A little more pizzazz

Once upon a time, there was a cabinet at the top of the stairs.

This cabinet served the Very Important Purpose of holding yarn and knitting needles (for the winter months when the furnishing-refinishing business is slow). It was a good cabinet, but it wasn’t well-liked. The fact that it was brown against a brown wall probably had something to do with it.

So one day in the dead of winter, it got painted!

…and there was much rejoicing!

Although it looked much better, and it still continued to fulfill its Very Important Purpose most admirably, the fickle owner (yes, that’s me) was not completely satisfied. I envisioned something with a little more style…a little more panache…a little more pizzazz…to fulfill the Very Important Purpose. However, besides being fickle, I also happen to be incredibly cheap <ahem>, I mean frugal. So I settled back to wait until the furniture fates would conspire to give me what I wanted.

When this little chest appeared in the classified ads, and it happened to coincide with a trip to the airport, I knew my day had arrived! The seller told me this chest used to belong to her grandmother. She sold it to me for $48!

I painted this little chest in my favorite off-white…

…distressed it lightly, and glazed it to “age” the color. There was no changing the hardware on this piece...the knobs are a carved part of the drawer fronts! There were no visible bolts or screws.

Being not only fickle and frugal, but also impatient, I hauled it up to the top of the stairs all by myself to see how it would look!

I think…I like it!

It now serves the Very Important Purpose of holding yarn and knitting needles…and looking pretty.

The former cabinet is serving some other Very Important Purpose for some Other Person now. I sold it for $160, and since I use paint and glaze I had on hand, I maintain that I made $112 on this deal!

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Linking up here.

BY INVITATION ONLY .......... MY SYMPHONY ..........

I was asked, among many others, to join ' By Invitation Only' ..... a group who will post monthly on given subjects.
The first given to us is My Symphony ..... a short quotation by William Henry Channing and here is my humble contribution ..........

To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy not respectable,

and wealthy, not rich;

to listen to stars .....

and birds,

babes and sages, with open heart,

to study hard; to think quietly; act frankly, talk gently,

await occasions, hurry never;

in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony.

                                              My Symphony

To  live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable,

and wealthy, not rich;

to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages,

with open heart;

to study hard;

to think quietly;

act frankly,

talk gently,

await occasions,

hurry never;

in a word, to let the spiritual,

unbidden and unconscious,

grow up through the common - this is my symphony.

William Henry Channing

1810 - 1884

 'By Invitation Only' was started by Marsha @ Splenderosa so, please follow the link to her and see all of the other contributors of 'My Symphony'.



images 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 15  : via Brown Dress with White spots,  image 2 : via Flickr, image 3 : via Babes and Sages,  image 6 : via Dangerous Liaisons, images 7, 8, 10 and 14 : via We Heart It, image 9 : via Percolate Paradox, image 16 : via Israbox,  image 17: via me.

Hydrangea and An Old Desk

I think this may be our last clipping of Endless Summer hydrangea blossoms for the summer. 

Last year, the blossoms were more pink as the plants were still adapting to the soil in their new home. 

I put the vase of hydrangea on top of an old desk in the corner of our living room. It's an old family piece that my dad grew up using as a child. It originally belonged to my Great Great Grandparents. 

I recently moved this marble lamp from my office upstairs. I don't use the office much these days as it's not conducive to the activity that occupies most of my days... playing on the floor with Graham and Margaret. 

I love that hydrangeas last so long after cutting. The last bouquet I made lasted several weeks. As long as you keep trimming their ends, they stay happy. 

I also made a small cutting of roses. 

This old clock was the first antique Mike and I bought together. 

Note to self: remember to wind the old clock. 

I love the fluted legs of the desk. 

I also like the shelf underneath. 

And, if you pan out just a tad...

xo