Landfill Rescue

Isn't "landfill" a much nicer work than "the dump"?  Either way

this beautiful chair was destined to make it's way to that place of

no return.  The seat of the chair was a little wonky and definitely

needed work but people.....look at the chair itself.  It was dirty and

has had one small repair on one arm but it is gorgeous!

(Warning - this is a photo-laden post!)

Here she is when we brought her home.  There was no thought

of painting her despite my tendency to paint everything!  The wood

grain on this red oak is just marvelous and the craftsmanship of the

chair itself (put together with wooden dowels) speaks for itself.

Mr. Biff cleaned and waxed the wood and took care

of pulling all the old nails.

I threw in a little liquid encouragement to keep him going!

I guess Mr. Biff didn't want his picture taken huh?  He grabbed

that pillow so fast I barely got a chance to click the shutter!!

 I restrung and covered the seat - a good collaborative effort.......

The little spade keyhole cutout in the back of the chair likely dates

this chair to the late 19th century although with no maker's mark

it's impossible to be sure.  The style is called a spool chair because

of the beautiful turned spindles on the legs.

Only the best fabric could cover this lovely and for those of you

who live on Vancouver Island or the Lower Mainland you know there

was just one place to go to get the best and that was Chintz & Company

in Victoria.  This Williamsburg fabric is a vintage looking damask

 and a perfect match for the chair.

 What do you think?  Isn't she a beauty?

She'll be for sale on our local "Used Nanaimo" page later

today and we'll see if anyone else loves her like we do!

If you are interested and live in the area - please contact me

for more information.

p.s. please check out my Digital Scrapbook Giveaway
here - still time to enter - giveaway closes June 9th at midnight PST.

My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Giveaway!

I have a very cool piece of digital scrapbooking software to show you

today and bonus - there's a giveaway for you to try it too!

When Liz from My Memories asked if I would like to review this

fabulous scrapbooking tool - I didn't hesitate.  I love to play with photos

and graphics and create cool looking digital scrapbook images.

Loading the software was easy and it took no time at all for me

to get in the swing of creating the following digital scrapbook pages.

 These are images from my blog - what a great way to preserve

a post!  I had fun with the embellishments on these ones!

Anyone who knows me knows I love to create collages and look

at what I did this morning in about 15 minutes using the My Memories

digital software - it was amazingly easy and thanks to Karen at the

Graphics Fairy - all the images are free and were easy to add.  "Paris" was

done using the text tool in the scrapbook software as was the flourish!

And last, but not least - I did this little calendar in less than 10 minutes - now

how easy would it be to give these out at your market booths as a promo

for your blog.  Just print on cardstock and the digital software does the rest!

Again, thanks to the Graphics Fairy to the beautiful graphics!

If you are someone who likes to capture their memories in a scrapbook

format - this software is for you.  It's fast easy and seems to have

amazing options for formating, adding bling to your pages and

preserving your photo fun on the my memories suite

for years to come!

You have 3 chances to enter to win your own copy of

the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking software:

1. You must be a follower of The Painted Pear - or become one and

leave me a comment and, if you are new to my page, welcome!

(bonus - if you follow me - I will check out your blog and

follow you back).

2.  You don't have to have a blog to enter - you can "like" My

Memories on Facebook for a chance to win!  Again, please leave a

comment letting me know you have done so and if you don't have

a blog you must leave me your email so I can contact you if

you are the winner!

3.  Visit the My Memories page and come back here to leave a

comment on your favourite digital paper pack for a 3rd chance to

enter.

Contest closes June 9th at midnight PST.  I will announce the

winner on Sunday, June 10th.  Good Luck and, in the meantime,

go check it out @ My Memories.com.

Playing with Cutlery....

For quite some time I have wanted to make a "place setting" wall hanging

for my dining room.  My dining room is a work in progress but I have been

seeing these all over the internet....all the creative people out there re-purposing

old cutlery into art.  So here's my attempt - I think I will try another one but

this one will "hang around" for awhile!

This one is nothing special - just a cheap set of 10 cent cutlery from

a thrift store....

A little ORB.....

Then a little white craft paint dry "dabbed" on  - once it was dry I did

the same with some pretty blue paint.

The background was this little re-purposed plaque - it was the perfect

size and was only 95 cents.  I just covered it with some pretty

 scrapbook paper...shabbied up the edges a bit.

When I turned it over I found this sweet little note:

July 8, 1998

My Dear Tara,

I was in the mall today and saw this picture and thought of you!

I sure miss my little girl.  See you at the end of July.  Love to David,

All My Love, Mom!!

I felt bad for a moment or two before I slapped on the modge-

podge - I did leave the note on the back - as a little "provenance"....

*giggle*  hope Mom & Tara won't mind too much!

Here's a tip:  I buy up all the plaques I find that are in
good shape - they make great gifts covered with scrap paper
or your own images - a really easy way to mount photos or
artwork to make it display ready.  All those old "Holly Hobby"
plaques are just begging for a new life and most thrift
stores have tons - they range from 25 cents to a buck!

This is what I ended up with:

If I try it again (and you know I will!) I think I will do monochromatic

white on white and maybe do just all spoons or just all forks.....

What do you think?  For less than $2 it's going to be a cute little

addition to my dining room wall and will fit well with the hints of

turquoise and teal I have planned.

I'm Back.....

I missed blogging but have been keeping up with

all of YOUR adventures - you are a busy, crafty,

thrifty, diy'ing lot!

 I have been a very busy gal!  It's been beautiful weather

 here on Vancouver Island altho

the proverbial tide is going to turn apparently tomorrow to....

rain!  On the West Coast we don't tan - we rust!

(pa-dum-pum..)

Anyway, I have been working on a few things so over the

next few days I will post about them - here's one:

Mr. Biff and I picked up these funky chairs at the Recycle

Depot - they were in horrid shape but were just what I needed

for this little project.

I found the seat cover at a thrift store for $2 - it's actually a cushion

cover with a zipper and all but it tucked in nicely!

I don't have a before pic (bad blogger) - but I can tell you that

a little glue and no intention of ever sitting on them fixed them

right up!  I dry brushed on some blue craft paint and put a cushion

cover on one and a fairy garden on the other....

These sit at our front door to welcome friends, family and

fairies alike!

I've had a bad migraine for the past few days and today a

lovely friend and co-worker dropped off this little miniature

rose - isn't she a beauty!

I feel better already!

Thank you Jackie - you are a sweetheart!

Glad to be back,

Blogging Blahs.....

It had to happen - blogging at 947 mph (ok maybe only 500 mph)

and I hit a wall.....a blogging wall.  It must be like writer's block for

a novelist (oh to be so lofty). 

 I just haven't felt compelled to write lately. But....

I know I want to continue and I know I do love it!!

 I do hope that my followers will continue to follow me

because I do have some cool projects with "how I did it" to share.

I thought this quote kind of sums it up for me!

(Source for Photos: Google Images)