My Favorite Things

 A local The Sound of Music production gave some of my family and furniture a chance to shine!  This antique, French bed was bought for my daughter's room, then she immediately decided that she liked bunk beds and moved in with her big brother.  It was another piece that I had always planned to paint white, but I was searching for inspiration. 

Here is the bed before painting.  I love the upholstery and nail trim.

Painting over antique and carved wood takes guts for me to do, but once I get started I never regret it.  

 It freshens a tired piece up and shows off details that were hiding in the dark wood.

Even the nail heads show off more now!

 Painting around velvet takes some guts too.

 However, I couldn't be happier with the results!

my little star

I also painted these two night stands for the play set.  They needed a coat of fresh white and some gold leaf to add interest.  I ended up painting the entire back side of these pieces shiny gold.  They were used with the backs facing out in the scenes with the nuns at the abbey, and with the white facing out in the bedroom scene.

This was such a great project to be part of; it is definitely on the list of my favorite things!

Many thanks to Walt Jedsiniak Photography for capturing some fantastic memories for all of us!

Star Sofa!

I bought this sofa off craigslist a few years ago.  It was always my intention to paint the wood white, but I moved it into my house and left it alone... for three years.  Sometimes, we all need a little extra inspiration to finish projects.  I found that inspiration when my daughter became a cast member in our local high school production of The Sound Of Music.  

The parents were given a list of ways to help out and volunteer.  I love to be helpful, but I don't have a lot of experience with theater production, so I wasn't sure how I fit in.  I went home and started noticing that I had quite a few Louis XIV, XV,and XVI pieces of furniture stashed around my Aubergine Cottage.  I had always planned to paint them, but most were never started.  With the wood painted white, it would look so appropriate in an Austrian villa set! I nervously asked if supplying the furniture could be my job, to which the director said, "ABSOLUTELY!"  Apparently, people don't fight over that job???

Boom! Inspiration to finish the pieces was back!

sofa before

  I loved the result!  After the production, I was just as excited to move it all back into my house, like it was all new (to me) furniture. 

Sofa After- with my little Klara "Gretl"

 The production was wonderful, beautiful and successful. We have some big treasures in our little town: a truly gifted and caring staff, and incredible kids! My daughter was the youngest cast member and I'll admit I was nervous about a 6 year old spending so much time with 40 teenagers!  However, they were amazing, helpful, watchful and responsible. The cast became like family and Klara cried (and I cried) when it was all over.  

Unpainted

Unpainted

On the set!

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do!!!

Many thanks to Walt Jedziniak Photography 

for sharing these great shots of the kids 

(and the furniture!!!)

Furnishing an Austrian Villa... sort of...

We've had a busy month in this purple house!  I offered to lend furniture to our local high school production of the Sound of Music, which my daughter has a role in.  Most of the furniture already lived in my house, but was waiting for paint and updating.  It was the perfect style for an Austrian villa in the 1940's and that inspired me to finally get these pieces done!  I'm sorting out all of the before and after photos now while my little Gretl yodels "Lonely Goat Herd".  

My Aubergine Cottage is filled with the Sound of Music!

Lingerie Chest

I've been on the lookout for a seven drawer lingerie chest for years.  I rarely see them for sale. Then BAM! One day a very simple chest showed up on craigslist.  I went the next day to pick it up and found it stored next to two smaller twins.  All made by the same craft person, all in beautiful condition and to my delight, all for sale!  I brought all three home with plans to keep the seven drawer and let the smaller two find their way.  A day later I received a message from a client looking for that exact size dresser.  This is how things work for me!  

I refinished one of the 5 drawer chests in Old Pick Up Blue, plus a silver wax, and a white plaster glaze. So depthy.  

 The other was painted my favorite coral left over from my own house projects two years ago. Tip:  Store your paint properly- it lasts!!! It was lightly distressed and then sealed in a gold leaf wax.  

The fun thing about the silver and gold leaf waxes that I make are that from one angle they look like my normal "dirty wax", but then when you move or the light changes, they glisten a bit with silver or gold.  

It's fun and adds depth and interest. 

So now the blue chest has gone to it's new home, and the coral chest has moved to the Old Bank and is currently available.

before

I still need to make a decision on how I would like the seven drawer to look in my house, but I'll share that soon!

Soft Green Night Stand

If my kids would consider getting rid of bunk beds I would place this table between two twins.  It's the perfect size for a shared nightstand.  I found it at an overflowing antique shop in Coventry, CT where it was left outside in the rain and snow! The wood felt very rough and the sweet details of this table were being overlooked.  It just need some TLC and now it's beautiful again.  It's at the Old Bank now getting proper appreciation.

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