Sweet Headboard Before and After

                                                                        

I found this adorable headboard on one of  my recent trips to Goodwill and grabbed it right away. The finish was in rough shape but I loved the curves and routed edges. I envisioned it painted off white and distressed and knew, when finished, it would be a really beautiful piece for a little girls room.

Once I got it home and started looking at the center of the headboard, I realized how pretty the grain of the wood was. The grain angles out in both directions from the center, something I haven't seen very often.  I was torn, to paint or not to paint? As much as I like painted furniture I couldn't bring myself to cover up that beautiful wood in the center. So, I sanded the middle and stained it with two coats of Minwax Dark Walnut and topped that with two coats of wipe on Minwax satin poly.

The rest of the piece is painted off white, distressed and topped with a paste wax finish.
                                

                                             
  The white really frames the beauty of the wood now!  I love the mix of paint and wood tones together to highlight a piece that has a beautiful wood grain.
                                      

                                     
I am wishing I had a little girl at home who could dream under this pretty headboard. My little girl is all grown up now so it will be finding a new home. At least I'll have pictures!

 Jodie

I am joining Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Thrifting Extravaganza

This post is for my good friend DeLynn. I am embarrassed to say I haven't posted anything new for a whole year! DeLynn said she was getting tired of seeing the same darned egg and bunny post. I said, "Hey, it's that time of year again so I am in season!" I guess this is a good time to pick up where I left off.
Even though I haven't been blogging I've still been busy. I've completed many projects, taken a electrocardiogram program, gone to Sweden, and am working on a master bedroom and closet makeover.  To get back in the swing of things I will start with what I love best, a makeover!

Last fall I got to go on a Thrifting Extravaganza, a day of fun and thrifting with a group of friends. We all piled into a van and spent the day traveling to a bunch of thrift stores around Kansas City. We had a great time and my special find that day was this cute little nightstand for the bargain price of $15.00.

I love the lines of these little French Provincial pieces and seem to be drawn to them. After a little sanding, paint and light distressing she is ready for her next life.

Speaking of French pieces, I found the prettiest china cabinet on Craig's List. It is part of my closet makeover that I plan on sharing with you soon!
I want to thank Nancy over at nancy elizabeth at home  for honoring me with the Liebster Award, for blogs with under 100 followers.You may know Nancy from her former blog, La Borda Bleu. It made my day to find her sweet message and to know that someone was enjoying my blog.
                                             
                                         Thanks for stopping by and Happy Spring!
                                                                      Jodie

A Little Spring and McCarty Pottery

 I am finally doing a little Spring decorating and I wanted to share one of my favorite pottery pieces with you. My bowl with the bashful bunny lid.

 I few years ago I traveled with my husband on business to Mississippi.  A couple we know there took us to a wonderful little pottery shop in the tiny town of Marigold, Mississippi. It is owned by  Lee and Pup McCarty, a couple that started the shop back in 1954, unfortunately Pup passed away in 2009. It is a small shop that is housed in an unglamorous barn like building, but they have some amazing pottery. Their work has won many awards and been displayed in galleries around the world. It is like a hidden jewel!  When we were there I fell in love with the bunny bowl and he came home with me.

Most pieces of McCarty pottery have a black wavy line somewhere on the piece that represents the Mississippi river.

Many of their pieces depict animals, bunnies, birds, and frogs are favorites.

I think he is just the sweetest little guy!

I also thought I would share a couple of  recent GW finds.

I found a box of beautiful eggs.

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I love the combination of colors with the soft turquoise.

I also found this bird candle holder that makes the perfect perch for one of my nests.

Looks like the birds are guarding their eggs.

It feels good to finally welcome Spring!

Jodie

I am joining in at

Show and Tell Friday at Cindy's My Romantic Home

Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Little French Finale

If you didn't see my sneak peak before, here is the little end table I found at GW the other day. I was thrilled to find just the right piece to try one of Miss Mustard Seed's classic finishes on. I've been dying to do a piece with a stained top and painted and glazed bottom. This one had such nice curves, I knew it was the perfect candidate.

 I used my little Black and Decker sander for the flat parts and did the rest by hand. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the finish came off.

I used Minwax Dark Walnut stain for the top. The bottom is done in a creamy white followed with a little distressing and the Dark Walnut again for the glaze. I was a little nervous about using the stain as a glaze so it took me a whole day to work up the courage to actually wipe it on. I am such a chicken about things like that sometimes, after all, what is the worst that will happen?  I'm glad I went ahead because I do like the way it looks. For the top coat I used Minwax Paste wax.

Here she is all finished and ready for her close up. I love the staging part of the photo shoot, that is my kind of fun!

I think this finish is a great compromise for those who love wood but want to update a piece. You get the best of both worlds.

I will be putting her up for sale now that her face lift is done and hopefully she will find a new family to love her. I wonder if this is anywhere close to how a plastic surgeon feels after a successful procedure? Wish it were that easy with people, just sand a little, slap on some paint and varnish and you're good to go another 30 years!

I want to say a special thank you to Alison at Stuff and Nonsense for featuring my Holy Cow chair at her Fridays unfolded party. It was really exciting to see my chair chosen to be featured with some other great projects!

Jodie

I am joining in on a few parties

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Show and Tell Friday at Cindy's My Romantic Home

Inspiration FridayAt the Picket Fence

 ...

A Little French Find!

I've been haunting Good Will and Savers lately looking for just the right piece of furniture to try a Miss Mustard Seed paint finish on. I wanted to try one of her signature pieces with a stained top and painted and glazed bottom.  I ran into GW the other day and headed straight to the back were the furniture is. When I got to the middle of the store I spotted the perfect little piece. There were tons of people there that day for some reason and furniture there seems to go fast, so I kind of jogged the rest of the way over there and grabbed the tag. Yeah, it was mine!

 Is it just me or does your heart start racing a little when you find just what you've been looking for?

Here she is in progress. I had to give you a sneak peak before it's finished.

I also found this great chair at a garage sale awhile back and am trying to decide what to do with it. I want to reupholster it and I was thinking it might be fun to have a monogram done on the back rest of the chair.

It's in good shape except for the fabric which I think had some major sun rot.

I always seem to be drawn to interesting legs and I'm a sucker for claw and ball feet.

I'm not sure what to do for the finish on the arms and legs. I'm thinking maybe a brushed whitewash look? I'm conflicted. I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on a finish for the arms and legs.

                                                                 Enjoy the day!
                                                                        Jodie

Thrift Store Addiction

It is sad but I think I am developing an addiction to thrift stores. There are three in the city I live in and two happen to be right across the street from each other which makes it very convenient to just pop in. We have Goodwill, Savers and a Salvation Army. I will be in the car doing errands and will feel this pull to stop in and see if they have anything wonderful. There could be nothing, but then again I tell myself, I might miss something really great. I found some wonderful things on my last visit. I struck gold on silver pieces.

  I am thinking someone probably passed away and their relatives had no interest in silver so they hauled it off to Goodwill. I got all this for $8.00.

 I had never seen silver with a wooden fork and spoon on the ends, I am guessing salad servers. The ends were broken off but I am sure I will come up with something to do with them.

 I fell in love with this little pedestal dish with a handle, so sweet. It will be perfect for displaying a nest, apples, or even Christmas ornaments.

There was even an entire mini collection of baby forks and little spoons.

Well, they all have a new home now and someone to love them.

Have a great day.

Jodie

I am joining in on Show and Tell Friday at Cindy's My Romantic Home

Thrifting Treasures

For those who don't know me, I love Estate sales, garage sales and thrifting. I like the thrill of not knowing what you are going to find, kind of like Forrest Gump and the box of chocolates, except with thrifting it's calorie free. I've been wanting to start a collection of silver napkin rings for awhile and this was my lucky day.

 I went to an estate sale in Gardener, a little town near where I live and it just happened to be the last day when everything was marked half price.

 I got all these little beauties for only $5.50! The napkin rings are so pretty, one has embossed flowers and the other a monogram. I also scored the cute sugarbowl and the glass piece that will look great with a candle inside.

My collection has begun!

                                                               

Joyfully,

                     Jodie