The Painted Pear Re-Launch!

Coming soon.....the re-launch of the Painted Pear Blog.....I hope that you will join me in new adventures! 

The Little Cabinet That Could.....

It took me a while to finish this little cabinet - not the painting

part but the handles.  I had mismatched handles so had to

spray paint them to match (ORB).

 

Before:

 

This is a first for me - "real" chalk paint - I used BC produced

Vangogh Chalk Paint in "Patina".  Good news - I really love the

colour and liked the paint - but even better news to me - my homemade

chalk paint is still my favourite.  I just didn't see a big enough

bang for my buck (40+ of them).  I waxed the cabinet with

beeswax (in a dark format) and love the finished feel!

 

 

This little cabinet was a curb find - can you believe

someone would pitch this cutie out?

 

 

 

Please don't mind the lousy staging - in a hurry to finally get

this post done!

 

 

This cute little sparkly Easter bunny and chick were in a 99

cent bag at Sally Ann (I guess that a dollar now with no pennies!)

 

 

This little ceramic rabbit was also a dollar find at the Sally Ann

along with the little nest and eggs.

 

Lots more posts to follow this week....and did I mention that

while I was on a blogging break I did a little of this?

 



 

What I'm Working On.....

This cute little cabinet was a curb find back when we lived in

Toronto - I miss those fun times - driving around and curb

shopping!  I've had this in storage for a long time but need

something for my entry way and I think this little cabinet will

fit the bill.....but first a facelift....

 

 

 

Stay tuned!

A DIY Paint Party! (and I'm back.....)

First of all - thank you to anyone who is reading this after my long absence! 

I needed to get re-energized and a little time off from blogging was apparently

just what I needed.  Now have I got a boatload of stuff to show you......I've

been busy.

 

Here's one little project I completed on Saturday - it was in preparation for

an event.  I had to try out what I was going to do......these are dollar store

plastic (fake wood look) frames with some Michael's embellishments.

I actually taught a little diy painting class last night - it was

really fun and the turn out was great. 

There were 13 people attending the class - whoot whoot!!

We explored different paint finishes and formulas - including "real" chalk

paint (VanGogh) and some of the home-made recipes for chalk-like paint

that are floating around blogland.

We used my favourite - flat latex with unsanded white grout and a little

water.  

I made each person a little goody bag with all of the basic stuff they would

need including a little 4x6 dollar store frame.  The paint adhered beautifully

to the frames and the results were great! 

We did some distressing (no one yelled at anyone just sanded...LOL)

We explored waxing (I use beeswax) and poly finishes - everyone had a

chance to try each.

 

All-in-all it was a great night and great inspiration for me to get going!

I learned a few things a long the way myself.

Until next time,

Blessings!

Worth Waiting For....

If you've hung in with me during this blogging break - THANK YOU!

You totally rock and you are the reason I want to keep blogging on!

I think you are going to be glad, in 2013, that you stayed with me. 

I am embarking on an epic journey  - one that will take me into

senior citizenship with a BANG!

Mixed in with my DIYs in 2013 is going to be a healthy dose of

healthy living!  I need to lose (hold on to your hats) a whopping

80 pounds and believe me I'm going to give it a go!!

 

Coincidentally (I think not!) my word for 2013 is BELIEVE.....

I want to believe more in myself,

believe in the gift that is life and believe anything is possible!

 

So stick with me kid.....we're going places! (Oh yes, and I am

literally going places - Playa del Carmen in mid Jan for a week)

I turn 55 on the 8th (me 'n Elvis!) and I am determined that I can

be a fit and sexy senior!  Whahoo!

Once I  am back from my vacation - I am going to hit the bricks

and get in line!  Hope you will join me on what I hope will be a

fun filled year.......

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! 

 I look forward to doing more

 posting & sharing in the new year!

Where I've Been......

Did you miss me?  I've been taking a little blogging break mostly

because, like many of you - life is moving a break-neck speed and,

well, I don't want to break my neck as it were.....

 

To say I've been busy would be a HUGE understatement!  I have made

time lately though to do a little bit of Christmas prep.  I want to share

 some of my creations with you.  I made several of these:

 

I would be happy to send you the Word files if you are interested in

making these little mini-buntings or using the template to create your own. 

I printed these on canvas paper - for those of you in Canada - I got it at

Dollarama - it hangs so nicely.  I also purchased the little mini-clothes pegs

from another dollar store - they were $4.99 at Michaels which is

a little much for something so little - I like $1.245better!  A little

bead of hot glue along some jute and there you have it.  I will take some

more photos and add them this week.  I used some embellishments on some

of them - including some paper doilies.  The possibilities are endless and they

would look so sweet on the Christmas tree!  They'd be a great

booth-filler for Christmas sales (which is what I made them for!)

 

You can email me @ peartreejewels@gmail.com and

I will send along the Word files.

 

I hope to post more in the coming weeks.  I also will post the tutorial

on how to make glass magnets - I've made some Christmas ones too

so stay tuned - more to come!

Wednesday's Words.....

Canadian Thanksgiving has just come and gone....turkey's done and the

pumpkins are set out.....great time to remember the things we have that

we are thankful for.....

 

 

 

My list is long and probably like many of you includes my dear family,

friends, pets and in general my healthy, happy life!  It also includes

YOU!  Each of you inspires me through your creative blogging and through the

encouragement and friendship that you show not just to me but that I see

you demonstrating all over blogland.  It's a great community - larger

than life and I am thankful to have a little piece of it!

 

With arms outstretched I thank.

With heart beating gratefully I love.

With body in health I jump for joy.

With spirit full I live. ~Terri Guillemets

Hem your blessings with thankfulness

so they don't unravel. ~Unknown

 

Pink Paris Graphic.....

Today - I have a really simple little graphic collage I have created

in Photoshop - in celebration of PINK!  If you use it - please ensure you

give credit to the sites below where I got the original graphics (Thank

you ladies for your generosity!).  If you create something with the

collage - it would be awesome if you would link back

 to me to show me what you've done.

 

 

 

For me - I'm thinking this little collage would look stylin' on a burlap

shopping bag with maybe some pink ribbon and lace embellishments?

What do you think?

 

Enjoy!

p.s. if you wish to have the original size - please email me and

I'd be happy to send it along to you....

peartreejewels@gmail.com

 

 

Graphics from:

Carolyn @ Antique Images http://antiqueimages.blogspot.ca/

Karen @ The Graphics Fairy http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.ca/

Maire @ Antique Words http://antiquewords.blogspot.ca/2010/07/230710.html

Wednesday's Words.....

The "words" each Wednesday this month will be

all about courage, all about being

a survivor and all about loving support. 

 

THINK PINK!

 

 

 

I read this recently and having heard these dreadful words from

my physician (you have cancer) - this really resonated with me.

 

"Cancer is a word NOT a sentence."

 

If you or someone you love has a story about survivorship that you'd

like to share - please email me and I will gladly provide the host-post.

 

Hugs to you all,

 

Who Are You Running For?

I've changed my blog-header to "Think Pink" colour
scheme for the month of October and I will be doing a couple
of little features to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness this month!
Let me know how you like the new look and please let me know
if you would like to do a guest post on a Breast Cancer topic this
month - just drop me an email.

As I mentioned -  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The first

Sunday in October (in this case the last one in September) is the annual "Run

for the Cure" in Canada.  I have taken part in this run for about the last dozen

or so years - here on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan.  The

one thing that constantly surprises me is the emotion of the morning - all of

these people in one way or another touched by breast cancer. 

 

Here's some highlights of Nanaimo's event:

 

What a great day!  And yes, I am in the photo above.....hee,hee! 

Kind of like:  "where's Waldo"?

 

Thank you to my friends & family for supporting me,

to Mr. Biff for coming and hanging out with us and for

the whole "Sole Support" team!

 

Blessings,

 

The Painted Pumpkin!

I got caught up in the fad of painting pumpkins - I'll admit it and I LOVE

them.....so look out dollar store pumpkins - not one of you is safe!  Here's

what we took to the market today:

 

It was Mr. Biff's BIG birthday today - we had a great time!  Market in

the morning - with one of the lovely vendors bringing chocolate cake

and balloons for Mr. B and then dinner with my lovely sister Jean

and her hubby Larry at Qualicum Beach on the water.

 

I hope you're all having a great weekend too - wherever you are and

a big shout out to my big sister Ann - Happy Birthday!!  Love you!

 

Blessings,