Dad's tin toy

My 83-year-old dad has had this windup street sweeper toy since he was a boy. It works perfectly and pushes the can as it goes along. I am sure it's a Marx and probably pretty worth quite a bit. It's such a great piece and a real family treasure. Way to go for saving it Dad.

Sunrise, Sunset.

The space between sunrise and sunset is growing and I have left the house in favor of getting the garden beds ready. Already I see buds on the verge of blooming on the plum trees and currant bush. Another great thing about spring is being able to sand and paint outdoors. Look for an upcoming before and after shoot of a dresser for some clients in Las Vegas.

My scrap crow

I've been trying to download this picture of a crow I made for my Sister's in Art project. She is made from a pattern (just the material), but I added the rest of the wood pieces. Hope you like her.

Does it get easier?

I am working on trying to get more pictures on the blog. Don't give up on me! I hope to show loads of before and after pictures. Everything from large pieces of furniture that need refinishing to stuff from the Restore and Goodwill are just waiting to make their debut online. I know someday I'll be laughing about my early attempts at posting pictures. Here's to that day. Right now I am working on a box I found at T.J.Maxx that was pink with fairy princess drawer pulls. The cost was $6.00. I have removed the drawer pulls, painted it red, then black and will frame out the drawers with .99 cent picture frames. It's intended spot is as the catch-all spot for junk on my end table.

The new chair gets a friend.

Heaving furniture up and down the stairs over the last couple days to rearrange and accomodate some semblance of order with the overscale leather chair taking center stage in the family room, I am reminded that I need a challenge. Learn and grow! I found an old leather chair on Craig's list similar to the brand, spanking new leather behemoth and positioned them opposite each other, returning my room to it's vintage roots. Yeah, it's not all furniture store brand new and some character has returned. Unfortunately, the Craigs list find is not all that comfortable. I am thinking of having the seats on both chairs covered in a warm brown velvet to soften and warm them up. Pictures to follow.

Super Sunday

Once a year families huddle together transfixed before their television sets to enjoy grown men throwing balls and crashing into each other. And this year, the Super Bowl is extra super with the Patriots and the Giants going against each other in a clash of the unbeaten titans versus the Cinderella team that fans heckled and booed just a few weeks ago. I'd love to see the Patriots have an unbeaten season and give the Miami Dolphins something to talk about, but if Ely Manning could escape his brother's shadow and hand these guys a loss it would be sweet. I love football, but I also think it's a good day to clean the closet. Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar. I wish the mess in my closet was just a little smaller!

Why Vampstamps?

The name of my blog, Vampstamps, may seem off kilter with the subjects addressed so far - home decor, furniture, etc. The connection is the creative use of stamping in card making, furniture refinishing and art in general. I love the old 40's and 50's glamorous starlets dripping with jewelry and mystery as opposed to today's trash tarts who leave nothing to the imagination and for the sake of selling a few cds or movies reduce romance and sexuality to a mundane bodily function. In the "Little Princess" Sarah, the main character, asks Miss Minchin if she doesn't believe every little girl is a princess. Just so, every big girl is a queen even if she's not Hollywood's idea of perfect and as such deserves to have something to smile about. I believe women should act on this and make their home a haven and celebration of beauty - whatever it means to them. Whether it's a worshiped antique, 300+ count sheets, the perfect cup of coffee (or tea), a romantic piece of literary nonsense or some silly saying, we all deserve a bit of luxury. Whoo, sorry for the rant. My daughter and I hope to create a line of rubber stamps celebrating women and their inside and outside beauty and we have dubbed the enterprise Vampstamps.

Today I am working on ATC's for my Sisters in Art group here in the Bellingham, Wa area. I wanted to incorporate several concepts: birds, tags and Valentine's Day. I'm excited because I think it's finally coming together in my head. Now we'll see if it comes together in a manageable and artistic way that meets my standards. Tally Ho!

Welcome Home.

Most of the Christmas stuff is gone, but I can't resist a little sparkle. This entry embodies my more dash than cash policy. Almost all of the items depicted are from the Goodwill, garage sale, auction or discount store. Hanging the restored light fixture from the column so it catches the light from the mirror is my favorite thing about it right now.

Reuse, recycle, rescue and refurbish

Today's green craze fits in with my first tenet of decorating - you don't have to be rich to have fabulous interior design as long as you are willing to do a little digging. Estate and garage sales; the Goodwill and Salvation Army; Reuse it stores and thrift shops and auctions offer fabulous stuff at bargain prices. And the old excuse that you don't have time to sift through frogs to find a prince is trumped by the ease of Ebay where that perfect item is just a click away. Sometimes you have to use your imagination, but paint can transform just about anything. Besides, I like to think about the people behind that old desk, chair or table. I have a lot of old English furniture from the 1940's that must have survived the war. What stories they could probably tell. Anyway, I figure buying second-hand stuff is worth a bunch of Al Gore's carbon credits.

I Love Lamp!

Today I came across the perfect lamps for my clients in Nevada. They are pottery-barn lookalikes and just perfect for the black and blue color scheme they will have in their master bedroom. I think Alexa and Ryan will be surprised at their modern look, paired with their antique king-size bed. The sleek brushed silver finish and pale blue gray against the worn copper and brass bed finish is just the twist that will wow them. Now, I need to find the perfect color for the walls and get started on the French dresser and bedside table.

Universe tilt

A comfort mandate dictated the purchase of a new chair and now my decorating universe is in a state of confusion. I'm not sure I like this interloper in leather, large and imposing in my once peaceful room. The other furniture is on guard, worrying it is destined to move or be sent away to Goodwill land. Meanwhile, the new chair demands new pillows and a throw minus dog hair to grace its kingly presence. Outside the wind howls and the mercury dips into the 20's prompting the dogs to insist on more trips beyond the rattling doors into the deep freeze just for the fun of it. The trip to the furniture store got my creative juices flowing, though, and I hope I can get some work done this week. There is a treasure trove of junk in the shop just waiting for a good sanding, some new paint and gleaming hardware.

Begin at the beginning.

Day one of the endeavor to make the world a more beautiful place -- one day, one room, one art project, one helpful gesture at a time. Come here to see the earring creations of Hayley from Retropolitan, Alexa of Archetype and my own disease - decorating madness.