A Midsummer Night's Dream

{My vintage books}

{Tennessee Vol Daylilly hybrid by Oakes Farm in Corryton, TN}

{Love}

{New treasure to paint with my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint}

I am back from the Isle of Palms and it was WONDERFUL. I also found a treasure hunting paradise called Page's Thief Market. Picture this...Old barn with tin roof full of cool, old stuff. Pickers supposedly go through there often. The chair was my purchase. I was going to sell it when I painted it with my new Annie Sloan paints, but I changed my mind. It's so cute that I can't bear to part with it. It's a good thing the car could only hold the chair because I could have hauled a lot home.

The books are from Jonesborough that I got years ago at an auction. I got a big ol' box of them for ten dollars. I really wanted it just for some of the illustrations out of one of the books. I forgot all about them until my mom brought them for me the other day. Lovely. Books from the 1800's and I forgot all about them.

I am trying to practice some staging for my website that is currently under construction and I need to get the photos going ASAP. These are just the unedited versions, but so fun.

If you have a favorite place to go junkin, let me know! And don't forget to start following www.thebpmercantile.com when these sites merge!

A Fabulous Porch Design Just In Time for Summer by TLC and an update on Annie Sloan Chalk Paint being sold in Tennessee

{Image via The Lettered Cottage}

It's off to the beach for me! I can't wait. I just checked out The Lettered Cottage's porch revamp and it is so inspirational. Check it out. Makes me want to grab a cold glass of lemonade and kick back. You can read about it here, at The Lettered Cottage.

On a side note, I am now a stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! I can't wait to provide Tennessee with such a wonderful product. As of this post I am the only stockist in Tennessee. My online store, The Back Porch Mercantile (www.thebpmercantile.com) will open August 1st and I will let you know ASAP when I have it placed in store front in Knoxville. So if you follow this blog, please start following www.thebpmercantile.com because this blog will merge eventually with it. Thanks!

My new toy came... Learning how to sew!

My new toy came! It is new Singer Heavy Duty Sewing Machine. Yes, heavy duty because I plan on sewing heavier fabrics like canvas, french ticking and grain sacks. Now I have to learn how to use it! Any class suggestions? Any fabric source suggestions? Here are some fabrics I am craving... I am going to need a warehouse for all of my craft stuff!

Doggy fabric for Family Room pillows.

Grain Sack for Living Room and Kitchen Table.

Lovely trims for something!

The Emporium at Kudzu Originals is Open!

I love this. I have made several.

emporium [ɛmˈpɔːrɪəm]

n pl -riums, -ria [-rɪə]

(Business / Commerce) a large retail shop offering for sale a wide variety of merchandise

[from Latin, from Greek emporion, from emporos merchant, from poros a journey]

The Emporium at Kudzu Originals is now open on ETSY! It has a been a journey getting there. Organizing my things, my thoughts and defining my style. Hence the name emporium, a JOURNEY with a WIDE variety of merchandise. Since my long hiatus from blogging, I have really tried to define what I love and what makes me happy. ( And strangely, a few graphic projects along the way!) I read a lot of other blogs and ripped images out of magazines. I love art, photography and interiors. I love old things. I love personalized items and monograms. I love handmade. I love making something from scratch. I must really like the color red and and blue. I love old furniture, french style and industrial. I love paint just out of the tube. I love Caleb's selection of crayon choices. I am learning how to LIVE with what I LOVE and make it all work together. The start of my ETSY store is a small sampling of what I like and hope you like too. Something small to add to your home or to give as a meaningful gift. And I guess if I do what I LOVE, then I will LOVE what I do!

The JOURNEY begins!

Hardware shopping for vintage dresser refinish!

I have been working for awhile now on this sweet little vanity that my Grandma left me. It is so cute! I remember sitting at it when I was a little girl and playing there with some little glass figures that sat on it. It has taken me FOREVER to figure out how I was going to paint it. Fortunately for me, I have been following some blogs for awhile and had some awesome inspiration from Miss Mustard Seed's blog. She is very nice and lists all the colors that she uses on her furniture! I will give the details on my experience painting the piece later. I have been too busy inhaling the glazing fumes!

Anyway... I am in need for some good hardware. I think I found some I like at Anthropologie. Of course, when I go looking there I go shopping for other things not hardware related! Here are some things I love love LOVE!

Wallpaper! Such a trend for 2011.

If I had a girl, I would be all over this. Photo from Anthropologie.

I am hoping I can find something similar to this that I can finish myself.

I think that would look sweet in Caleb's room.Photo from Anthropologie.

And finally, the hardware. I need 4 knobs.

I like this because it has a zinc finish.Photo from Anthropologie.

And lastly hardware sources to check out...

www.lookintheattic.com

rejuvenation.com

Any suggestions on other hardware sources?

Starting 2011 off Right!

This year is the year I do something about our very sad master bedroom. To get motivated, I ordered a canvas from Canvas On Demand to go over our massive king size bed that I have been pondering about what to do over it. I am not an interior designer, but I LOVE art and old things and pretty things, so maybe I have hope to make a nice space?! I am crossing my fingers that I find a really nice salvage pediment from the Heritage Alliance in Jonesborough or part of a fireplace to make the shelf for the canvas to sit on. I need to think about a room color next because the yellow is awful! :) Any suggestions for nice, calm bedroom paint colors?

And I want to also mention that the awesome canvas photo is done by Anna Hedges Photography.

16x24 canvas for master room above bed. Photo by Anna Hedges.

Image of similar shelf I hope to find

Benjamin Moore's Aura Hazy Skies

Image of bed-Ours is a toast color.

Here's to 2011..and some artistic resolutions!

Caleb's hand ornament.

I am itching to get a clean slate. To make some lists and start over new! This time of year it is like a fever hits and I want to get organized. I want my home to look like a picture out of that catalog. Oh wait! I have a one year old, two dogs, a new cat and a husband ( not in order of importance I might add!) And of course a ZILLION ideas to get started on. To make, to create! I am excited what the year will bring. And since I am lagging WAY behind, I thought I would post this super easy and fun piece to make with a family. And yes, that ETSY store will be coming soon. I just pulled out all my originals because I am going to have to part with some things. I can not hang art on every square inch of space of the wall as much as I would like to.

Hand print ornaments:

Supplies:

4 pack of clear glass balls ( Michaels)

1 spool of ribbon any color

White paint pen fine tip

Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint

Foam paintbrush 1 inch

Directions:

Since Caleb was 11 months old and he would rather put his hand covered in the green paint anywhere but the ornament, I enlisted Nathan's help. Do not sweat it if it does not come out perfect. That is the beauty of it. Use a heavy coat of paint on the hand and stick it on. Any mistakes come off with nail polish remover. After it dries use the white paint pen to design some snowflakes around the hand. I also put the date on the front and the person's name on the back. For example, To: Grandpa and Grandma From: Caleb. It dries quick.

ETSY store will open in 2011

Due to the large amount of orders I have received this fall and winter, I have decided to delay opening an online venture until 2011! If you have something specific you need made, please contact me at jvonderf@comcast.net. Thanks!

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel..."

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your long hair..."

I always loved stories and fables when I was younger. This piece, Rapunzel I painted a few years ago and came across it the other day. I did several different tales with this same approach, the woods and the main character. This piece and Red Riding Hood were some of my favorite. I created Rapunzel on cold press illustration board with watercolor and ink. These creations I did in the fall, inspired by the trees and the shorter days. The trees give a mysterious look and the hair is brilliant set against the dark, foreboding colors in the forest.

Rapunzel was one of the illustrations that always was a little inspiration to carry on and do something with drawing in my life.

This illustration is for sale. Price available upon request.

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble....Halloween Crafts

Messy office!

Some of my pumpkins.

Supplies.

Start of bunting.

I love this time of year and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I have been working on some new crafts for halloween and I will post them as I go. I have started a really cool bunting I plan to hang over my fireplace with some vintage inspirations. Here are a few images of crafts getting started.

What have you been decorating with or making?

Custom Pet Portraits Available

Pomeranian Portrait up close.

Pet series.

Everyone has a little furry or a big furry friend in their life (or maybe 2,3,4....)! Who doesn't love a sweet smile from a pet and that big heart they all have. Capture the love of your life on a sweet, small 6 x 6 canvas with a wide edge that looks awesome hanging on a wall or sitting on a shelf. This has been a popular size for wall art. They also make wonderful gifts! The holidays are coming...

Custom pet portrait with any color of background $ 20.00

Multiple canvas pricing available upon request.