Spring Green

Has spring sprung in your neck of the woods?

It's been slow to arrive here in the Midwest. Thankfully the grass is slowly starting to green up, and my daffodils are sending up their shoots.  I can hardly wait to pick a big bouquet of them!

When I think of spring, I think green!

Several years ago, I went thru a green stage, where I painted nearly everything in sight light green!

It is still one of my favorite colors, though now you will find me turning to cream, white, and all shades of blue when it comes to painting.

So the other day when I was about to makeover one of my thrifting finds, I was getting a bit bored with the same ol' same ol'  I am sure you know the feeling!

You know how I love finding trays to transform. So last week when I found a folding wooden bed tray, I knew right away that I could turn it from drab to fab!

Of course I forgot to take a before shot, but it was just ho hum boring white and oak toned wood.

I pulled out a bunch of different chalky finish paints from DecoArt, and began mixing til I came up with a pretty light green, that has just a tinge of blue.

 I love how the tray has legs that fold out, perfect for breakfast in bed!

(wouldn't that be a treat?!)

I did a bit of dry brushing, then a hint of distressing to give what I like to call "that aged over time look".

 I then grabbed one of my favorite French patisserie stencils, also by DecoArt, and added the design to the top of the tray in a creamy color.

 I really love all of the swirls and fleurishes in this design!

 I've added it, as well as this neat vintage wooden tool box to my Etsy shop.  I fell in love with the tool box as soon as I saw it!  Believe it or not, I resisted the urge to paint this puppy, as I just loved the original light green paint she's wearing.  I just gave it a really good scrubbing.

 While I would dearly love to keep her, I have to try and downsize, as we have our house back on the market now.

 It's a very stressful time for me, something that I definitely do not find fun!

 For me change does not come easy.

And of course fear of the unknown is getting the best of me.

So I will play with my paints, and glitter (my stress release!), between trying to sort and purge.  

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you have a great weekend!

Tray Chic!

Hi everyone, hope your year has gotten off to a good start so far!

I just love trays.  Whenever I'm out thrifting, I always keep my eye out for interesting and sturdy pieces that I can transform.  It's amazing what a little paint and tlc can do!

Whenever I come across well built pieces, even though they might not look too terribly attractive, you can be that I quickly scoop them up!

Do today I thought I'd share with you two trays that I just finished and added to my shop.

 While I don't always know just how I will transform each piece, with a little thought inspiration usually quickly comes!

I had so much fun with this little wood tray!

It wasn't ugly or anything when I found it, just plain wood.  I could almost hear it begging to be painted my favorite creamy dreamy shade of white!

I thought it would be fun to add this fork, knife and spoon graphic, that I found over at the Graphics Fairy.

 I cut them out by hand, then decoupaged on after painted and distressing the tray a bit.

I never need to be told to eat (hahahaha!), but thought the "bon appetit",

which I stenciled on by hand, would be the perfect addition.

 I was super excited to find this large and heavy wood tray, below, in the same thrifting expedition.

Again, it wasn't hideously ugly or anything (like many of the trays I find start out as!).

It was just plain ol' brown wood.

So I painted it the same shade as the tray above, then added one of my favorite Frenchy stencils, this pretty French patisserie sign.

 I just love all of the swirls and fleurishes.  I hand stenciled it in a dark midnight blue, which I thought was much less harsh than black.

 Tres chic!

 I've transformed many trays over the years, and thought I'd share with you some that I sold several years ago in my shop.

You know how much I love aqua.  I thought it was the perfect choice for this tray that had great curvy lines and pretty metal handles.

I decoupaged it with a French label, also from the Graphics Fairy.

 Sometimes I actually remember to take "before" shots!  Usually, I am so excited to get started with makeovers that I remember when it's too late!

 I added white little polka dots as fun accents, and glazed it to give an aged appearance.

 This little metal and wood tray is a real cutie, I think!

(check out the before, below.  Not so cute!!)

I painted it a bright and cheery aqua, then decoupaged copies of gorgeous floral vintage wallpaper, also from the Graphics Fairy,

 I nearly forgot I made the tray below til I was looking thru my photos.

I really love using vintage French book pages in my creations.  I decoupaged torn pages, along with these gorgeous vintage French rose prints (which were quite alot of work to cut out by hand!).

 This tray below was a favorite of mine, too.

(darn, I should have kept that one for myself!!).

It is solid wood and quite large, with great curved.

I found this darling bird image, again at the Graphics Fairy

(gee, I would be lost without Karen over at GF!), and decoupaged to the tray that I painted cream.

 Such sweet little birdies!

 Ok, last of all, a beachy themed tray.

I painted it my favorite aqua shade.

I don't have a close up of this one, but I decoupaged copies of vintage sheet music,

called "By the crystal sea", as well as this gorgeous mermaid.  Both found at the Graphics Fairy.

So that is it for now.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wishing you a creative and fun day!