Mini Makeovers for a Dresser Top Vignette

After braving the winter blizzard with the kiddos for a bit of sledding this morning, I am so happy to be inside by the fire, sitting at the computer with a cup of nice hot coffee!

A few weeks ago I shared the vintage dresser that I painted for my husband, as part of our master bedroom update.  I was struggling with how to decorate the top of it.  It's a large dresser and we have vaulted ceilings so there was a lot of space to fill.  I knew I wanted something substantial up there, but I wanted it to be special too! 

A couple of years ago my grandma gave me this sweet little cabinet.  As adorable as it is, the story behind it is what makes it so dear to me.  You can read more about it here.

Ever since the day I brought it home, I have been moving it from room to room trying to find the perfect spot for it.  I stuck it up on the dresser one day and thought it almost worked, but wasn't quite right.  I liked the natural look of the distressed wood but it wasn't flowing with the rest of our décor.  Last week I painted it Old White, with the interior in Paloma followed by a bit of distressing and both clear and dark wax.

Now this darling little cabinet has a sweet new look and a special spot in our room.  I love that it is finally in a place where we can enjoy and use it!

I just purchased the lovely gold crown from a friend's booth at Camas Antiques!  I thought it would be a fun accessory for our bedroom but wasn't sure where or how I would use it when I first brought it home.  I am loving antique gold these days and the color of the crown coordinates so perfectly with the hardware on the little cabinet.

Yesterday this thrifted gold frame got a quick makeover.  I had a small jar of blue paint I had mixed a long time ago...I believe it was Aubusson, Old White and Paris Grey.  It was more than enough to cover the brassy gold frame.  I distressed it back to let some of the gold show through and waxed it with dark wax only. 

The crowned Cavalier was an image I had purchased from an Etsy seller long ago.  The pup in the drawing looks so much like our Cavalier, Basil and with the crown on his little head it was just too fitting of an image to frame for this vignette!

 

I am really happy with how things are coming together!  I am a firm believer in decorating with pieces that you love.  If a piece doesn't work quite right, tweak it, paint it, reposition it, repurpose it!  If you love it enough, you will find a way to make it work!

I can't wait to show my grandma her little cabinet's new look!  I know she will be happy to see that it is being treasured!

Thank you for your sweet visit today!  Stay warm! 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

Sharing with:

Make it Pretty Monday at The Decorated House
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspired to Create...a Girly Little Vignette!

 

As I waited in line to pay for my treasures at a recent estate sale, I looked over the items in my basket and suddenly had a very distinctive vision!  Vintage dresses for real babies and doll babies alike, a felt hat, tiny shoes, a curved handled baby spoon and a collection of old photos inspired a couple of small makeover projects and then ultimately this very girly little vignette for my booth space at Camas Antiques.  Often times when I go shopping for treasures, I don't have any idea of what I am looking for or what I might find.  I love it when I come home with a collection of things that ignite a flame within my creative soul and inspire me into action!

 

 

A rather simple but sturdy small chest of drawers had a romantic makeover with a couple of coats of Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan.  I started with a custom mix of Antoinette and Old White for a soft, pretty pink.  I added the scalloped design in Old White and a simple hand painted flower chain in the custom pink along the edges to give it the look of eyelet lace.

 

Vintage photos add such charm to a vignette.  A photo of a cheerful little girl is attached to a bare lampshade, layered with a tiny vintage slip dress alongside a skirt, shoes and pearls.

 

This gorgeous handmade baby doll dress was badly stained when I brought it home from the estate sale.  After an overnight soak in Oxy Clean, it is bright and beautiful again!

 

 

A dark, cast-off lamp base was full of potential but in need of a face-lift.  I brushed on two coats of Old White and followed up with a wash in French Linen.  After a coat of Clear Wax and the addition of a shabby floral shade, it has a soft, pretty new look! 

 

 

I quickly chose these older hardback books primarily based on each one's cover and it's subtle hue.  Once home with them, I flipped through the pages and was pleasantly surprised by the intriguing content as well!  Books are such treasures!

 

Old photographs are fun to use in vintage inspired crafts or when creating vignettes.  I pick them up whenever I find ones that speak to me.  When I was little I bought old photos at antique stores and then went home to write fictional stories about the people in them!  I have scanned my most recent photo finds to share here and invite you to print them for use in your projects, or to inspire you to write stories or create vignettes!  Enjoy!

 

 

Creative inspiration for me comes in many forms and from many different avenues.  It can't be forced and it's a shame to waste it!  So, get out there and be inspired, and when the spark ignites...create!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit today!  I can't tell you how much I enjoy hearing from you!  Your kind words encourage and inspire me further!    You are a blessing and a treasure!  Have a fabulous week!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing with...

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

 Furniture & Paint Party at Start at Home

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

 Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

 

Favorite Projects of 2013

Hello!  Thank you so much for stopping by!  I hope you had a blessed Holiday season and are as excited as I am to begin a fresh New Year! 

Believe it or not, I rang in the New Year with my paint brush in hand!  We had a nice quiet night at home (quiet, if you don't count the neighbors with the loud fireworks and canons!)  I enjoyed spending the time finishing up a few projects for the shop that I will be sharing here very soon!  But today I thought I would do a quick "year in review" post to look back on my favorite projects of 2013. 

 

Pink Door No. 3

 

Trunk Love

 

Liqueur Cabinet Fit for the Abbey

 

Paint a Scalloped Design...So Lovely and So Easy to do!

 

Paint Me Paloma!

 

The Story of One Darling Little Commode

 

 

Tea Table...Accentuate the Pretty

 

My Eastlake Dresser Rescue

 

Shabby Buffet Makeover

 

Restyling and Repurposing Vintage Luggage

 

Feathers, Boots and Chalk Paint®

 

Use Your Printer to Create Oversized Art

 

Cinderella Cabinet Makeover

 

 

To those of you who are visiting for the first time, thank you so very much for stopping by!  I hope you will visit again soon, and I would be thrilled if you would also join me on Facebook! 

 

And to all of my blog buddies that have shared in the creative journey all year, thank you so much for your visits, your sweet comments and encouraging words and for inspiring me with your creativity and talents!  You are all so wonderful and very dear to me!  I feel so blessed to call you my friends! 

 

Cheers to the New Year!

 

Imagine, Create, Inspire!

 

Many blessings to you all!

 

Amanda

 

 

 

 

Sharing with...

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Be Inspired at Common Ground 

 

Royal Albert Collection

So, I picked up a few dishes today...  Okay, more than just a few.  A woman was selling her collection of Royal Albert Lady Caryle and Lady Ascot on Craigslist this week.  She would use the money from the dishes, along with that from a few other household item sales to pay her rent.  A sad story, but one that I'm sure is all too common in today's economy.  Many of us have been there, and can empathize.  I was happy to hand over the cash that would help her out, as I loaded up the place settings to complete my collection I have been working on for close to 10 years now.  She said she was glad to know that her collection, which had sat in boxes for years would be going to a new home where they would be used and enjoyed.  I assured her that they would be used and enjoyed by many, because my mom and I often host large formal tea parties where we use our best bone china!  She said that was exactly the kind of fate she had hoped for her pretty dishes!

This Royal Albert "Rosetime Chintz" wasn't part of the lot I purchased today.  I actually found these pretty vintage dishes at an estate sale a few weeks ago.  I just love mixing patterns and these pair so well with the Lady Carlyle and Lady Ascot!

I painted a couple more Tea Party signs for my space at Camas this week, too!  Surely someone is in the mood for a tea party...I know I am!

Thank you so much for your sweet visit today!  I hope you're having a wonderful week!  I am heading up to the mountain tomorrow to ski for the first time in many many years. 

Wish me luck...I'm going to need it!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

p.s.  Dear Blog Friends - I've finally stared a Facebook page for Girl in Pink!  I would love it if you'd join me there!  The button on my sidebar will take you directly to the page!  You'll also notice I have a button for Pinterest now, too!

joining these lovely ladies for their fun weekly parties:

 Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Courtney at French Country Home for Feathered Nest Friday

Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Alison at Stuff and Nonsense for Fridays Unfolded

Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday

Skating at the Central Park

A couple of weeks ago I absolutely fell in love with this vintage print at the Salvation Army.  "Skating at the Central Park" by Winslow Homer.  It was a bit more than I would usually pay for something to resell...not much of a profit to be made, but I decided to splurge and bring something home for myself this time!  Turns out this print is not hard to find...if you love it like I do, you can pick one up off of Ebay for a modest price.  I did some tweaking in regards to the frame and mat to better suit my decor.  Here's what it looked like when I first brought it home...

Painting the frame cream was a given, but I had to think a bit about what to do with that bright green mat.  I eventually decided to tear pieces of sheet music and carefully adhere them to the original mat with a glue stick.  This was easy and so much more cost efficient than buying a new mat...which I would have surely have had to have custom cut. 

The overall size of the framed print didn't end up being large enough to hang above our living room mantle where I had originally pictured it, but I managed to find a good spot for it where it is being enjoyed and admired!

I just love the colors in this print, and the beautiful dresses and hats on the ladies.  This scene really reminds me of Little Women...now, I'm in the mood to watch the movie!  I wonder if it will be streaming on Netflix this season? 

I've loved every version I've seen.  Which is your favorite?

Of course no one has played Jo quite like Katherine Hepburn!  She was one of a kind!

I am such a fan of Elizabeth Taylor, that I couldn't not mention the 1949 version as well!  So many great old Christmas movies!  I look forward to re-watching them every year at this time, as I wrap gifts and work on Christmas crafts!

Thank you, dear friends for stopping by!  I am so very excited about the Christmas Blogger Block Party next week!  I will be sharing our Christmas decor (it's almost complete!) as well as some other festive things I've been working on!  I can't wait to see what everyone else has been busy doing to get into the Christmas spirit!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

You'll find me partying with these sweet gals!

Debra - Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Cindy - Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Sherry - Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Courtney - Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Honey - Potpourri Party at 2805

                                 Vanessa and Heather - Inspiration Friday At the Pickett Fence