Hello friends! I hope your Christmas was peaceful, blessed, and absolutely lovely! I can't believe it's over! A whole month of planning, preparation and anticipation and it's here and gone in a flash! Our day was busy and fun. It's a bittersweet feeling though, knowing that Christmas has come and gone!
I had intended to write a post on Christmas Eve, but it just didn't happen. And then my little pink Acer computer (which I've always blogged from) went completely belly up on me yesterday! As sad as I am about it, we've since set up a computer in the family room with a rather large monitor and I am finding that it's much nicer for blogging! And, my husband surprised me with an Android phone for Christmas...which is wonderful! I feel so technologically savvy now! It's great for doing so many of the things I did on my little pink computer...and since I have the other computer set up now for blogging, I think I'll survive without my Acer. It's just a bit sad because it was cute and pink and held many "crafty" files that are probably lost forever. Thankfully, I had backed up all of our photos on the other hard drive! Phew!
Okay, enough about computer issues! I just had to share this thoughtful and beautiful gift I received from a very dear, crafty friend! Can you believe this handcrafted tag? I am carefully putting it away along with the sweet bird bag to use next year (not to regift, but to decorate with!) Inside was the most wonderful French soap and two votives in my favorite Tyler candle scent, "Chateau!" The bag is still extremely fragrant, even with all of the luxurious contents removed! Thank you, my sweet friend!
The weekend before Christmas, I busted my buns to get a couple of furniture pieces painted and fixed up for the shop. The Christmas tree I'd had in my space for the past month was crispy and really needed to go to the burn pile. This meant that there would be a big vacant spot in the corner and I've had the perfect piece waiting in the wings. Please don't look at the messy garage...I am just so happy to have found a before shot for you to see!
Notice that there was no back to this corner cabinet. It was originally a built-in, which meant some construction, in addition to paint...probably why it had sat in the garage for nearly 6 months! A special thanks to my sweet husband for all of the handy help and for putting up with my "in-progress" projects sitting around the garage! It feels so good to have this piece done! I really really wish I'd had the time to stage it at home for a proper photo shoot, but I needed to get it to the shop, and it was a bear to move (it would have been a big deal to move it from the garage, to the house, then out the door again)...so I opted to photograph it in my booth space with the less than optimal lighting...but, better than no photo at all.
I purchased this piece from the sweetest lady! It had been a built-in in her parent's Portland home, then passed around the family until it ended up in her garage and she couldn't wait for it to be appreciated and loved again. She had asked me to email her photos once I'd completed it. Sadly, I have misplaced her email address. She does live here locally and frequents Camas Antiques, so I am hoping that she comes across it and recognizes it in the store! I used a vintage copy of "Jane Eyre" to cover the new cabinet back panels that would turn this built-in into a stand alone piece. This was so much fun. I love adding book pages or sheet music to vintage furniture. It gives them so much more personality. I was careful to feature the title and end pages of this special book.
It would be a lovely addition to any room! Here is a view of my whole booth space as of last week.
The little tea/magazine table has sold since this photo was taken. Time to get back out in the garage and work on another piece to bring in! I don't think I've shared a photo of my space since I finished the scrapbook page wall treatment. What do you think? I like it so much better than the lace I'd had up before. It was a fun, inexpensive, but time-consuming project. I hope I don't tire of it too quickly! In case you're curious, the scrapbook papers were attached to the walls with a small piece of double sided tape in each corner (that was the time-consuming part). It was so easy though and the papers came from Walmart...50 sheets for $5! Can't beat that!
I hope you're having a wonderful day! Thank you so much for your sweet visit!
Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda
Joining Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday!
