My First Upholstery Job!

Dear friends!!!


I bought this adorable little foot stool a while ago. I loved it. It even has some storage, I guess to keep your sewing supplies?

It was painted inside but I painted again in ASCP Duck Egg Blue. I guess the previous owner had stripped the color because it had some smudges of paint but I liked it like that, so I left it. (I just noticed Enzo in the background, LOL)

It was quite a pain to upholster it, I had to unscrew the lid and then after it was upholstered I had to screw it back. I had to find new screws and some of the old ones were too old.

Here I am all happy with stupidity... Seriously, this is not a happy story!!!!
The compressor hose BROKE and scared the hell out of me!!! My husband said: SIT DOWN. You are DONE. And handed me a bag of candy... It was that bad!!!!

Anyway, another day I finished what I had started this day, which were the corners. The stool does not have sharp corners. I am not sure if that made it harder or not, but in my first upholstery workshop I only  worked with a chair seat, which had sharp corners.

See what I mean? The bating kind of "bundled" there and now the stool WON'T CLOSE!!!

It actually matches this chair... I put it there so you have an idea of the size. It can be used as a foot stool. Or you can have it in a corner, like I did when Maria come over. I put in a corner of her room with her towels on top. It is great to pack a luggage, since you can sit on it and you are lower to the ground.
But now I have to undo the corners, cut some of the bating and do it again.
I also thought about putting something from the Graphics Fairy on top, but one of my friends fell in love with it and she said she wanted it plain. I hope she still likes it, LOL!
Thank you so much for reading!!!
Cheers,
Claudine

My brother's living room

Dear friends,
I was in Brazil last week, and took a few pictures of my brother's apartment to show you.
I did not want to show his whole place so I picked the living room and my favourite pieces.
He has a big living room, and it is divided in different areas, including TV room, a sitting room, a dining room and also a long area by the windows. In this area we have another table (his favourite, because we can see the ocean from there) and sofas as well.

The door is all leather, I don't know where he got this idea from. I never saw anything like that!

I love the big mirror and the rug...

His beautiful dining table. You can see a little sofa at the end, that is part of a long area which before was a balcony that he opened.

The chandelier is STUNNING.

It is not crystal, I don't know what it is... I touched and it felt like some kind of stone. 

This is the area that was once a balcony. To the right of these first chairs is the dining room, and to the right of the table is the sitting room.

This row of chairs is part of the sitting room. Right in front of  it there are other two big leather chairs. Opposite to the beige sofa there is a sideboard, which backs to another sofa that is part of the TV room, which I am not showing.
You can see the smaller table at the end, the one he likes the most, because it is smaller and we have the view.

This chair is one of my favourite pieces in his house.

Adorable!

WOOOWWW... That's all I can say. 


I hope you liked the tour!
If you want to marry him, you need to move to Brazil, LOL!
Claudine

Furniture Hunting in Lynden WA

Dear friends!!!
I miss YOU!!!!
My life has been CRAZY lately: my mom and our friend left, July 4th.
A week later, my mom did not feel well and my brother asked me to come to Brazil!!! So here I am!!!! Don't hate me (LOL)!

My mom is FINE. It was just a scare. But the family being together makes everybody better!

Last week on Tuesday, me and my friend Ingrid went to Lynden, WA. In our adventures we met my friend Kelley, and she showed us a great Thrift Store in Bellingham!

Dining chair

When we first arrived in Lynden, we saw a street (Front Street) full of antique stores. Very cute, and less expensive than Fort Langley (a city closer to me).

Close-up

From there we met Kelley and we went to the Goodwill in Bellingham. Only one stop and I filled my car... because, OF COURSE, I fell in love with the first thing I saw: a round dinning table with 4 chairs... I am more and more defining my style. I like big pieces. I like hunting for treasures but I enjoy big treasures, LOL! 

Passing in the border... LOL!!!! I was so excited about my dining set I FORGOT to keep the receipt with me! So it was BURIED in a bag or a basket, tucked behind my seat, with all the big pieces on top! The guard asked me how much I spent and I said... and he said: ONLY??? For this car full of STUFF??? You got a DEAL!
I was trying to be helpful and show him what was inside the car, so I opened the back window... and this is what he saw...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

Ok, I have to say my husband was not so happy to have to take the heavy table out of the car in 30C heat. 

Little things we bought at Front Street, Lynden

We had to take the base of the table off to fit in the car...

I can't wait to get my hands in all this stuff!!!
Thank you so much for your patience, I will try to write another post this week!
Cheers,
Claudine

Sunshine Award!!

My dear friend Donna, from Distressed Donna Down Home was so kind to pass me the Sunshine Award!

I am flattered, to say the least! THANK YOU, Donna!

I can see why you received the Sunshine Award, you are always cheerful and supportive in your comments to me!

The Sunshine Award promotes bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the Blogsphere! To be worthy, one must answer ten questions so others can know a little more about you and pass along the award to ten other bloggers.

Brace yourself, here is some info about moi!

1.  Favorite color?  Oh, shoot! WHITE, if we are talking about decoration... GRAY to wear... I am BORIIING like that!!!

2.  Favorite animal?  My first thought would be HORSE. I guess girls have a fascination for horses?? But I am crazy about my dogs Enzo(a Sheltie) and Axel(German Shepherd).

3.  Favorite number? 12! Me, my brother, my son and my niece were all born on a 12!

4.  Favorite drink?   I'm so boring... Diet PEPSI, NO ice, with lime, pleeease!!!

5.  Facebook or Twitter? Facebook!

6.  Good book or good movie? I am into BRAINLESS kind of movies, the ones that make you laugh... I want to rest my brain... SO, comedies! I loved Hall Pass!!! LOL!!! I know, don't hate me, I can be kind of "crude" in my movie taste... perhaps because I have a son who made me watch every stupid teenager movie out there???!!!

7.  My passion?  Cooking and antiques! I have to say that I also LOVE helping people. If you say you have a party to organize... I just can't keep my mouth shut! I have to volunteer to help!!'

8.  Giving or getting presents?  Giving. Specially to children!

9.  Favorite day?  I absolutely LOVE Thursdays. Always have! I am not sure if it is because is only one day from the weekend? 

10. Favorite flower? Daisies! This was my favourite flower growing up. Now I developed a taste for Roses and a passion for Peonies...

I would like to pass this award to amazing bloggers who have been so supportive of me!

It was VERY difficult to pick only ten, I have been so lucky to have so many amazing blogging friends!

Leanne, from Because (I Think) I Can!

Suzan, from Simply Vintageous

Carolyn, from Desire Empire

Tracey, from Raggy Girl Vintage 

Kathryn, from Ugly Duckling Transformations

Sherry, from Decorating with Cents

Vanessa, from A White Barn

Laura, from I'm So Vintage

Connie, from Crafty Home Cottage

Steve, from Woodworking and Good Eats

Here is how this award works:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them
• Answer the above 10 questions about yourself
• Select 10 more bloggers, link their blogs to your post and let them know they’ve been awarded the Sunshine Award!
• Don’t forget to copy and paste the award on your blog! 

Hugs,

Claudine

My first Vintage Market!

Dear friends!!!
I am overjoyed (is that tacky???) with so many people reading my blog, THANK YOU!!!
My blog just completed 4 months yesterday, and I OWE you a condensed milk recipe!!!
Saturday I participated in my FIRST Vintage Market! 
The Olde Famhouse Vintage Market was a success!!!

I thought that table and the body form would go for sure, but they didn't! The chalkboard sold! My silver tea set had lots of interest, but I am thinking people are not so crazy about silver... I am alone in this one, LOL!

I sold a few items showing here: white jug on top, vintage little pitcher on second shelf, milk glass on the bottom of bookcase; Also sold the pink leather chairs. They were SO COMFY! One had a rip, and I was supposed to re-upholster it... but... NO.

I sold the pink ice cream bowls, the stainless steel coffee pot and the silver candle holders.

I sold this BEAUTIFUL carpenter box and the white candle holder. The lady bargained on the candle holder, and I sold for $20, only to realise later that I PAID $20 AND PAINTED IT!!!
AHAHAHAAAHAHAHA!!!! 
Please, tell me you did this once, too!!!

The trunk and bread box were gone too, and so were the blue candle holders on top of the bread box. The red Parlour Chest did not move! I am this close to painting it white!!!

My friend Kelley, The Upholster's Wife, invited me to share a booth with her. Look at her stuff! 

I bought the blue little magazine rack in front of the yellow table...

Adorable pieces painted and picked by The Upholster's Wife...

I felt my part was kind of empty, and also I missed something in the background, like curtains and a banner! Next time!
I also wanted to share with you my 
MOST TALKED ABOUT ITEM!!!!

This is a BUG SPRAYER, from back then. I have no idea how old it is. Made in England.

I bought it a long time ago because it reminded me of my Grandma. Since now I am starting this business, selling antiques, I thought it would be a cool thing to bring to The Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market. I priced it $40, I have no idea how much I paid, it was years ago. Maybe it was overpriced? Nobody bought it. But we had lots of fun talking about it! Some people did not know what it was, and some people could SMELL the DDT just looking at it, LOL!!!!

I had an amazing time at The Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market. Leah and Barb, the organisers, were wonderful. The vendors were so kind and had awesome stuff! I also met some fellow bloggers like Kathryn from Ugly Duckling Transformations and Tracey from Raggy Girl Vintage! And of course, we had amazing customers, people that came from far to see us! Put that together with a few friends and family... SUCCESS!!!
We are looking forward to next year's Market!

My mom's updated bedroom

Update!!!

So you "voted" and I painted the bed!!!

Here are the pictures of this room NOW!

 Notice her pink mirror...

And the daisies...

I had so much trouble with this headboard... had to apply shellac (read at Annie Sloan website) because the paint kept bleeding trough... I took the pillows off so you can see better.

 I chose light gray bedding sheets and towels for my mom.

This is a fluffy bed!!!

It shows funny in the picture but it looks quite white in "reality". More details in the "footboard" than the headboard.

And of course, my mom also got a gift box with goodies!
The bed again...

And without the pillows!
Thank you so much to everyone that motivated me to paint it!
And here is the old post, if you want to check the "before" pictures!
Today I am partying at:

Maria's Bedroom

Dear friends, 
My mom came from Brazil and brought our dear friend, Maria, with her. Maria knows my son since he was a baby and she also came to see his High School Graduation. Such a special guest deserved her very own bedroom, of course! 
So I transformed my office into a bedroom for her. They arrived today and are fast asleep in their fresh and fluffy beds! You can see the update in my mom's bedroom here (yes, I painted that bed!).  
Maria's bed!

My husband could not cut the wall to get a sample of the paint to have it matched. SO I had to wing it... and I was OFF, LOL! This morning I made a flower out of music sheet paper and put on top of the "boo-boo" you see by the mirror. I am going to make two more flowers and take a picture to show you.

As soon as I saw this bed, I fell in love...

I will have to keep it... ( I took this picture before washing the bedding sheets, so they are all wrinkled)

When my mom saw this mirror, she said: isn't that MY MIRROR... (that's WHY I PAINTED HER BED, I knew she would be jealous, LOL!) I said, NO, that's not your mirror...

Adorable bedding sheets... 

 I had to keep the printer and the computer there.

 On the left is the cabinet I keep all my office stuff!

Unfortunately I will have to take this dresser out 
and replace it with my desk. But I love this dresser, too!

Gerbera Daisies and a candle...

 A little gift box with soap, socks and a hand cream...

The milk glass is to keep her jewellery...
She already unpacked and put jewellery in it!

I normally keep ALL my purses on this hanger! 
I cleaned up for Maria!

She got beautiful new towels. More on the stool later...

And here is the bed again!!! 
Don't you want to be my guest, too??

I am sharing this bedroom at: