Vintage Office Chair

 Back in January, we started our home office makeover. This is an ongoing makeover, as with most decorating projects I tackle.

I have always drooled over these Pottery Barn Swivel Desk Chairs, but choked at the $399 price tag.

 
So when I found this vintage office chair at a barn sale for a fraction of PB's price, I was giddy. 

Overall it's in good shape. Just needed the husbo to tighten one arm and fill some major cracks/dents with some wood filler. And the dull gray paint color had to go, obviously. 


A coat (or two) of white paint freshened it up to match our white desk. So happy with white paint but it still looked a bit naked to me.



After sitting in it a few times, we determined it needed a cushion.  But I didn't want something traditional. I thought about a vintage grain sack, but those can be pretty expensive. So when I came across a vintage burlap peanut sac on eBay, I HAD to have it. I consulted my sewer-extraordinaire mom and she whipped up this AWESOME cushion for the chair. I just ADORE the cushion. 
THANKS MOM!

What do you think? So much better, right?! Take that PB!
 

I Get By With a Little Help From My Dad

Bottom line is that the husbo and I are in desperate need of a shed. But since all the sheds that we have drooled over are out of our budget, we both thought it would be fun to build a shed from a kit. Well, the "kit" arrived yesterday. My first reaction was, "That's it?!". Yeah. That's it. We just spent a good hunk of change on a giant pile of shrink-wrapped wood. Yay! {sarcastic} 

  

I know what you are all thinking and YES we have our work cut our for us. I am keeping an open mind about this "project" and thank god we called in the assistance of my dad, also known as Mr. Fix-it . He's so handy and we wouldn't have even dreamed of taking on this project without his assistance. 

If we follow the 80-pages of directions correctly, it should look like this:

To be continued...
~~~

I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY DAD

{Adapted from the Beatles song "I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends"}

What would you think if I ran out of gas,
Would you stand up and say shame on me.
Lend me your ears and I'll beg you for help,
And I'll try not to do it again.
I get by with a little help from my Dad,
I can't lie I need help from my Dad,
Going to try with a little help from my Dad.

What do I do when it's time to move out.
(Does it worry you I'll be on my own)
How do I feel by the end of the day
(Are you sad because I'm on my own)
No I get by with a little help from my Dad,

Do you need anybody,
I need somebody to help.
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to help.

Would you believe I learned how to use a drill,
Yes I'm certain that this didn't happen over night.
What do you see when when you look at my tool box
I can't tell you how much your hand-me-downs have helped me.

Oh I get by with a little help from my Dad,
Do you need anybody,
I just need somebody to help,
Could it be anybody,
I want somebody to help.
I get by with a little help from my Dad,
Yes I get by with a little help from my Dad,
With a little help from my Dad. 

Fabulous Finds at the Lucketts Spring Market

You may think this blonde is crazy, but YES I love a good antique market. I guess that's what happens when you enter your 30's. 

This past weekend was the Lucketts Spring Market - which also happened to fall on my birthday weekend. And I couldn't think of a better way to spend a beautiful Saturday. And NO I didn't receive a vintage blue pick-up as a birthday present. Although driving one like this around to do some antique shopping would be fab. Ha.

If you don't know what Lucketts is...shame on you. You are missing out and I suggest you click on this link immediately, if not sooner. Their annual Spring Market is packed full of antiques, vintage items, refurbished furniture and much more. And I must say that this year's market was the best yet!

(Please excuse my paleness...my legs haven't seen the sun in 7 months!)

My parents and the husbo and I packed into my dad's new pick-up truck were off to the Spring Market on Saturday. The 4 of us shopped until we dropped so thank god we had a pick-up truck with us. Because this is what we bought....

Cupola for our future shed...more on that to follow

Iron fleur de lis decoration

Shabby chic newel post

Vintage canvas sack bag with ticking lining and leather straps.

Vintage french postal sack bag with ticking lining and leather straps.

I could have walked out with much much more if my wallet allowed! You can check out more of the great stuff they had at the market on the Lucketts Blog {sigh}.

Bye Bye Bears

Remember this frightening bear tray?
It took me a little bit longer to refinish - I'll spare you the details. Here is a reminder of what it looked like...

And here is what it looks like now...

So much better, don't you think? I used ASCP in Paris Gray and Old White and finished with clear wax and added a bit of dark on top. What do you think?

In Honor of Mother's Day

Mother's Day comes but only once a year, which when you think about it, is not nearly enough to celebrate such an amazing woman. Although I am not a mom, yet, I have great mom role-models in my life. If I am half the moms that they are, I will be doing a pretty damn good job. 

My mom is one of my biggest fans, best supporter and great provider of sage advice. My mom, well both of my parents really, did an incredible job raising me and my older sister. Sure, I had my bratty moments - don't we all? She's seen me at my best and my worst but most of all has helped navigate me to where I am today. And for that, I am eternally grateful. She's a tea drinking, avid crossword puzzle solving, sewer-extraordinaire.  

Me and my mom in Italy in March

My one and only older sister is another great mom-role model in my life. She's the mother to two awesome kiddos - the youngest being born only 2 weeks ago. I never doubted my sister would be an awesome mom and think she's doing a kick-ass job with it all. She would give Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray a run for their money. For reals.

My sister at the hospital with her daughter and brand new son.

Me and my sister circa 1980

5 years ago, I was lucky enough to gain an awesome mother-in-law. She raised 3 boys, which I think deserves a holiday of its own. She welcomed me with open arms since day 1. She is a lover of all things vintage, gardener-extraordinaire, and has the most infectious laugh of anyone I know. Oh, and she's an amazing cook!

Not that this counts, but I am the mother to this handsome rescue mutt named Emmit. Our lives changed the moment we brought him home to the 'burbs. His vibrant spirit and endless cuddles have made life a bit sweeter. I couldn't imagine life without him and just adore being his mommy.

To all the moms out there - Happy Mother's Day!

 

Projects in Progress...

Living in the 'burbs causes a constant struggle between doing the things that NEED to be done on the weekends (i.e. laundry, yard work, house cleaning, etc.) and the things that I WANT to do on the weekends (i.e. paint furniture, shop, and sleep in). Ugh.

I did manage to spend Sunday afternoon tackling a few projects that I had left lingering...I'm a procrastinator. So what.

I finished refurbishing this window pane that I snagged from my in-laws. Their shed/basement/garage is seriously a treasure-trove of great stuff. They may have to check my trunk every time I leave their house! My original idea was to make this window into a mirror. But I think that may be a bit ambitious. I removed the window panes (tedious  job!), then applied a coat of ASCP in Old White and finished with a brown-glaze. I think am going to hang it above the console table as part of the "gallery wall" (a work in progress). I may tweak it a bit by distressing it more...

I bought this frame on clearance at Home Goods. It was a hideous shade of metallic dark grayish black, blah (no before picture, shame on me!). But I saw the potential in this ugly guy....so I snatched him up and painted it with ASCP in Paris Gray, distressed a bit and finished with clear wax. So much better!

And I couldn't WAIT to tackle this next project. I will spare you any description and will let the "before" photo speak for itself. 

Frightening, right?!

This is quite possibly THE scariest wooden tray ever. My mom picked it up for me at her local thrift store. She's always on the look-out for things for me to refurbish. I think she was challenging my makeover skill with this one...seriously. 

Thank god for ASCP. I painted the tray first with a coat of Old White and then Paris Gray. This project is not complete yet, but here is what it looks like so far:

This was my first forte into stenciling so please ignore the fact that they are not straight. I still need to distress a bit, plus it still needs something else....thoughts? I'm stumped. Maybe a stripe of Old White along the handles or perimeter?


To be continued....

Happy 3rd 'Burbversary

 Wow, another year flew by and here we are celebrating our 3rd 'Burbversary! Our life in the 'burbs continues to be an adventure but I wouldn't change a single thing. Here are a few things we've learned over the past year:

• How to give a lawnmower a "tune-up"
• Your local "mom & pop" hardware store is your best friend
• Cleaning your OWN gutters IS possible - who knew?
• Installing a window box is A LOT harder than you think
• Dust bunnies multiply just by looking at them - fact
• Always keep rechargeable tools charged - DUH
• Teaching the husbo how to use a caulk gun was empowering and I credit my dad for giving me this knowledge
• Having great neighbors is priceless...they will even run to the mom & pop hardware store for you when you are desperate and too embarrassed to show your face AGAIN - considering you had already been there 4 times in the same day!

A Weekend Full of Love

 It was a busy weekend in the 'burbs. One full of love, new beginnings and cherished memories. My sister gave birth to her second child, a little baby boy, this weekend. I am so blessed to be an Aunt again. Welcome to the world baby T.

"A brand new little baby boy, to fill our hearts and lives with joy"

I promise to get back to sharing more of my furniture and home furnishing projects...and maybe a few blonde moments. Lord knows there are plenty of those to share!