A Set of Three

The Chair

I found this antique office chair at a local thrift store. 

My good luck!

Even though it was a "project", it was exactly what I wanted for the attic studio. 

I replaced broken dowels and glued it all back together.

I also had to replace the worn casters and found exact replacements at House of Antique Hardware.

The Desk

I planned for a long time to use the extra antique table top to make two art desk. 

One for the Attic Studio and one for the Rose Garden Parlor. 

This one is for the Rose Garden Parlor and I cut eight inches off the backside so it would fit the parlor.

Way back when, I found antique table legs for the front and I used ripped 2 x 4's for the back legs.

Here you can see I painted, distressed and waxed the chair.

I also made a thin pad for the chair. 

It's all ready for art making.

The next day, I went over to sit.

It felt like the sit and stare stage that I enjoy after finishing a painting. 

I needed to go sit and stare at my new art desk and chair.

I love the chair so much in the parlor that I'm on the lookout for another for the Attic Studio.

The Footstool

The next day I took the little foot stool over. 

I painted the legs, that yellow and replaced the nasty fabric on the sides with the beautiful floral linen.

I didn't replace the naugahyde vinyl on the top. 

I thought it looked gently used and fit right in.

A Set of Three 

Desk and Chair and Footstool

three projects

I am so ecstatic about reaching this point in my daydream.

I will be hanging the One Hundred Faces over the desk just as soon as I put a hanger on it.

I'm also making a shelf with the eight inch piece of the table that I cut off. 

Yes, I will show. 

Today at the Rose Garden Parlor desk

...I started reading this.

The Zen of Seeing by Frederick Franck.

It is about drawing and sketching and I plan to go over each morning to read and perhaps do a little sketching. 

If you know me and my art practice, you will probably know that I don't particularly enjoy the sketching stage. 

I know. I know. 

But I think in the past when I felt pressed for time, I just skipped that step whenever I could.

And that became my practice.

I do know it is important and my mission now is to enjoy and be inspired by this book to start a new art practice.

You know I will be sharing.

Project by Project

I'll get them done. 

While I emptied the parlor last week to clean and paint the floor, I took pictures of most of the projects I moved out. 

Just for the record (mine), it is helpful to see them this way rather than in my head in a jumbled mess.

Or in the parlor in a jumbled mess.

Birdcage project needs a bit of dressing up. 

Also, on this day I retrieved the rolled up morning glory floor cloth from under the bed and unfurled it. 

As the day warmed the floor cloth relaxed and settled down in its spot. 

I LOVE IT!

Chair is a paint and seat project

Buggy project will be a surprise

 This was my mother-in-laws and I don't know where it came from.

I can't help but wonder if it was hers.

I have a re-purpose plan for it. 

Shutters to re-purpose

Cabinet Corner Shelf to hang

Antique Easel

 This will be a simple project.

Boxes 

Tin Canister Set

Sconces with Mercury Glass 

Candle holders

Wicker Chair

Table and legs

 This will become a parlor art desk.

Small Drop Leaf Table

Baskets

Various legs and turned dowel parts

 I'll think of something. 

Expandable Hooks

 I have already used the one on the left. 

Watch for it in the next post. 

Stove

Small three drawer cabinet

 Small cabinet needs gluing and paint.

Homemade stool

This little stool project is finished. 

It is a little wobbley but I'm not touching it as it was made and used by my Daddy.

And I love it just the way it is.

Having it in the Garden Palace makes me think of him every time I see it. So many memories but mostly that he taught me I could do anything I thought I could do.

♥

Have a Seat

I'm undecided about which room to use the bench in. It works nice here under this front window but it also works pretty good in the Morning Glory Garden Room under the window behind the table. Should I ever need seating for more than four guest, I can just pull the bench up to the table. Actually, those are the only two options.  

Here it is before I waxed it and after I scrapped and sanded it. But up until the moment to get going on this project, I was absolutely sure that I would paint the bench. Then, one day while I was sitting at the art desk over there and thinking about what color, I realized the only thing that made sense was to just clean, sand, scrape and wax it. 

If I used it in the room with this table, it matched nicely.

If I use it here in the Rose Garden Parlor, it matches nicely. 

Did you know that Tim's Cloth is finished? I worked on it for more than five years and finally, it is all done. Here it is on the bench after my washing ceremony. I wrote about that here on my blog, The Cloth Side of Me. I invite you to take a look. 

Another Cabinet Door

A Cabinet Door

This project started months ago when I collaged the book pages on this small cabinet door. 

I did it not knowing what I was going to paint but I will tell you, I never thought about painting flowers. 

Actually, I never thought it would be a Garden Palace project.

Each day when I go over the the Garden Palace, I take along my art-to-go-bag that I used when I was going to that dang-desk-in-town.

Now instead of paint brushes and art supplies, my bag carries things like small tools, plastic bags, paint rollers, batteries from my cordless tools, and whatever thing I might need for the work day.

Each day I plopped it on the floor while thinking I need a place to hang it. 

Finally, the day came when that was my mission.

I think that happened when I discovered the pretty little hooks I  purchased so long ago.

I found them when I emptied the big bookcase in the parlor. 

I'm always amazed when something slots right into place.

the cabinet door + the hook + inspiration to paint flowers + the perfect place to hang a hook

Oh, and if you want to know the gorgeous color is Derivan Matisse background Straw with a little bit of dark wax over it. 

Watch for more of it.

♥