The metamorhposis of a porch~

*WARNING~this post totally lacks enthusiasm*
I wanted to participate in the Porch Party but my PC is acting up as usual and I am SO tired sitting here waiting for things to load. I didn't want anyone to click on a party-less post tho.... so here's whatcha get, lol!

Welcome to Rhondi's Porch Party, 2009!

If you'd like to view last year's post, click here. We are just getting our hanging baskets and such on the porch now, so I'd love it if you come back in a month or so and visit again!

But since you're here....I'll show you the furniture I painted on Saturday. Just like the white wicker I had, these were all found in the trash over the years.

This is our house back in 1972. I was fortunate to find some previous owners and they shared these photos with us! This was before the *cough* siding was put on.

Here's a photo from a few years ago before we painted the house, showing the white furniture. I kept the chair on the right, but the rest went to the curb and has already been picked up, yay! Oh, I kept that table too.

This shows the new paint job from last year~I wish the floor would've stayed glossy and fresh forever. First up, Brentwood rocker. Yep. It's filthy and nasty, but I have a thing for them. I can't even remember where I picked it up, hmm...
This table was in the dumpster behind my work~

My friend Kim picked up this curb side beauty for me and I have used it in my office for years. Time to refresh it tho. (Thanks again Kim!)

So here's the *new* furniture!

The mandevillas are just getting started as well~

I'm looking for new cusions; something french country or Mary Engelbeit inspired.

Wish me luck!

There's plenty of left over swirled orange and pink cheesecake cupcakes I made for my sister's bridal luncheon this past Saturday.... help yourself!


Note the missing cupcake...*snort*
I cut a rose that was past it's prime, but couldn't bare to just toss it so I scattered the petels here. This is a rose that we transplanted from my late Grandmother's garden this spring. I had no idea what color they were, so it's very exciting!

Enjoy the rest of your tour, I'm going to bed, lol! I shall visit y'all tomorrow~

Happy Birthday Rhondi! Thank you for being such a gracious host.

I did it!!

I sewed on my new machine!! I even tried some of the "fancy" stiches! As some of you may recall, I was terrified to use it!

I tackled it a few weeks ago, then finished my first little project last Saturday. Woohooo! I feel so ALIVE! Bwah-ha-ha...



So here's my first victim~ A black wicker(?) rocker that my friend got out of the trash for me! (Thanks KIM!) I don't know what it's made of. It's not wicker, or rattan. It's a rope-like material. Seems to be pretty old. Naturally it has issues. Coming apart from the top and has no seat. I don't care, it's shabby and free and I love it!


Click to see the large version~ if anyone knows what this is made of, let me know!

(don't let my toes distract you, lol)

I asked Kevin to cut a new seat. The chair had once been green and then painted black and I love the patina. I don't want to paint over it. I knew if I painted the new seat black that it would be a "fresh" black and I wouldn't like it. So, I dug in my fabric pile and found some old yellow duck cloth. Perfect! Put some batting over the seat and covered it.

Now for a cushion! I had an extra hydgrangea pad from the front porch set.

Below is my fabric for the new cover~ I've had this for over 10 years! I bought it as a remnant for probably $2, with no idea what to do with it, I just loved it. It's a strong brushed cotton. And what do you know, *JUST* enough for this project! *Squeeeeee!*

Click to see the detail~ The black teapot fabric you see is actually curtains that I made about 10 years ago too... they were for my back porch on my other house. I just loved my porch then, (wish I had pics) and am glad I can do it all over again. It's a rather Mary Engelbreit"y" I think.

Now I won't tell you it all went smoothly. I jammed the machine two or three times. Hmm... probably because I was using upholstry thread on top and regular thread in the bobbin. It's all I had and I wasn't going to the store, ya know?

I did't use a pattern and I'm quite proud of my corners, even tho my stripes don't *quite* match up in front. I had to alter the pic because the flash was so bright on it!

Wanna see the finished look? I can't wait to put it in it's place on my "new" back porch!

Busy project weekend~

We tackled many projects this weekend. Still working on the bathroom... we're almost there!!

Lot's of spray paintin' went down on Friday.

Here is trim for the bathroom~

Coat rack my mom gave me, I think she got it out of the trash~

Cute little deco shelf for my bathroom, resale shop $3.00

A shelf my SIL gave me. Painted black for my laundry room~
Plate rack I got at the resale shop for $8.00. Had Kevin cut some beadboard for the back and I'm going to paint it cream. What a joke. This thing is impossible to paint. I'm going to have to try and do it by hand! UGH! This will go in the dining room.

Came back outside a few hours later to do another coat on the hat rack. I'm spraying along and it starts to do this crackle effect! I HATE when nothing goes as planned. I don't know why it would do this, the first coat was perfectly smooth. Too humid I guess. Oh well, I'm going to go with it. I'll put a stain over top so it will look old.
I finished another project too, but you'll have to wait for that in another post!

Pink Saturday, Episode One!

Hello folks! Thank your for joining me in my first Pink Saturday post, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. Be sure to check her blog for more *Pink Ladies*!

(I'll be cheating and posting this early as we won't be home Saturday. I think I figured out how to post date but I don't want to chance it right now!)

This is a photo from last year showing my dried hydrangeas. I had just found this little cherub statue for $3 and thought it would make a great hat stand. Pink blush pearls were $1. The shells were brought back from Florida by my SIL. My husband gave me the baby roses that are shown dried. They were some of the most gorgeous miniature roses I had ever seen! The green vase was an estate auction find. It's one of my favorite pieces.

I found this photo of the roses before they dried. I don't know where the original picture is. I had modified this one for my Ivy and Lace friends. They were the most beautiful blush pink.

And here is a photo of the same vignette from this year. Fresh hydrangeas! This is in my dining room. The dresser was practically free, as we had a gift certificate from our wedding to an antique store. The hat stand here is a broken lamp I found in the trash. My mom gave me the heart vase and beaded lamp. The pink depression glass was my mom's, who gave it to my sister but she has no place to store it~ goodie for me! (There's lots more where that came from!) The little Titanic era dress form was a gift from my MIL, and next to it in the cherub frame is a photo of Nova after his first bath. Oh! and the "Walk Over Shoe" print of the girl in the background was a gift from my girlfriend Linda. (We call her Zsa Zsa!)

I'm just amazed at the different hues in this bouquet from the same bush. Click to enlarge this one, especially you Heather!
How about a bit more Christmas in July?

I made the quilted ornaments. You can find instructions here.
I use 4 different fabrics on mine tho, so get extra fabric if you like that look. I would like to make a giant one some day! Here are some photos I took while crafting these for a Secret Santa Swap with friends. The recipient of my gift loves violets and the color lavender. Katie thought she'd help me cut out the squares. I found the cutting grid in the neighbor's trash!

These pink place mats came from eBay.



I love the pink velvet ribbon I found at Walmart. I think these are so fun to make and the possibilities are endless. Wouldn't brown and pink be pretty? Pink and aqua? Brown, pink and aqua?