Yuckiness

Hello friends,


I've been down with the flu since Wednesday night. 


This is not how I imagined spending Thanksgiving! 


I have yet to brine my turkey and cook it. On the bright side, I probably don't have to worry about what the scales say tomorrow morning. 


Please forgive my absence, and bear with me as I regain my strength more every day. I have missed you!


I look forward to reading your blogs and catching up!


Word for the Day:


Matthew 8:17

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”


May you enjoy excellent health today and this Christmas season!


-Revi

New Project In the Works!

I've had this little chest since the summer. It was a freebie - another treasure from my church. I finally decided to make it my next project, and today I'm showing you the before photos.

I have no idea how this piece began - what it was originally made for or intended to be. It appears to have been stripped partially of gray paint, then "faux" painted a sort of mauve marble.

There was a time I would have probably done the same thing. Now, I wish they would have stopped with the partially-stripped gray.

It has panels on it, but the wood doesn't appear to be fine wood. It has handles on both ends, but they were probably added later. 

You can tell they were "pre-faux" since there's faux on them.

There's also a hasp. I think that's what you call it - hardware used to attach a padlock. The handles and hasp are more utilitarian than decorative. There is no ornamentation on them at all.


There was a little surprise on the bottom of the trunk:

It may have been a crate for a clock or something fragile. I would say it's a crate, except for the panels. You don't see many crates with panels. What do you think? Any ideas?


Whatever it was, I'm glad to have it, and I hope it turns out like I see it in my mind's eye.


Since I'm more a "painter" than a "stripper" I opted to paint it. I've had a certain finish in mind. I'm experimenting, and you're my guinea pigs. Yes, I also use my dinner guests as guinea pigs. I know that's a "faux pas" but this post is sort of celebrating a little faux. My plan for this little chest is a sort of "nouveau faux" treatment. (That's for all my Francophile friends.) 


Hint: It will not be white! 


Another Hint:  It will work beautifully in a white environment.


Word for the Day:


Philippians 1:6


 ...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Linking with:

Monday

http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/ Motivate Me Monday 
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ Creative Blogger's Party

Tuesday

http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/ Knick of Time Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wednesday

http://eisymorgan.blogspot.com/ Inspired by YOU Wednesdays

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ Penny Pinching Party

Thursday
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/ Under $100 Link Party
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ Suzy's House Party
http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ Thrifty ThursdayFriday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Feathered Nest Friday

http://www.remodelaholic.com/ Fridays on Remodelaholic
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ Frugal Friday
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ Frugalicious Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/ Potpourri Party
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ Inspiration Friday
Saturday
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Saturday Nite Special
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ Show and Tell Saturday 

Finding Just the Right Words - Vintage Book Bundles

My church friend Marilou recently gave me several boxes of books from her garage sale. Many were a bit water-damaged, and covers were coming off. I had stopped by her garage sale and had gathered a box of goodies to purchase when she offered them to me. I knew immediately what I would do with them! 

I have admired book bundles on other blogs, and I know they sold for $29 at Restoration Hardware. I LOVE all my old books, and didn't want to harm them to make a book bundle. 

Yes, they appeal to my love for texture and yes, they are another way to use a different "white" element. But my constructive nature was at odds with the deconstruction of a perfectly good old book!

Marilou's offer of already self-deconstructing books was the answer! I set to work ripping off covers and searching Google to see what methods of binding appealed the most.

I purchased a spool of twine, unwrapped some vintage seam-binding tape from my stash of sewing supplies and set to work. Some of the contents pages were highly decorative, offering a little color to the predominately white and tan constructions. That opened up another possibility; embellishing the strings with found objects!

I decided to let the books dictate what might be attached, and took cues from the wording or the colors found on the cover pages.

It was fun digging through my boxes of old buttons, rusty washers, keys, seashells and beads! 

Some were left plain. Plain is always good. Basic is always right, especially when the book is really special.

During this process, I couldn't help but wonder who had purchased these books. How did they end up at Marilou's garage sale? Some had cryptic notations penned inside.

I focused on mixing a variety of textures and values on the spines, since that is what might be seen on a bookcase. I also tried to use a charming top page, in case they were used in a table top vignette.

These bundles only cost a couple of bucks for a spool of twine. I already had the other items.


I plan to post these bundles on etsy and ebay - a new venture for me. If any of you have any words of wisdom, I am all ears! (or eyes, since this is a blog. You get the idea!)


In my Google research, I also found book covers and spines used in collage-paintings. So, I rummaged back through the garbage bag of these, and found several that might work in some work of this sort. I've begun a couple of them, but they're not yet ready to show. 


Word for the Day:


Ecclesiastes 12:9-10


 ⁹ Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.


May all your words be right and appropriate. May they bring hope, joy and healing to those you spend time with today!


-Revi

Linking with:

Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com Metamorphosis Mondayhttp://makingtheworldcuter.com/ Making The World Cuter Monday

http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/ Thanksgiving Showcase

Tuesday

http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/ Knick of Time Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wednesday

http://eisymorgan.blogspot.com/ Inspired by YOU Wednesdays
http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/  White Wednesday

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ Penny Pinching Party

Thursday
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/ Under $100 Link Party
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ Suzy's House Party
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/ Transformation Thursday
http://www.the36thavenue.com// Share Awesomeness Thursday
http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ Thrifty ThursdayFriday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Feathered Nest Friday

http://redoux.blogspot.com/ Friday Redoux Link Party
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ Frugal Friday
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ Frugalicious Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/ Potpourri Party
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ Inspiration Friday
Saturday

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Saturday Nite Special

Secrets that Amaze

Sometimes, when you think you're beginning to know someone, you find out something totally new, unexpected and wonderful about them! 

Such was the case this week while I was peeking about on my dashboard, looking at some of my favorite blogs. I found out Audrey of Elegant Economies likes beading and jewelry-making. I knew her only as Audrey the decorator and homemaker. Why was I shocked that she has OTHER interests, skills and talents? 
I am convinced; we are all multi-faceted, multi-talented, amazing human beings!

I first began to realize this fact because of my Mom. My Mom is a visionary. She has amazing ideas to create something from nothing. She is also fearless. I was blessed to grow up with a mom who told me, "You can do anything you want to do." 

My Mom was a Chamber of Commerce director in a small Texas town. She thought it might be a fun thing to do a melodrama as a fund-raiser. Nothing like that had been done before, but she began to research, found sources that published melodramas. She ordered samples, and began to plan. 

She began asking people if they might like to act in a melodrama. Church choir members, school teachers, farmers, dentists - you name it, she asked. Remember, she's fearless! 

She asked local musicians and gregarious types she knew would enjoy the comedy and being in front of a crowd. Before long, they were having practices and building sets.

In addition to the play, they had pre-event bluegrass music and follies skits. They joined forces with the local RSVP and Senior Citizen's group to make it a dinner theater. It was SUCH great fun! It also brought the community together in a wonderful way.

People who wouldn't have been comfortable on stage enjoyed sewing costumes and building wonderful sets. For a town of less than 5000 people, it was impressive! 

I learned that EVERYONE has at least a couple of marketable skills and talents. Most of the time, those talents have nothing to do with their "day jobs." 

So, tell me. What do you do besides re-style furniture or paint walls or sew curtains? What else excites you as much as finding a great piece of furniture or ironstone at a thrift store or flea market? 

Do you have any other passions that compete for your time? We know you love blogging... 

You may have guessed it already; I like to paint. I also like to make jewelry, which is why it tickled my fancy to find Audrey was a bead-freak, too! I can be a VERY messy gal. Different kinds of creative messes are always cluttering up my spaces. I love learning how to do something new, and that's ANOTHER reason I  enjoy blogging. TUTORIALS! Yea!


I have "created" since I was a child. I studied art in college. I worked as a graphic artist in the stone ages before computers. (No, we didn't use chisels and rocks, but we did do things by hand.) I made jewelry for a living for over 10 years. (That's another post!) 


But, here's the amazing thing. Once I submitted my life to Jesus Christ, when I said, "My life is yours. I want what YOU want, not what I want," my art changed. 


Wait, it's still not the amazing part yet. It's not really surprising that my art changed, that I wanted to glorify HIM with my life. 


The really amazing part is that I had stopped creating for a number of years. After my divorce, I was too busy just making ends meet, being a good mom, etc. But I KNEW that I would create again, and I knew I wanted it to glorify God. 


SO, when I picked up a paintbrush again, I didn't really know what was going to happen. You know what happened? I was BETTER at painting than I had ever been. Without practicing or even picking up a paintbrush in years, I got better. Now, you tell me: HOW did that happen? I know. I'll bet you do, too.


Do you paint? Do you sing? Are you a gourmet chef? Do you have an amazing stamp collection? Do you belong to a dance club? Do you play a didgeridoo? Inquiring minds want to know. Amaze us! 


Please comment and share with us. Show us another facet we didn't know you had. Post them on your blog. We'll visit and wish we could do it, too!


Word for the Day:


Exodus 31: 1-11 (This is a long one, but a good one!) 


1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— 8 the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— 10 and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

May ALL the works of your hands be blessed today!

-Revi

Linking with:

Monday

http://makingtheworldcuter.com/ Making The World Cuter Monday

Tuesday

http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/ Knick of Time Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wednesday

http://eisymorgan.blogspot.com/ Inspired by YOU Wednesdays
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ Wow Us Wednesday
Thursday 

http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ Suzy's House Party
http://www.the36thavenue.com// Share Awesomeness Thursday
http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ Thrifty Thursday
Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Feathered Nest Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/ Potpourri Party

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ Inspiration Friday
http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/ Catch as Catch Can
Saturday

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Saturday Nite Special

Feelin' the Love...

pink rose teacup from http://eleganteconomies.blogspot.com/

Sometimes we need a little encouragement. We need to know someone out there cares. We KNOW we are loved, but we need a little EXTRA something to lift our spirits. We need to be reminded we are not alone, we are heard, we are valued, we are appreciated. 

Antique Book Bundle from http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

I've been AWOL this week - busy with things that have taken most of the time I usually spend blogging. Nothing bad, mind you, but out of the ordinary. And I had a couple of projects in mind that I wanted to post, only I had to DO them first, and to photograph them after doing them. 

SO, with less time than usual, AND with less LIGHT than usual after work, I find myself here on Wednesday evening wondering what the heck I might be able to post, having not even begun, let alone finished a single project I was planning to post this week. 

Then I remembered back to yesterday morning, which seems like such a long time ago! I took a little break to check my blog. I had such a sweet surprise waiting in my comments and Gmail; I was featured on two of my favorite blogs! As a relatively new blogger (first post - August 18, 2011), I have only been featured two times before. You can imagine my surprise and delight to find out two of my posts were featured in blogs I admire. What an honor and a delight! I love these blogs - they are both kindred spirits in different ways.

Angie at Knick of Time Interiors featured a little stool project I did recently. I LOVE Knick of Time - Angie finds the coolest stuff! Some of her (and my) favorites are vintage clocks, books and tools. She's recently moved into a new home - and we get to see her very creative approach to home improvement! One of my favorite recent posts of Angie's was, "Rust is like a joke...either you get it or you don't" Check it out. Thanks, Angie, for the feature!

The second sweet surprise was my precious new friend Audrey at Elegant Economies featured Revisionary Life and awarded me the Liebster Blog award!

Thank you, Audrey! Your timing was perfect, and I am honored you thought of me. Elegant Economies reflects Audrey's timeless and classic style - cozy and refined with a definite nod to feminine sensibilities! Two of my favorite recent posts are Cream Ware French Vanilla Yummy and In the Pink of Things. See photos at the top of this page and below for a taste!

Pedestal made from candlestick and plate - from http://eleganteconomies.blogspot.com





The Liebster award is given to newbie bloggers with less than 200 followers.(Ha! I could qualify 2 times!) Liebster is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. What's not to love about this?



The rules for the Liebster Award are:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love too!

Here are my 5 blogs, in no particular order:

1 - The Dedicated House

Kathryn and I share a love for Rustoleum spray paint, candlesticks and cozy. See how these candlesticks looked before she revised them!

2 - The Apprentice Extrovert

Courtney has mad skills at reinventing furniture! See her latest office chair revision below and lots more of her fresh style at her new blog.

3 - Ethereal Plus What I Love

Francene is creating a beautiful, serene home, and she shares lots of information how-to with us!

4 - The Farmhouse Porch

This talented young woman paints charming paintings and has amazing vintage pieces for sale in Old Town Spring near Houston, Texas. I expect to be seeing lots more good things from her!

5 - The Salvage Collection

Amy is pretty fearless when it comes to refinishing a piece of furniture. She also has a great sense of humor! You simply MUST read this post about a fabulous table...well it was fabulous when Amy got finished with it!

I just have to wrap this post up by saying that blogging has been even more enjoyable than I imagined it would be - partly due to the love and encouragement so freely shared among us all. It never gets tiring to check your comments and read a nice little note from a regular visitor or a new one. The only down-side is that I'd REALLY love to meet you all at a coffee shop for some good conversation and girl-time together. Geography prevents that! The world is so small, yet so big at the same time...

Word for the Day:

John 17:24 (Jesus prays for all believers)

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

If we never meet face to face in this world, may we all meet for a cup of something wonderful in the next!

-Revi

Finding Perfect Treasures

Most of us are visually stimulated creatures. We blog, partly because it helps to fulfill our need for beauty. 

We find inspiration in seeing how other bloggers reinvent, repair, paint, arrange, and display the treasures they find in thrift stores and flea markets. 

We are thrilled to find a little piece of history, a lovely patina, an interesting item that is no longer useful, but can be re-purposed. 

We don't mind repairing or painting. We even enjoy the process of adding value and purpose to an object someone else has cast off. 

But sometimes...

We find a lovely object that doesn't need a thing; 

No painting, no sanding, no staining, no stripping, no sewing, no nothin' is needed. It is lovely just the way it is.

And it doesn't cost any more than something we bought that need somethin'.

And sometimes we wonder why. We are amazed that no one else found it first.  But mostly we are thankful that we found something beautiful for a price that was no where near its value.


Word for the Day:


Matthew 13:44


“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."


May you always recognize a treasure when you find it or when it finds you!


-Revi


Linking with:
Tuesday
http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/ Knick of Time Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ Tuesday's Treasures

Wednesday

http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ White Wednesday

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ Penny Pinching Party

Thursdayhttp://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/ Under $100 Link Partyhttp://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ Suzy's House Partyhttp://www.the36thavenue.com// Share Awesomeness Thursdayhttp://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ Thrifty Thursday

Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Feathered Nest Friday

http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ Frugal Fridayhttp://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ Frugalicious Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/ Potpourri Party
Saturday

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Saturday Nite Special