French Poem on a Garden Bench

I finally finished a project this week that I can share with you.  I also want to thank all of you for your comments about Carter.  I am still walking in the clouds and can't believe we are finally grandparents.  Dreams do come true after all.

I purchased this bench from a friend who loves to sell me things.  The bench had already been repaired, received a new seat and had a primer coat of white paint on it.

I sprayed it with white Rustoleum because it is a good exterior paint even for wood.

Then I thought long and hard about what to do with a plain white bench.  When I was new to blogland, I saw a dresser done by Miss Mustard Seed that had a French poem on the front of it.  I loved the idea, but when I checked into the stencil she used, it was really expensive.  I have wanted that stencil for over a year and a half, and I keep thinking of things I can do with it.

So I bit the bullet and ordered the stencil from Royal Design Studios.  I can use this for so many things including drop cloth fabric for upholstery projects.  I do love the bench with this beautiful "Springtime in Paris" poem.  After all, what's more romantic than a garden bench with a love poem on it?  I will give this a good spray with Valspar clear flat spray.  That is suitable for outdoors as well, and it will give it a good protective finish.

Thanks for your visits.



I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday


Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                     Common Ground
                                               

Welcome Carter

On Sunday, June 23, we welcomed a beautiful healthy baby boy into our family.  Meet Carter, our first grandchild.

We are spending the week in northern California with our daughter and son-in-law and the baby.  I will be back to blogging when we return home next week.

Frenchy Pastry Cart

No matter where I took photos of this tea cart, they didn't come out very good, but this was one of the projects I took to the Little French Flea Market last weekend.  I'm pleased to report it did sell.

I found the cart at another flea market.  It was wood and missing the drop leafs and the drawer, but I fell in love with it anyway, and if you didn't know those things were previously there, you wouldn't know they were missing.

I used one of my new Maison d' Stencils on the top and bottom and finished off the corners with a simple corner stencil from Michael's.  It's a cute cart and it could be used for so many things including a night table.  It has lots of surface space and the extra shelf on the bottom.

Here is the before.  Pretty boring, but it had potential.
Thanks for stopping by.
I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Rusty Frame

I finished all my reverse mod podge transfer projects and now I want to share a new product I just tried.  It's by Modern Masters and it's part of their metal effects line.  It's a two part process and I love the results.  Doesn't this look like real rust on this frame?

When I showed you the verdigris finish about a month ago, I had a comment that the reader was surprised it would work on wood.  That is exactly what these products are designed for.  They are for taking a plain everyday item and giving it a metal like appearance.  

First I painted the frame with some Annie Sloan graphite.  BTW, this started out as a shiny silver frame.  Then I applied two coats of the Modern Masters iron paint.  I painted the first coat a month ago and got side tracked with other projects then I finally picked up this one again.  When I started back on this frame I applied the second coat of iron paint.  Once it was dry I sprayed on the rust activator.  Five minutes later I sprayed the second coat of rust activator.

It took about an hour to achieve the full effect, but if you love rust like I do, this product is for you.  I would love to do a small piece of furniture.  It's so unusual and I love the results.

Thanks for stopping by.


I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Vintage Rose Table

This week I'm finalizing projects I want to take to the Little French Flea Market.  I found this sweet little table at another flea market last month and I have to confess, I have never found a drop leaf table like this I didn't want to drag home.  It still had the original wood finish that was not in good shape and it was very boring so I thought I would romanticize it a little.

It got a coat of Annie Sloan Old White and then I used my Modern Masters crackle finish.  I confess I might have gotten a little carried away with it.  I usually just use it in spots but I did the whole top with the crackle.  I had some rose cut outs that I bought years ago on Ebay so I arranged them on paper and then Xeroxed them to fit the curve of the table.

The center of the table was too plain so I added a typography image I found on Pinterest.  You can see that I had some trouble with the reverse mod podge that I did but it adds to the vintage charm.

The handle was broken that came with the table so I added an antique drawer pull.  Then I trimmed the table out in a little gold paint to add to the vintage patina.

I think the table is pretty and romantic.  These little pieces are so versatile they can be used almost anywhere.

Thanks for stopping by.

I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Rose Bench

Last week I showed you my Jeanne d' Arc inspired bench and I told you I purchased two of these little cuties at the salvage yard.  Somehow I couldn't leave them plain.  They were wood when I purchased them and old and grungy at that.  My husband painted them both Annie Sloan's Old White.  That's one of my favorite whites right now because it really does look old.

I did a tea cart a few months ago with this same configuration of graphics.  Some of them are Graphics Fairy, some are from Pinterest and some are from Google images.  After I did the reverse mod podge, I went back in with a stencil and placed some wording.

These pieces are low and about 36 inches long, but they could be used next to a high bed, as a stepping stool, at the foot of the bed or a bathroom.  

I love the combination of the florals and the typography.  

Both these benches are off to the Little French Flea Market this weekend.

Thanks for visiting.

I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Cherry Crate

I wanted to get a quick post up before I turn my computer over to a techie for a thorough diagnostics work up.  After last week's problems, I want to make sure everything is working fine.

I'm getting ready for the French Flea Market and churning out as many projects as I can.  This is one that I just finished.

It's an old fruit crate that had the word cherries stenciled on it, but I didn't like the way it looked.  So I added my images and the word cherries once again.  The graphic was an image I found on line.  It's from an old Catherine Klein image.  The colors were vibrant and that's the look I was going for.  

It's a great crate for just about anything or it could be used as a deep tray as well.  I did both sides so it could also be used as a centerpiece on a table.

Thanks for stopping by.

I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays