Apothecary Jars and the curse of OCD

I've been having so much fun messing with this and that lately.  I've been all over the board!!!!  If a person could get inside my mind, I'm certain it would make them dizzy.  I probably need to take a few steps back from the World Wide Web.  There are so many ideas out there, well, it could drive this girl over the edge.  Not that I have all that far to go, mind you.  I have a "touch" of (actually full blow) OCD..  I get all these projects in my mind going and then the fact that they are unfinished haunts me.  The OCD makes me work very slowly because every detail must be precise.  Therefore, every piece I've bought and stored away calls my name.  Then there's the fact that my house looks like a cross between Hobby Lobby and a wood shop which is driving me insane.  You've got the obsessive....  which is the buying and creating and then the compulsive which can't tolerate disorganization.  It's a double edged sword people!!!  I'm working my way through it though!!  Believe it or not I've mellowed in my old age.  LOL!!!! 

When I walk into a thrift store, I can't stay focused on searching for just one category of items.  I see this and go  "oooooh!!!" and I see that and go "oooh!!!"  I really need to learn to talk to myself before entering the doors.  The conversation needs to go like this, "Okay girl, we're looking for furniture today!  Do not approach the glassware, picture frames or ANYTHING other than furniture".  Gotta work on that! 

BUT, I've been seeing all these pretty DIY apothecary jars on the Internet like these. 

And these

I really wanted to make some.  They are just TOO cute!!!!  So, in my thrifting travels, I was on the lookout for candle sticks that I could paint and then add empty jars with spray painted lids.  Much to my surprise, I stumbled upon some REAL apothecary jars.  You'd have thought I just hit the million dollar lottery!!!!  Then, my whole mindset had to change.  Searching, searching for candle holders to fit the jars.  Luck would have it that I have found the honey hole of thrift stores!  There are shelves of stuff packed so tightly that you are afraid if you move one item, the whole thing will come tumbling down!  (taking Pig Pen in there makes my hiney tight and sends shivers down my spine!!!)  Stuff has probably been there for 10....  20 years.  It's a "picking" experience not a thrifting experience!  That's one of the perks of living in a rural area with so many tiny towns nearby. 

So, after finding the jars, I lucked up and found these.

My stars must have been aligned perfectly that day!  The one in the back was a ceramic class creation by Dot circa 1967.  It was orange but I had already hit it with primer before I remembered to take the picture.  The other two were the EXACT same style but in two different paint finishes.  What are the chances of that?  Ideally, I would have liked all three to be different since the jars were all different but, hey, thrifters can't be choosers! 

I primed them and mixed up a concoction of chalk paint using plaster of paris, water, and Martha Stewart's Seaglass.  I painted them ,waxed them and glued the jars on.  And TA~DA! 

The second picture is more true to the actual color (a seafoam green).  My photography skills plainly suck!  But, I have to let that go!  Can't get obsessed with THAT too! 

Here's the kicker.  These apothecary jars and a little light house votive candle holder project I'm working on have sparked the idea of a bathroom makeover.  (big sigh).  Adding ANOTHER project to my scattered brain's agenda!!!! 

It's all good!!!  While I do drive myself crazy, the truth is I ALWAYS have.  No matter what I'm doing, whether it's designing a custom kitchen or painting a thrift store find.  I'm always my own worst critic and over analyzing every detail.  The beauty of my life today is, I CAN slow down to the pace that I'm comfortable with and start taking life in stride.  The "business politics" end is out of it and now it's all about the creating.  I still have alot of work to do in the "not driving myself crazy" department but atleast now it's just ME doing it! 
That's right folks!  I'm a little crazy but the first step is understanding and accepting your "issues" because we all have them.  Next step is finding your place in the World where your "issues" work for you rather than against you.  I've NEVER been more content!  I've been blessed with two guys who love me for who I am...  they always have.  I just had to learn to love and accept me too.   

Embrace and love who you are!! 

Black Distressed Chest of Drawers and Bookcase

I'm on a roll!!!!!  Two posts in less that 24 hours.  I know you are grabbing your heart Fred Sanford style at the amazement of it all.  :-)

I recently re-vamped a couple of pieces for a friend.  This girl has an eye for decorating that is beyond description!  Her house is simply gorgeous so I was quite flattered that she asked me to paint a chest of drawers and bookcase for her little boy's room, which she is in the process of redecorating. 

Here's what they looked like before. 

The chest of drawers had been previously painted white and lived in her daughter's room.  The bookcase had a coat of gray primer when I picked it up.  Stephanie wanted them painted black and distressed.  Distressed is always best when living in a room with an 8 year old boy!!! 

So, I got to work.  First step was to strip the white paint off the chest.  I believe it had been painted with floor paint, and while durable, it had a texture that I wasn't digging. 

Kinda gross, don't ya' think?  Stripping paint has to be one of the messiest jobs there are but this stuff is a miracle in a can!!!!  After getting the old paint off, I sanded her down to get a nice smooth surface.  Then I applied "Gripper" primer and then flat black paint. 

Then some distressing along all the beautiful lines to make them really stand out. 

I used the same technique on the bookcase.  Because the two pieces were different wood species, the distressing didn't match and I DEFINITELY wasn't digging on that!!!!  So, I applied Cherry stain with a Qtip to all of the distressed areas on both pieces.  The last step was two coats of wipe-on Poly.  I LOVE that stuff!!!!!  It's easy as pie to apply and it gives a hand rubbed finish. 

I took them back to their home yesterday and Stephanie was THRILLED with the results which made my heart smile.  I'm always nervous when working on other's furniture but I was a little extra nervous on these because she has such beautiful taste.  So, when she was so happy with them, I wanted to do the happy dance right then and there!!! 

I'll leave you with before and afters side by side.  I have seen others post their pics this way and I loved it because I could truly appreciate the before and after.  SO, I was quite impressed with myself when I figured out how to do this!!   

Hope y'all have a wonderful Sunday!  We are having some beautiful weather again here in SC so I'm going to get busy today sanding several pieces.  Then, when the weather turns cold, I can pull something out and paint inside.  I'm getting smarter about this stuff!!!!!  :-)

Chalk Paint Experiment = Facebook BLOW UP!

Yep, it's really me!  I have not fallen off the face of the Earth.  It's been a while since my last post but I have a tendency to get tied up over on my Facebook page.  I really enjoy the interaction and the amazing people that I've met!  It's SUCH a fun place to be!  I tend to get caught up and forget Blogland.  I'm going to do better though, I promise. 


Speaking of the Facebook page!  Things have really been hopin' over there.  I've had a nice steady stream of new friends since starting my page, a little over three months ago, and just recently did my first give away after reaching 200 likes.  I was tickled to death to reach 200!!!!!!  I just shipped the prize out two weeks ago to Final Touches Redesign.  Then, I posted this a couple of days ago and my page BLEW UP!!!  I'm talking about mind boggling numbers of people.  Take a peak.

This is what got people swarming over.  I was expecting swirls of smoke to come boiling out my screen!  I've had almost 30 new likes in less than 24 hours.  WHAT!?  GET OUT!!!!!  That's what I was saying this morning when I logged on.  Surely, this is a nice dream and I'm going to wake up in a few minutes.

Here's how it all came about.  You may remember that I wrote a post (forever ago) that I was going to experiment with homemade chalk paint.  I'm slow like a turtle....  it's just who I am.  Got that from my Daddy.  He never got in a hurry for anything but I loved that about him.  That was so much of his gentle, calm nature.  So, a gazillion days later, I actually got around to doing it.  I can't take ANY credit for the recipe.  2ndEssence is the one who developed the recipe I used and she was gracious enough to share it with others.  I'm so glad she did!  It's so stinkin' AWESOME!!!!!!  (I'll share it with you at the end of the post). 

I mixed it up, got out one of my little cheapo sponge brushes and got to painting.  I forgot to take a before picture of the frames but they were just your basic ugly gold frames.  After I painted them with the chalk paint, I then lightly dry brushed a couple of coats of white primer over the details.  I was fresh out of white paint (can you believe that?  Got every color under the sun but no white).  Time to take a trip to Lowes for more supplies!  To finish them up, I brushed on Minwax finishing paste (with my redneck waxing brush ~ a paint brush with a rubber band around the bristles).  Hey, I'm the Queen of improvising and doing things as cheaply cost effect as possible....  got that from my Daddy too.  LOL! 

Here are some close up shots. 

Who knew an experiment would cause such a stir???  I sure didn't!!!  But, I'm so grateful that I (little ole' me.... the Redneck Princess) was able to inspire others.  I don't think there's a better feeling in the whole World!  I've shared the recipe for this paint numerous times today and I'm going to share it again here (and 1 million times more to anyone who is interested!) 

1 1/2 cups Acrylic Latex paint (the one I used was Satin finish and I believe that's what 2ndEssence uses too with the exception of white.  When mixing white I believe she uses flat)
1/2 cup Plaster of Paris
1/2 cup warm water
First mix plaster of paris and water until there are no lumps and then mix in your paint. 

This paint gives a timeless, antique look that is very soft and subtle and its cheap cost effective.  I will definitely be using it again on certain things but will stick to my tried and true method on others.  I think variety is the spice of life!!!

In closing, I found this painting hanging on the wall of a thrift store and I COULD not leave it behind!  I had to save Miss Valda's art. 

I thought of how much love and time she put into this (just as I do with furniture) and I was determined she was going to get a better home.  While I didn't know how I would work this into my other things because it's not exactly my style, I so appreciated the skill and the colors.  Not to worry, I have two people who want to give Miss Valda a forever home.  Yay!!!!!  We love and value you Miss Valda wherever you are! 

Love & peace to all,

FEELING the true meaning of Christmas ~ for the first time!

I'm sitting on the screen porch and I hear the nearby church bells playing "I wish you a Merry Christmas".  It's so beautiful!  So strange (and sad) that I've lived here for 12 years and never noticed the bells playing Christmas music.  That is the second time today that I've heard them.  This is the first year of my 41 years on this Earth that I TRULY appreciate the real meaning of Christmas.  I think we all know what it's supposed to be about but we get so wrapped up in the stress of it all.  I've been guilty of that my entire life.  I saw a post on someone's FB page earlier asking what everyone is grateful for this year.  Naturally, I'm grateful for my family.  I'm one lucky girl!!!  I get to stay home and pursue my dreams with total support from my sweet son and totally devoted husband.  We are all healthy and have everything we need.  I'm always thankful for those things.  But, this year, I'm especially grateful for the spiritual awakening that has happened within me since my father's passing.  The only way I know how to describe it is it was like looking through hazy glasses and then suddenly they are clean and everything looks so much clearer and more pure.  My senses are so acute now.  I hear and see things I never would have noticed before.  When I hear those bells playing, "I wish you a Merry Christmas", somehow I KNOW that's my daddy telling me he's still here with me and that he's okay and he loves me and as he always told me, "It'll be okay".  I know that sounds hokey but it's a "feeling" I get.  I don't know how to explain it.  I can just be going about my business and something stops me in my tracks.  Almost like someone grabs me by the collar and says, "STOP!".  (if you don't believe that, as I was typing this post I saw my cell phone light up and it said "receiving message".  Took a while but a text came through from April.....  a girl I met through FB who lives in Maine.  I've never met her in person but she has become a good friend via telephone conversations.  Her text was simply this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM&feature=youtu.be .  A song titled "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry.  That was TOTALLY random and to say that it sent shivers down my spine and tears to my eyes doesn't even begin to describe my reaction to it.  I've never heard this song before but in the lyrics at the end of the song it says "funny how when you're dead people start listening".  WOW is all I can say right now!)  The greatest gift my father ever gave me was his death.  As strange as that sounds, the dying process is much like a birth.  As painful as it was to watch, now that I know he's made his journey and he's at peace in a place more beautiful than you or I could ever imagine, I can look back on it now and realize how blessed I was to witness his crossing over to be with our Father.  I wouldn't take ANYTHING for the days and nights I sat by his bedside as he was making his way to Heaven. NOW, I get the true meaning of Christmas and I am forever changed for the better.  Thank you Daddy!  May you have the most beautiful Christmas at the table with Jesus in God's house!  May you sing and dance with angels and enjoy your hard earned peace and comfort in the company of family and friends who went before you.  "I wish you a Merry Christmas" too Daddy and I hear you loudly and clearly!  As always, you are making sure I'm okay and I truly am okay now.  I will NEVER stop missing you but I'm much better than you left me.  You are taking care of me now just as you always did.  Making sure my heart is taken care of.  You are a remarkable man and your gentle and kind heart lives on.  I feel it with me every day!  So, you see, through this past year and all I've experienced I not only know that Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ......  now I FEEL it.  It feels pretty awesome!!!!! 

Chest of Drawers ~ Before & After

Hello friends!  It's been a while, I know.  Things have been hectic lately (well, in my mind any way).  I seem to be having trouble keeping things straight in my brain.  There's been lots of "static" in my brain waves!  Not to worry, I'm not hearing voices!  LOL! 

I recently finished a chest of drawers for a client.  I went over to take a look at her existing furniture so I could coordinate this piece. 


Here is the chest before:

This girl has seen A LOT of use!  But, she's all solid wood with no veneer.  Those are the ones I REALLY love! 

Here she is after her make-up was applied:

New mahogany stain and hand rubbed poly on the top. 

Original knobs stripped and stained to match the top.

Sweet little scalloped detail on the bottom really popped after she was painted an antique white.  Honestly, when I purchased this piece, I never even noticed the detail.  It wasn't until after the primer went on that I saw how lovely it was. 

Much better, don't you think? 

Amazing what a little make-up can do for a girl!  ;-)  Okay, once again, I have spent too much time on the computer this morning.  The thing has super natural powers.  I try to stay away from it but every time I walk past it, it sucks me back in!  Geez!  There is no telling how much furniture I could churn out if I could stay off of this BEAST! 

Seashell Christmas

I'm sure everyone knows by now that I have a serious passion for the coast and all things coastal.  While I don't live on the coast (not because I can't tear myself away from the sleepy little town of Gilbert but because I'm po), I pretend that I do when I decorate for Christmas.  My family's fondest memories are of times we've spent together while on or near salt water. 

I was always a very traditional kinda girl in my Christmas decorating.  A live tree decked out with red and white!  A few years ago, after a spectacular summer of many off-shore fishing weekends with my two guys and gathering so many priceless photos from those trips, I decided to purchase a white artificial tree and decorate it with the shells we found on a deserted island that we had so much fun combing and also with the photos we had taken.  I dubbed it the "family beach tree".  That year, I still had the traditional tree and put the beach tree in the kitchen.  My son fell in love with it and has only wanted it since.

Here she is!  She's a little on the small side.  Think I need to bite the bullet and hit a day after Christmas sale to see if I can score a larger white tree.  Oh, the thought of that just made my stomach do flip flops!!!  I loathe crowded stores!!!!!  Guess that's why I feel so at home in the thrift stores. 

Anyhoo, for the last few years, I have been expounding on the coastal theme and last year made this seashell wreath for our front door. 

Glitter and seashells!  Does it get any better??????  Tanya, over at "Make the Best of What's Around" is doing a blog post of Christmas wreaths so I threw this one into the ring!  If you have a hand made wreath you should go over and post it on her Facebook page or link a blog post!  I can't wait to see all the submissions she gets!!!!! 

Hope you are having fun decorating and celebrating with your own family traditions!  While our tiny beach tree is anything but traditional, it holds a lot of meaning for us and is very personal.  So is this simple wreath.  Every shell was picked up by us on a beautiful beach as we walked it alone....  just the three of us! 

Back Out!

Yep....  that's right..... my back is OUT!!!  I scored some fabulous stuff on Friday but got a little cocky in thinking that I was still 20 years old and could move all this furniture around by myself.  It's a pride issue!  I could have just left it all in the back of the truck and waited till hubby got home.  BUT, there's this "thing" i possess within me that says, "ha!  I don't need help...  I can do it myself....  watch me!"  Well, I did it myself
alright!  Did it up real good! 

First, I unloaded this very heavy solid wood piece!  



Then a sewing machine table with the sewing machine still inside!~ HEAVY

The second sewing maching table with sewing machine still intact! 

And two cute chairs.  Okay, these weren't heavy and I'm sure they didn't contribute to my back injury but I didn't want to leave them out! 

There was also a milk glass chandelier that I just remembered is in the front seat of the truck.  In my pain, I forgot about it.  Just tried to talk Pig Pen into going out and getting it and he said, "NO!  It's scary out there in the dark!"  (sigh) 

So, as I've spent the weekend walking like a wounded duck and my son laughing his butt off at me (love you too baby) I could only work on upholstery yesterday and that was a challenge.  One second, everything is fine but then I make the slightest move and it feels like I've been stabbed in the back with a knife.  I move (very slowly), make a wrong move, the stabbing pain hits and I scream.  Then Pig Pen yells, "Mom, are you okay!!?"  Yes. son, I'll make it and then he's doubled over in laughter as he watches me try to walk all hunched over like a 100 year old person.  He even asked if he and Dad should go to the store and get me a walker or a wheel chair.  Ya' gotta love the children!!!! 

And then, today, I really had to swallow my pride and ask hubby if he could go pick up two pieces from a client and get them unloaded by himself.  I guess all those hours he spends at the gym pumping iron finally came in handy.  So, my pride has come back to bite, ONCE AGAIN! 

Please pray with me that my back will recover quickly as there is SO much to be done and also so I can be relieved of the humiliation of walking like a duck with a stick up it's &#% !

Fun times at Sissy's Salvation right now! 

Hope your weekend has been better than mine.  ;-)