The After Life

I've typed this silly thing 3 times and everytime my laptop has said it was overheated and totally SHUT DOWN!

So you're lucky, you are all getting the "Cliff's Notes" version of the story here.

The studio is pretty much FINISHED! Thank you to all who encouraged me (friends and family), inspired me (Heather Bailey, thank you for the push!), To my LilyPlum girls (it wouldn't have happened without you girls cheering me on), and all the shops and garage sales who think things I love are trash.

My journey began when we bought this house, for over a year I've been aching to make my sewing room reflect my style and the style of Sweet Feet Boutique the brand...some place I could create and feel like I was at home doing so. I called my old room the sewing "cave" because I felt like a captive in that color at times. Pink is my favorite, so that's where I started, I painted the walls "Crabapple" (look Erica, I spelled it right!) pink, it turned out just as I wanted.

My desire was to keep it happy, light, and cheerful...so I have been adding various colors I like, it reminds me of Lily Pulitzer to tell you the truth, it's so vibrant.

All the pieces of furniture are from garage sales or antique shops (with the exception of the white book case behind the chaise lounge).

The huge cork board above my work table is my "inspiration board" which was a plain frame I nabbed at a garage sale for $3.00 and painted "Clear Turquoise" by Kilz brand paint in ONE coat, it transformed instantly.

"Trish" my little hanger stand is showcasing my favorite things, hangers that belonged to my Grandmother Jeanell and my mom Cheryl, I love them (and the hangers are cute too).

That's about all I have time to share this morning...thanks for the loving comments and all the compliments, you have truly blessed me, this project was fun but taxing to do in such a short time. Thanks for the boost!

Amelia

How Friends Are Made

I hope you can all take time at some point to look at the links of some people I've met and friends I have made on here. Not only through this blog, but eBay, and other message boards as well. There are so many neat sites out there and I am glad to share the ones I find.

These links can be found directly to the right under "Links I Like."

Distressed To A Pulp

Let me first express how much I am amazed by what one can do if only using a little imagination....

For instance, I purchased this dresser at a garage sale for $50.00 (I tried to get her down to $30.00 but the woman wouldn't budge...). It was green with a brown varnish top layer. I tossed color ideas around and then it just landed on my brain like fresh morning dew.....what about painting it pink and then bringing out that yummy green that's under the varnish. I gave it a good try and applied the tip from a friend of using soap between the two paints and then knocking it off after painting. This worked like a charm for the look I wanted...showing lots of the green.

I had to sand like the dickens to get it where I wanted it, super distressed and very dramatic. I was nervous, but I can't tell you all how pleased I am with the final outcome.

The last thing I did was change out the ugly brass drawer pulls and replace them with lovely pink depression glass pulls. My inner Barbie is coming alive in my pink studio, with pink furniture, and pink accessories..... *grin*

Garage Sale Anyone?

I was lucky enough to tag along with two PRO-Garage-Salers last Saturday and I found some neat pieces to accent my studio and a 3 drawer dresser that I will show you all soon...

Here were some of my spoils from Saturday, before they received some of my TLC...

A Little Kilz Goes A Long Way

Painting is therapeutic and fun for me, so redoing all these pieces for my studio has been great. The reward of having a space that I love makes it seem even more like playtime.

Wal-Mart might just hate me right now, I have been several times for more paint, more brushes, and anything I might need. I really like the Kilz brand paint they sell. Here I am showing some of the work I have done with a color called Clear Turquoise.

It never ceases to amaze me what a couple coats of paint can do....

Amelia

I Give!

Okay yes, here is the picture of me painting, I was hoping nobody would ask to see it, but I was wrong....

Someone To Watch Over Me

Matt was a dream and took care of the girls while I spent the day moving and painting in my sewing room. Everyone was busy playing in the playroom and possibly watching a bit of basketball (maybe...), and I was hard at work in my soon-to-be-studio....but don't fret!....I wasn't alone. Only a few minutes into my painting this friendly guy joined me. *Gasp* Yes, I spent the entire afternoon with this charming and terrifying red wasp. I'm going to call him "Charlie."

Enough For Everyone

Work that is! Yes, I put Avery to work too. Actually, she wanted to help...so it was more fun than anything else.

To Avery I assigned the job of painting my little iron clothes display thing (it really has no name, I should call her "Trish" from now on...). She did great taking "Trish" from bland ivory to gorgeous Pigtail Pink. I have a few more tricks to play on Trish in the next few days, but so far she is quite a cute little addition to my studio...

Spring Break or Spring Work???

As you may well know by now, my husband is a teacher and coach. Spring is his busiest season because of golf (coaching and playing). This week is Spring Break, or so we've been told.

Just like any good wife I've let him rest and tried to help him relax a bit....but that was earlier in the week. The last couple of days I have put this poor man to work as a mover, baby-sitter, and psychologist. *I love you Matt!* Of all the ways to spend his last couple of days off, he has allowed me to go full force in redecorating my sewing room to make it the studio I've been needing.

*** I must insert a HUGE thank you to my friends in LilyPlum for the motivation and Heather Bailey for the inspiration that one can have her cake and eat it too! ***

I'm journaling this both with photos and stories. I hope you enjoy this as much as I am...today has already afforded me much pleasure by saying "good-bye" to one wall of yucky mustard-baby-poo-colored-paint.

Can I Open My Eyes Now?

You might have noticed that I have been extremely quiet lately...actually entirely quiet! Sickness has run through my house like a wild fire looking for kerosene. I'm ready to peek out from behind my can of Lysol and see sunshine and laughter instead of sickness and tummy aches.

All three girls seem better today, but poor Matt isn't feeling well.

I took this sweet picture of Evelyn the day after she started to feel better. I just love it, she looks so content and strikingly beautiful if I do say so my mama-self. LOL

Hope this post finds you all in excellent health..it's a blessing and treasure!

Amelia