Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Hall-Owl-weeny!

I stopped off last Friday at my local Goodwill and look what I found.


If you have been following my blog for a while, you understand why this was such a monumental find for me. I collect ugly, ceramic owls and give them a more updated look.  I talk about this often, like in the blog post, Woodsy Perch Hops, Keeps Watch and Finds Some New Friends.   I have these little owl friends scattered around as parts of vignettes and tablescapes, like this one to the right is on my bedside table.  Sweet, don't ya think?!!
So....back to my Goodwill stop.  My heart started to race at the sight of this one. I mean, what kinda of luck was this?!! And on Halloween weekend, no doubt!  He was 2 bucks...bought!  

Of course he got the obligatory 'makeover ' which constitutes a bath and a redressing with Vaspar White Spray Paint in Satin.  


He is perched here waiting to hoot and howl tonight for all the little ghosts and ghouls.  What a little devil, er umm, owl.

Happy Hall-Owl-Weeny!

-The End-
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Friday, October 28, 2011

A New Finished Painting from the Studio of The Homeless Finch

It's Paint Party Friday! Yeah!  I joined up with this group of artists just over a month ago.  I have been loving it.  The camaraderie is just awesome.  So today, I will be showing one of my latest finished paintings.  I haven't put a varnish on this one yet, but I wanted to show it.
 
"My Memory Doesn't Serve Me Well"
by Lesley Litrento
30" X 30"

This painting developed over a distance of time. It is a painting that is covering a previous work that I completed.  The previous work was a painting for my daughter's room with large geometric designs on purple.  She hated it, so the canvas sat unused for quite sometime.  There are still bits and pieces of that original painting in this one. Pieces that only I know are there.   Here are some detail images of the painting.





Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek into The Homeless Finch Studios.  For those of you who are new, don't leave too quickly!  Take a look around my blog and check out my most popular posts highlighted on the right column.  If you aren't a follower, come join me!  I would love to have you follow along. 

Have a great weekend full of fun and creativity! 

-The End-
Linking to:

Thursday, October 27, 2011

White Shutters Window Treatment in The Master Bathroom



Ugly Curtains/source:here
I am not a fan of curtains.  I don't really know why.  I have had some really super beautiful window treatments along the way, but currently I do not have a single curtain in my house.  When I think of it I cringe.  Is it the dust that I perceive them collecting?  Is it the way they block part of the light coming into my rooms or the view they potentially block?!  I just don't know.  They are just the last thing on my list and they never seem to get done.  The image to the left is something I found doing a web search for ugly curtains.  They made me laugh.  If they are yours, well...sorry for laughing.

Enter....my Master Bathroom Project and these really plain windows with a need to do something. 

Okay....I probably need to admit that not having any privacy in a bathroom can become a problem, especially at night.  Since removing the cheap wooden blinds a few months ago that the previous owner installed, we have been stumbling around in the dark at night.  Yep, I know...  Morons!  

One window has a pretty good amount of foliage outside, so there is coverage there, but not for the one over the tub.  With a vacant lot next door, I figure that I have about 7 neighbors who if they were curious just might have caught a glimpse of me or my hubby.  Something had to be done! Not because I care about being seen, but because I don't want to traumatize my neighbors with such a frightful sight!

I spotted this shutter project on a blog I read, Tidbits from the Tremaynes. Mandy made these nifty shutters for a bedroom.  I thought, "Hey! I can do this same thing in the bathroom." 

I had my helper Ed come over and we created the shutters to fit my window.  Here they are just after completing them.
So, Ed left and I painted the shutters with two coats of Sherwin Williams Duration in Alabaster White.  I mainly used a roller, except for the hard to reach places.  I wanted the clean look that a roller provides.

Ed came back just the other day and we hung the shutters in the bathroom.  If you remember, I painted the walls a few months back in a pale yellow to match my master bedroom.  We used 4 three inch heavy duty chrome hinges that we attached inside the pocket, but giving the shutter room to fully open.  I took some quick images for you to see.  No fancy staging here.  I will work on that for the final bath reveal.  Here they are...



I love this image because it shows the lawn job some happy teenager
bestowed on the vacant lot next door.  Makes me smile.
Just like Mandy at Tidbits from the Tremaynes, these shutters are mainly decorative.  You have probably figured out that if I completely closed them, we wouldn't get complete coverage on the windows. 

If you remember, I have been collecting stained glass windows that I ultimately would like to hang in the windows to block the view, but still let in the light.  I have only found a few that I like at the price I am willing to pay.  There aren't a lot of outlets for that type of thing in my area.  The hunts goes on... 

In the end, I am left with one thought...a question.  Did you look closely at the last image of the shutters?  Do you think that what really prompted those teenagers, or juvenile adults to peel out in the lot next door could have been the sight of this past-her-prime gal walking in her pajamas to the toliet?!!  I think it could have been.

-The End-
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shabby creek cottage

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Homeless Finch was Featured! and Sneak Peek Into the Master Bathroom Project

It's been an exciting week at The Homeless Finch.  I am busy with a few projects related to the Master Bathroom Project.  Finally making some headway and I can't wait to show you guys the progress! I have some progress shots below of the cabinet that I installed on the wall in the bath.

So, first thing is first. The Homeless Finch has also gotten a little recognition and I wanted to send out

Thanks Yous

First up, thank you to SewWoodsy...My son's Red Hot Chili Pepper Table was Featured this week Click on the button if you want to take a look at the other neat features too!

Second thank you goes to RoadKill Rescuer!  I submitted my Night Stand Rescue and it went live on their site at 8 PM on Monday evening.  Click on the button to check it out if you want.


It's such a wonderful thing when someone likes what I am doing.  Everyone loves a little kudos!  Ya know?!

NEXT UP!
So you want to see a sneak peek at the cabinet that I hung in the Master Bathroom?  Yes? Well, then...okay! 

Here is what it looked like last week.

Here is what it looks like today. 

Sorry....I didn't tell you to don your sunglasses!! No worries. This is a layer of sorts and the yellow will be toned down by glazes.  I have learned to start bright, or the finished product looks dull and lifeless.  Here is another progress shot.
Shutters getting
 a coat of white paint.

I might have saturated that image above a little too much. Sorry.  I am going to add a lot of antique white today, let it cure and come back with my sanding block.  Hopefully I will have something to show you by Thursday.

Also...remember the shutters I told you about in the blog post, Gotta Get the Shutters Up?  The last time your saw them, they had just been constructed.  Well, after a couple of coats of white paint, they are hung up on the windows in the bathroom. Boy do they look awesome! Thinking I will reveal them this week too, so stay tuned! 

Last Year's Jack-O-Lantern
by my daughter

Did you guys realize that it is Halloween this weekend! Yikes! I gotta get out and pick up some treats so that I don't get tricked!  My kids are teenagers now.  Teens don't go out to trick or treat around here.  What about you?  What are the traditions where you live?  What age do most of the kids in your neighborhood stop?  It's kinda a sad thing, really.  I guess they are just too cool.  Worst part is there no candy for me to sneak when they are back at school. (wink)
-The End-

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Best Of Halloween from Around The Blogs

I have been seeing a ton of really neat Halloween stuff out on the blogs. I wanted to share with my readers some of my favorites...the ones that jumped out at me and said, "I'm Spooktacular!"

Homemade Wine Bottle Labels



Chicken Wire and Jute Pine Cone Stuffed Pumpkins
My friend Deneen of dreamingincolor made these totally cool pumpkins using chicken wire, basket parts, pine cones and jute. Aren't they amazing?!



"Spirit Jug" Jack-O-Lanterns
Little Miss Red Head created these easy to make and light up Milk Jug buddies.  What a way to recycle and have fun!



Pumpkin Treat Bowl
Mad in Crafts shared this neat and simple to make bowl full of treats made from
styrofoam pumpkins she bought at the Dollar Store.

DSCN2624



Do it Yourself Glittery Pumpkins
The Scrap Shop gives a complete tutorial on how to create these delightful glittery pumpkins using glass containers she found at HomeGoods.



Amazing Halloween Sweet Treats
Michele over at The Scrap Shoppe also put together the most amazing collection of Halloween Treats found throughout the PinInterest boards.  If you are wanting to have some special treats on your table this weekend, ya gotta take a look at these treats!


Below is one of many yummy treats in the collection that was pinned originally from Bing.com and is in Lindsey Caroll's amazing collection of PinInterest Party Ideas.  Take a look at her PinInterest too.  You might want to follow her.  She's got a great "eye!" (yuck, yuck)
Pinned Image


Ultra Creative Mantel Decor
I have seen a ton...I mean a ton of Halloween mantels, but no one can touch the unique approach that Emily at 52 Mantels took on the project.  Don't just look at the image below, click here and see up close images of the wonderfulness.  Each element is noteworthy.





Country Living Inspired Decorative Pumpkins
Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict presented an awesome tutorial on how to make these fantastic decorative pumpkins.  No need to carve to razzle dazzle friends and neighbors.
clpumpkins2

Hope you enjoyed this little tour de'Halloween from the desk of The Homeless Finch.  There is so much talent out there and I just had to highlight a few.

A little detail from my pine hutch 'mantel.'  I wrote all
about it HERE.
 Happy Haunting!

-The End-