Plum Perfect Friday - Winsome White...

...it's the best! White just makes everything feel fresh and new and clean, it's bright and happy, and goes with everything! I have always been into white. I dreamed of an all-white decor even before it became "chic".

Now this is definitely "better after". I obtained it when a friend moved and wanted to throw out this adorable wicker desk...so, I mercifully took it off her hands. Of course, I was thrilled to obtain it and had the vision to spiff it up!

At the present, it has been put to good use as a fabulous laptop computer desk for my oldest daughter's bedroom! How great is that? I get a rush when re-use, recycle, re-purpose or re-do!

Now I've got some painting to do...hope you have some "winsome white" in your day, I plan to!

Plum Perfect Friday - Going Glaze Happy!

I have been wanting to try the glazing thing for a long time so finally got started one day a couple of weeks ago and just could not stop! Check out the projects my daughter, Kaitlin and I did all in one day.

The first project to practice and learn on was frame with cute detail that I had painted white.

I love the way it turned out, so-ooo I had to do more...

Remember this cool old silverware chest that I painted white,

it really enhances the nice details.

This is a before picture of the mirror and hearth at Christmastime.

After seeing me in action, my daughter wanted to get in on the action and try it too,

so she began helping me glaze.

After doing the mirror and putting it with the hearth we just had to make them match! We added the scrollie detail and

she started in on the biggest project!

Turned out great and looks so much better.

Then, Kaitlin wanted to do a shelf for her room...

And finally a cute sconce!

I think I have a new found passion...there's bound to be more projects on the way. Happy Glazing!

Rusty Rave Monday - 13th Annual Mother's Day Tea Party!

Every year, since my triplets were very small, "mom" and all the girls have had a Mother's Day Tea Party! We dress up in "tea party" attire, wear hats, and use our best manners and "tea party" conversation. It has been a fun tradition that actually got started by accident but we have continued to perpetuate it!

Over a decade ago, we had an interior designer friend who became a surrogate grandmother to our family. She had the children over to her house several times for various activities such as, decorating cookies at Halloween, Easter egg coloring and hunting, and then of course the May tea party. Each time she had one of these "affairs", we got to use all of her lovely things and everything was lavishly prepared and very elaborate.

Over the years, I have gradually purchased tea party dishes and items which the girls will be able to take with them when they leave home. During the time when I was employed by Mikasa, I was in the position to take advantage of a nice discount to obtain a lot of these things at a great price!

Now that Kaitlin is a college student who is almost 21, and soon to be married...I will be handing her the "baton" and she can take over the planning and preparation, she did much of it this year!

Some years there has been a schedule conflict and a few of my girls have been MIA, but this year I had ALL of my daughters in attendance, as well as, my good friend, Glenna and her daughter. That was the best Mother's Day gift of all, and we had a splendid time!

Hope your day was wonderful!

Plum Perfect Friday - Miserly Monograms!

(I'm fond of alliteration, has it become obvious, yet? Just thought I'd ask.) Anyway, I do adore pretty plates and have been seeing monogram items popping up everywhere!

Of course, I love the look, therefore, being a QUEEN of thrift and practicality, I have been searching for vinyl lettering that would work.

I finally found some 4" repositionable letters at Michaels. They aren't my favorite font, but it'll do the trick in a pinch, until, or if, I find something better.

I'm happy with the finished product and achieved the look I was going for.

I liked it so much, I made one for a last minute wedding gift! Hmmm, I do have the whole alphabet...

I will be sending one to my niece, Kendra, of the AdornMeGirl Blog, and AdornMeGirl Etsy Shop. She is the winner of my "Deciding on the Dress" wedding giveaway post. (It was dress No. 4!)

Happy friday!

Plum Perfect Friday - A Versatile Vinette

I found this cute tray at a garage sale recently, and wanted to whip up some fun ideas I've had lately...a nice little kitchen table centerpiece that can be removed easily when it's time to eat!

Have a pleasantly perfect Friday!

Rusty Rave Monday - Lovely Lacy Lamp

I needed to come up with an idea to redo this lamp for my guest room make over...I wanted it to be pink, so I looked through my paraphernalia and found a battenburg lace valence...and the light went on! Of course, I repainted the lamp base, then went to work on the shade cover.

I sewed a small casing in between the existing casing on the valence.

Then I ran some narrow elastic through the casing...

...and gathered it up.

Then sewed some ribbon on each end,

...and tied it on!

Tad da! Not to shabby! All in all it probably took me a half an hour...that's my kind of expeditious endeavor!

Hope you have had a lovely Monday, I did!

Rusty Rave Monday - Room Revision Launch

Since my daughter, Kaitlin, began dating her fiancee she has been coming home every weekend because his family lives in the same part of town as I do. Kaitlin goes to ASU which is in the east valley, and Reggie works in the east valley, so they both stay on that side of town during the week, then travel back over here for the weekend. It has been wonderful to have my baby back so often, and, of course, I am absolutely loving it! (It couldn't have worked out better for me!) As a result, it is now necessary to get a room in order for her, hence the room revision! (It's always fun to have a reason to redecorate, right?) Therefore, I am on a mission to get it all spruced up for her...

Time to hit some garage sales, so this weekend I began my quest, and found this pretty chest of drawers for $15...(another fantastic deal that came my way)! It is very sturdy and built well. All I had to do were some minor repairs and then "distress" it up a bit more.

(I love the bun feet.)

I liked the existing drawer pulls that were still attached and in good condition, so I just got a new handle and painted it to match the finish of the ones that "survived". I like the look and think it adds some interest to the chest.

I got this table in December, and had it sitting in the garage patiently waiting for some attention, so I worked on it...

I painted it white,

then off-white,

and tried a different finish than I have done before.

Kind of a whitewash over white...

then a clear coat.

The room has a way to go, but these pieces give it a start!

Have a remarkable Rusty Rave Monday...