Kitchen makeover and video

So last year i did a Tuscan inspired, kitchen makeover that cost less than $250.... This is what I came up with for the dining table. I started with a roadside rescued table that was shaped like an octagon, and thought how cool would that be cut in half and mounted to a wall? Well i decided it would look good in the kitchen, cut in half, too!
I got a little help from some friends, always remember safety glasses, sawdust "ain't no joke"!

After we cut it in half i mounted to a base I also found roadside, the top to this base was too jacked up to bring home. So i rescued what i could. Next i painted the base, Martha Stewart Bulldog Black (I dry ragged it on). The table top was a bit YOUGLY..so I picked a gorgeous white and gold mosaic wallpaper to put over the top. It is a thick wipe able wallpaper(you will hear that a lot in the video), and to this day( one year later), it is still in immaculate shape (because we eat on the couch)...DUh!



In the interest of time and typing I made a video...oddly I made the video while I was working on the kitchen so just thought i would share. Go easy on me, it was a year ago, and I do not read scripts, I just say it as I see it.




Here are pictures of the wallpaper being tacked down underneath (which I mentioned in the video, but I was under the table with no light, and the video of that was too dark so i erased it)

National Volunteer Day...oops week!

National Volunteer Week is April 18-24. Wouldn't it be so cool, for a celeb or designer to host a volunteer design event? *ahem, ahem* any takers?

Anywho, here is a non-redesign, but good for the environment, post. If nothing else for good laughs, I say that because I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat and looking like a goober. In this particular photo, I was volunteering for the "North Carolina Senior Games" .

I went to a Health and Wellness fair with a friend, and he called me over to a booth by saying, "Hey look, here is your picture on the cover of this newsletter", I thought, huh? I walked over and sure enough it was me... I was shocked because, I didn't remember a camera crew snapping photos.



The booth representative said, "Oh it's on the front page of our website too". I went to the website and sure enough my picture was on the front page! I called events office and said hey, I don't remember a camera crew being there, and the young lady said, "Oh they weren't, the gentleman in the picture sent the photo in himself (he had his son taking pictures). The editors liked it decided to put it in a publication"... how cool!

The story: I was one of the three young ladies, giving out the medals in aquatics, and after every race he came out (we were in the lobby)to get his medal, he would only allow ME to give it to him. He said I inspired him to win....I am thinking back on it now, Could it be because i kissed him on the cheek vs, a hug? (he was always soaking wet when he came out)...as you can see he won 6 races! Yowza, that was a lot of my suga' to be giving away...he he he he

For the picture, he came out and insisted I display the medals, he was fun.

Here are some more photos from that newsletter.




Again, this volunteer gig, was a result of seeing some TV commercial and me being a sucka' willing person.

Just in case you are interested and would like to know where to start...Here is a site you can visit to find volunteer opportunities near you. Simply enter your zip code and choose one. And here is a site in which, Disney will give you a free ticket to volunteer...not that it is a motivator or anything...GO Disney!

You know where I will be going for summer vaca!.

I understand that volunteering is not for everyone, but if you find yourself with some free time, give it a try! Do you volunteer?

Rescue day, recent finds

Quick reminder: I am a MAJOR "curbside junky"/"recycle diva". I cannot pass a good piece of (wooden) furniture on the side of the road (unless my kid makes me)...here are some finds from the week.

I saw this frame and gasped, not because the picture was nice, but because it was solid, wooden, and beautiful!

We are going to keep this post friendly as I briefly mention the above picture. Now, I am not saying you have to keep your mattresses forever and in some cases(bed bugs) you have to throw them out, but DANGIT! I HATE SEEING OLD MATTRESSES ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET! I am really trying to get the resources together for a mattress recycling facility in my area. i would do so much with recycling the parts that make up this mattress.


Here is a bathroom cabinet I saw not too far from the rest. Upon closer glance, the fabric on the design is quite beautiful (Asian with dragons) , and the black doors were new. I should have gotten them(read on to find out what happened to them), but I didn't have my screw driver.

Now, this couch thought, is pretty similar to the mattress thought, When i get my recycling facility, couches will be rescued and reused too!

For now I just took the legs off for a future project. I couldn't save it all, but at least a part of it didn't go to the landfill. BTW**The springs in this piece were awesome(for those who do art and work with springs).

Here is a one of four the feet from a couch that was tossed out. They can easily be repurposed by adding it to the bottom of a dresser or night stand.This is one of my favorites, I found about a month ago. It is a huge claw bottom from a wingback chair that was torn. These feet are really cool I will have to add them to a project soon.

This piece of art is sooo cool! It is plastic and as you can see it is of a big city with buildings behind it. I am thinking of painting the background white and the bridges black or vice versa haven't decided yet. It reminds me of the Brooklyn Bridge.


Now all pieces just cannot be saved, "sorry footstool, if i pick you up, you may have mold, bugs and just a plain awful smell, and although your legs look ok, this semi truck, coming down this narrow road, makes me rethink the whole parking by the side of the road rescuing thing"!

So there it is...., I found a cute black magazine rack, some nice feet from two couches, Brooklyn Bridge art, cute little samsonite luggage(if you work with luggage let me know, i have no use for it), picture of a lady reading a book, in a kick ass wooden frame that i may turn into one of these and I almost had...well...look below


This dresser breaks my heart, why? because my son would not let me get it (it was heavy I needed help lifting it) Although i could have convinced him, I waited until the last minute and when i went to get my trailer and come back, the trash guys had already picked it up, along with the bath cabinet doors i wanted in the earlier picture(i could have done this with them) . But here is a link to Adrianna At Dreams of Perfection who did something gorgeous, with a dresser cabinet for her daughter.


Have you found anything good lately? Care to share a link?

Fabric Guide

Ok, this is a quickie, just thought I would post this before going to bed. I know this guide really helped me when buying fabric for my redesigns. Hope it helps ya!

This was a big as I could make it, email me and I will send you the file so you can see it bigger if you need too. I am not sure of images yet, but maybe if you click it, it will get bigger?

Gee, thanks Youtube!

This project is a result of watching Youtube, blame it on them. I was watching Youtube Saturday and I came across a cool video. I have been holding on to some gorgeous peacock feathers for about two months now. Just itchin'(yeah i said it) to use them on something cool, like ...furniture, a lamp, or even a bag. At one point, I thought these would make cool earrings , but I didn't know how to make earrings and was too lazy to ask anyone, to make them for me...

The video (at the bottom of the post)was made by a lil Asian chick with issues. Albeit, I followed her tut, then added my own recycling touch to make them original.




Here is everything I used. I got the feathers from a store that was going out of business, for $.99 (I used the two outer eyes), scissors, needle nose pliers, silver wire for $1.62 and some closure beads for $1.97.

Instead of buying all of the other supplies she used, I figured I would recycle some beads and other things from my own collection. So, I pulled out my drawer of unused, "maybe I will sell it in a garage sale one day", but "maybe it is too ugly, I should give it to the Goodwill", jewelry.


Am I the only one with a tucked away, drawer of crappy costume jewelry? (hey it was cute at the time..don't judge me!) There are even hair rollers with it...DANG!

Well, I figured why not use it. I cut off some beads here and there and tried different looks before I found one I liked and crimped the lasting seal on them. I really like how they came out.

This project is cool because:


1. No one else has my earrings

2. I made them...Yeah!

3. Total cost was less than two dollars for the pair. WOW!



Here is the tut for the video, it is not complete towards the end, and your left thinking how the hell do I attach this thing now? But I figured it out, and so can you.

THANKS YOUTUBE! oh and lil Asian chick with issues!!.

Warning: She can get annoying in this video, but she did me a great service, so Kudos!

Do you make recycled, jewelry? I WANNA SEE!

This makes my heart flutter!!!!

Dayumm!...



YES IT IS AN EXISTING HOME IN MEXICO


YES PLEASE I WANT TO LIVE HERE....
Minus the man part protruding from the wall....*Shaking my head...*

Javier Senosiain hats off my man! Every picture makes me love sea shells by the seashore!

Your effin' kidding right?

Ok, so apparently I signed up to be notified of Jonathan Adler's new piece releases. Oddly, on more than one occasion, we have been kindred spirits, as far as, the items we work on. But this one really takes the cake!

Are we really working on Chandy's at the same time? C-O-O-L!!! NOW, This lovely porcelain finish chandelier can be yours for only $4620.00. WTF? Can you say glossy white paint? Damn Jonathan...who are you again? I better go read your bio. IMO Anyone paying $4620.00 for a Chandelier, needs to be slapped (or I need to be dating you). Chances are if you can afford one, you are not reading my blog anyway....but still

Ok, for a challenge I will make a Kindlelier just like that!RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE!!!

What do you think? Is this piece worth the price of an economy car or a cruise right now?

Dear Victoria

I sooooo apologize for sending you to the party naked. I hope you like the way I dressed you up!

I know turquoise is the color for the year and I think the pewter look is so in right now.....so go and have a ball!

Here is a picture of your cousin from Lowe's..I'll call her "low"


(ever wonder why in pictures of chandeliers the shades are always crooked? wat up with that?)

Things that titillate...

Titillating...Adjective- pleasantly stimulating or exciting;EROTIC (according to Merriam Webster online) I say it means, OH MY, MY, MY!

Because I shop a lot. In addition to my curb shopping, I go to actual stores. Thrift and retail too, so there*sticks her tongue out*. Occasionally I come across things that are amazing and I wished I found by the road...like these

This chair is delicious! It is an antique/vintage whatever you want to call it it has beautiful legs, the vinyl covering is still vibrant and mouthwatering to look at. Only for $10

Check out the shape of the legs, like it is posing huh? The back of this thing is so freaking sleek.I am not into women, but I would gladly call her Vera!I actually sat in this chair after I took the pics and OH MY G!!!! It was so comfy, it was unreal. I didn't buy her because she was already cool enough to go to a good home, She didn't need rescuing. But only $10....*Sigh*

Up next is a really cool desk corner thingy. Not sure what it came from, but I loved the shape. I actually gasped. This $25 piece, will also go to a good home, so no rescuing needed.

I loved this ball of balls it was only $1.49, but I showed restraint and left them there. Mostly because it was only one set of them, if there were two then I would have gotten them. I may still go back and get them and VERA!

Next is this pillowcase, I so have a thing for paisley. I always have, it is kind of like a circle, but not really. It is a swirl of peace and at the same time the unexpected...speaking of which

As I got closer I noticed the prints inside the paisley and completely fell in love with this fabric.
Look at the women carrying jars on their head, symbolizing to me, sisterhood and a strong work ethic. Also

Some random camel men...ah ok...

I picked this up, without hesitation, I bought it...YUP! Proudest $1.50 I spent all day. I don't normally buy things, unless they move me. And this pillowcase did. I can't wait to use it. I may frame it. It is that nice. and old, I mean real vintage.

Next, I spotted this old chandelierI am not a big fan of the whole octagon glass thing, as a matter of fact, I think they can be as unsightly as The Don's comb over. However, if you dare me, I will turn this thing into a really cool chandy lamp..ya dare me? Speak up!

Now on the soapbox, folks I support the Goodwill with no hesitation, they do really good things in the community. Check out their website they offer FREE training online ranging from money management to everyday life, Access, PowerPoint. Members can learn at their own pace. I used it about seven years ago. It really helped me with PowerPoint. If you don't need the site, bookmark it for someone who may...Off now!

Oh, on the way in, I saw a flyer for a fashion show the Goodwill is having. Only $40...ha ha, only huh? Models wearing GCF clothes and walking on a runway. Well to whomever planned this....I hope you have advertised to people who do not shop at the Goodwill, because those of us who do, will not pay $40 for a show, where the item available is the only one, and if we shop there we can't really afford $40 for this, now can we? BTW the clerk, who checked me out said this not me...read more about it here. Honestly, I am going to ask if they would like to incorporate furniture redo's next year too! Hey why not?