Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

my first ever Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project!

 

where have you been all my life ASCP?

 

"It's a girl's paint, but boys can use it too."  ... it says that right there on the can!
~

 ... just a quick post to tell you about my latest addiction, ASCP.

 found this old wooden compote of my mom's in my 'to be donated pile' and it was the perfect piece to 'practice' on.

 

 

... a layer of Arles and Louis Blue, some distressing and some clear wax and I have a perfect place to show a few of my favorite sea treasures.I like the look ... just a practice run before my next BIG project ... restoring Stefanie's mom's Adirondack chair from Virginia Beach ... no pressure! 

... remembering each and every life lost on this day 12 years ago,
and grateful for every person, that since that day,
has tried to make this world a better place to be ... 

 

treasure box cover ...

 

 

this is a treasure box cover ... a treasure, in that, it was a great deal at a reduced price from a home goods store.  Wendy just didn't LOVE the 'Relax' paper decal on the top ...

so I sanded it off and ...

... painted her a sunset/sunrise New England scene

and added a message in a bottle washed up on the shore ...

Wendy came up with her own message to live by ...

 

 

"LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE

SWIM IN THE SEA

WALK IN THE MOONLIGHT

LAUGH AND BE FREE!"

~wjnr

 

 

 and the inside treasure box cover!

 

Happy Retirement Wendy!

WR ... can you see it?

Fink Family Dogs' Beach Home Toy Box and PPF piece

built by Rog and embellished by me!

 

please don't tell me I forgot anypup!
(and it's my PPF share for week eleven year 3 check-in)

ladder plant stand with ❤

i found this sweet old ladder (already painted) at a consignment shop in Portsmouth, NH.  Shell and Bruce transported it for me and it has been in the basement for over a year now.  Had to have it, but I hadn't planned to do this with it.  Was ready to go buy some boards to make the shelves when i decided to use two of my vintage ironing boards (Rog disassembled the boards and built brackets to help position the boards on the ladder from the ironing board legs).  NOW, for the best part of the story ... LOVE when stuff just comes together!

this ironing board came from Kevin's grandmother ... Helen Veronica Lasky Beloin.  Kev swapped me for a brand new ironing board and iron.

this ironing board came from Irene Newsome Munson.  I had helped Irene with her housework and told her if she ever wanted to get rid of the vintage board I would be interested.  Shortly after she passed away, her daughter called me and said that they had found a note taped to the back of the board to give the ironing board to me.

both ironing boards were manufactured by the same company.  both Helen and Irene were very best friends while they were here on earth.  Irene was 90 and Helen was 91 years old when they departed from this earth. 
Can't wait til it warms up a bit and I can fill these shelves with flowers and herbs and treasures!

Pup Toy Box and PPF

We have a Westie and a Scottie/Westie pup,

Lexi on the left and Bella on the right

Rog crafted this pup toy box from pine.

Chad, down at our local Sherwin Williams store mixed up an awesome

blue and green stain for me

here is Bella checking out a butterfly

 

... before the new toy box ... pup toys everywhere

Lexi top pup, Bella bottom pup.

 

... after the toy box

(and pups sleeping in sun spots, Lexi on the left and Bella on the right)

order restored!

 

hey, it's Friday!  check out PPF

... PPF has been happening every Friday and we are in our THIRD year!

Toy box #2 for the beach cottage - needs some PAINT work!

love,

Lexi and Bella

❤

Paint Party Friday Auction Blog Hop to Benefit Sandy Hook Elementary School

Welcome to my auction post for the Paint Party Friday Auction Blog to Benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School!

 

When I was a little girl I remember my mother telling me that I should be good because Santa was coming. I believed in Santa for a very long time – I still believe in Santa and enjoy painting him at every opportunity I get on any surface that allows paint.

 I LOVE Christmas and I am always scrambling to get everything done before this holiday. I painted this Santa in 2011 on a Chinese bottle gourd born and raised in the USA.  At that time I was trying to focus more on being good and doing good things for others.

 I really liked the way this Santa came together.  He sits on a Paperclay base with the stamped words GRATITUDE, PEACE, HOPE and HEAL. Vintage sheet music snowflakes adorn his coat. His sack is filled with children’s toys and a painter’s palate and there is a Christmas tree ready for decorating.  In his hands he holds a banner reminding us to "be good ❤ do good".  He stands approximately 14" tall, not including his stem.
 

 

 

 

On December 14^th 2012 while I was busy scrambling to make Christmas lists and write Christmas cards and painting Santas, an incomprehensible event took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and time stood still for so many of us. Christmas lists and cards and Santas seemed insignificant and Christmas will never be the same for me. I will always have GRATITUDE for my many blessings and I will continue to pray for PEACE, and I have HOPE that there is a plan for all of us, but it will take forever to HEAL from that day.

 

I am very thankful to Kristin and Eva of Paint Part Friday for organizing this auction and I have selected this Santa gourd as my auction item. 

Auction Details

My auction will run from Friday, March 15th, 2013 until Monday, March 18th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EDT.  (I am in CT, to find out what time that is where you are please click here).

 

Shipping anywhere is on me!  If Santa is shipped internationally, shipping is still free BUT the buyer is responsible for any duty/taxes/etc. 

How to Bid

Starting/Opening bid is $25.00 please

1. Place a bid  (with a way to reach you) in the comments section.

2. Bookmark this page so you can easily check back to see if you have been outbid and need to make another bid.

3. If you have the winning bid I will contact you.

4. Payment will be made from YOU to a Sandy Hook Elementary charity (see below).  I will NOT personally be collecting any money.

5. Once you have made your donation to the charity, please send your proof of donation (a forwarded receipt) to me at: gerchouinard(at)comcast(dot)net

6. After I have received your proof of donation in the form of a forwarded receipt (and you have supplied your mailing address), I will mail Santa to you! 

 

Please remember as you contemplate your bids, all proceeds go to very worthy causes.  Please check out the below charities where donations can be made and pick your favorite.

 

http://www.mainelovessandyhook.com/

... a beautifully crafted memorial honoring the 26 lives lost December 14th, 2012.

http://www.thesandygroundproject.org/

... an endeavor to create 26 playgrounds (living memorials) "to provide a symbol of hope, recovery and return to normalcy".

 

https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/

 

http://newtownmemorialfund.org/

 

 

 

... any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Enjoy the auction and thank YOU for participating if you can ...

***THIS AUCTION IS NOW CLOSED***
Congrats to Eva for her winning bid and thank YOU so much for supporting the Sandy Hook Elementary School charities!  Thank you to those who participated in this auction with bids, words of encouragement and acts of kindness. Santa will be moving to Ottawa soon!  Thx all again!  ❤

 

 

Paint Party Friday & a weeks worth of paint

 

so Rog cut this awesome Shamrock for me from 3/4" pine and I painted it all up and will hang it on our front door ~ with Irish wishes for HOPE, LOVE, FAITH and a little bit of LUCK for all who visit (the little shoe will not be staying there, just set it there for the photo)

 

              

acquired this peculiar little hand carved (reportedly back in the 1970's) wooden shoe from ETSY and turned it into a little Leprechaun shoe I'll hang it on our St. Patrick's Day tree.

... more snow today in CT, so I'm building a forever snowman from a Chinese bottle gourd, my little hat I made in my first knitting class and Paperclay carrot nose, buttons and lumps of coal for eyes and mouth.

 

 

painted a piece of CT shore driftwood with some Caribbean 'frolic' colors

for my Great Hammock Beach peeps (mostly because I need some Summertime)

 

Head on over to PPF to see what is happening there and don't forget ... Friday, March 15th is the PPF Auction Blog Hop to Benefit Sandy Hook Elementary School.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day