I can’t believe it has been so long since I posted. We had snow right up until Palm Sunday, so it was hard to conjure up bunnies and daffodils while shoveling snow!
I think we are done with that white stuff for this year!
I have many Spring projects to keep me busy. Many of you know I love white wicker, the real kind, the kind I have to paint every year.
I am actually thinking of buying a paint gun, I have been doing some research.
If you have one or used one, any advice on brand, etc? I’d love to hear from you.
My son bought me this rocker in 1990 at a store we had in NY called Pergament. I think he paid $99, a fortune for a teen to spend at that time.
It is still in good shape, and it stays out on the covered porch all winter.
You may remember a few years ago I donated many pieces of my wicker to a yard sale for a charity. I thought I could replace it! It wasn’t so easy, as the plastic variety has taken over.
I was lucky to find this piece last year at a yard sale for a very good price.
It had been gently used in a sunroom, very clean. It was $100 for the chair and ottoman, including the cushions. Believe me, that is cheap!
I found this one at a consignment shop, no cushion and needed a little repair. I believe it was a little over 100.
Now meet the ugly relative. I found it on Craig’s list.
It needs a lot of work! It is sturdy, and it is the exact match to the first one I showed you.
I worked on it with a steel brush a little today. Can’t wait to get it all prepped and ready to paint. I’ll show you when I am done. It needs some repair on the back of the top. I paid $35. I knew I would never find a match again, so I had to get it!
I hope you all had a good Easter. I didn’t host, but brought some of the meal. Some breads…
I made death by chocolate as requested. I made some cupcakes for the kids, and mini black forest cakes for the adults. There were 18 adults and 13 kids for a sit down dinner.
Cute flowered plastic tray is from from Christmas Tree . It was a dollar, so I left it for the hostess to use this summer by the pool. Aren’t I a sport, lol. I did give her other hostess gifts too, don’t worry!
Last month was my only gdau’s bday, so I tried to do an Ombre Cake, peony style.
I have to work on getting 3 different shades. Hard to tell from this picture, but I only did 2. Practice, practice.
That’s about it for me, nothing too exciting here. Hope all is well with you!
I have had a few emails about an April challenge. Cathy from Cathy’s Cupboard Calamity, suggested a whimsical one…Girls Night Out. How about the very end of April , the 29th? I have never had a Girl’s Night Out, so I will have to imagine something wilder than dinner out!
Thanks for stopping by, always love hearing from you!
I a joining Sundays at Home
Don’t forget to give me your opinions on a paint sprayer, I have a lot of wicker to spray, and using the cans is very tiresome!
I have always loved your wicker..I have admired pieces in peoples' homes for years..I have the fake wicker sets..in the porch and on the porch..they could use another coat of fresh paint..I buy the cans..not great..
ReplyDeleteI did make new cushions for the porch last summer and just made some for the front porch just recently..for the porch swing too..
New coverings make everything look fresh.
Kathleen..I love those Happy Easter bags w/ the bows..where did you find those?
Too cute..
Your cake and cupcakes..load of love went into those!
Happy Spring..happy everything to you.
Monique, I just bought plain green bags. I got the ribbon in Costco, and the potted plant label are stck on notes from Cmas Tree. I just wrote Happy Easter on them.
DeleteI always use the cans of Krylon too, but I go through so many! Not to mention I get trigger finger. I bet your cushions look good, I always say I am going to make them, but don't!
Adorable..the bows and stickers make them..
DeleteOh yes Trigger Finger for sure!!
I have wicker/rattan that I purchased from my parents. It is the more upscale furniture and I love it. Have not had to paint it yet since it has been on a screened porch. I will probably paint it someday once I move into my new home. I love your Peony cake, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteYour furniture is gorge! I've never used a paint sprayer, sorry....I certainly empathize your plight, though, lol! I've had my share of cramped fingers. :(
ReplyDeleteYour cake looks sooo pretty!
We have a sprayer (used for automotive) and an air compressor to use it. It's amazingly efficient and does a great job but not everyone wants to invest in an air compressor. The latex paint has to be thinned a bit with water for it to spray properly but that's the only technicality. We rented the equipment years ago when we didn't own it and did our garage door. Came out looking perfect. We tried a Wagner (long time ago) and while it does work it has some disadvantages. Ours quit working and we had to return it. Perhaps the new ones are better. The thing is though you have to carry the paint in the compartment that it draws the paint from and that can get heavy after a while.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz! I will keep that in mind. Maybe I should think about renting it. I will look into it.
DeleteYour Easter goodies look delicious--and so festive. I love your wicker! A few years ago, Bandy painted my pieces, and he used a spray. Don't remember the brand, but it came from Home Depot. It's so much quicker and covers those hard-to-reach crevices. I started painting everything in sight and killed the poor spray. I'd buy another in a heartbeat. I'm still not blogging regularly, due to the concussion. 7 weeks out, and I'm still having issues, though I am getting better. I'm glad that you won't have to deal with snow for a long while!
ReplyDeleteLove those gift bags with the breads and of course the cake! Peonies are my fave flower of all time! I had a real wicker set for my enclosed porch in my 'other life' house lol paid $600 + in 1993.....it had a settee, a small round table, single chair and a chaise lounge. Never had to paint as it was inside. Sold it all for $100 in 2008. No use crying over spilled milk. Wish I knew you then!!
ReplyDeleteAll of my spray painting jobs are relatively small so bought one of those things that you stick over the valve of the spray cans. It works well enough for the little jobs. Your peony cake is lovely I am sure you had no complaints from your G Daughter after all it is very pretty. I tried to get fancy with some cupcakes Saturday and painted the sides of the wax paper cones I made with yellow food coloring. They were not very pretty but they sure tasted good (love that homemade butter cream). Girls night out sounds like fun, I have been saving up some goodies for a girlie tablescape for a while, it will be fun to see what I can put together.
ReplyDeleteYou have had a brutal winter Kathleen! I know you are motivated to get your wicker painted and ready for some summer sitting! Your peony cake is unbelievable, gorgeous!!! Girls' Night Out sounds like fun, would that be on Wednesday the 29th, or Monday the 27th? Your green bread bags are soooo cute!
ReplyDeleteJenna
Wed. the 29th , Jenna. Sorry I was looking at 2016! I fixed it, thanks!
DeleteI'm so happy to see a post from you, Kathleen. I stop by every so often to see what you are up to. Your front porch is my favorite, especially when its decked out with your beautiful wicker. A fresh coat of paint does wonders, doesn't it? Your cake is beautiful. I'm a disaster with a pastry bag but am slowly building up the courage to try decorating a cake. Love those flowers.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see a post from you, Kathleen. I stop by every so often to see what you are up to. Your front porch is my favorite, especially when its decked out with your beautiful wicker. A fresh coat of paint does wonders, doesn't it? Your cake is beautiful. I'm a disaster with a pastry bag but am slowly building up the courage to try decorating a cake. Love those flowers.
ReplyDeleteYou know I am always checking any new post from you. Boy was I surprised and honor when there was my name. Thanks for thinking my suggestion for the April challenge was a worthy one. Guess I better get my brain to working on something special.
ReplyDeleteLove all your wicker, I think my two rockers or going to need more than just a paint job. You did a magnificent job on the cake you can bring to my house anytime.
Guess I better get to planning, Thank you again.
Cathy <;)
Hi, Kathleen. It was so good to see your post! I love wicker as well and was sad when I changed my daughter's room into an office after she married and sold most of my wicker pieces (my house is really too small to find another place for the pieces). I'm excited about a challenge and really need to put my thinking cap on for this one! It's been a LONG time since I had a girls' night out! Mmmmm. Regards, Rosie @ The Magic Hutch
ReplyDeleteMy husband was a house painter decades ago and he could have recommended a sprayer but he has been out of the loop too long to be a good source. You just have to make sure to clean them properly after use...I think.
ReplyDeleteLove that cake you made...so pretty!
For someone who doesn't host Easter, you sure do a lot of work!
ReplyDelete- Alma, The Tablescaper
The peony cake is beautiful, Kathleen!! I bet it tasted good, too. :) You really have some nice wicker pieces. My mom has just a few pieces of real wicker, including an antique wicker table in her sunroom. I would love to have some, but you're right, it's expensive. I often see pieces at the consignment shop we visit in Greensboro, but it usually looks like it needs work. Are there people who work on wicker furniture?
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see a post from you. I kind of lost that blogging feeling for a little bit this year, too. Looking forward to your April challenge!
Hugs,
Denise at Forest Manor
The cake is so pretty, Kathleen! I am sure it is just as delicious....Christine
ReplyDeleteYour cake is adorable. Love the cupcakes and your cute little Easter bags. As for the wicker, it is quite lovely. There's something special about wicker...homey feeling. I know sometimes blogging can be a chore. We have our lives to contend with. I hope everything in your life is going smoothly. Happy Spring. xo
ReplyDeleteWhew! You've been busy, Kathleen. Wasn't that sweet of your son to buy that wicker chair for you? That just touched this mother's heart. How nice to find a matching one and now you'll have a pair! I've only used spray cans and yes, it get tiresome holding that trigger down.
ReplyDeleteYour peony cake is so gorgeous. I'd love to have a slice of it right now!
Kathleen...I was so happy to see you stop by. I never know if it's me treading water or someone else. We are all struggling to keep up with our bloggy friends it seems.
ReplyDeleteI love wicker, too. I have some of the plastic stuff at the lake because the last thing I need is to maintain the real stuff. If I ever had it indoors (and I do have one nice piece we found at a junk shop), I would get the real thing. Good luck on the paint gun...I have no clue.
Your Easter treats look great! I could never do fancy decorating like the ombre cake...very pretty!
Let's stay in touch! :)
Jane xx
I hope you find the sprayer so it makes your life easier! I only have three wicker pieces and it is a chore to paint each spring. Your Easter goodies are always nicely done! I'll start thinking about the Girls Night Out challenge.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stroke of luck to find a matching chair! I wish I could help you regarding the sprayer but I'm a Krylon can person too but I don't have big projects like yours. As Monique said, the Easter bags are beautiful and what a great idea to add the bows and stickers.
ReplyDeleteHope all your snow has melted by now! It's nice to look outside and see green leaves popping out everywhere...my lilacs have blossomed, they are about ready to call it quits...I wish the season were longer as the rain always seems to get them before I do!
ReplyDeleteI am betting that cake tasted as good as it looked...really pretty.
Girls night out...that is going to be a challenge!
Hi Kathleen!
ReplyDeleteYou have some great wicker pieces and you are certainly right about the $ 100 being a good deal. All my "wicker" is Lloyd Flanders so it is steel with a plasticized covering. I still love it though and it is carefree except for replacing the cushions once. I used to have to paint the wicker for my mother and I had my fill of it. Your cake is gorgeous! I wish someone would bring goodies like that to my house.
I will try to make the party but I'm not sure as we will be away ~~ I'm assuming you are expecting G-rated girls' nights out?
Finally, some daffodils bloomed today!
Linda
Hi, dear heart...I'm looking for an EASY but out-ot-this-world-delicious FRENCH ONION SOUP recipe...and I know you have one somewhere. Now, I also know, and didn't, until I started blogging, that people in other parts of the country eat differently...(I've tried a few Pinterest recipes that I had to throw away) but I figure that French Onion soup is the same every where....:) Sure would appreciate it. :)
ReplyDeleteGetting continuous snow especially in spring is enough to make one get cabin fever and not in a way that makes you want to blog. That's how it was in our neck of the woods last year and I was depressed...and I'm one who likes winter! It's just that I like the snow to stay in the appropriate season. Glad to see you are back at it though Kathleen...good job rounding up some new to you wicker pieces. I was moved when I read your teenage son bought you that lovely chair and spent that much back then. He obviously thought the world of his mom. Great job on the ombre cake - looks so pretty!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathleen it's always pleasure to be part of your challenges. you are so inspiring in every way. The cake is pretty . Have a great week end. Love Sujatha:)
ReplyDeleteWe use a rustolium spray grip available at Walmart for less than $5. It works well enough. I have my porch wicker to do too.
ReplyDeleteKathleen, you know I'm a fan of the real wicker too. It's all we have. Sadly, we are looking at a townhouse that doesn't have a sunporch. I may end up selling all my antique wicker. ;-(
ReplyDeleteWish we weren't thousands of miles apart, or it could go live on your pretty porch.
Will try to participate in your challenge. Life is a tad busy at the moment, especially if we make a move. Ha!
Will keep you posted.....glad you found these pieces of wicker.
Forgot to mention your beautiful table in the header. Those are some of my favorite dishes. I have a small set myself.
ReplyDeleteI am happy for you that the WHITE STUFF should be GONE by now!!! What a winter it has been! I love, LOVE your wicker and am glad you could find more pieces. The Easter goodies look wonderful!!!!!!!!!! We go to our daughters but I bring alot of stuff too, in fact my hubby says, "why don't we just have it here?", LOL!
ReplyDeleteKathleen...the cake is gorgeous!...yes, it must have been so horrible to have had such a awful winter as you all have experienced...we had a bad winter here, but nothing like your area....love the wicker and how great that you found the exact match to the one you had!...Happy Spring!!!
ReplyDelete