Bookworms

Do you have a little sister? I do. I didn’t get her until I was 10 years old. I thought she was a live baby doll for the longest time…I could rock her, dress her up, take her for walks, have tea parties with her…so many fun things. Now as adults we are discovering a common love of all things old, vintage, and a little bit shabby. It’s great fun!

We also share a love of books…so when she asked me if I could make a canvas for her with a Virginia Woolf quote on it, I couldn’t resist!

I kind of misread her instructions…it was supposed to be OFF-WHITE with BLACK lettering, and she got the reverse…whoops! Good thing she’s pretty easy-going

You might think someone who loves reading might have read the instructions a little more carefully…

The pictures above were taken before I “shabbied” up the canvas a bit. I really love the high contrast….

…but I also love the look (above) which is a little bit faded, and dirtied up a little with some brown glaze.

Which one would you choose?

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Linking up to these great parties here.

Rock-a-bye Baby

Would you have been able to resist this? I couldn’t. It’s a beautiful hand-made, solid wood baby cradle. I can just imagine the love carved into every inch!

I am not generally a fan of hearts in furniture or jewelry…but I made an exception for this piece.

I see beautiful vintage-style nurseries on the Internet all the time now, so I thought I’d make over this cradle to go along with the theme!

I painted the body in a barely off-white, and then dry-brushed some cream over it. I distressed the edges and details, and then glazed the whole thing with dark brown stain.

The baby quilt is ‘vintage,’ too! It was made for me when I was a baby. My mother never used it because she couldn’t bear to see it worn out. I take it out of my linen closet to admire every once in a while!

I used a bassinet to keep my babies close to me in their first few months…

…but now I’m wishing I had had a cradle!

Note: Even better, this cradle went to a mom expecting her first baby girl

....after SIX boys!

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Linking up here.

Babies Don’t Keep!

We welcomed a new addition our family on July 25. My nephew and his beautiful wife had a beautiful baby boy!

I was 14 years old when his father was born, and he looks SO much like his dad did that it tugs at my heartstrings!

I sent this canvas as a baby gift:

It’s my favorite reminder that babyhood—and childhood—should be enjoyed, because they are over too quickly.

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

For babies grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs; dust, go to sleep,

I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep!

So hug those babies today…no matter how old they are!!

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This project has been featured at Day & Age Design.

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Linking up here.

Knock-Off Clock Table

I have very sad news to share today…this is going to be my last coffee table post (for a while, at least). Yes, it is true. After refinishing FIVE coffee tables this spring/summer, I am out! There are no more in my garage. (I think I might cry just a little.)

For the record, there was the French Chocolate table (that one is mine), Café table, the Postcard table (that one my little sister claimed), and the Black Coffee table! Oh, and then there was the French Twist table (not technically a coffee table, but sometimes I put my hot chocolate on it).

For this last one, I did branch out a little…no French ads here! Instead, how about a little….Roman??

Ever since I made this clock table in the spring, I wanted to do it again, but on a smaller scale, and more like the Pottery Barn clock I have admired so much…

. So…I had been on the hunt for a round coffee table!

And what did I find? This beautiful $8 maple table from a garage sale.

You can’t see it, but there was quite a crack in the top, and that’s why I got such a great deal. For my purposes, a little crack wasn’t going to deter me!

I painted the whole table barely off-white, but then I also brushed on at other shades of white and cream to give it some depth.

Not wanting to waste paper or vinyl, I used my Silhouette to cut a single I, V, and X out of paper, and traced them with a pencil onto the table top. (No, I did NOT use an overhead projector! That’s a shocker.) Then I filled in the outlines with black acrylic paint.

I heavily distressed this table (well, it was heavy for me), and then I glazed it in both black and brown.

I really loved the aged feel of this piece.

Hope you enjoyed a coffee table in a different language!

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This project has been featured at Saved by Love Creations, Knock Off Decor, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Copy Cat Crafts, A Little Knick Knack, Bless My Nest, Sisters of the Wild West, and The DIY Show Off.

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Linking up to these great parties here.

Beadboard Sign Winner!

Thank you to all who entered my one-year blogiversary giveaway!  I loved reading all the good things you shared.  Some were funny, lots were sweet, and some were even bittersweet.  You reminded me to count my blessings and give thanks in all things! 

Without further ado, the winner is:

(Low numbers never win in the giveaways *I* enter!)

Congratulations, Suzy-Q!  I hope you have been thinking of what you want your sign to say!  Please e-mail RedHenHome@gmail.com within the next 24 hours to claim your prize!