Friday, August 31, 2012

found this treasure
at rarely open "vintage store"
its for maps
but works great in
Brazos Star Homes
office for blueprints
so compliments many other
antique pieces
(not to mention the valued CEO)!

granite top
measured for & picked out
from granite yard
being cut
as we speak
installed next week
what fun i had making the plates
for each drawer
used teletype font
love the yellow paint smudge
(i didn't create that one)

will post pic next wk when
granite is installed

happy labor day
always a very special one
for this family
much to celebrate
beginning with the
birthday of
my beloved daughter
~


Thursday, August 30, 2012

took a day off from working
to go antique looking around
came up with some treasures
for magical vignettes
 back to school
whether you go or not go back
 old jars
for
doggie treats
 dried herbs
fresh herbs
snuff
ring bell for service
this is just magical
in the citchen-counter-corner

now back to work on:
straightening office from
storm of creativity
& creating name tags for
faithbook
praying for each lady
as i design, type, print
& embellish her nametag
avery template 74536
but printed on designer paper
not your "normal" nametag

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

need magical wand

my art projects of late
have left my office in
a state of confused glittered
painted messiness
the picture below is my goal
for the next few days
 pulled from My Pictures
of past orderly days  
this magical vignette
will be my inspiration for
a more orderly enviroment
a welcomed return to my space
note to you: if you come to my office & ask
for a pencil, you will have to
 bee more
specific!
is organization over rated?
don't think so

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

stairs painted with
ledgers, records & journals
downstairs is where the CFO works
so these type of books are
appropriate for this vintage office

Beatrix Potter is happy
for the project to be completed
so someone will play ball

see the difference in the types
of books between
the two offices?
hoho

hi & magic to all Mary Kay Andrews
fans for visiting my blog!

Monday, August 27, 2012

stairs extraordinaire
 it was a challenge to paint with
Beatrix Potter
who spent the days
thinking this was great fun
as i sat on, laid on & painted on
the stairs
up & down for more paint
different brush, water or rags
& back & forth cleaning brushes
does this count as exercise?
(for me)



bp is now napping
think i'll clean up
& think about what
i'm creating on the
first flight of stairs
in a way i think
this stairway announces what
magic is in my office
~

Saturday, August 25, 2012

this morning on FB my friend asked
what is everyone doing this Sat. Morn?
i immediately replied
painting the risers on the office
stairs to look like old books
just popped into my head
so i must do
 why haven't i done it before?
quickly took pic of
unpainted, unmagical stairs
that lead up to the most
wonderful of magical spaces
my office
entry to a different world
from what is down stairs
where number chunching &
house plans are going on
~~
have base coat on for the books
must let paint really dry before
painting on title, authors, etc.
also, thinking of favorite books

ps: top stair somehow got painted
before i remembered to take pic
was too excited to get started
pss:  see that green & gold sign?

Please Keep
Hands
Away
From Cage

i got that when in baylor
being lowered down
over fence to snatch it
?
oh, dear

Friday, August 24, 2012

autumn colors
are slowing replacing the
summer decorations
throughout this castle
warm colors of golden candle sticks
with antique lace & brown paper 
as candles
with vintage sheet music layered in
atop yellowed books
(stripped of their covers)
ephemera extraordinaire garland
candles wrapped in music
an old clock
doorknob tag holder
the linen red toile table cloth
a bit bright for this vignette
sooo - i turned in over
wrong side up
works well with this
color pallet
at the end of the table
(not pictured)
is an old mason jar
full of chantilly silver flatware
(now how southern is that?)
my friend Sadie Hodo
who also has chantilly
said that it is an old
southern thought that
chantilly girls are wild
oh?

magical

Amazing Grace
how sweet the sound

Thursday, August 23, 2012

refreshed repainted rethought
candelabra
 candles in a candelabria
way too expected
no magic
 but aged brown paper
coupled with teadyed lace
 & painted with glitter
~ magic~
 how great for Beatrix Potter
she is always interested in
projects that are being created
in my office
whew - time for a nap
"hope she doesn't glitter me!"
(but the groomer did find some)

today my goal is to get the
collection of gold sticks
to the dining room table
but alas,
i must dedecorate the table
from summer celebrations
(that might take awhile)

once when there were 3 teenagers
at home i cleared the dining room
table from tabletop magic
when they returned home from
school & noticed said table:
"are you mad at us?"
total confusion as to why the table
was empty!!

happy creating magic!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

now, i'm loving all things
old & vintage
however,
often things need to:
1. either be made to look older
to make them magical
or
2.  they need to bee recreated in
a fresh way for magic to happen!
this old brass candle stick
 is tired & unloved
because i bought
it at a flea market
for $20
but not to worry
after mixing up the secret
recipe for magical gold paint
taa daa!!
it also seems that i've been
on a magical mission
to exclude bows
& also "normal" ways
of using things
(surprise surprise)
so today i am creating
a candle substitute
for the now happy
& loved candelabra

ps- there is a little clue in the pic
something i'm thinking about
hum
pss-normal is a setting on the clothes dryer

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

 i love my church
our family history
goes way back
&
we love our preacher & his sweet family
&
many friends that we cherish
&
my vintage vignettes
have the perfect
back drop

 twinkle lights always add joy
these are wrapped in
teadyed muslin & lace
with tags & a paper flower
faithbook
starts on
Wednesday, September 12

Monday, August 20, 2012

last week there was an emergency
painting project
which often happens here
but this one seemed
to need the artist touch
sooner, rather than later

the rest of the designed outside awnings
were installed on the
kitchen & large stairs landing window
so attractive & helps with heat/water issues
in this ol' castle
but
no sooner did the installer
start to lace the fabric
did i realize that
the indoor faux awning
over the kitchen window
competed with the
real life awning on the outside

real debate:
do i wait until the man
gets off the ladder on
the outside before
i stand on the kitchen
counter to paint
the faux awning to
look like the outside?
well, i decided to wait until
he drove out of the driveway
now
both work together 
(the awnings)
magic partners! 


Friday, August 17, 2012

my love for vintage suitcases
began while in college
therefore:
i have some really treasured ones
stacked for table in the den
with glass tray on top
under glass tray is
b&w photos collection of 
beloved family fishermen

night stand in guest bedroom

little vintage vignette
in front of fireplace

high ceilings in this ol' castle
require some attention to
what would bee on top
of an antique wardrobe

oh oh, what magic to me!!!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

i loving old photos
what a story this
lady could tell

i like to work with photos
in my creation of
ephemera extraorinaire
often making the  quality of
the photo look older
printed on old paper
or paper that i've altered
to look old
everything vintage

"memories are the key not to the past,
but to the future"
Corrie ten Boom

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

i so have a love
old suitcases
(well, many other things too)
my collection includes some
of these that i spied on
pinterest
will take photo of presentation
for faithbook that i'm creating
for Sunday
& perhaps some suitcases
that are magical in
 my ol' castle
(by the way, i've been using old
cases for a very long time)
way ahead of time!

Monday, August 13, 2012

who had these
for styling
the flip or page boy?


this is not me,
but i did have one!
& how could i forget
aqua net?

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Friday, August 10, 2012

 faithbook
wednesdays
september 12 ~ november 7
9:30 am - 11:00 am
First Baptist Church Waco
gathering in the parlor
~
please join this charming
group of ladies
as we study the book of
Philippians
taught by Jamie McCallum
 ~
we look forward to seeing you there





Tuesday, August 7, 2012

love this picture of
Gray Mom's
(teacher)
classroom
love how they are posed
on the front row
all in dresses
do you get excited when you see
fresh school supplies
in the stores?
i do - it's a great time
to get good deals on
glue, paper, index cards
& perhaps glitter

Friday, August 3, 2012

patina
lovely time worn
living in an old house
i often find myself painting
something
a
 wall
appliance
shelf
ceiling
book
plate
tray
photo
to add patina
it can bee a
difficult project
painting, glazing, rubbing, blotting
splattering, sanding, scrapping
getting something to look
genuine & old & worn
ironic because the original
patina came from neglect
&
now getting new patina
takes many steps in
the artist touch