Be Inspired Features and Link Party #23

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

I know it's not officially summer just yet, but it sure feels like it here in Maryland. We've had temperatures in the 90's and it already feels too hot to paint - yikes! But based on the links this week, you've been getting all kinds of projects done. Here are just a few that caught my eye.....

You've seen her talent featured here before, but this time around, Korrie from Red Hen Home decided to try her hand at vintage inspired canvas art - oh my goodness - this girl just blows me away!

And I'm totally over-the-moon for this adorable potting table from Northern Cottage! What a sweet vignette! And have you noticed that little vintage trucks are everywhere right now - super cute!

Check out this fabulous Rustic Modern Mirror from Tanya at twelve-O-eight. She shares the complete tutorial and I know you're going to want to make one too!

I love this bright and happy desk and chair combination from Kathy at Petticoat Junction. It's going in the room where her granddaughters stay when they come to visit. There is a boy's room too. I love that!

Sayuri from Vintage Breeze totally transformed a very plain waterfall dresser into something seriously beautiful. You must see the before and after to compare!

Danielle from Silver Pennies shared her Ship Shape Dresser with fun nautical stripes and beautiful brass hardware. And in case you haven't noticed, brass is making a comeback!

Stripey Cat Production shared this Pumpkin-tastic Desk. The color is yummy and those legs are sweet! And sure enough, more brass hardware!

And speaking of yummy and sweet, Barbara from 21 Rosemary Lane shared her tried and true recipe for the The Best Sugar Cookie Ever. I'm making these for our next tag sale!

Okay, I could keep going and going. You all really are so very talented and I'm honored that you take the time to share here! Thanks so much for linking up and linking back! If you've been featured, feel free to grab a cute little button from the sidebar!

 Now on to this week's party! The guidelines are simple...

* Link up your furniture makeovers, DIY projects, home decor, crafts, recipes, thrifty finds, etc... We want to see whatever is inspiring you at the moment!


* Grab a party button and please add it to your post!


* Be sure to follow along with us!


We'll be back next week with features and a brand new party.


Now let's share some inspiration!

Trestle Table and Chairs

This sweet little trestle table and set of four chairs came by way of a yard sale. I love it when you find a table and chairs all together!

There really was not a thing wrong with them other than the fact that they were just very brown. I am not particularly a fan of oak and maybe they matched just a bit too much.

I thought the chairs were especially sweet!

So I kept it really simle and just painted the table in a creamy shade of homemade chalk paint and I just cleaned up the chairs.

I love it when a table and chairs relate, but don't necessarily match.

It would have worked just as well the other way around - painting the chairs and keeping the table natural wood.

The table got a light distressing ...

and a coat of wax for durability.

This set would be perfect in a cottage kitchen or

maybe on a screened porch for summer dining!

I'm linking to.....

Seven Random Things About Susan

So I'm in the process of catching up on my thank you's and sharing a little bit about the other girls here at Elizabeth & Co. ... This thank you goes out to Florida girl Wendy at Salt & Wine for passing the Versatile Blogger award along to us. 

Isn't Salt and Wine a cool name for a blog? 

"Salt... that life may always have flavor. And wine... that joy and prosperity may reign forever" ~ Mary Hatch

"Salt And Wine is a cooking, thrifting, style, design, music, photography, healthy living, laid back life in Florida kind of blog."

One of my favorite features at Salt and Wine is Wendy's "Be Good To Yourself Tip Of The Week", like this one...  

Stop by and say hello to Wendy at Salt and Wine.

You will be inspired by her positive energy!

Today you get to meet Susan. This is my favorite photo of Susan and it comes with the best story. Some of you have probably heard it before. This was the very first item sold at our very first tag sale - a very old chippy bench that my husband declared totally unsafe. He was afraid someone was going to sit on it and go crashing to the ground. The woman who purchased it was an early bird shopper. We kept telling her that we weren't quite ready yet. She waited patiently as long as she could. Finally she just reached her arm through the door with a fist full of cash and begged to have the bench. How could we refuse? Susan helped her load it up and my husband just stood there shaking his head. He says he still doesn't get it. We laugh! And thank goodness no one got hurt!

Okay, now here are a few things about Susan that you might not know, in her own words ...

ok here goes...

1. I am married to a loving and patient man who does not complain that his garage, basement and shed are filled to the brim with all of the things that I find on my adventures or that I am working on.


2. Mother to three beautiful children who make me very proud.


3. Preschool assistant teacher and collector of everything rusty, crusty and in need of a little love.


4. Although I like to paint and repurpose the things that I find on my outings I truly enjoy the hunt. I believe that there is a possibility that sometime in my lifetime I could be one of the people on the Hoarders show. When I found out that an episode of Hoarders was featuring a woman from my hometown I asked my family if it was an intervention for me!


5. My happy place is sitting on the beach under an umbrella with a cool drink, a good book and a cool ocean breeze...heaven!


6. One time in Las Vegas, while on the elevator in our hotel, Tom Jones entered and in his most sexy English voice said to me, "Your suitcase is unzipped!!


7. While pregnant with my first child (my daughter) I craved watermelon for nine straight months. I would even salivate while looking at it in the grocery store. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was retaining too much amniotic fluid (which can sometimes mean there is a problem with the baby. Fortunately, she was fine). My friend blamed it on the watermelon! To this day, watermelon is still one of my most favorite foods!


There. Done.

Susan

Thanks you Susan! I appreciate you playing along!



Susan's Mini Chalkboards

Susan picked up these frames at a yard sale last year. She held on to them, waiting for inspiration to strike.

The inspiration finally came in two forms - chalk paint and chalkboard paint!

Aren't they perfect little menu boards for a dining room buffet?

Sweet!

The buffet is Susan's creation as well.

You can check in out at out next tag sale in July!

I'm linking to...

Be Inspired Features and Link Party #22

Hi Everyone! Welcome back for features and party day!

I think Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week! I love the chance to share some of my favorite links of the week and I'm so excited to see what you've been working on since last time.  Here are just a few of the inspired projects that caught my eye.....

The oh-so-talented Julia hosted "Chair Week" over at 551 East. Every day she revealed another gorgeous chair and the week was jam-packed with tips, tutorials and advice on upholstering chairs. Just check out this gorgeous Ikat French Arm chair! And that's just one of her amazing transformations!

This lovely hall transformation is from Molly over at The Poor Sophisticate. Isn't it charming?

If you follow along, you know that dark wax gives me fits! Allison from Fab Rehab Creations shared this fabulous aged bookcase and a wonderful tip on how to make dark wax easier to work with. Thank you Allison!

I love these bright and happy, sunny yellow chairs from Sarah The Thriftress. No surprise that they were one of the first things to sell from her booth at Lucketts!

Ashley's Dandelion Wishes shared the tutorial for this sweet Lolly wreath. Isn't it adorable?

Danielle from Silver Pennies shared her family recipe for "Spag Bol". I love recipes that are  simple, fresh and absolutely delicious!

And how about this Red Hot Potato Salad recipe for your next backyard barbeque? This one is from Meegan at What Meegan Makes and it looks like a keeper!

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up and linked back! If you've been featured, feel free to grab a cute little button from the sidebar!

Now on to this week's party! The guidelines are simple...

* Link up your furniture makeovers, DIY projects, home decor, crafts, recipes, thrifty finds, etc... We want to see whatever is inspiring you at the moment!

* Grab a party button and please add it to your post!

* Be sure to follow along with us!

We'll be back next week with features and a brand new party.

Now let's share some inspiration!



 

Seven Random Things About Karla

 In recent weeks, we're received the Versatile Blogger Award several times from some of our very sweet blogging friends. And since you already know way too much about me, I'm going to let you get to know the other girls here at Elizabeth & Co. a little bit better. Today is Karla's turn!

 

.

 But first a huge thank you to Our Pinteresting Family!

 

 Megan says this family is a bit obsessed by all the inspiring projects they see on Pinterest. But it's not just eye candy, they share their completed projects and have a weekly post of their favorite pins of the week. Meet Our Pinteresting Family - Rob, Megan, Wynn, Amy and Chris.

They tackle everything from thrifty closet organization .....

 

..... to furniture and home decor transformations!

And we recently realized that we all live right around the corner from each other. Megan found a cute little rocker for Wynn at our last tag sale and we got to meet in person! I hope you'll stop by and say hello to Megan and her family at Our Pinteresting Family!

Okay, so now it's time to learn a little more about Karla. If you've been following along, you already know that the girl has a garage full of furniture and I may have mentioned a time or two that Karla loves green. And as you can see, I was not kidding!

But here are a few things you might not know about Karla, 
in her own words.....

Seven Random Things about Me:

1.        I have worked at the same place, an investment firm, since graduating from college – 33 years – yikes – I should retire!

2.       I MUST drink a FOUNTAIN diet soda every day – luckily there’s a little deli right up the street from my house.

3.       I am in three different Bunko groups – not because I like to play Bunko (on the contrary I don’t like to play Bunko) but because I get to hang out with my friends.

4.       I don’t text.  I don’t pay for the feature on my phone.  I don’t want to have anything to do with it.  My motto:  Call me if you need me.  And, I’m holding out….

5.       I’m not on Facebook.  And, I’m holding out….

6.       I don’t watch much TV.  But, that being said, I was a huge Lost fan.  Wouldn’t miss it and can’t wait for the reruns.

7.       I have had grey hair since high school.  I have never colored my hair myself which means I have single handedly put my hairdresser's kids through college.

That was fun! Thanks for playing along Karla!
Next up ... seven random things about Susan!