Crusty, Rusty DIY

This is a DIY project where you can take almost anything and give it a old, crusty, rusty appearance. I chose a $2.00 lamp to experiment on.  This is what I was going for:

This was a make it up as I go project. First I started with a shiny brass lamp I found for $2.00 at a junk store. Of course, I started painting before I  remembered the camera.

First I spray painted the lamp two coats of white.

Next I took craft paint in Burnt Umber and Brick Red and dry brushed these colors on the lamp. I was trying to achieve a rusty appearance. You want to leave some of the white showing.

At this point I am thinking this is the ugliest thing and I should just abandon this project!  It could not look any worse so I decided to persevere. Next I took wall Spackle and randomly applied it to the lamp. I started out using a small trowel but found out it worked better using my fingers. Leave areas of the dark paint showing.

Just play with the Spackle until you get a look you are happy with.  Below is the final result.

And another close up.

If you wanted a smoother appearance use your dampened  finger to smooth while the Spackle is still wet. You can also lightly sand when dry.

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day. We celebrated yesterday with our son and family. Our community pool opened this weekend and the grandchildren had so much fun swimming. Afterwards we had a cookout at our house.  It was a fun time and good food.

Drop by the following parties and look at all the projects and goodies for this week.

The DIY Showoff

Coastal Charm

Faded Charm Cottage

Life As Lori

Silly Little Sparrow

Between Naps On The Porch

Somewhat Simple

Romantic Home

Hugs,

Sherry

~Memorial Day~

Hey~ I wanted to show you the embrodiery I have been working on. I am doing the same design that Amy Powers is doing HERE. I still have lots to do and little trinkets to add on there as well. But, I think it's coming along nicely. Also, I have promised to show my Amy Butler Dress-  It's still not finished  yet but only because I am not sure if I really like it or not? Hope all is going good on your Memorial Day! See ya back here soon!!!

The beautiful garden of May & Axel Vervoordt

 

As a lot of you know, 2 times a year, in summer and in winter, the castle of ‘s-Gravenwezel, owned by our famous Belgian antiques dealer and decorator Axel Vervoordt, is open for public.

As I am a huge admirer of the work of Axel and his wife May, I won’t miss any opportunity to visit the castle.

I thought about you, all my readers and blogfriends, and wanted to share with you some pictures I took of the castle and its gorgeous garden! The weather was so beautiful this Friday, so I was able to take a lot of good pictures to share.

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take pictures of the inside of the castle, that we have to respect because Axel Vervoordt and his family live in it.

I hope you will enjoy the tour of this fantastic garden!

If you want to read more about Axel Vervoordt and his castle, please visit http://www.axel-vervoordt.com.

 

The entrance gate of the castle.

 

The back of the castle.

 

The entrance.

 

   A view seen from the balcony.

 

Another view from the balcony.

Every where around the castle you notice the beautiful rhododendrons.

 

A lovely terrace in front of the entrance of the castle.

 

Isn’t that a gorgeous orangerie?!!

 

Notice the wisteria!

 

May vervoordt loves to bring in flowers and plants inside the castle. In every room of the castle you notice flowers of their own garden.

A view from inside the orangerie towards the pool.

 

I call this a still life of stones.

 

There are the rhododendrons again!

 

Me, sitting in the outhouse (one of my favorite places in the garden) in front of the pool. A wonderful place to relax!

 

Only a part of the huge kitchen garden!!

 

What do you think about the boxwood ? Beautiful isn’t it!

 

Every  where you walk you discover something surprising!

 

 

 

Throughout the garden there are places to relax…

or…

…to dinner!

 

 

 

A beautiful weathered oak table.

 

  And after spending a fantastic afternoon and enjoying the castle and the garden, we had to leave the castle!

Thankful to Axel Vervoordt and his family for sharing with us their beautiful private home, I am looking forward already to the winter exhibition!

 

xx

All pictures are taken by me.

The beautiful garden of May & Axel Vervoordt

  As a lot of you know, 2 times a year, in summer and in winter, the castle of ‘s-Gravenwezel, owned by our famous Belgian antiques dealer and decorator Axel Vervoordt, is open for public. As I am a huge admirer of the work of Axel and his wife May, I won’t miss any opportunity to visit the castle. I thought about you, all my readers and blogfriends, and wanted to share with you some pictures

Cottage Charm Winners

Thank you to everyone that entered my two giveaways as part of the 4Th annual Cottage Charm Giveaway Event. You are all so great and I very much appreciate every single one of you.  Even though we have never met I feel like I have this great group of friends that encourage me, make me laugh and are willing to take a few minutes out of their busy lives to share with me. From the bottom of my heart...Thank You!

Now on to the winners.

Giveaway #1  Flatware caddy and silver.  Congratulations to kathy @
Creative Home Expressions

Giveaway #2  Stamped necklace  Congratulations to  Connie @ She Dreams Big.

My link is giving me fits today!  I am sorry if the link to kathy and Connies blog is not working properly.  Congratulations to both of you. I will be sending an email shortly.  Everyone have a great Memorial Day.
                                                                      xoxo
                                                                     Sherry

the green leaves talk in our language.......

hidden, somewhere in a glade of light and darke, quiet shadows......but above the mountains, high in the treetops, the green leaves

talk in our language.

the winter's night of sleep that endless as it wears our hearts to the ground, has disappeared, has lightened into a hidden land, a secret land, a land, nowhere to be found, but as it slips back into the light, we remember it......the winter.

but now, the leaves speak in our words......

they use our tones and our quiet whisperings and songs......

if we do not hear the leaves, our hearts are filled with too many clatterings and hinderings.

the g r e e n green leaves shiver and dance so gently in a breath of a wind, in a solitary shaft of movement, not quite a breeze, but a lilting and a softening.

the green

the green

leaves/

by me.