Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Beatles got it right!

My friend Jesse advises me to focus on letting the creative process happen. I think part of what she means by that is not being too tied to the outcome or to whatever "plan" you have, but letting the process unfold from within unhindered by expectations of how things will turn out. It's that spark of the divine that we're trying to express, right?

All by way of saying basically . . . the Beatles got it right: just "let it be!"

If you've been reading along, you know I had two shelf units I was turning into sheet music storage with new paint and pieces of old sheet music. That original post about the two scavenged pieces is here.

I was going to refurbish both by painting and then decoupaging the backs with old sheet music. Then I'd decide which one I liked better and probably sell the other one or give it away.

I finished the first one, and I completely love it. See it here.

So it was time finally to start on the second one. It was white to start, but it was yellowed and all beat up.

I gave it a fresh coat of spray primer and white spray paint.

The cardboard back had been destroyed. So I cut a new back out of masonite, much like I did for the first one. But when I put the old yellowed sheet music up against the new bright white, it made the whole thing look yucky.

So the sheet music idea was not going to work. And that realization confirmed that I was keeping the one I had already made and I would find a good home for the second one. So much for being tied to plans and outcomes. It was time to switch gears and come up with some other treatment for the back of the shelf unit, something that would appeal to a broader audience, perhaps not as niche-specific as old worn sheet music.

 I needed something to jazz up the back of the shelf unit and put my "stamp" on it, but still make it something that someone else would want in their home.

Then I remembered I have a boatload of unused wallpaper in my basement left here by my ex who was a wallpaper hanger. I rooted around in the pile til I found a role of the French toile I had used for my mother's ottoman tray a few years back.

I pulled it out and held it up to the bright white piece. Perfect!

I used Mod Podge to glue it down to the Masonite, then used spray polyurethane over top of it to seal it instead of Mod Podge.

I bought a new handle for the drawer, a rustic hanging wrought iron number in keeping with the French country flair of the toile wallpaper.

Don't you think this will work nicely in someone's bathroom, craft room or home office?

I'm linking up to party at:

6 comments:

  1. I think it turned out great and it would go nicely more or less everywhere :)
    Wish you a nice day!

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    1. Thanks Susanne. I love your site. I'm your latest follower! I think we may have a few things in common. Did you see my antique china and glass jewelry stands? Hope you had fun in Copenhagen. Can't wait to see what you do with the vintage wallpaper.

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  2. I love toile, and I really like this idea! Nice makeover.

    Linking from Mod Mix Monday.

    xo,
    Ricki Jill

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Rickei Jill. I just popped over to check out your blog. Very entertaining. You paint beautifully.

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  3. the table is adorable! i can totally see it in a bathroom with toiletries and towels!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Cassie! Glad I found your blog today. Thanks for doing what you do!

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