A Warm and Toasty Sweater… Bench

I’m a weekend worrier of Vintage Finds, working nights to give new life and love to forlorn furniture. This little baby came to me with out fan fair and sat in the metal shed until just this last Dec. Our first snowstorm of the season drove me in to the garage to create, so the size of the piece needed to match the space. Baby fit the part.

Taking the old fabric off was an inside job…

….with a little help from my friend.

It wasn’t until I found an old wool sweater that I knew what I wanted to do. I had some 4″ foam that made the seat way more comfortable than it had been. And It gave the sweater a nice chunky, warm and bulky feeling. Just like an old boyfriend sweater.

Paint… Sand… Wax… Cut… Staple… Done.

She gets lots of compliments.

I showed her off at the shop. Here she is waiting for Christmas.

I’m on the look out for a sweater in brown and green for my next Sweater Bench.

            Cheers,

Miss Ellie

Saying Good Bye…

… and Hello!

With snow fall last weekend I had to say good-bye to summer for good. Summer is a hardworking season and many things happen that can keep one from their writing. And then there is Fall. I love fall. But alas I had to say good-bye to fall too! Fall is a productive season that can keep one from their writing too. But one can accomplish many things during the fall. I accomplished many things this past fall. Just at the very end, before this last snow storm I got an opportunity to start a vintage mercantile. Say Hello Opportunity! It’s a little space in an old building, housing this fabulous fabric and craft store. There are six of us plus Roxy who runs the fabric and craft space. I’m having the best time filling my little corner. Everything is found, vintage, upcycled and re-purposed. Here’s a little peek…

A corner of 48 square feet just for me! With a window no less.

Where I can show off the furniture I upcycle.

And the lamps I re-design.

And lots of trinkets and home decor.

Silver sugar bowl pincushions and

Bling Bottles

All tucked in with a little holiday decor.

More fun to come.

Cheers,

Miss Ellie

Real Frost

7:02 am –  this morning was the first real frost of the season. the deck was white with it. the orchard grass sparkled in the early morning sunlight. the branches and logs in the future huglekulture twinkled, mocking me for yet another undone project. i could just make out the stacked hay bails around the hive in the shadow of the fence line. i wanted to run out and see the bees. to make sure they were OK. i’d just returned from my early morning workout and I was freezing. how could they not be.

but bees have a hive mentality. they are a family of thousands. plenty of little hot bodies to keep the cluster warm. i need not worry.

but I do.

{today I’m a worker bee. doing my 8 to 5 at a desk. but someday it’ll be different}

The Instant Cottage

This Spring was drier and warmer than most and I soon found myself armpit deep in meadow grass and chin deep in yard chores. I did find time however, for a quick project that brought a charming cottage feeling to my little home.

Just a little bit of charm

By adding this little architectural interest in the door ways of my laundry room I was able to take a bland, boring opening to a charming archway. Which is a good thing since there’s no hiding those laundry machines.

the view from the kitchen/dinning room

This was an easy project that took two nights to finish but only because I had to let paint dry. I found my brackets at the ReStore but most hardware stores will have something similar. They came primed so I just slapped on a coat of trim paint. I needed to modify the brackets for the first doorway as it is narrower than standard.  A classic symptom of old houses.

working the details

Installation was a dream. With pre-drilled holes I just tapped in some finishing nails and presto! Charming, cottage architectural interest.

the view into the mud room

(Don’t mind the knotty pine mud room in the distance. It’s a project waiting to happen.) I love to see the archway from across the room. It’s just so dang cute!

How’s your summer going? Any big projects getting done?

Cheers,

Miss Ellie

Milk Paint from Miss Mustard Seed

It’s taken a good many months to pick up my milk paint from our local distributor and then a few more months to actually use it.  And to be honest, when I first brushed it on I was a bit confused. But I’ve learned a thing or two about paint and patience.

I had found this little, sad, cottage table with water marks on the top and thought Miss Mustard Seed was just the one to give it new life. So it became my first victim.

I had been chintzy and mixed it watery so it went on thin. I then put my doubts to bed and let it dry over night. In the morning, with help from a rag, it became some kind of chippy wonderful I’ll tell you! Just like Miss Mustard Seed said it would be.

But I wanted a little more coverage so I add a second coat before I went to work. It was looking quite appealing when I got home that night. I waxed it with a clear wax and buffed it to a dull finish.  I think I like it. What do you think?

                                     Cheers,

                                     Miss Ellie

I’m sharing this post with Courtney’s Feather Nest Friday at French Country Cottage. 

I’m sharing this post with Marian’s Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed.

I’m sharing this post with Donna’s Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors.

I’m sharing this post with Debra’s Be Inspired at Common Ground.