Sheeeee's here

My friend Jenny is here!

And we're doing what you do when art friends get together.

We are staying up late painting and making art messes everywhere.

Jenny is my first Artist In Residence at the Garden Palace.

This is the home studio view I woke to this morning. 

More to come.

Wish you were here.

♥

This is not about my junk

This is about my Red Bookcase

Here's all my junk...again.

But this is the only "before" picture of my bookcase. 

Just encase you didn't notice the last time I shared this pic, do take note of that morning sunshine.

Heaven.

sorry about shooting through the ladder

So here it is.

I had to have it RED. 

I'm not really staging anything yet.

For now I need to just get it all out so I can see what I have.

I stopped to take the photo before it looked like the first picture of all my junk. 

I have a lot of stuff.

Till now, a lot of it has been boxed up waiting for me to reclaim the Garden Palace.

The coolest thing happened last week when I was opening the boxes. 

One was like a great big box of Christmas presents.

It was so fun to rediscover the gifts that I received ages ago from dear friends.

All of the gifts were were intended for my Garden Palace and I saved them just for this week!

I have the grandest friends!

♥

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.

♥

Repurposing at its best

My New Washstand

In another lifetime this was a sewing desk or student desk.

When I purchased it for five bucks, it did not have a top and there are no drawers.

However, there was a compartment inside that I removed.

I took a photo of the graffiti while I was painting it.

One day I discovered a large old cabinet door I purchased at the Resale store in Waco would work for a table top. 

I was very excited because I knew from the beginning that I would make a mosaic top for my washstand and was wondering how I would handle the edge of the mosaic.

The trim of molding near the edge was perfect. 

Ready to grout.

Grouted. Note the plate is grouted in place.

I remember that my Grannie had a washstand at her back door. 

It seems like it was a plain wooden box.

She also had a dipper hanging on a nail above a bucket of well water for drinking.

Can you imagine?

washstand at the backdoor

My original plan was to cut a hole in the top so this granite bowl would sit down in it. 

When the time came, I couldn't decide if I really really wanted to cut a hole.

What if I made a mess of it? 

I tried to think of something simpler.

And discovered that I had two big bowls in my kitchen that would also work on my new washstand.

Each would have required a different size hole. 

It would have been real simple to just mosaic the whole top.

But you know I do tend to make things complicated for myself. 

So I used a cracked plate from my everday dishes and grouted it into the mosaic. 

Now, I have three options for the wash bowl. 

So, do you agree? 

Giving new life to an old desk that nobody but me wanted and an old cabinet door is repurposing at its best.

♥

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.

♥

Wanna See My Junk

April fools

The Garden Palace parlor full of junk is the room-of-the-week.

Company is coming and I'm frantic to get ready for a fun visit.

Everything was moved into the parlor while I was working on the other rooms.

But now I've moved everything out because the parlor is the last room to reclaim and with luck and hard work, I will have this room conquered by weeks end. 

Everything in every picture is a project.

There is no way I will get all the projects finished before my visitor gets here, but I will have finished the reclamation from the unwanted furry and flying squatters who moved in during during the period of my neglect.

♥

PS...all of my online classes are marked down really really cheap. And that is no April fools joke!