Grateful My Home is My Hobby

It feels a bit shallow and a bit inappropriate right now, but I think I'm finding something that brings me a little joy.  I'm sprucing up my house and re-doing some things that haven't felt right.  No one would question that of an ordinary woman, but since I'm a new widow, NOTHING seems right.  I have lost my goals.  I've lost my plans.  I've lost control of what I thought was my life.  Very little makes sense anymore.  Having anything at all that feels good to do is a gift and I'm grabbing hold of it and running.

I love quotes.  I find tons of inspiration from reading.  First, I came across a bit that I have always believed.

Once is a happenstance.  

A second time is a coincidence.  

A third time is a significance.  

That quote was fresh on my mind when I had a few encounters which seemed particularly meaningful right now.

I didn't give the first encounter much notice. I read a little something about finding a hobby or some little something to do as a way to get past trauma.

Next, I read an article about a woman who had 3 sad events in three years - a divorce, a death in the family and a fiance who  dumped her.  She felt she had lost control of her life (that got my attention).  She had threw herself into decorating a house and found that he healed as she fixed up her house.   She wrote a book about it - Bee Cottage. You can read more about it HERE.

My third encounter was as good as a note from above giving me permission to play.  I bought a used copy of Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach at Goodwill.  I'd read that book (all about gratitude) when it first came out in 1995, but decided it might be worth reading again.  I'm using anything I can to keep me from sinking into dark places.  The book is written calendar style. There's a short chapter each day.  I started on the appropriate date.

The July 29th chapter was The Home as a Hobby.  She quotes a 1929 magazine article. The quote is long and I'm too lazy to write the whole thing, but my favorite part was this -

A home which is not a fair expression of us at our best, a home which lacks what it might have, a home which is in any part more ugly or in any part more uncomfortable than it absolutely need be... a home which cannot be run without waste, a home which by any detail gets on the nerves of its inhabitants and so impairs the harmony of their existence - something ought to be done about such a home.  Why not make the perfecting of the home a hobby?

To me that quote isn't about following the latest style trends or creating spots in your house that would make perfect Pinterest photos.  It's about creating a home that promotes comfort and happiness and life.

I've already been trying to do improve things in my house a little, but now maybe I'll put a little more effort into it.  I don't work fast.  You can't when you prefer to buy used.  The hunt is half the fun.  Well, today's treasure hunting went a little better than expected.  It went so well that I'll need to put off additional treasure hunting for awhile.

First, I bought this extra large stool.  No need to paint or recover - the colors work well as is.  And I got it for a song.  It's in the guest room.

I had moved the bench that was there to my bathroom.  This wood bench was made by my hubby a year or two ago, before he got sick.  When he made it, I wasn't crazy about it.  It's a little too high and the seat area seems too hefty.  Rudy built things as if they were going to be tested in a tornado.  He made the bench for us to sell, but for some reason we kept it.  I'm really glad now.  I like the idea of having it placed where I'll see it more often.  Plus, it's really functional in it's new place.  Also, check out the curtains in this photo.  That's actually a chenille bedspread.  I'm thinking of making it into a curtain and before cutting it up decided to hang it from cafe rings to try it out.  I'm liking it.  One more thing - the walls will be painted white as soon as I get in the mood to paint. Who knows when that'll be.

I've had these three framed greenery pictures in the master bath for a while now. Just yesterday, I thought about how pretty green towels would look in this mostly white room.  I was fairly specific when envisioning the color - celery green.

This photo just shows 2 of the ones I found.  Everything else has been put out.

Guess what I found at an antique mall today?  A towel set of celery green towels.  Two huge bath towels, two hand towels, two washcloths and a fabulous bath mat.  All in pristine condition.  All the tags still intact - they are from Restoration Hardware.  Lush as all getout.  I know antique malls.  I can tell you all about most of the ones in the area.  Towels are not something I recall ever seeing at any of my favorite stores.  To find a set like this was a huge surprise.  I washed the whole set the minute I got home and everything is in place now.  They are fabulous!

I also found these cool vintage metal chairs.  They are finished in a funky bohemian style which really caught my eye.  There are 4, but the vendor came in while I was browsing and it turns out I know her. She's such a sweet lady.  She told me she has two more at home and she's going to bring them in for me sometime next week.  Please don't judge the crowded arrangement and un-put-together look in this photo.  The balmy weather here is horrendous right now.  It's comparable to a Turkish steam bath.  August is usually worse, which is hard to imagine. I may not work on this porch til Fall.

So... my hobby may not be noble, but by golly it's giving me something to be interested in, other than to just get through another day.  And Sarah Ban Breathnach would agree that is something to be grateful for!

Blue Yard Bench

I bought a weathered old bench at an auction back in March.  It's a bit worn, but has good bones.  One of these days, my hubby will probably redo it, but for now, I just wanted to use it in the yard for a bit of color.

I started my redo by spray painting the metal bits black.  They had been a dark green.

Then I brushed on the blue - Behr Ultra in Glass Sapphire.  See this post for my bench inspiration.

I'm hoping to find two planters to put on each side of the bench.  A couple of ferns or pretty flowers would look nice there.  I see this bench from the windows on the back of my house.  I hope to keep improving that view over time.

Auction Finds and Bench Inspiration

I did it.  I went to another auction.  Maybe I've turned a corner.  I bid more and won more.  The corner I turned may not be the best corner on the block.  I spent more on most of the items I won than I should have.  I came away with some things I like and a few things I plan to keep.

My first win of the night was another vintage wooden ironing board.  This is my fourth.  Now I have one that I actually use to iron, one for sale at Rockin' B, and two waiting on a small makeover.  This new one( the lightest colored one) is great shape.  Interestingly, all four of my ironing boards have different ways of opening and setting up.  I like the legs and opening mechanism of the newest one the best.  My first board (the medium colored one) is the widest and for actual ironing that's a big deal. The newest one has some sort of paper covering stuck to it.  I hope that comes off easily with water!

I am still in love with re-purposing vintage ironing boards.  If you haven't seen my post on ways to use them, please take a look!  If you like vintage things, then this may leave you in search of an old board for yourself.  The good news is, they are still fairly easy to find.

My next win was a tray of 4 bird figurines.  These are china or porcelain or pottery or something.  I fear I am really at a loss when there is no mark on the bottom to at least get me started on a little research.

 Only one of the pieces had a mark - Goldcastle Made in Japan.  After a little Googling, I found out that this piece was made in the 1950's or 60's.  I did a quick rinse on it at night, but after looking at these photos, it's obvious I need to go back and do a better job.

 I'll probably keep on or two of these pieces, at least for a while. My hubby seemed to like the brown speckled one that looks like a bird feeder. I'll keep it if I can figure out a good spot for it.  I'm also keeping one of the bird pairs.  It'll probably be the one without the babies, but I have to say those babies in the nest are adorable.  I generally don't like having a lot of knick-knacks around, but I'm having a hard time resisting bird things right now.  I hope I don't end up a little old lady living in a cluttered cottage surrounded by a million bird figurines!

I won a metal garden urn.  It's large - around 30 inches tall - and chippy in a perfect sort of way.  I saw it and fell in love.  It came with the  fake flower in a clay pot that you see in the photo.  I paid too much.  Apparently, someone else was also in love with it.  If I decided to sell it later, I might break even, but that's about all.  I don't plan to sell it anytime soon.  I'm picturing it with a lush red geranium inside.  Or maybe a purple trailing something or other.  Should it sit on the ground or be placed on top of a table?  I don't know, but I look forward to playing around with it.

I bought a wig stand.  Ordinarily, this might be a very odd thing for me to buy, but my mom has breast cancer and is going through chemo.  She's right in the midst of losing her hair and I must say she is handling all of that extraordinarily well.  We got her a wig (mostly for wearing to church) from the American Cancer Society.  The wig is beautiful but it looks really sad just laying down.  Now it will have a nicer spot to rest when it's not being used.  I was determined to win the stand.  Again, I had to battle it out with another determined person.

My largest item was a park bench. I fully intended to fix it up to sell, but I think I might keep this, too. (Oh dear. That's becoming a very bad habit!) 

Most benches like this have wood that's stained.  I want it to have some color. Maybe even a bright pop of color.  I was having trouble envisioning this bench painted, so I searched online for inspiration.  Truthfully, the cutest painted benches were all wood.  I did find a few painted park benches (cast iron and wood), but not as many good examples as I was hoping for.  Here are some of the painted benches I came across.  After lots of browsing, I think I'm leaning towards something in the blue family.

1. PhotoLori's Flickr site
2. My Crazy Container Garden - This wonderful gal has paint and isn't afraid to use it!
3. Country Living
4.  GreenCulture
5. Gates of Vienna - I got lost in this post and was completely sidetracked into the world of sonnets
6. Sixaguilar's Flickr site
7.  Coach O's Flickr site
8. Rosalind Creasy - You'll want to plant edibles all over your yard after visiting this site
9. How Did I Do It? see also Life in Sugar Hollow .

 

While searching, of course I was inspired by things other than color.

 Brittany, from Pretty Handy Girl, did a wonderful tutorial on turning a headboard into a bench.  I see these benches often at the store where I rent a booth.  Plus, I have one that I picked up at a yard sale.  

This bench from Eden Maker has a French poem verse written on the back.  

I would love to see a close up view.

I also came across a fun older post from Working Woman's Guide to Domestic Success about wishing she had a cottage by the lake.  She illustrates her dream with some really wonderful photos, all of which are wonderful. Here's one of my favorites.  It illustrates my love of having a totally unexpected color in a room.

 

I found the photo of a coatroom with a blue bench on CreateGirl.  The bench isn't anything like mine, but I love it.

Last, but certainly not least, I came across a wonderful post from Erin of  The Painted Garden.  Erin is a painter.  She creates her own inspiration in her garden.  She has been featured in tons of magazines.  This article was about her feature in the magazine, Container Gardens.  You know - I think I read that issue!

Inspired By...

This will be a bit of a mixed bag post.  A little of this and a little of that.  Hopefully, at least a little will be worthwhile! :-D

To start off with, this week I did a post for Rockin' B showing some of the benches we have in the store.  There's really an assortment of styles there.  We have several dealers who have wonderful carpentry skills and they can turn any bed into a cute bench.  One of those dealers did something a little different for his latest makeover.  He turned a set of 3 chairs into a bench.  Now, if I come across a great deal on a set of three chairs (where the fourth is damaged or missing), I'll snap them up and let Jim work his magic. 

It really turned out great and it sold within days.  I wish I had moved those pillows before taking the photo.

I have another interesting thing to show you from the store, but first, I want to make something clear.  I'm not using my blog to promote the store.  Most of the people who read my blog don't live anywhere near this area.  I really like doing a blog for the store, (you can click here if you want to see it) but I also really enjoy having my personal blog free from advertising or promoting.  This blog is just for things I find interesting.  Since I spend a good bit of time at the store, there's bound to be all kinds of things from there that I find interesting.  Believe me!

On with the story - We had three vintage/retro Formica tables sell last week.  ALL to the same person.  He scooped them up and is probably going to sell them in Atlanta for much more.  That's OK by us.  Anyway, since we now had no Formica tables in stock, the next week one of the dealers brought in this beauty.  It has a pattern on the top.  I have been waiting to find my perfect red Formica table for my loft.  I've envisioned solid red all along, but this little gem has me reconsidering.  And it's only $159!  Take a look -

Here's a closer look -

And closer, still - 

Now, you see my dilemma.  It's in such good shape, too.   Mmmmmm.  Nice.

Next, I'm going to show you the green I chose for my chairs... MY Green.  I hesitate to show it because it's not finished.  I still need to distress and do a finish, but I don't know when I'll get that done... This week?  Next?  Who knows?  At least, I'll know that when I do, the paint will be completely cured.  Meanwhile, just imagine it with a few more steps to tone it down. It appears a little lighter and brighter in the photo than in real life.  I've very pleased with it.

I found some wonderful inspiration from bloggers who joined my party last week.  This first one is from Forever Decorating.  I recently featured her creative and amazing upholstered stools.  And now, as you can see, she also paints.  This post shows some of the rocking chairs she has personalized for different children. They are all really cute.

Here's an interesting post from Single Life with Kids about starting a Mother-Daughter Book Club.  Even though I read all the time as a kid, there are a number of great books I missed.  I don't know how, but I did.  I've read some of them as an adult (they were wonderful) and I plan on reading others as the opportunity presents itself.  This summer (or was it last spring?) I came across a large set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books.    I read them all and was very sorry to get to the end of the last one.  

Oh, dear. I'm running out of time. 

Check out this wonderful garland at Jill Ruth and Company.  It's looks like it would be very relaxing to do.  It looks especially great hanging in a window with a winter wonderland view!  I'd like one in my kitchen window.

Ya-Hoo! The Coatroom Bench is Finished!

The finishing touches are now in place on my bench.  I can mark it off my list!  Today, I completed the slipcover for the seat and I hung a wreath on the window above the bench. The bench had been painted last week.  It just needed the slipcover.

I began sewing the slipcover yesterday.  I took my time and machine-basted the piping in place so it would have nice corners.  Everything went well, except I ran out of time.

Today, I was eager to finish up, 

not knowing how much *fun* I was going to have.  

Let's just say things didn't go as smoothly today.

I sewed the top to the sides and that went pretty well, other than the fabric being a nightmare to work with.  Note to self:  Do not try to use piping with thick, heavy, stretchy fabric.  When I finished the top, I felt all smug.  It looked pretty darned good.

The bottom half, which was the exact same size as the top half, refused to be pinned in place so that it lined up.  I pinned and re-pinned and re-pinned... at least a dozen times.  I finally resorted to sewing it together in bits and pieces and taking it up here and there to make it meet.  Foul language was involved.  Luckily, it looks fine, except for the fold bumps in the piping, which should settle down soon. No one but me will be aware of how I cheated to make it go together.  Well, I guess if you read my blog, you'll know.  :-)

I put the slipcover on.  It was far easier putting it on than putting the under-slipcover over the raw foam.  It looked good, but the vignette needed something more.  

How about a wreath?  A cute, small, natural wreath.  I don't have one and am not patient enough to wait and find the perfect thing.   I pulled down a spare wreath, hot glued small pinecones, finished it out with yard sale ribbon that just happened to look nice with all the colors in the slipcover and pillows.

By the way, this is the inspiration photo that I've had in my files for several years. I'm one step closer to the look I have in mind.  I've had this photo so long, I can't remember where it came from.  If you know, please tell me!  I like to give credit where it's due!

Oh, yes.  Much better.  So here it is.  Not perfect, but pretty enough to make me very happy.

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster, 
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  and of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
• Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
• Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T. 
• Something I Whipped Up Monday at The Girl Creative  
• Made by You Monday at Skip to My Lou
• Take a Look Tuesday - Sugar Bee - Craft Edition 
• Power of Paint at Mural Makers and More 
• Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming  
• Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming  
• Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors 

Headboard Bench Gets a Makeover

Months ago, I bought a bench at a yardsale.  It was obviously made from a headboard.  The lady who sold it to me said it was an incomplete project that she got tired of looking at.  She just wanted it gone.  I was happy to help her out. 

Thanks to her unfinished project, 

I now have a wonderful bench in my coat room, 

but it was a long time coming.

It sat at our house waiting for attention for ages.  I began to wonder if one day, I too, would just want it gone.  It was already partially painted.  It was as if someone had been putting on the first coat and was interrupted and then never got back to it.  Or maybe they were going to do some sort of two toned finish.  I don't know.

I got started on it last week.  Knowing I would be distressing it, I didn't even prime it.  I wish I had read Barb Blair's great article (Design Sponge) on subtle crackle finish last week.  I would have used a bit of crackle here and there.  I also would have made my first coat of paint something other than black.

I bought some one inch thick foam and put four pieces of it together to form a cushion.  I would have preferred to have one nice four inch thick piece, but Hobby Lobby didn't have it and I didn't have the patience to wait.  As the Nester says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful."  I find myself using that quote often these days.  It's a wonderful phrase to help you feel better about not being a perfectionist.  


I made "underwear" for the cushion - a cover for the foam to go under the real slipcover.  I made it from a painter's dropcloth.  I love dropcloth slipcovers for the real slipcover, but in this case, I had something else in mind. I haven't had time to make the real slipcover, so this project isn't officially finished.  I plan to pipe the real slipcover and make it look a little bit snazzy.  

With Thanksgiving cooking to do, I didn't have time to finish.  The bench cushion would have to settle for underwear for a few days.  But then, all my furry friends came to investigate. Ugh oh. I decided to give it a temporary cover out of a fabric similar in color to the one I'll be making. I just wrapped a few yards of fabric around the cushion and tucked it here and there.  Why bother?  Because, I swear, if I didn't , one of the kitties would barf on the dropcloth cover and it was incredibly hard to pull over the foam.  I hope not to have to wash the "bench underwear" very often. So... better safe than sorry.

I had fun playing with pillows. I don't think I have the right look yet. All of these pillows came from yard sales, and I love them, but I believe I need some a little smaller.  I recently found some pillows at a yard sale that would have been great on this bench.  I put them in my booth and they sold.  Dang!  (or , if you speak French, ^%$#@!)  


Once I finish the real slipcover, I'll feature it in another post.  Meanwhile, I'm happy with it.
 

  ~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster, 
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  and of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
• Themed Linkups - Headboards - at Funky Junk Interiors
• Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
• Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
• Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
• Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking 
• Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
• We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
• Piece of Work Wednesday at Primitive and Proper 
• Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse