What’s the MOST Outrageous Thing You’ve Ever Painted?

As many of you have probably noticed…I LOVE PAINT.   Not Chalk paint…but latex paint.   Chalk paint just doesn’t do ‘it’ for me…and I think it’s a colossal waste of time and money…so unless I find a brand that does what I want it to do…there won’t be any chalk paint posts from me.   I don’t do fads, and I think Chalk paint is just that.   This post…like most  of the others I’ve done…is a latex paint project.

Over the years you guys have seen me paint a LOT of different things…and for the most part I was sure of how the project would turn out before I even did it.   This time, however, I decided that I had nothing to lose…and I was VERY skeptical about how it would turn out…but SOMETHING had to change…so either way this project was going to get done.

Do you remember a few years back when I got my antique sofa set?   Of course you do!
In case you don’t …this is the sofa.


Do you remember how much I hated the color of that set, so I decided to try to dye the velvet?   Of course you do!

In case you don’t…this is her after I dyed her fabric…




We LOVED her new color…and I never did get around to updating the wood on it…BUT…after three full years of us using her…moving her...vacuuming her…and even steam cleaning her…the dye faded.

To read the whole post about the dye and the way I went about that project...click here.   

It looked sad.   Just sad and OLD.



This is our everyday living room furniture...we USE it.   I imagine that had it just been in a sitting room, with occasional use…it would have lasted a lot longer…but…it didn’t and so I am in the ‘mood’ to fix it up a bit again.

It was getting an update no matter if I had to take the time out to reupholster it…or not…so in MY mind…I had nothing to lose.   We all hated the way it looked at this time…and the Cowboy even suggested we toss it in the dumpster and find a different set to add to our home.  One way or another…there was going to be a much nicer view in our living room.

SOOO…the most outrageous thing I have ever painted became…my antique French Provincial sofa set.

I just could NOT look at this sad, faded view any longer.   It was at the point where we were embarrassed to even have people see it!   When the decision was made…I was determined to make my idea work no matter what…and if it didn’t…I’d either let them hit the dumpster OR reupholster them.



With nothing to lose…I hit the paint shop, chose my color…and got the girl to mix me up a can of flat latex paint.   I wanted a darker shade…so as to hide that nasty pink…and I wanted something neutral.   I chose a color called Cambridge by General Paint.   It is a dark brown with grey undertones.

I had been researching painting velvet fabric for a few days, and I saw NO posts that were successful in painting velvet…and …and saw that I needed fabric medium…or glycerine…and there was NO way I was going to go to that expense for an experiment…PLUS…living in this tiny little town, there was no way I was going to get my hot little hands on either of those…so I decided to do what I do best…and use my experience with paint…and wing it!

I made my own recipe using specific parts vinegar, water and paint, and went to work on a project that all of my research said could not successfully be done.

WHY IS IT THAT WHEN I SEE THAT OTHERS ARE SAYING SOMETHING CAN’T BE DONE…I HAVE THIS STRONG URGE TO PROVE THEM WRONG????

When I first started…I was using my mixture AND a spray bottle of water, like I had seen in the posts I read of others trying this.    I figured that if I sprayed the fabric first, it would allow the fibers to soak up the paint better…but that was not the case…all that did was create more work for me.   (which is also where I think the others that tried and failed went wrong)



By adding the extra water from the spray bottle…I was diluting my mixture even more than I wanted to and ended up needing to do a second coat!   So…that spray bottle got ditched..and I just went with my little wax brush and painted in a circular motion (pushing down firmly) to make sure that the paint would get between all of the fibers in the velvet. 

This is the type of  brush I found the best to get right into the grain of the fabric…I borrowed this photo from the internet as I forgot to take a photo of mine.



It took a fair amount of time to get the entire sofa set and cushions done…but I finished it!   I then used a regular soft bristle brush to paint the wood parts of my sofa in a full strength paint in the same color!   I could have used my fabric recipe to do the wood as well…but it was faster for me to just use it full strength.



I set up a fan to get it to dry faster because I was SOOO excited to see how it was going to turn out.   It felt like FOREVER before it was dry…when in reality it was only a couple of hours…but an excited Tootsie is an impatient one!

Let me tell you…it was WORTH THE WAIT!!!



MY SOFA PROJECT TURNED OUT WONDERFUL!!!

The first couple of days, it was as you’d expect it to be…just a little stiff…but not crunchy or solid…but the more we used it, the fabric softened right up!



The next weekend…I found time to finish the set…and I am absolutley amazed at the difference it made to the entire room.

We all love the new look AND feel of the fabric…and I am proud to say that velvet CAN BE PAINTED and that it won’t be crunchy and hard but instead soft!



My antique sofa set looks like brand new!…well almost.   I am waiting on my new foam to put into the cushions, because as you can see the old stuff is kinda tired.   That will make another huge difference.

As you can imagine…the fresh look of the furniture has prompted a bit of a makeover of the entire room…and once it’s done, I will share again…but I just could not wait to say that I did it!…and I am glad!

So…that’s it for me for today…What’s the most OUTRAGEOUS thing you’ve ever painted???

Will you try to paint YOUR living room furniture?   If you want my recipe just say the word…I’d be happy to share.

Until next time…Happy painting!!!

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

OOH LA LA! It’s Tiffany Blue!

Hey guys!   Hope the summer has been treating you right.   I know it has been HOT HOT HOT here!   The summer holidays are just flying by!   The kids are loving their summer break…and I am realizing that this summer has been a very different one than any I have ever spent.   (that’s for another post entirely)  

I have been a busy girl this past week or so…and I might have a few things to share with you in the very near future that might just have a little something to do with my new gardens out here on the acreage…but until then, you will just have to settle for another furniture make-over reveal.   To see the last few projects  that I have done you can click here…and  here…and to see the BEST one yet…click here

This is going to be a fairly short but sweet little post…as what all can a girl say about a little desk this size?

When this desk came to me  (yup…another junkin’ find)  it was in a sad state.   It had been used and ABUSED in a big way.

All I could think of when I started to look at it closely, was that if this was in my room as a little girl, my Mother would have strung me up by my toes and smacked me with a wooden spoon if I did something like this to my furniture!   In fact…I still have the furniture that I had when I was a little girl…It is still in good shape…and I don’t think it EVER looked near as rough as this.   It is a good thing that I rescued this…because it was going to the dump if I didn't!   It is  going to look a LOT better once I am done with it.

I had taken my oldest girl along with me when I went to town to grab some supplies for giving this little desk a make-over.   I ended up coming home with a totally different look planned for the desk than was originally on the agenda.   My teenage daughter talked me into a little bit of color….Okay…lets be honest here...a lot of color.  


It really didn’t take me too long to do this peice.   The top was a simple sanding and stain…then the sanding and priming and paint on the bottom.   A bit of paint on the drawer pulls and …Badda Bing…Badda Boom…it was done!   I did a protective coat and the piece was ready to find a sweet spot to live.  My little “Busy” would really like to have it in her room…but she would like to have pretty much anything I have made in her room.   She is my biggest fan. 

I am quite happy with the finished result.  I was excited to share the new look I gave this piece, so the drawers are not closed tight as it needed to cure just a little bit more.   (you get the idea)   This piece is now cute, fun and right on point with the trend right now.

I can honestly say, I have never painted anything Tiffany Blue…and I have never put baby pink handles on a piece…so it’s been a fun adventure!   I can’t wait to see where it ends up!  




It really is quite a change!  

Well guys…that’s it for me for today.

Until next time…  Happy Junkin’ !!!  ( and re-finishing!)

*)*)*)   One of the hardest things you will ever have to do in life, is to grieve the loss of someone who is still alive.  
                                                                           Anonymous


(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Old School Lockers

Hey, I’m  back!   I know, I know…it took me a few weeks… and I am really not sharing in order of event…but I am at least getting a thing or two up and posted! lol

 If I were to tell you all of what’s been going on here since November…you would be in shock…so saving a headache… let’s move on to the fun stuff!

A few months back, a friend and I were having a casual conversation about organizing and making more space in our homes.   She was talking about how her garage is LOADED with everything except vehicles.   It had become a warehouse for her business ventures and she just needed to get rid of stuff so that she could make her space a little more functional. 

At one point she mentioned that she needed to get rid of a set of old lockers that once were used in her son’s bedroom but now were just sitting there…taking up valuable space in her garage…and no one wanted them anymore.

WHAT???   (head snapping around)

NO ONE WANTED A SET OF OLD LOCKERS????   (total shock on my face)

WHAT???? 

GET RID OF THEM???  (totally interested over here!!!!)

WHAT????

I know that you guys know that that is exactly what I was thinking! 

I told her that I would be there whenever she wanted to rid herself of this item…I would LOVE to have them!  

(and then I paced back and forth for days waiting to hear from her again…to say she was ready!)   (you know that I damned near wore out the floor waiting!!!   lol)

The day finally came (about three days later…but felt like WEEKS) and I was so excited!   I got that Cowboy into the truck, plugged in the radar detector (because there might have to be some speeding going on)  …and away we went! 

We had a nice little visit…and then loaded up the GOLD!   It was time to hi-tale it home at the speed of light…and get to playin’!   My wonderful new project piece went straight into the greenhouse for me to peruse…and perhaps to play with.

And then the next day, something happened...I didn't have time...and...Over the next couple of months, a LOT of things happened…and we were very busy, so my super exciting project piece had to wait. 

It was only after we moved to the acreage, that I had a day that I decided to just spend ‘playin’…and I pulled these out of the shed, and into my office to contemplate!


AREN’T THEY FABULOUS?????

I AM IN LOVE!

There is NO doubt, that this set was once in the possession of a teenage boy!   I  know those stickers…lol   Unfortunately, they must go!

The inside needs a tiny bit of work too…nothing a little elbow grease and maybe some shelf liner can’t fix…
I got to work…and the result was exactly what I wanted it to be!

I primed it out…and dry brushed it with several colors of paint to achieve the oxidized look I wanted.  (my photo does not do it justice!)  (I am RUSTY at this!)

I have another old locker in my garage that I thought would be the same dimensions…only a full length…that it would pair nicely with...but sadly…it is an army locker…and these are high school lockers…so they are not the same.   Oh Well…I still use them all!  lol

This treasure is waiting for the Cowboy to put a platform with wheels under it so that I can move it around at will…but for right now…I have placed it in my office/studio…and she holds bolts and bolts and bolts of lace…and other fancies for my business!
 
You sure can tell how rusty I am at taking photos and posting my stories…I am sure it will come back to me one of these days.  lol

I will share my studio/office and some of the others in our new home as soon as I get a chance to do so!   Right now my office is in full disaster mode…as there is a new line being created just in time for another big show coming up in April!
 
That’s all for today…I hope to see you all again in short order!  What have you been up to?   I hope to have time to get around and see ASAP!

Until Next Time…Happy Decorating and Creating!

*)*)*)…Invest ONLY in people who Invest in YOU. 

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

Todays post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot

www.chicaboot.com

Best Door in the House

Welcome.   It’s been a while…I know.   Trust me, it feels like forever since we got to have some time together!   Life around here just seems to be so busy all the time that I am having trouble finding enough hours in the day just to do the things that are necessary!  
This week I decided to take a much needed break from my little company…(which is growing like a healthy child!) and have a decorating vacation!   Yep…I have been doing a little work on the inside of my house again.   It has been 4 years now…I think it is about time I just finished the bits and pieces of this place that are not quite done…and maybe freshen it up a little bit along the way.   Oh who am I kidding…I get bored looking at the same thing …and I MUST change it up here and there!
About a year ago I decided to do some painting in the house.   I chose two colors that were not white or cream…and I did some decorating.   It didn’t take long and I was in a total state of decorators regret!    Although I do like the colors…they just did NOT work for this house.   So…it’s time…again. 
NO…I am not sharing any photos of that paint faux pas…in fact I am not sure that I even have any photos of the darker colors…it was shortly after that painting adventure that my little company decided to go gang busters, and I haven’t had time to do much other than work!  
This week, while I was painting, I did a little purging…cleaned out the clutter…the old, the unwanted.   I had set out three baskets…one for donations…one for trash, and one for things that simply need to be relocated.   I am positive that all of the closets were thanking me for this.   All of them except the front door closet.  
The front door closet in this house has been my arch rival since the day we moved into this house.   The door…which was supposed to be a sliding bi-fold door…was a nightmare.   It would not stay on the track and would always swing all over the place and scratch up my floors…or just simply look ugly ALL the time.  I hate the closet doors in this house.   There…I said it, and no…I don’t regret it.  
What do the front door closet doors even look like you ask??
When we first moved in…just before I painted the house…

I know right????   NASTY!   So I painted them all…and we changed that ugly front door out…since this photo…and…I have painted a couple of times…lol.  

I somehow managed to delete any other photos that I had of the front closet doors…so I will use this one of the cleaning supply cupboard.   It is pretty much identical, so I am sure you will get the idea.
Instead of the doors sliding and folding…the whole thing just flops wide open!   I just could not stand it anymore and took matters into my own hands.
Within minutes the heavy, ugly uncooperative closet doors were TOSSED out into the back yard!….ok…well neatly stood up against the fence.  Hey…I didn’t want to damage the grass or anything!  
I then went to town on a very special pile that I had been trying to save for that ‘one special project’.   It only took about an hour and I had built myself a brand new Old Wood door!

Ta-da!  My barn wood sliding door!   I love the new look!   The swarms of teenagers that are here on a regular basis love the new look!   Anyone I have shared it with…thinks it looks fantastic!   Even GRAMMIE liked it!  (and she is so NOT a barn wood decorator…she’s very frilly and lacy)   I have one more glider to put on that track…but otherwise it is finished!
…And that’s the end of the story!   Well…sort of…almost…ya…there will never be an end to the story around here!   I am plotting and scheming to replace some baseboards, trims and moldings here before I go in for a much needed surgery in the near future.  I want my house to be totally in order so that I can recover without delays because I couldn’t stand to look at something …well you know. :)

I have some more project photos to share…but those are a story for a different day…so stay tuned!!!   This Tootsie has been on a roll!  :)
Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’/ Renovating/ Decorating!

*)*)*)…I’s sad that bullies have the misguided idea that they are so cool and that people are impressed by them. Bullies are the most uncool, pathetic people of all.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Check them out!

The Pink Antique Sofa Set …and the Dye.

Hey guys!   Long time no see from me hey?   I do apologize…I just have not had a choice.   Things in my world as of late have been hectic.   I have been struggling with some rather serious health issues…and have had to make a few concessions in my world to accommodate that.   My little family is growing up so fast, that I don’t want to miss anything with them…(and they are super busy)…My little company has gone gang busters, and I am so very busy with that, that I have no time to do much else.   I have been forced to learn to schedule my time by the hour…just to get things done every day!   This is a good thing…but it did take a big bite out of my ‘play time’.    But…as any good mother would tell ya…sometimes real life has to go before the junkin’ fix …I do plan, in the near future, to write a post to let you all in on what has been happening around here…but today is not the day…today…we are doing another fabulous project!!!
so…lets get started!
If you have followed me for a while, you know I love junk…and I love antiques.   I love to decorate with both of them…and that when I find the perfect piece…it must be mine!  You will also know that I always try to wait just a little while before I make a big change to a piece of furniture.   Especially if the change is to the upholstery.   I like to get a feel for it, decide if I am in love with it, and if I plan to keep it for a long period of time.   There are a few exceptions to my ‘think it over’ rule…but for the most part, I force myself to be just a little bit patient.
This project is not one of those exceptions to my rule.  
My story begins almost 3 years ago.   I was in an antiques shop in a little town not too far from home, and I found a loveseat and a sofa that I immediately fell in love with.   Sadly, I did not have anywhere to put a large antique sofa set and, had to leave them behind.  
I pined after these pieces …talked about them to my friends, children and anyone else who would listen to me…and still I did not think I could work them into my home…so at the antique store they stayed.   Months went by…and I never imagined they would still be in the shop…but they were…and I still loved them.
I spent a little time, trying to make the small settee that I had re-done a few years ago work for my living room…but sadly, it didn’t offer nearly enough seating for everyone that we have visiting us regularly…so I had made the decision to store it until one day I have a space that it will work in.   I finally had made room for my beloved set!   I called the store…excited to tell them to hold onto it until I could pick it up…AND IT WAS GONE!
Someone had bought my sofa set!  
I was ticked!   WHO deserved that set more than me?   HOW could this have happened?   I guess I will just have to live with my beautiful yet much too small setee …for now.
I had all but forgotten about the antique sofa set…I was kicking myself for not snatching it up when I had the chance…It was a really good price…and in very good condition.  I thought that the set was meant to be mine.  
When Christmas arrived and we were all sitting on random chairs and stools and the floor, I mentioned that I wish I had purchased that set…it would have been perfect for all of us to sit in.   15 minutes later, I opened an envelope that had a photo of my beloved living room set in it!  
The very next day, the sofa set was moved into my living room where it sat for the last couple of years, (with me contemplating it over and over again…)  and it is still there.
I suppose now would be a good time to share what it looked like….right?

THIS is the sofa.  The loveseat, (photo did not turn out) is the exact same…only smaller of course.  
(To be honest, I never really got a lot of photos of this set…between my recent health issues, my little company, the kids, work, and life in general, photos kind of were one of those things that didn’t take priority. )
Back to my story…
I love the bones of this set.  Now…take a good look at this photo.   Can you tell exactly what it is about this piece that I absolutely was NOT in love with?
Here…I will share it again.

WHAT about this sofa do YOU think I am not loving?
Well?   Did you see it?
IT IS PINK!
Ya…I am NOT a pink girl.   My sister is a pink girl…Busy is a pink girl…millions of other girls are in love with pink…but Tootsie….not so much.
The other day, while I was at my desk working, I looked up, and there it was…in my earth toned living room looking pinker than ever…I finally make the decision that the PINK HAD TO GO!  
…the only issue I now had…was that I don’t have a lot of spare time to play around and re-do the upholstery.  
Because I am a busy single mom…(and about a million other things right now)…I decided that I would take a very big risk and try to simply update this sofa set.   The pink has got to go…and slip covers won’t do the job.   I decided to dye it.
Off to the store I went…to pick up the supplies I would need.   I have never done anything like this before…so I wasn’t quite sure what I would need…not to mention, I live in a tiny little town that hasn’t got a whole lot of options to offer…so I got what I could…and took the leap of faith. 
The whole time I was spraying on the dye formula, I kept telling myself…that the worst that could happen would be that I will have to bite the bullet and shop for some fabric to cover this sofa and love seat.  
I am pleased to say…

It turned out fantastic!!!
All I did was purchase several boxes of fabric dye powder (there was no liquid dye available to me so I took what I could get)   I then put down a LOT of garbage bags to protect the floor below....yes...this is a very messy project.
I mixed the dye fairly strong and added some salt to help it set.  I wanted a color in the olive/khaki/brown family...so I decided to mix equal portions of dark brown dye with forest green dye.   I also took into consideration that the dye mixture would have to mingle with the dusty rose/pink that was already on the sofa...and figured that it would be great if in some places a little more of the pink would show than in others.   I also was prepared for different shades showing up in areas that were more faded or worn than others.
Put the mixture into a spray bottle…and started to spritz it on!      I made sure the entire surface was saturated with the mixture…and left it to dry overnight.  
In the morning, I took out my carpet cleaner, and mixed up a cold water/vinegar solution to run over the whole thing with.   This step pulled any excess dye out …and helped prevent dye from transferring to our clothing.   Once that step had dried…I sprayed it all down with scotch guard…and we were good to go!
I love the way the whole thing turned out…It was a fairly long and involved process…but was just a fraction of the cost and time that it would have taken to have re-upholstered the set.  

Now….my antique sofa set looks wonderful in my earth toned living room…and I can work without the distraction of the PINK sofa screaming at me to change it up!     My antique sofa set can sit like this until I find the perfect fabric to cover it in…and the time to do it!  Yay!!!  Maybe by that time, I will have been able to get the dye that stained my hands off.  haha!
It is difficult to see the exact color of the new look...it is an olive brown...but it looks different in different light...in some light you can see more green tones...and in other light...greyish brown...I love it!
I still need to do a little something to the wood on this set…but that will be a post for another day. :)

That’s all I have for you this time…but very soon I will share what I have growing in the greenhouse…and possibly (time and energy permitting) I will be able to share more of the inside of my little house.
Until next time….Happy decorating!

 *)Unless you're ready for what comes around... Perhaps you should not go around in the first place!  You only end up being the laughed at!  (you know who you are)  “hugs” :)

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

                                                   

Check them out!

Fertilizer Friday/ Flaunt Your Flowers Oct. 25/13

Do you know what day it is???

It’s Friday !!!!

Friday is a BIG day for us here at Tootsie Time…(ok, just me…there is no one else here…lol)  It’s a big deal because it means it’s PARTY TIME!!!!

Fertilizer Friday is the day of the week than an ELITE group of gardeners from all around the world get together, snap photos, link up and Flaunt Their Flowers!!!

If you are new to Tootsie Time and Fertilizer Friday, I just know you are asking yourself…”How do I join?”
Well…it’s easy really. Here’s all you need to know to become a part of this great group of gardeners, bloggers and friends:

If it is spring or summer where you live, you need to snap a few photos of what you have growing, blooming or just love to look at that is of the plant variety…if it is winter where you live, you may post past favorite photos…or indoor plants…whatever you like.

The only criteria is that it is a plant or something growing!

You do not need to use fertilizer to participate in this party, but if you do, this is the reminder to fertilize weekly!

All I ask is that: Your post must include the logo above and/or a link to Tootsie Time, or the linky will be deleted

I would like to invite each and every one of you to join in and share your photos...
We made it another week in my area of Alberta with not even one flake of snow!   YAY!!!  The weather has actually been lovely!  With the exception of Tuesday, it has been warm and sunny outside. 
I haven’t really been outside much to enjoy that warm weather…as I have been running my little rump off working on a myriad of different things.   I just wish I could make two of me, so I could be everywhere that I need to be, AND play online all day!  My apologies for not making it around to visit you guys last week.   It is getting crunch time to get things done before the end of the month, and I am almost there!
Anyways…back to the flaunt.   I am breaking the rules this week just a little bit.   My flaunt isn’t growing…heck it isn’t even real…but it is out in the garden, so I am doing it anyways.

When we all met last week…I showed you photos of my house with NOTHING growing in the gardens. It looks VERY sad.   Winter stinks on ice and I just can’t wait for spring to arrive here.  I had posed the question to you about what I should do with the window boxes that hang on the house… there were a lot of great suggestions from you guys!
What I decided to do…was go faux!

It gets nasty outside in this area.   Last week we had horribly strong winds…and that only gets worse when winter arrives.   Putting real evergreen branches in the window boxes would have been ideal, but not practical. 
I happened to have a bunch of long strands of faux evergreen garland sitting in the storage unit waiting for me to either discard it or use it.   I came across it, and thought that maybe I could use it in the boxes!   It is made of wire, so it can be secured to the window boxes tightly, and easily.   It will withstand the cold, snow and wind of an Alberta winter…and…the best part…I already have it…so I don’t have to do a thing to obtain it! 

I used two 7 foot strands in each box.   I didn’t want them to look too poofy…or too spindly either.   I wired it on…and attached it to different parts of the boxes…to look like it was trailing.   

I am not sure about adding anything to them.   I don’t have any extra plug in space to add lights to them…and most of the ornaments around this area are for inside…the cold will make them crack and peel…and if I added pine cones…they will just be hidden by the snow when it falls…SO…I think they can just be filled with the faux greens…I am happy with that for now.  
I already had some comments on them by people going past on the street…they don’t think it needs anything either.
What do you think?   Does it look okay?  I would love to hear you chime in!

Well….that’s it for me for today…

SO?   What are you waiting for???
GO!!!

Get your flaunt on!!!

You can link as many posts as you like…I don’t mind seeing lots!!! 

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful comments  this week... and WELCOME to all my new followers…and to those that loyally follow me and faithfully link in to this party…AND who are patient while waiting for me to FINALLY visit you…

THANK YOU! 

I appreciate you more than you know.
Stay tuned Sunday/Monday for the next installment of “The 108 Year Old House” There is a LOT to share!   If you missed some…you can find the links to chapter 1, 2 and 3 by clicking on their numbers!

Until Next Time... Happy Gardening!

*)*)*)…Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you. But it takes someone really special to stay in your life and show you how much they love you.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

Add To Junkin' Cart??? Yes Please!!!

Welcome!

When last we met, I left you with this photo.

I asked you if you noticed the new addition to my garden.  Did you find it?   That new addition is where today’s story/post begins.
 
Sadly, I had taken a bunch of photos of my new addition, and the step by step process to making it part of my gardens, but somewhere along the line…I misplaced them!  So, I had to do some fancy work to take a few more, so that I could share my story.

Lets get started.

A few months ago I went to a garden show in Seattle Washington with my Cowboy.  While we were there, I spotted a rusty old shopping cart that I REALLY wanted BAD.  

My Cowboy, who is very practical and level headed refused to indulge my junkin’ urge. 

He did not want to walk around in downtown Seattle pushing a rusted old shopping cart (or carrying it if the wheels didn’t work)  and saunter up to our very nice hotel room with it.

He absolutely refused to let me purchase this most beautiful piece of junk.   I was very sad.

He tried to distract me with other things, thinking I would forget all about that little shopping cart issue…but- I would have none of that.  I must have driven my sweet cowboy crazy with all the shopping cart talk.

When we got home, I shared a photo and my desperation to have said shopping cart with my Dad.   Now, if you have been following Tootsie Time for a while, you will know that I was raised by the KING of junk…and if he doesn’t have it, he knows where to find it.   He tried to settle my whining by telling me he knew where there was one, and that he just might be able to get it for me.   I was a little happier.

I waited…and waited and whined a little more about my NEED for this rusty old shopping cart, and STILL there was nothing coming my way.   I was not happy.    I was desperate and admittedly a little grumpy about it.

I had all but given up on my quest for a beautiful old shopping cart all adorned with beautiful rust and wear, when one day I arrived home from some errands to the most wonderful surprise.  A SHOPPING CART!

He had tossed it on the front lawn as if it was garbage and left it for me to find when I drove into my parking spot.   I was so excited I nearly forgot to put my truck in park!


The heat was on!   I had yapped about this shopping cart for so long, that he finally got me one, and now I had to do something with it!   I stared and stared at this cart… it is much bigger than the one I saw in Seattle, that got me into this tizzy.   WHAT on earth will I do with a full size one???  

I was blocked… drawing a stone cold blank!   I moved it around my yard, from spot to spot to see if it would fit into my garden somewhere…anywhere!   NOTHING seemed to make my eyes smile.   I just could not figure it out!   So…I set it aside…and put it out of my mind… I needed inspiration to smack me square in the face.  

One afternoon, as I was primping and pruning and playing with my flowers, getting things ready to photograph for Friday’s weekly party, I got the idea I had been waiting for.  

This corner was screaming for me to do something new.  It didn’t  “work” quite the way I wanted it to anymore…and I needed it to change…NOW.   I ran to the side of the house, and grabbed my wonderful old shopping cart.   I was inspired!

I moved the ladder to lean against the fence…and supported it with a bunch of old clay pots that were no longer strong enough to hold anything, or were broken.  I leaned my rusty old shovel piece against the ladder and got busy.
  
I gathered some left over annuals from this year’s greenhouse crop and a few little pieces of junk for decoration and set to planting.

It took me a while, but I figured out how to plant that shopping cart…I turned an empty bag from the bales of soil that I use in the greenhouse inside out…so that there was no writing visible…and filled it with potting soil.

I planted that baby right up!

I poked a few holes in the sides to add some trailing lobelia to the mix, and to help hide the black bag I used to plant in.   I added a pot of portulaca, an old watering can and a ceramic angel to the bottom. and stood back to admire my work.     It needed more.

I added a left over piece of garden hose…



…a couple of rusty plant hangers…

…placed an ornamental cabbage in the wash tub that was there before…and set it by the back handles of the cart.

There was one small window box left over from my spring planting, so I did it up to put into the seat of the cart…and I was DONE!!!

I waited a week or two before I shared it, to make sure that things were going to survive, and now I am ready to show you my fabulous, slightly rusted old shopping cart…done up Tootsie Style!

Ta-Da!!!



I am loving it!  I hope the rust spreads and fills the entire thing with glorious rustic color!

For now, I am happy with my semi- rusted old shopping cart.  

I can’t wait to see it all filled in and blooming like crazy!
 
That’s it for me today…I have just one more thing to say:

HA-HA COWBOY!   I GOT A SHOPPING CART!   (he actually really likes it…in spite of himself!)

So?  What do you think???   How did I do?   Do you need a cart now??? 

Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’, Plantin’ and Gardening!

*)*)*) show me a person who has never made a mistake…and I will show you someone who has never achieved much.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

All of my house and garden plants are planted in Sunshine potting mediums.