Guests are coming this weekend, so I am gearing up for Easter and dinner parties. Here is a close up of the dining room table center piece.
On Monday, http://shabbyinthecity.blogspot.com/ called for a "Virtual Potluck" for tomorrow, Friday the 6th, because so many of us enjoyed the Virtual Tea Party that was hosted by http://www.artsymama.blogspot.com/ last month. Since I am setting up for a big party weekend anyway, I thought I’d share some photos of the upcoming festivities as part of the pot luck. I am not a recipe person, more of a pinch of this, dab of that cook, making things up as I go, so I won’t have a recipe to share, although I’ll be cooking for a houseful. I think maybe 16 for dinner on Sat. night?
I did redo my dining room for this weekend, wanted it more Springy. Doesn’t everyone repaint their chairs for a party??? I guess I don’t do it every time, and sometimes I simply switch out chairs from the vast collection I have throughout the house, studio, and garden shed.
When my son got married, I started a table and chair collection. I bought them for months at garage sales and junk shops, painted them white and then set them up in the garden for the reception. I have since sold a lot of the tables, but kept a most of my favorite chairs. My garage was packed with tables stacked up on top of themselves and chairs hanging from the rafters for a while. But why waste a garage on cars when you can fill it with cool junk?
Yesterday, I repainted the bench. It was my mom’s from the 60’s, and I got it from her estate. So I can never sell it, but I do get a little bit tired of it, and repaint it every year or so. I am not one to keep things forever, unless they are extremely sentimental to me. She made the blue cushion for it, sometimes I sew a little slip cover to put over it, but I always use it on the bench. I like to have things she made around me.
Two chairs got repainted yesterday and I found the cushions for them at TJMaxx for $7 each. What a deal, can’t beat that place.
The blue toile curtains are vintage and only cost $20 for the whole set of 4 panels!! I got them from a friend’s garage sale.
I went with bluebird and pink roses on this chair. Both chairs have been numerous colors in the past, last incarnation was black, which really does well when painted over and then distressed. 
Mom’s bench got a lot of pizazz. Or just became gaudy?
Yes, I know this room won’t seat 16 people. I will have to set up my art studio for the big dinner. We’ll use this dining room for the smaller meals when the whole bunch doesn’t come. I’ll post photos of the art studio/dining room tomorrow for the Virtual Potluck party.
Little Miss Sugar Wings, my fairy grand daughter, gets new dishes for Easter. I found this set of fairy-ware for her. Her parents won’t let her sit in the vintage high chair I found for her, they might be right about it not being safe for her now, but she’ll grow into it and will use it over the years. I adore the chippy pink and blue paint ( I sealed it so it won’t come off for her to nibble on). Can’t you picture a resourceful mom, years ago, repainting her son’s blue high chair when she has a daughter?
The painting on the wall behind the high chair is one that I did, I love to do paintings that look old fashioned, not new.
See you at the potluck tomorrow?
Yeah they are right about the highchair. My daughter sat in my son’s highchair which had no belts when she was old enough. Problem is that she is super tiny, so she would slide out of it and even now at 18 mos we can’t sit her in it. So I had to get her a vintage metal one that is much better and much safer(and more my style, lol!).
I never repaint for anything other than moving to a new house. Your rooms keep getting smaller & smaller every time you repaint them! The furniture probably gets cushier with all the layers of paint. Wish we could be there for your Easter gala. We don’t have specific plans yet – just waiting to hear from Steffi to see if she will be here for an egg hunt for the boys.
Your studio is the perfect place to have a gathering, using all your wonderful “finds” to seat everyone.
Can you advertise the Fishers Renaissance Faire on your site? You might get lots of ideas from others on what to sell & what to wear.
I think Mom’s bench looks beautiful. I can picture all of the painted chairs for your son’s wedding. Must have been an awesome visual. Do you have any photos? See you at the potluck!
Karla
Oh, I am SO loving that chair with the bluebirds and roses! (you are probably not one bit surprised at that! 🙂
Beautiful!!
Karla, you just amaze me! I love those chairs! I bet your son’s wedding was just gorgeous! Your room looks springy and beautiful!
Karla-
I’m glad I stopped in here. I love your chairs! You painted those, all this stuff? Love those bluebirds. What a talented gal you are.
I’m off to Ebay to see what you’re selling.
Wow your style is amazing! i love it!
I too am a thrifty furniture shopper but haven’t had the faintest idea how to paint these babies! How do you make your stuff look vintage? Do you have articles or tutorials? I have two tables just screaming for attention with no know-how!
You do a lot of painting (do you distress the furniture also)
can you tell me how to paint furniture properly (without distressing it) (when ever you have the time)
hi there,
can you tell me how you sealed the highchair so the paint wouldn’t come off?
thanks a bunch!
jennifer