miss mustard seed

if you are a diy blogger or just like to read diy blogs then you know all about

miss mustard seed. and you probably know that she has one

awesome giveaway going on right now, in celebration of reaching 2000

followers.

the giveaway includes items that represent her own style, like

ironstone, bakelite knives, and tea towels.

and grainsacks - oh, how i love grainsacks!

She is also including some vintage finds like this scale.

also love. i wonder what the story is behind this scale. wouldn't you love to know?

there's more included in her big giveaway but you probably already knew that. if you didn't, then you'll have to go check it out for yourself.

i'm warning you, though, you will get hooked on her blog. just like the 2000 followers she is celebrating today!

nursery bound

a couple posts back i showed you a piece i am working on for a client preparing for her first child.

we decided to take a hand-me-down piece of furniture and make it the changing table.

no need to spend money when there is a perfectly good piece of furniture around that will get the job done, right?  this post gives the lo down with some of the before pictures and my plan to spruce it up.

between the heat and other orders i took a bit longer than planned on this but it is finally done.

i'm really digging it! the color is farmhouse blue from valspar's signature line and the knobs are from

hobby lobby. love hobby lobby.

here's what i did.

1. sanding. this piece had  some pretty rough spots, including water damage on top that needed to be evened out. (i chose not to prime this piece as the wood was pretty dry)

2. first coat of paint. i used a sponge roller for big surfaces and small brush for tighter areas.

3. light sanding with 220 grit.

4. another coat followed by a very light sanding.

5. the fun part - distressing. my client likes distressed pieces and set me free to do as much or as little as i wanted. knowing the overall look she's going for in the nursery and the other pieces and fabrics that will be at play i decided to keep it minimal, with some light distressing around the edges and heavier distressing on the feet.

6. wipe-on polyurethane for a protective coat - i normally stick with a lacquer or polyacrylic for lighter pieces to avoid yellowing. i think this blue is dark enough to handle the polyurethane, though.

7. another light sanding

8. final coat of poly.

the only hardware i changed out were the knobs.

I also left the keyhole plates alone because after trying to get them off it was clear they were going to leave massive holes that i didn't want to deal with filling. my client was cool with leaving them so i moved on. they bugged me at first but are growing on me now. i think they give a little nod to the piece's former life as a liquor cabinet. :)

ahhh, the wonder of paint.

i'm joining the fun at domestically speaking, the shappy chic cottage, mustard seed creations, funky junk interiors, and  life in the fun lane.

closet space or lack thereof

with downsizing on the horizon i have been purging over the last many weeks. i am specifically thinking about ways to maximize closet space as we will be loosing this most treasured space when we move. whenever that may be. so i hit up one of my favorite spots, houzz.com, for some inspiration.

and, um, i didn't find a whole lot that would be practical for us but there sure are some pretty closets out there.

who knew a closet could be so un-closety. so beautiful.

traditional closet design by san francisco general contractor Moroso Construction

traditional closet design by los angeles interior designer Abbott Moon

This is just plain pretty.

contemporary closet design by containerstore.com

hmmm, our space is going to be soooo much smaller. i might have to resort to this if i don't come up with a plan. . .

eclectic closet design

or this. i do like bringing the outdoors in.

eclectic closet design

i've always been a sucker for a wardrobe.

contemporary closet design by san francisco interior designer Niche Interiors

and this, love seeing furniture used in unique ways.

eclectic closet design

hold the phone. . .  great day in the morning i love this closet! the floors, the doors, the chandy. i would have my morning coffee in this closet if it were mine, it's so soothing.

traditional closet design

okay, wait, here's one i can work with. great use of space for a kids room.

traditional closet design

i think i need to keep purging. the great thing about downsizing is that it forces you to simplify and get creative. i'm looking forward to the challenge!

the magic of paint

Do you have any pieces of furniture in your house that you look at and ask, why? Why did I get that? Why do I still have it? Why haven't the ugly furniture police come and taken it away?

Of course you do! We all do, right? Pieces that we acquired in college that have made every move with us. Pieces that entered the marriage with our spouse. Pieces that were passed on by family members when we were trying to furnish our first home.

Fortunately, there are no ugly furniture police and, fortunaely, paint can do wonders for some of the sad pieces sitting around our home!


One of my favorite re-do's from my own home is a honey colored Thomasville dresser that my parents passed along to us. This piece is not ugly, the color was just a bit dated for my taste. I knew with her great lines she would look great all dressed up. Here's an example of what a little paint can do.

This very easy change totally updated the dresser, the room and the total cost was a can of paint. What? $30 or so? I don't remember. The color is Behr's Paint and Primer in One, Creamy White. The top is stained with dark walnut and the handles I spray painted a hammered bronze. I love this dresser now, it's one of my favorite pieces in the house. And it's oh-so-satisfying to know that I was able to get the update I wanted without spending much money. It was also what really set me off on my love of painting furniture.

So, look around. What do you have that could use a face lift?

One of my client's is taking the plunge with painted furniture. She is expecting her first baby and wants to create a beautiful nursery with pieces she and her husband already have, many of which have been collected through the years from various sources. I stopped by a couple weeks ago to take a look at her space.

We decided to take an old liquor cabinet and turn it into a changing table.

The cabinet was being used as something of a catch all anyway and is the perfect height for a changing table. It's a little dated and not very babyish so we loaded her up to get a makeover. After two weeks in my studio, aka garage, I am getting to work. Let's take a look at this thing.

Look at that. The top opens up. You know, so you can mix and serve the drinks. Not really necessary for baby's room so we are just going to ignore this little feature and leave it closed. The top is in pretty rough shape but that's nothing a little sanding and paint won't take care of.

Here's a look at the inside. On the left is a pull out shelf thingy for. . . drink paraphernalia, I guess? I thought about removing the whole thing but then decided it will make for nice organizational  space.

I think the right side is big enough for a small trash can and the cubicles are perfect for small baskets to hold diapers, burp clothes, etc. And I'm on the hunt for some small cups (would love to find something silver) to drop into the holes up top for cotton balls, alcohol pads, cotton swabs, etc. won't that be perfect?

I'm excited about fixing this up for my client.

I brushed Valspar's Farmhouse Blue over one of the doors today to see how I liked it. Here's a sneak peak.

I think it's going to look great! And I have the perfect knobs, too!

Now I have to get to work. Monday is my self imposed deadline, but I know three little guys who might have something to say about that.

The Thomas Company

Today, I gathered a few of my wares and headed to Ridgeway, a quaint, historic town just outside of Columbia. I have been to Ridgeway many times. For dinner, to wander through some antique stores, and to go to The Thomas Company and Laura's Tea Room.

The Thomas Company is the name of the business that originally occupied this space (an old mercantile) and the current business has maintained not only the name, but the integrity of the space. There are many original pieces, such as the desk below, on display in the store. They also have the original cash register on loan from the Thomas family. Love the patina on this desk! The display shelves, floors, columns, ceilings have all been restored. It is a beautiful building!

  

the first floor occupies a very large gift shop and coffee shop while the upper floor is home to Laura's Tea Room. Laura was a member of the Thomas family and once served as mayor to the town of Ridgeway. I love how the owner's, Carol and Eleanor, have weaved the history of this building into their business.

The store is home to a variety of merchandise and ware's of local crafters.

Don't you just love these carts being used to display tea towels? I'd like to have one of those in my house!

Mmmm, locally made jams and syrups.

And again, the display piece. love!

I love this old piece once used to sort screws and bolts and such. . . and there are old crates everywhere!

There is also a corner of the Thomas Company dedicated to serving coffee and biscotti and other yummy eats. The coffee is also locally brewed.

And then there's the tea room.

So pretty. And if you want to play it up, pick up a hat on the way to your table

and drink your tea in style.

Back to my point. I gathered some of my wares and drove to The Thomas Company. I thought, maybe, just maybe they would be interested in carrying some of my item's. It's worth asking, right?

I gave my little speech and was invited to unload some of my items onto their beautiful counters for their perusal. To my delight they loved it all and asked for more. Phew!

Because I only brought a sampling of things my mother carried more out for me later in the day. The manager was already getting my display set up and someone bought a chalkboard while my mother was there, which was super encouraging!

So, I am pleased to announce that Green Seed items can now be found at the The Thomas Company. If you are local you should pay them a visit. Not because my stuff is there but because it is such a unique place and the tea experience is a great one!

spaces I'm loving right now. . .

home design

love the simplicity mixed with the splash of elegance the chandy offers.

eclectic kitchen design

ohhh, the floors! and the farmhouse sink! love.

eclectic kitchen design

perfection!

eclectic kitchen design by apartmenttherapy.com

yes, please!

All photo's found on Houzz. Go check it out and get started on our own idea book!

and we're off. . .

crafty feast has come and gone and now i sit here with a sunburned back, a disastrous garage (aka, my workshop), a neglected home - and slightly neglected family - along with affirmation that his is what I want to pursue. "this" being green seed creations. 

i honestly don't know where this little business of mine will go or even where i want it to go. people have asked me what my goals are for gsc. ummm, really, i have no goals apart from creating and recreating pieces people like and want to incorporate into their own homes.

i sold some stuff yesterday, had a handful of people interested in some custom orders, and there is a store or two in town that may be selling some of my items. as long as people want what i'm doing i'll keep going and see where it leads me. if it turns out that no one is interested in my stuff then i'll turn in my business lisence and go back to what i was doing before, obsessing over my own home.

i'm really not doing anything all that original. i'm taking stuff that i find in thrift and antique stores, salvaged wood, dated furniture, etc. and giving it a fresh look. i'm also making some "new material" creations and giving them an aged look. i've seen all sorts of stuff around the blogosphere that has inspired me - wish i had bookmarked some of those pages so i could give proper credit but you know how it is, one link leads to another, to another, to another until i can't remember where i have even been or how to get back! i'll start paying closer attention to those things! :) and i get lot's of inspiration from mainline stores like pottery barn or ballard design or anthropology. their prices inspire me, too! inspire me to create pieces with as much or more interest for waaayyy less. it can be done!

so, i guess if i had to state a goal it would be to make nice, quality stuff, that is affordable and will add interest and warmth to the home's of my buyer's.

this blog is in the works. so is my website, so keep checking in and watch me grow! the blog, by the way, will be where i show some of what i'm doing, share some of my tips with you so you can create your own stuff, and keep you updated on what's available in the "shop" (as it all depends on what fun stuff i find and is ever changing) and what shows i have on the calender. the website will be more informational and will not include regular chatter. :)

i have been writing about some of my home decor'ing over on blessed chaos, our family blog, but will return that to my family where i will record the antics, blessings, and chaos of daily life with my three (4) boys. i can't promise the two won't overlap but i'm going to do my best to keep them somewhat seperate for those who have no interest in one or the other. :)