inspiration

i recently blogged about two "trash treasures": a table and a wooden desk, both of which were sitting on my street, free for the taking. lucky me!

asti laid back. he has to be: right now he sleeps in a nook, not even a room. i took a picture but then isuggested that i use oilcloth to cover the tabletop, and that's exactly what i did. if i had thought beforehand that i would be letting primarily aedan use this, i might have chosen a blue one, but i justify all these supposed gender color mistakes with "well one day it will be mine again, so i should decorate it the way I like it." plus i'm lucky in that aedan doesn't care; he is so just couldn't bring myself to post it, because i realized just how crammed full of stuff it is. he's happy, but i long for the day when we can give him a real room like his sister and baby brother. again, we are fortunate that he is so happy-go-lucky!


ok, back to the treasures: so yesterday i streaked the desk with white paint. i love this "technique" because it's not really a technique--i like to think of it as the "kristi's lazy way of being creative." using this style of painting, i don't have to worry about stripping anything, perfect brush strokes--i just slap the paint on, and somehow i think it always turns out looking great. but you be the judge:

of course, i had to show these pieces of furniture in their present state: messy, but used. already, the kids are loving their new creative workplaces.

gillian was so inspired that she wrote a book (and then she said, "ok, after i get this done, i would like to sell it." there's our little entrepreneur!). i think the storyline is inspired by our friend, krystal, who just lost her dog yesterday, whom she has had for 13 years.

i just had to share the finished product with you. keep in mind that she is only 6 1/2. i am constantly impressed by her mastery of the English language and of reading and writing!


the joy i get from looking at this takes some of the sting out of the fact that we just spent $800 today for long overdue work on our 1999 volvo wagon...