Salvaged and Restored

 

I have, for the most part, quit drinking any form of alcohol. 32 days and counting (with one minor relapse.) I found myself with evenings at home seeking something to occupy my time. One can only watch the idiot box and repeat episodes of sit coms for so long when the need for something relatively intelligent and productive becomes apparent. My first project was, ironically, a wine/cocktail rack salvaged from CraigsList. My plan for up-cycling this gem (circa 1975) was to use it for my mass collection of jewlery boxes and necklace displays.

 

1. I started with hand sanding all areas and using a rubber mallet to place some of the bars back into the proper alignment. (Unfortunately folks, I neglected to take a "before" shot until I had completed the sanding portion...)

 

 

2. Next step was to tape off every other bar as I wanted it to have a multi-colored tone. Spray painting commenced in my backyard with a Rustoleum paint the color of  "ebony" with gold metallic flecks. 

 

3. Next I uncovered the taped sections and hand painted every other bar with a Martha Stewart brand gold paint called "Champagne". This took three coats but turned out quite beautifully. As an embellishment I used a hot glue gun to adhere pearls every five inches to give it s more Hollywood ""Glam" appearance. 

The final outcome was not too shabby considering this was my first time undertaking a restoration project on my own. The lines of black and gold did not photograph very well, unfortunately, but in person the contrast works great. After moving my little masterpiece upstairs to my lair and strategically placing all the jewlery boxes in a beautiful display, I'm sad to say the pearls began falling off. Lesson learned: hot glue does not adhere well to painted wrought iron. However, it DOES pop off without damaging the paint underneath. So.. no harm, no foul.

cocktail rack........................................... $20

paint and materials................................. $12

pearls from an adventure in thrifting... $1.99

glue and gun......................................... $0.00

Overall cost of hands-on therapy............................................... PRICELESS

Green-Eyed Monster

It has been a while since I felt passionate enough about anything to break out my keyboard. It is time to confront my creative inadequacies and dip my ink back in the well.

Recently I have reconnected with my first love whom I have not seen or spoken to in over 20 years. It was amazing to catch up and reminisce over old times. Although a lot of ancient memories came flooding back with a touch of sentimental "what-ifs" no future rendezvous has been planned. It is possible to admire someone without coveting them.

Said man is currently going through a breakup of soap opera proportions with a woman with whom he has fathered two young sons. The mother is young and possesses quite the juvenile mentality. So, this writing goes out to any young woman who finds themselves in a jealous state of mind. Take heed of these words from the older, wiser, and been-there-done-that, guru, yours truly.

When you sense a barrier with your significant other, it is ill-advised to spread the gruesome details to anyone who pops a curious cochlear in your direction. Keep a smile on your face and a solid front, as though everything is status quo. As the old phrase goes: Never let them see you sweat. Personal business should remain behind closed doors, despite social media trends.

As women we all have an innate primitive instinct to protect what we love, however, we must go about it the most productive way possible. With constant suspicion and a distrustful mind, the smallest things may appear as guilty acts when, in reality, they may be totally above board. You will torment yourself into a miserable existence and likely push a good man away with your accusations. Allowing yourself to be threatened by every female who crosses his path will cloud your ability to truly know love. Remember, before you can love someone else you must first love yourself. Going into CIA mode (snooping through his phone or hacking into email) never leads to a positive outcome. This is a major breach of trust. Instead, be upfront and ask him what is going on, but give him the benefit of the doubt. Never assume you have all the facts. As he defends his name, LADIES: the virtue of silence is golden!!!

Name calling and childish slander are quite unbecoming of a classy lady and will ONLY highlight the maturity of your so-called competitor that much more. Pushing someone else down to pump yourself up is NOT a desirable trait to have. The first sign of insecurity is allowing jealousy to permeate and control your psyche.  A man worthy of your affection will always keep the woman with elegance and dump the rest out with yesterday’s trash. He most certainly will not hold tight to the one who brings drama into his daily life.

By heeding these suggestions you will have a much better chance at long term happiness. Don’t be the girl who looks back with regret and shame remembering the fool she made of herself. Happiness is the best revenge and NO ONE controls your happiness more than yourself. Project grace and decorum and hold your head high. Recognize your own worth. Class will always trump immaturity.