Have a chair!

These chairs started out as a kind of rusty and brown with green coming through. I picked them up at a garage sale to the chagrin of John, and I really worked to improve them. I primed them, and spray painted them in bright blue, bright purple, and bright pink. Yes, that middle one was bright pink. It may have been the only water based spray paint that I used on the chairs, so I guess those toxic based paints have more staying power, but still no award for longevity. You can see they are all down to the primer on the seat where the water sits after a rain.

We had a yard sale and John couldn't believe I wasn't going to just give them away. But I liked the bones, as they say. So here we go again

I scraped the loose paint chips off and sprayed the chairs with bleach trying to remove some greenish mold off them. Then I started painting them with Barcelona orange Annie Sloan chalk paint. I was basically going for coverage, nothing fancy, just coverage. 

The first coat skipped the legs because I didn't want to deal with the gravel, and could not lift up wet chairs. Second time around I flipped the chairs over and did the legs first, and then was able to grab the now dry chairs, set them upright, and give the main part of the chairs their second coat. John says the color makes his teeth hurt because they look so sweet. I like that they look sweet!

After two coats, they look pretty good, but I noticed that after rain sat on one chair, there are some rust or mold spots coming through the seat. I think I am going to have to sand it and spray it again with bleach, hoping to get a good finish. But that's just one chair. I also gave the legs their second coat, just painting them in place and not doing the underside of the legs.

Two finished or almost finished chairs remain out on the gravel facing the mobile outdoor fireplace, while one finished chair sits in the yard under the apple tree and across from the fountain. It is here where I like to sit, because it is in the shade and a bit cooler than the patio which is almost always sunny after having to remove a tree which had shaded it. According to what I have read, Annie Sloan chalk paint does very well outside. It doesn't peel, but rather just fades as it gets worn. Hope that's the case and that it lasts a couple of years. I did read that sitting water will diminish the life of the paint job, so I have to be sure and wipe the water off the seat after a rain. Another project done and another small feeling of accomplishment in turning real eye sores into a pleasant addition to the yard.

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

When I decided to do this post on mirrors, I didn't think about a few things, the number one being, how do you photograph a mirror without getting yourself reflected in it? and how do I avoid getting the messy workshop/studio captured in the mirror? Not easy, and the result not always pretty.


This metal framed mirror is my favorite of the moment: hammered metal with bamboo beveled mirror. It is a nice size, 28.5" X 22.5", and it can be hung vertically or horizontally. It looks old on the back, but the little philips head screws tell you it is not older than the 30's, and in fact, I am sure it is much newer than that.
But Just A Second is just as much about decor as it is about antiques, maybe more so.




The next one is more of a cottage style, white with aqua stencil and 22.5" square. Someone said it may be from IKEA, and that may be so. I don't get to IKEA that often. At any rate I could see it in any number of settings, including bathroom or bedroom. It, too, is beveled.
 

The last one is older, varnished wood, needs some touch up, and will most likely be painted.  

  
I am thinking white or silver or something else. It will come to me. All will be showing up at Stella & Notte sometime in the near future. Check us out on Facebook, to keep up with our event schedule.

Surprise Shower Easy to Pull Off

As some of you know, I am in a small group made up of special women who love decorating or collecting or crafting or all of the above, and we get together every other month for dinner and fun at each other's homes. There are 12 in our group, so each of us entertains just once every two years. 

It was my turn this month and one of our members is getting married soon and it was suggested that we do a surprise shower at the same time. I was already planning an "April Shower" theme (yes, some of us do some sort of seasonal or other theme). And I was able to invite Michelle to her own surprise shower without her having a clue that it was going on. Even when she saw the umbrella on the front door, she remained in the dark.

She walked right past this dining room, and still nothing seemed unusual. (That tells you a little bit about how we go all out for our get togethers.) Fortunately, Michelle was with me in the kitchen when others arrived bearing gifts, but I always managed to answer the door and then have them stash their gifts behind the sofa. We didn't want to announce the surprise until all had arrived. Who said women can't keep a secret?!?

 

This is how the table looked in anticipation of everyone's arriving. I found the little demitasse cups at one of my favorite haunts and was amazed there were 12. I didn't know if they would be nut cups or what, but finally decided they would be mini succulent planters. My co-conspirator helped me plate the dinner while everyone was enjoying appetizers and libations. So the plates were placed, and the candles lit, everyone summoned, and when we broke the news, Michelle was practically in tears she was so surprised.

I do feel bad I didn't get a photo of everyone in the candle lit dining room surprising Michelle, but I am sure you all have vivid imaginations and can readily picture the whole scene. I love being a part of this group, and to think it all started in 2005 when The Pink Cupboard closed and Sandy came up with the idea for our group, so we could continue to celebrate our friendships. Many of us still are present in various shops throughout the area. And speaking of shops, I hope you will come see us at Stella & Notte this weekend starting Thursday. Just A Second is proud to share a space in this beautiful north end store at 1416 N Main in Rockford.

Powder Room from Floral to Photos

 

Long overdue powder room redo... John never wanted me to paint over the flowers I had painted one chilly morning when I was avoiding attending a bible study. (I guess I do not do well with long term class commitments.)

The rice paper walls are looking more than a little tired and much in need of a refresh, and could you see me painting around and between those stems and leaves and flowers. Not if you know me very well. I do fine with details if I am rearranging, but certainly not while painting.

So out came the primer. No, first take these photos, so there will always be a memory. Then prime over the leaves and flowers so their shadows don't bleed through the new paint color.

 

I really wanted something akin to Sherwin Williams "rainwashed", but of course, when I want to do something, I want to do it now, not wait until I run to the store and have the paint mixed. (I believe that is called impulsive). So I dragged several paint cans from the basement and my garage/workshop/she-shed/studio...HELP!!! I don't know what to call it, so usually I still say "garage". 

I mixed a color in the same sort of color but a bit stronger than I had originally conceived. Fortunately I really like it, and it works for the look I was imagining.

 

 

The look was totally different, going from a light "rice paper" background to a deeper color of greenish aqua. I think it is the perfect backdrop for the framed print which started it all. I don't know what it was, but I had to buy this "classy lady", 

and then I reluctantly decided to sell her. When she didn't sell right away, I took it as a sign that I was supposed to have her.

 

So her new role is to be the inspiration piece for the bathroom redo. And I couldn't be happier with that decision. I was able to use most of the accessories I had used before. But in the new space, they took on a new life. And I am hoping the new photos including John's parents and mine do not feel that their new home is beneath them. I think they fit right in.

 

The powder room came out the way I was envisioning it, and the best part was that because I used what I already had, it cost me my time and labor, but no more than that. All the accessories were vintage finds, so the project was green with creative reuse, something we certainly encourage, and that's the type of decor items you are bound to find on the weekends we are open at Stella & Notte. Our next open weekend starts this Thursday, April 21 and goes thru Saturday, April 23. Our hours are 10-5. We are looking forward to your visit.

Yellow is the New Spring

Isn't it funny how colors come and go. And why is it that as soon as magazines start talking about a color, we get on board.

I am loving bright yellow, and a few years ago I would never have been drawn to this sunshine of a color. 

Featured is this vintage large yellow Easter or anytime basket. I can see it in front of our summer fireplace full of daisies, or summer throws for that occasional chilly summer evening, or with white birch logs, changing the scene for the warmer months. Those cute little made in Italy Vietri pottery bird mugs add a nice touch of yellow also.

 



A cotton sprig and wooden bunny on a twig wreath, display no yellow, but the arrangement sure shines on our back yellow storm/screen door.

And I LOVE this chandelier. It is made of heavy enameled iron and would go with vintage styles, including 50's, as well as modern, but would also add a pop of color to any kitchen. I keep trying to find another one on ebay or etsy just to find out more about it but so far no go. Is is just plain fun and unique.

Finally, these egg shaped and decorated placemats. What a bright accent for your porch or patio table in the warmer areas of the country. And if your Easter is going to be cold and dreary as is forecast for the midwest, it will just have to festive up your kitchen or gathering room. I loved the little yellow pitcher with them, but that item has sold. All these items will be available this week from Thursday, March 24 - Saturday March 26 at Stella & Notte 1416 N. Main in Rockford, IL. We will have treats and good company for your visiting and shopping enjoyment. Looking forward to your visit. And may all of you have a very happy and blessed Easter, the message of the vintage yard stakes and large home made Easter Egg greeting.

Construction, Disruption, and Design Challenge

I see that it has been a while since I have posted. There are many reasons, including moving and construction. The state, because of a highway widening project, took and tore down our building which housed my business for 5 years and my husband's business for 30 years. Blogging was moved to the back burner.

The impetus to blog again came from an email I received from Holly of Chairish a curated site selling antique and vintage furniture. The idea was to take a space from white to colorful all designed around a vintage chair chosen from an extensive collection of chairs in every style imaginable. I chose a very traditional club chair. We were asked to create a style board, and write a blog around the project. I scrolled down the chair photos for quite a while before I settled on this chair.

 I am stuck on plaids lately as you may know, if you have been reading on facebook about the new line of name brand vintage clothing, Name Droppers, I am introducing to Just A Second. 

The fall season also influenced my choice. The nights have been cooler, the dawn is arriving later, and all in all, it puts me in a mood to cozy up. 

And so I decided on a rustic lodge theme and designed  "a room around a chair". My own personal preferences also played a part. I love red, and although it is difficult to see in the photo, the chair I picked has a red stripe in the plaid and red around the bottom. The resolution of the chair photo is not very good, and the more I enlarge it to try and point out something, the fuzzier it gets as you will clearly (or fuzzily) see in the photo of the style board.

As an aside, I have not done a style board since I took a course at our community college many years ago, but here goes:

I wanted a red rug to anchor the room and came across this natural fiber one which I really like. A red wool would work very nicely also, but I thought the fiber rug provided a very nice texture. For the walls I picked a medium grey, which is neutral and goes with the chair. In searching for sofas, this olive rustic one caught my eye. I have always loved a red and olive combination, and I have been reading that olive is making a comeback. I cannot tell for sure, but there may be an olive tone in the stone of the fireplace as well as in the wood tones, and in the plaid of the chair. I picked many natural elements, the stone fireplace which picks up the grey of the focus chair, but also brings in the rustic wood tones, the "stump" end table, hand thrown pottery, the deer head, and norfolk pine plants, plus the upcoming Christmas season's evergreen wreath.

The pillows pick up the reds, the black in the chair, and add more of the lodge element to the room, as does the buffalo check of the drapes. And of course, every woman and every room needs a little "bling", so I could not resist topping off the room with this chandelier. Don't you love it!!! 

Be sure to check out more plaids at Just A Second inside Stella & Notte, located at 1416 N. Main Street, right across the street from the North End City Market and open Saturdays from 9-3. Jeanine and I look forward to your visit.

Reflections on Faith's Graduation

Time has gotten away from me, and blogging has been the casualty of too much going on in our home and lives. I started this post after returning from a few days in Charleston, SC, where Faith was graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina. The ceremony took place in the Church of the Holy Communion. She earned her masters in Occupational Therapy, and so, what was said when she was four may be true of the future:  I thought she was being so kind after we watched Reading Rainbow one morning, and the story was about a grandpa who needed a wheel chair because he could no longer walk. He was still able to carve wood and, if I remember correctly, he carved a wooden whistle for her. At any rate, there were pages showing him being wheeled in his chair. When Reading Rainbow ended, Faith declared that she would push me in the wheel chair when I got old. Before I could compliment her on how kind that was of her, she blurted out, "And then we can park in those special places." But I digress.

 

Back to Charleston where we shared a suite with DJ and Dawn, and granddaughter Addy. John and I drove down for the event and had packed a cooler and a couple of boxes of food. We unpacked them, and the boxes were sitting empty in the common area. Addy climbed into one, and it became a "jack-in-the-box" and later, when DJ picked up the box, Addy and all, it became a rocket and an airplane, and as you can see from the photo a reading nook.

We stayed overnight in Charleston after having a celebratory dinner with David's family and a few of Faith's and David's friends. 

What a beautiful city! And so much history. We toured Fort Sumter, the site of the first shots fired in the Civil War.  Miss Addy, with her vivid imagination, turned one of the see-throughs in the Fort Sumter museum into a fast food pick up window and took our order. Later that evening, we sadly bid farewell to DJ, Dawn, and Addy and headed to Charlotte to continue our visit with David and Faith. 

 



 





And you know, that at some point, we have to "talk decorating" and here we are. Faith had purchased an old breakfront (now referred to as a hutch), and she found an Annie Sloan dealer. (That place will be the subject of another blog. What a business model!) 

She decided on "graphite", so we went to work. I apologize for the very poor photo quality. Unfortunately, I cannot redo it until we revisit Charlotte. I have yet to see it all put together and in its proper setting in their new home.
   
We also had packed the van with more goodies for her home, including a desk I had redone plus four french chairs.  I am sharing a glimpse of her living room and will share more as Faith continues with some thrifting and painting and rearranging and turning their house into a home. Is it possible that she shares a few of her mother's traits?

Don't you love the chairs with that aluminum table she found?!? Cannot wait to see and share (with permission, of course) her progress.

Remember, there are more "gifts and decor with a past" plus some new, at Just A Second inside Stella & Notte, 1416 N. Main Street in Rockford's Historic North End. We look forward to your visit.