Painted and Stenciled

One of my first pieces of furniture in France was a desperate and quick buy, to be frank a worthless shelving system. Just needed to put a few things in order without breaking the pocket, was this, well ugly duckling 

I have been contemplating throwing it out for a while, but was held back by the thought that it actually wasn't tired looking and I was hoping to find someone who needs it and will use it. Ever since I heard of the magic paint I've been itching to paint stuff, everything. So I grabbed my white chalk paint and went to work. Plain white seemed rather dull and ever since I bought the book "Quick and Easy Transformations" by Annie Sloan I figured it wouldn't hurt to try out a few things. I wanted a different kind of stencil pattern that I only could find in an American website and I'm not the type that wants to buy an item cheap only to pay a higher price for postage , so? I made my own stencil with these results

The final outcome?

Forgive my picture quality, but I'm quite pleased with the outcome of the shelf. Probably still going to give it away, but ill keep it for a while till I find something new to paint, fuss and fret over.

wonderful weekend to you

thnx for dropping by.

Gosh what a month

A horrible month indeed. I do not remember the last two winters being this detractive both to my physical and mental being, and this year does not seem to be that cold, so every one says, I beg to differ. Took some time off from work (doctors orders), every thing has been either painful or frozen, my back simply gave out, then I kept thinking I was going to have a heart attack. Mostly I'm just missing home and a couple of special people. Right now things look a little fine, yesterday I watched Invictus. I refused to watch this movie since it came out because I was afraid it would be just too painful, some things you just do not want to remember or even imagine the unknown details, but this movie actually made me smile, it did not just open wounds, but it also shut them up a little.At this very moment I'm listening to this SONG BIRD. In the words of The fresh prince of belair "Life is Gooood, you know what I mean?"

Slowly but surely
thnx for dropping by

A white glow

One thing that seems exciting when you live in Africa is the one thing we almost never experience, SNOW.I recall it snowing once where I come from, but as I lived in boarding school far from my home city which is high up in the mountains.My school was in a less colder city, therefore I missed the snow which fell in my teen years, so, so ,so long ago.lol

Three years in Europe now, but this gorgeous white glow still does not fail to take my breath away.I could not help, but take a picture from my bedroom window.My neighbor has horses and donkeys, they were cuddled up in a pack a few minutes ago, but I guess they were camera shy.

This is indeed an exciting sight, still hard to get used to for me, though I can hardly feel my toes and fingers when I get back from work, also still getting used to having to wear gloves all the time.These are the days when I really miss the African sun.There is sure no place like home.

Oh well...

have a great day...

Aubusson Blue

Well its been quite a week I've had , hectic , cold and a real drag , but I finally did my first complete Annie Sloan chalk paint project. The little gift from a friend that I talked to you about last time, turned into a little something I have just put in my little toilet corner, to keep all the interesting little "girly" stuff.Forgive my lack in photography skills.

Check out my new baby

I think the detail is of cause cute

The touch of frames give it a lovely character, I had two black frames from ikea that I changed to aubusson of cause and kept the white ones as is.Empty at the moment as I look for pictures of character to go in there.I bought the mat for a little less than 10 pounds on eBay, a 100% cotton made in India.I really really really love this paint, the energy of this paint is simply off the hook.I've managed to paint something in winter, in the house, and no headaches from the smells.I'm loving this.

Will definitely be getting more of this item.

Thnx for stopping by.

Annie Sloan Paint

I've been hearing a big buzz about the magic paint for the determined to get it done myself, but impatient people like me. I've always opted to use acrylic paints for my paintings for the simple reasons that my headaches can be easily triggered by strong smells and the second is I don't like to waste time, therefore I will certainly not wait for weeks for something to dry up before I finish it off.

People have been talking about this paint you can use to paint your piece of furniture in one day and that's it. I was like, what on earth? How come I've never seen this baby? So I went over to anniesloan.com. I figured there is no way so many people are praising a non existent item.

I looked for a stockist in my area and I came across a sweet lady Claire Chalkley of lescouronnessauvages.com. She's not the closest to my area, but she's the only one who answered the phone on that day (as I've said, I'm not very patient)

I'm not though, a very skeptical person so I did not beat around the bush asking too many questions to fill my curiosity. I wasn't going to take her word anyway I had to get the paint and let it sing to me, just as art sings to me.

 I've received my first order of Old ochre, Pure White and Olive. Still on the way is Aubusson Blue and the "Quick and easy paint Transformations" book by Annie herself, which I plan on using to redo my blue themed toilet. Pity France is determined to keep toilets a tiny insignificant room.

In any-case, I have this beautiful piece of furniture that was given to me by a friend:

I have already painted the top white since I was not particularly a fan of the marble stone which looked somewhat like this:

Not that I hate marble or anything, but this certainly was not the place for it, at least not to me.I will be heading off to my favorite place in the whole world the "Troc" meaning a second hand furniture shop, to find myself a little cute mirror to match up.I have just the perfect painting to go with it all.Humm I have a long week ahead of me. So please bare with me as I work this baby.

thnx for dropping by 

When art sings to you

This moment kind of reminds me of a beautiful song that goes something like this:

I just wanted you to comfort me

when I called you late last night you see

I was falling into love

Yes I was crashing into love

...of all the words you sang to me 

about life, the truth and being free

 how you sang to me

I live of how you make me feel...


FEEL IT HERE

... then it goes on into the sunset with promises of forever, ahhhhhh. In any-case back to my inanimate friends here. Art simply sings to me just about like that. The canvas, paint and brush together? What a song. Those who have a passion for it will tell you the story of a settling in a moment of tranquility once engrossed in the creation of a work or art. 

Whatever the result, whether or not you the artist love the outcome, you rest assured that you will get uhh's and ahh's, that is a guaranteed fact, people are very appreciative. Leaves you with a smile on your face.

Wanted to share with you a few that comforted me when I painted them when they sang to, and oh did they sing to me.

*frames were photo-shopped onto pictures of the paintings for the sake of blogging.The original paintings themselves are either not framed according to the tastes of current owners(Buyers)

Above and Beyond

Beautiful Mess

Walking Away

African Glow

Mine Mine Mine

A throw away society

Does it not amaze you the things we accumulate? The fashion we today follow becomes the junk we will tomorrow discard without a thought.

Throwing away

Though I am not an extreme "save the planet" and "recycle" fanatic, I do so appreciate the thought and understand the deep feelings of those who are somewhat extremists in this regard.

I have not lived very long in this world, but I agree completely that human society has changed, and is still changing rapidly, many say for good, some say we're heading for a down fall, and agree I do.

One of the most shocking downfalls is the way people are quick to discard possessions. "Oh the packet of biscuits is open so ill throw away the whole pack". "The television is out of fashion, ill get a newer, bigger and better one". "Ill upgrade my computer" and the most popular lately, "Ill get a new and younger spouse, because, well... this one and I are just not compatible anymore."Oh really? and who's fault is that?

Throwing away the old for something new.What happens to the old stuff? I don't know, some of it becomes rotten, some of it becomes toxic, the lucky one gets picked up, fixed and treasured.

I am a treasure hunter, I will not pretend never to buy, but I will trade picking up old stuff and accepting other peoples old stuff to buying new ones anytime.

Why don't you try it, why don't we all try it, it will make you happier, will certainly relieve your pocket from all the lies from organized commerce, that the more you buy the better and happier you are or will be.Believe me you are not getting any happier than you are, at least not from digging a hole in your bank account thats for sure.In hard times like these, people need to save every penny they may have for a real rainy day.

So off to the junk we go, remember, one mans garbage, is another mans treasure.

Thank you