Taking Time to Breathe

I love being creative, but sometimes I need a break and this weekend I will take a nice long one. My husband's parents, brothers and families are coming down for the weekend and to watch my nephew play soccer against DC United. Yep, my nephew is a professional soccer player. He was one kid who had his dream come true (he worked very hard to make that dream come true). He plays for Chivas out of Los Angeles, so we don't get to see him play in person (but, we do watch him on television). So, this weekend, all 13 of us will be wearing our Zemanski Chivas jerseys and cheering on Ben!

In the meantime, here are a few of the things I've been working on.. I finished an old vanity that I've been working on forever. I found this sweet little vanity at an auction and it was in terrible shape. I took on the challenge of stripping it to the bare wood, sanding it, priming it, adding a piece of wood and a wood embellishment to the back. I then painted it a beautiful shade of creme. It is distressed, so it has a shabby, but oh so chic look! I added antique crystal knobs and some fun black trim to cover the imperfections and to add a touch of glamor.


The collage on the right is one of my favorites. I created it on a wood block that I painted and decoupaged. I then added some vintage finds -- a brass letter "C," an antique bobbin, antique buttons, some vintage beads and twine. It's for sale, but it's also hanging in my art room.

Linking to: 

It's that time of year...graduation!

A friend of mine commissioned me to design a very special present for a very special Navy midshipman whom she has sponsored over the past four years (providing a home away from home). I'm almost finished, but I'll let you take a sneak peek. What I did: Painted a wood jewelry box I found at an antique sale; then I used a special embossing pen to write the equations and calculations (she was a math major). I now know more about equations and formulas than I ever wanted to know!
The inside is really cool, too. I used vintage math books, graph paper, cards, music and arranged them to form a collage. Then I decoupaged them into the interior. I love how it turned out. Now, I just have to finish by adding the drawer knobs and add another coat of protective finish!

I also (finally) completed a child's beach-themed table and chairs that I've been working on forever, in between other projects. It's so vivid and cheerful and I can see it brightening some little kid's play area! 

Soon, I'll be posting a very shabby, but chic vanity for you all to see...it's looking good, but I've got to find the perfect drawer pulls...yard sale anyone?

Back from Brimfield

Picked up my son in Massachusetts last week and made time to stop by the renowned Brimfield Antique Show on the way up. It was overwhelming to say the least. There were hundreds of vendors carrying everything from rusted old screws and latches to fine antique furnishings. I only stayed an hour and a half, so I only managed to cover about one fourth of the show. I bought a small antique ruler for 50 cents. Yep, that's it.

Meanwhile, back at home, I scored big at the local garage sales and flea markets. I found all sorts of neat things for my vintage shop (and for me)! Really cool Egyptian napkins, a bunch of books in Hebrew and in Arabic (great for creating collage backgrounds) and a gigantic old fashion wood bird cage (for $2)! So cool! You can see some of my finds pictured here.

I am finishing a really fun, but tedious custom project for a midshipman's graduation gift this week. I can't wait to post it, but I really have to wait until I show my client first. All I can say is that it involves mathematic equations, storage and music. Curious? Stay tuned.

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my kids and a visit from my sister and her kids. I also received a phone call from my son at college! Yes, it was beautiful in Maryland today and I enjoyed an Americano (coffee) and flowers from my thoughtful husband, a nice long walk with my dog and my sis, a day of crafting with my sis and her daughter and watching my son's team win at soccer. This week, I'm heading up to Massachusetts to pick up my son from school. I'm actually looking forward to the long drive up...I'm going to take my time and top by the famous Brimfield, MA antique show. Then, I'll head up to have dinner with my son. So, I'll see you all when I get back! Have a great week.