do you remember these lipstick samplers? (zip it if you don't, squirt.)
my cousins and i used to sit at our grandmother's wheat-colored waterfall vanity exploring the drawers filled with lady-making goodies. my favorites were the mini-lipstick samplers; they were so darn cute! never was a chastising peep heard from our grandmother as we likely smashed lipsticks into the their lids and plopped items any which place after our experimentation. oh, the patience she had to let us have such fun at the expense of her make-up organization.
snifffffffffff.... if i close my eyes i can still smell her perfume lingering around her vanity.
a whiff of it sailed by me last summer when i spotted this vanity on craigslist for THIRTY DOLLARS. no, it's not a waterfall vanity but it brought me back my glittering grandmother and her elegant vanity. perhaps it was the honey-warm wood or golden goodness of the hardware....
dang. i lost that "before sanding" picture again. still... check out her curves! doesn't she just scream i am glamorous, hear me roar? or was that i am GRANDMA-GLAMOROUS, open my inverted bow center drawer?
either way, she's smokin'.
but... those curvilicious legs had over-done the dancing and needed some straightening out...
and a refreshed finish to bring her back to her glory days-do.
glamma-gramma's wood was too fine to cover completely so i watered down annie sloan's old white, brushed it over then wiped it off. a gentle sanding with 120 paper was the next step.
you can see the areas on the top and below pre- and post-sanding.
then came the glam... the golden glam a la rub 'n buff....
to work with the golden goodness of the handles from heaven. couldn't you just d. i. e. with delight???
oh, you want to see more??
see? i can do understated elegance! i do have restraint. i don't paint everything andy warhol colors.
... and you thought you had me pegged, didn't you?
do you like the artsy integration of the golden lacrosse ball? you can thank frick and frack for flipping that into my scene.
at least it missed my head.
okay, what do you think? love? hate? disappointment? i can take it. really. it won't shatter my memories of my dear grandmother or anything. really.
and don't you think her tootsies need some glam, too? how about a 1 inch dip in gold?
your turn, now. lemme have it.
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38 comments:
Perfection Amy. Absolute perfection. :)
It is so very pretty! She whispers to you very loudly :-) Thanks for sharing!
You did gramma proud.
Bliss
Marilyn Monroe herself didn't have that much glam... she sparkles!!!
Thanks for the memories of digging through my grandma's jewels. Well, they were costume jewels, but I remember thinking they were priceless! This piece will definitely make a girl feel special!
My heart did a little dance when I saw the Avon box of baby lipsticks. I loved those tiny little samples of grown up lady-ness. I thought the Avon lady was my fairy godmother. She always gave me one of the baby lipsticks. Yes, I called them baby lipsticks.
Your grandma would be proud.
I'd throw some vintage brass shoes on this glamour puss for sure. Or the buff.
Either way, she deserves some dancing shoes.
Nice finish! You always find great deals!
S.T.U.N.N.I.N.G.
I don't think I can say it loud enough or clear enough. Do you hear me!!???
Don't you just love Rub n Buff? I've used it on a handful of pieces and I am never disappointed.
And yes...I remember those lipstick samples :)
this is one of my favorites. i love the rustic washed finish paired with the glam! awesomesauce.
I love it, the lines on that piece are just beautiful, but... I think you went too understated with this one. She needs a classic color to go with those classic curves of hers, ya know? Just MHO. Love the gold edging, that is perfect.
Gorgeous! Beautiful finish. Go on, give her a pedi too! I'm actually getting ready to do my first dipped piece this evening if I can get some time.
What a beautiful job you have done with the finish. :)
Love the piece! I still have my moms lipstick holder from Avon!
Looks goooooood!
I see that we live parallel lives, Rub 'n Buff - check, furniture dolly with chip board platform - check, scent of mom's/nana's perfume (Evening in Paris in the little blue bottle!) - check, glue 'n clamps 'n screwdrivers........
told you that stuff was addictive... : )
Smiles!
Sammy ~ Renew Redo
Love it! Great job and really classy!
Thanks for sharing!
Elisa
home sweet nest
Love this, simple & elegant.
bythewayjenngray.blogspot.com
That is stunning Amy! Wow!
Excellent job - would love for you to stop by my party and link it up! Thanks!
Stacey of Embracing Change
http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com
love your voice.
love that you brought me back to the days when i snuck in my grandmother's room, to sample those very same little lipsticks {as my mother never wore lipstick} and the jewels...how i miss those jewels.
when she passed, i inherited them all. and wear them often.
your project is stunning. thanks for taking time to share at creative juice. i'll be spotlighting you this coming monday.
and i will be back for more as well...
This is absolutely beautiful!
Love it !! I would totally go for the 1 inch dip !! all girls need their nails painted ;)
Niamh
www.KathleenaThomasDesigns.com
See? Told you I was here again...you freakin' genius.
simply beautiful
and i want one
did you know
that you can still get
those little lipstick samples
from Avon?
so fun
to try the different colors
thanks for sharing
at Fridays Unfolded!
alison
love the vanity, exactly what i have been searching for on CL but...I am a little eh on the finish. I would have stained the top and painted the bottom, probably spray painted the handles a dark color. not a fan of gold at all. This is pretty but like someone else said very understated.
Stunning! The perfect finish, love the hardware, the touch of gold rub n buff, and yes, I think she's just waiting for a gold pedi!
beautiful, truly..love it! Hopping over from Marni's sassy site :-) Hugs and happy weekend wishes
Super pretty... love it all glammed up! It's going in the PoPP Spotlight this weekend.
Gorgeous! Simple, yet elegant. Love the gold!
nice legs:) I've gotta get some of those straps.
I love the finish. Was that the original hardware? It is great! I DO remember the lipstick sampler - argh! lipstick has come a long way - thank goodness - but I wouldn't mind being able to buy a sample......
I love this Amy!
It is just sophisticated and beautiful!
Thanks for linking up to the Creative Inspirations Party at Embracing Change!
So happy you were here!
Stacey
very pretty vanity! love her curvy legs.
gail
So gorgeous Amy, and I DO remember those lipstick samples!!!
she's even more smokin' now. absotutely perfect.
That turned out so gorgeous! My Nana had one just like it and my Mom was an old Avon rep so I had all those lipsticks to play with too. Ahhhh, memories. Love your telling of the story behind the piece too. Very fun reading. Great job!
What a pretty piece, and so gorgeous. I love the legs on her, really give it a great sense of charm and class. I still have some of those lipstick samples, not many. I smile whenever I look at them, bring back memories. Love the handles, they have such a sense of whimsy about them. Thanks for sharing you creative inspiration at Sunday's Best Par.tay!
I love it! The understated gold detail is just perfect. My grandmother had a similar lipstick box, I hadn't thought of it until you mentioned it, thanks for making me smile with that memory.
Oh, and just wanted to say that I love your "a bit about me" paragraph, I feel like I "get" you a bit more.
Jessica
stayathomeista.com
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