Time Travel Thursday #21 - Praising the Power of Paint

CHECK OUT ALL THE DETAILS FOR THE LINKY PARTY HERE!

Welcome to the 21st Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage.

Are you ready for our next trip back in time and into the future?

Well, climb aboard!

This beauty was a piece I won at auction–for a mere pittance–several years ago. 

Okay, so maybe it's not much of a beauty as you see it here.  But stay with me, and you'll see how it became one.

Actually, I didn't have a "before" picture, so I did a bit of photo editing to give you some idea of what it looked like when I first got it.

It dated to the late 50s or early 60s, and it had the traditional stained finish from that period to prove it.

You know the one—maple wood with a stain turned ORANGE with the patina of years! 

Yuck!

This was another purchase of mine that gave the Yankee cause to roll his eyes and shake his head in disbelief.

But, I had a plan.  ; )

I felt sure it had been a planter of some sort—because of the metal insert in the top.

The Yankee thought it looked like funeral-home décor 

...hence his distaste for it!

The first course of action was to sand the less-than-appealing old finish off and spray paint the whole thing a soft, cottage white.

Those steps alone were a grave improvement and...

 enough to encourage the Yankee that there might be hope for this piece after all.

A pretty floral swag appliqué, for the top panel...

and an ever-so-light sanding–in a few key areas–were the only embellishments needed to bring out the hidden beauty.

The resurrection of this dated dame now makes her worthy to bear a bevy of books at bedside, a tumble of towels in the powder room,

or even...

a flourish of flowers (or pine branches and holly) in the family room.

Here's to the power of paint!

Linking to Maryann's for the Power of Paint Party, Leigh's for Thrifty Thursday, Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday, Gina's for Transformation Thursday, Becky's for 100 Ideas Under $100.00, Cindy's for Show and Tell Friday,  Betty Bee's Buzz for Buzz, Brag, and Bee Happy Friday, Marian's for Furniture Feature Friday, A little Lovely's for Saturday Soiree, Stephanie Lynn's for Sunday Showcase Party, Susan's for Metamorphosis Monday and Sarah's for the Before and After Party. 

 

Time Travel Thursday #18 - Something to Crow About

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE DETAILS FOR THE LINKY PARTY HERE!

Welcome to the 18th Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage.

Are you ready for our next trip back in time and into the future?

Well climb aboard, and hang on tight!

I've had this wooden rooster since the mid-90s.

While it worked well as part of the country-primitive décor of my last home, I had grown tired of it, by the time we moved to our little cottage farmhouse.

So, for the past five years, it has been banished to the barn!

I've recently been involved in a major purging of "stuff" and had pretty much decided it was time to say goodbye to this little guy.

Problem is...

I really like roosters.

And I hate getting rid of anything I think I can reinvent, repurpose, revive, restore...

you get the picture!

So with a little time spent perusing the Internet, I came up with several color choices that I found more appealing.

And if there's anything we have around here, it's color choices. 

We could start our own mini paint store with the numerous cans of paint we have stashed here, there, and everywhere!

I knew if I chose to keep this guy, there would be only one place I could use him–in my tiny dining nook.

Since I already have a lot of white in there, I nixed any shade of white or off-white as an alternative.

As I looked at my china cupboard in that area, I noticed the sprinkling of tarnished metals ranged from soft gray to black.

So I felt that either of those colors would work. 

But in the end, the paint I had on hand was the determining factor.

I had used this Rust-oleum paint for several other projects and really liked the results.

This particular color is Aged Iron.

Yep!  Lookin' better already.

Whoops!  Gotta make sure I get all those out-of-the-way places, too!

Finding the right finish for the transformation was only part of the dilemma. 

Finding a place to put Mr. Rooster, in that already packed-to-the-hilt cupboard, was the other.

Well, actually, there was one spot that was perfect for him.

Granted, he didn't receive pride of place at the top of the cupboard.

But he adds a nice touch to the bottom, don't you think?

Linking to these fun parties:

Mary's Mosaic Monday

Maryann's Power of Paint Party

Becky's 100 Ideas Under $100.00