Wednesday, July 1, 2009

DIY Reader Spraypaint Project

So, I hear Home Depot is back-ordered on the beadboard wallpaper? That is hilarious! Did ya'll really order that much?! Dang, what if I need another roll? I can't wait to see your projects and I am thinkin' a Mr. Linky Beadboard Wallpaper party might be in order. Please tell me when you finish a project and let's get them all together, OK?!

*******************************************************

Do ya’ll have any idea how exciting it is for me to get emails from all of you, telling me how much I’ve inspired you to get out and yardsale or do a paint project? Well, it is totally thrilling for me to read those letters. I get quite a few emails each week expressing gratitude for my blog and the things I share on here, encouraging all of you to try something new. That’s really what got me motivated to share all of these things on my blog. Because really, I’m just an ordinary housewife who loves decorating and doing projects and I figure if I can do it, so can YOU! And many of you are getting out of your comfort zones and giving it a shot and that just totally makes my day to hear that.

So, recently when I got this email from Victoria in Ontario, Canada (hello up there in Canada!), I was so happy to read her story of how I (just an ordinary wife down here in AL) had inspired her to not only go yardsaling (YAY for that), BUT to also try a paint project for the first time.

I’ll let you read the email from Victoria, it was great and I’m so glad she shared her story with me and graciously agreed to let me share it with ALL of you too.

cottage table

(Victoria’s inspiration pic from Sarah Richardson)

Dear Rhoda,

You don’t know me, but I feel as though I must extend my thanks to you.

I have been following your blog for a while now and have been really enjoying your projects. You inspired me to take on my own decorating project.

I bought these chairs at a yard sale. (You inspired me to do this also – I am not an early riser so just getting out of bed early on my day off is an accomplishment!) I wasn’t looking for chairs but I instantly fell in love with their lines and saw their potential right away. I bought them. 7 well constructed and gently used chairs for $25!! In reading ‘Style at Home,’ a Canadian decorating magazine, the cottage of a prominent local designer, Sarah Richardson was featured and right away I knew I wanted that colour palette for my cottage (after struggling for years with what decorating direction to take). I went onto her website and after some searching I found the paint chip that she used for some chairs that she had painted for her cottage dining room. I knew my chairs would look great.

Sooo………I have NEVER painted before – EVER! That is why I got married!! (just kidding). Anyhow, after seeing your many amazing projects and transformations I found the courage to give it a try.

I sanded the chairs down, arranged to borrow a friend’s paint sprayer (which I was really intimidated to use – but in reality was quite easy) and got busy. I’m thrilled with the results!

Rhoda, thank you for your great blog. Because of YOU – (YES YOU) and a little bit of courage (okay and elbow grease!) on my part I’ve encountered success and feel like I can tackle anything.

With fondness,

Victoria

chairs before 1

BEFORE: Victoria’s bargain chairs…did you catch the price? $25 for all 7?? Now THAT is amazing, a steal of a deal. Victoria, for a new yardsaler, you hit this one out of the park.

chairs after 1

And AFTER. Gorgeous!

chairs after 2

Don’t they look great? Victoria, you did an outstanding job and you should pat yourself on the back. Now, next time you’ll be on the hunt for some furniture to rehab and will know that you can tackle anything. I just had to share this inspiring email with all of you and this is just to say, emails like this are why I keep on doing this blog!

So, keep doing those projects out there and feel free to share your successes with me too.

If you'd like to see the old historic homes in my hometown of Marietta, GA, click over to Susan's blog for a beautiful post on it all. Ahhh, I just love the Marietta square and how it's been preserved, along with these older and stately homes. Susan did a great job taking pics and showing it off, so please take a look. This is where I was raised.

Stumble Upon Toolbar

51 friends stopped by:

SoBella Creations said...

What a great find! And fantastic price.

Coffee with Cathy said...

Rhoda -- These chairs and the beadboard wallpaper are great projects, as always. And you know, you not only inspire to be creative but you inspire to just roll-up sleeves and get to work. I'd been putting off a major wallpaper-stripping project to prep for painters to come in but I finally started it yesterday. When I'm up to my elbows in wallpaper scrappings and gummy yucky dissolver solution, I think of all the other women working on home projects to create something beautiful instead of, "I could be shopping right now!"

Anonymous said...

Thanks again Rhoda for inspiring us all! Your furniture re-dos and your current tutorial about the beadboard wallpaper is wonderful!
Hey, I also live in Ontario (Ajax) and would love to meet Victoria! Nice to know there are other like-minded gals out there who enjoy the bloggy world and expecially your site! If Victoria lives anywhere near Ajax/Whitby,..please contact me through this site!
Thanks again Rhoda! Keep up the great inspiring work!
Hugs,
Cheryl
cheryl.vw@sympatico.ca

Nancy said...

Wow, Victoria, the chairs are
great and what an awesome find.
They look better than the ones
in the inspiration pics.
Rhoda, you inspire alot of us
out here. Love the beadboard
wallpaper and get around to trying
that one of these days, to many
othe projects going right now.
Thanks for all you do.

Amber B. said...

Hi Rhoda! I didn't know you are from Marietta! My hubby and I are from there, too, and now living in Birmingham. How funny. We love the Square, too. Such a great area.

lil mama said...

This is so funny because I feel like I should thank you too! I can't even remember how I found your blog but I'm hooked and I, too, have started yardsale-ing. I've always know I had the creative bone but have always stopped short thinking "I can't afford some to do this". Until you (and a number of other chickies just like you). I'm finally turning our house into the home I've always pictured myself living in thanks to the inspiration from the likes of you :). I'm thinking my mommyblog will be taking a turn to a beforeandafterblog. haha! So thank you, thank you, thank you! I surely don't have to tell you what it does for me to live in a home I love that I'VE created!

xoxo
lil mama :)

lil mama said...

p.s your readers should try ebay for the wallpaper! i found some there!

Tricia said...

Fantastic results! I love the detail on the back of those chairs. What a steal!
Thank you for being an inspiration.
*Tricia

Joanna said...

What a great find and love what she did to them!

Still Learning said...

How exciting for both of you!! Oh I want to go to a yard sale so bad. I have no idea why I am so intimidated!! I have just got to find a friend to go with me, I need to go to a yard sale. I am missing out.

I really love her chairs too. She did an excellent job. You are always very inspiring.

Jenn

Unknown said...

Rhoda,
Thanks for sharing that sweet email with us and how you've inspired yet another one of your loyal bloggy readers! You know how I love your taste and all your neat projects which have inspired me as well. Thanks bunches for sharing your love of junking, repurposing, and decorating with us all!

Nancy

Anonymous said...

Dear Rhoda, You have inspired many of us. We all love your blog! I knew I should have bought stock in that beadboard wallpaper! Darn! HA HA HA Nancy from OHIO

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Such great finds, love the new color. Beautifully done. Hugs, Marty

Marilyn said...

You are a very sweet mentor to many of us that come and go without telling you thanks. I read on another blog that you helped someone with easier blogging with Windows Live Writer. Would you share that with me or direct me to the information? Blogging and adding pictures is tedious and time consuming when the net is slow. Thanks for your many inspirations!

Anna said...

wow, those chairs look great! They look like they came from Pottery barn or somewhere like that after the paint. Your blog IS very inspiring, thanks for sharing all your ideas.

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

I love those chairs! Victoria did amazing!

I am ordering the beadboard paper too! I am going to put it beneath the chair rail in my dining room! I can't wait!!

Thanks Rhoda!

Lou Cinda :)

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

It must feel good to know that you are inspiring people! :) I know you think you're "just an AL housewife," but you do a lot with stuff that many people might pass by, and your creativity keeps us coming back for more! :)

Sandra said...

Wow, Rhoda. What a gracious note she sent you. You really are such an inspiration to us all. I love all your projects. I think that your beautiful personality has alot to do with it too. You certainly know how to explain it to us in words we can all understand. I love what she did with the chairs. Love the color!
Blessings,
Sandra

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Rhoda ~ Thanks for sharing Victoria's email and pictures! She got, not only a great deal, but did a fantastic job painting those chairs. Seeing you and others tackle these projects is inspiring to others - we can do it too!

akawest said...

Victoria's chairs turned out great. It is always so much fun to see what you do, Rhoda, and very cool to see what you inspire.

Barbara Jean said...

Great post!
And you certainly are an inspiration to us all.
blessings and thanks for sharing.

Barbara jean

grannyann said...

the chairs turned out beautiful, you sure got a bargain, I love the style.

KayEllen said...

What we do with out good old spray paint?!!!

Nice project:)

Smiles,
kayellen

Amanda@Imperfectly Beautiful said...

Those chairs turned out so beautiful... Way to go Victoria! And I am still reeeling over the price. $25 is an absolute STEAL!

~Amanda

Robin's Nesting Place said...

You inspire me too! I love your blog!

KM Studios said...

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!
all the way around!

Kelli said...

You have motivated all of us to get out of our comfort zone and just... DO IT!! I am not afraid to try anything. Almost any mistake can be corrected. If not, it can become part of the character of whatever we're trying to redo.

Sue said...

Great Post! Sarah Richardson is my all time fav designer! She did a Lottery Home here in BC a few years ago and I got to walk through it...OMG...my dream house!!! It was amazing!
Great job on the chairs!!
TFS

Anonymous said...

Amazing! Can't wait to see how mine turns out!!

Anonymous said...

Great job Victoria...

And Rhoda the wallpaper is on backorder, too funny, you trend setter you !!! LOL

Kathy :)

Kimberly Wright said...

They look incredible!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Rhoda,
Well, its plain to see I'm not the only gal from Ontario, Canada who loves to visit your blog.

Thrifting was never something I even considered doing until I saw all the great things you've done with yard sales finds and such. I promise to never look at a discarded piece of furniture in the same light again. Now I look for the potential just like Victoria did with her great finds. Sarah Richardson would be proud of you Victoria.

Thanks again for sharing Rhoda! Sheila

June said...

I LOVE Victoria's chairs! Could she share the paint color with us? I am on the look out for the beadboard paper too...look what you started!!! LOL
June

blushing rose said...

Bravo to you both. TTFN Marydon

Sabrina said...

Way to go Rhoda for inspiring us all. And a special pat on the back to Victoria in tackling a big project. Would love to see the room when you are done.

Victoria Hayden said...

Rhoda,
You definitely are inspiring! I relate to your style and ideas in so many ways! Thank you for sharing such creativity with us all! I saw on the wall paper bead board, and I am asking myself, "How did I miss this post?"!!! I follow you, so I am not sure. Anyways, read that too and loved this idea, will be trying this out! I have used some of the textured wall paper on other projects, like a little vanity in my bathroom. It has an old tile effect. Can't wait to try the beadboard!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs,
~Victoria~

Beneath the Eaves said...

Way to go ladies! Creativity that is shared is a blessing to you both.
Debra

HMaas said...

Don't you love the blog world - it amazes me as well. It must feel great to know that you are inspiring others - I know personally that now whenever I go to a yard sale I look at the items with the thought - "What could this become and where could it go"
Thanks once again.

Rose - Watching Waves said...

Victoria did a great job, both in her yardsaling and in her painting! I don't yardsale (goodness knows I have enough stuff!), but I always enjoy seeing what others find and how they transform them so wonderfully.

Shabby chic furniture said...

wow, she's done a great job. I'm impressed!

We've Got Scents said...

Yeah Rhoda for being such an inspiration to Victoria. Yeah Victoria on such a great find. The chairs look fantastic.
And thanks for the link to see the homes in Marietta. My nephew plays baseball at SPSU and this makes me want to go there to watch him next year and to see these homes in person! Looks like a great place to have been raised.
Blessings today and always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22

Signing Out said...

What a deal Victoria found on those chairs! She did a fabulous job painting them.

Rhoda, your blog is an inspiration to all of us!

Jane

Kim @ The Pottery Shed said...

Those chairs look so great!

Farmgirl Paints said...

Very inspiring indeed. They looked fabulous.

Tammy518 said...

Those chairs are beautiful. Victoria did a great job on them. I love the color!

Rhoda, that's so funny about the beadboard wallpaper being out of stock!

Hope you have a great 4th of July!

P/F said...

I am in love with the paver patio. I'm going to put the picture in my inspiration file.

Jessica said...

Ronda, I just wanted to post and tell you that you have inspired me as well! I started following your post after you did a guest post over at Christy's Southern Plate. Now after reading your blog, I have so many idea's.
Thank you!

Misti of Studio M Designs said...

WOW! She did get a deal, and she did a fabulous job with the chairs! Kudos to you for the inspiration Rhoda!!!

~Misti

Rachel said...

Rhoda, first time commenter (and viewer/reader!) here, via Buzzings of a Queen Bee..

I LOOOVE yardsaling..LOOOOVEEE IT!!! Most of the furniture in our home is not-new-when-we-got-it...and has been/will be 'rehabbed' in some way. But for a first timer, Victoria did an incredible job...WTG!

And, I grew up in Marietta--was born there off of the square at Kennestone Hospital. My mom still works right on the square...its a lovely place to visit (especially all those lovely old homes, with the wonderful details...)...

Definitely need to visit there, ladies, if you can! There are some wonderful stores in the area, for thrifty decor, as well as the usual yardsales...

Thanks for such a wonderful blog, and a link to my past (one I can peruse when I get homesick, since I now live in Oklahoma, and won't be going to Georgia anytime soon... :-( ).

Kristen said...

I did not know you were from Marietta! I graduated from Walton HS. I worked at the Marietta Daily Journal for a bit before moving to FL and then back up here to the Ham!

Unknown said...

Rhoda, how kind of you to share the email of a fellow Ontario, Canada blogger. Interestingly, the date of your post, July 1st, is Canada Day :)