaps but that's what makes it Shabbylicious.........

     I have to show you a close up of those drawer pulls, they have no screws, just attached with rusty wire which I had to pull out (not easy so hubs did it) and not easy to push back thru again but I managed it !

    I like this pic with the light streaming thru the gap...should I leave it on the back porch?

                   I'm not sure where it's going or what room but I really like it now!

I don't understand it but hubs is NOT sold on the shabby look...because of that I compromise and let him have his way sometimes...
                                                                  
                            Linking to these party girls:::::>
                                                        
                  Finding Fabulous--Frugalicious Friday                              
                                                     
                    At the Picket Fence

             French Country Cottage                                   

*My pretty little outdoor table*

  Remember when I started this, no? I'll remind you...it was a bird bath, the top fell and broke, the base is very heavy, ya that one! Well here it was::::

       Did I mention it's heavy?  So hubs made the table top with some old wood planks we had laying around which did make it even heavier-we decided to finish outside where it will stay ...

And now here it is so pretty!  I use my back patio to paint almost everything and if you look close you can actually see the ring of white spray paint from the base, nice.

                              Thanks for stopping by! I'm linking to:
                                          
                                                French Country Cottage
                                                           and
                                                   The Shabby Nest
                                                             
                                                            
                                                                                                                   

Try this with your *getting*old*black*bananas { not your moms banana bread}

Black Bottom Banana Bars courtesy of Becky Higgins.com

These are yummy kids, but I don't know why they're called "black bottom" mine were'nt...here's what you do>>>

                                                     
        
          1/2 Cup butter, softened
          1 cup sugar
          1 egg
          1 tsp vanilla
          1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
          1 1/2 cups flour
          1 tsp. baking powder
          1 tsp. baking soda
          1/2  tsp. salt
          1/4 cup cocoa
                         Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl.  Add egg and vanilla, beat thoroughly.  Blend in bananas-combine flour, bak. powder, bak. soda and salt in separate bowl-add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide batter in half, only add cocoa to one of those halves(got it?)  Spread the half with the cocoa in greased 9x13 pan,  spoon the rest of batter on top and swirl with a knife.
     350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, test before that cuz you don't want them too done, they dry out and they are better kinda fudgy like (you know what I'm sayin')  Enjoy!!                                                  

I'm Not so much into VDay but I really like these tags.....

I saw these so awesome tags made by Vicki at Rusty Rooster Vintage --she takes vintage recipe cards and "alters" them by embellishing them with old lace, beads, trinkets, photo graphics, buttons you name it and she somehow puts it together and it works!  She embellishes all kinds of things you should really check her out, a sweetheart too!!  Disclaimer:  she is not paying me to say this...

I did not take any pics of how I made my tags.  I bought big shipping tags from Staples and I had everything else and just went for it...I had stamps and distress ink and a box of vintage buttons from my grandma and other stuff...
                                              

I wanted to give some friends a small gift so I found some relaxation CD's and wrapped them in brown paper & tied with jute twine...

I rubbed on some transfers and put a rose sticker in the middle...

And since I like things not perfect and to give a more vintagey feel I didn't rub it off completely {Ha} it's just cuz I forgot those places....
                                                               

Attach the tags and maybe a rhinestone or two and a simple cute gift!

I love these!  Go check out Vicki's site and get inspired too!                                                            
                                                                
                                                          
                                                  
                                                    

Looking for inspiration & ideas for a problem room...

I came across these pics in House Beautiful which they were making over a long narrow room kinda like what I have and its always bugged me how and where to put furniture.  I've asked others more experienced than I and it seems to be quite a brain teaser.

This is not too much unlike the size of my room

And here's what they did.  Check out that rug wow not for me...all the fabrics cozy it up, lots of seating too.  They say to notice your furniture placement after a party when people have moved chairs around and that's how the room wants to be.  Well I wish my room would speak to me and quick.  I want to stage it better cuz we are looking to move and just want it more appealing since its a small house gotta make the most of it!!  

And {I hesitate} here is one half of the room in question:
                                                                        

                  You can see the sofa is at an angle and that big and heavy armoire is a pain. Behind the plant is a piano no less.  Can you see my problem??? And we need access out that door.  Hmmm...well here's the other end of the room.............

 

     That poor lonely white table is waiting for just the right chairs to go with it for seating in front of the fireplace....Off to the right is the kitchen.  All the furniture I am redoing or finding now is for a different style and look completely so I'm in transition.
                                                                             
 Here are some pics of a cool looking kitchen and neat gadgets all from House Beautiful:   

Really nice huh?  Let's see what I can come up with!

                                                                                                                                                      

Maybe the third or fourth time's the charm----

I swear I've sanded this down so many times the wood is 1/2 inch thinner than I started!  Each time a different idea, don't like it, try something else, I think I like it now, maybe, I freehanded the dang thing sorta,  I did trace the words on but could barely see the lines and the designy thing is a stencil...

Here I started hand painting the words, a little scarey, but I love all the colors in the  board.  I painted on green, red and black and just swooshed them all together just layering it on...

And here it is done in crappy lighting in the bathroom.  I love the vintage door handle which will act as a hook for only lovely things not hubs sweats and not a wet towel!!

Not happy with these pics but I'm tired and what the heck anyway I'm gonna link to a couple of parrrtaaay's like:

miss mustard seed.copy me challenge (ya I'm in)

french country cottage