Here I Am!

AWOL again.  Actually I have been closer than normal.  I am hermiting a bit here at home to meet some upcoming deadlines with work.  Custom projects that took longer than expected, unexpected work (it's really a good thing), and family time (a very good thing).  It always gets crazy this time of year with the kids heading back to school, new rhythms to establish, 2 September birthdays to celebrate, new activities to support, meetings to attend, yada, yada, yada.  I've determined that most of you just handle all of that much better than I do!  It's OK, and if all it means is an occasional knot in my stomach, lump in my throat, tear in my eye, and a date with a glass of wine at the end of the day then it's all good compared to all the other things happening in the world right now.  

Here I Am Lord, is one of my all time favorite hymns.  I think a listen to those words would be a good idea for me here.

I shall return with some sneak peeks and hopefully some more fully finished projects soon.  Thanks to those that haven't totally given up on stopping by the blog!
Deb

Lonesome Dove Dresser

Does everyone have these strange moments when you are working on a piece of furniture and you know just what the post title will be before you even finish it?  Hello?  Hello?  

Well Lonesome Dove here started out as a good idea that ended up being a hot mess.  Really, I was doing this awesome job of brushing paint on every which way in a pile of "complimentary" colors.  Ha!  It was pretty bad, and what do you do when you think it's bad, but you really don't want to start completely over...Distress it...a lot.

And then you end up liking it.  It's now not a hot mess, but rustic.  Viola!

It's a combination of ASCP in Old White, Old Ochre, and Coco.

Love these big ole wooden knobs.  Sweet.

Huge, deep drawers and solid wood construction.  Does it look familiar?  I've had others just like this one that came out of a sorority house remodel.  I have more too...yee haw!

You just never know sometimes how it's all going to turn out.  And sometimes that's the best part.

Goodbye Summer!
Deb

Rockin' Robin

So many bird titles, so few bird pieces.  I shall have to work on that.  Anyway, back when the Paint By Number inspiration overcame me I had 3 pieces of furniture pulled out to try it on.  #3 has already been tagged to try something totally different on at a later date.  But #2, well it made it to the race so to speak.
This is a wonderful vintage bench, solid oak, that I purchased from a neighbor's parents after they contacted me.  I adore this piece, and almost didn't paint it at all.  But something kept telling me that it needed a bit of something to take it's next step.

So I set out to paint it and then drew a bird on a branch paint by number to float around in the inset.  At first I painted this without all the clouds and it just did not jive at all.  Then I added a background to it.  Meh... It seemed too bright, too in your face.  I did what I always do when I get stuck on a piece.  I took a photo of it.  Something about looking at it on the camera screen and the computer makes your problem areas shout at you, and I usually know what to fix.  Actually in the photo the clouds looked better than they did in person.  But I did solve my problem.

When I had finished this piece I had really distressed the entire piece heavily.  The inset looked too finished and did not go with the rest of the bench.

So I distressed the heck out of it to match the rest of the bench and viola', I was quite happy with it.  It's not perfect, but then what PBN ever was?

It now has a more rustic, time aged feel to it.  I love it a lot!  Do I say that too much?

Here's the entire bench in all her new glory!  Rockin' the pretty little Robin with her Duck Egg Blue paint.  I think it is perfect now, and want to keep it so badly.  The Mr. is balking at moving the piano though.  I get it, but I'm not sure I'll give up on him yet!

At our house it's a Musical week.  My youngest just finished Summer Musical Theater with 2 amazing performances by the 50 talented kids at the Elkhorn Valley Community Theater!  My 2 Sr. High gals are wrapping up a week of Band Camp and are sure to wow us with a fantastic performance at the Band Expo tonight!  Good luck girls at the Drill down!

Thank you to the Ladies at Elizabeth & Co. for featuring my Paint By Number Dresser!  I LOVE their party and see so many inspiring pieces and recipes!  Go visit them!

Have a great week, dwiddly diddly deet...Rockin' Robin!

Deb

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