Well, I just had to finish the porch redo, and honestly, it was a quickie. I used stuff that was already here and a bit of paint. Sugarwing's blue and pink chippy chair was in the garage, and I'd
already bought the hydrangea to plant. So, of course, it won't stay
here,it has to go into the ground. Too bad, its just right for the spot.
The only purchase I had to make was a quart of "Birds Egg Blue" paint from Ace Hardware. I fell for the name, as well as the soft shade. I added speckles of brown paint over the blue for an even more egg-like look.
To do this, I watered down a squirt of dark brown acrylic craft paint, dipped in a stiff brush, and then flicked my thumb across the brush to splash speckles over the blue paint.
Its a little messy, you need to have a wet paper towel handy to dab up the most rambunctious speckles, they tend to fly everywhere. I don't cover and tape off anything, that seems to take longer than just wiping up the runaway flecks.
No puppies yet! Twinks is resting up and getting bigger by the moment. We'll both be glad when they are here.
I'm still not thrilled with the white wash on the rockers. I might repaint them later on, or else scour garage sales for something better. Like a glider. Or a porch swing. That's the fun part, always planning for a change, or being on the hunt for a better idea.
The flowers on the shutters had been a deep, magenta red like the door used to be. I pinked them up a little and added some blue hydrangeas to tie all the colors in together.
I was going for a rustic, vintagey feel, so after painting, I used sandpaper for some distressing.
The shutters themselves started out as a pair of black, bi-fold doors from a garage sale for a couple bucks. The other half of the set of doors is painted to match these, but I have those inside my breezeway on each side of the entry way door. (which opens onto the kitchen- we don't use the front of the house. You walk straight into our kitchen or the studio when you come here, the two most loved rooms of the house!)
Its a gorgeous, spring day here, and our niece's church group is busy working on the community garden that we loaned them space for. They've decided to put up a fence, which is smart, we have about 3 billion rabbits and almost that many deer watching through the trees eagerly waiting to see what we are planting for their lunch.
Before I forget, the winner of a Peat Pot Pretty is:
Sasha Girl
And if you want to win one, I am drawing names from the list of Google Friend Connect followers, for every 50 followers I get. You name stays in the contest as long as I am doing this.
The next drawing will be at 200.
wow, what a fabulous revamp! I love the colour. Last year we changed our front door and garage doors from red to a pale, pale sagey green. Makes such a huge difference.
Personally, I love your chairs, even more so now you’ve changed the door colour. But it is fun to look for new stuff! ;o)
I finished painting the half moon table the other day. I love how it turned out. I do all of my painting without telling my husband about it. He comes back from work to find I’ve had my trusty tin of paint out and altered something or other! Luckily, he likes what I do, and this time it’s inspired him. We’re off to hopefully pick up the paint and wallpaper for the dining room makeover. Yey! I just love to redecorate. hmm. Or should that be, ‘I just love to watch my husband redecorate’ as I don’t do the big painting, just the fun stuff!
Have a glorious weekend. xx
What a totally cool paint effect…and Twinks really seems to like it!
I ADORE your porch look… I love the shutters and that speckled paint is to die for… I love the chairs the way they are, but hey, it would be fun to hunt anyway… Your touches are adorable. I can’t wait for another chance at the peatpot!!! Go Followers!!! haha.. Hugs from Missouri.
Karla I love the quickie transformation. You amaze me with your painting – I wish I could do what you do. You think it and just do it. I procrastinate too much. I’d love a porch swing too.
Enjoy your day – I feel like twinks today;)
Leann
Awww, poor Twinkle! It’s been awhile, but boy do I remember how that felt. 🙂
Your porch re-do is beautiful! I love the distressed shutters and the specked paint…looks like they’ve been there for years…my favorite look!
I like how you jazzed up your door & porch! Actually, you wicker white-washed chairs look like a faint baby blue in the pics which has a soothing appeal. Wonder if you can find a white wicker glider?
That doggie belly just makes me smile! Poor mama!
Karla, i LOVE the door painted blue…it looks so much softer and prettier…i kind of like the chairs like that…maybe you will like them better after they sit out there a while and “weather up” a bit…the shutters are gorgeous!!!
Karla, I LOVE what you did with the doors!! You make me want to get outside and paint mine!! Gorgeous. I love the painting and the chairs too!! Just stunning. You did that so fast too!! You amaze me every time I come here, lol!!
I hope the puppies come soon!! Poor baby looks so uncomfortable. I remember that feeling all too well, lol!
Love ya,
Amy
Oh, I absolutely love your new paint job. I am a pink person but love your blue french doors. And the flowers you painted really set it off. Poor Twinkle, I just can’t wait to see the puppies. Hope she has an easy delivery. Check out my blog and you can see what I did with one of my frozen charlottes you sent me.
Ginger
Wow! You make the quart of paint part sound so easy. Beautiful porch makeover.
Great makeover, Karla!
I love blue and that really looks good. I love the distressing too. I could just sit down and have a cup of tea!
Poor Twinks she looks ready to burst! Hopefully it will be soon.
Sandy
everything looks beautiful, karla, but it’s the last image that had me stop in my tracks. awesome!
xo
elyse
I LOVE LOVE LOVE what you did with your doors!! and… I cant wait to see the puppies!
Beautiful blue for the doorway and the I love the shutters!
Nice job~
I bet your niece and her group are exciting about getting started…what fun!
hi Karla, Your porch looks great. i have so many redos to do.. I just need to not go to work for a couple months! or hire someone to do them! its looking nice and springy where you are! here too..thank god!
have a great day.
vivian
Karla,
I love that you thought of adding the specks to the wall. Very outside the box of you! I’m catching up with blogging after my Easter break. I missed the whole fairy house under the branches, story. I can’t wait to see it in full bloom! I didn’t know the poor thing was sick, hope she’s all better now. Karla, I know I get a lot done, but girl…….I’m away a week & you’ve had contests, filled an etsy shop, built a fairy club house, designed & painted a porch & hosted dinner. I’m sure I left something out. The grass sure doesn’t grow under your feet! Lisa
Hey Sweet Karla! I don’t comment everyday, but check daily on the puppy report. Poor baby. Whatever you do, don’t squeeze her too hard when you’re loving on her!!! Love the shutter paintings…so wish I could so that! I spent yesterday foofing my deck, this is the first year to use it, was completed late in the fall. I planted 3 crabapple saplings in huge barrels and am seeding 4 o’clocks at the bases so that when I sit on my chaise in the evenings I can enjoy the scent of the open flowers. Give the fat little girl a treat from me and tell her it won’t be long! Your friend, Bobbi
absolutely love the blue, its beautiful. hugs JoAnn S
Hi Karla, I love your porch redo!!! It is all so pretty! Love how you added pink to the flowers that were already on your shutters and added the blue hydrangeas! Your porch is so welcoming, I could sit there for hours with some favorite magazines and rub twinkle’s belly, haha! Wow, I’m so tickled to have won one of your darling pretty peat pots!!! Thank You so much!!!!! You made my day!!!
I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!
(((hugs)))
Milli
oh man! I just passed up some bifold doors….i thought of using them INSIDE my house as shutters on my dinning room windows. Of course I was just going to paint them and distress them, they would NEVER be as fabulous as yours! The look is amazing! I LOVE those chairs…they look PERFECT!
And I love the distressing you did on the door….most of us don’t distress the outsides of our houses….only the stuff inside….love the little brown specks!
Love, love, love the porch make-over. Blue was the obvious choice and so perfect and peaceful. Poor Twinks…. I hope today is the day!
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Karla,
Found about about your blog from my friend Lisa. I just signed on as a new follower. Your porch is beautiful and totally my taste. Your art work adds the perfect touch. I plan on stopping by often.
Blessings,
Carolyn
Karla…. I so love your porch,,, what a lovely place to set and just watch nature….. the shutters are so pretty,,,
Have a great week,
Hugs;
Alaura
Oh! I love the blue paint with brown speckles! Isn’t it a fun time of year? I’m all ready to plant some color! 🙂
I love the porch re-do! Mine is needing one so bad and now I’ve been inspired to do it! Your art work and special touches are the perfect finishing touches! Love it~ Oh and the little peat pots are precious! Have a Great Week…
That looks so good! It is so wonderfully inviting!