I like luggage racks

I like using them when we stay in a hotel

 and I like being able to offer them to my children or friends when they are here.

A few Saturday afternoons ago, on the way home from a funeral, we stopped at an estate sale and I found this one.  It is tall and sturdy.  The orange strapping looks better in the picture than it was in person.  It actually felt crunchy. 

I had just enough of this upholstery stuff left over from other projects to do this

I have 100's of upholstery tacks and have been nailing them on things for a while now

the cute little hammer was another find at an tool sale we went to.  

I've used it a lot.  It is just the right size for me.

this was an easy make-over - and it was free, except for the luggage rack, which was $15.00

I measured twice and cut once - that is rare for me -

then I turned the fabric under and nailed three tacks to each strap

to accomplish this

so my people can do this

have you noticed that the size of an overnight bag today is about twice the size of a vintage bag?

the one on the floor will hardly hold all my make-up, jewelry and hair products.

 Now I need to do this one, even though it works just fine like this.

I hope I have company soon!

I consider this furniture, so I am planning to link up to Miss Mustard Seed's furniture party on Friday

my blue eyed grandbaby

my mom used to say that the 4th child usually has blue eyes.  she stopped having children after me, and I was the 3rd child.  me and my brothers have brown eyes, like my mama.   

This little sweetheart, Lucy Marie, is the 4th child, and has the most beautiful blue eyes.  

Mama was right, again.  

she is 9 months old now 

she is baby sister to these adorables

they have beautiful eyes too

yo Carolyn, is this what your talking about?

Anthro love ... for 1 jillion dollars.

what would you do with it?

I love a little settee.  They stop me in my tracks every time.  I came across this french empire settee and chair about a month ago at an estate sale.  The little old lady running the sale saw me looking at it too long and said, "make me an offer", so I made a crazy low ball offer - actually hoping she would decline, because I surely didn't need this stuff.   However, she hesitated a bit, and said, sure, if you will get it out of here today.  I was shocked. And should have said, "just kidding"!!!  But, couldn't pass up the deal.   So, here I am with these two fine pieces of furniture, that I certainly don't need or really know what to do with.

I thought I might sell it, but the settee is just so cute.  I am torn like an old sweater.

The gold velvet upholstery is not very old, and actually not bad with my decor.  I'm a little gold around here.  But this stuff is a little too formal looking for me in its gold state, and wood stain finish.

The frame on both pieces may have been refinished in the last 10 years or so, cause it is in excellent condition.  So, I am struggling with the idea of painting it.  It is a good sitter.  I could use it for seating from time to time.

Could you see it painted turquoise?  Or Annie Sloan's "florence"?  Or Old White?  I have a teal pillow that looks great with the gold velvet.

Help me out here.  What would you do with this stuff?

Linking up to Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday!

He's beautiful

He is simply too beautiful to be a mean ole Pirate, but in his dreams he is the toughest, meanest, scariest Jack Sparrow this side of the happiest place on earth, Disneyland.  Meet Evan.  He rocks!

I won!

Thank you Miss Mustard Seed and Decor Steals for this vintage victorian inspired gift.

A few weeks ago on Miss Mustard Seed's blog she posted this give away over at Decor Steals.  

I had to do a few easy things, like leave a comment on MMS blog, and over at Decor Steals, and like the gift on FB.  No biggie ....  A few weeks later, much to my surprise and delight, I received an email letting me know that I won! the scissors, a tape measure, and the little leather bound journal.  

So the next time you see a give away on one of your favorite blogs, try it, you might win!

my girl likes red

While visiting my California girl last week we painted her bedroom furniture, red.

Nothing but the Emperor's Silk would do

Her bedroom suite is good solid mission style furniture - oak.  The pictures were made with my phone, so will have to trust me when I tell you the color turned out rich, and pretty; however, sadly, these pictures do not reflect that.

 here is the bloody red crime scene with after 2 coats of paint

my girl was happy - which is always a good sign when your this far into a paint project

we took a break and ran to Target for new bedding

  I couldn't resist sneaking this photo of the old guy with dreads

what tha????

she still liked the old hardware well enough with the red, plus that saved a lot money to use them again

we mixed 2 teaspoons of clear wax and 1 teaspoon of dark wax and applied the wax one time

We took turns buffing - most places feel like buttah

I've never mixed my wax before applying it.  That combination looks very dark in the bowl, but does not look too dark on the furniture.  I liked not having to apply clear, then dark, then clear again.

she chose gray and white bedding from Target

I might make her a couple of throw pillow covers with yellow and gray fabric
and she was shopping online for drapes before we left

Jeff found this lamp with the red shade for $8.00 that needed minimal electrical work

Amanda spray painted the frame of it black 

and we found this piano board at a yard sale for a few dollars

I think it will look great painted some day, but for now she is happy with it like this and wanted it hung over her headboard

We had a good time working on this off and on over a couple days

My girl is happy!  So that makes me happy.

check out Masterpiece Monday