Saturday, March 8, 2014

benvenuto!

This is how cool Phil is.  Five minutes before he leaves work, I find this little chickadee listed on CraigsList.  It was kinda on his way home.

Here's what I e-mailed him:


Will you pick this up for me on the way home?
I’m not joking.  It’s perfect for the foyer.


Of course he picked it up.  And it fits my little foyer quite nicely.  Please ignore the fact we still don't have trim.  It's coming.
 



I'm not really sure what I want to do with it, but I did something anyway.  I thought I'd be brilliant and honor Phil's Italian heritage by saying "welcome" in Italian:

Benvenuto!

My Italian Stallion had no idea what benvenuto meant.

Of course, I had no idea what "Witaj" meant, and I'm half as Polish as my mom but not nearly as much as my sisters.

Perhaps I should have gone with Piglatin instead. 

Elcomeway!

Or I suppose I could have Travoltified it in Engish:

 Wallace!

Or I could have Travoltified it in Italian:

 Bruno!

Or I could have Travoltified it in Polish:

 Wictor!

Anyway, I think it's more of a tramp than a lady, on account of her whole legs-in-the-air thing.


I painted the legs in ASCP Old White, and the top in Graphite.

Let me take a moment to complain.  I know everyone seems to love ASCP, but it does not adhere for me like it claims.  Even if I sand or use a liquid deglosser first, it still takes at least 3 coats and I still have parts that won't take the paint.  And when I wax, a bunch more paint comes off.  I'm never painting without priming first again.

There, I said it.  And I feel better for the telling.  Have you had issues with ASCP, or am I an anomaly?

I used Blockposters for the first time, and how cool is that site?  I just typed my word in Picmonkey, then sent it over to Blockposters to print.  I scribbled with a pencil all over the back, then traced the letters onto the table.  I painted the letters with Martha Steward Metallic Thundercloud I had left over from this soul-sucking project.

Then I coated the whole thing in clear wax.  I thought I'd need dark wax on the graphite top, but it seems okay the way it is.

And here you have it.



Don't you just love that picture of Mary with Jesus and the Lamb?  It's called L'Innocence by Bouguereau.  I painted it myself.  And I'm a big, fat liar.


Don't you just love that plant?  It's called Phil the Philodendron/Pete the Pathos.  I did actually make this plant from some cuttings.  Don't hate me because I'm so talented.


I'm really not trained in vignettes, sorry.


One last peek.



I'm off to find something else on CraigsList to make Phil pick up for me.


24 comments:

  1. Good score Andi. She`s a real beauty now. I am so leery of using ASCP as it is 50 bucks a quart here. Do you think I could get Phil`s service to pick me up a few things? Maybe he could head down to Florida for me. P.S. You are one talented artist....P.M.S. I think William-Adolphe Bouguereau is a forger cuz I am pretty sure he is trying to pass that one off as his own!

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  2. Love your new table. I have a lot of Italian words around my house too. Come check out my blog when u have a second at sister-number-5.blogspot.com

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  3. Oh, I just love it. I especially love the legs on the table.

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  4. Love it! The black and white contrast looks great against your wood floors.

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  5. You really do know how to refinish a piece of wood, Woman! Looks fantastic! :)

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  6. I hate you because you're so talented. Do you realize you don't have trim in your entry? hehehehehehe

    Love,
    Janie

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  7. umm I have cried to Suzan all Summer over the fact that my chalk paint has been sucking and that was the bought stuff, my home made stuff worked like a charm with no problems. I also swore I would never not prime again.

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    1. I love the bench (sorry hit publish before I was donme. That is a beautiful find.

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  8. I am sorry, but I do hate you for your talent! But the Elcomeway brings the love right back!

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  9. Well, I'd probably hate you for your talent, too, but at least you have problems to keep you real. The table is gorgeous! Dona

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  10. I would feel very welcome coming into your house and seeing all of your creativity first thing! Love your bench and you did a great job. I like Amy Howard At Home paint. Check it out sometime. Glad to know your trim is on it's way;)

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  11. I love it Andi! Your did an awesome job! I've had such great luck with homemade chalk paint that I've never splurged on the real stuff. I'm cheap don't you know... but only in a thrifty kind of way.

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  12. I love it Andi! Your did an awesome job! I've had such great luck with homemade chalk paint that I've never splurged on the real stuff. I'm cheap don't you know... but only in a thrifty kind of way.

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  13. I love that little console and the way you painted it. I've already had some bleeding with ASCP, but it never didn't stay on a piece. NOw don't tell any ASCP lovers, but I actually use this paint as primer!

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  14. I have never used it. I am not a furniture painter though. But, I want to be. But, I'm scared. But not until the husband is done with school. Or I decide that I can heft around heavy pieces myself. Sand them, myself. And do everything else without getting grass or bits and bobs stuck in the paint. Probably not going to happen. But it might. Back to your table and not my own personal issues...you sure gussied that trampy broad up real nice. Turned her into a real respectable Italian lady. Good job.

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  15. I'm not sure why you're having issues with the ASCP, but it turned out gorgeous in the end! I really like her paint, but I love the DIY version I use every bit as much and I have had NO issues with it at all. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off the side of my face as I ogle at your floors...they are so pretty!! They look great with your new table. :)

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  16. LMAO - legs up in the air - you are too too funny Andi!!!!!!!!!!
    Secondly it turned out gorgeous - and I mean GORGEOUS
    and thirdly - the issue with Annie SLoan chalk paint would be that a lot of people used furniture wax back in the day - and that is chalk paints worst enemy - if there's a build up of wax on it you really have to sand it off
    AND FOURTHLY - have a wonderful weekend with your gorgeous tramp!
    XXX

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  17. That turned out REALLY nicely - even though I was rooting for Wallace..........

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  18. Elcomeway! Bahahahaha! I love how she turned out. I guess you can turn a tramp into a lady...she is tres elegante!

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    1. Oh...I got so enamored of your table I forgot to thank you for sharing at What We Accomplished Wednesdays. Have a lovely week! ~Deborah

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  19. Cripes, "half as Polish as my mom", "Travoltified", "made this plant from some cuttings". You had me having that cartoon dog laugh all the way through this. Who was that dog?

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  20. That is so pretty Andi! I've never used the real stuff... I've not had any problems with the homemade ... and your vignette is great too :)

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  21. You're on a roll! Because I'm so far behind in reading your blog, it seems as if you're finishing a project EVERY DAY!!

    Who knew you were such a painter?

    The Block place? Never knew! I'm newish to PicMonkey even. And it has changed my life!

    I LOL at the legs in the air photo. Scandalous!

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