Scuffletown Park Birdhouse Makeover...

A block away from my house in the fan area of Richmond, 

is a sweet little park called Scuffletown Park. 

A neighbor mentioned that the birdhouse was in disrepair, 

so I went over with my drill yesterday morning, 

and took it down, and brought it home for a SheShe Makeover!!

Here's what it looked like.

Someone years ago had obviously put a lot of work into it.

 It was a little model of a typical fan row house..

But the wood veneer was falling off…

What was the little front porch, and architectural elements, 

had all fallen around on the ground.

 So I  picked up all the pieces, 

and brought them home, 

where I began to rebuild it with LOTS of glue and caulk..

 And you know me, I decided it needed a little makeover….

So I added some pieces of trim and little wooden finials, etc.

Once I got everything back together,

I primed everything...

 And began painting…….I used exterior house paint.

I gave it a sign….

Used a peg to replace a missing column….

 …I even added a tin roof! ha.

And I stenciled some decorative designs above

the windows…

But I felt like it was lacking oomph...

 So I decided to give all the windows, some window boxes….

…with colorful flowers!

Yes!

 …and I put a little bird on top….

 It's actually a salt shaker so was totally easy to attach: 

I just nailed through the holes.

 Maybe it will attract some new birds.

 I mean, if I were a bird, 

I would shack up here!

I was in a hurry to put it back up, 

which I did early this morning…

cuz the part I didn't tell you….

 ….was that when I took it down, 

I found this in the top…in a plastic bag.

 It was dated three days ago, 

and I was afraid that I had ruined someone's treasure hunt….

I don't know who this guy is, 

or exactly what this necklace is,

but heck, how romantic!!!!!!!!

So Kelsey, I hope you find it!!!!

 

It's safely back in place…

up on the roof….

waiting for you!!!!!!

I must have a thing for heads….

Heads, heads,

everywhere heads….

 Obviously I have an attraction to them.

 They're everywhere in my house…

 I even have one that I turned into a lamp.

She gets a costume every halloween, 

just like all the other party attendees.  Hee.

So it isn't surprising 

i was drawn to a pair of these concrete planters at Class and Trash, 

one of my favorite "eye candy stores."

 I wasn't particularly enamored with the finish…

It was glazed and very shiny,

but I knew I could change that. 

 And I did….

they were home for only about five minutes 

when I got the paint brush out.

 The after…….isn't she beautiful? 

I used many layers of different paints to achieve 

a time worn verdigris appearance.

 Here are the before/after side by side.

And here they are finished.

Very art nouveau.

Love them.

For sale: $85 each

$150 for the pair.

Truly Trash to Treasure: Reusing Painted Canvases...

As I was walking through the alley one day….

…I came across several large rolled up canvases next to the trash.

Probably left by a VCU art student at the end of the school year.

 Not to be mean, but they were,

well...not so beautiful...

but….

I thought I could do something with them, 

so I took them home of course…

Take a look at what I've used them for….

so far….

I'm working on this great old sofa…

and I needed something to apply over the damaged caning on the back.

 So I used one of the truly ugly canvases (sorry…)

and cut to fit, then stapled along the caning edge.

None of it will show when I'm finished, and it 

made the perfect backing over which I applied foam and batting.

(This sofa is still a work in progress…

It's gonna be awesome when it's finished.)

Okay, so next, the "multi dot masterpiece."

I had to fight Dash off of it……he took a liking to it.

And my cat, Wilma, thought all the dots were bugs 

and she had a great time 

pouncing all over it trying to "catch" them..

(darn, no photo)

Take a look at how I used this canvas.

I took this old cabinet top...

 

,,,and this thrift store end table...

I painted the table in a wacky treatment with various chalk paints:

Greek Blue, a custom green, Paris Grey...

I wiped off paint as I applied...

After doing the same paint treatment to the top cabinet,

I cut out this piece of the canvas...

And used it to back the piece..

A little letter stenciling….

 

And some dots…

Are you seeing where it's going?

I added a little scalloped piece to the top, with a star hill

bottle top….

 

Tramp art console.

Great bar!!!!!

Is it furniture?

or 

Is it art?

Whatever it is, it's for sale

in my booth at Greenwood Antiques.

I continued "finding" little pieces of canvas and cutting them out...

 This piece I used to back a drawer 

that I turned into a jewelry hanger….

(man, this artist must have had some serious issues…)

 "Hang it up" was stenciled on the bottom….

Another piece gets framed….

And three little squares get glued on backings for a small triptych.

Quite the production line…

All in a day's play..

as SheShe, The Home Magician.