Sweet Spring Iris - After and Before

These two sweet French Provincial dressers were custom ordered for a little girl's room. They were painted Benjamin Moore Spring Iris in satin with glossy white hardware. I was a little concerned when I applied the first coat that they were reading very gray. However, the next day when I checked on them, the color had dried to a lovely soft, cool, lavender color. 

Before:

Our Spring Arrival

Things have been quiet lately on the ol' blog. I'm trying to get back in the groove of regular posts...but it's been very busy in "real" life. I've been overwhelmed with custom projects over the summer and it's been such a blessing. I've spent most of my free time, Evie's nap times and weekends working as much as possible on getting projects out the door.

I've also have another little blessing in the works. We found out several weeks ago that we are expecting our second child in early April. :) It has been a rough first trimester, I've been way more sick than my first pregnancy. There are days I should have been working but I could only lay in bed and pray for relief. I still have those days but they are becoming fewer.

I've got about 10 weeks of projects currently on the books. I will schedule another 10 or so and then that will be it for a few months as I near the end of my pregnancy and prepare for life (and sleep deprivation) with a newborn. If you've been thinking about a project please consider contacting me to get started. I am a gigantic pregnant person and at some point I'm not going to be able to move around. Seriously!

Big Sister!

Two weeks before Evie was born.

Evie at One Week.

Inventory and Inspiration Part II

I've gotten so many new pieces that I wanted to show what's available and also provide some inspiration for your rooms! Contact me to place a custom order in your choice of paint color and finish. ♥


For the current listing of all furniture available for customization click here.
For a current listing of finished "pret a porter" furniture please visit my shop.


Queen Anne Desk

Colonial Chest of Drawers

Neoclassical/Regency Dresser

Queen Spindle Headboard and Full Colonial Headboard/Footboard
(pics coming soon of actual beds)

French Provincial Desk and Dresser

 

Vintage Duncan Phyfe Folding Table and Six Chairs

 

 

Vintage Mirror Mirror.

When I purchase dressers for clients, many times the mirrors end up not being used. There are so many of the usual spots for mirrors to be placed but I'm loving the idea of using them above nightstands. Our master bedroom gets very little sunlight, no matter the time of day (which isn't a bad thing when we get the rare opportunity to sleep in). But most times I wish the room was less cave-like. 

Mirrors have always been a great way to bounce light around a room so this may be an idea for my master bedroom re-do....it's practical and chic! ♥

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Sanding, sanding.....and more sanding.

I haven't been blogging because I am so swamped with custom projects! I am working on some beautiful pieces for a nursery, a little girl's room, a sexy boudoir, a French inspired living room and a new home for a lovely young couple. 


I have a small mountain of dressers and drawers that were just sanded and I think my clothes have about a pound of dust in them. Sometimes I feel like I must leave a trail like Pig-Pen when I walk around.....no joke. The good news is that I was able to prime them all today....hooray! 


I have a couple topics in mind for some future posts but they will have to wait for a couple days so I can catch up. I also just finished the corner china cabinet for my own kitchen and I can't wait to show everyone - but that's for another day. Now it's time for bed before I fall asleep face first on the computer.

How Does My Garden Grow....

I grew up with two grandmothers that each had beautiful - but different - gardens. My grandmother (Millie) in Ohio had a garden in her backyard that was a carefully sectioned plot made of railroad ties. It wasn't huge but she grew so many beautiful plants in neat rows. I remember visiting as a child and I would go with her to pull vegetables and weeds in the mornings before the sun was too hot. My grandfather would take me out in the afternoons and we would eat tomatoes like hand fruit with some sprinkled salt - something I still do to this day. Towards the end of summer my grandmother would spend a couple days in the kitchen to can tomatoes, beans, corn and more.

My grandmother in Greece still has a huge garden in an empty section of an olive grove near our village. It's wild, seemingly without much planning in mind, but she grows the best tomatoes you have ever tasted - probably the best vegetables, period. Everything is grown organically and the nutritious volcanic soil of Crete gives the produce a full, delicious flavor that - to my knowledge - can't be replicated anywhere else. I honestly cannot exaggerate how good everything is. When I'm visiting my husband we always leave saying, "We need to eat more greek village salads and fresh vegetables when we get home." Then we get home and feel let down.

Because of these precious memories of summers with my grandmothers, I have always tried to at least grow some tomatoes. Three years ago I started doing Square Foot Gardening. Elliott built a 16 sq ft box and I also use pots. The first year was pretty good. Last year was shameful. I had a newborn and just didn't have the energy to keep up with everything. 


This year has been the best year yet. I spend time almost every day puttering around in my garden - weeding, watering, fertilizing, trimming and doing battle with bugs that want to undo all my hard work. It's a great little stress reliever when Evie is napping. I am growing tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, arugula, strawberries, eggplant, three kinds of peppers, beans, carrots, onions, okra and a bunch of herbs. I'm excited to see all the baby fruit on my plants and I took a few pictures to share. :)


Eggplant Flower and Baby Eggplant
  Tomatoes Crookneck Squash Okra Cucumber Pepper plant with my nemesis - aphids. Tomato Plants Beans Strawberry Flowers