New-not-new pillows . . .

Something different had to be done today for creativity purposes. Sometimes, you just have to change up the outlet just to shake up the creativity in one’s head. Or,  … that is how it works for me. Seriously, I had to put the brushes down. I’m getting frustrated with something I’m currently working on so it was basically a life or death situation to redirect. I know there has to be at least one person out there feeling me. It has been an awesome rainy day – which makes for a bigger problem. Because I love to clean when it rains. Hear me when I say, I LOVE to clean when it rains – like to a sickening degree. But I have so many silly little projects that need immediate attention, too! So, I’m trying to knock out a few of those so I can clean AND then have a refocused mind to get un-frustrated so I can paint.

Did you follow that???

I hope so!

Remember Em’s room?? Yeah, the one I’m still slowly working on. I linked to that particular post because it has a little re-do project in it.

See this pillow? I love this pillow and her little twin! But I have to admit, they have been driving me crazy how their little fabric dances around the pillow when you touch either of them! So, I did what any sane person would do.

I took them apart.

I took a seam ripper and picked the back off the front basically. Once they were apart, I ran them back through my sewing machine. I {kinda} followed the lines in the fabric and kept the gathered ruching look – because it is fabulous. Now, I have no lies to tell – it is probably some sloppy work for the skilled seamstress. But it works perfectly for the look I’m going for!

The best part was when I finished and Emme says, ”Miss Momma. YOU are just AWESOME!”

“And Ems, don’t you ever forget it!” haha! I love this kid!

I did use the same pillow form. The newer version is for sure square. When I sewed the other lines in, it squared up the fabric majorly. But I’m totally diggin’ it! And it was easy. The time consuming part was taking it apart. I did NOT handstitch the hole closed after I stuffed the pillow in. I actually ran it through the machine, too! Amazingly, it was a straight line – even with the pillow about to bust out!  But the hand stitching takes up too much time! I did time myself from beginning to end it it took me 37 minutes to do this project. And that folks, is called instant gratification!!

Guess what I got yesterday???? Well, guess! Okay, forget it – you will never guess it!

Finally. After years of searching. And years of begging. I got me a REAL LIFE French Provincial Sofa!!!!! Krista has had one in her studio for years. And I would remind her {you would probably consider it maybe a little on the obnoxious side} that I wanted the sofa when she was ready to part with it.

She was ready or I just broke her down. Either way, I got the sofa!!!

God bless you, Krista! I will be naming my next child after you!!!!

{Oh, wait. That might pose a problem.}

I’ll post pictures of her {the sofa, not Krista} later. No need to show you till she is about to be transformed into her new duds. And the tiny fact that I don’t have a room for her yet will caused that project to be put on the back burner. But hey, I finally got the sofa, right??

Later peeps, I have a house to clean!

Hitting a brick wall . . .

I hate to tell you guys this, but I did – I hit that brick wall. It happens sometimes. This time it was because of my studio was trashed, yet again. I finally just had to stop everything I was doing and really do an over haul of my room. Seriously move stuff out and clean base boards. I hate that frazzled feeling. And at my age, I’ve learned that if I feel that way in one area of my life, it will quickly go into other areas of my life. And it all begins in here – my studio. Probably because this is my space to get away from everything. This is the room that just takes me away. I hope everyone that reads my blog has “that” space. We all need it. Creativity has always been very important to me and I have to have it. When I have lost it {creativity I mean} for a moment, I feel lost. Everyone is different. And everyone has that crutch that they lean on – their creative outlet. Some people read, write, sew, play an instrument, whatever – but it takes you away. It helps fade the edges of rough day or it could be the cherry to top off a great day. I don’t care how you look at it, we each need that extra something that helps define who we are. And in most cases, you need that place, space or spot that will help you get the most out of your creativity – whatever it may be.

In this stage of my life, painting is my outlet. And it has been for the past 7ish years. To say that I enjoy painting would really be an understatement. I love painting. It is a part of me. And I love to throwing myself into a painting in whatever mood I’m in just to see what the end result will be. But when my studio gets so crazy looking that I’m finding myself staring at the mess more than a canvas, I have some serious problems. So, today I just started stacking things up and moving them out. Between the Clorox wipes, Pledge and Windex …. this room transformed .

I didn’t take a single picture before hand because I just dove in. I didn’t even think to. And frankly, it was so bad that I’m sure I wouldn’t have posted them. I had to box up shipments, write thank you notes and print out shipping labels. I listed out all my paint color needs and supply needs. I even changed up my inspiration board – moved it, too!!

I have to admit, the table that holds all the paints drives me cray-cray because I still have not painted it white! My chicken coop table still isn’t white either {I didn’t take a picture of it – sorry.} Maybe I will get to that this summer! Although, I distinctively remember it being on last year’s summer list. I want the kind of studio you’ve seen that is incredibly cute and functional as well! And for some reason I think my furniture needs to be all white for that to come full circle! I also want a sheet of glass to cover the entire top of my painting table.

Of course I cleaned my room while watching all of this weeks episodes of Days of Our Lives. I have officially ran out of stuff to watch while painting. I kept seeing previews for the show The Only Way is Essex on Hulu. I couldn’t help myself, I started with season 1, episode 1. Confession – I had to stop what I was doing to concentrate on what they where saying!!! Now, let us get something straight – I have a thick southern accent. So, I have no right to be talking about the way anyone talks. But I really couldn’t understand them!!! My favorite was “Shu-Up” – I heard it so many times in the first episode, I have officially started saying shut-up just like it!! hahah! And for the record, I love their accent – even if I couldn’t understand it {at first!} Now, I have 4 seasons to finish up because nothing is better than fake reality. Nothing.

As for that brick wall – it must have come crashing down as soon as I moved everything back in the room because I am ready to paint again. I’ve sucked down a few cups of coffee. My kids are in bed asleep. And I’m singing the Essex theme song – it is time to get my paint on.

Nightstands . . .

I blogged about my nightstands recently. My friend, Jamie, who is the Craigs List Whisperer {she can find anything at the price you are wanting to spend – swear,} found me some early 90’s {guessing} Ethan Allen tables. And when I tell you they were exactly what I was wanting is an understatement – I had them pictured in my head and she found those mugs – for $40. FORTY BUCKS FOR THE SET!

I seriously just mention something I “think” I might want and the girl finds it. It is some serious craziness. I told her she needed to start a business. I hope she will one day!!!

Some of these pictures are not the best – so I apologize now! I know everyone wants to know how I did it – so let’s begin. Emme put on some rubber gloves and wiped both tables down with a clorox wipe. Oh, yes she did! I unscrewed the dated hardware {and trashed it. I hope that crap never comes back around in style} and filled in the holes with a wood filler. I had Home Depot mix up 2 sample containers of paint – you know the 7.5 fluid ounce tubs.

The colors

Behr's Lotus Leaf

Behr's Dragonfly

I liked both colors and really didn’t know which to choose. For $2.94, it really didn’t matter. But they are like a blue/gray/green – ish color. I painted the first coat the Lotus Leaf and the second coat Dragonfly.

I then took a fine grit sanding block and sanded all over! I put a little more effort on the edges that would naturally be worn. I bought the new drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby 1/2 off for $1 each.

So, for under $50 and about 2 hours of my time and 20 minutes of Emme’s,} I got the perfect nightstands!!!!! {yet again, winning!!!}