The Middle Child

Thank you for the prayers for Ellie's surgery!!  It went well and we are hoping and praying for a successful outcome, though we won't know for a while.  Before the surgery I managed to grab a piece I had purchased for my middle daughter and get it base coated.  Stress management painting, it works for me!  A couple of brief work sessions later it is finished.

My middle daughter is a lot like me when it comes to decorating and color and changing things up.  She and I like to 'redo' perfectly fine rooms.  Hers is just getting a bit of a tweaking since she finally seemed ready to part with the Hot Pink bedding and zebra striped accessories!  Yes (insert fist pump here)!  I had already painted her room a neutral color a soft beige.  Her bed is an antique iron headboard painted black, it will stay, and for now so will the black desk, though she has managed to beat the front to death with her rolling office chair so it will eventually get a tweak too.  We are just beginning and until we get "Oldest child" off to college  and the Prairie Market and band commitments out of the way it won't be finished.  One of the big changes is replacing her old dresser with something new.  New being a relative term in our house, right?!

I am notoriously bad at remembering 'before' photos, but that's OK this time.  It's not hard for you to imagine a blond mid-century modern oak dresser right?  Everyone's parents or grandparents had them in the 50's and 60's.  The best part about them is that they were usually made to last forever!  They are heavy and well built for the most part.  This one had a few veneer chips out of some drawers that were easily filled since I planned to paint.

Other than that, it was clean as a whistle.  Maddie chose Beach Glass, which is such a pretty teal/turquoise color.  She was torn between coral and teal, but I think she made the right choice and she will be adding in some coral with accent items.  The room will have an eclectic gathered feel, because that's how all my other rooms are and it is what we do around here.  Nothing too match, but hopefully somewhat cohesive in the end.

The nice thing about mid-century modern pieces are the flat, simple lines.  These flat drawers were the perfect place for some stenciling.  This is a floral lace furniture stencil.  I love how it has an almost batik feel to it.

I kept the original hardware which was kind of funky cool.  I resprayed it as the old finish was 1/2 worn off so it is nice and shiny now.

I think this will be a nice piece that will serve Maddie well for a long time to come.  Or until she talks me into another room makeover...

Have a peaceful end of the week!

Deb

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Senior Year & stencil fun!

My oldest is a Senior in High School this year.  And yes, I am slightly freaked out by that!  It is both an exciting time in their lives and a nostalgic time in their parents lives.  Anyhow, just so you know I am a bit scattered right now with all those "last" this' and thats' for her, while also enjoying the last quarter of the 10th, and 2nd graders' year also with my other 2 kiddos.  Here is a little Prom moment. to share.  I'm definitely biased, but she is just so lovely.

I am so proud of this young woman!  She is just a joy to have around, and I just can't believe how fast the years have flown by.   Next time I'll pick on another child to plop up here in a post.  Love them all!  There are just lots of programs, parties to plan and attend, graduation, and other obligations so if I'm absent a bit for the next couple of months you'll know why.

 I am continuing to work on projects, though not as many and most are client projects that I often have a hard time photographing before they leave.  I do have 2 pieces that have been finished for a while and just waiting for a spare moment to get their 15 minutes of fame on the blog.  This piece has been done for a while and was so much fun to work on.

It's early life was steeped in golden oak, with great lines, and eventually some water damage that caused it to be abandoned at a thrift store.  I'm there for you baby.  I brought her home and worked to level out the raised areas left by the the water damage.  This piece was just for pure fun and I do wish I had taken more close up photos, but it was bitterly cold out at the time.  Don't let that Nebraska sun fool you!  I chose to work with some of the American Paint Company Limited Ellis Island Collection.  There is a haphazard layering of 'Crushed Tea' and 'Peacock' over the entire body.  I finished with a coat of 'Limoge'.  Sanded down a bit to knock off any paint strokes a bit, then wet distressed.  I love how this clay and chalk based paint distresses so easily, and the colors in both the regular line and special collection are fabulous.  I wish you could see the Peacock peeking through the top coat.  

If it hadn't been such a wickedly cold winter I might have tried to get a few more photos.

I broke out one of my new stencils and used the Crushed Tea color to stencil a hounds tooth pattern on top.  I distressed again as I liked that contrast of the more formal styled table taking on a bit of a shabby/rustic style.  3 coats of APC's no odor clear wax finished it all up.  It's finished and ready for someone fun and hip that needs it!

Have a super week!
Deb