The table that took 8 months?

No....it didn't. I've just been a bad blogger. Like, really bad. Bite my lip and hope for a spanking bad, Mr. Grey?

So to make up for it, I took on a mother of a project. No, really this dining suite came from my mother :) Here it is all granny'd up for Thanksgiving. Old Country Roses china and everything.

....and here it is all modern and funkified. Dharma-style. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for the very first time. We now have a distributor here in Niagara! Simply White  with their full ASCP line and lovely staff were a great help. I am planning on taking a workshop there with the lovely owner, Brenda, mid-June.

Tada!!!!

I used Versailles on the chairs which is a taupey sage, and Aubusson Blue on the table. Very Le Francais....no? I will keep you in the loop as to whether all the paint falls off given how much my menthings use this table daily :)

Nice to SEE you, thanks for coming in and seeing if I was still breathing.

Over at Flaunt it Friday for fun!

Happy Halloween!

We shall be very busy tonight. Usually we get about 400 kids, yes, I said 400. I didn't add a 0 by mistake. Be safe, try to dip into those bowls in moderation and have a beverage for me :)

Wicked Wicker!

Just picked up this week, $40 no less :)

Now to figure out styling this baby, stay tuned!

You know someone who had this unit exactly/ something somewhat like this dealio didn't you? If you said yes, I know you lived in and remember the 70s baby!!

His N Hers Headboard

Fit for a King and his Queen, this 7 foot x 6 foot monster was installed today. I have to invest in some seriously sexy hotel type bedding but for now I am ecstatic at my $80 find!

Going from in the yard to in the room (without Boy #1 to carry this with the hubster) was not much fun. But getting it installed and setting the posts properly on an antique to fit modern day frames was lots of fun! NOT!

Like I said, bedding to follow….but it’s pretty boss!

Partying here:

Headboard - Dingy to Delish!

Remember that tease? The KING sized one? Well, it delivered alright. It delivered a blackened, dirty un-loved 7 foot by 6 foot monster a la this to my doorway on Saturday:

Thank goodness the ad on Kijiji was blurry, I don't know if I would have tackled this otherwise. Originally from the beautiful shape, I thought gothic shabby cottage chic? LOL - say that 5 times fast....but I was a bit stumped on a colour.

I had lots of inspiring pieces pinned to my Pinterest board though so I was sure it would come to me.

Then it arrived and it is 100% antique (although a cross brace has been added), dark walnut to the bone and about 200 lbs. 80" across and 65" high. Before I could even think of painting it I had to get the gunge off and see if I could save it. Apparently it was from an old Catholic manse, when the property sold a B&B owner in Niagara Falls bought it. His renovation is my gain :)

TSP, some small sanding, warm water, elbow grease and mineral oil and here it is:

Ready for her close up Mr. DeMille.

NO paint for Veronica! She is far too dark and lovely for a makeover :)

Linking this one up to Beyond the Picket Fence for their vintage soiree!

A round for the whole bar!

....or a new bedroom for everyone? I pick new digs for each of the boys. Mostly for selfish reasons though. :) The upstairs of our backsplit was changed when we blew out a wall and connected two small bedrooms to create the Master. The old master bedroom was given to the youngest at the time.

With the eldest off at University, his bedroom with its adjoining bathroom has been handed down. The college-boy gets the basement lol. Actually he has some pretty sweet digs down there. Do not pity him.

So we had a redux for the downstairs room. We went from this:

To a fresh new navy, cream and lime palette for this guy...

We have been busy upstairs too. Remember that old master bedroom that the kid just got evicted from? Wait until you see what happened in there!

The best part about this project? Only $80 in paint. The rest of the room was shopped from the house. Go me!!

Tap. Tap. - Is this thing on?

I know. I know.

Dharma, in the history of bloggers, you are the worst. Yes, it's true. I suck cheese doodles lately. Well, not lately per se but really for the last year really.

You probably even forgot I was on your reader. Well, surprise! I have dusted off the camera. I have rounded up the paint brushes. I have cleared the VISA and I am ready to party once more.

In my defense, we did try to sell the Casa Eclectica to no avail last summer/fall and I think I just got house-drain. If you DIY or decorate on a budget you know what I mean. The cleaning and tweaking and and and....plus the "dream house" I thought I wanted slipped away by each day our place didn't go off the market to someone new.

Gladly.

The "dream house" was a financial stretch and then the eldest announced he wasn't going to stay at home for college and instead was going off to University 2 cities away. 5 bedrooms for a family of 3? WTF? I was either going to start foster caring or we were in trouble with an offer on a house we didn't need. Sometimes life happens in the way it should and after 60 days our offer went stale. PHEW!!!!!

So I have begun with a renewed vigour around the ole Casa! I am reinventing spaces for boys here full-time and some very part-time. Those posts are coming soon.

In the meantime I shall tease you and tell you I have (almost got this guy hooked into delivery) purchased a Kijiji wonder a la this:

I have been looking for a king sized project for ever! This one would fit that bill big time. I do mean BIG!

So, welcome back, whoever is left. I missed you. I pinky-swear I am back.