Snowed in and Searching for Sun

There's an old jingle that goes something like "Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day".  Do you think there's one out there about SNOW??  I'm plenty sick of it and judging from some of your facebook posts, you are too. 

How did my girlies and I celebrate another Michigan "Snow Day" off from school? 

Movie Marathon number 2! 

They've watched Jim Carey's movie, "Yes Man" a ridiculous number of times these past few weeks.It's their all time favorite movie. I don't get it, but in honor of that I thought I would post a pic of my girls staging a scene from that movie in the exact location in L.A. where it was shot...the Griffith Observatory when we traveled out west this summer. I know I've got you curious now and you're just gonna have to watch it. Not a complete waste of time but don't say I didn't warn you. 

And while I was cutting stencils for signs today, I couldn't resist sitting down with them to watch MY all time favorite movie, "Bounce".  It's an oldie but goody and it's when I first fell in love with Ben Affleck.  It also brought back memories of our trip to California and walking on Venice Beach where we literally stumbled on the exact house they used for the movie!  (See below)

Now you have some movie suggestions for the next time you're snowed in, which may be tomorrow. :)

Enough nonsense for now.  I'll try to stay focused even though my brain has turned to movie watching mush.

A couple of months ago I was asked if "Room for Change" would be willing to make or refurbish a piece of furniture to support a fundraising auction that donated the proceeds to our local schools' athletic department. I said of course I would and then did what I typically do...pawned the whole thing off on "too-nice-to-say-no- husband". :)

We have oodles of shutter doors and windows in our attic storage so I immediately googled some pics of some ideas in re purposing them. 

I found a picture of a small scale piece that I felt wouldn't restrict any potential buyer from purchasing it, so that's what we built. 

Here's the "before" of the unfinished piece after Ken built a cabinet around the garage sale purchased doors.

I actually didn't mind the stain color all that much and considered just painting the box a creamy white with a dark glaze, but I saw this paint technique online and wanted to try my hand at this.

This is the donated piece.  A wonderful Chump I've worked with in the past bid on it and won it that night! She has it in her laundry room and when she had me over the other day to pick paint colors for her half bath, I got to see it in place. (Which I'm grateful for, because I never snapped an "after" pic of it before I donated it).

Again, "BEFORE"

One more "AFTER":

 As you can see, I was pretty random with the colors I used on the piece. Each side was painted a different color that was muted over with a light brown stain. The edges of the front doors I painted cream and while it was still wet I dragged a stain brush with walnut stain over them to darken them.  Each shutter plank, I used a mix of light washed out looking paint. (All of which I had already in my cupboard).
Not gonna lie. This one took a while. 
I was super flattered when Chump Lisa told me that she liked it so much she didn't want to leave it in the laundry and she's trying to make it work center stage in the living room/entry. 
Made me feel like my time was valued. Thanks for bidding on it Lisa!

This piece below I inherited from my neighbor who was remodeling upstairs and couldn't see it working with her new decor. 
BEFORE:

 
 Just used my tried and true "Ivory White" to bring it back to life and once again, be neutral enough for the Chumps who shop my booth at Not So Shabby to be able to find a home for it. 

 This one I would like to say came from Ken's workshop, but it was actually constructed by a contractor who is working on my other neighbor's bathroom remodel.  My 'fabors' asked me to paint it black for them.  It will be outfitted with a granite countertop and used as their vanity. I thought the style of it was just beautiful. 

 (Sorry about the spots on the photo, my camera does that with dark pieces).

 And one more sneak peek at my mini kitchen remodel  before I got out the paintbrush.  New doors are mounted, primed, painted and hardware hung.  I am waiting on my new bamboo flooring! Can I get a woot-woot?

Island is getting torn out this weekend. 

 Stay tuned.

And if you don't mind indulging me a minute,  I just have to relive my trip to sunny California one more time before I go out to shovel snow: 
"Wish we all could be California girls"....

 Santa Monica

Laguna Beach

 San Diego

La Jolla 

Malibu 

Looking back at these pics, it's hard to remember being so stifling hot you could hardly breathe. 
I'm typing this now with a heater blasting my back while trying to warm my typing fingers with my warm breath. 
Oh Mr. Sun...please come visit soon. 
Stay warm Chumps.