Back Again

I am posting a few pictures of our newest pieces.  I just want them to be on here now and a little later I will come back and fill in the background.  Please be patient.

Hello Again!

I am writing to let you know that I have really discontinued this blog and have started another.  This blog continues to get pageviews and I hate to have those people reading old stuff.

The new blog is "... and the livin' is easy" and simple and can be found at http:/cjmai.blogspot.com     It covers a full range of ideas, tips, thoughts about living in the slow land and having life be simple.  I will continue to feature furniture painting et al.  I hope you will not be disappointed and have some fun reading about my crazy life.

More Inspiration

There are some special times when cruising blogs that I hit the jackpot.  This is one of those times.

Making it Homey is sooooo good!  I will post before and after pics below to display her work but please visit her blog to see all the other work she has done.  She scrapes, sands and strips with the best of them.

I am adding on this pic because I think it is cute.

More Stuff and a Decision

Sometimes there is a little story that goes along with my finding a piece.  In the summer I wrote of a house that had many, many puppies, goats walking through and a horse in the side yard.  This new story is not as sweet as the animal house story.  Actually, not sweet at all.  The picture below is of a cabinet with two doors on the top and two drawers on the bottom.  It is painted two tone green.  Not a bad looking piece at all.  I saw it on trash day in my community on the curb with trash bags around it.  I turned around, parked in front of it and determined it would fit in the back of my car.  I have a PT Cruiser - the back seats fold down for extra space.  Despite the fact that I look strong as bull, I am not.  I have arthritis all over the place which reduces the strength.  So, I wiggled it over to the back of the car and thought that I could lift it from the bottom and just slide it in.  No, no, no.  It had to make it over the hump created by the back of the seats and I couldn't get enough leverage to do it.  I went into the back of the car from the side door and tried to pull it from there.  I broke two nails, said nasty words under my breath and finally got it over the hump.  Back to the outside of the car to push it in.  No, no, no!!  A nail on the back of the piece was sticking out and got caught on a loop in the carpet.   More nasty words under my breath and the biggest heave ho I could manage and in it went. 

Now, this all took some time.  Only one car drove by so I thought
I was relatively free from humiliation.  No, no, no!!!!  I was just about to drive away when a man opened the door of the house I was taking from and gave me a big smile and wave!!!   He was probably watching the whole time and never offered to help.  Jerk!!

When I arrived home I asked Chris to take it out of the car but did not tell him my story.  He did it, came in the house and told me it was "trash".  Nasty words NOT under my breath!!  End of story - we will be restoring this piece.

Not bad looking, right?

We have decided to sell our furniture at the Renningers Antique Extravaganza in January and February.  People come from all over the country for this shopping experience.  It is about 30 miles from us.  There is an indoor flea market, an indoor antique market, little outside antique shops and a place outdoors for vendors such as us.  It takes two days to go through this sale.  It is unbelievable!  I will post pics of what we will be selling as they are completed.  I cannot wait!

Swedish Inspiration

Again, I am taken with the simplicity of Swedish decorating!

You will find this at johanna.vintage.blogspot.com

Painted - Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!!



Proud!!

Most of the blogs that I follow are somehow connected to interior design, decorating, diy, crafts, cooking, etc.  I am always impressed with the work of these bloggers and sometimes a bit envious of what they share.  Today, however, I am so proud of the work I am sharing not only because of its excellence but also its origin - my daughter, Karen.

Karen is an interior designer in NYC with the Jeffrey Beers International design firm.  They specialize in "hospitality" design - hotels, restaurants, clubs, etc.  She has been with them for about a year and today is the opening of her first NYC project.  It is the expansion of the Todd English Food Hall in the Plaza Hotel. Not a bad way to start off.

This pic was taken last night as the chefs and staff were getting the place ready to open.  To think that she designed where every piece of silverware is stored, every liquor bottle is placed, every plate is displayed  - amazing!

Bravo, Karen!!